With no high school season at the moment in Illinois, teams from across Land of Lincoln flocked to Indianapolis this weekend for the MLK Showcase. Here are some the standouts from the games we caught. 

Sydney Affolter (2021 Team 21): Affolter is a strong physical guard who loves to attack the lane and power through defenders. Her relentless attack to the basket gets her to the free throw line frequently. She has also shown the ability to finish with both hands. The senior really stuck out on the defensive end, where she is a very good aggressive on ball defender with her size and mobility. Very easy to see why Affolter sits near the top of our 2021 rankings. 

Mary Clare Brusek (2022 Midwest Elite) – Brusek really had an impact on the game defensively. She plays the passing lanes very well and had multiple steals and deflections in this contest which led to transition points for her and her teammates. She also displayed her strong rebounding ability on the boards where she was able to lead a few fast break opportunities displaying her versatility and overall game.  

Juliana Cutrara (2021 IL Lady Lightning): Did not let being one of the smallest players on the court stop her from attacking the rim at all times. The speedy point guard showed how relentless she was by constantly driving the basketball. Her ball handling skill combination with speed allows her to get by defenders at will. She also does a great job of pushing the pace in transition. 

Morgan Demos (2022 IL Lady Lightning) Her size really impacted the game on both sides of the floor. At 6'2” she was able use her size to her advantage on the low block. She has very good post moves which she was able to display and score over both shoulders making it hard for defenders to guard. She was also able to utilize her height on the offensive glass for put backs, key rebounds and outlet passes on the defensive end. 

Whitney Dunn (2022 Chicago Hoops Express): A tough guard who showed some shifty ability in the transition. She is able to defend multiple positions at a high level. Dunn impressed with her perimeter shooting. Her three-point shooting is one of her strongest attributes that allows her to drive the lane easier when overplayed.  

Sarah Hecht (2024 IL Lady Lightning): Dominant post player who grabbed almost any rebound near her. Her presence on the defensive end makes it difficult for opposing players to want to drive the lane. Hecht is a tough finisher in the paint. 

Lauren Huber (2021 Chicago Hoops Express): A pure shooter that has great shooting form when letting it fly. Had multiple catch and shoot opportunities that when the ball left her hand you knew it was automatically going in. She also showed the ability to shoot off the dribble when defenders are closing out on her, and is a player who must be accounted for on the perimeter at all times when she is on the court because of the deep threat she is.   

Greta Kampschroeder (2021 Team 21): The Oregon State commit is a versatile weapon on the offensive end. Greta is a true three level scorer who can score in bunches and at an efficient rate. She has a fluid shooting motion which makes her release look effortless in a game where she hit multiple 3's from different spots on the floor including a late 3 that really helped cement the team's victory. Her height also enables her to shoot over defenders. Because of how good of a shooter she is, opponents try to play her closely but she is quick enough to get around them and drive to the basket for "and-one" finishes. Just an incredible amount of skill and some size at the guard position at 6’1”. 

Kaitlyn Kjome (2021 IL Lady Lightning): Rebounds and takes advantage of her size over defenders when driving to the basket, do it all type of player also showed skill on the perimeter with a few hard drives to the basket. Showed the ability to defend both guards and forwards well.

Lola Lesmond (2022 Chicago Hoops Express): Lesmond is a bigger guard whose ability to stretch the floor played a key part in the win for the Chicago Hoops Express. A true shooter that can knock down the three and has really expanded her game. Her size enables her to guard multiple positions while being a problem for opponents on the offensive end. One thing that stood out was how hard she ran the floor. On almost every possession she was the first one down the court which allowed her to score easy layups in the fast break.

Brianna McDaniel (2022 Chicago Hoops Express) McDaniel is a highly skilled do it all type of player. A guard who can rebound, score, and pass. McDaniel is ferocious when driving the lane and attacks with a purpose and can finish through contact. Although a perimeter player she is not afraid to take advantage of smaller players and put them in the post. She has a variety of impressive post moves that she put on display today. And when she is posted she is smart enough to know when to kick it out to open teammates for open threes or easy layups. 

Mya Wardle (2024 Heart of Illinois): A pure lead guard who runs the offense well for the Heart of Illinois, she makes the extra pass and knows where to go with the ball. Displayed her ball handling ability when it came to breaking down defenses to create opportunities for her teammates. She has also showed her ability as a spot up shooter in addition to play tough defense on the perimeter. 

Makiyah Williams (2021 Chicago Hoops Express): Williams impacted the game on both ends of the floor at a high level. Great ability to defend anyone on the court and come up with bot blocks and steals. On the offensive end, she has a very versatile skill set that isn't limited, she can do it on the post and on the perimeter. Skilled versatile scorer who can finish in the paint, drive to the bucket, and has become a more consistent shooter. Marquette is getting a good one in Williams.