NBN Basketball Report Middle School Showcase FAB FIVE

We kicked off our first middle school showcase with a bang. Over 40 girls registered for the showcase and they came in ready to display their talent and abilities to show the future of girls basketball in Arkansas. The classes of 2027-2030 all had players holding it down. We had shooters, lock down defenders, athleticism, true point guards, good post play, and high basketball IQ. You name it we probably had it in the gym on Saturday. This gets me excited about what the future holds. Let’s look at the FAB FIVE. These are players that really stood out from the drill portion of the camp, to the 3v3 and 5v5 games.

Jacey Halitzka | Guard | Bergman | 2027

I knew coming into the camp that Jacey was supposed to be super talented. So she was definitely one of the players I wanted to see. Well, she didn’t disappoint. She could flat out shoot the ball. During the 5 on 5 games I kept telling the girls you can’t pick her up inside the three point line. That’s too much space. And what would she do? Dribble up to the volleyball line and let it fly (the volleyball line was about 5 feet or so behind the three-point line). But Jacey was more than a shooter. She had a great hesitation dribble that she would use to get in the lane or use to get into her pull up jumper. She plays hard on both ends of the floor, is unselfish, and had a great attitude. She definitely a player to keep an eye on.

Brinley Collins | Guard | Bergman | 2027

Brinley is another player I was eager to see perform. I had heard the name, seen a few clips, but hadn’t seen her in person. She showed a number of impressive skills throughout the camp. I really loved her motor and how she gets after it. She attacks the basket hard and can finish around the rim with both hands. She also has vision off the dribble and can pass off the bounce on target with either hand. She showed patience off the catch and attacked gaps in the defense to get into the lane. Brinley anticipated well on defense and showed her athleticism in the open court.

Kloee Garner | Guard | Russellville | 2027

I have known Kloee for a few years now and it was great seeing her development. Years ago she struggled with her confidence and aggressiveness. She was a shy and timid kid. During the camp she showed she could be mentioned with some of the best players in the state in her class. Kloee showed her ability to handle the ball vs pressure, she finished in the lane in traffic, got out in transition and scored the ball with her left and right hand, and she showed she has good decision making skills. She finished plays through contact, knocked down free throws, and was a solid defender.

Kylie Johnson | Wing | Conway | 2028

Kylie was definitely the best athlete in the gym. Her size, speed, and strength was unstoppable once she started going downhill. No one could stop her and no one was trying to get in front of her either. She’s listed as a wing player, but she could actually play 4 positions and defend some 5’s because of her strength. Kylie is going to play hard on both ends of the floor. Defensively she’s not afraid to pick you up full court. She uses her length and athleticism to make the ball handler uneasy force the turnover. She’ll fight for the defensive rebound and then take it coast to coast with her speed. In the half-court she has a respectable three-point shot that she can make so you can’t give her too much room.

Hailey Trader | Wing | Bentonville | 2029

Hailey had a very impressive performance during the camp. She is a versatile player that can play and defend multiple positions. You would see her one minute guarding a wing player then switching and guarding a smaller quick point guard. She would even guard the post player if needed. She handles the ball well vs pressure or in the open court. She can attack the rim in a variety of ways off the bounce. She can give you a hesitation, a change of direction, combo moves, or use her size to go right by you. And if you give her too much room she can make the outside jumper.