The Classic is a basketball tournament hosted by Ohio Basketball that was held at the Kentucky Expo Center on May 17-19, 2024. It brought in teams from all over the US and beyond. Throughout the 3-day event, I walked around to various courts watching games from a variety of age groups and divisions. As I was watching, I took notes on players that stood out to me. Rather than putting these into paragraph form, I wanted to type the actual notes I wrote as I was watching each game. Below you can read about the 2028 players that stood out to me throughout The Classic (listed alphabetically by last name). 

Please note: There are a few write-ups below that were already featured on X (@riseupsports1) during the tournament, but the majority are new player write-ups. Also please take into account that I typically only caught one game per team, so these notes were based on performance in that specific game. Please let us know if any of the information below is incorrect and we will get it fixed as soon as possible.

Kyleigh-Chestnut-Header
You can watch her play 100 times and you’re likely going to find something else you like about her game every single time. Hit multiple 3-pointers and has really good range on her shot. Makes great reads on both ends of the floor. Nice pull-up jumper and strong finishes inside. Reads passing lanes exceptionally well. Felt like she was getting her hands on the ball almost every time defensively. Such a high IQ player with a really strong all-around game.
Lily-Ervin-Header
Loved her hustle and effort. Constantly working hard to grab rebounds. Handled the ball well and stayed strong. Consistently got her hands on the ball defensively and came up with steals. Good elevation on her pull-up jumper which allowed her to finish over defenders. Aggressive on drives and floaters. Made good passes.
Riley-Gilvin-Header
Big match-up problem for opposing teams because of her ability to score in a variety of ways. Can knock down shots, get to the rim, and finish in the mid-range. Does a great job recognizing when to stop and pull-up or shoot the floater to avoid the defense having a chance to block it. Excellent defender who can get steals and stops consistently. Won the championship while leading team in scoring, including multiple 20+ point performances and even a 32-point performance.
Symone-Headspeth-Header
Definitely one of the top post players in the state in the 2028 class. Strong and has a very solid skillset. Used a lot of good moves down low. Constantly worked to re-post and get good positioning. Did a great job recognizing when to kick it out. Great job defending multiple positions. Very high ceiling.
Caroline-Heist-Header
Quick PG who looks to push pace and create for teammates. While she has a pass-first mentality, she can also score herself in high volume. In fact, she finished with 20+ points on multiple occasions. Can knock down the 3 or use her quick first step to get past the defense on drives. Active hands defensively led to multiple steals. Playing up 2 age groups and you’d never guess it when watching her play.
McKaila-Monroe-Header
Strong shot-blocking skills. Very long and active defender. Very disruptive. Love the way she uses her length on closeouts to make jumpers difficult for opposing teams. Good touch around the basket. Made some strong passes as well. Definitely a top Center in the 2028 class and potential is through the roof.
Karlea-Stanley-Header
Excellent ball handling skills. Quick crossovers and other various moves with the ball are very effective in getting a step on the defense. Handled pressure well. Always looking to push pace when needed and recognizes when to slow it down. Gets after it defensively. Love the way she plays with a fearless attitude. 
Jylin-Edmonson-Header
Have to make one exception here because I was so shocked to see she was class of 2030. When you’re standing out in the 2028 level, that says a lot in itself. Very advanced skillset. Going to be a huge problem in the future. Quick with and without the ball. Tough handles. Made some really nice passes. True playmaker. 

By Alyx

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