Setters Who Shined at SoCal Up Next Showcase Vol 4

Prep Dig Up Next Showcases have been sweeping the nation. These events are aimed at helping middle school players understand what it takes to attend a showcase for the first time and also learn new skills in their respective positions. We held our SoCal Up Next Showcase at the Momentous Sports Center on August 29th and it did not disappoint. These events always bring together athletes from across the state looking to compete in front of college coaches while being evaluated by Prep Dig scouts and court coaches. There were tons of awesome players that we evaluated from their awesome production. Showcases like this continue to provide a valuable platform for athletes to be seen, tested, and recognized for their individual performance and intangibles. Let's take a closer look at three setters who shined bright at the SoCal Up Next showcase.    Not every setter needs height to run a room. Jessi proved that at the Prep Dig Up Next SoCal Showcase by making decisions that were a beat ahead of what the defense was prepared for on almost every possession throughout the day. She found angles in the offense that taller setters with less court awareness would have missed and she acted on them with a quickness and confidence that made her side of the net feel like it had a real point guard running it. The ball came off her hands cleanly and the location was consistent enough that her hitters trusted her early and never stopped. She kept the energy of the group positive throughout every segment of the event and competed with a spirit that was visible to everyone on the floor.     Some of the most telling moments in a setter evaluation have nothing to do with a perfect pass. Watch what happens when the first contact is bad and you learn a great deal more about who a player actually is. Throughout the Prep Dig Up Next SoCal Showcase the difficult passes were the ones that revealed Cora Lee most clearly to me. She got to them without panic, squared her body, and delivered a set that gave her hitter a real option rather than something to survive. Her tempo varied throughout the scrimmage segments and court coaches consistently noted how rarely the block was loaded in the right spot when she released the ball. Patient, smart, and reliable from start to finish. That is exactly who I saw when I evaluated her on Saturday.     Walk into a gym where a player you have never met is immediately making the people around her play better and you start paying close attention. That is what Miss Moala did at the Prep Dig Up Next SoCal Showcase. The chemistry she built with hitters from across Southern California who she was meeting for the first time happened fast and stayed consistent across both sessions of the event. Her setting was clean and her mechanics held up without the inconsistency that appears in younger players when the competitive level rises. Beyond the skill, the effort level she brought to every single rep and the positive energy she carried throughout the day made her one of the more enjoyable players on the floor to watch and evaluate. I will gladly be watching her very closely moving forward and cannot wait to report on her progress in a few years.    As always stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes. If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at <a href="mailto:Michael@prepdig.com">Michael@prepdig.com</a>. You can also DM me in Instagram and X by searching @CoachMikeDZ. Also don't forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends. Help us help them by simply retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook. Thanks for following us, Prep Dig Family! Don't be afraid to interact with us. We love the likes, shares, and quotes/comments. Keep them coming!

Prep Dig Up Next Showcases have been sweeping the nation. These events are aimed at helping middle school players understand what it takes to attend a showcase for the first time and also learn new skills in their respective positions. We held our SoCal Up Next Showcase at the Momentous Sports Center on August 29^th and it did not disappoint. These events always bring together athletes from across the state looking to compete in front of college coaches while being evaluated by Prep Dig scouts and court coaches. There were tons of awesome players that we evaluated from their awesome production. Showcases like this continue to provide a valuable platform for athletes to be seen, tested, and recognized for their individual performance and intangibles. Let's take a closer look at three setters who shined bright at the SoCal Up Next showcase.