Playing up a year on 16s, the first of two class-of-‘29 Gabbys on this list has the DS/L position locked down. From a family of volleyballers (older sister is a class of ‘26 OH), Gabby’s length sneaks up on you. Even in the showcases of ours she’s attended, she seems unassuming when not playing. Once the whistle blows, it’s as if she GROWS length and strength, and is an absolute gamer once within the 900 square feet. As part of the next generation of passers, she will anchor Westfield for years to come, and is only tapping into what looks to be massive potential.

Let the record be known that I do NOT talk about defensive specialists much at all, mostly because there are so many of them here in Indiana. That being said, to know that the ONLY DS/Libero in today’s article is Gabby should tell you something about her level of play. Already playing up a year on Circle’s 16-1, Miss Bassett is a cool, calm and consistent D1 libero in the making that will be the future of Westfield’s success for the next few years.

Playing up a year at Circle with their 16-1, Gabby is a full-time libero that can change a game with her solid serve receive, above-average read-and-react defense and overall knowledge of the game as a DS. In our showcases, she’s a calming presence with kids that don’t know her, as she can take pressure off of her fellow passers by receiving half the court. With her club team, she’ll keep her offense in-system, and has been training at an open level of play for some time now, making her one of the better prepared defenders in this class.

Playing up on Circle’s 16-1 this coming club season, Gabby’s length and ability to reach half the court on both defense and serve receive will be her identifier this season. From a family of volleyballers (older sister is on Circle’s 18-2), they share a similar love for the game, each giving a constant positive vibe when playing. Gabby’s fun to watch, and makes this tough game look simple when she’s passing.

Playing up a year for Circle’s 16-1 this coming spring, Gabby is an elite-level libero that leads by example. Quiet and unassuming, she does her job well, without accolades, and is a much-needed part of a bronze-medal-winning roster at GJNC 15 Open from a year ago. If there ever was a kid you could plug and play from point one, no matter the roster or the situation, Miss Bassett is that kid, and is only getting better from here.

One of the top pure passers in the class of ‘29, Gabby’s playing up a year for Circle’s top 16s team this coming spring. She’s also been to our Freshman Showcase before, so getting on this kid’s court early for a well-run drill should be the focus of not only me but fellow athletes in attendance.

Yet another defender playing up a year at her respective club, Gabby is a no-doubt next-level recruit that is fully capable of stepping into the spotlight surrounded by older athletes and shining. She plays longer than her 5’5” frame might suggest, and is efficient in her movements in both serve receive and defense. Already playing open-level ball a year up, Gabby’s name should be one of the first off of the board when commitments come out in the summer of ‘27.

Without a doubt, the most common name given to me by multiple coaches throughout the showcase was Gabby’s. Her ability to make the extraordinary look ordinary is the hallmark of a high-end libero, and Miss Bassett did exactly that. I can’t imagine things will get easier for her, as she’s playing up an age group (16-1) once again at Circle. Even if the competition gets tougher, there’s no doubt she’ll make it look simple.

Attending Westfield High School to start her freshman campaign in about a week, Gabby has already seen high-level club play by being with Circle’s top 15s team that finished with a bronze medal in 15 Open in Dallas this summer. She’s staying with that age group, and will be found on Circle’s 16-1 this coming spring. In short, Gabby is one of the top defenders in this class, period. Her calm demeanor, solid read-and-react skills and ability to make nearly every contact perfect make Miss Bassett a great candidate to be one of the best defenders off of the board once offers come out for her class in June of 2027.

It’s hard to believe that a team of this caliber has 8th graders playing on it, but this one has TWO (both named Gabby!) and they both play well beyond their years. Gabby is a defensive player that you simply cannot take your eyes off of because of her energy AND skill. She brings so much life to the game with a big smile, insane hustle plays and awesome celebrations. What really impressed me the most with Bassett was her passing ability against some really tough servers. She is very confident when passing and is able to pass outside of her body really effectively, which allows her to pass hard-driven float serves well. On defense she is next level in middle back, reading and reacting quickly on hard driven balls in the seam and touches off the block. Lastly, Bassett’s serve is a game changer. She can bring this team back in a hurry and get the opponent out of system to create long scoring runs.