Steve’s 2028 Stars at Ridgewood Live Event

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Ridgewood Live Shootout provided a massive platform for the class of 2028 to showcase their growth ahead of the July live periods. With college coaches looking on, several rising sophomores stepped up in a major way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rather than focusing on long-term projectability or pre-existing rankings, this list highlights the 2028 prospects who produced at the highest level on the floor this weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2538631' first='Grant' last='Smith'] | Lyons Township |&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Smith turned in one of the most clutch Friday performances of the entire event, carrying Lyons to a thrilling 48-47 double-overtime victory against Peoria. Finishing with 22 points, Smith put his full, versatile toolkit on display—combining shooting, passing, rebounding, and athleticism. What set him apart was his ability to make winning plays when the lights were brightest: he drained a clutch three to force the first overtime, swatted a shot at the rim to force the second, and capped it off by aggressively attacking the cup to draw the foul and hit the game-winning free throw.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2531973' first='Brady' last='Pettigrew'] | Bolingbrook |</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After dealing with an ankle injury and undergoing treatment Friday night, Pettigrew returned Saturday morning looking like a completely different player. He quickly reminded everyone why high-major coaches were crowded around his court. Pettigrew was dynamic off the bounce, slashing hard to the rim and converting a handful of acrobatic, contested layups. His mid-range pull-up jumper was crisp and consistent, proving that he has the offensive polish to match his elite physical upside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2441084' first='Noah' last='Hester'] | Taft |</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hester spent the weekend playing out of position as a 5-man for his high school squad, but the 6-foot-5 wing didn't let that slow him down. Instead, he used his perimeter skill set to wreak havoc. Hester was active at the top of the defense, snatching steals at mid-court and taking them the distance. He was a monster on the glass, securing rebounds and instantly pushing the break himself. Throughout Saturday, he stretched defenses out with his perimeter shooting, ran the rim hard in transition, and fought through contact inside for multiple tough "and-1" finishes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2531962' first='Amir' last='Tucker'] | St. Ignatius |&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tucker brought an undeniable edge and physical mindset to Sunday's matchup against Niles North. He effectively balanced his responsibilities as a primary playmaker and a go-to scoring threat. Tucker showed excellent burst, consistently getting paint touches and creating open looks for his teammates. However, it was his sheer aggression that stole the show—highlighted by a roaring putback dunk over a defender's head. He has the rare mindset of a true floor general mixed with the scoring instincts of a physical wing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2125627' first='Ethan' last='Vahl'] | Oswego |</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Vahl put on a clinic in half-court execution and pick-and-roll mastery on Sunday against De La Salle. Playing on the ball, the rising sophomore made advanced, high-level reads off live dribbles. He kept the defense honest by shooting the ball beautifully from beyond the arc, but his passing vision was the real catalyst for Oswego. Vahl repeatedly manipulated the defense off high ball screens, showing elite spatial awareness to whip precision passes to both Alford brothers spotting up on the perimeter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Honorable Mention</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2838585' first='Terrell' last='Eason'] | Lincoln Park | Class of 2028</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6-foot-1 slender guard made plenty of noise on Friday with a highly productive outing. Eason is incredibly smooth off the bounce, routinely getting to his spots for baseline pull-ups, multiple catch-and-shoot threes, and slick finishes at the rack. Defensively, he is a pesky on-ball defender who plays much bigger than his frame, rebounding the ball at a high clip and showing off underrated, sneaky athleticism in transition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->