KSR's Nike Girls EYBL Session 3 and Run 4 Roses takeaways

This weekend, the self-proclaimed “Largest Girls Basketball Exposure Event in the Nation!” is taking place right here in the state of Kentucky. “What kind of event calls for that phrase,” you may wonder.

Well, that would be the annual Run 4 Roses Classic in Louisville. This could also be referred to as session three of the Nike Girls EYBL circuit. The aforementioned phrase may seem a bit outlandish, but Run 4 Roses really is the mecca for all things AAU on the girl’s side of things. Of course, that means some of the best high school recruits (and Kentucky targets) were all in Louisville for a jam-packed weekend.

KSR had boots on the ground for Nike EYBL and Run 4 Roses on Friday to take a look at some of Kentucky’s top targets. Additionally, we even talked with those prospects so that they could discuss their performances and describe their respective skillsets with us.

Now enough yapping, let’s do some player evaluating.

2025 four-star wing Lauren Hurst

Whether it was because it was the first game I saw or it’s because she’s just that good, Lauren Hurst really took me by surprise. Immediately, you could tell that she was just different from everyone else around. She was bigger, she was faster, she was smarter.

Of course, you would expect that from one of the best wings in the country, but when expectations are high, meeting them is an accomplishment in itself.

Perhaps the biggest thing that I took away from watching Hurst was just how lengthy she is. It’s not secret that Kenny Brooks likes size and versatility on his teams, and that perfectly encapsulates what Hurst brings to the table. She can practically guard one through five.

Offensively, she’s able to blow by defenders and put the ball in places opponents can’t reach, allowing her to score at will at times. As Hurst put it, “I got to the basket — drove a lot on some of their bigs.”

While she did also acknowledge that she’s a shooter first, Hurst also made sure to let the world know that she does more than just hovering around the perimeter and waiting for a shot.

“I think my defense is a big part of my game because I’m a bigger guard, so I can guard kind of all different types of people,” Hurst stated. “I think it’s a shame I call myself a shooter because I’m more than just a shooter.”

2025 five-star wing Kaelyn Carroll

While Kaelyn Carroll’s shot wasn’t falling for the most part when I was watching her, I was able to see glimpses of what makes her one of the best prospects in the entirety of the 2025 class.

For starters, Carroll’s one-game slump (if you even want to go that far) was nothing to be concerned about. Of all the Kentucky targets and just prospects in general I watched, Carroll’s jumper was one of the smoothest.

Clearly, she’s going to be fine with a shot as pure as hers.

Then, say if her offensive game is a bit off like it was on Friday, her defense certainly makes up for it. Oftentimes, when you see someone as talented as Carroll, you’ll often see them take (dumb) risks on the court. After all, there leaps and bounds better than their competition for the most part, and they can usually afford a few mishaps.

Swiping at the ball a few too many times and getting a foul called on you, jumping at the pump fake, the frustration fouls, you’ve seen it a thousand times. However, Carroll doesn’t make those boneheaded plays, or at least very often. Even at such a young age, she is very mature on the court.

Carroll talked about how even though she couldn’t score at the rate she wanted to on Friday, she still managed to make an impact that ultimately won her team the game.

“Unfortunately, my shot wasn’t falling today, so I wasn’t too proud of that,” Carrol noted. “But, I liked how I stuck with it — rebounded and just found ways to win the game.”

Additionally, Carroll talked about everything she brings to the table.

“I would say my game is very versatile. I can play inside and out, and I use my length to my ability a lot.”

2026 four-star point guard Maddyn Greenway

The easiest way to describe Maddyn Greenway is that she is your prototypical Kenny Brooks point guard. Even Greenway herself said that Brooks’ style of play “fits me a lot with how they play Georgia [Amoore]“.

Off the jump, Greenway stood out from everyone else because of just how well she sees the court. In fastbreak, she seemingly knows what the correct pass is every single time down the floor. When everyone in the stands thinks Greenway should go up with it, she dishes it to a cutting teammate in transition for an easy layup.

Isn’t it funny that the first thing I notice about Greenway is her passing ability even though she’s one of the top scorers in the EYBL circuit? Maybe it is. She even talked about how she’s a score-first type of point guard.

“I would say I’m like a score-first type of player,” Greenway told KSR. “I kind of look for ways I can get to the middle and then create for my teammates and for myself. And obviously, playing fast is kind of my thing.“

If that doesn’t sound like a Georgia Amoore 2.0 in the making, then what does?

2025 four-star wing Aubrey Shaw

The last Kentucky target I got to watch on Friday was none other than Aubrey Shaw, who just included the ‘Cats in her top-14 on Wednesday. Shaw is very similar to the other Kentucky targets I got to watch, specifically because of her length and ability to be a sort of dynamic playmaker on the court.

However, unlike the other three prospects we’ve discussed, Shaw seems like she’s been playing this sport for 20 years. It’s almost like the basketball is an extension of her body.

Hurst and Carroll impressed me with their physical gifts, and Greenway impressed me with her raw talent. However, Shaw is just so polished that it doesn’t even look like she belongs on the same court as her counterparts at times.

If I were give the title of “Most College Ready” to any of the four players being discussed, it would go to Shaw. Similarly to Carroll, there just aren’t a ton of mental errors made there. She is beyond poised with the ball in her hands.

Shaw is a very well-rounded player, and that’s how she described herself as well.

“I think I’m a tall shooting guard,” the 6-foot-1 wing mentioned. “That’s how I describe my game. [I’m a] lefty shooter. That’s kind of what I pride myself on, just always getting my teammates open and passing.”