The recent grassroots season should be considered a major win for Riley Schellhammer. This summer’s accumulation of premier event invitations was very unique even among upperclassmen, let alone her own class. Driven by composed guard play on the offensive end for Indiana Elite Prime 3SSB, complete with consistent perimeter scoring, her performances earned a spot at the Adidas All-American Camp.
Competing with the best players from the Adidas Circuit, including those ranked inside the top-100 in each of the 2024-2026 classes, Schellhammer’s presence in the 2028 class made her one of only two players at the camp currently outside of high school. Despite the increased age gap, even more so than the normal amount she undertakes playing at the 16U level, she handled herself very well and contributed in much the same manner she exhibited throughout the season. She kept good control of the ball under pressure, fed teammates into open shooting windows, picked her spots along the perimeter and flashed strong recovery times defensively to contest shots.
Similar results occurred only a few weeks later at the annual and infamous BlueStar30 Camp. Playing amongst athletes closer in age did little towards altering her approach on the court and she walked away from the event as a standout. In reflecting back on both events, Schellhammer was quick to point out how excited she was for each opportunity. However, her expectations of each were unchanged regardless of who she was playing. She aimed to compete as best as she could and gauge her standing amongst her peers.
It’s a mature and balanced outlook for a young player, especially one whose parents both previously coached at the Division 1 level. Schellhammer isn’t letting her current progress force her to lose sight of her collegiate goals and is focused on continuing to get better. Playing up can nudge players out of their natural skillset and this season pushed her to operate more off-ball. Increasing comfort in this area is something Schellhammer is really focused on and enabling herself to become a more well-rounded guard in the near future.
College programs have already been taking notice of her skillset as well. Alabama, Arkansas, Marquette, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, South Florida and Valparaiso (offered) have expressed early interest with more likely to join the fray as she continues to develop.
Schellhammer will be competing on the upcoming winter circuit with fellow Adidas program Elevate Elite, alongside talented 2027 guard Sabrina Anderson, before returning to Indiana Elite in time for the next grassroots season.