Class of 2022 Breakdown: Forwards & Posts
The Class of 2022 is still young enough, that we haven’t even organized our Top-50 Watch List into a numerical order yet. However, I wanted to point out eight young ladies who I would consider to be standout forwards and…
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Continue ReadingThe Class of 2022 is still young enough, that we haven’t even organized our Top-50 Watch List into a numerical order yet. However, I wanted to point out eight young ladies who I would consider to be standout forwards and posts in this class. That doesn’t mean they are the only ones, and I might omit a kid here and there because I just haven’t seen everyone yet. Regardless, this is a very deep and talented frontline class, and it could be argued that most of the top prospects in this class are forwards and posts. Enjoy this class throughout their high school careers, because it could become a special group. The list below is arranged alphabetically by last name.
Diana Burgher of North Harrison
Diana Burgher, 2022, 5-10 F, North Harrison H.S.
Diana is not actually on our watch list, because I became aware of her after that list was assembled (she will be added in December when the lists are updated). She is however definitely worthy of being mentioned in this group, as she’s a top 5 to 10 prospect in Indiana’s 2022 class. She is still somewhat thin, but she is very long, fluid and athletic, she moves effortlessly in all directions, and she’s versatile skillfully. She still finds some comfort playing around the block and in the mid-post, but she’s likely going to be a nice-sized wing long-term. As she gets stronger and more comfortable around the perimeter, she could be a major mismatch for opponents.
Alyssa Crockett, 2022, 6-1 F, Westfield H.S.
Alyssa is 2022’s version of Meg Newman (currently our #2 prospect in 2021). Alyssa has a long, wiry strong frame, she’s a solid athlete in all directions, and she’s skilled inside and out. She can knock down the occasional jumper, though she’s probably most effective in the mid-post, and she handles it really well for someone her age and height. As she ages, she’ll just need to continue gaining strength, and if she wants to play around the perimeter, she’ll need to learn how to play lower to the ground. But she is still young and certainly one of the better prospects in this class.
Madison Kerrigan, 2022, 5-11 F, Westfield H.S.
Madison’s game has really come a long way over the last 16 to 18 months, when I first saw her play. She has gotten noticeably stronger, she’s maintained her athleticism, and she just looks much more solid and sure of herself. She has a nice face-up game, and she can knock down the occasional jumper, but to me she’s better attacking the basket, because now she is finishing through contact a lot more frequently. She should continue to gain strength and sharpen her skillset, and I think she’s another kid who could become a nice face-up ‘4’ or develop into a true wing forward.
MyKayla Moran of Hamilton Heights
MyKayla Moran, 2022, 6-2 C, Hamilton Heights H.S.
MyKayla is a nice-size post prospect, and she has a lot of upside as a prospect. She has long arms and legs, she runs North / South fairly well, and she seems to play hard all the time. She still needs some work on becoming a more instinctive player, but she does a nice job of establishing position and catching the ball. She’ll just need more work on finishing around the basket based on feel. She might still have another inch or two in her, and she’s probably already 6-3 or close to it at this point. My gut tells me she’s a kid who we’ll hear a lot more about two years from now.
Ayanna Patterson, 2022, 6-3 F, Homestead H.S.
We have already introduced Ayanna to you in the interview article we did a couple of weeks back, but I would be amiss if I didn’t include her on this list. In my opinion, she is easily the top prospect I’ve seen in Indiana in 2022, and her combination of athletic talent, along with her skill and versatility, have helped her stand out already in the eyes of college coaches everywhere. Even the esteemed Romeo Langford, who IU fans will enjoy this season, didn’t receive this kind of recruiting attention at such a young age.
Mila Reynolds of South Bend Washington
Mila Reynolds, 2022, 6-1 F, South Bend Washington H.S.
One after another, there are some incredibly talented youngsters on this list. I have already touched on Mila as well in previous articles, but she is a really nice blend of skill and talent. She is comfortable around the perimeter, and she’s a really good ball-handler for her age / size, plus she can hit the occasional jumper outside. I still think, right now, she’s a matchup problem in the mid-post, because she can do so many things in the middle of the floor. Ultimately, though, she should develop into either a nice-sized wing, or a really skilled face-up ‘4’.
Taylor Singer, 2022, 6-1 F/C, Gibson Southern H.S.
Right now, Taylor is probably a much better prospect than pure basketball player. She has a very strong, athletic physique, she can run and jump with just about anyone on this list, and she’s most effective in transition, or as an offensive rebounder or shot-blocker. Don’t get me wrong, she does have some skill, she can face the basket a little bit, and she’s good attacking the paint from the mid-post. I think as she develops skillfully over the next four years, she will become a mismatch nightmare, because she’ll be a mobile but imposing power forward.
Lilly Stoddard, 2022, 6-3 F, Crown Point H.S.
By now you’ve already read about several talented 2022 prospects, and Lilly should definitely be mentioned in that same group as well. She actually already picked up an offer from Iowa over the summer, because her potential / upside is really high. She is already every bit of 6-3, she’s incredibly long (arms and legs), and if she continues to grow in high school like her older sister did, she could be a 6-5 face-up ‘4’. She has the ability to face the basket to out near the 3-point line, and she has good athleticism and bounce to her. I don’t think we’ll even see the “real” her until she finishes growing and adds strength.
Special thanks to David Roth and Michael Owen for their insight on a pair of prospects. Header photo of Lilly Stoddard of Crown Point; photo courtesy of her own Twitter account. Photo of Diana Burgher courtesy of the North Harrison GBB Twitter account. Photo of MyKayla Moran courtesy of her own Twitter account. Photo of Mila Reynolds courtesy of gemsinthegym.com.