Preseason Top-50 Countdown: Teams #11-#15
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As we begin to wind down our coverage of the state’s best teams, regardless of class, we have now entered the Top-15. This article focuses on the teams we have ranked #11 through #15. With regards to our Top-50 teams,…
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Continue ReadingAs we begin to wind down our coverage of the state’s best teams, regardless of class, we have now entered the Top-15. This article focuses on the teams we have ranked #11 through #15. With regards to our Top-50 teams, we took in to account several different factors, most notably, but not limited to, last season’s record, Sagarin rating, and strength of schedule, graduation losses, newcomers, improvement of existing roster members, and coaching changes. We will continue our Top-50 countdown on Friday, October 19th, so look for teams #6-#10 at that time.
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Ella Thompson of Center Grove
4A Center Grove H.S. (Greenwood, IN)
Center Grove won 21 games last season, the most they’ve won in the 2000s. This year, they might be even a little tougher to match up with. They will need to adjust to playing without wing Cassidy Hardin (17.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.9 spg, 96 made 3s), guard Amy Davis (4.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg), and forward Karinna Frankel (3.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg), all of whom graduated. But the Trojans played several underclassmen last season who now return with a great deal of experience and depth. Leading the way this town should be the backcourt duo of 5-8 2019 guard Emma Utterback (8.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.1 apg) and 5-6 2019 guard Ella Thompson (8.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.0 apg, 36 made 3s). Both should really see their numbers increase this season. Utterback is a long, fluid, and smooth combo guard who can distribute or score the ball in bunches. Thompson is more of a traditional point guard who is a very good perimeter shooter with deep range. 5-8 guard Claire Rake (3.6 ppg), 5-6 wing Ashley Eck (2.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg), and 5-9 forward Mary Wilson (2.3 ppg) are all Juniors now who should see significant increases in their roles this time around. Rake and Wilson were very good throughout the Summer circuit. 5-7 2020 guard Alaina Frankel is a tireless worker and a versatile guard who should see her role increase as well after she too had a strong Summer. 5-10 2019 forward Kylie Storm (2.0 ppg) is a long and athletic forward with a nose for the ball and a good motor. Also look for 5-7 2020 forward Emily Rake, 6-0 2020 front-liner Calista Stafford, and 5-10 2022 forward Katie Egenolf to possibly carve out roles as well. Egenolf is already drawing some Division-I interest.
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Maddie Nolan of Zionsville
4A Zionsville Community H.S. (Zionsville, IN)
Zionsville had a great season in 2017-2018, as they finished the season at Bankers Life Fieldhouse as the Class 4A Runners-Up. Things were looking great for them heading into this season as well, and they would likely have been a Top-5 team in Class 4A, but star guard and Miss Basketball candidate Maddie Nolan (21.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.7 apg, 3.4 spg, 50 made 3s), a 5-9 2019 guard, suffered a major knee injury in early July. She is expected to return at some point, but it’s looking like the middle-end of January at this point, and whether she’s even close to 100% is another story altogether. The Eagles did graduate two Seniors as well, in wing Kaylee Riggins (4.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.0 apg) and post Annie Tokarek (3.1 ppg), but neither were major scorers. This season, considering the above, the Eagles will lean heavily on an experienced group of frontcourt players. 6-1 2019 forward Delaney Richason (10.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.6 apg) is the best of the bunch. She can hit shots around the perimeter, she is very good in the mid-post, and this Summer she was handling the ball quite a bit for the Eagles. She might have to do a lot more of that this season. Her younger sister, 6-0 2021 forward Katey Richason (9.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg), put together an impressive Freshman year and should be even more productive this time around. She is a strong kid who plays with a tremendous motor and loves physicality. The unsung hero of this group is 6-1 2019 post Megan Sheridan (8.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg). She is a skillful post who plays with a good motor. 5-7 2019 wing Gabby Woodworth (9.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg in 4 games) returns after missing much of last season with an injury. She’s a strong and skilled perimeter player. 5-7 2019 wing Sarah Howell (4.9 ppg) is a long athlete who should take on a bigger role this season. 5-8 2020 wing Kaiti Huber played in most of their games last season, and she is a strong wing, tough-nosed, with some skill and athleticism. 5-7 2020 guard Imani Thomas is a long athlete with some experience who will likely be pressed into a much bigger role this time around. Also look for 5-9 2019 forwards Chloe Wilson and Lily Bird, and 5-10 2021 forward Morgan Pressler to maybe see more minutes this season. One newcomer who could help is 5-6 2020 guard Aalia Carlson, a very good shooter who moved in from the Washington, D.C., area in July.
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Antreese Shelton of Penn
4A Penn H.S. (Mishawaka, IN)
Penn had an outstanding season in 2017-2018, and they should once again be one of the best teams in Northern Indiana because of their tremendous depth and balance. They will have to play without leading scorer and point guard Sara Doi (12.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.6 spg, 46 made 3s), athletic forward Tia Chambers (8.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg), and wing Victoria Smith, who all graduated. Doi and Chambers were Varsity regulars from early on in their careers. This season, the Kingsmen look to a youthful backcourt to lead them. 5-5 2021 point guard Jordyn Smith (9.6 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.5 spg) came in as a Freshman and was outstanding. She is a strong, physical, tough-nosed guard who is great attacking the basket. 5-7 wing Trinity Clinton (7.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.1 spg) is another strong, tough-nosed, and physical 2021 who played a lot a season ago. 5-8 2020 guard Reganne Pate (6.3 ppg, 51 made 3s) is one of the state’s best shooters, and she had an outstanding Summer and looks stronger. But the addition of 5-3 2019 point guard Jayda Smith (9.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.2 apg, 2.2 spg in 2016-2017 at Bishop Dwenger), Jordyn’s sister, could be a big key to their success as well. She is a quick and crafty little guard who is great with the ball. She transfered in last year but missed the season with an injury. 6-2 2020 forward Antreese Shelton (3.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg) and 5-10 2021 forward Grace Adams (2.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg) are a pair of nice, young forwards, who can play inside or out and have a lot of talent and upside. 5-9 2019 wing Makenzie Kilmer is a do-everything Swiss Army Knife, who can play any perimeter position and who has multiple years of Varsity experience. 5-6 2019 guard Hannah Bobo, 5-8 2019 guard Chloe Foley, 5-4 2020 guard Delayne Sanchez, and 5-3 2021 guard Grace Schutt have all seen limited Varsity minutes but should provide depth this year. 6-0 2020 forward Anne Goralczyk and 5-10 2020 forward Caroline Morris, plus 5-3 2020 guard Kelsi Carrico could work their way into the rotation as well.
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Sydney Watkins of Heritage Christian
4A Heritage Christian School (Indianapolis, IN)
Last season was Heritage Christian’s first season in Class 4A, as they were bumped up due to the IHSAA’s “Success Factor”. Record-wise they were a modest 15-10, but they played a very tough schedule and nearly upset teams like Carmel, Lawrence North, Fort Wayne South Side, and Warren Central. They did graduate star guards Katlyn Gilbert and Hadassah Harris, but I actually think they will have a better season this time around because they are deeper with experience, and they have a little more balance in their lineup. Their strength is still their guard play, as they have four really nice backcourt performers returning; they’re talented and they’ve just been waiting for their opportunities to play bigger roles. 5-8 2021 guard Ariana Wiggins (9.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.3 apg, 2.9 spg) put together a nice Freshman season. She is a dynamic and athletic playmaker who just plays with a steadiness to her. She is a pass-first kid, but this year I’d expect her to take on more of a scoring role. 5-9 2020 guard Sydney Watkins (9.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.6 spg) is a long and smoothly athletic wing guard. She can put up points in bunches, but she’s a tremendous defender as well. 5-5 2019 guard Madison Ferguson is a crafty and feisty little point guard. She can really handle the ball, she can hit shots with range, and she is capable of making plays at both ends of the floor. And 5-7 2021 wing Tyranny Brown is a strong athlete who plays with a lot of energy and looks to attack the basket off the dribble. In the frontcourt, the Eagles have 6-1 2019 post Shelby Case, who is as physical, tough, and blue-collared as they come. 5-10 2020 forward Abby Ennis is another motor kid who does a lot of the little things around the mid-post and inside. 6-0 2020 front-liner Emery Deaton has started to turn a corner and should be much more productive this year, and 5-11 2021 post Courtney Lee should see more of an opportunity as well this season.
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Ambrea Wensey of Ben Davis
4A Ben Davis H.S. (Indianapolis, IN)
The Lady Giants of Ben Davis really aren’t very big at all. But they are incredibly tough and feisty, and they play with very good team speed. They can get into teams defensively, and they push the ball aggressively on offense, causing nightmares for opposing coaches. This season they must play without graduated Indiana All-Star Nia Clark (16.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.5 spg, 39 made 3s), who is now at Miami of Ohio, plus guard Bethany Blow (4.2 ppg, 2.4 spg) also graduated. But they return everyone else. 5-5 2019 wing Ambrea Wensey (11.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.3 apg, 2.7 spg) and 5-4 2020 guard Cherrelle Newsom (9.9 ppg, 66 made 3s) are two of the most enjoyable players to watch, because they’re both undersized for how they play, but they’re terribly productive, tough-nosed, and aggressive. They just work their tails off, and Newsom is a very good shooter with some range. 5-9 2020 forward Khera Goss (6.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.2 apg) and 5-9 2019 forward Jada Coleman (4.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg) are two more ladies who are nice athletes and who play much bigger than they are. Goss is the younger sister of former Indiana Miss Basketball Bria Goss. 5-8 2020 forward Darien Royston (4.0 ppg), 5-8 2019 wing Geniya Petty (3.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.1 spg), and 5-9 2019 forward Brianna Jones (2.0 rpg) add depth and experience to the frontcourt, but as you can see, no one is over 5-9. 5-3 Djanae Walker (2.6) and 5-4 Alexis Smith (2.5) are both Senior combo guards who bring additional toughness to the lineup. As for more help, look for 5-3 2019 guard Melanie Reynoso, 5-7 2020 forward Nyre Williams, and 5-4 2021 guard Micah Jett to earn more minutes this time around, after playing sparingly last season.
Header photo of the Zionsville Eagles at the State Finals at Bankers Life Fieldhouse; photo courtesy of the IHSAA Twitter account. Photo of Ella Thompson courtesy of dailyjournal.net. Photo of Maddie Nolan courtesy of timessentinel.com. Photo of Antreese Shelton courtesy of pennant.phmschools.org. Photo of Sydney Watkins courtesy of hcsathleticnews.blogspot.com. Photo of Ambrea Wensey courtesy of Bob Anglea’s Twitter account.