Meet The 2019 Junior All-Star Team
Tuesday the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, in conjunction with the Indianapolis Star and primary sponsor Subway, announced the 24 ladies invited to represent the state on the 2019 Indiana Junior All-Star Team. Nominations were submitted by head coaches throughout the…
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Continue ReadingTuesday the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, in conjunction with the Indianapolis Star and primary sponsor Subway, announced the 24 ladies invited to represent the state on the 2019 Indiana Junior All-Star Team. Nominations were submitted by head coaches throughout the state, and the players were selected by a 20-person committee organized by the IBCA. This June, the Junior All-Star team is comprised of four groups of six players each. The “Core” group will participate in all three games, while the “Red”, “White”, and “Blue” groups will each join the “Core” group for one of those games, giving the team 12 players each night. It has yet to be determined which color group will participate at which location, but the way it sounds right now, there will be a game in Kentucky versus the Kentucky Juniors, a game in Indiana versus the Kentucky Juniors, and a game in Indiana versus the Indiana Senior All-Star team. Below is a look at the 24 individuals who were selected for the Junior team.
CORE GROUP
Ella Collier of DanvilleKendall Bostic, 6-1 C, Northwestern H.S. (Michigan State)
18.7p, 3.1a, 9.2r, 1.8b
Ella Collier, 5-11 G, Danville Community H.S.
22.2p, 2.8a, 5.3r, 2.1s
Nan Garcia, 5-11 F, Jeffersonville H.S.
19.9p, 1.4a, 9.0r, 1.8s
Madison Layden, 6-1 W, Northwestern H.S. (Purdue)
21.9p, 6.7a, 4.8r, 5.1s
Jasmine McWilliams, 5-11 W, North Central H.S. (Northwestern)
13.1p, 2.0a, 7.2r, 2.0s
Sydney Parrish, 6-2 W, Hamilton Southeastern H.S.
21.0p, 2.5a, 6.9r, 1.9s
This Core group of Juniors is one of the better core groups in recent memory, and they will certainly give the Seniors a run for their money in that matchup. Kendall Bostic, Madison Layden, and Sydney Parrish have been fantastic this season, all are high-level recruits, and all should be considered front-runners for the coveted Miss Basketball award next year. Bostic brings a strong and physical post presence to the team. Layden brings versatility and a tall, rangy ball-handler who can find teammates the second they’re open. Parrish will bring big-time shooting / ability with good height on the wing. Ella Collier is an elite sharpshooter who might finally get some space playing alongside these other talents, after being chased nonstop all Winter by opposing teams. Nan Garcia is a physical and athletic energy kid who will give them another tough mid-post to low-block matchup. Jasmine McWilliams will be a nice slashing athlete on the perimeter who will have driving lanes open up for her because of the other talented players around her.
RED GROUP
Alaina Omonode of West LafayetteSydney Graber, 6-0 F, Homestead H.S. (Central Michigan)
10.1p, 1.4a, 6.2r, 1.9s
Sydney Jacobsen, 5-8 G, West Lafayette Harrison H.S.
18.9p, 2.8a, 5.2r, 2.9s
Ra’Shaya Kyle, 6-5 C, Marion H.S.
15.5p, 2.7a, 10.3r, 2.3b
Alaina Omonode, 6-0 C, West Lafayette H.S.
18.7p, 12.5r, 1.0s, 1.3b
Keegan Sullivan, 5-11 W, South Bend Saint Joseph H.S.
16.7p, 2.7a, 9.5r, 2.2s
Sydney Watkins, 5-9 G, Heritage Christian School
12.7p, 2.8a, 6.0r, 4.3s
The Red group is filled with Sydneys of all sorts. Sydney Graber is a strong and physical power forward with a beautiful left-handed shot from the perimeter. Sydney Jacobsen is one of the most skilled and crafty guards in the state, and she can score it in bunches. Sydney Watkins is an instinctive athlete who is a nice scorer going to the rim, but she’s probably better at the defensive end of the floor where she causes havoc. As for the “non-Sydneys”, Ra’Shaya Kyle is a versatile prospect who can play in the mid-post, handle the ball in transition, or dominate the low-block. Alaina Omonode is a monster on the interior, and she will definitely carve out space in the paint. And Keegan Sullivan is a highly skilled point forward type who can handle and pass the ball with the best of them on this team. This group should combine with the Core group to make them even bigger and stronger inside, and just dominant the game inside-out.
WHITE GROUP
Khera Goss of Ben DavisKhera Goss, 5-10 F, Ben Davis H.S.
11.0p, 2.3a, 5.0r, 2.2s
Madeline Lawrence, 6-0 F, Winchester Community H.S.
16.4p, 4.7a, 6.2r, 2.5s
Lindsey Syrek, 6-2 F, University H.S.
17.5p, 1.7a, 11.2r, 5.0b
K’Ja Talley, 5-9 W, Warren Central H.S.
10.8p, 1.0a, 7.1r, 1.3s
Taylor Westgate, 6-1 F/C, Oak Hill H.S.
14.6p, 1.1a, 8.1r, 2.0s
Kristian Young, 5-5 PG, Lawrence North H.S.
9.2p, 2.8a, 4.2r, 2.3s
The White group this year will bring speed and athleticism to add to the Core group. Kristian Young is an absolute jet flying around the floor, and she will bring a unique combination of speed and athleticism to the team. Khera Goss and K’Ja Talley are both long, bouncy, and fluid athletes who can really attack the basket off the bounce, and they rebound it well from their positions. Lindsey Syrek is a tall, long, highly skilled face-up ‘4’ who adds some offensive versatility to the group. Maddie Lawrence is a strong and physical forward who can score it inside and in the mid-post, but who can also handle it some outside. Taylor Westgate is another strong and athletic interior player who battles on the boards and can score it around the block or in the mid-post. Look for the athleticism and versatility of the White group to combine with the Core group and pressure the ball 84-feet a lot.
BLUE GROUP
Darrian Carmean of Vincennes LincolnDarrian Carmean, 5-8 G, Vincennes Lincoln H.S.
15.4p, 6.3a, 2.8r, 1.2s
Maya Chandler, 5-7 PG, Triton Central H.S.
14.4p, 4.2a, 5.1r, 3.7s
Juliana Kemper, 5-9 W, Lawrenceburg H.S.
18.8p, 3.3a, 11.2r, 2.8s
Rachel Loobie, 5-11 F, Franklin Central H.S.
20.0p, 2.6a, 10.8r, 2.6s, 2.5b
Tia Tolbert, 5-9 W, Vincennes Rivet H.S.
13.3p, 3.9a, 5.5r, 2.6s
Alana Vinson, 5-10 W, Roncalli H.S.
15.9p, 2.3a, 6.3r, 1.7s
The Blue group this Summer has several really nice half-court basketball players. Darrian Carmean and Maya Chandler are highly skilled, unselfish, traditional point guards who will find their teammates when they’re open, but both can also score the ball when opportunities arise. Juliana Kemper is a strong and athletic wing who is best off the bounce. She plays with a good motor and will be one of the better athletes on the floor. Rachel Loobie is another tremendous athlete with good size and versatile skill. She’s probably best in the mid-post, but she can play on the block and is comfortable outside. Tia Tolbert is a skilled wing who can knock down shots or drive it to the rim. And Alana Vinson is a long, fluidly athletic point forward type who does a little of everything very well. This group should combine with the Core group to create a really scary half-court offensive unit.
Header photo of Nan Garcia (in white) of Jeffersonville High School; photo courtesy of Josh Hicks of the News and Tribune at newsandtribune.com. Photo of Ella Collier courtesy of flyergroup.com. Photo of Alaina Omonode courtesy of jconline.com. Photo of Khera Goss courtesy of usatodayhss.com. Photo of Darrian Carmean courtesy of the Vincennes Lincoln MaxPreps account.