Grassroots Review: Indy Magic
The 2019 grassroots season has come and gone, and teams are already starting to take shape for 2020. But before that happens, I wanted to have a little fun and take the time to reflect on some of the notable…
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Continue ReadingThe 2019 grassroots season has come and gone, and teams are already starting to take shape for 2020. But before that happens, I wanted to have a little fun and take the time to reflect on some of the notable players from this past season. These aren’t necessarily the most talented prospects in their respective programs, as much as they are ladies who stood out for one reason or another because of their play. Also, there are likely a few players who could qualify for multiple categories, but I have decided to limit each person to just one accolade. Below is a look into some of the Indy Magic girls who stood out in 2019.
BIGGEST STOCK-RISER
Hannah Farrell, 2020, 5-9 W, Greenfield-Central H.S., Indy Magic-Scott 17U
Hannah has always been a really nice basketball player, she plays with a great motor, and she’s a tough-nosed kid who is willing to be physical and do a lot of the little things no one else wants to do. But throughout this Spring & Summer she put together a stretch of the most consecutive games she has played in a while, not being affected by injury or other things, plus she has greatly improved her all-around skillset, and she played consistently well throughout the grassroots season. She’s handling the ball better, shooting it with a little more consistency, and she’s taking better angles defensively. Because of her efforts, she is now verbally committed to Bellarmine University, who is transitioning to Division-I.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Ryan Viele, 2022, 5-8 G, Hamilton Southeastern H.S., Indy Magic-Andrus 17U
This was a tough decision, as there were a few options I could have chosen for this award. I ultimately settled on Ryan because when you compare last Summer to this Summer, I felt like last Summer she was all upside and potential, while this Summer she played with a great deal more substance to her game. She still has a high ceiling to improve, but her skillset has come a long nicely, she is playing stronger, she is playing more assertive, and she’s absorbing contact better. She has always been a fairly tough kid who is willing to be physical, but she’s still wiry thin. She does play with a motor, though, and she’s a really nice athlete who has great North/South speed, good lateral quickness, and some bounce in her step.
MOST INTANGIBLE PLAYER
Paige Gregory, 2020, 5-8 W, Mooresville H.S., Indy Magic-Blanding 17U
I wanted to issue this award instead of a most valuable player, because I feel like the kids who do a lot of the “blue-collared” work don’t get enough credit. I selected Paige here, because she could qualify for most of the categories in this article. You can say whatever you want about her as a prospect, but as a ballplayer she is the type of kid who helps you win. On every occasion that I have seen her over the last three years, she has played with a great motor, she has been tough-nosed, she has played physical everywhere on the floor, and she has been the kid always willing to get on the floor for loose balls, grab the big rebound, and defend whichever player she is asked to. She also has a versatile offensive skillset and is a chameleon out there.
MOST INTRIGUING YOUNGSTER
Kelsey Dubois, 2023, 6-0 F, University H.S., Indy Magic-Blanding 14U
For this category, I limited my choices to those young ladies who are in the classes of 2023 or 2024, and who displayed a nice combination of substance in their game, as well as the potential to really improve over the next few seasons. Kelsey is just such a prospect, as she already has good size and a nice skillset, but she also has room to continue improving. She is built like a power forward with a strong frame and some length. She’s a solid athlete as well, and she likes to attack the basket off the dribble. She is currently most effective from the mid-post, but I feel like as she gets older, she could stretch her range consistently from behind the arc, plus her ability to put it on the floor makes her a real mismatch against peers who are her size.
TOUGHEST PLAYER
Bailey Poore, 2020, 5-6 W, Hamilton Southeastern H.S., Indy Magic-Blanding 17U
I think what impresses me the most about Bailey, is that despite all the stereotypes like “undersized”, etc., that college coaches or we as evaluators use, she always finds a way to be productive. She earned herself playing time this past year on a deep and talented Hamilton Southeastern roster that won the Class 4A State Championship, and she performed equally well, if not better, throughout the grassroots season. Why? Because she doesn’t let anyone put her in a box, and she goes out, plays hard, plays physical, and has a competitive determination that is fun to watch. She is strong and plays through contact very well, she’s a willing and capable defender, and she has really worked to improve her skillset around the perimeter.
BEST MOTOR
Jordan Reid, 2020, 5-10 F, New Palestine H.S., Indy Magic-Scott 17U
This is a very difficult award to hand out, because you can easily find a few players in each grassroots program worthy of this award. But c’mon…Jordan has essentially been defined as a player because of her incredible motor, combined with her athleticism. She suffered an ACL injury during the Fall of 2017, and by July of 2018 she was going all-out and playing as aggressively as she ever had, without fear of re-injury. She continued to improve throughout last Fall and Winter, then she showed up this past Spring and was again outstanding. She is a long and bouncy kid with good wiry strength, she has continued to develop her perimeter game, and she should have a big year for New Palestine. She has already verbally committed to play at Indiana Wesleyan University.