2023 Introductions: Front-Liners
We are through all of the perimeter players in 2023, so we’ll take some time to look at the top forwards and posts in this class. While the front-liners aren’t drawing as much publicity early in their high school careers,…
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Continue ReadingWe are through all of the perimeter players in 2023, so we’ll take some time to look at the top forwards and posts in this class. While the front-liners aren’t drawing as much publicity early in their high school careers, don’t sleep on them, because there are some talented young ladies in this group who could surprise you down the road. Below is a more in-depth look at the Top-10 frontline prospects in Indiana’s Class of 2023, with additional comments on each.
1. Laila Hull, 6-0 F, Zionsville Community H.S.
I first saw Laila in June of 2018 playing with Zionsville’s Varsity team in a couple of high school team shootouts as a rising 8th Grader. The amount of growth she has shown in the last year and a half is very impressive, and it forecasts a bright future for the versatile forward. She is a long, wiry strong, and athletic inside-out kid who can score the ball in the mid-post or around the block consistently. She has a developing perimeter game, but I’d anticipate her becoming a capable face-up ‘4’ or even a true small forward by this time next year. She has already drawn Division-I interest and offers, and she was big for Zionsville when Junior Katey Richason was out for a few games.
2. McKenna Layden, 6-0 F, Northwestern H.S.
McKenna is one of my favorite kids to watch in this class. I think it’s because she plays with this pleasant, happy-go-lucky demeanor, but she’s one of the toughest, grittiest, and most physical kids in the class, despite still having a somewhat slender frame. She is incredibly long, fluidly athletic, and she’s versatile skillfully. To me, she is probably more of a mid-post ‘4’ right now, but she has a solid handle, good vision/awareness, and she can knock down the occasional 3-pointer. As she gets older, I look for her to become more perimeter-oriented and develop into a true wing. She is already a “quiet” triple-double waiting to happen each time out.
3. Gabrielle Dean, 6-4 C, Columbus East H.S.
Gabby is one of the most intriguing kids, regardless of position, in this 2023 class. She is obviously tall, she has great length, wiry strength, and she moves well. She glides up and down the floor North/South, she has some bounce off the floor, but she could stand to move just a little better laterally, however for a young “big”, she’s a very nice athlete. She has some skill with her back to the basket, she’s also capable facing the basket to about 10-12 feet, but her real value comes at the defensive end. She has a big-time volleyball background and is earning high-major Division-I offers in that sport, but it helps her with her timing blocking shots, pursuing rebounds, etc.
4. Layla Gold, 5-11 F, Park Tudor School
Layla has had an outstanding start to her high school career. Though she has only played in eight games, she leads Park Tudor in scoring (19.8), assists (2.5), steals (2.6), and blocked shots (1.8), plus she’s second in rebounding (6.5). Layla is very long, fluid, and athletic. She has the skill and ability to play around the paint, though she will need to continue building strength before college. At the same time, she is skilled around the perimeter as well and can knock down shots consistently in the mid-post or even from 3-point range (22-44, 50%). After watching her throughout the Spring & Summer, I thought she had a high ceiling and could develop into a top prospect, but I’m not sure anyone saw this explosion coming this soon.
5. Exsencia “CeCe” Cloma, 6-0 F, Gary West Side Leadership Academy
CeCe is very much an unknown around the state, and likely in most recruiting circles as well. She is a nice-sized prospect with an athletic frame, length, and the potential to develop into a really nice prospect. She has posted up a lot growing up, as she’s been bigger than many of her peers, but she has also worked some on a mid-post game and shows that flexibility as well. She will still need to continue developing her skillset and understanding of the game, but she has as much potential as most of the front-liners in this class in Indiana.
6. Alison Stephens, 5-10 F, Homestead H.S.
Alison is a really nice inside-out forward who does a variety of things well. She has drawn comparisons already to high school teammate Sydney Graber (2020) because of her ability to knock down an open 3-pointer, drive the ball to the basket, and post up smaller defenders. I’m not sure she’ll ever be as tall as Sydney or shoot it as purely, but Alison is a really skilled forward with strength and understanding, plus she plays with a good motor. If she can continue building her skillset and working on her explosiveness in all directions, she’ll be sure to draw a lot of college attention.
7. Josie Trabel, 6-0 F, East Central H.S.
Josie is a tremendously productive, versatile forward, and she too leads her high school team in both scoring (15.6) and rebounding (6.6). She has a strong frame, a great motor, and she’s willing to get inside and do a lot of the grunt work like rebounding, defending the post, and protecting the rim. At the same time, she has a great feel for the game, a solid handle, and the ability to find open teammates from the perimeter, plus she is good scoring it from the mid-post or on the low-block against smaller defenders. I really like her all-around game, and I think she could be a really nice, steady, college player.
8. Kelsey DuBois, 6-0 F, University H.S.
Kelsey has done a nice job of coming into a good situation at University and presenting them with another tower to play alongside Lindsey Syrek (2020). Kelsey has a strong frame, some length, and she’s a solid athlete in most directions. She looks like a post, but her ability to move around the way she does, coupled with her skillset away from the basket, allows her to play more of a power forward role. She can occasionally handle the ball in transition as well. Like most younger players, she’ll just need to make her motor a little more consistent, and she could work on finishing moves some as well. I really like her upside, though, and I think she can be a good one long-term.
9. Asiah Baxter, 5-9 F, Warren Central H.S.
Asiah is one of those kids who just battles every time she steps on the floor. She has a strong, broad-shouldered, and athletic frame. She can really rebound the ball at both ends of the floor, she is a solid help-side defender, but she’s versatile enough to defend undersized posts and even some wings & guards. Offensively, she is probably best in the mid-post right now, but she does a nice job of getting inside bigger players and finishing, plus she is starting to knock down open jumpers more consistently. She might be an inch or two taller than this even, and she could still be growing.
10. Kendall Hale, 6-1 C, Cannelton H.S.
Kendall is buried down on the Ohio River at tiny Cannelton, but she brings a big game to the floor each time out. She has a great frame, that of a true center, but she is a good athlete in most directions as well. She clogs the lane at the defensive end of the floor, she blocks and alters shots, and she plays with good physicality and rebounds the ball very well. Offensively, she’s more of a back-to-the-basket scorer right now, but she does have a little touch facing the basket to the mid-post. I think she has a lot of upside, but she’ll need to continue finding ways to play against better competition, like in the Spring & Summer.
Feature image is of Gabrielle Dean of Columbus East High School. Image is courtesy of Michelle Dean’s Twitter account.