2023 Rankings: Don’s New Additions and Stock Risers
As I mentioned in the article announcing the release of the new rankings, this is an exciting time to be writing about the 2023 class. They have completed their freshman season and been able to play some AAU ball so we start to get a better and better understanding for who they are as players. The following is a list of players that are new to our rankings as we have learned more about them and have slotted them in on our update.
- Denali Craig-Edwards Denali Craig-Edwards 6'0" | SG Peoria | 2023 State IL .is a 5’10 Wing from Peoria. Denali is a very versatile offensive player that can get her shots at all 3 levels. This makes her very hard to stop as she can hit the 3-point shot consistently yet is also very effective in the post. Denali also does a very good job of using her dribble to clear space and use the mid range pull up game. Look for her to have a big sophomore campaign and put college programs on notice.
- Katy Ramage Katy Ramage 5'9" | CG Metamora | 2023 State IL is a 5’9 Wing from Metamora. Katy has a nice left handed stroke that provides consistent shooting out past the 3-point line. She is long and athletic which lends itself to her being an excellent defender. Watching Katy play you see that talent put to use getting her hands on errant passes and blocking shots. She can put the ball on the floor and is a very smart player that will make the right cuts and reads on offense. Katy is a 3 sport athlete that uses that versatility and flexibility well on the basketball floor. She is definitely a player for D2 schools to be watching right away.
- Annie Frost Annie Frost 5'10" | C Effingham | 2023 State IL is 5’10 Forward from Effingham. Annie played significant minutes as a freshman for the varsity. She is an excellent rebounder that shows a high level of energy and activity on the floor. Annie can finish well inside the lane with both hands. As she continues to expand her perimeter game she has a chance to be a very good small college player.
- Zsana Hawkins Zsana Hawkins 5'11" | C O'Fallon | 2023 State IL is a 5’10 Post player from O’Fallon. I have covered Z extensively this summer so I will give a readers digest version of my analysis of her game. She is a strong and tough post player that has surprisingly nimble feet. Z has a non stop motor and a thirst for learning and improving. She should be a factor for a good OTHS team this year. With continued work and development Z will certainly have a college career. The level will be determined by her development as a face up player.
- Deming Hawkins Deming Hawkins 5'9" | PF Paris | 2023 State IL is a 5’9 Forward from Paris. Deming is one of those glue players that every team likes to have. She is strong and very fundamentally sound in how she plays. Deming will set screens, pass the ball, defend and rebound to help her team win games. She can shoot it when left open but her value lies in doing the little things very well.
- Sam Lindhorst Sam Lindhorst 5'10" | PG Waterloo | 2023 State IL is a 5’8 Wing from Waterloo. Sam had a very good freshman season playing in a tough 3A conference. She averaged 8.5 points per game and 4.4 rebounds. Sam is a hard nosed kid that really competes when she is on the floor. She played with the Bluestar St. Louis 15u team this summer with some very talented girls. Sam probably did not get as many minutes as she might have liked but practicing and being around a team and coach like she had can only help her game. If she can continue to focus on improving her ball handling and outside shot Sam can have a good career.
- Nora Gum Nora Gum 5'9" | SF Waterloo | 2023 IL is a 5’9 Forward from Waterloo. Nora is another hard nosed player from Waterloo that had a nice freshman campaign. She scored 8 points per game and she averaged 5.8 rebounds per game. Nora plays mostly inside the 3-point line right now but as she continues to work on expanding her game she should have an excellent career. Her college options will depend on how much she can expand her perimeter skills.
- Karsen Jany Karsen Jany 5'9" | SG Columbia | 2023 IL is a 5’9 Wing from Columbia. Karsyn really stepped up during a tough season for the Lady Eagles. With the loss of a great 2019 class and early injuries she was forced to become go to scorer. Karsyn can hit the 3 as is shown by her 39 threes last year, but she really excels going to the basket and playing in the open floor. She is athletic and uses her abilities well on the defensive end of the floor too.