Summer Summary: Gym Rats
Feature image is of Karsyn Norman Karsyn Norman 5'7" | PG Bedford North Lawrence | 2023 State IN (2023) of Bedford North Lawrence High School and Nike Lady Gym Rats 17U EYBL-Riego. In a year with a great deal of…
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Continue ReadingFeature image is of Karsyn Norman Karsyn Norman 5'7" | PG Bedford North Lawrence | 2023 State IN (2023) of Bedford North Lawrence High School and Nike Lady Gym Rats 17U EYBL-Riego.
In a year with a great deal of uncertainty, Central and Northern Indiana turned out to be quite the places to host a number of grassroots events. With the conclusion of the Run 4 Roses Classic last weekend, and with kids starting up Fall leagues or playing Fall sports for their high schools, I wanted to turn my attention to reviewing what I saw all Summer long. This article marks the two-thirds waypoint in a series of articles over a two-week span doing so. The programs who entered six or more teams in the 17U-14U age groups have gotten their own articles, while the remaining teams will be divided into North, Central, and South articles to come next. Below is a look at some of the approximately dozen teams in those age groups who took the court for the Nike Lady Gym Rats program throughout July and early August (there have been some recent roster changes to a few teams, plus a handful of teams in the program had fluid rosters from week to week, so in this article I’ll try to focus on who played the majority of the Summer with each team/coach).
17U Teams:
There were really only two main teams who I would consistently call 17U teams in the Gym Rats program. At the top of the totem pole for the Gym Rats is the Nike EYBL entry, Lady Gym Rats-Riego. While a number of their top 2021 prospects like
Ariana Wiggins
Ariana
Wiggins
5'8" | PG
Heritage Christian | 2021
State
#28
Nation
IN
(Michigan),
Jayla Smith
Jayla
Smith
5'11" | SG
Lawrence North | 2021
State
#73
Nation
IN
(Purdue), and
Nakaih Hunter
Nakaih
Hunter
5'11" | PF
North Central (Indianapolis) | 2021
State
IN
(IUPUI) opted not to play shortly after committing, this group went young and got stellar play from several up-and-coming stars. Playing against girls two years older was nothing new to 5-10 guard
Ashlynn Shade
Ashlynn
Shade
5'10" | SG
La Lumiere Prep | 2023
State
#33
Nation
IN
(2023) of Noblesville. She spent most of last Spring & Summer doing just that as well. But this year, against some of the better players in the Midwest/Nation regardless of age group, she was outstanding, scoring the ball from all three levels consistently, and showing probably the most toughness and assertiveness against their toughest opponents. She just has such a natural feel for the game, a variety of finishing moves, and her mid-range pull-up game is on point. She can handle it and run offense at times as well, and she also showed nice versatility defensively. Her reward was a number of high-major Division-I offers, and interest from a certain Huskie program out East. 5-10 wing
Mary Wilson
Mary
Wilson
5'10" | SF
Center Grove | 2021
State
IN
(2021) of Center Grove was one of the main Seniors who played out the Summer, and she was tremendous as both a player and a leader. For some competitors, it’s tough to play with a much younger cast and attempt to lead them. But Mary was always energetic, encouraging and supportive, and she played consistently well due to her short memory of possessions. She has a wiry strong frame, a nice toughness about her game, and she is a consistent shooter from the perimeter who I feel is still under-recruited. 6-1 power forward
Laila Hull
Laila
Hull
6'1" | PF
Zionsville | 2023
State
#49
Nation
IN
(2023) of Zionsville really helped herself by her play over the Summer, and the long, wiry strong, and very athletic forward played above her years at times. She was extremely active on the boards and oftentimes defended much bigger post players. Offensively she showed her versatility, knocking down long-corner 3-pointers, attacking the basket off the bounce, and occasionally playing on the low-block. She picked up several offers as well, with a few being from Power-5 schools. 5-6 point guard
Karsyn Norman
Karsyn
Norman
5'7" | PG
Bedford North Lawrence | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of Bedford North Lawrence was likely going to play with the 16U EYBL team had this have been a “normal” Spring and Summer. But with everything that transpired, she ended up playing a lot and playing well for the 17U group. She has great quickness and she’s quick with the ball, she has always been a very vocal competitor who gets her teammates into offenses/sets, plus she’s a solid on-ball defender who works equally hard at that end of the floor. I guess where I was most impressed was with her range from the outside. I know she can shoot the ball, but she was taking big shots with deep range well-beyond the 3-point line at times. She has a number of really nice Division-I offers already as well. The other 17U team in the program was the Lady Gym Rats-Shelt group. They were lead by their backcourt, probably because that position group was in attendance most consistently throughout the season. 5-9 guard Bralee Trice (2021) of Moline High School in Illinois was probably their most productive performer throughout the Summer. She is a really nice athlete with great length, an athletically strong frame, and she can score the ball at all three levels. She is great off the bounce and can change directions to break down defenses. She absorbs contact well, finishes at the rim, but she also has a nice mid-range game and the ability to knock down rhythm jumpers outside when set. She recently made a commitment to play Division-I basketball at Bellarmine University. I felt like 5-7 guard
Halle Shelt
Halle
Shelt
5'8" | SG
Park Tudor | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Park Tudor also had a really nice Summer. She is a strong, physical perimeter player, and a year ago I would have called her more of a small forward. But she has gotten quicker and more explosive, she’s playing with a greater sense of urgency, and she has really worked on her handle and her ability to score it at all three levels consistently. I still think her best attributes are at the defensive end of the floor, as she can guard different types of players, she is an aggressive rebounder at her size, and she plays with a really nice toughness and almost a chip on her shoulder. 5-7 point guard
Courtney Fields
Courtney
Fields
5'7" | PG
Cathedral | 2021
State
IN
(2021) of Cathedral took her strong play from the Winter and had some really nice moments this Summer as well. She is a long, wiry strong, quick, fast, and athletic guard. She does still play a little too fast at times, but she also accomplishes a lot in transition by getting out and beating opponents down the floor. She has always made plays off the bounce, but her ability to find open teammates and to knock down rhythm jumpers outside stood out to me in July. 5-9 forward
Da’Naria Washington
Da’Naria
Washington
5'9" | SF
Lawrence Central | 2021
State
IN
(2021) of Lawrence Central is a player I am continually trying to figure out. I don’t know that she has a position and is just a ballplayer, but I do know that she is a really nice run-and-jump athlete. She has tremendous length, speed and quickness, and bounce in her game. She looks most comfortable offensively around the block or in the mid-post where she can drive it to the rim. Defensively, she can play on the ball against any number of forwards, wings, and even some guards. If she can prove to handle it and shoot it more consistently outside, I think she’ll see a lot more college interest as a wing, but as a face-up ’4’ right now, she might just have too much talent to pass up on.
Biggest Stock-Riser:
Laila Hull
Laila
Hull
6'1" | PF
Zionsville | 2023
State
#49
Nation
IN
, 2023, 6-1 PF, Zionsville Community H.S.
Most Under-Recruited Prospect:
Mary Wilson
Mary
Wilson
5'10" | SF
Center Grove | 2021
State
IN
, 2021, 5-10 SF, Center Grove H.S.
Best Motor:
Da’Naria Washington
Da’Naria
Washington
5'9" | SF
Lawrence Central | 2021
State
IN
, 2021, 5-9 PF, Lawrence Central H.S.
16U Teams:
In the 16U age group, there ended up being four teams take the court for the Gym Rats. Topping the list was the Nike EYBL Lady Gym Rats-Hollins squad. They too seemed to get the strongest play from their backcourt, and 5-10 point guard
Tanyuel Welch
Tanyuel
Welch
5'10" | PG
North Central (Indianapolis) | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Indianapolis North Central gave them quite the boost. She has grown, she is incredibly long and wiry, and she’s extremely quick-footed. When she’s fully engaged as a defender, she almost knows where you’re going to go as a ball-handler before you do. While she still needs to add more strength, she is taking contact so much better and finishing through it regularly. I’ve also been impressed with how consistently she has shot it the last 12-18 months, considering that was a weakness of hers when she was younger. 5-9 wing
Ava Couch
Ava
Couch
5'10" | SF
Indy North Central | 2023
State
IN
(2023), also of Indianapolis North Central, was maybe as consistently productive of a player as they put on the floor over the Summer. She has a strong-for-her-age frame, she’s a solid athlete in most directions, but it’s her balanced skillset and tremendous motor that stand out to me. She can play physical and get inside the mid-post and rebound/defend, she’s a solid North/South driver from the perimeter, but she also has great touch outside and can bury shots from around the perimeter. She picked up quite a bit of Division-I interest/offers from her outstanding play. 5-7 point guard
Olivia Brown
Olivia
Brown
5'7" | PG
Hamilton Southeastern | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of Hamilton Southeastern played better and more confidently as the Summer aged, and by the end of it she was shooting/scoring the ball much more consistently. She is a really nice athlete with length and wiry strength, and she has always been a really nice pass-first point guard with a good handle, a nice feel for the game, and the ability to defend just about anyone. Shooting consistency will continue to be an area of improvement, but she has improved from a year ago. She saw her first Division-I offer come a couple of weeks ago from a Missouri Valley school. 5-5 guard
Alaysha Brandenberger
Alaysha
Brandenberger
5'6" | CG
Boonville | 2022
State
IN
(2022) has always been a big-time scoring threat at Boonville, but this Summer I was curious to see how she’d play with a group like this, and I would say she exceeded expectations. She is a tough-nosed, strong-for-her-size combo guard, and she was good with the ball in her hands and was able to run offense and find open teammates consistently. She still did a nice job of creating scoring opportunities for herself and burying jumpers outside, plus she has solid quickness and a nice downhill determination when on attack. The Lady Gym Rats-Smiley group was a scrappy bunch, and they got really nice play from a number of lesser-known prospects. 5-9 guard
Montasia McAllister
Montasia
McAllister
5'10" | SG
Lawrence Central | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Lawrence North showed a great deal of talent and upside, and I’ve been intrigued by her growth since seeing her during her Freshman year. She is extremely long, still thin, but very fluid, smooth, and somewhat bouncy. If you didn’t know any better, you might think she was
Jayla Smith
Jayla
Smith
5'11" | SG
Lawrence North | 2021
State
#73
Nation
IN
’s (2021) younger sister. Montasia is solid off the bounce, though added strength will help her game attacking the basket, plus she’s a nice perimeter shooter with some range. She’ll have a lot more responsibility this Winter for the Wildcats, following a number of 2020 graduation losses. Another player who impressed was 5-6 wing
London Brooks
London
Brooks
5'6" | SG
Ben Davis | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Ben Davis. London spent her first two years at Cathedral before transferring over the Summer, and I’ve always been impressed with her feel for the game. She has a strong, athletic frame, she has good ball skill, and she can push the ball and run offense like a point forward. She is a good passer, and she can score it attacking the basket. I like her motor, her toughness, and her versatility to play a number of different roles and positions. 5-7 guard
Tori Smiley
Tori
Smiley
5'7" | CG
Lawrence Central | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Lawrence Central played much more within herself this Summer, and she really stood out because of it. She has always possessed talent, she’s quick/fast, and she’s tremendously long. In the past she would often play too fast and force offense, but this Summer she played with greater discipline, took care of the ball better, found teammates regularly, and looked more like a combo guard than a wing shooter. I also like her athletic potential to become a high-level on-ball defender when she’s engaged. One of the better surprises from this team was 5-4 point guard Lauren Smith (2022) of Cowan. I wasn’t familiar with her game entering the Summer, and she fit in well with this group and carved out a nice role. She isn’t very big, but she is long for her size, she’s quick, fast, and athletic, and she plays with a nice motor. She has a solid handle, doesn’t typically force offense, and she gets the ball where it needs to go. At her height, she will need to get stronger, but she was a nice surprise from the small Muncie-area school. The Lady Gym Rats-Bradley group was originally going to be a 15U group, but with COVID interfering, they added a number of 2022 prospects and played 16U towards the end of the Summer. 5-5 guard
Jesse Ledgerwood
Jesse
Ledgerwood
5'5" | PG
Washington | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Washington was really good at times. She is a strong, tough-nosed, and gritty player who can handle the ball and run offense or shoot/score it from the wing. She has a nice touch outside, a quick first step, plus she absorbs contact fairly well and is crafty finishing around the basket. After spending the last couple of seasons dealing with injuries, look for her to have a breakout year on a talented Hatchet squad. 6-0 front-liner
Mallory Heerdt
Mallory
Heerdt
6'0" | PF
Zionsville | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of Zionsville displayed a nice combination of size, strength, skill, and finesse. She is comfortable inside and out offensively, as she can play with her back to the basket in the post or knock down rhythm jumpers in the mid-post to the 3-point line. She plays with a solid basketball IQ, defends ball-screens and communicates well, plus she’s willing to play physical and tough-nosed on the interior. When you combine her with
Laila Hull
Laila
Hull
6'1" | PF
Zionsville | 2023
State
#49
Nation
IN
(above) and
Katey Richason
Katey
Richason
6'0" | PF
Zionsville Community | 2021
State
IN
(2021), Zionsville should be tough along the frontline this year. 5-7 guard
Nasiya Gause
Nasiya
Gause
5'7" | SG
Lake Station Edison | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of Lake Station Edison showed flashes of real talent. She is a strong, athletic, and somewhat explosive offensive weapon who can hit shots at all three levels. She is strong and determined at times off the bounce, she is a tremendous passer with good floor vision, but she is someone who just gets buckets consistently. Defensively, she can be a high-level on-ball defender when she’s determined. 5-7 wing
Megan Kain
Megan
Kain
5'8" | SG
Castle | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Castle also showed some versatility and the ability to take on a number of roles. She has length, she’s a nice athlete in most directions, and she plays with a great motor. Her best value is probably as a defender, as she plays with great awareness, she can defend the ball, and she makes plays from help positions. Offensively, she has an improving handle and can attack the basket to finish, she’s an unselfish passer, plus she can knock down the occasional shot outside. That leaves us with the Lady Gym Rats-Patton team from Northwest Indiana. This group was also predominantly a 2023 group, but they had a couple of 2022s on their roster as well. 5-8 wing
Mya-Lee Jackson
Mya-Lee
Jackson
5'8" | SF
Merrillville | 2023
IN
(2023) of Merrillville was most intriguing to me. She is a strong, physical, but athletic wing who plays with a really nice motor. She is more of a driver than a shooter outside, but she did show some touch when she was set and in rhythm. Her ability to take contact and still get to the rim and finish will serve her well down the road. 5-3 point guard
Kenndall Bethel
Kenndall
Bethel
5'3" | PG
Mishawaka Marian | 2022
State
IN
(2023) of Mishawaka Marian isn’t very big, but she’s extremely quick/fast and explosive in all directions. She’s quite the little water-bug, she is a pain defensively on the ball, plus she is a playmaker off the bounce and can get into the paint and find teammates. She’ll need to learn how to harness that ability and change speeds a little better, but she is talented and intriguing at her size. 5-8 wing
Anjelicia Del Valle
Anjelicia
Del Valle
5'9" | SF
Portage | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of Portage is another nice, raw talent. She is extremely long and wiry, she is very fast, and she is bouncy. She has quick feet and hands, and she can really bother opponents at the defensive end of the floor. Offensively, she uses her athleticism to attack the basket off the bounce and finish at the rim. If she can continue working on her jumper and handle, I think she’ll be a true guard long-term. 5-7 wing Brooke Lindesmith (2023) of Crown Point is yet one more intriguing wing with some upside. She is long, fluidly athletic, and somewhat bouncy as well. She needs to get stronger and play with more of a sense of urgency, but she has a real smoothness to her movements and game. She can handle it on occasion, knock down a rhythm jumper outside, and she’s good to the rim.
Biggest Stock-Riser:
Tanyuel Welch
Tanyuel
Welch
5'10" | PG
North Central (Indianapolis) | 2022
State
IN
, 2022, 5-10 PG, North Central H.S.
Most Under-Recruited Prospect:
Montasia McAllister
Montasia
McAllister
5'10" | SG
Lawrence Central | 2022
State
IN
, 2022, 5-9 SG, Lawrence North H.S.
Best Motor:
Ava Couch
Ava
Couch
5'10" | SF
Indy North Central | 2023
State
IN
, 2023, 5-9 SF, North Central H.S.
15U Teams:
There were a couple of different entries in just about every tournament for Gym Rats in the 15U division, but the one team who was fairly consistent with their roster for much of July and early August was the Lady Gym Rats-Walker group. Leading the way for this team was none other than 5-7 point guard
RaShunda Jones
RaShunda
Jones
5'7" | PG
South Bend Washington | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of South Bend Washington. She is so long, fluidly athletic, smooth, and explosive. She has a somewhat unassuming demeanor, but she proved all Summer long that she was a killer on the court. She has a quick first step and can get to the rim with ease. She has tightened her handle a bit and can change directions to get through a set defense. She also shot it very consistently all Summer long, plus she was a terror at the defensive end of the court with her length and quickness. 5-10 power forward
Dani Mendez
Dani
Mendez
5'11" | PF
Noblesville | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of Noblesville was probably one of their most valuable players because of her constant productivity in and around the paint. She is quietly tough-nosed, very physical, strong, and also athletic in most directions. She has a nose for the ball and can block out or pursue rebounds outside of her area. She has some touch in the mid-range, and she can finish through contact at the basket. 5-11 wing
Riley Makalusky
Riley
Makalusky
6'2" | SF
Hamilton Southeastern | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of Hamilton Southeastern still has a really nice ceiling because she’s likely not done growing into her frame. She is extremely long, fluidly athletic, but also skilled around the perimeter. She has always been a very good perimeter shooter when she’s be able to get her feet set and take rhythm jumpers, but I was most impressed with her improved handle. She changed directions much better this Summer, plus she showed the ability to occasionally push it in transition and initiate the offense like a point forward. 5-9 forward
Catherine Madden
Catherine
Madden
5'9" | PF
Cathedral | 2023
IN
(2023) of Cathedral was also a pleasant surprise. I had only seen a little of her over the Winter, but this Summer she was a high-motor, always involved, versatile front-liner who gained more and more confidence as the season went on. She was very active defensively and on the boards, quietly tough and physical, but she also shot/scored it more consistently later in July and in August than when Summer play began in late-June. A couple of other girls stood out when I was able to see them with Lady Gym Rats-Johnson or other 15U teams the program entered. 5-11 post Breanna Jones (2023) of Pleasure Ridge Park in Louisville, Kentucky, showed some upside when I saw her in early August. She has a strong frame, broad shoulders, but some length too. She looked to carve out space on the block, bury defenders, and was most comfortable scoring it at the rim. She played with a good motor, she has some athletic tools as well, plus she was a presence at the defensive end of the floor. 5-6 point guard Gabby Richie (2023) of Logansport is a tough-nosed, somewhat feisty/gritty lead guard. She is strong for her size, aggressive, and she can make shots outside or attack the basket North/South. She can defend and plays hard at that end of the floor, but at times she gets almost too aggressive and can get into foul trouble. 5-3 guard Maliya Turner (2023) of Ben Davis also made appearances on different teams throughout the program, and the shorter guard is a really nice athlete with a good motor. She is strong for her size, quick/fast, and likes to make plays off the bounce. She can play either guard spot fairly well, and she’s also solid at the defensive end of the floor.
Biggest Stock-Riser:
RaShunda Jones
RaShunda
Jones
5'7" | PG
South Bend Washington | 2023
State
IN
, 2023, 5-7 PG, South Bend Washington H.S.
Prospect With The Highest Ceiling:
Riley Makalusky
Riley
Makalusky
6'2" | SF
Hamilton Southeastern | 2023
State
IN
, 2023, 5-11 SF, Hamilton Southeastern H.S.
Best Motor:
Dani Mendez
Dani
Mendez
5'11" | PF
Noblesville | 2023
State
IN
, 2023, 5-10 PF, Noblesville H.S.
14U Teams:
Three teams saw consistent action for the Gym Rats in the 14U division, led by the Lady Gym Rats-Banks group. 5-5 point guard
Kenzie Fulks
Kenzie
Fulks
5'7" | PG
Bethesda Christian | 2024
State
IN
(2024) of Bethesda Christian was a calming influence for this team, steady with the ball in her hands, but strong and physical at the point as well. She has really nice ball skill, she’s a solid passer, plus she can knock down open jumpers consistently from the outside. 5-9 wing
Aniyah Bishop
Aniyah
Bishop
5'10" | SF
Lake Central | 2024
State
IN
(2024) of Lake Central was sort of the talented athlete/playmaker who used her length, speed, and quickness to attack the basket in transition and create opportunities for herself and others. 5-7 wing
Koryn Marshall
Koryn
Marshall
5'8" | SF
Heritage Christian | 2024
IN
(2024) of New Palestine showed a solid combination of skill, ability, and strength. She is physical from the wing, she plays with a lot of energy, and she is always on attack off the dribble. She can get inside and finish, but she also has some touch in the mid-post and around the perimeter. 5-8 power forward
Rachel Harshman
Rachel
Harshman
6'0" | PF
Mooresville | 2024
State
IN
(2024) of Mooresville was one of the hardest workers I saw in this age group, as she was constantly outworking her opponents for rebounds and easy scores inside. I also liked the fact that she was willing to sit down in a stance defensively and give great effort. The Lady Gym Rats-Booker team had a somewhat fluid roster as well from time to time, but a couple of the girls I thought showed some upside were 5-9 forward
Scottlynn Johnson
Scottlynn
Johnson
5'11" | PF
Ben Davis | 2024
IN
(2024) of Ben Davis and 6-1 forward Payton Benge (2024) of Plainfield. Johnson is a long and wiry athlete. She has some touch around the perimeter but is really effective in the mid-post right now where she can knock down a 15-footer or attack the basket. She’s also an active rebounder and a decent shot-blocker at her size. Benge is a youngster with great size at her age, she has an athletically strong frame, and she showed a solid basketball IQ and balanced skillset. She’ll likely continue growing and should be a good one in the years to come. The Northwest Indiana group put together a team in this age group as well, also under Lady Gym Rats-Patton. 5-4 point guard
Riley Milausnic
Riley
Milausnic
5'7" | CG
Lake Central | 2024
State
IN
(2024) of Lake Central is a dynamic playmaker off the bounce, and even though she’s smaller right now, she plays with a lot of confidence and toughness. She can shoot/score it from around the perimeter, break down defenders and get to the basket, or find open teammates. 4-11 point guard Kennedie Burks (2024) of Merrillville is another really nice playmaker. Though short, she is extremely quick/fast, tough-nosed, and she really understands how to play and be productive at her size. She can also get after it defensively and get underneath ball-handlers. 5-9 forward Ayla Krygier (2025) of Lake Central is a talented youngster who plays with a great motor, toughness, but athleticism and skill as well. She was tremendous in the mid-post, as she has good touch, some bounce and explosiveness, plus enough strength to battle inside for rebounds.
Biggest Stock-Riser:
Riley Milausnic
Riley
Milausnic
5'7" | CG
Lake Central | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 5-4 PG, Lake Central H.S.
Prospect With The Highest Ceiling:
Aniyah Bishop
Aniyah
Bishop
5'10" | SF
Lake Central | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 5-9 SF, Lake Central H.S.
Best Motor:
Rachel Harshman
Rachel
Harshman
6'0" | PF
Mooresville | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 5-8 PF, Mooresville H.S.