Summer Summary: Indiana Elite
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Feature image is of Alyssa Crockett Alyssa Crockett 6'3" | SF Westfield | 2022 State #62 Nation IN (2022) of Westfield High School and Indiana Elite Platinum. In a year with a great deal of uncertainty, Central and Northern Indiana…
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Continue ReadingFeature image is of Alyssa Crockett Alyssa Crockett 6'3" | SF Westfield | 2022 State #62 Nation IN (2022) of Westfield High School and Indiana Elite Platinum.
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. I am in the beginning stages of rolling out a series of articles over the next week doing so. The programs who entered six or more teams in the 17U-14U age groups will get their own article, while the remaining teams will be divided into North, Central, and South articles later in the series. Below is a look at some of the 18 teams in those age groups who took the court for the Indiana Elite program throughout July and early August (there have been some recent roster changes to a few teams, but right now we’ll focus on who played the majority of the Summer with each team).
17U Teams:
There were SEVEN 17U teams who suited up for Indiana Elite this Summer, so I have tried to divide this first section into individual teams to make it a little easier to follow along as I highlight who stood out to me in the opportunities I was able to watch them play.
Indiana Elite-Mead: This hard-working and tough-nosed group had a nice collection of high-level small college prospects onboard. Most notable of the group is probably 5-9 forward
Isabella Reed
Isabella
Reed
5'9" | SF
Greenwood Christian | 2021
State
IN
(2021) of Greenwood Christian. Isabella is as versatile as they come, and while she plays a lot on the interior for GCA, it’s fun to watch her play at all three levels effectively during the Summer months. She can handle it a little, shoot it to 3-point range, plus she plays with a tremendous motor and is a nice pursuing rebounder. She has already committed to Indiana Wesleyan University. 5-7 combo guard
Aleena Mongerie
Aleena
Mongerie
5'7" | CG
Munster | 2021
State
IN
(2021) of Munster has had her ups and downs dealing with an injury, but she was back and strong this Summer. She has a solid frame, some length, and she can handle the ball and run offense, or she can play off the ball and score it as well. She plays with a good motor and is always in the gym. 5-3 combo guard Johwen McKim (2022) of Eastbrook is somewhat of an unknown statewide, but she has a great deal of talent in a small package. She has length, wiry strength, and she can run and jump with just about any guard her size. She is explosive to the basket and has really worked to develop her ball skill and perimeter shot the last couple of years.
Indiana Elite Havoc: The Havoc program is primarily made up of Eastern and Southeastern Illinois girls, but there are a handful of Western Indiana prospects on each of their teams. 5-4 guard
Anslee Michael
Anslee
Michael
5'4" | CG
Terre Haute North Vigo | 2021
IN
(2021) of Terre Haute North Vigo is a tough-nosed, gritty, feisty combo guard who does a little of everything well. She has speed and quickness, and she is always around the ball. She can handle it a little, knock down open rhythm jumpers, plus she’s an effective on-ball defender. 5-11 forward
Grace Ramsay
Grace
Ramsay
5'11" | SF
Parke Heritage | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Parke Heritage is very intriguing as well. She has a great deal of length, fluid athleticism, plus she looks like she’s still growing. She has a nice combination of perimeter awareness/skill and mid-post ability. I think she’s ultimately a wing, but she’s probably most effective as a face-up ‘4’ right now. High school teammate/classmate
Hannah O’Brien
Hannah
O’Brien
6'1" | C
Parke Heritage | 2022
State
IN
(2022), a 6-1 post, was a new name to me this Summer. She has a wiry strong, somewhat athletic frame, she plays with a nice motor, plus she doesn’t mind being physical inside. She has a little bounce to her, solid skill to about 15-feet, and she has a chance to really develop into a nice college prospect these next two years. The one Illinois girl from this group who seemingly always stood out, is 5-11 forward Madyson Hill (2021) of Vandalia. She has tremendous length, nice all-around athleticism, she plays with a motor, and she is incredibly active and always around the ball. She is a talented mid-post threat right now, but she can also play some around the perimeter. She has already committed to play at Lincoln Land Community College.
Indiana Elite Phoenix: This Phoenix group was assembled around the beginning of July and ended up having a nice run in several tournaments. My pick for “comeback” player of the Summer, if there was such a thing, would be 5-5 point guard
Kyra Baker
Kyra
Baker
5'5" | PG
Franklin Community | 2021
State
IN
(2021) of Franklin Community High School. Not only did she return from a serious injury, but she played better than I remember her pre-injury. She is a tough-nosed, strong, and versatile guard. She has a good handle and a natural feel for the game, she is solid at setting up her teammates, but she can also knock down open shots or get defenders on her hip and draw contact/free throws. 6-2 post
Lauren Carie
Lauren
Carie
6'2" | C
Vincennes Rivet | 2021
State
IN
(2021) of Vincennes Rivet naturally stands out because of her height, but she has also flashed a great deal of potential each year. She is skillful at her size and can play in the mid-post, but she’s also strong enough to battle inside around the rim. There are a number of high-level small colleges interested in her services, and rightfully so. 5-9 wing
Irye Gomez
Irye
Gomez
5'9" | SG
Bedford North Lawrence | 2021
State
IN
(2021) of Bedford North Lawrence is one of many talented backcourt players for the Lady Stars this year. She has good length, wiry strength, and she’s a really nice athlete in all directions. She can distribute like a point forward, knock down shots like a 2-guard, or slash and attack the basket like a small forward. She’s also versatile defensively. Speaking of Bedford’s backcourt, let’s add 5-3 guard Jenna Louden (2021) to that mix. She is a tough-nosed, strong-for-her-size, gritty, and skilled combo guard. She can knock down shots consistently outside, run offense from time to time, or get inside the defense and cause problems.
Indiana Elite Platinum: The Platinum group was arguably the most talented 17U team in the state this Summer, regardless of program. They had a nice collection of guards and wings, plus one of the best frontlines in the Midwest. 6-2 forward
Alyssa Crockett
Alyssa
Crockett
6'3" | SF
Westfield | 2022
State
#62
Nation
IN
(2022) of Westfield has started to take her game to another level. She has always been highly skilled and talented, but now she’s playing a stronger, tougher, more assertive style of basketball. She can run offense like a point forward, she’s capable of knocking down open rhythm jumpers from the perimeter, and she’s an excellent passer. Her offer list also expanded significantly over the Summer, with a number of new high-major Division-I programs interested. Arizona State University commit
Meg Newman
Meg
Newman
6'3" | PF
North Central (Indianapolis) | 2021
State
#84
Nation
IN
(2021), a 6-3 forward from Indianapolis North Central, also played extremely well each time I saw this team. She has good size, athleticism, and skill at all three levels. If she can take her Summer productivity to the Winter, it could really help a talented North Central team make a deep tournament run this season. I felt like 6-0 post
Gigi Eldredge
Gigi
Eldredge
6'0" | C
Westfield | 2021
State
IN
(2021) of Westfield had a solid showing this Summer as well. The strong and skillful front-liner saw her first action since a severe knee injury cause her to miss the 2019-2020 season, and she got better and better each time out. I’ve always liked her frame, physicality, and motor, plus she has a nice face-up game in the mid-post. She could be a nice late “get” for someone who has been patient in their recruiting. 5-6 combo guard
Jessica Castor
Jessica
Castor
5'6" | CG
Westfield | 2021
State
IN
(2021) of Zionsville Community and 6-4 forward
Lilly Stoddard
Lilly
Stoddard
6'4" | PF
Crown Point | 2022
State
#73
Nation
IN
(2022) of Crown Point also had several nice moments. Castor is a consistent shooter from the perimeter, but she has also done a nice job of running offense and finding open teammates. She is scrappy and versatile defensively as well. Stoddard flashes great upside with her height, length, and athleticism. She runs the floor like a deer and has good bounce to her as well. She seems to continue getting stronger and more assertive inside, plus she’s an active rebounder and a nice mid-post scorer.
Indiana Elite South: This was truly an enjoyable team to watch, as they always seemed to play the game the right way. 5-9 wing
Katherine Benter
Katherine
Benter
5'9" | SF
Brownstown Central | 2021
State
IN
(2021) of Brownstown Central shined early and often this Summer. She is kind of unassuming at first glance, but she is a nice athlete with length, and she’s highly skilled around the perimeter. She can handle it in transition, run offense, or attack off the bounce, plus she shot it well each time I saw her. She is definitely one of the bigger “sleepers” in the 2021 class. 5-7 guard
Addyson Kent
Addyson
Kent
5'7" | CG
Jennings County | 2021
State
IN
(2021) of Jennings County is another prospect who people are going to wish they would have recruited harder. She is a tough-nosed, somewhat physical combo guard, who can manage a team as a point guard, but she’s also a very good perimeter shooter with range beyond the arc. She is a nice athlete as well, plus she plays with a good motor. 5-11 front-liner
Zoe Zellers
Zoe
Zellers
5'11" | PF
Scottsburg | 2021
State
IN
(2021) of Scottsburg also put together a strong Summer. She is a high-motor, physical, but skilled and deceptively athletic kid. She can play on the block and use her strength, but she also has great touch and can be productive in the mid-post.
Kady Clancy
Kady
Clancy
5'7" | SG
Scottsburg | 2021
State
IN
(2021), also of Scottsburg, is a nice-looking wing athlete who I didn’t know entering the Summer. She has length, wiry strength, plus she is bouncy and very active at both ends of the floor. She can attack the basket, knock down open rhythm jumpers, and defend multiple types of perimeter players.
Indiana Elite S.W.I.S.H.: This S.W.I.S.H. team is an intriguing group with a number of high-quality small college prospects from the Evansville vicinity. It was nice to see 6-0 post
Mariah Dickerson
Mariah
Dickerson
6'0" | C
Evansville Mater Dei | 2021
State
IN
(2021) back and completely healthy. The Evansville Mater Dei “big” was as explosive and active as I can remember her. She has a powerful frame, deceptive athleticism, and soft touch in the mid-post. I could see her drawing some Division-I interest as well, if the right coaches are able to get out and see her this Fall and Winter.
Peyton Murphy
Peyton
Murphy
5'9" | SF
Evansville Memorial | 2021
State
IN
(2021) of Evansville Memorial is as versatile as they come in the Pocket City. The 5-9 forward can play in the mid-post or around the perimeter equally well, she’s always around the ball, and she is a quietly tough kid willing to get on the floor. She has some length, a wiry strong frame, and nice touch outside. 5-5 guards
Kalea Fleming
Kalea
Fleming
5'5" | PG
Loogootee | 2021
State
IN
(2021) and
Hannah Sisk
Hannah
Sisk
5'5" | CG
Princeton Community | 2021
State
IN
(2021) are two of the feistiest guards you’re gonna find anywhere in the state. They are quick, active, and pests at both ends of the floor. Fleming, from Loogootee, is a stronger, more traditional point guard who facilitates offense well and can make shots at all three levels. Sisk, from Princeton, is more of a scorer at either guard position. She too has ball skill and the ability to create for others, but she is looking to bury shots on every catch.
Indiana Elite Thunder: The Thunder team plays an intense schedule and could give the Platinum group (above) a run for their money in terms of talent and competition. I feel like I’m repeating myself over and over again, and I’m sure I am, but 5-10 guard
Madelyn Bischoff
Madelyn
Bischoff
5'10" | SG
Roncalli | 2021
State
IN
(2021) of Roncalli is one of the best shooters and most under-recruited kids in the 2021 class. She has great length, quickness, and fluid all-around athleticism. She is good with or without the ball in her hands, and she can be an effective defender with her length. But in a class with few great shooters, she possesses a quality many schools value. It’s too bad Division-I schools were limited to only viewing video, because 5-11 wing
Jaelynne Murray
Jaelynne
Murray
5'11" | SF
Pike | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Pike was outstanding when I was able to see her. She is a long, wiry strong, and very athletic Swiss Army Knife. She has ball skill and can run offense like a point forward. She is explosive and can get to the basket at will. But it was her consistency shooting it outside that really impressed me this Summer. Additionally, I think she can be a high-level defender when she’s fully engaged at that end of the floor. She had her best games against their toughest opponents.
Jessica Carrothers
Jessica
Carrothers
5'7" | CG
Crown Point | 2022
State
IN
(2022) did
Jessica Carrothers
Jessica
Carrothers
5'7" | CG
Crown Point | 2022
State
IN
things as expected. The tough-nosed, high-motor, 5-7 guard from Crown Point is always aggressive off the bounce and tends to create offense as well as anyone. She draws contact, earns repeated trips to the free throw line, plus she is a solid finisher inside against taller, longer, players. Another highly productive, do-everything type of player is 5-9 wing
Lilliann Frasure
Lilliann
Frasure
5'9" | SF
North Judson-San Pierre | 2021
State
IN
(2021) of North Judson-San Pierre. She has a strong frame, solid all-around athleticism, and she’s so versatile skillfully. She plays a point forward role at times, she can knock down an open jumper, plus she’s good at getting inside and finishing through contact. Add to that her exceptional motor, and it’s easy to see why she’s going to do very well at Indiana Wesleyan University.
Biggest Stock-Riser:
Jaelynne Murray
Jaelynne
Murray
5'11" | SF
Pike | 2022
State
IN
, 2022, 5-11 W, Pike H.S.
Most Under-Recruited Prospect:
Katherine Benter
Katherine
Benter
5'9" | SF
Brownstown Central | 2021
State
IN
, 2021, 5-9 W, Brownstown Central H.S.
Best Motor:
Kalea Fleming
Kalea
Fleming
5'5" | PG
Loogootee | 2021
State
IN
, 2021, 5-5 PG, Loogootee H.S.
16U Teams:
The 16U division showcased some standout teams and individuals for Indiana Elite. The Havoc group won about as many games as any team in the program, and while they only had one Indiana girl rostered most of the Summer,
Zoe Stewart
Zoe
Stewart
5'8" | CG
Terre Haute North Vigo | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Terre Haute North Vigo saw her stock rise quite a bit, picking up a handful of Division-I offers. She is long, athletic, and plays with good quickness. The 5-8 guard does a little of everything, but while she has solid ball skill and can play point guard, she is probably best looking to shoot/score it off the bounce. I also think she can become a real problem defensively. 5-10 guard Mallory Ramage (2022) of Mattoon and 5-11 wing Anna Blank (2022) of Richland County are the two bigger names on this team from Illinois. Ramage is an extremely long, wiry strong, slashing style of guard. She can attack with either hand and finish in a variety of ways. She’s also a capable perimeter shooter, plus she can handle it and run offense at times. I additionally like her defensive versatility because of her length. Blank is a stronger wing, kind of a point forward skillfully, and she does a nice job of managing a game from the top of the key. At the same time, she’s a solid downhill attacker, and she too can knock down open rhythm jumpers consistently. One of Indiana Elite’s most talented teams in 16U was the Prime squad, but they were actually primarily 2023s. Still, though, it seemed to be 5-7 point guard
Koryn Greiwe
Koryn
Greiwe
5'7" | PG
Columbus East | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Columbus East leading the way most games. She has really established herself as a nice, traditional point guard who can find teammates open just about anywhere. At the same time, she’s a high-level shooter with range, and she can get downhill and finish around the basket. She is a highly productive prospect who should see her recruiting improve significantly.
McKenna Layden
McKenna
Layden
6'2" | SF
Northwestern | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of Northwestern is one of the most deceiving prospects in 2023. Yes, she is 6-1, and yes, she is extremely long, but she is one of the toughest, grittiest, and more physical prospects you’re going to find with a slender frame like she has. She seeks contact, plays well around the basket, but she is also a really nice North/South athlete, and she has great touch and some ball skill around the perimeter. She is a wing as a recruit, and she’ll have to fill some big shoes this Winter for Northwestern. One of the more intriguing prospects for this team is 6-3 post
Brooklyn Smitherman
Brooklyn
Smitherman
6'4" | C
Noblesville | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of Noblesville. She has a lot of work to do on her skillset and understanding of the game, sure, but she runs the floor well, has good hands, and seems to be very coachable and picks things up quickly. She hasn’t had a lot of experience in the game, but she could certainly develop into a nice college prospect long-term. She has great length and an athletic frame, and added strength should help her a lot down the road. 5-8 guard
Savanna Bischoff
Savanna
Bischoff
5'9" | SG
Center Grove | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of Roncalli showed an improved skillset this Summer as well. She’s a wiry strong, tough-nosed, feisty off-guard. She has worked a great deal on her ball skill and can run offense a little more efficiently now, plus she’s a capable perimeter shooter who can also put it on the floor and get to the basket to finish. Indiana Elite Venom had several really nice prospects who should have all seen their recruiting improve from this Summer. I felt like 5-10 wing
Natalie Noel
Natalie
Noel
5'10" | SF
Salem | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Salem played about as consistently well as anyone on this team. She just has a natural feel and understanding for the game, plus she is skilled at all three levels. She can handle it a little and push it in transition, she is a capable perimeter shooter, plus she’s somewhat smooth and can finish attacking the basket. Natalie is also a versatile defender who uses her length and instincts well. This Summer was my first time seeing 5-9 guard
Keegan Kaiser
Keegan
Kaiser
5'9" | PG
Floyd Central | 2022
State
IN
(2022) play. The Floyd Central guard is extremely long, wiry, and quick/fast at her size. She can handle the ball and run offense, but she’s also a capable scorer at all three levels, plus she can get after it defensively. Unfortunately, she was injured midway through the Summer. 6-0 forward
Diana Burgher
Diana
Burgher
6'0" | PF
North Harrison | 2022
State
IN
(2022) and 5-9 point guard Ali Saunders (2022) should both give North Harrison fans a great deal of optimism for the next two seasons. Both are Division-I prospects with offers in hand, but both are intelligent, hard-working, and skillful athletes. Burgher can play at all three levels, but she can be dominant at times in the mid-post. She pursues rebounds, defends multiple positions, and does several different things for her team. Saunders is a fairly strong, traditional point guard who can get to the basket and score through contact or knock down open rhythm jumpers. I felt like this Summer was a great opportunity for her to play against better competition and really adjust to the speed and size of elite level teams/players. Indiana Elite Lightning somewhat flew under the radar as a team, but they were a nicely assembled group who played very well together at times. 5-9 wing
Ellie Wilkerson
Ellie
Wilkerson
5'9" | SF
Plainfield | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Plainfield is maybe their best prospect right now, and she seemed to score it effectively each time I saw them. She has a strong frame, she’s a solid all-around athlete, but she is also very skilled. She can handle the ball like a point forward, knock down perimeter jumpers with range, or attack the basket straightline for scores and finish through contact. She’s a really nice, tough-nosed wing with versatility. I’ve enjoyed watching 5-6 point guard
Sydney Horton
Sydney
Horton
5'7" | CG
Roncalli | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of Roncalli a lot over the last 18 months or so, and she had a nice Summer as well. She is a fairly strong, tough-nosed lead guard who does a good job of managing a team. She is a no-nonsense competitor who takes care of the ball, she can bury shots from the perimeter, but she’s also good at getting defenders off-balance and drawing trips to the free throw line. I really like her overall feel for the game. 5-10 wing
Teegan Acres
Teegan
Acres
5'10" | SF
Hamilton Southeastern | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of Hamilton Southeastern continues to develop her skillset and has become a full-time wing now. I felt like she was more of a mid-post forward a year ago, but her handle and touch outside have improved greatly, plus she is a hard worker who does a lot of the little things for her team. I also enjoyed watching 5-7 guard Audrey Tallent (2022) of Plainfield. She is a long, wiry strong, and fairly athletic combo guard who does several things fairly well. She can handle it and run offense, she glides to the basket somewhat easily, plus she can make shots around the perimeter and defend a variety of different types of perimeter players. A little strength could really help her game, but I do enjoy her versatility. The final 16U entry was Indiana Elite Fury. Like the Prime team, they relied heavily on a number of 2023 prospects. However, I felt like 5-11 front-liner
Novalee Glass
Novalee
Glass
5'11" | PF
Brownsburg | 2022
State
IN
(2022) was one of their biggest contributors. The Brownsburg post possesses a nice combination of strength, physicality, skill, and deceptive athleticism. She has great hands, touch around the basket, a nice mid-post jumper, plus she rim-runs as hard as any big I saw this Summer. She has already drawn some high-level small college interest/offers, and I expect that list to continue growing throughout the Winter. 5-7 guard
Delaney Wolfe
Delaney
Wolfe
5'7" | SG
Martinsville | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Martinsville is a player who I think small colleges will enjoy once they are all able to get out and see her consistently. She has an athletic frame, length, and speed/quickness. She plays with a good motor and does a number of different things fairly well. She can handle it some, score it at different levels, plus she gets after it at the defensive end of the floor. I was really impressed with the all-around play of guard
Tori Thompson
Tori
Thompson
5'7" | CG
Lafayette Central Catholic | 2023
State
IN
(2023). The 5-7 Lafayette Central Catholic Sophomore handled the ball a great deal more than I expected and did a nice job doing so, but she’s also a dangerous perimeter shooter and a smooth/fluid athlete in most directions. She will likely still grow another couple of inches, plus at some point I can see her adding a little more strength to her long frame. She thinks the game well and plays with a nice motor too. 5-3 guard Karina Scott (2023) of Pike should be on people’s radars as well. Yes, she is smaller, but the Sophomore combo guard has a great deal of speed and quickness, she’s strong for her size, plus she’s all over the floor, always around the ball. She can defend 84-feet, she’s a tough-nosed and gritty kid, and she rebounds her position at her size really well also.
Biggest Stock-Riser:
Zoe Stewart
Zoe
Stewart
5'8" | CG
Terre Haute North Vigo | 2022
State
IN
, 2022, 5-8 CG, Terre Haute North Vigo H.S.
Most Under-Recruited Prospect:
Koryn Greiwe
Koryn
Greiwe
5'7" | PG
Columbus East | 2022
State
IN
, 2022, 5-7 PG, Columbus East H.S.
Best Motor:
Novalee Glass
Novalee
Glass
5'11" | PF
Brownsburg | 2022
State
IN
, 2022, 5-11 PF/C, Brownsburg H.S.
15U Teams:
With so many quality 2023s playing “up” this Summer, there were only two traditional 15U teams in the Indiana Elite program this year. Indiana Elite Pride was a solid Southern Indiana group with good perimeter play. 5-3 point guard
Gracie Kramer
Gracie
Kramer
5'4" | PG
Vincennes Lincoln | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of Vincennes Lincoln will likely be one of the more under-valued prospects the next three years because of her size, but she can really play. She is a quietly tough-nosed, hard-working, but skilled and able traditional point guard. She plays with great poise and feel for the game, she rarely gets rattled at all, and she’s almost too unselfish at times. When she wants, she can make shots outside or get by defenders and collapse defenses with ease. She’s also a nice on-ball defender herself. 5-7 guard
Laney Hawkins
Laney
Hawkins
5'9" | CG
Charlestown | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of Charlestown is an intriguing player who should see a lot more opportunity for the Pirates this Winter, following significant graduation losses. She is a long, wiry, and fast athlete. She is a very good perimeter shooter with range, plus she can handle the ball a little and run offense for them. 5-8 forward
Linzie Wernert
Linzie
Wernert
5'8" | PF
Lanesville | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of Lanesville is a versatile jack-of-all-trades. She has an athletic frame, solid strength, and she moves well in most directions. She can play comfortably around the perimeter with her skillset, she’s highly productive in the mid-post, plus she can take smaller defenders to the block and score over them. She is a full-fledged wing, but her versatility will really help her in terms of her recruiting. I also thought youngster Skylar Thompson (2024) showed a great deal of promise and upside. The 6-0 Jeffersonville post has a strong frame and a physical nature about her, however she has good hands, decent footwork, and she has some touch facing the basket. She might still grow another inch or two, but her ability to play on the block or step out and be a face-up ‘5’ should make her tough to defend throughout her career. The other group in 15U was the
Indiana Elite Havoc
squad. The two main Indiana prospects with this team were 5-7 guards
Preslee Michael
Preslee
Michael
5'7" | CG
Terre Haute North Vigo | 2023
State
IN
(2023) of Terre Haute North Vigo and Faith Fleetwood (2023) of Vincennes Lincoln. Michael is an extremely tough-nosed, physical, and aggressive combo guard who does several things well. She can handle the ball and act as a traditional point guard at times, plus she has good vision. But she’s also a very nice scorer who can make shots outside or attack the basket and finish through contact. I really like her motor and toughness, and I think she can become a versatile defender as well. Fleetwood is still a little on the thin side, so what will help her most is to finish growing and to start adding strength. But she has some length, she’s a fluid athlete in most directions, and she has solid skill around the perimeter. She can handle it a little and make open rhythm jumpers, plus I think once she gets stronger, she could become an effective defender because of her length. 5-4 point guard Trinity Tingley (2023) of Paris and 5-10 forward Alycia Triplett (2023) of Charleston were a pair of nice Illinois prospects on this roster. Tingley is as competitive as they get, she’s an extremely quick/fast little water-bug, but she’s also skilled and understands how to play. She is great at getting into gaps and collapsing defenses, she is a scrappy defender, but she can also bury shots around the perimeter consistently. Triplett is an extremely long, wiry strong, and bouncy athlete. She still needs a little skill refinement moving forward, but she is a talented athlete who is a matchup problem in the mid-post at times. If she can develop her perimeter skillset more, she could become a wing, because she’s certainly athletic enough to play outside.
Biggest Stock-Riser:
Preslee Michael
Preslee
Michael
5'7" | CG
Terre Haute North Vigo | 2023
State
IN
, 2023, 5-7 CG, Terre Haute North Vigo H.S.
Most Under-Recruited Prospect:
Gracie Kramer
Gracie
Kramer
5'4" | PG
Vincennes Lincoln | 2023
State
IN
, 2023, 5-3 PG, Vincennes Lincoln H.S.
Best Motor:
Linzie Wernert
Linzie
Wernert
5'8" | PF
Lanesville | 2023
State
IN
, 2023, 5-8 SF, Lanesville H.S.
14U Teams:
In the 14U age group, there were four Indiana Elite teams of note. Indiana Elite Xcel was easily the Indiana-based team with the most talent throughout their roster, and 6-2 post Rachel Wirts (2024) might have as much potential as anyone on the team. She has a strong, athletic frame, good length, and she looks to still be growing. She runs the floor well, has a little bounce to her, plus she has good hands and some skill around the paint. Her intangible qualities at her age and size are outstanding, and I think once she learns to be a bit more instinctive with everything, it will really help her develop as a player/prospect. She is a homeschool kid from the Greenwood, Indiana, area. 5-6 point guard
Avery Kelley
Avery
Kelley
5'6" | PG
Evansville Memorial | 2024
State
IN
(2024) of Evansville Memorial stands out to me as one of this team’s best guards. She is a cerebral and skillful true point guard who plays mature beyond her years. She runs offense with great efficiency, but she can also make rhythm jumpers outside and get into the paint and attack the defense. She has speed and quickness, and she could see a significant role on a deep, talented, veteran Memorial team this Winter. There are a pair of really nice forwards who stood out as well in 5-11 Abbie Lucas (2024) of Bloomington South and 5-10
Kennedy Coleman
Kennedy
Coleman
6'0" | SF
Charlestown | 2024
State
IN
(2024) of Charlestown. Lucas is a long, wiry, bouncy kid who plays with a great deal of energy. She is always around the ball, she rebounds outside of her area, and right now she’s probably more of a mid-post ‘4’ who I think athletically could eventually transition out to the wing. Coleman is just the opposite position-wise. She has already become more of a wing in the last few months, and she has really worked on her handle and touch shooting it outside. She can still be a problem in the mid-post, but she’s working on being a true wing moving forward and had success doing so over the Summer. The
Indiana Elite Havoc
team in this age group was strong throughout the Summer. The most impressive prospect on their team was 5-10 wing Denver Anderson (2024) of Mount Zion in Illinois. She has a strong, athletic frame, a little length, and she is a solid athlete in all directions. She could actually pass for looking like a power forward, but she is skilled with the ball in her hands, she can make plays off the bounce like a point forward, and she has good touch shooting it at all three levels. She was a problem for most of their opponents. On the Indiana side of things with this Havoc group, I saw both 6-0 post
Reaghan Benjamin
Reaghan
Benjamin
6'0" | C
Parke Heritage | 2024
IN
(2024) and 5-9 forward Lulu Koehler (2024) play for them. Benjamin is from Riverton Parke, and she has a strong, powerful frame. She has some length as well, she works hard, and she has back-to-the-basket post skill. She’ll need to learn a little finesse moving forward, but she is a youngster who definitely has plenty of time to develop these next four years. Koehler is from Clay City and is a long, wiry strong athlete who runs and jumps all over with good energy. She’ll need some discipline to her game and to continue developing her skillset around the perimeter, but she has some athletic qualities a lot of girls don’t possess. Indiana Elite-Kreinhagen is a group of mostly Central Indiana kids who play hard and compete each time out. 5-7 guard
Kaiden Kreinhagen
Kaiden
Kreinhagen
5'8" | SF
North Central (Indianapolis) | 2024
State
IN
(2024) and 5-3 point guard Hannah Yeskie (2024) are both at Indianapolis North Central, and they were good in the backcourt. Kreinhagen is a tough-nosed, fairly athletic, and somewhat physical combo guard. She can run offense, but she’s a strong downhill scorer who can take contact already. I really like her competitiveness and think she could be a good one for the Panthers eventually. Yeskie is a wiry strong, quick, somewhat of a water-bug type of point guard. She does a nice job with the basketball, she is gritty/feisty, and she will get after it defensively as well. I really like her motor and her style of play. 5-11 forward Catherine Cline (2024) of Cathedral is quite intriguing. I’ve heard she is a soccer kid, but she has great height, length, and quick feet at her size/age on the basketball floor. She is more of a ‘4’ offensively and will need continued skill development, but defensively she uses her feet and length very well and could probably defend some guards effectively. The last group for Elite in 14U was Indiana Elite Evolution. This group was incredibly scrappy and fought to the end of just about every game. 5-3 point guard Lauren Bradley (2024) of Western was probably the purest ballplayer I saw on this team, and she did a nice job of taking care of the ball and running offense for them. She has an athletic frame and does a nice job of absorbing contacting and getting into the paint. 5-2 guard Morgan Blake (2024) of Hamilton Southeastern can be fun to watch at times. She is little, but she is extremely quick/fast, feisty, and she hustles all over the floor trying to make plays. She can defend 84-feet, and offensively she can get into gaps and collapse defenses.
Biggest Stock-Riser: Abbie Lucas, 2024, 5-11 F, Bloomington H.S. South
Prospect With The Highest Ceiling: Rachel Wirts, 2024, 6-2 C, Homeschooled (Greenwood, IN)
Best Motor: Hannah Yeskie, 2024, 5-3 PG, Indianapolis North Central H.S.