Stock-Risers: 2022 Front-Liners
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The featured image is of Maggie Keinsley Maggie Keinsley 5'10" | PF Homestead | 2022 State IN of Homestead High School. Last Wednesday we released our Winter rankings update for the Class of 2022. Since it coincides with the midpoint…
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Continue ReadingThe featured image is of Maggie Keinsley Maggie Keinsley 5'10" | PF Homestead | 2022 State IN of Homestead High School.
Last Wednesday we released our Winter rankings update for the Class of 2022. Since it coincides with the midpoint of the 2020-2021 high school season, I felt like it was a great opportunity to highlight five young ladies who have either played well following our September update, or who have gotten off to nice starts to their Junior seasons. Below are five forwards and posts who are quickly gaining the respect of their teammates and opponents as the season turns toward the home stretch.
Taylor Bowen
Taylor
Bowen
6'0" | PF
Culver Academy | 2022
State
IN
, 2022, 5-11 PF, Culver Academy
I’ve used the phrase ’veteran savvy’ to describe the maturity of guard prospects’ games, but I would consider Taylor to be unique in that she has always played with a poise and confidence of an upperclassman, as far back as I can remember. Yes, she has a strong frame and can be physically imposing, but her understanding of the game, ability to make good decisions with the ball, plus not backing down from anyone, would make you think she was an older prospect. Taylor has had a strong Winter so far, and she is a valuable frontline prospect because she possesses the size and strength to battle inside, but she also has the skill and athleticism to play around the perimeter.
Mia Catey
Mia
Catey
5'11" | PF
Mississinewa | 2022
State
IN
, 2022, 5-10 PF/SF, Mississinewa H.S.
Mia has gone through multiple levels of transformation over her two-plus years of high school already. First, she has grown, gained a lot of strength, and has become a powerful athlete who can absorb or dish out contact at any time. Second, she has really worked on her perimeter skill and is now starting to handle the ball a lot in transition, plus she has a nice 15-foot pull-up she can go to when attacking from the perimeter. She can take smaller defenders to the block, but she is so good in the mid-post, plus she’s able to attack from the perimeter and change directions with the dribble. I am very interested to see what the future holds for her at the rate she continues to develop her game.
Kendal Johnson
Kendal
Johnson
6'0" | PF
Lewis Cass | 2022
State
IN
, 2022, 6-0 PF/SF, Lewis Cass H.S.
Kendal actually spent her first two seasons at Winamac Community High School. Her father began as the boys’ coach at Lewis Cass in 2019-2020, and Kendal ultimately made the move this season and has had a very nice year. She has good length, she’s a fairly fluid athlete, plus she has a nice skillset for someone her height. Based on what I’ve seen, I feel like she’s had to handle the ball a lot more at Cass than she did at Winamac, but she does a solid job of that. She’s also a capable perimeter shooter who can knock down a 3-pointer, and I really like her as a face-up ’4’ in a motion system, or as a nice mid-post scorer who can hit the 15-footer or attack the basket from there for scores.
Maggie Keinsley
Maggie
Keinsley
5'10" | PF
Homestead | 2022
State
IN
, 2022, 5-10 PF/SF, Homestead H.S.
Maggie is someone who grew on me quickly during the Spring of 2019. She is a long, fluidly athletic, and wiry strong prospect who plays with an outstanding motor. She cuts hard, goes to screen hard, pursues rebounds with effort, and will defend with energy. Even on bad days, she makes you appreciate her game because of the effort she puts forth. Skillfully, Maggie is versatile as well. She can play around the block but needs more size for that at the next level. She can also step outside and knock down a 3-pointer plus handle it a little. But she’s best in the mid-post area, because she can hurt you with the jumper or off the bounce. She’s also capable of defending wings and some guards.
DeMaria King
DeMaria
King
5'11" | PF
Charlestown | 2022
State
IN
, 2022, 5-10 PF, Charlestown H.S.
DeMaria has done a nice job of continuing to work and develop her skillset each year. She has a long, wiry strong frame, but I think she moves people a lot easier than she might look capable. She has typically played inside of 15-feet, but she has started to expand her game over the last year. She has some touch in the mid-post, and she can attack the basket straight-line two to three dribbles and finish through contact. I also think she has some versatility defensively. She’s an active rebounder, and she is strong enough to defend true power forwards and undersized posts, plus she is quick and athletic enough to sit down and defend bigger wings on occasion.