All-Indiana Showcase: 2023 Standouts
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The featured 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. Sunday, August 15th, I attended the annual…
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Continue ReadingThe featured 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.
Sunday, August 15th, I attended the annual IGBRR All-Indiana Showcase highlighting several of the state’s top underclassmen, along with a handful of current Seniors who remain uncommitted at this time. There was an hour of stations, followed by a couple of games for each of the showcase teams. The Junior class really showed up and showed out, so below is a look at seven of those Juniors (2023) who stood out when I was able to see them in action.
Ashlynn Brooke
Ashlynn
Brooke
5'7" | PG
Pioneer | 2023
State
IN
, 2023, 5-6 PG, Pioneer H.S.
Considering how the last two years have gone for Ashlynn, the most important thing is that she is healthy. She has her speed, quickness, and explosiveness, and she was making plays in all facets of the game. I’ve said this before, but as much as people get caught up in her ability to shoot/score, I think her overall feel, her vision, and her passing ability are even better. She is a traditional point guard who can run offense…she just so happens to be a lethal weapon to 30-feet. Now bumped to Class 2A, Pioneer should again be one of the best small schools in Indiana.
Riley Makalusky
Riley
Makalusky
6'2" | SF
Hamilton Southeastern | 2023
State
IN
, 2023, 6-1 SF, Hamilton Southeastern H.S.
Riley has been a nice prospect/player these last few years, and you rarely see kids turn the proverbial corner at this point in their careers, but Riley has done just that. Over the last six to eight months she has looked so much stronger, more physical, and more complete. Instead of being a wing shooter, she has become a complete scorer. Her creativity off the bounce has improved, and her ability to absorb contact, get to the basket, and finish has been noticeably better. She could be a real handful this year for the Royals.
Emily Mattingly
Emily
Mattingly
5'10" | SF
Evansville Memorial | 2023
State
IN
, 2023, 5-10 SG, Evansville Memorial H.S.
Like Makalusky (above), Emily’s game has also made a major leap in the last few months. She was Memorial’s second leading scorer last Winter, but she was relied upon as a shooter, scoring nearly half of her points from beyond the arc. Now, she is using her strong frame, her solid athleticism, and her toughness to attack the basket much more often. She will even take the opportunity to post when she has a noticeable strength mismatch. She is also handling the ball more and more, and she has really rounded out her game.
Karsyn Norman
Karsyn
Norman
5'7" | PG
Bedford North Lawrence | 2023
State
IN
, 2023, 5-7 PG, Bedford North Lawrence H.S.
It feels strange to think of Karsyn as a Junior now, because when I first saw her as an 8th grader, she was already playing like a Junior. She has always had a keen sense for the game, a true awareness of what’s going on around her, and she has never shied away from being the vocal leader on the floor. She looks a little quicker and even more explosive right now, plus she’s gained some strength and is playing at a really high level. Paired with
Chloe Spreen
Chloe
Spreen
5'10" | SG
Bedford North Lawrence | 2024
State
IN
(2024) at Bedford, they will be one of the best backcourts in the state the next two years.
MaKaya Porter
MaKaya
Porter
5'11" | PF
Mishawaka Marian | 2023
State
IN
, 2023, 5-10 F, Mishawaka Marian H.S.
It was good to see MaKaya last weekend, because her grassroots team saw different Midwestern events than many of the other Indiana squads. She is so strong, almost powerful, and she is a really nice athlete in all directions. She has some bounce to her, she runs hard in transition, and she plays with an all-around great motor. She can use her physical abilities to dominate the mid-post and low-block, and she’ll own the boards, but she also has some skill around the perimeter and can knock down the occasional jumper or attack off the bounce.
Ashlynn Shade
Ashlynn
Shade
5'10" | SG
La Lumiere Prep | 2023
State
#33
Nation
IN
, 2023, 5-10 SG, Noblesville H.S.
Ashlynn has become such a dominant scorer throughout her career. She combines her athleticism, speed, and bounce with a tremendous amount of ball skill and toughness. She will take on all comers, and she can get to the basket or knock down shots outside, but she has about as good of a mid-range and pull-up game as anyone who has come through Indiana in the last few years. Look for her and
Reagan Wilson
Reagan
Wilson
5'7" | PG
Noblesville | 2024
State
IN
(2024) to give the Bedford girls a run as to who the best backcourt duo is in the state these next couple of years.
Lilly Toppen
Lilly
Toppen
5'9" | SG
Kankakee Valley | 2023
State
IN
, 2023, 5-9 SF, Kankakee Valley H.S.
I hadn’t seen Lilly play since the Spring, plus it was good to watch her in a different environment. She has a reputation for being a nice perimeter shooter, but last Sunday she did much more. She had a handful of impressive scores in the lane, whether they were pull-ups or spot-ups, she attacked the basket, got inside and rebounded, and she handled the ball out top and on the wing a lot more than I’ve seen in past viewings. As she continues to gain strength, I think her game will continue to grow, plus she’ll still be a dangerous perimeter shooter.