Grassroots Review: Class of 2024
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The featured image is of Destini Craig Destini Craig 5'9" | PF Fort Wayne Northrop | 2024 State IN (2024) of Fort Wayne’s R. Nelson Snider High School and Always 100 Elite 15U. With the 2021 grassroots season wrapping up…
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Continue ReadingThe featured image is of Destini Craig Destini Craig 5'9" | PF Fort Wayne Northrop | 2024 State IN (2024) of Fort Wayne’s R. Nelson Snider High School and Always 100 Elite 15U.
With the 2021 grassroots season wrapping up a week ago, I wanted to circle back, have a little fun, and offer up a handful of awards based on how everyone in the Class of 2024 performed when I was able to see them this Spring and Summer. While I can’t see every prospect play every game, I did see nearly all of the more than 200 grassroots teams in 17U-14U at least one time, and most of them I saw multiple times. This is simply an attempt to honor girls from the Class of 2024 who I thought stood out during my viewings.
MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER
Chloe Spreen
Chloe
Spreen
5'10" | SG
Bedford North Lawrence | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 5-9 CG, Bedford North Lawrence H.S., Nike Lady Gym Rats 17U EYBL
Whether it was in the daunting EYBL, at the IBCA Top-100 Showcase, or in your everyday, run-of-the-mill tourney, Chloe absolutely looked the part of the best player in this class. More than anything, I felt like she looked more confident and aggressive, more immediate in her decision making, and she was assertive at both ends of the floor. She has always been tremendously skilled, but she seemed to handle pressure much better, made some spectacular passes to teammates, plus she shot it consistently from all three levels. Also, for an elite prospect, she plays with a great sense of urgency at both ends of the floor. Chloe was already receiving a lot of college attention, but I feel like hers doubled over the course of July.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Elle Marble
Elle
Marble
5'9" | CG
Jeffersonville | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 5-9 PG, Jeffersonville H.S., Indiana Flight Future 15U
This was a very difficult decision, because there were a handful of girls who really stood out on their teams. But in the end, I felt like Elle was a bigger part of her team’s success than the other candidates. She has improved tremendously over the last year, she has grown, gained strength, and she plays with a poise and veteran savvy. She could probably be more aggressive as a shooter/scorer, but she does such a nice job of taking care of the basketball, handling full-court pressure, and getting her team into their offenses/sets. She rarely makes a bad decision or turns it over, plus she also gives great effort at the defensive end of the floor. Her next-level trajectory continues to climb.
COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kaylie DeHaven, 2024, 6-3 C, Northridge H.S., 5 Star/MBA Select Silver 15U
There weren’t a lot of girls in the 2024 class bouncing back from injuries, which is a GREAT thing! Unfortunately, Kaylie was, but she had some nice showings when I was able to see her team play. She is still a wait-and-see kid, both skillfully, and because she’s still possibly growing and gaining strength. But she has tremendous length, some bounce, and she moves well for a 6-3 kid. She can finish around the basket with either hand, almost like a small forward, plus she has a few back-to-the-basket moves and some touch around 15-feet. If she continues to work on her game and add some strength to her frame, she could be a really nice prospect moving forward.
ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Toughest Player:
Kyndra Sheets
Kyndra
Sheets
5'6" | PG
Columbia City | 2024
State
IN
, Columbia City H.S.,
Always 100
-Paul 15U
Best Shooter:
Scarlett Kimbrell
Scarlett
Kimbrell
5'11" | SF
Franklin Community | 2024
State
IN
, Franklin Community H.S., Indiana Flight 16U UAA
Best Scorer:
Alexis Castator
Alexis
Castator
6'1" | SG
Fort Wayne Northrop | 2024
State
IN
, Carroll H.S. (Fort Wayne),
Always 100
-Paul 15U
Best Passer:
Jordyn Poole
Jordyn
Poole
5'6" | PG
Fort Wayne Snider | 2024
State
IN
, Fort Wayne Snider H.S.,
Always 100
Elite 15U
Best Rebounder:
Juliann Woodard
Juliann
Woodard
6'1" | PF
Jennings County | 2024
State
IN
, Jennings County H.S., Nike Lady Gym Rats 17U EYBL
Best Defender:
Jordyn Poole
Jordyn
Poole
5'6" | PG
Fort Wayne Snider | 2024
State
IN
, Fort Wayne Snider H.S.,
Always 100
Elite 15U
Best Shot-Blocker:
Faith Wiseman
Faith
Wiseman
6'4" | PF
Indian Creek | 2024
State
IN
, Indian Creek H.S., Indiana Elite Platinum 15U
Best Athlete:
Destini Craig
Destini
Craig
5'9" | PF
Fort Wayne Northrop | 2024
State
IN
, Fort Wayne Snider H.S.,
Always 100
Elite 15U
Most Versatile:
Ellery Minch
Ellery
Minch
6'3" | PF
Mt. Vernon (Fortville) | 2024
State
IN
, Mt. Vernon H.S. (Fortville), Nike Lady Gym Rats 16U EYBL
CLASS OF 2024 ALL-SUMMER TEAMS
Most Improved Team
Sophie Johnson
Sophie
Johnson
6'0" | PF
Evansville Memorial | 2024
State
IN
, 5-11 SF, Evansville Memorial H.S., S.W.I.S.H. City 15U
Elizabeth Kelleher
Elizabeth
Kelleher
5'10" | PG
Westfield | 2024
State
IN
, 5-9 PG, Westfield H.S., IGB-Morse 15U
Kiarra Loveless
Kiarra
Loveless
6'1" | PF
Westfield | 2024
State
IN
, 6-0 PF, Westfield H.S., Indiana Showcase Black 15U
Morgan Roberts
Morgan
Roberts
6'0" | SF
Fishers | 2024
State
IN
, 5-10 SG, Fishers H.S., Indiana Showcase Black 15U
Carys Wilson
Carys
Wilson
5'10" | SF
Franklin Central | 2024
IN
, 5-9 SF, Franklin Central H.S., Indiana Pride Attack 17U
All-Motor Team
Alivia Elmore
Alivia
Elmore
5'8" | SF
Jennings County | 2024
State
IN
, 5-8 SF, Jennings County H.S., IGB-Morse 15U
Lauren Foster
Lauren
Foster
5'7" | SG
Indian Creek | 2024
State
IN
, 5-7 SG, Indian Creek H.S., Indiana Showcase Black 15U
Emma Haan
Emma
Haan
5'8" | SG
Zionsville | 2024
State
IN
, 5-8 W, Zionsville Community H.S., PAC Flight North Rise 15U
Kate Thomas
Kate
Thomas
6'1" | PF
Fishers | 2024
State
IN
, 6-0 PF, Fishers H.S., IGB-Morse 15U
Reagan Wilson
Reagan
Wilson
5'7" | PG
Noblesville | 2024
State
IN
, 5-7 PG, Noblesville H.S., Nike Lady Gym Rats 16U EYBL
New to the Spotlight
Ellie Falkenstein
Ellie
Falkenstein
5'9" | SF
Silver Creek | 2024
IN
, 5-8 SG, Jeffersonville H.S., Indiana Flight South 15U
Carrie Hiler
Carrie
Hiler
5'7" | SG
Scottsburg | 2024
State
IN
, 5-6 CG, Scottsburg H.S., Indiana Showcase Red 15U
Sophia Morrison
Sophia
Morrison
5'6" | CG
Eastbrook | 2024
State
IN
, 5-5 CG, Eastbrook H.S.,
Always 100
-Gamble 15U
Joey Rastrelli, 5-8 CG, Warsaw Community H.S., 5 Star/MBA Select Silver 15U
Ava Ziolkowski
Ava
Ziolkowski
6'1" | PF
Crown Point | 2024
State
IN
, 6-0 SF, Crown Point H.S., Indiana Elite Platinum 15U