Fall Rankings Review: 2023 Frontline Rundown
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The featured image is of Ashlee Schram Ashlee Schram 6'3" | C Tipton | 2023 State IN (in navy) of Tipton High School and Kate Wenger Kate Wenger 5'11" | PF Evansville Mater Dei | 2023 IN (in orange) of…
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Continue ReadingThe featured image is of Ashlee Schram Ashlee Schram 6'3" | C Tipton | 2023 State IN (in navy) of Tipton High School and Kate Wenger Kate Wenger 5'11" | PF Evansville Mater Dei | 2023 IN (in orange) of Evansville Mater Dei High School.
As the Fall rankings updates continue, recently we turned to the 2023 class, updating them for the first time since June. While we didn’t expand the 2023 list this time around, we will look to do so during our December update. In this article I take time to break down the power forwards and posts in 2023, giving you a look at a number of athletes and physical front-liners from different perspectives.
Top of the Class
Zionsville Community’s Laila Hull Laila Hull 6'1" | PF Zionsville | 2023 State #49 Nation IN still headlines our frontline group, as she is one of the most athletic, skillful forwards in the state. Hull continues to grow and develop her game, and she can even flex to more of a small forward position at times in bigger lineups. She has an athletic frame, she can run and jump with just about anyone in the state, regardless of class, and she is shooting and handling the ball at a much higher level than when she was a Freshman. The next step for her is to prove she can sit down and consistently defend wings and bigger guards off the bounce, and at that point I would consider her more of a true wing than a power forward. Look for her to put together another big year for the Eagles. Though she has already committed to the University of Illinois for volleyball, Gabrielle Dean is one of the top true posts in Indiana. She runs the floor very well, she has nice bounce to her, and she has great length. She has solids hands and footwork around the block, she can knock down a 15-foot jumper, plus she is an active rebounder who can pursue balls outside of her area. Obviously college volleyball is in her future, but if Dean continues playing high school hoops, she could remain one of the top prospects in the 2023 class in Indiana throughout the entirety of her career.
Another front-liner who takes on a variety of roles is Renna Schwieterman Renna Schwieterman 6'0" | SF Jay County | 2023 State IN of Jay County High School. Schwieterman is an athletically strong, mobile forward who can play some in the mid-post and some around the perimeter. She has nice touch on her jumper, she can put it on the floor two to three dribbles to get somewhere productively in the half-court, plus she will occasionally handle it in transition for the Patriots. I also like the fact that she’s willing to use her size to battle for boards and defend the interior when necessary. She has drawn a few Division-I offers and a ton of interest from all levels. I’ve also always enjoyed the play of Kelsey DuBois Kelsey DuBois 6'2" | PF University | 2023 State IN of University. She has a fairly strong frame, she’s a solid all-around athlete, but what separates her from her peers at her size is her ability to play almost exclusively around the perimeter. Yes, she is a willing post player who can play with physicality around the basket, plus she’s a tremendous rebounder. But her touch from outside, coupled with her ability to pass the basketball and put it on the floor a little bit, make her a difficult matchup for opponents. I’ve said this before about her, but she almost has a European style of offensive game to her.
On the Rise
Tipton post Ashlee Schram Ashlee Schram 6'3" | C Tipton | 2023 State IN had a strong end to her Sophomore season, and then she had a nice showing throughout the Spring and Summer on the grassroots circuit. She has a solid to strong frame, some length, and great hands in the post. But what’s most impressive is her balance and footwork. She makes so many odd-angled finishes, and off-balance shots seems to be on-balance for her. She has nice touch and even shot over 70% from the free throw line last season. I think she’s a “fit” kid at the next level because she’s more of a traditional post player, but her tremendous skillset and understanding of the game make her a real next-level value for a program with an inside-out type of half-court offense. Amber Tretter Amber Tretter 6'1" | PF Forest Park | 2023 State IN of Forest Park is starting to gain some momentum in recruiting circles, which is good considering she’s been hidden down South about 20 miles from the Ohio River. She has tremendous length, fluidity, wiry strength, and great bounce. What’s most impressive, is that even though she’s still somewhat slender, she plays extremely physical and likes to seek contact. Additionally, she has developed a nice face-up game and can occasionally stick a perimeter jumper, but she’s a high-level performer from the mid-post. I would expect for her to have a very big year for the Rangers, and Division-I schools are starting to take notice of her potential.
Speaking of gaining momentum, Cristen Carter Cristen Carter 6'3" | C Ben Davis | 2023 State IN of Ben Davis picked up her first Division-I offer recently, and from a successful Horizon League school. The 6-3 post has a great deal of upside, and while she needs some work skillfully, she has come a long way over the last two years. She has an athletically strong frame, tremendous length, and she runs the floor well North/South. She will establish herself on the block, and she has solid hands and footwork. She just needs to create more of a go-to move with a counter, and she’ll be set offensively. defensively, however, is where she “makes her money” at this point in time. She is a nice help-side shot-blocker, plus she’s an active and physical rebounder. I have also spent the Spring and Summer continuously being impressed by the play of Jaci Menard Jaci Menard 5'11" | PF Boone Grove | 2023 IN of Boone Grove. After moving in from New Hampshire last year, Menard made an instant impact for her high school program, plus she was strong for her grassroots team this season. She has a solid frame, good length, and a nice, balanced skillset, plus an understanding of the game. She has touch to 3-point range, she can put it on the floor a little bit, but she’ll also battle inside for boards and defensively. I could see her drawing a variety of interest from elite small colleges and possibly some Division-I schools.
Don’t Sleep on Them
Every class has a handful of girls you can identify quickly as really standing out, whether it be size, strength, skill, or ability. At the same time, there is another group of prospects who tend to fly under the radar for a number of different reasons, so I wanted to mention four such young ladies. I think this Winter could be a big season for Campbell Moore Campbell Moore 6'2" | C West Lafayette Harrison | 2023 State IN of West Lafayette’s Harrison High School. The traditional post has worked extremely hard on develop her skillset, plus she has the size and strength to dominate most opponents each night. She has good hands, developing footwork, and she will play with physicality and a nice motor. Moore has also started to shoot it much more consistently in the 15-foot range. As she continues to gain experience and build her skill, I anticipate her drawing a variety of college interest from all different levels. One prospect still flying under the radar is Kate Wenger Kate Wenger 5'11" | PF Evansville Mater Dei | 2023 IN of Evansville Mater Dei. Kate should be a part of a strong frontline this season, and she brings a nice, physical presence, along with a solid all-around skillset. She is a true power forward who likes to play with physicality and rebound and defend the interior. But over the Summer she also showed the ability to score it consistently in the mid-post, as well as act as a competent passer and screener in the high-post. I really think she brings a lot of value and versatility as a power forward that elite small colleges in the Midwest seem to like.
Maykayla Washington-Cobb Maykayla Washington-Cobb 5'9" | PF Lawrence North | 2023 IN of Lawrence North spent the better part of the Spring and Summer recovering from a knee injury. Hopefully she will be ready for the regular season, because she gave some good minutes to the Wildcats in 2020-2021. She has a strong frame, she loves to play with physicality, plus she has shown more and more skill away from the basket over the last two years. On a team that is typically fast-paced with nice perimeter prospects, she plays a vital role for them around the paint, controlling the interior, both on the boards and defensively. I also wanted to point out the improvements made by Victoria Detraz Victoria Detraz 6'0" | C Morgan Township | 2023 IN of Morgan Township. The Valparaiso-area forward has come quite a long way, both physically and skillfully. She is starting to show more wiry strength, she is fairly fluid, and she has some bounce to her. But she’s also finishing much more consistently around the basket, and she’s showing a little more diverse game in the mid-post. She spent time playing at both the 16U and the 17U levels for her grassroots teams, and I think another year in the weight room will really help her game and her confidence on the court.
Newcomers
While we did not expand the Class of 2023 rankings this time around, there were two new additions to the list, both are frontline prospects, and both moved in from out of state. Alycia Triplett Alycia Triplett 5'11" | PF Fishers | 2023 State IN is now at Fishers High School after moving in from Charleston, Illinois. The long and extremely bouncy forward is very active at both ends of the floor. She is a nice finisher around the basket, she can get out and run in transition, plus she has a solid skillset in the mid-post. I also like the fact that, defensively, she can sit down and defend most wings and bigger guards. She will be a welcomed addition to a Tiger frontcourt short on height. The other addition I am much less familiar with, as she moved in from Jacksonville, Alabama. Her name is Amiyah Buchanan Amiyah Buchanan 6'0" | PF Evansville North | 2023 State IN , and she is attending Evansville North High School. From what I’ve heard, Buchanan is also an extremely long, fluid, and bouncy athlete who plays with a really nice motor. I know she is currently participating in volleyball, but she has also impressed at times in the Pocket City Fall Basketball League in Evansville. I would look for her to add to North’s strong frontline that includes Kaliah Neighbors Kaliah Neighbors 5'11" | PF Evansville North | 2022 State IN (2022) and Jalyn Shelby Jalyn Shelby 5'11" | PF Evansville North | 2023 State IN (2023), among others.