Top Frontcourts in Class 4A
During the 2018-2019 season, Class 4A should provide us with the opportunity to watch several really nice frontcourts, and they happen to spread throughout different parts of the state. This was incredibly difficult to choose just five in Class 4A,…
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Continue ReadingDuring the 2018-2019 season, Class 4A should provide us with the opportunity to watch several really nice frontcourts, and they happen to spread throughout different parts of the state. This was incredibly difficult to choose just five in Class 4A, as there are maybe 10 or 12 who could be legitimately argued in the Top-5. We initially focused our selections on a team’s three best forwards / posts, then narrowed down the list based on depth. We’ve attempted to list as many of each school’s front-liners as we are aware of. The teams who made the cut are arranged alphabetically by school name.
Jorie Allen of Bedford North Lawrence
Bedford North Lawrence H.S. (Bedford, IN)
Now that it looks like they’ll have a healthy year together, Bedford North Lawrence has one of the most skilled, most sizeable frontlines in the entire state. It all starts with 6-1 2019 forward Jorie Allen (17.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.5 bpg). She was a core Indiana Junior All-Star back in June, and she is likely one of the front-runners for the coveted Miss Basketball award. She has strength and can play inside, she has some finesse and can play facing the basket, and during the course of June this year, she was handling the ball and initiating the offense for the Stars a lot of the time. She might have to take over ball-handling duties more permanently at key times in games. 6-2 2020 front-liner Madison Webb (8.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg) came into high school as a jump-shooter who floated around the perimeter hunting shots, and while she is a very good shooter, she has gotten stronger, and she looked much more assertive around the block this Summer. Her ability to effectively play inside-out like that will put a lot of pressure on opposing defenses. 6-3 2020 post Peyton Sweet is a broad-shouldered, powerful, true back-to-the-basket post who should have a much more impactful presence this year. The combination of Allen’s & Webb’s versatility, plus Sweet’s improvement, should allow the three to play together a lot. 5-8 2021 small forward Chloe McKnight (8.0 ppg, 43 made 3s) had a strong Freshman season, but was injured late in the year. She is a pure 3-point shooter with the strength and toughness to also play in the mid-post. 5-9 2019 small forward Allie Fugate is a long and fluid athlete with Varsity experience, and 5-6 small forward Abby Riley is another Senior who has played some minutes here and there. Look for 5-10 2020 forwards Makena Moore and Hailey Deckard to also maybe get some minutes early this season.
Tayah Irvin of Hamilton Southeastern
Hamilton Southeastern H.S. (Fishers, IN)
Hamilton Southeastern possesses one of the most talented, most versatile starting frontcourts in the entire state, and they are terribly difficult to match up with. 6-2 2020 small forward Sydney Parrish (15.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.2 spg, 32 made 3s) is one of the top players in the state, regardless of class, she’s a coveted prospect nationally, and she is tremendously skilled. She can handle the ball and run offense, she’s a pure shooter with range, and she’s good attacking the basket for scores. She played through pain a season ago, so it will be nice watching her work healthy this year. 6-1 2019 small forward Tayah Irvin (6.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg) doesn’t put up major statistical numbers, but she “makes her money” at the defensive end of the floor. Over the last few years, I haven’t seen many people 6-1 with her lateral quickness, quick feet, and tremendous length who were able to not only defend, but flat out lock down four positions the way she does. She can take on point guards, wings, or face-up ‘4s’. 6-1 2019 power forward Amaya Hamilton (8.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg) is a long and very athletic forward who can post a little around the block, but she’s great in the mid-post. She needs to assert herself more offensively, because when she does, she can go for 30 points on any given night. She has started shooting it much better around 17 to 18-feet too. 5-5 2020 small forward Bailey Poore might be in line to step into the Varsity rotation, as the Royals don’t have a great deal of depth. Bailey is a little undersized, but she’s strong, she has a great motor, and she’s a really nice athlete. She did some good things during the grassroots season this year.
Sydney Graber of Homestead
Homestead H.S. (Fort Wayne, IN)
I’m not sure if anyone has the combination of both talent and depth on their frontline like Homestead does. They will be bringing legitimate college prospects off the bench this season. 6-0 2020 forward Sydney Graber (15.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 59 made 3s) is the best of the returnees. She is a broad-shouldered kid with good strength, and she’s starting to post a lot more and use that power to her advantage. That sounds a little odd, but she is also such a pure perimeter shooter with a nice lefty stroke, that she terrorizes opponents outside as well. 6-0 2019 forward Haley Swing (8.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg) has always been a long, slender, fluid athlete who is good in the mid-post. This Summer, though, she showed a lot more fight and toughness around the block, scrapped for rebounds better, and just looked much more complete. She should have a good Senior season. The third starter will likely be top Freshman Ayanna Patterson, a 6-4 forward with the athleticism and skill to play around the perimeter, but the size to also dominate inside. She will be scary for opponents to match up with. 6-0 2019 front-liner Brianna Lucas has a great deal of Varsity experience as well, and she plays with a good motor and nice toughness inside. 5-9 2019 small forward Sophia Buck is a long, fluid wing who is comfortable around the perimeter as a slasher and high-motor kid. 6-0 2019 forward Julia Huey is another kid with good experience. She is a very nice shooter who can bring another dimension off the bench, hiding in corners and burying shots. And 6-0 2021 post Amber Austin is another strong, physical interior player who can score around the block and give the Spartans yet another sizeable option.
Meg Newman (#22) of North Central
North Central H.S. (Indianapolis, IN)
North Central is blessed with a nice youthful combination of size, athleticism, skill, and strength throughout their frontcourt, and they are going to be tough to match up with in the Indy area. Actually, the one “veteran” they have is newcomer Jasmine McWilliams (9.0 ppg, 7.1 rpg), a 5-10 2020 small forward who transferred in from Carmel. She is a talented, wiry strong athlete who is great attacking the basket off the bounce. 5-11 2021 power forward Nakaih Hunter (5.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg) and 6-1 2021 forward Meg Newman (3.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg) both played a lot last season as Freshmen, and neither disappointed. Hunter is a strong, physical, high-motor kid who just carves out space around the block and scores against bigger opponents. Newman has a nice frame as well, but she’s a little more wiry and skilled than Hunter. She can handle the ball some, hit shots in the mid-range game, and attack the basket for scores. I anticipate a big year out of her. 6-0 2020 forward Toree Jackson (3.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg) is a very intriguing kid who has played some minutes, but she’s just starting to come into her own. She is very long, fluidly athletic, and she is another mid-post kid who can play inside-out a little. 5-8 2021 forward Alivia Terry (2.4 ppg) is a strong, tough-nosed forward who plays much bigger than she is because of her motor. The combination of 6-2 2019 post Anna Routt (2.3 rpg) and 6-3 2021 post Dynasty Witherspoon provides the Panthers with more options around the block, as they both have stronger frames and the size to cause fits for opponents. Routt is a powerful post, and while Witherspoon has broad shoulders, she has tremendously long arms and long legs with a little bounce to her. I also wouldn’t rule out 6-0 2022 track star Ramiah Elliott or 5-9 2022 power forward Ariel Helm getting an opportunity either.
Delaney Richason of Zionsville
Zionsville Community H.S. (Zionsville, IN)
If you watched the 2018 Class 4A State Finals, you noticed that the Zionsville Eagles have a very nice, skillful group of frontline starters who play with a great deal of versatility as well. With the status of star guard Maddie Nolan’s return looking like it won’t be until the middle-end of January, this position group will have to carry Zionsville for much of the season, but they are capable. 6-1 2019 forward Delaney Richason (10.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.6 apg) is the best of the bunch. She is long, fluid, and smooth. She can hit shots around the perimeter, she is very good in the mid-post, and this Summer she was handling the ball quite a bit for the Eagles. She might have to do a lot more of that this season. Her younger sister, 6-0 2021 power forward Katey Richason (9.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg), put together an impressive Freshman campaign and should be even more productive this time around. She is a strong kid who plays with a tremendous motor and loves physicality. She always comes up with the loose ball, and just has a knack for making blue-collared plays. The unsung hero of this group is 6-1 2019 post Megan Sheridan (8.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg). She is a skillful post who plays with a good motor and can get you 20 points and 15 rebounds if opponents take her for granted. 5-7 2019 small forward Sarah Howell (4.9 ppg) will take on a bigger role this season. She’s a long, somewhat slender, but fluid athlete who plays with a good motor. She is probably most comfortable around the perimeter, but she can play in the mid-post some as well. 5-8 2020 small forward Kaiti Huber played in most of their games last season, and she has improved a great deal since last year. She is a strong wing, tough-nosed, with some skill and athleticism. Also look for 5-9 2019 forwards Chloe Wilson and Lily Bird, and 5-10 2021 forward Morgan Pressler to maybe see more minutes this time around.
Also Heavily Considered Were:
Avon
East Central
East Chicago Central
Michigan City
New Palestine
North Harrison
Westfield
Header photo of Sydney Parrish (#33) of Hamilton Southeastern; photo courtesy of indystar.com. Photo of Jorie Allen courtesy of dailyjournal.net. Photo of Tayah Irvin courtesy of the Indiana Flight Twitter account. Photo of Sydney Graber courtesy of journalgazette.net. Photo of Meg Newman courtesy of the Indiana Elite Twitter account. Photo of Delaney Richason courtesy of timessentinel.com.