A Look Back: The Class Of 2015
The Class of 2020 is set to graduate in the next month or so, which means it has unbelievably been five years since the Class of 2015 last took the court for high school basketball. Wow, does time fly! With that said, I wanted to go back and take a look at what I considered the Top-15 prospects from their final days as high school players. Below I look back at the players they were five years ago, plus I’ve used as many resources as I could find to catch you up on their college and professional careers. If I’ve omitted any information, I apologize, but I tried to dig up what I could in the time I had to research each individual. One final item of note, they are arranged alphabetically by last name.
Jenna Allen, 6-4 C, Bedford North Lawrence H.S.
Jenna is a very strong, physical, and intimidating presence in the frontcourt. She isn’t an instigator by any means, but she also doesn’t tolerate any nonsense and will certainly make herself known to opponents. She plays with a great motor, she rebounds the ball very well at both ends of the floor, but she also has good hands and feet, and she can finish around the basket or consistently knock down midrange jumpers. After high school, Jenna headed to Michigan State University, where she played from 2015-2019. She averaged 8.4 points and 4.5 rebounds in 130 career games, starting 61 of them. She averaged career highs of 12.5 points and 6.5 rebounds during her Senior season. She also extended her range the last two years, shooting 35% from 3-point range during that time. From what I could find, Jenna signed with Baxi Ferrol of the Spanish League, and she played a key role for their team throughout the Winter, averaging 11.5 points and 6.2 rebounds.
Lamina Cooper, 5-9 SF, Lawrence North H.S.
Lamina is a tremendous athlete who stood out on any court because of her abilities to run and jump with the best of them. She has a strong frame, and she was known as a lock-down defender who could defend four positions equally well. She played with a great motor, she competed on every possession, and she was really expanding her offensive skillset as she ended her high school career, becoming a more consistent perimeter shooter and making her handle much more dynamic. She signed with Purdue University to be a Freshman during the 2015-2016 season, but she didn’t actually enroll until the 2016-2017 season due to personal reasons. In two seasons with the Boilermakers, Lamina played in 57 games, starting 20 of them. She averaged 6.3 points and 3.2 rebounds, with career highs of 10.0 points and 4.0 rebounds coming during her Sophomore year. Per her social media accounts, she is currently attending Purdue University, Fort Wayne.
Jordyn Frantz, 6-0 SF, NorthWood H.S.
Jordyn flew somewhat under the radar for most of her high school career, but she was really skilled and talented, and she proved that in college…more on that in a moment. Jordyn has a very long, wiry strong, athletic frame. She has a smooth jump-shot and was difficult to defend because of her ability to knock down shots from the perimeter or glide by you to the basket off the bounce and finish, all at 6-feet tall. While there might be several Division-I players like that, there aren’t many in Class 3A at the high school level, so she could be somewhat dominant at times. Jordyn headed to Saint Louis University, where she played from 2015-2019. SLU has no stats online prior to the 2016-2017 season, however over Jordyn’s last three years, she averaged 11.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, while starting 91 of 98 games over that span. She finished her career second in 3-pointers made, seventh in 3-point field goal percentage, 10th in free throw percentage, and 14th in career points for the Billikens.
Victoria “CoCo” Gaines, 6-3 PF, Merrillville H.S.
CoCo had as much physical talent as just about anyone in this 2015 class. She’s extremely long, wiry, and she could run and jump like a wing. She could handle it a little in transition, she was dynamic as a mid-post scorer, but her career was spoiled by multiple injuries. As a Varsity Freshman at Merrillville, CoCo tore the ACL in her left knee during the Sectional. She returned to play her Sophomore and Junior seasons, plus she committed to Michigan State University during that time. Then, during July of 2014, she tore the ACL in her right knee, but she managed to return to the Pirates in late-December to finish out her Senior year. Once at MSU, she played in just eight games as a true Freshman before having to redshirt and miss the remainder of the 2015-2016 season. This past season (2019-2020), CoCo was a redshirt Senior, starting 10 of 11 games that she played in. But she again unfortunately suffered a knee injury just after Christmas and missed the rest of her Senior year. All in all, she played in 118 games for the Spartans, starting 62 of them. She averaged 5.3 points and 4.2 rebounds, with career highs of 6.4 points and 5.4 rebounds in 33 games (25 starts) as a redshirt Junior in 2018-2019.
Jordan Hankins, 5-8 CG, Lawrence North H.S.
Jordan was an extremely athletic combo guard prospect who was under-appreciated in a guard-heavy 2015 class. She could run and jump with anyone on this list, she was a quick-footed/quick-handed on-ball defender who could absolutely frustrate opponents, and she was a tough-nosed kid who scrapped and competed at both ends of the floor. Offensively, she was just a shot-maker at all levels, but she was best using her athleticism to explode to the hoop. Jordan signed with Northwestern University and saw action in 32 games during her Freshman season. She averaged 3.8 points that year and was a stellar 22-23 (96%) from the free throw line. During her Sophomore season, she averaged 3.6 points through 11 games, going a perfect 9-9 from the free throw line. She was a spectacular 31-32 (97%) from the line over those two seasons. Jordan’s final game came at Maryland on January 7. Jordan tragically passed away on January 9, 2017, at just 19 years old.
Darby Maggard, 5-5 PG, Fort Wayne Canterbury School
Darby was maybe the most complete basketball player in the 2015 class, and she is an absolute stat-sheet stuffer. She has an incredibly dynamic handle, a jump-shot that extends with deep range, plus a competitive fire and leadership skills unparalleled by most players at any level. She is incredibly intelligent on the basketball floor, and she sees/processes things quicker than her opponents. When it came to her recruiting, Darby had to get past stereotypes like “too small” or “not explosive enough”, but she never batted an eye and just outplayed those deemed to be better prospects. Darby headed to Belmont University and will go down as one of their best players, if not their best player ever. As a Freshman, she was the OVC Freshman of the Year after averaging 12.5 points and 5.3 assists, starting all 33 games. By the end of her Junior season, she had become Belmont’s NCAA Division-I era leader in career assists and made 3-pointers (Belmont didn’t become a Division-I program until 1997). As a Senior, Darby was named the OVC Player of the Year. She graduated fourth in NCAA history in made 3-pointers, and she is Belmont’s all-time leader in made 3-pointers, 3-point percentage, and free throw percentage, while also being the fourth Bruin to surpass the 2,000-point plateau. Over the Winter, Darby played with the Liffey Celtics in Ireland’s Super League, averaging 12.1 points and 4.0 assists through nine games.
Dominique McBryde, 6-1 CF, Bedford North Lawrence H.S.
Dominique is an incredibly versatile forward, and a tough matchup for most opponents. She has a solid to strong frame, length, and good athleticism in all directions. What’s more impressive, is she has a really nice handle and good vision, the ability to make shots at all levels, but the strength, skill, and footwork to take smaller defenders to the block and score. She can defend wings and forwards, plus she can rotate over as a help-side defender and block her share of shots. She is so solid at just about everything, that you can’t really label her as having a niche at one specific thing. Dominique began her college career at Purdue University, where she started 26 of 67 games from 2015-2017, averaging 7.0 points and 5.3 rebounds during that stretch for the Boilermakers. She then decided to transfer to the University of Arizona, where she had to redshirt during the 2017-2018 season due to transfer restrictions. Over the past two seasons for the Wildcats, Dominique averaged 7.0 points and 4.3 rebounds in 61 games (58 starts), while also shooting 40% from 3-point range and 70% from the free throw line.
Michal Miller, 5-8 CG, Michigan City H.S.
Considering the amount of physical talent, skill, and basketball feel/intelligence Michal plays with, I felt like she might have been one of the most overlooked prospects on the national level. She is a strong, explosive athlete with some length. She has a nonstop motor, a competitive fire, and the ability to score the ball at all angles from each level. But what was more impressive each time I watched her as a prep, was her ability to really pass the basketball. She has incredible awareness and vision, and you don’t see it when she plays off the ball. Michal was also a tough-nosed defender who would take on all challengers. Rumor has it, when the 2015 Indiana All-Star team faced the Class of 2016 as Juniors, Michal asked to defend prodigy Jackie Young, while others shied away from the opportunity…and she did a nice job of it. Michal began her collegiate career at the University of Arizona, playing in 28 games as a Freshman in 2015-2016, averaging 3.6 points. She then decided to transfer and eventually landed at Trinity Valley Community College in Texas. She didn’t start her career there until the 2017-2018 season, but she averaged 14.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 33 games for the Cardinals. Her final stop would be Wright State University. She played two seasons (2018-2020) for the Raiders where she started 59 of 61 games. Michal averaged 12.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game in her time there.
Tiara Murphy, 5-7 PG, South Bend Washington H.S.
Tiara is a long, somewhat slender, but extremely quick/fast water-bug type of point guard. She moves around the floor effortlessly and was a playmaker in all facets. She could handle the ball and run offense, break defenders down and get to the rim, or she could make shots with range. Defensively, she could guard the ball, cause havoc in the passing lanes one-pass away, and she was a surprisingly good rebounder for her size. Tiara was another member of a loaded 2015 class for Purdue University, and she played there from 2015-2018. As a Freshman, she played in 23 games, averaging 1.9 points while shooting 48% from 3-point range. Tiara began her Sophomore year with a lot more opportunity, averaging 3.4 points and 1.6 assists in nine games, two of which she started. But she went down with a torn ACL and had to use a medical redshirt, missing the remainder of the 2016-2017 season. She returned as a redshirt Sophomore in 2017-2018, played in 13 games and started one, all before Christmas. She averaged 4.2 points and 1.5 assists, but she hasn’t played competitively since.
Ali Patberg, 5-11 CG, Columbus North H.S.
Ali is the 2015 Miss Basketball, and she is one of the most complete guards to play in Indiana over the last decade. She has good size and strength, she’s a solid athlete in all directions, and she’s able to handle and pass the basketball like a point guard, but also knock down shots at all levels and with range when she plays off the ball. Defensively she’s versatile as well, guarding bigger point guards, off-guards, and some forwards. I also think her energy and fiery competitiveness are infectious and help bring her team to another level. Ali originally committed to, and attend, the University of Notre Dame. She unfortunately missed her true Freshman season in 2015-2016 due to a torn ACL suffered during a preseason practice. She returned in 2016-2017 as a redshirt Freshman, but she played just 7.7 minutes per game in 22 games and decided to transfer to Indiana University. Due to transfer restrictions, Ali had to redshirt and sit out the entire 2017-2018 season, but she was granted an additional season of eligibility. The past two seasons she has started in all 63 games she has played in for the Hoosiers, averaging 15.7 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.8 rebounds, while shooting 39% from 3-point range and 80% from the free throw line. Ali was Second Team All-Big Ten in 2018-2019 and First Team All-Big Ten in 2019-2020. She is slated to return to Indiana’s backcourt next year as a redshirt Senior.
Madeline Raster, 5-9 CG, South Bend Saint Joseph H.S.
I’ve said this about a couple of girls already, but I always felt like Madeline was a little undervalued by recruiters. She is a tough-nosed, fairly strong and athletic combo guard, and she plays with a great motor on every possession. She has a solid handle, doesn’t make risky plays very often, and can manage a team as a point guard. Off the ball, though, she’s able to drive it to the basket and finish through contact, she has a nice mid-range pull-up game, and she can knock down open rhythm 3-pointers on occasion. She is just a complete, high IQ ballplayer. Throughout a four-year career at Harvard University that ran from 2015-2019, Madeline started 110 of 113 games in which she played, averaging 9.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists, while knocking down 33% of her 3-point attempts and 72% of her free throw attempts. She was elected as a co-captain each of her final two seasons, and she was voted to the Second Team All-Ivy League as a Senior.
Zuriel Sanders, 6-0 CF, Evansville Central H.S.
Zuri is a very unique style of player. She is built like a post player, very strong and powerful, but she’s also a really nice athlete in most directions. She has really good length, some bounce to her, but she’s also skilled at all three levels. She can use her strength to post smaller defenders, she’s outstanding in the mid-post whether she shoots or drives it, and she can play a little around the perimeter. She plays with a nice motor and is a great pursuing rebounder with a nose for the ball. Zuri signed with Texas Tech University out of high school, playing there from 2015-2019. As a Freshman, she played in 31 games, starting five of them. She averaged 3.4 points and 5.1 rebounds as a rookie. Unfortunately, during a 1-on-1 competition with a teammate in June of 2016, she tore her ACL. She made it back in time to play 15 games as a Sophomore, averaging 3.1 points and 2.4 rebounds. She returned more to form as a Junior, averaging 4.3 points and 5.4 rebounds, while starting 16 of 29 games. She saved the best for last, starting all 30 games during her Senior season, averaging 8.0 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists for the Red Raiders. In the Fall of 2019, Zuri signed to play professionally in Spain with CD Talent.
Tori Schickel, 6-1 C, Evansville Mater Dei H.S.
Tori followed up an outstanding high school career where she won two state titles and was a runner-up a third time, with a tremendous collegiate career. Tori is a nice-sized frontline player who has the hands, feet, and skill of a top-level post, but the length, athleticism, and skill to play as a face-up ‘4’ in the mid-post. She is a very good shooter to about 17-feet, she can put it on the floor two to three dribbles and get somewhere productively, but she is also highly skilled with her back to the basket, and she can finish with a variety of moves over either shoulder. Tori chose Butler University for college, and she was an absolute steal for them, in my opinion. While a Bulldog from 2015-2019, Tori started 100 of 118 games, averaging 14.0 points and 9.8 rebounds throughout her career. She had career highs of 16.4 points as a Junior in 2017-2018, and 11.7 rebounds as a Sophomore in 2016-2017. She was an impressive 51% from the field and a solid 69% from the free throw line. She graduated as the school’s leading rebounder, leader in minutes played, second in blocked shots, and third in career scoring. She spent this season as a Graduate Assistant Coach at Missouri Western State University.
Brittany Ward, 6-1 SF, Pike H.S.
Brittany is another unique style of player in this loaded class. She is a big, strong, physical, but long and athletic forward who can play at all three levels. She is very deceptive as an athlete at her size, she handles and passes the ball like a guard, she can knock down the occasional 3-pointer, but she’s also really effective scoring it in the mid-post, because she can knock down the mid-range jumper or attack the rim off the bounce. She can also take smaller defenders to the post and score on them at will. Brittany signed with Butler University out of high school, and she got off to a great start with the Bulldogs. As a true Freshman, Brittany started all 31 games, and she averaged 9.8 points and 7.5 rebounds while playing 28.3 minutes per game. However, she decided to transfer after that season, and she had to sit out due to transfer restrictions during 2016-2017. The past three seasons, Brittany has attended the University of Dayton. Throughout that 3-year stretch, Brittany played in 74 games, starting 19 of them (all in 2018-2019). She averaged 2.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, and just 10.5 minutes per game over that stretch, but she also had the opportunity to play in a WNIT and an NCAA tournament, and the Flyers would have likely made it back to the NCAA tournament this season.
Deja Wimby, 5-7 PG, Fort Wayne Snider H.S.
Deja was a blur on a high school basketball court, and not many people outside of the Fort Wayne area had an opportunity to see her play as a prep. She is extremely fast North/South, shifty, she has great bounce, and she competes with a nonstop motor. Deja was a tremendous rebounder in high school, she could run offense as a traditional point guard, but it would be a waste of talent if she wasn’t on attack, full-tilt, all the time. She could attack the basket and finish as well as anyone in this class, and if she didn’t finish, she either grabbed the offensive rebound or earned herself a trip to the free throw line. She was also a master thief at the defensive end of the floor. Deja attended Western Michigan University out of high school and had a really nice career for the Broncos from 2015-2019. In four seasons, Deja started 86 of 113 games played, she averaged 10.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. She posted career highs of 14.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.7 steals as a Senior, and a career high of 6.2 assists as a Junior. She set the WMU single-season assist record as a Junior as well. She was also named the All-MAC Defensive Team as a Senior.