Class of 2023 Rankings: Meet the Top 10
The Class of 2023 is incredibly deep with many talented players. Putting together a Top 20, let alone a Top 10 or 5 took a ton of thought. When basketball does resume later this year, there could be several movements…
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Continue ReadingThe Class of 2023 is incredibly deep with many talented players. Putting together a Top 20, let alone a Top 10 or 5 took a ton of thought. When basketball does resume later this year, there could be several movements in the Rankings because so many of these players have what it takes to be at the top of this list. For now, though, here are our initial Top 10 Players in Illinois’ Class of 2023:
1. Jordan Wood Jordan Wood 6'4" | PF Carmel Catholic | 2023 State #15 Nation IL , 6’4” Forward, Carmel
Wood is a tall and lengthy athlete who has shown to be successful at all areas of the court. With her height and long arms, she is tough to get shots off against in the post and has the quickness to stay in front of most Guards. Offensively, Jordan handles the ball well and knows how to create open shots for herself at all levels. She’s a very dominant scorer in the post and transition but has a nice mid-range and three-point jumper as well.
2. Katy Eidle Katy Eidle 5'11" | CG Hersey | 2023 State #45 Nation IL , 5’11” Guard, Hersey
Eidle was one of most intriguing players in this class heading into this past high school season and, after a dominant season for Hersey, she is a no-brainer for the top part of this list. The skilled Guard was recognized as a consistent knock-down shooter early on, but as the season went on, she showed an all-around offensive game that is tough to stop. Katy handles the ball well and uses a quick first step to get in the lane where she can finish creatively or dish to open teammates.
3. Emily Fisher Emily Fisher 6'0" | SF Libertyville | 2023 State #48 Nation IL , 5’11” Guard, Libertyville
While Emily’s high school debut was a bit delayed due to an injury to start the season, the strong Guard out of Libertyville showed why she’s worthy of this ranking. She can play the 1-4 successfully with her length and strength and ability to handle the ball. Fisher has a nice outside shot but does most of her damage scoring in the paint off set pieces and in transition.
4. Lisa Thompson Lisa Thompson 5'9" | PG Example Academy | 2023 State IL , 5’8” Guard, Joliet West
Thompson is a super athletic Combo Guard who excels on or off the ball with her great handles and ability to score from the wing. She’s quick and elusive with the ball in her hands which helps her get in the lane with ease and finish in traffic at a high level.
5. Janae Kent Janae Kent 6'0" | SG Oak Forest | 2023 State IL , 6’0” Guard, Oak Forest
Janae is a tall and strong Point Guard who is a match up nightmare for most teams. She will post up on smaller Guards in the paint and many of those who are closer in height don’t have the quickness to keep up. Kent handles the ball extremely well and can score at all levels with a smooth jump shot and crafty finishes in the lane.
6. Skylar Jones Skylar Jones 5'9" | CG Whitney Young | 2023 State IL , 5’9” Guard, Whitney Young
Skylar is a long and skilled Guard that can handle the ball but has done the majority of her scoring from the 2 or 3 spot. She has a nice-looking shot from outside and does a great job of attacking the basket off the bounce and finishes well in traffic. Jones uses her athleticism and quick hands on defense to disrupt passing lanes and come away with steals.
7. Brianna Hill Brianna Hill 6'0" | CG Example Academy | 2023 State IL , 5’11” Guard, Marian Catholic
Hill is one of the most electric players, not just in her class, but in the Chicagoland area. She plays tough and under control, making a big impact on both ends of the floor with her height and athleticism. Brianna handles and shoots the ball well, but her first look is to make plays in the lane, which she often does.
8. Taylor Curry Taylor Curry 5'8" | CG Waubonsie Valley | 2023 State IL , 5’8” Guard, Waubonsie Valley
Curry is a strong Guard who can play the 1-3 with her ability to score from every level. She thrives at driving the paint but has a nice mid-range jumper and can shoot the three as well. Taylor has great awareness on defense, constantly breaking up passing lanes and pushing the ball up the floor in transition for easy buckets.
9. Ayanna Jackson Ayanna Jackson 6'1" | PF Example Academy | 2023 State IL , 6’0” Forward, De La Salle
Through just one high school season, Jackson has shown that she can be very impactful both in the post and out on the wing. She has a savvy post-game and is dominant on the glass. Ayanna can also stretch the floor with her ability to handle the ball well and knock down jumpers from mid-range and beyond the three-point line.
10. Sophie Swanson Sophie Swanson 5'10" | SG Barrington | 2023 State IL , 5’10” Guard, Barrington
Much like Eidle, I knew Swanson was going to be a high-level shooter as a Freshman. She has a consistent, high-arching shot that she can convert off the bounce or spotting up. What I wasn’t entirely expecting, however, was how great Sophie would be attacking the lane and finishing in traffic. She uses her shooting threat to her advantage to get defenders off balance and drive to the basket and make plays in the lane.