Top Wings In Northwest Indiana

In selecting the five regional areas for my regional articles, I used the Indiana Coaches of Girls’ Sports Association’s (ICGSA) five districts. Schools are evenly distributed by county and somewhat geographical, though not exact. Counties included in the "Northwestern" articles include: Benton, Carroll, Cass, Fulton, Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Marshall, Newton, Porter, Pulaski, Starke, Tippecanoe, and White. Across the entire Prep Hoops Network, we are exploring ways to bring you different types of content in each of the states we cover. One idea we’ve come up with is "city rankings", where we highlight some of the better players in each metropolitan area. I felt like in Indiana, however, there are talented kids spread all over the state, so it wouldn’t be fair to solely focus on Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and Evansville, for example. Instead, I have divided the state into five regions based on a fairly even distribution of the 400+ high schools available to choose from. It isn’t exact, but it seemed like the best way to make sure all prospects from the Hoosier state were considered. (Please see the italicized fine print above for a more specific breakdown of the counties used in this article.) Without further ado, below is a look at some of the top returning wings in "Northwestern" Indiana, arranged alphabetically within their graduating classes.   [player_tooltip player_id="130380" first="Jordan" last="Barnes"], 2021, 5-6 2G/SF, Portage H.S. Jordan is a solid and versatile guard/forward who played a significant role on a 20-win Portage team this year. Despite playing on such a deep roster, Jordan often scored in double-figures throughout the season. She is strong, tough-nosed, fairly athletic, and she plays with a good motor. She rebounds well for her position, she can defend multiple types of players, and she added a much more consistent 3-point shot this year, making her even that more difficult to defend. Look for her to continue on her upward trend as a Senior. [player_tooltip player_id="35021" first="Lilliann" last="Frasure"], 2021, 5-9 2G/SF, North Judson-San Pierre H.S. Lilliann is one of the best pure basketball players in the state right now. She contributes in just about every way, she is incredibly productive statistically, and she’s just a position-less ballplayer. She can score the ball by attacking the rim, knocking down mid-range jumpers, or draining the occasional rhythm 3-pointer. She plays with an outstanding motor and rebounds well for her position, plus she is a willing defender and creates turnovers on instinctive plays. Her Division-I interest has really picked up over the last calendar year, and I’d anticipate more schools jumping on board whenever they’re able to see her next. [player_tooltip player_id="62584" first="Rose" last="Fuentes"], 2021, 5-7 SF/2G, Hammond Bishop Noll Institute Rose has really transformed her game as she’s gotten older. When she was a Freshman, she was mostly a spot-up shooter who played off of others. But over this past year, she has really developed her handle and become much more assertive off the bounce. She still shoots the ball very well from the perimeter, but she has added a mid-post game, and she’s finishing through contact at the basket. I really enjoy her motor and passion for the game, and I like her ability to now score the ball effectively at all levels. [player_tooltip player_id="99371" first="Anna" last="Henderson"], 2021, 5-9 SF, West Lafayette Harrison H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="130342" first="Emma" last="Henderson"], 2021, 5-9 SF, West Lafayette Harrison H.S. When I first saw Anna & Emma between their 8th Grade and Freshmen seasons, they were already strong, physical, and dominant against their peers. They even stood out playing up an age level on the grassroots circuit. They are nice athletes, they play with motors, and they have sort of a quiet toughness to their game where they let their play do the talking. They are both versatile wings who can shoot/score, handle a little, create, and get to the rim and finish. They rebound aggressively, and they can defend multiple positions. Both Anna & Emma have already verbally committed to the University of Iowa to continue their softball careers after high school. [player_tooltip player_id="130359" first="Kiana" last="Oelling"], 2021, 5-10 SF/PG, Valparaiso H.S. I really like Kiana’s transformation as she’s gotten older and stronger. She has always been somewhat slender, but now that she’s almost finished growing, she is showing more strength and the ability to absorb contact better. She is skilled with the ball, she can handle and run offense, but she’s better breaking down defenses off the dribble and finding teammates or slicing to the rim for scores. She has good mechanics and shoots it well from the free throw line, so as she continues getting stronger, look for her to stretch her range to beyond the arc consistently. [player_tooltip player_id="130315" first="Ryin" last="Ott"], 2021, 5-11 SF, LaPorte H.S. Ryin entered high school with a little fanfare because her older sister, [player_tooltip player_id="36215" first="Riley" last="Ott"], had already made a name for herself on the Varsity stage. Ryin is a different player, though, taller, longer, and more of a fluid, gliding athlete. She has a good handle and feel for the game, she’s a nice passer, and she can score it at all three levels fairly consistently. Her 3-point shot could be a bit more consistent, but she is a threat out there, especially when she’s able to get set and have rhythm. I also like her versatility and motor at the defensive end of the floor. [player_tooltip player_id="130332" first="Mercedes" last="Rhodes"], 2021, 5-8 SF, Oregon-Davis H.S. Mercedes might be the least known 25+ point per game scorer in the state. She hasn’t ever played major travel basketball, and while Oregon-Davis has a successful girls’ basketball history, they still aren’t necessarily close to a major city. Mercedes has a solid frame, she’s a good enough athlete, but she can really shoot/score the basketball at all levels. She plays with good energy, she battles at both ends of the floor, and she will also rebound it fairly well. Look for her to continue putting up big numbers next year. [player_tooltip player_id="97260" first="Trinity" last="Barnes"], 2022, 5-7 SF/2G, Gary Lighthouse College Prep Academy Trinity started out at Gary West Side as a Freshman, but she transferred into Lighthouse this past season. She has some length and wiry strength, an athletic frame, and she is a nice on-the-floor athlete who runs the floor well North/South. She is programmed as a scorer, and she can attack the basket and finish through contact. She’s really good in the mid-post as well, or she can make the occasional rhythm 3-pointer. She had an outstanding statistical year for Lighthouse, averaging 21.0 points and 5.3 steals per game. [player_tooltip player_id="157179" first="Hailey" last="Cripe"], 2022, 5-6 2G/SF, Pioneer H.S. Hailey was the leading scorer for the Class 1A State Runners-Up, and she was probably their most consistent player all season. She is a tough-nosed, physical wing, she is a solid all-around athlete, and she’s a very good shooter/scorer from all levels. She gets her shot away quickly, but she can also attack the basket straight-line and finish through contact. I really like her competitive fire and focus at both ends of the floor, and I think she can develop into a really nice small college wing guard, if she doesn’t end up playing another sport at the next level.   Other Noteworthy Wings: [player_tooltip player_id="158396" first="Emma" last="Schmidt"], 2021, Chesterton H.S. Megan Wagner, 2021, Carroll H.S. (Flora) [player_tooltip player_id="157176" first="Ellia" last="Foster"], 2022, Bremen H.S. Lynzi Heimlich, 2022, North White H.S. Lyndsey Kobza, 2022, Kouts H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="128124" first="Iatia" last="Poston"], 2022, Gary Lighthouse College Prep Academy Grace Weston, 2022, Westville H.S. Skylar Bos, 2023, Covenant Christian H.S. (DeMotte) [player_tooltip player_id="127241" first="Tori" last="Thompson"], 2023, Lafayette Central Catholic H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="96093" first="Lilly" last="Toppen"], 2023, Kankakee Valley H.S.