15 Players to have on your radar : South Central Conference

&nbsp; In this new series I will be exploring 15 players you need to know, by conferences that I cover in the Southern Illinois area. The players will be broken down into lists of 5. The first will be the starting 5. This list is the 5 best players, roughly based on position, in the conference. I will not be over the top on this and so you will see two guards, one of them may or may not be a point guard. However, you will not see 5 guards in the starting lineup. The second list will be players ready for a breakout season. This will be players that have most likely contributed on the varsity level but appear to me to be ready to have an even bigger impact in the 2020-21 season. These are players that should fight for 1st or 2nd team All Conference spots and have big seasons. The last list are newcomers to watch. They may or may not have already played some minutes on varsity but if they did they were in a complimentary role and I see them breaking out and showing more next season. Here is the South Central Conference: &nbsp; 5 Starters <ol> <li>Rylee Smith is a 5’6 2021 Point Guard from Piasa SW. Rylee works the combo guard role very well by leading the team from a point guard position, but also being one of the more consistent scorers. She has a nice mid range shot that she will hit anytime she is open. Rylee is a calm player that cannot be rattled and will come up big in key spots.</li> <li>Gracie Reels is a 5’7 2021 Guard from Carlinville. Gracie is a very good defender that helps to lead the way for the team on both ends of the floor. She averaged 10 points per game last year and showed a scoring punch that has been improved. Gracie will continue to take on more of the load next year and will be a big key to Carlinville continuing their success.</li> <li>Natalie Iberg is a 5’9 2021 Guard from Greenville. Natalie is an electric athlete that has come a long way with her basketball skill. She is a mature player that is focused on being a leader for her team as a senior. Natalie has improved her shooting and ball handling which has allowed her to be a legitimate threat on the offensive end of the floor.</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="124895" first="Jillian" last="Hamilton"] is a 5’10 2022 Forward from Pana. Jillian would certainly be the leading candidate for an MVP in the conference if you were looking for one. The best player returning on what is maybe the best team. She is athletic and strong with a very good inside game. If Jillian can improve her perimeter game she will no doubt be a All State type player before she is done.</li> <li>Nikya Harston is a 5’9 2021 Post from Hillsboro. Nikya is a strong post player that excels at getting good position in the lane to be able to score. She jumps well and works hard on the offensive boards. Nikya averaged just short of a double / double as a junior and should do the same in her senior season.</li> </ol> Ready for a breakout <ol> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="160150" first="Rachel" last="Holthaus"] is a 5’6 2022 Point Guard from Pana. Rachel is a good ball handler that has good scoring moves in the half court. She is primed for a breakout season as a junior where she should show excellent passing and defense to go with her other skills.</li> <li>Jill Stayton is a 5’7 2022 Guard from Carlinville. Jill came on late in the year and showed an improved ability to use the bounce to get to the rim. She has often been billed as a shooter thus far in her career and she can get hot from behind the line. But, with her ability to drive into the lane Jill should open herself up for a good junior season.</li> <li>Keaton Link is a 5’10 2021 Forward from Gillespie. Keaton is very long and smooth. She is a high percentage shooter from inside the 3-point line. Keaton does a good job of finding open spots for her shot which she can get off over smaller wing players. She does a good job of using her length to cause problems on defense as well and plays with a bit of a toughness that coaches like.</li> <li>Madyson Hill is a 5’11 2021 Point Forward from Vandalia. Madyson has made a name for herself with her versatility and skill set. She handles the ball well and sees the floor very well. Madyson can facilitate or can focus more on putting points up and do that well too. She can get to the rim and finish or pull up for the jumper.</li> <li>Clare Tester is a 5’9 2021 Forward from Hillsboro. Clare has a very strong body that allows her to handle contact and physical play. She can post up or face the basket and have success at the high post or on the wing. Clare will rebound well and should be the second leading scorer this season.</li> </ol> Newcomers <ol> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="160141" first="Anna" last="Beyers"] is a 5’6 2023 Point Guard from Pana. Anna came on the second half of her freshman season earning praise from Coach Storm for her toughness and aggressive play. She can handle the ball like a point guard and runs the floor well. Anna is not afraid to mix it up with older players. She will have a prominent role this year for Pana and should be that third player that can be counted on to produce.</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="148176" first="Layne" last="Rupert"] is a 5’7 2023 Wing from Hillsboro. Layne is a player that brings length and scoring to the team. She is already experienced in playing both ends of the floor and using her length to force tips and bad decisions on defense. Layne has a unique ability to get into the lane for mid range shots that she can hit consistently.</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="160145" first="Abby" last="Sussenbach"] is a 5’7 2023 Forward from Greenville. Abby is another player that got important varsity minutes last year but is still a relative newcomer to most schools. She rebounds and plays defense with more than a little bit of fight in her game. Abby was second on the team in rebounding while coming off the bench, which was huge. Moving forward Abby needs to improve her scoring if the team is to meet the goals they have set for themselves.</li> <li>Madison Niemeyer is a 5’8 2022 Forward from Gillespie. Madison has proven herself to have a good all around game off the bench in her first two seasons. She will have the chance to get more minutes this year and should see a big step forward in her production. Madison is a good shooter inside 15 feet and can find ways within the offense to get open looks.</li> <li>Gwyn Mitchell is a 5’11 2021 Post from Greenville. It is not often a senior would be considered a newcomer. But, playing behind a top post and in a small school made Gwyn wait her turn to shine. Gwyn will replace [player_tooltip player_id="121866" first="Megan" last="Halleman"] in the post and force other teams to respect her game. She does a very good job of posting up and can finish inside with either hand. While she will not be the second coming of [player_tooltip player_id="121866" first="Megan" last="Halleman"]n, she has many ways that her output can help the team.</li> </ol> &nbsp;