LaPorte Semi-State Preview

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id="99428" first="Kaylee" last="Fuelling"] of Norwell High School. With just 16 teams remaining in Indiana’s state tournament, four schools in each classification, Hoosier hoop fans now turn their attention to the Semi-State round. Below is a look at one of the North Semi-States hosted by LaPorte High School, breakdowns and analysis of those two games, plus predictions on who we think could be the North representative for their classification on February 26th or 27th at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. This will be an intriguing weekend of high school girls’ basketball, as the Regionals last Saturday produced a number of upsets and surprises. (All times listed below are Eastern Daylight Time.)   12:00 PM - CLASS 3A NORTH SEMI-STATE 21-5 Washington High School (South Bend, IN) The Washington Panthers are Semi-State bound for the fifth time in program history, but the first time since the Skylar Diggins-Smith era from 2005-2009. The Panthers actually went 4-0 in those previous Semi-States, but just 1-3 in the State Championship games those years. This 2020-2021 Washington team starts a plethora of talent, with five players who will likely all play college basketball somewhere. 6-2 Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="97241" first="Mila" last="Reynolds"] (19.1p, 9.3r, 2.0a, 2.2b) leads the way for the Panthers, and she has already made a verbal commitment to the University of Maryland. She has good size, wiry strength, and athleticism, plus she’s skilled at all three levels. I think she’s probably most dominant in the mid-post, with the ability to flex down low or around the perimeter. Younger sister, 6-0 Sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id="59769" first="Amiyah" last="Reynolds"] (10.0p, 7.5r, 6.5a, 4.0s), is the primary ball-handler, and with good height and length. She already possesses a number of high-major offers. What I think is impressive about here is her feel for the game and ability to pass the ball while on the move. She is a point forward and really understands how to play. She has actually sacrificed a little scoring this season to get others involved. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id="96086" first="RaShunda" last="Jones"] (17.5p, 4.3r, 3.6a, 4.4s), nicknamed "The Spider", has made the biggest improvements to her game since last season, and she has picked up mid-major offers because of it. She is shooting and scoring it at such a high level right now, but she has always been an elite on-ball defender. I like her creativity, her willingness to pass, plus she is so quick, fast, and explosive, she’s hard to contain off the dribble. 6-4 Senior post [player_tooltip player_id="130364" first="Francisca" last="Galicia"] (4.6p, 4.5r, 2.3b) has shown tremendous growth in her game as well, especially considering she had never touched a basketball until a couple of years ago. She is a presence defensively, but she’s also becoming an opportunistic scorer, playing off of others much better. One player we will add to the database during our late-March rankings updates is Junior forward Shamarah Allen (7.6p, 4.9r, 2.3s). She is a long, wiry strong, and extremely athletic player. She had left basketball for a period of time, then transferred to Washington this year and made her return. She has really nice talent and plays with versatility. If the Panthers have a weakness, it’s that they aren’t terribly deep. Once you get past those five, the remaining players on the roster are averaging just 5.9 points per game. They will need to try and get at least 10-15 points from their bench against Norwell this Saturday. 23-5 Norwell High School (Ossian, IN) The Norwell Knights advanced to their fourth Semi-State overall, and their first since the 2014 season. The only time they have ever made it to the State Finals was in 1977, falling in the Final Four when the State Finals were a four-team format. They are the epitome of a program, as they have had the same Head Coach for 24 seasons now, so these kids have grown up in a feeder system that has groomed them to play a certain way...to prepare them for this moment. In a rotation that played just seven players each game last Saturday, having four of them as Seniors, and one as a Junior, lends them an upper hand in terms of experience and maturity, especially during distracting times like the state tournament. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="130352" first="Maiah" last="Shelton"], and Senior guards [player_tooltip player_id="99428" first="Kaylee" last="Fuelling"] & [player_tooltip player_id="245978" first="Lauren" last="Bales"], have been Varsity regulars for multiple years now, so they have tasted the ups and downs and are looking to continue their journey for another weekend. Shelton is a wiry strong, athletic wing with really nice all-around skill. She is a fluid attacker off the bounce, she has a mid-range game, plus she can knock down open rhythm jumpers consistently. If anyone can create a shot for the Knights, it’s her. She will play at Bethel College next season. Fuelling is a strong, physical guard, and she plays with a really nice, quiet toughness to her. She is another strong attacker off the bounce, but she can shoot it outside and has some range as well. She makes tough plays when they need them. Bales is smaller, more of a water-bug type of guard with good quickness. She is probably their best on-ball defender, and she can get into gaps offensively and find teammates. She too is a really nice, long-range shooter who can get hot at times. From there, the Knights have some flexibility. I have a feeling they’ll need to play bigger against Washington, so I would anticipate 6-1 Sophomore post [player_tooltip player_id="59783" first="Skyla" last="Tomasek"] and/or 5-10 Senior post Grace Bradtmueller starting. Tomasek has a longer frame, solid strength, and she’s most comfortable with her back to the basket. She can play facing as well offensively, but where I think she helps Norwell against the Panthers is in her ability to protect the rim. Bradtmueller is much stronger, more physical, and she’s kind of a people-mover. If she can keep Panthers away from the paint to begin with, I can see her earning the minutes. Neither will likely score a great deal, but they do come up with open baskets playing off of others. Freshman guard Kennedy Fuelling could be a wild card for the Knights. Whether she starts or comes off the bench, she is strong for her age, a really nice athlete, and she can score and/or make plays for them with the ball in her hands. I also think Junior guard MacKinzie Toliver’s experience will help as well. She is another smaller guard who hustles around the floor and makes "blue-collared" plays for Norwell. Class 3A Prediction: To a degree, this is kind of a contrast in styles. On paper, Washington has a great deal more size and talent, especially in their starting five. Norwell, on the other hand, has good skill, experience, and a system that fits them like a glove. The Panthers will want to force turnovers with their length and get out in transition all day. That’s where they are the best. If Norwell struggles to handle pressure, it could be a long day for the Knights. At the same time, Norwell has been known to play a variety of trapping defenses, and they could frustrate Washington for stretches. The Knights will want to control tempo some, but they will take advantage of easy opportunities if they have numbers in transition. I actually think this will be a very close game throughout. There may be runs at times, but I think this game is going to be decided in the fourth quarter, and it could come down to the foul situation, free throw shooting, or some "little thing" coaches preach about all the time. I will take Washington by the slimmest of margins, 53-52, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Norwell found a way to win this one.   4:00 PM - CLASS 4A NORTH SEMI-STATE 23-1 Crown Point High School (Crown Point, IN) The Crown Point Bulldogs have found their way back to the Semi-State for the ninth time in program history, and their second time in the last three seasons. They have been to four State Finals, winning the crown in 1984 and 1985, but they haven’t advanced that far since 1997. Last weekend, they picked up a pair of wins against different types of opponents, but it was that evening matchup against Penn they were looking forward to. The Bulldogs and the Kingsmen have gone back and forth the last few seasons, and the Kingsmen beat a previously undefeated Crown Point squad by one in last year’s Regional. This time, it was the Bulldogs winning by an impressive nine points. The Bulldogs will play anywhere from 9-12 girls in a given game, but they look to a core-six who have played in every game so far this year. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="61030" first="Jessica" last="Carrothers"] (23.1p, 5.3r, 4.1a, 4.1s) has been spectacular throughout her career, and she sits just two points shy of 1700 with another year to go. She is tough, strong, and she plays with a tremendous motor. Most importantly, she can get a basket just about anytime she wants, which is certainly helpful in late-game situations during tournament time. 6-4 Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="128115" first="Lilly" last="Stoddard"] (10.8p, 9.0r, 2.3b) just gets better and better each time I see her. She is incredibly long and bouncy, she runs the floor extremely well, and she actually moves more like a wing than a frontline player. She has shown the ability to take over games at times inside, and with Carroll having no one over 6-feet, she could have her way inside this weekend. She has already verbally committed to Purdue University. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="62555" first="Alyna" last="Santiago"] (7.6p, 2.9r, 2.9a, 2.6s) has made a big difference down the stretch this season. She is a high-level defensive player, she is gritty, tough, and plays with a tremendous motor, plus she is scoring it better this year than ever. Alyna will be playing at Indiana University-Northwest next year. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="243580" first="Nikki" last="Gerodemos"] (6.5p, 4.5r) gives the Bulldogs another interior player who can play physically, allowing Stoddard to move around the floor more freely. Gerodemos has had some big moments this season for Crown Point. Senior guard Allie Govert (5.6p, 2.5r, 2.1s) and Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="128172" first="Alyvia" last="Santiago"] (5.3p) add good perimeter depth and experience. Govert will handle it some and can help alleviate pressure, while the younger Santiago is a strong athlete who can make shots outside or attack the basket aggressively. 25-2 Carroll High School (Fort Wayne, IN) The Carroll Chargers are Regional Champions for just the second time ever, and the first time since 1998. They have never won a Semi-State title, nor a State title, in the program’s history, and everything is currently within their grasp. They enter the Semi-State with as little fanfare as any of the Class 4A teams, which is surprising considering the regular season they put together. I don’t know that they are the favorite to win the Class 4A title, especially with Crown Point staring them in the face, but I also don’t see any of the other three remaining teams as anyone they would fear or couldn’t beat. Carroll is maybe the Class 4A version of a Norwell, in that they have a program in place where these kids have learned how to play together within that system, a coach who is in his ninth year there but 26th year overall, and players who just click really well and enjoy playing together. They may not be flashy, but they know how to play. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="99373" first="Emily" last="Parrett"] (13.1p, 4.2r, 2.3a, 2.3s) might be the most underappreciated player in the 2021 class. She doesn’t have eye-popping numbers, but she does so many non-statistical things well. She can take and make big shots with range when needed. She handles and takes care of the basketball as well as anyone. She isn’t phased by the moment or by intense defensive pressure. She is just a tough-nosed kid who plays the point guard spot the right way. She will attend the University of Saint Francis next year. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id="96079" first="Taylor" last="Fordyce"] (10.7p, 4.2r, 2.1s) has stepped into more of a scoring role this year. She is a strong wing guard, and she likes to attack the basket straight-line off the bounce. She also plays with some grit and physicality at the guard position. Sophomore twins [player_tooltip player_id="59758" first="Saniya" last="Jackson"] (9.6p, 5.3r, 2.9a, 2.6s) and [player_tooltip player_id="59759" first="Nevaeh" last="Jackson"] (8.1p, 3.2r, 2.3a, 2.2s) have a little height at 5-10 each, but they are extremely long, fluidly athletic, and they can both play in the mid-post or around the perimeter. 6-0 Freshman wing [player_tooltip player_id="177314" first="Alexis" last="Castator"] (6.1p, 3.1r) is a big-time talent who can create her own shot at times. She could come up huge for the Chargers in this game. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id="241187" first="Kayla" last="Gibbs"] (5.9p, 3.4r), Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="130365" first="Delane" last="Sheets"] (5.8p, 2.4r), and 6-0 Junior front-liner [player_tooltip player_id="128156" first="Jasmine" last="Anderson"] (3.8p, 2.7r) add nice depth, talent, skill, and experience for the Chargers. Class 4A Prediction: Just like in the Class 3A game, this is a matchup that showcases the talent of a Crown Point versus the system of a Carroll. Without forcing the issue, Crown Point will need to try to incorporate both Stoddard and Gerodemos inside. If those two can combine for 25+ points, I think it benefits the Bulldogs in a big way. At the same time, those two will need to dominate the boards and not let Carroll’s active wings and guards get easy rebounds and earn second chances. Carroll will likely overplay Carrothers, and they have the perimeter depth to send a number of different players and defenses at her. If she can still score in the teens, I think Crown Point is okay, but if Carroll somehow limits her to six or eight points, I think this is going to be a dogfight. For Carroll, they have to limit second chance points by the Bulldogs and use transition to their advantage as much as possible, without forcing. Every possession will be valuable to the Chargers, so shot selection will also be huge. This is one of those games where I think Carroll could very well win it, but I also think Crown Point’s two best players are just tough to contain for 32 minutes. I will take Crown Point in the 4A game, 56-51.