Tourney Takeover: Class 3A Performers

<span style="font-size: 8pt;"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id="10660" first="Ariana" last="Wiggins"] of Heritage Christian High School.</em></span> With the IHSAA girls’ basketball state tournament underway this week, we can all take a sigh of relief that we finally got to this point, considering other states were less fortunate. As I try to spread the wealth in terms of high school seasonal coverage when it comes to teams and players, I felt like it was time to highlight five young ladies in Class 3A who stand out and should be recognized for their potential to take over games this postseason. All five of these prospects are skilled and talented, but they are also all capable of controlling games and putting their teams on their backs. Below is a look at five players who I think can have the biggest individual impacts on this season’s Class 3A state tournament. &nbsp; <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="130402" first="Katherine" last="Benter"], 2021, 5-9 SF, Brownstown Central H.S.</strong></span> I had seen Katherine a few times throughout the early parts of her career, but it wasn’t until this Summer/Fall that I was able to watch her at length on multiple occasions and really appreciate her value to a team. She is a solid athlete with very good length, wiry strength, and a tremendous motor. She is extremely well-rounded, she plays with a nice feel and understanding of the game, and she does a lot of tough things that I think contribute to her team’s success. She can handle it, shoot it, rebound, and she’s a willing defender. Most importantly, she competes on every possession and battles, whether her team is up or down, big or small. She always gives her team a chance to succeed. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="35020" first="Hanna" last="Knoll"], 2021, 5-9 CG, Angola H.S.</strong></span> Hanna is a well-rounded guard who does a little of everything for her team. She has really improved as a ball-handler and playmaker over the years, and she is a willing passer who will find open teammates in positions to score. Hanna has always been a consistent scorer as well, she doesn’t force the action much, but she can attack the basket and finish through contact or knock down open jumpers outside. At the same time, she has the savvy and understanding that, when her team needs a basket, she is capable of finding the hoop. She is averaging 19.6 points this year, but over her last seven games she is at 22.0 per game, and she’s always capable of 30+, which must scare opponents. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="10660" first="Ariana" last="Wiggins"], 2021, 5-8 PG, Heritage Christian H.S.</strong></span> Ari has drawn a lot of fanfare since she was in junior high, and she hasn’t disappointed on the high school stage. She will likely contend for the 2021 Miss Basketball award, she is committed to the University of Michigan, and she has earned national praise as well. But this high school season she has been scoring the ball at a career-high level. She is averaging 27.2 points per game, she has a half dozen games in the 30s, plus a game of 40 points. She is dynamic off the bounce and somewhat dominant at times, because she’s so quick and good with the ball. She will strike fear in opposing coaches, because despite what you do defensively, she can create space and find the basket. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="59748" first="Nevaeh" last="Foster"], 2023, 5-8 CG, Mishawaka Marian H.S.</strong></span> Nevaeh exploded onto the scene last year, setting a school record for total points in a single-season. I think she was so good last year, that she set such a high baseline for herself, so I wonder if fans on a statewide level expected another huge jump this season. She is scoring more per game, her assists, steals, and 3-point percentage are up, and her turnovers are slightly lower as well. Nevaeh has had a fantastic season, and she is always capable of exploding for 30 or 40 points on a given night. Plus, knowing her competitive fire, I would guess she welcomes anyone underestimating her or the 18-4 Lady Knights as they attempt to win their fourth consecutive Sectional title this weekend. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="96091" first="Renna" last="Schwieterman"], 2023, 5-11 SF, Jay County H.S.</strong></span> Renna made a really nice transition from last year to this year. First, she has always had good height/size, she has a wiry strong frame with good length, and she plays with an outstanding motor. Last season, however, she was much more comfortable in the mid-post and around the basket offensively, so she did a lot of damage inside of about a 15-foot bubble. This year, though, she is handling it more and making plays around the perimeter, she is shooting it outside more often, and at a higher percentage, plus she’s looking much more assertive and aggressive. She is averaging 19.0 points per game this year, but she averaged 33.3 over her final four regular season contests, including a 43-point game.