Event Review: USJN Mid-America Qualifier
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The featured image is of Adelyn Walker Adelyn Walker 5'8" | SF Bella Vista Prep | 2023 State AZ (2023) of Martinsville High School and Indiana Elite Team Blaze Select 17U. Saturday, I was able to attend the USJN Mid-America…
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Continue ReadingThe featured image is of Adelyn Walker Adelyn Walker 5'8" | SF Bella Vista Prep | 2023 State AZ (2023) of Martinsville High School and Indiana Elite Team Blaze Select 17U.
Saturday, I was able to attend the USJN Mid-America Qualifier in Noblesville, Indiana, at the Noblesville Boys & Girls Club. While the event wasn’t nearly as big as it has been in past years, there were still 53 total teams on hand, and I was able to see about 20 of them throughout my day there. Below are some thoughts on a half dozen of those teams, now that the event is over. I will have another follow-up article soon that is more player-centric on some standouts and new names I saw over the weekend.
Indiana Elite Team Blaze Select 17U
Now in its third consecutive year on the girls’ side, Team Blaze is located out of Bloomington, Indiana, and it rosters players in somewhat close proximity, plus there is a connection to Ohio that has drawn three Buckeyes to the team. They always compete from beginning to end, and they have a nice collection of wings and guards. Saturday, I felt like
Jordyn Sarver
Jordyn
Sarver
5'9" | SF
Mitchell | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Mitchell and
Adelyn Walker
Adelyn
Walker
5'8" | SF
Bella Vista Prep | 2023
State
AZ
(2023) of Martinsville really stood out. They are both playmaking wings with good athleticism. Wings Tanya Eagle (2022) from Bishop Watterson (OH) and Chloe Jeffers (2022) from Hayes (OH) also played well in the portions I watched. Jeffers is a strong kid who can handle it some. I was anxious to also see 6-2 post Samantha Toney (2024) from Hayes (OH), but she was injured early and didn’t play much when I saw them. 2022 guard
Kendall Harmon
Kendall
Harmon
5'7" | CG
Bloomington South | 2022
State
IN
of Bloomington South is another play to keep an eye on. She is very skilled and can shoot it with range.
Indiana Showcase Red 17U
Coach Gorman’s group was missing a couple of players this weekend, but they still did some nice things when they played. Guards Makenzie Carroll (2022) of Indianapolis North Central and
Darryn Hood
Darryn
Hood
5'5" | CG
Tindley | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Tindley Accelerated give this Showcase team and athletic and dynamic pair on the ball. Hood has put up nice numbers throughout her career at Tindley. Cathedral forward
Darryn Ely
Darryn
Ely
5'10" | PF
Cathedral | 2022
State
IN
(2022) has been outstanding over the last six to eight months, as she is a nice athlete with length and toughness. I felt like this was the best I have seen 6-1 post
Haley Polston
Haley
Polston
6'2" | C
Martinsville | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Martinsville play. She looked confident, strong, and more aggressive than usual. Lastly,
Abigail Young
Abigail
Young
5'8" | SG
Mooresville | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of Mooresville is a strong, athletic, versatile wing who can score around the perimeter or attack the basket and finish.
Indy Magic BlueStar 17U
This Indy Magic group appears to be one of the hardest working ones I’ve seen, and they seem to really play well together. The toughness and feistiness of point guard
Teresa Maggio
Teresa
Maggio
5'5" | PG
McCutcheon | 2022
State
IN
(2022) of McCutcheon is always visible, and it rubs off on her teammates. She is committed to IUPUI already. Plainfield wing
Ellie Wilkerson
Ellie
Wilkerson
5'9" | SF
Plainfield | 2022
State
IN
(2022) had another strong performance when I saw her, and she is a scoring threat at all three levels. I was really impressed with the mobility of 6-1 forward Madison Kerrigan (2022) of Westfield. A couple of times she came out beyond the perimeter and sat down in a stance and did a nice job defensively on the ball. She is also a 3-point threat at times. Homeschooled product
Gloria Brewer
Gloria
Brewer
5'7" | SG
Greencastle | 2023
State
IN
(2022) is another tough-nosed kid who quietly goes about her business and scores the ball in bunches from all over. I also felt like Oregon-Davis big
Maddie Hudspeth
Maddie
Hudspeth
6'1" | C
Oregon-Davis | 2022
State
IN
(2022) and Covenant Christian (Indianapolis) forward
Samara Douglas
Samara
Douglas
5'11" | PF
North Central (Indianapolis) | 2022
State
IN
(2022) played hard and hit the glass consistently.
Indiana Showcase Black 16U
This Showcase group was also missing a couple of its regulars, so they grabbed a couple of 2022 fill-ins for the weekend. I was impressed with the play of Martinsville wing Madison Short (2023) and Cascade wing
Abby Parsons
Abby
Parsons
5'8" | SF
Cascade | 2023
IN
(2023). Short is a long, slender, but fluidly athletic kid who slices to the basket with ease. Parsons is a strong, physical forward with very good ball skill and the ability to make shots all over the floor. Pike wing
Autumn Rucker
Autumn
Rucker
5'8" | SF
Pike | 2023
State
IN
(2023) is one of the better athletes in the 2023 class, and once she makes her game more consistent, I think she has the upside to be a real problem for opponents. Southmont front-liner
Isabelle Miller
Isabelle
Miller
6'1" | C
Southmont | 2022
State
IN
(2022) looks a little taller and stronger than I remember her from two years ago. She is solid around the block and establishes her position early. And Bedford North Lawrence wing
Madisyn Bailey
Madisyn
Bailey
5'9" | PG
Bedford North Lawrence | 2024
State
IN
(2024) is a strong, fairly athletic kid who is always looking to make plays for her team.
Indiana Elite Evolution 15U
This Indiana Elite group is one of the scrappiest bunches of kids you will find. They play hard at both ends of the floor and make plays on sheer hustle. Hamilton Southeastern guard Morgan Blake (2024) has grown about three inches since last Summer, and she has good length, speed, and quickness to her game. Fishers forward Ryleigh Gee (2024) has the strength and physical nature to play around the basket, but she’s also skilled in the mid-post and a little around the arc. Lawrence Central guard Veronica Lugo (2024) is a new addition to this team, and she is a tough-nosed, physical little guard with good all-around athleticism and quickness. I also think Western guard Lauren Bradley (2024) is one of the toughest, hardest working, do-whatever-it-takes-to-help-the-team kids you will find in grassroots basketball. She always gets after it, and she willingly defends with effort.
Indiana Flight Future 15U
This Indiana Flight group has a nice grouping of guards and wings, and there are several prospects here who are still growing and whose best days are well-ahead of them. For the weekend, this group added Zionsville wing
Emma Haan
Emma
Haan
5'8" | SG
Zionsville | 2024
State
IN
(2024), who always plays with a tremendous motor and contributes however she can. She was outstanding when I saw her. Bloomington North forward
Mia Robbennolt
Mia
Robbennolt
6'0" | PF
Bloomington North | 2024
State
IN
(2024) led the Cougars in scoring as a Freshman, and she flashes a lot of intrigue with her length and fluid athleticism. I continue to be more and more impressed with Columbus North guard
Elise Preston
Elise
Preston
5'7" | CG
Columbus North | 2024
IN
(2024) each time out. She still needs to finish growing and get stronger, but her confidence is definitely growing, and she looks solid both on and off the ball offensively. One of their new additions this year is 6-1 Plainfield front-liner
Payton Benge
Payton
Benge
6'1" | PF
Plainfield | 2024
State
IN
(2024). She has good size and strength, skill in the mid-post and around the block, plus a coach’s kid type of basketball IQ for the game.