Grassroots Introductions: Indy Magic

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id="127210" first="Hannah" last="Lach"] (2023) of Carmel High School and Indy Magic-Scott BSTTL 16U. Now that we are in the home stretch of the 2021 grassroots season, I wanted to finish introducing several of the state's programs over the next few weeks. For the bigger programs in 17U-15U, they will get their own articles, while some of the smaller programs and individual teams will be found later in articles summarizing the remaining teams in each of those age groups, 17U-15U. Below is a look at the Indy Magic program. Admittedly, I have seen mostly their 17U and 16U groups, which is why the two 15U teams aren't included in this article. I hope to have more on them in the near future. Regardless, the Magic program has been around for several years now and is centered out of Indianapolis. They primarily draw girls from Central Indiana, with a handful from along I-65 North and the Northwestern part of the state as well.   17U: There are three teams entered in the 17U age group for the Magic program. Those teams include the Indy Magic-Blanding BSTTL group, Indy Magic-Harmon, and Indy Magic-Marquis. Indy Magic-Blanding BSTTL is the BlueStar representative in the 17U age group, and they are exclusively Class of 2022 prospects. [player_tooltip player_id="97243" first="Teresa" last="Maggio"] (2022) of McCutcheon and [player_tooltip player_id="97247" first="Ellie" last="Wilkerson"] (2022) of Plainfield stand out on a rather talented and balanced roster. Maggio is a dynamic little point guard with a lot of creativity and feistiness to her game. She has already committed to IUPUI. Wilkerson is a strong, athletic, and skillful wing who can score the ball at all three levels. [player_tooltip player_id="206425" first="Gloria" last="Brewer"] (2022) is a homeschooled kid who brings an explosive offensive package, being able to make shots anywhere inside of about 27-feet. [player_tooltip player_id="34558" first="Ryan" last="Viele"] (2022) of Hamilton Southeastern is a long and athletic combo guard, while [player_tooltip player_id="157171" first="Braylyn" last="Clendenen"] (2022) of Whiteland Community is another skillful wing who adds versatility and depth on the perimeter. Up front, the Magic come at you with a variety of forwards and posts. [player_tooltip player_id="34555" first="Samara" last="Douglas"] (2022) of Covenant Christian (Indianapolis) is what I would call the athletic, mid-post playmaker of the bunch. 6-1 [player_tooltip player_id="61046" first="Madison" last="Kerrigan"] (2022) of Westfield is a nice, athletic, face-up '4' who has already committed to Missouri University of Science and Technology. 6-1 [player_tooltip player_id="182149" first="Maddie" last="Hudspeth"] (2022) of Oregon-Davis is a hard-working, skillful, low-block to mid-post center, while 6-3 [player_tooltip player_id="34538" first="MyKayla" last="Moran"] (2022) of Hamilton Heights provides a real presence in the paint defensively. Indy Magic-Harmon isn't overly tall as a team, but they do have some length, versatility, and several really nice, scrappy ballplayers. [player_tooltip player_id="243583" first="Emily" last="Adamowicz"] (2022) of Muncie Burris is a "jack-of-all-trades" type of player. Is she a guard? A wing? A forward? The answer is simply 'yes'. She can play just about anywhere on the floor for them and contributes in a number of ways. Forward [player_tooltip player_id="128143" first="Mia" last="Catey"] (2022) of Mississinewa is another versatile player who can use her strength to battle inside and in the mid-post, but she is also a nice athlete with some perimeter skill in her game. [player_tooltip player_id="243582" first="Alexis" last="Wines"] (2022) of Lebanon plays with a nonstop motor and flies all over the floor. She can act as a traditional point guard and run offense, but she can also score it in bunches when necessary. Zionsville's [player_tooltip player_id="243578" first="Mya" last="Childress"] (2022) is a talented run-and-jump athlete with a lot of length, while Westfield's Mikayla Rudolph (2022) is another intriguing 5-11 forward with great length and fluidity. Look for [player_tooltip player_id="128131" first="Mia" last="Shields"] (2022) of Hamilton Heights to have a big Winter after transferring in a year ago. She is versatile, skillful, and athletic. [player_tooltip player_id="96076" first="Alexia" last="Cole"] (2023) of Pike is a talented athlete who can play inside-out, while 5-9 Anna Ackerman (2022) of New Palestine is yet another skillful and fluid wing prospect. Wing Halley Buehler (2022) of Guerin Catholic and guard Sarah Shininger (2022) of Greenfield-Central round out this fun-to-watch roster. The third Indy Magic 17U group, Indy Magic-Marquis, is another hard-working, feisty crew who find ways to compete with most opponents. Point guard [player_tooltip player_id="59787" first="Kamryn" last="Washington"] (2023) could have an impactful year for University after playing Junior Varsity last year due to transferring. She is long, quick/fast, and athletic, and she can make plays for herself or others off the bounce. Olivia Webb (2022) of Cardinal Ritter was impressive this past week in Louisville, and she is another quick/fast playmaker with a nonstop motor. Carmel's [player_tooltip player_id="128128" first="Laura" last="Valiente"] (2022) possesses a very nice understanding of the game. She is fluid and smooth, and she brings that European feel to the point guard position. [player_tooltip player_id="243579" first="Patty" last="Chikamba"] (2022) of Covenant Christian (Indianapolis) is a really nice athlete with a long frame, and she looks to make plays on every catch. Rachel Kelley (2022) of New Palestine and [player_tooltip player_id="303416" first="Evan" last="Spidel"] (2022) of Carmel round out the backcourt for this Magic team. Along the frontline, [player_tooltip player_id="243571" first="Sade" last="Smith"] (2022) of Pike provides strength, physicality, but also athleticism in the pivot. She should draw her share of small college interest. 5-7 forward Mia Thompson (2022) of Guerin Catholic is another hard-working kid who can play in the mid-post or around the perimeter. 6-0 front-liners Katelyn Davis (2022) and [player_tooltip player_id="303402" first="Anna" last="Guiff"] (2022), both from Avon, possess great length, some bounce and athleticism, as well as versatility along the baseline and in the mid-post.   16U: There are also three entries at the 16U level for the Magic program. They are Indy Magic-Scott BSTTL, Indy Magic-DuBois, and Indy Magic-Abel. The Indy Magic-Scott BSTTL team is the 16U BlueStar group for the Magic. They are arguably one of the top 16U programs in the state in terms of talent, and I think it would be fun to see them take on the top Indiana Elite or Gym Rats teams in this age group. The biggest change to the roster this year was the additions of [player_tooltip player_id="59775" first="Hailey" last="Smith"] (2023) and [player_tooltip player_id="59776" first="Olivia" last="Smith"] (2023) of Fishers. The "twins" can be ruthless on the floor, creating havoc with their in-your-face defensive approach, their athleticism, and their strength. But they have also flashed a real feel for the game offensively, and they do a nice job of creating for themselves while also finding open teammates for easy scores. 6-1 front-liner [player_tooltip player_id="59743" first="Kelsey" last="DuBois"] (2023) of University has put together a nice July so far, and she is one of the more highly skilled 'bigs' in Indiana in this age group. She can play comfortably on the block, in the mid-post, or around the perimeter. But the talent doesn't stop there. Perimeter players [player_tooltip player_id="59735" first="Kirsten" last="Clark"] (2023) and [player_tooltip player_id="155438" first="Kaleah" last="Toomer"] (2023), both of Ben Davis, are lengthy run-and-jump athletes who can handle it, shoot it, and score it attacking the basket. Wing [player_tooltip player_id="127210" first="Hannah" last="Lach"] (2023) of Carmel brings a great motor, toughness, and good skill around the perimeter. She is also a dangerous outside shooter. 5-11 [player_tooltip player_id="96074" first="Allison" last="Capouch"] (2023) of Kouts is yet another taller, longer wing with fluid athleticism and nice touch from around the perimeter. And if that's not enough, point guards [player_tooltip player_id="96080" first="Isabella" last="Gizzi"] (2023) of New Palestine and [player_tooltip player_id="96084" first="Sydney" last="Horton"] (2023) of Roncalli are tough-nosed, heady, and very skilled. They have done a nice job of taking care of the basketball and getting it where it needs to go. Indy Magic-DuBois brings a lot of versatility and interchangeable parts to the floor each game. I really like the upside of wings [player_tooltip player_id="300072" first="Emmrey" last="Collinsworth"] (2023) and Reese Hoover (2024) from this group. Both attend Westfield High School. Collinsworth is a long and somewhat bouncy athlete, while Hoover also possesses length, but she has a bit stronger frame to her. Both are skillful around the perimeter and can attack the basket off the bounce. Maiya Newsom (2023) of Lebanon isn't very tall, but I'm not sure this kid ever stops moving. She is a fast and athletic wing who plays with a great motor. Kaylee Rhoton (2023) of Hamilton Heights is another shorter perimeter player, but she is strong and skillfully versatile. [player_tooltip player_id="59739" first="Izzy" last="Crickmore"] (2023) of Center Grove is a long, fairly fluid forward prospect who has some mid-post to perimeter versatility, while Khloe Patterson (2023) of New Palestine is a nice, athletically strong frontline prospect who battles on the boards. Twins Caroline Long (2023) and Lily Long (2023) of Western are physical and tough-nosed inside, they defend the paint, grab rebounds, but they also have some touch to 15-feet. Guard Allison Craig (2023) of Columbus East and wing Josie Rolfes (2023) of Franklin County round out this roster.