Grassroots Wrap-Up: 17U, Part-I

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id="128192" first="London" last="Brooks"] (2022) of Ben Davis High School and Indiana Red Storm 17U. With the 2021 grassroots season having ended a few weeks ago, I wanted to finish introducing several of the state’s teams in four final articles related to this. The bigger programs in 17U-15U have already gotten their own articles, while some of the smaller programs and individual teams will be found in these articles summarizing the remaining teams in each of the same age groups, 17U-15U. Below is a look at a handful of 17U teams who stood out throughout the Spring & Summer of 2021.   5 Star/MBA Select Platinum 17U Northern Indiana’s MBA Select partnered with 5 Star Life out of Elkhart, Indiana, this season. They fielded a really nice team with several skillful and talented girls in both 2022 and 2023. When I was able to see them, I felt like [player_tooltip player_id="182144" first="De’Mour" last="Watson"] (2022) of Elkhart looked impressive. She has noticeable athletic ability, as she flies around the floor and can run & jump with anyone in the state. She’s still more of a slashing athlete who likes to get to the rim, but she plays with an outstanding motor and has a real nose for the ball. Forward [player_tooltip player_id="127232" first="MaKaya" last="Porter"] (2023) of Mishawaka Marian has drawn her share of college interest, as she is a strong, physical athlete who can play in the mid-post or around the perimeter comfortably. She is a willing rebounder, and she can defend the interior or perimeter as well. Wing [player_tooltip player_id="59744" first="Julia" last="Economou"] (2023) of Penn is another versatile, hard-working prospect who seems to always be productive. She’ll rebound and defend, but she can also attack the basket or knock down an open rhythm jumper. I’ve also grown fond of [player_tooltip player_id="128158" first="Payton" last="Adkins"]’ (2022) game in the last 12-18 months. She is a cerebral point guard from Penn, she has solid ball skill, the ability to make shots, plus she has good speed and quickness to her. Wing [player_tooltip player_id="300064" first="Laney" last="Creech"] (2023) is another intriguing prospect from Penn. She has tremendous length, fluid athleticism, and she can do a little of everything at all three levels. Add to this group combo guard [player_tooltip player_id="203667" first="Savannah" last="Boerema"] (2023) from Northridge, combo guard [player_tooltip player_id="303399" first="Marissa" last="Shelton"] (2022) from Mishawaka, and forward [player_tooltip player_id="59742" first="Sydney" last="Deters"] (2023) from Castle, and you have a balanced eight-player rotation. Boerema is highly skilled with or without the ball, Shelton is a nice athlete with some ability, and Deters is a mid-post to perimeter threat offensively. Indiana Junior Fever 17U This Fever group was incredibly scrappy and had some nice individual pieces who should draw a great deal of small college interest. I felt like forward [player_tooltip player_id="303396" first="Jayci" last="Allen"] (2022) of Richmond probably helped herself the most this Summer. She is extremely long, somewhat bouncy, and fluidly athletic. She looks most comfortable in the mid-post, but she’s starting to stretch her game more consistently to the perimeter. Point guard [player_tooltip player_id="303406" first="Cagney" last="Utterback"] (2022) of Frankton is a solid ballplayer who uses poise and a nice basketball IQ to succeed. She rarely turns it over, she can knock down open jumpers with some range, and she will get after it defensively. Audrey Booher (2022) of Heritage Christian is a nice, strong scorer from the wing. She can knock down an open rhythm jumper, but she’s much better as a downhill attacker who can absorb contact and finish inside or get to the free throw line. Albany Speer (2022) of Columbus East is another tough-nosed, physical, feisty guard. In the past she was more of a shooter/scorer, but recently she has taken on more ball-handling responsibilities. And Dakota Jobe (2022) of Brownsburg isn’t very tall at 5-1, but she plays with nice skill and a true understanding of the game. She has solid all-around athleticism, and she can create offense or score it a little herself. Indiana Pride Attack 17U Indiana Pride joined the circuit this year and I would say the Attack group was probably their most talented. 6-0 wing [player_tooltip player_id="128141" first="Olivia" last="Faust"] (2022) of Triton Central really elevated herself with her ability to shoot the basketball at an elite level, but she does so many more things as well. She has already made a commitment to Marian University. [player_tooltip player_id="267402" first="Tynlie" last="Neal"] (2022) of Clinton Prairie, [player_tooltip player_id="182148" first="Jesse" last="Ledgerwood"] (2022) of Washington, and [player_tooltip player_id="59780" first="Kailyn" last="Terrell"] (2023) of Brownsburg proved to be physical, tough-nosed, but skillful and able combo guards all Spring and Summer. Neal is a nice downhill attacker who loves to seek contact. She also plays fast and aggressively. Ledgerwood is more natural as a point guard, and she has done a nice job of learning to create space with the dribble, plus she can get on hot streaks shooting the ball outside. Terrell is just a warrior who does a little of everything, including defensively, but always with intensity and effort. [player_tooltip player_id="128153" first="Delaney" last="Wolfe"] (2022) of Martinsville, [player_tooltip player_id="128157" first="Kaylee" last="Martin"] (2022) of Evansville North, and [player_tooltip player_id="264120" first="Carys" last="Wilson"] (2024) of Franklin Central are more of the athletic wing types for this group. Wolfe can handle the ball some and run offense, but she’s at her best as an athletic playmaker and scorer. Martin is more of a wing shooter who can also attack the basket at times and get to the line. Wilson is an up-and-comer who has a great deal of athletic potential. Once she finishes growing and gets stronger, she could climb the 2024 rankings and be one of the better wing prospects in that class. [player_tooltip player_id="128155" first="Kylah" last="Lawson"] (2022) of Columbus North has really improved since last Summer. She is probably still most effective in the mid-post as a scorer, but she’s handling the ball a lot more and can even push in transition and initiate the offense. She’s also versatile defensively, and she possesses a great deal of length and fluidity. [player_tooltip player_id="128140" first="Kaliah" last="Neighbors"] (2022) of Evansville North and [player_tooltip player_id="97263" first="Quinn" last="Kelly"] (2022) of Greenwood Community took care of frontcourt duties for this team. Neighbors looked like she was healthy, following a knee injury last year. She is a strong, physical, and athletic rebounder and interior scorer. Kelly is also a nice, physical player inside, but she’s also a good athlete who can face the basket to 15-feet and hit shots or attack off the bounce. Indiana Pride Xpress 17U The Xpress team had a mixture of everything. They had good guard play, a couple of nice bigs with potential, plus they had some versatile, interchangeable pieces as well. Inside were 6-1 post [player_tooltip player_id="243566" first="Andrea" last="Justis"] (2022) of Columbus North and 6-3 post [player_tooltip player_id="128202" first="Zoe" last="Bolding"] (2022) of Hamilton Southeastern. Justis has an athletically strong frame, she plays with a nice motor, and she runs the floor hard and changes ends well. She is a solid offensive contributor who can score it a little on the block or in the mid-post, and defensively she is good at help-side rotations. Bolding is a bit taller, a little stronger, and more of a 10-foot-and-in type. She looks to post more than anything, and defensively she will protect the paint and block shots. She has solid hands, though, she plays hard, and she has good upside as well. I thought guard [player_tooltip player_id="300065" first="Ali" last="Wiesmann"] (2023) of Perry Meridian really stood out each time I was able to see this team. She is a nice-looking athlete with wiry strength, she is somewhat bouncy, quick, and fast, and she plays with a motor. She has some ball skill, but she’s more natural as a scorer. She can attack the basket or knock down rhythm jumpers from the perimeter. She also has the potential to be a high-level defender. [player_tooltip player_id="267400" first="Jaidn" last="Green"] (2022) of Evansville North is a kid who put herself "on the map" this year. She is a strong, athletic, quick/fast point guard prospect who can make plays at both ends of the floor. She is better off of penetration offensively, and she’s very feisty defensively. I was also intrigued by wing Ashley Lewis (2023) of Monrovia. She’ll need to get stronger, but she has good length, fluidity, and she can shoot the basketball at all three levels. [player_tooltip player_id="243587" first="Sydney" last="Sierota"] (2022) of Silver Creek, [player_tooltip player_id="59765" first="Maya" last="Mundy"] (2023) of Perry Meridian, Lilli Mohler (2022) of Bishop Chatard, and Carlie Pederson (2022) of Bloomington South are four more guards who round out this team. Sierota and Mohler can both play on or off the ball, while Mundy and Pederson are probably better as scorers right now. Indiana Pride Xtreme 17U Indiana Pride Xtreme was also built with some balance to their lineup, and they have a number of nice small college prospects as well. Holding down the frontline were [player_tooltip player_id="128179" first="Novalee" last="Glass"] (2022) and [player_tooltip player_id="128190" first="Ra’Mya" last="Milton"] (2022) of Brownsburg, [player_tooltip player_id="303398" first="Alexis" last="Mimms"] (2022) of Avon, and [player_tooltip player_id="128193" first="Madison" last="Begle"] (2022) of Heritage Hills. Glass and Milton are both high-motor kids with strength, toughness, and the ability to play physical inside or score it in the mid-post effectively. Mimms is an athletically strong and somewhat wiry kid who has really emerged in the last year. She has nice athletic talent and rebounds and defends with effort. Begle has already committed to Benedictine University, and she is a versatile inside-out forward who can play comfortably in the mid-post or around the perimeter. [player_tooltip player_id="128144" first="Audrey" last="Tallent"] (2022) of Plainfield is a nice, long, quick/fast point guard prospect who should have a big Senior season. She makes plays in transition and can knock down open shots in the half-court. She has already committed to Holy Cross College at Notre Dame. [player_tooltip player_id="243572" first="Ryan" last="Owens"] (2022) of Martinsville and [player_tooltip player_id="303400" first="Kiera" last="Guckenberger"] (2022) of Brownsburg are a pair of nice wings who do a variety of things. Both can shoot it and handle it a little, but they are almost better attacking the rim. They will also defend with effort. Indiana Red Storm 17U This Indiana Red Storm group had been together for some time now, and in their final Summer, several girls stood out and drew a great deal of college interest. The head-liner is still wing [player_tooltip player_id="61040" first="Kuryn" last="Brunson"] (2022) of Franklin Community. She is a strong, rugged, but highly skilled and athletic point forward type. She can attack the basket and draw fouls or finish, but she is a creative passer, and she has shot the ball much more consistently over the past year. I’ve been really impressed with the improvement of 6-2 post [player_tooltip player_id="206422" first="Madeline" last="Robertson"] (2022) of Mitchell. She has an athletically strong frame, great length, and she does a really nice job of playing physical while keeping the ball high. She beats her opponents to spots, she hustles in transition, and she has some touch in the mid-post. [player_tooltip player_id="243567" first="Lily" last="Ernstes"] (2022) of Jennings County is another girl who has really improved. She plays somewhat of a mid-post to interior role for this team, but she is a long, bouncy, and athletic wing forward who can get to the rim with ease. She’ll rebound and defend with effort, and she can guard different positions. [player_tooltip player_id="182141" first="Madelynn" last="Denny"] (2022) and wing [player_tooltip player_id="128146" first="Allison" last="Graber"] (2022) both represent Mooresville High School, and both are incredibly scrappy. Denny is a smaller, but strong, point guard who plays with good North/South speed. She can shoot it outside or attack the basket and create for others. Graber is kind of a point forward who plays at a steady pace. She won’t force the action, but she does a nice job of taking what the defense gives her. [player_tooltip player_id="128192" first="London" last="Brooks"] (2022) of Ben Davis was new to the team this year, but she made an instant impact. She is another point forward/combo guard type who plays with strength, toughness, but good ball skill and vision. She could become a really nice small college player after high school. This was also my first time seeing Kaylea Klinglesmith (2022) of Salem. She is a long, wiry-strong, active, and fairly athletic frontline prospect. I’m anxious to see how she can impact the Varsity roster this upcoming season. Indy Lady Impact 17U This group drew several small college onlookers throughout the Spring and Summer, and rightfully so. They have a number of nice prospects flying somewhat under the radar. The impact the addition of guards [player_tooltip player_id="128177" first="Macey" last="Timberman"] (2022) of Northview and [player_tooltip player_id="267403" first="Camiell" last="Perry"] (2022) of Speedway had was instantly noticeable. Timberman has always been a really nice, fast athlete with the ability to score the ball at a high level. I’ve said it before, but she really looked much more efficient and effective as a traditional point guard this year. Her ability to change speeds, sense tone, and play explosively when it was warranted stood out. Perry has been among the state’s assist leaders the last couple of Winters, and she is a dynamic little water-bug with nice speed and quickness. I also like her ability to get "under" opposing ball-handlers and frustrate them defensively. [player_tooltip player_id="206421" first="Jordan" last="Richmond"] (2022) is another 6-0+ Senior frontline prospect for the Avon Orioles this season. She is extremely long, very bouncy, and she shows more and more skill and understanding each time out. [player_tooltip player_id="182138" first="Le’Aije" last="Ellington"] (2022) of Warren Central is one more talented athlete who can run and jump with the best of them. She has track type athleticism, and she uses that both defensively, and to attack the basket and find scoring opportunities. I also really like Johnai Wimbleduff (2022) of Ben Davis, and I think she kind of gets overlooked by coaches because of her style of play at her height. But she is always productive, she understands what she is/isn’t, and she knows how to use her frame to create space and score the ball inside. Plus, she plays with a nice motor. Wings [player_tooltip player_id="303404" first="Zaya" last="Adagbada"] (2022) and [player_tooltip player_id="303413" first="Tonai" last="Moore"] (2022) of Avon, Aerial Miller (2022) of Lawrence North, [player_tooltip player_id="178240" first="Audri" last="Spencer"] (2023) of Northview, and Kristian Dinkins (2025) of the Indiana Math & Science Academy give this team a variety of weapons around the perimeter. Adagbada and Moore are long, wiry, bouncy slashers who glide to the basket, but they can also knock down an open rhythm jumper. Spencer has ball skill and good vision, plus she can score it at different levels. Miller and Dinkins are wiry-strong wings with fluid athleticism. They can play skillfully around the perimeter or attack the basket and absorb contact. Dinkins, as just a Freshman this season, has some real upside in that 2025 class.