Hoosier Heat: Standout Players

One of my favorite aspects of the live period is being able to see players across the country that I don’t get the opportunity to see during the high school season or laying eyes on players for the first time.  The below players were impressive against tough competition, high level athleticism paired with elite skill. [caption id="attachment_420277" align="alignnone" width="205"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-420277" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/0CD27068-B9C8-414A-8CA1-CB8CD983037C-205x300.jpeg" alt="" width="205" height="300" /> Photo: Anna Kitch[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="266795" first="Kendall" last="Eddy"]-2023-Lady Rivals Lights out shooter, with elite lateral quickness.  Skilled combo guard, standing 5’7 she was the best conditioned athlete on the floor at all times.  Her 3pt shooting was key in a big time win against, WV Thunder.  She has a quick release, feet are shot ready, hit 3s in transition, off the catch and bounce.  Really impressive shooter who understands spacing and has deep range.  Her ability to move laterally made it difficult for her to get beat off the bounce, does a nice job containing the perimeter and is the first down the court in transition.  I also loved her ability to handle the ball and create for her teammates. Kelsi Andrews-2026- FBC United 17U Elite talent, I have not seen a better player in the 2026 class. Kelsi has great size, she is a woman among girls on the court playing up in the 17u bracket.  She established her presence in the post, finished around the basket through double teams and under constant pressure.  She can also step out to the 3pt line.  A couple times she would snatch a rebound and lead the break with one or two dribbles and make a beautiful pass to a teammate filling the lane for a layup.  With her combination of size, skill and youth she was the most impressive athlete for me this tournament. [player_tooltip player_id="167099" first="Shaelyn" last="Steele"]-2024-WV Thunder 16 GUAA Fun athlete to watch, lightning quick and uses a nice burst of speed to get past defenders where she can finish around size in the paint.  Very difficult to contain in transition, attacks fast down hill blowing past multiple defenders.  She can play either guard position equally well.  She is a facilitator, gets her teammates involved and makes high skill passes look simple. [player_tooltip player_id="269259" first="Nasi" last="Simmons"]-2024-Lady Rivals Bouncy, with great speed and is dangerous in transition.  Nasi is a lock to be the best athlete on the floor any given game.  She slices through defenses in both full and half court sets.  All weekend long, in transition defenders could not catch her and she scored easily at the rim.  Strong perimeter defender, moves well laterally and is hard to beat off the dribble.  Good shot selection, took what the defense gave her and is efficient from the field.  Her athleticism gives her an advantage rebounding as she is quick off the floor and capable of out jumping taller players. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-457128" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/35-Jada-Bates-scaled-crop-1707x1121-1657321180-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="205022" first="Jada" last="Bates"]-2023-FBC The Family Another highly skilled, athletic wing who will give you buckets anywhere on the court.  She has a natural feel for the game and makes it look effortless.  Jada has size on the wing at 6’2, silky smooth handle and moves.  She scored at will all tournament, knocked down the 3-ball consistently; put that ball on the floor using her length to finish around defenders at the basket.  She has a strong mid-range game, backed down a defender and hit one legged shot. Mikayla Johnson-2023-FBC NW Alliance First time seeing Mikayla and she did not disappoint.  Nice size on the wing at 6’1, athletic and smooth jump shot. She has a range out to the 3pt line. She uses the physicality of the game to her advantage, creating contact at the bounce and finishing at the rim.  Plays off two feet in the paint, good body control through the paint and consistent finisher.  Her size, skill and physical play make her a matchup nightmare.  Very impressive player!