Indianapolis, Indiana: Naptown

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='326485' first='Natalia' last='Franklin'] (2024) of Lawrence Central High School (in red).</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Indianapolis has a multitude of nicknames, from Naptown, to the Circle City, as well as The Crossroads of America. It is home to the WNBA's Indiana Fever, the NBA's Indiana Pacers, the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, as well as colleges of all sizes. The Indiana Repertory Theatre, the Madam Walker Legacy Center, Clowes Memorial Hall, and the Murat Theatre, among other venues, also bring a number of events to the Hoosier State's capital city. And if you're into speed, you can always venture over to Speedway, Indiana, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway...The Racing Capital of the World.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Four years ago, when I first started with Prep Girls Hoops, I introduced different areas of the state and their top prospects. I wanted to again work through that this Fall and offer you a much more detailed look at the Hoosiers State's different regions and the prospects who should shine this Winter throughout those regions. This article will focus on Indianapolis itself, specifically those prospects who play at the more than 40 high schools within Marion County. Of the 13 schools in the state with an enrollment greater than 3000 students, five of them are located inside the Indianapolis city limits, including three of the four biggest (<em>Ben Davis-4557, Warren Central-3868, &amp; North Central-3709</em>).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Year after year, Indianapolis produces a great deal of talent and highly ranked teams, so it should come to no one's surprise that players like 2021 Miss Basketball <strong>Jayla Smith</strong> (<em>Lawrence North</em>) comes directly from Naptown, as did prospects like <strong>Tanyuel Welch</strong> (<em>North Central 2022</em>), <strong>Ariana Wiggins</strong> (<em>Heritage Christian 2021</em>), <strong>Meg Newman</strong> (<em>North Central 2021</em>), <strong>Khera Goss</strong> (<em>Ben Davis 2020</em>), <strong>Jasmine McWilliams</strong> (<em>North Central 2020</em>), <strong>Shaila Beeler</strong> (<em>Warren Central 2019</em>), and <strong>Rikki Harris</strong> (<em>North Central 2019</em>). All of those ladies were Indiana All-Stars and are currently playing at Division-I schools.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At the same time, with so many big schools and so many schools in such a small area, prospects can often go underrecruited and even unnoticed at times within their own area/school. I often encourage small colleges to visit Indianapolis and watch entire rosters at schools, not focusing solely on one or two players, because there are several hidden gems each year in Naptown. With that said, I wanted to take the time to highlight a handful of girls who may not often grab the spotlight, but who deserve their share of recognition for their basketball abilities. All of these girls are strictly from schools in Marion County and Indianapolis.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_6300ec4c10813","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["59753"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Nakiya could make a big impact for North Central this season. She is a strong, physical, assertive frontline prospect who loves to seek contact. At the same time, she has nice athleticism at her size, and she will often rebound outside of her area. She plays with a solid motor, and she can change a game on the interior. Defensively, she rarely allows her opponent to gain position, and again, she will rebound at a high rate. She drew Division-I interest early in her career but should have her best opportunity for minutes this season.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview","anchor":"acf-block-64c0909beece6"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_6300ec7110814","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["241189"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"I really like Cadence's game, and I feel like she is someone very overlooked. She is a strong, athletic combo guard who can contribute in a variety of ways each time out. She has a solid handle and can run offense from time to time, but she's also a multilevel scorer who can knock down an open jumper or attack the basket and finish through contact. She just has an instinct for scoring the basketball. Defensively, she shows a similar versatility, being able to defend bigger point guards, all 2s, and smaller wings.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview","anchor":"acf-block-64c0909beed1a"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_6300ec9210815","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["96095"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Maykayla was injured a year ago and missed significant time because of it, including the 2021 grassroots season. She should help lead the frontline for the Wildcats this year, and she plays with a quiet toughness and assertiveness. She is powerfully strong, very physical, and she loves to initiate contact inside. She has some touch to about 12-feet, and she can work the short corners and mid-post a little. But it's her ability to play with her back to the basket against taller girls that stands out.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview","anchor":"acf-block-64c0909beed43"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_6300eccf10816","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["177331"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Scottlynn is a long, wiry-strong, and rangy frontline prospect. There is a lot of competition at Ben Davis upfront, with Seniors like [player_tooltip player_id='203653' first='Cristen' last='Carter'] and [player_tooltip player_id='96082' first='Taylor' last='Guess'] in the fold, but Scottlynn has some intriguing qualities to her game as well. She has some touch to near the 3-point line, she can go off the bounce two to three dribbles and get somewhere with it, and she has a variety of moves around the block. Defensively, she can use her length to defend taller girls, but she can also come out on the floor and defend wings.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview","anchor":"acf-block-64c0909beed70"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_6300ecf010817","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["239349"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Claire is a gritty, tough-nosed, hard-working, therefore enjoyable player to watch. She does a little of everything as a combo guard, from running offense and finding open teammates, to knocking down shots consistently from the perimeter (u003cemu003e29-81, 36% in 2021-2022u003c/emu003e), to attacking the basket and scoring/drawing free throw attempts. She is always willing to get on the floor for loose balls, she rebounds her position well, and she has good instincts defensively and can turn over her opponents, whether she's on or off the ball.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview","anchor":"acf-block-64c0909beed97"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_6300ed0e10818","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["324078"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Joslyn saw a lot of opportunity last season as a Freshman, and this year she will likely be a key piece to their puzzle offensively. She is a fairly strong, active, and athletic wing who plays with a nice motor and toughness. She can knock down an open jumper outside, and that is steadily improving, but she's still probably best attacking the basket. Joslyn will also rebound her position plus get after it defensively, and she can comfortably defend a variety of bigger guards and wings.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview","anchor":"acf-block-64c0909beedbd"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Additional Marion County Prospects in Our Rankings for 2023-2025:</strong><br>[player_tooltip player_id='178231' first='Trinity' last='Archey'], 2023, North Central H.S. (Indianapolis)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='59726' first='Asiah' last='Baxter'], 2023, Warren Central H.S., <em>committed to Ohio U.</em><br>[player_tooltip player_id='410036' first='Caroline' last='Bell'], 2023, Bishop Chatard H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='59727' first='Giavonnie' last='Belton'], 2023, Pike H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='460830' first='Imani' last='Benson'], 2023, Warren Central H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='203653' first='Cristen' last='Carter'], 2023, Ben Davis H.S., <em>committed to Miami-OH</em><br>[player_tooltip player_id='59735' first='Kirsten' last='Clark'], 2023, Ben Davis H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='96076' first='Alexia' last='Cole'], 2023, Pike H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='96077' first='Ava' last='Couch'], 2023, North Central H.S. (Indianapolis)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='127212' first='Laniya' last='Early'], 2023, Lawrence North H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='372359' first='Gretchen' last='Farley'], 2023 Park Tudor H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='59751' first='Layla' last='Gold'], 2023, Cathedral H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='96082' first='Taylor' last='Guess'], 2023, Ben Davis H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='402337' first='Lailah' last='Hadley'], 2023, Purdue Polytechnic H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='96084' first='Sydney' last='Horton'], 2023, Roncalli H.S., <em>committed to Trine</em><br>[player_tooltip player_id='460832' first='CeCe' last='Mitchell'], 2023, Southport H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='59765' first='Maya' last='Mundy'], 2023, Perry Meridian H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='460840' first='Maeve' last='Perry'], 2023, Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory, <em>committed to Denison</em><br>[player_tooltip player_id='96090' first='Leah' last='Petty'], 2023, Warren Central H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='203652' first='Autumn' last='Rucker'], 2023, Pike H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='300068' first='Hannah' last='Ruddle'], 2023, Homeschooled, <em>committed to Bethel-IN</em><br>[player_tooltip player_id='410037' first='Lela' last='Scott'], 2023, Southport H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='59781' first='Sanaa' last='Thomas'], 2023, Warren Central H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='155438' first='Kaleah' last='Toomer'], 2023, Ben Davis H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='334259' first='Maliya' last='Turner'], 2023, Ben Davis H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='155437' first='Monica' last='Williams'], 2023, Lawrence North H.S., <em>committed to Ohio U.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='298253' first='Catherine' last='Cline'], 2024, Cathedral H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='326482' first='Sincere' last='Coleman-Francis'], 2024, Ben Davis H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='331820' first='Morgan' last='Crowe'], 2024, Pike H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='326485' first='Natalia' last='Franklin'], 2024, Lawrence Central H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='406432' first='Jadyn' last='Harris'], 2024, Pike H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='326493' first='Kaitlyn' last='Hoff'], 2024, North Central H.S. (Indianapolis)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='331797' first='Candyce' last='Hollins'], 2024, Warren Central H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='331815' first='Denyha' last='Jacobs'], 2024, Lawrence Central H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='177337' first='Kaiden' last='Kreinhagen'], 2024, North Central H.S. (Indianapolis)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='326477' first='Taylor' last='Lewis'], 2024, Cathedral H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='455948' first='Veronica' last='Lugo'], 2024, Warren Central H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='177341' first='Koryn' last='Marshall'], 2024, Heritage Christian H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='326484' first='Alexis' last='Warren'], 2024, Pike H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='455933' first='Emani' last='Washington'], 2024, Lawrence North H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='264120' first='Carys' last='Wilson'], 2024, Franklin Central H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='455945' first='Adrianna' last='Woods'], 2024, Lawrence North H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='331770' first='Daneijah' last='Wynn'], 2024, Lawrence North H.S.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='295753' first='Laila' last='Abdurraqib'], 2025, Lawrence Central H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='295787' first='Gabrielle' last='Burrus'], 2025, North Central H.S. (Indianapolis)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='324074' first='Allanah' last='Gilbert'], 2025, North Central H.S. (Indianapolis)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='453215' first='Soriah' last='Gouard'], 2025, Decatur Central H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='295800' first='Lily' last='Graves'], 2025, Franklin Central H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='295799' first='Kya' last='Hurt'], 2025, Lawrence North H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='295763' first='Jaylah' last='Lampley'], 2025, Lawrence Central H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='331803' first='Emma' last='McVey'], 2025, Franklin Central H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='296265' first='Sara' last='Rosko'], 2025, Roncalli H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='453221' first='Savannah' last='Schafer'], 2025, Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory<br>[player_tooltip player_id='453218' first='Ashiyah' last='Teague'], 2025, Pike H.S.<br>[player_tooltip player_id='295793' first='Jamaya' last='Thomas'], 2025, Lawrence North H.S.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->