Summer Review: 2023 Honor Teams

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='241193' first='Grace' last='Stapleton'] (2023) of Eastern Hancock High School and Indiana Showcase Black 17U.   Now that it's August, I have been sitting around thinking about the players and games I saw throughout the Spring and Summer. I decided to assemble a handful of post-Summer honor teams, strictly for entertainment purposes. While I realize there are probably several additional girls who could be considered for each of these teams, I selected the five who I thought stood out the most when I was able to see them. Let me be clear...this is based solely on the grassroots season, so it only includes girls who were in uniform when I saw their teams play, and it is not based on high school statistics. I made sure to include each player on only one honor team, and these girls are strictly from the Class of 2023.   THE ENERGIZER BUNNIES Those players who always bring constant energy to their teams This team always has as many candidates as any, but I thought these five stood out because they were always entertaining to watch. They bring a great deal of energy to the floor and have nonstop motors.   [player_tooltip player_id='410035' first='Evie' last='Bottoms'], 2023, 5-6 PG, Homestead H.S., OPS Black E40 [player_tooltip player_id='241188' first='Kristin' last='Bukata'], 2023, 5-7 PG, Valparaiso H.S., City Elite Prime [player_tooltip player_id='96077' first='Ava' last='Couch'], 2023, 5-10 W, North Central H.S. (Indianapolis), Lady Gym Rats EYBL [player_tooltip player_id='203654' first='Eva' last='Fisher'], 2023, 5-8 G, Northridge H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='716173' first='Always' last='100'] Black, committed to Marian [player_tooltip player_id='300081' first='Rhylan' last='Kalb'], 2023, 5-9 F, Northeast Dubois H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='713166' first='S.W.I.S.H.' last='City']   THE SWISS ARMY KNIVES Those players who exhibited as much versatility as anyone There are also always quite a few candidates for this team as well, but these five ladies have a unique combination of different skillsets and demonstrated the ability to affect a game in a variety of ways on a consistent basis.   [player_tooltip player_id='59747' first='Riley' last='Flinn'], 2023, 5-11 W, West Lafayette Harrison H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='712566' first='Indiana' last='Elite'] Lightning, committed to Transylvania [player_tooltip player_id='59757' first='Laila' last='Hull'], 2023, 6-1 F, Zionsville Community H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='712550' first='IGB' last=''] GUAA [player_tooltip player_id='59762' first='McKenna' last='Layden'], 2023, 6-2 W, Northwestern H.S., Lady Gym Rats EYBL, committed to Purdue [player_tooltip player_id='96091' first='Renna' last='Schwieterman'], 2023, 6-0 F, Jay County H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='716173' first='Always' last='100'] Elite, committed to Purdue Fort Wayne [player_tooltip player_id='59784' first='Josie' last='Trabel'], 2023, 6-0 F, East Central H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='712566' first='Indiana' last='Elite'] Thunder   THE MICROWAVES Those players who can get hot quick and put up points in bunches Everybody likes to score, and there are several players in the 2023 class who can score the ball. These five players stood out as the group who can score ten in a row or 30 points in a game when they get rolling.   [player_tooltip player_id='59727' first='Giavonnie' last='Belton'], 2023, 5-7 G, Pike H.S., Lady Gym Rats-Kam [player_tooltip player_id='59732' first='Ashlynn' last='Brooke'], 2023, 5-7 PG, Pioneer H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='716173' first='Always' last='100'] Elite, committed to Ball State [player_tooltip player_id='96078' first='Asia' last='Donald'], 2023, 5-9 G, Hobart H.S., Example Sports Wolfpack GUAA [player_tooltip player_id='96087' first='Riley' last='Makalusky'], 2023, 6-2 W, Hamilton Southeastern H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='712566' first='Indiana' last='Elite'] Thunder, committed to Butler [player_tooltip player_id='59773' first='Ashlynn' last='Shade'], 2023, 5-10 G, Noblesville H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='712550' first='IGB' last=''] GUAA, committed to Connecticut   TEAM "BUILT FORD TOUGH" Those players who play with a great deal of toughness and grit Indiana has quite a few tough-nosed, feisty girls, who really get after it. These five, to me at least, stood out above the rest. They are always willing to seek contact, they never back down, and they play bigger than they are.   [player_tooltip player_id='96080' first='Isabella' last='Gizzi'], 2023, 5-7 PG, New Palestine H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='712574' first='Indy' last='Magic'] BlueStar [player_tooltip player_id='96081' first='Lizzie' last='Graham'], 2023, 5-8 F, Triton Central H.S., Indiana Select Red, committed to IU-South Bend [player_tooltip player_id='59766' first='Karsyn' last='Norman'], 2023, 5-7 PG, Bedford North Lawrence H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='712566' first='Indiana' last='Elite'] Thunder, committed to Butler [player_tooltip player_id='59780' first='Kailyn' last='Terrell'], 2023, 5-7 G, Brownsburg H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='714250' first='Indiana' last='Pride'] Attack [player_tooltip player_id='59789' first='Linzie' last='Wernert'], 2023, 5-8 F, Lanesville H.S., Indiana Flight Sharks   TEAM WINDEX Those players who rebound, block shots, or both, at a high level Obviously, a lot of the candidates for this team are sizeable interior players. These ladies stood out as the better glass cleaners (shot-blockers, rebounders, or both). They definitely pose a major presence in the paint.   [player_tooltip player_id='59726' first='Asiah' last='Baxter'], 2023, 5-10 F, Warren Central H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='712566' first='Indiana' last='Elite'] Thunder, committed to Ohio U. [player_tooltip player_id='328917' first='Amiyah' last='Buchanan'], 2023, 6-0 F, Evansville North H.S., Lady Gym Rats-Kam, committed to Southeast Missouri State [player_tooltip player_id='203653' first='Cristen' last='Carter'], 2023, 6-3 C, Ben Davis H.S., Ty Harris Elite, committed to Miami (Ohio) [player_tooltip player_id='59743' first='Kelsey' last='DuBois'], 2023, 6-2 F/C, University H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='712574' first='Indy' last='Magic'] BlueStar [player_tooltip player_id='59783' first='Skyla' last='Tomasek'], 2023, 6-2 C, Norwell H.S., OPS Black E40   TEAM LOCTITE Those players who flat out lock up their opponent at the defensive end of the floor This team is absolutely fun to watch, because they use a combination of speed, quickness, strength, and desire to flat out defend the basketball, whether it's in the half-court or 84-feet from the rim.   [player_tooltip player_id='2402' first='Olivia' last='Brown'], 2023, 5-7 PG, Hamilton Southeastern H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='712566' first='Indiana' last='Elite'] Thunder, committed to Akron [player_tooltip player_id='96086' first='RaShunda' last='Jones'], 2023, 5-7 PG, South Bend Washington H.S., Legends U., committed to Purdue [player_tooltip player_id='59775' first='Hailey' last='Smith'], 2023, 5-10 G, Fishers H.S., Lady Gym Rats EYBL [player_tooltip player_id='59776' first='Olivia' last='Smith'], 2023, 5-10 G, Fishers H.S., Lady Gym Rats EYBL [player_tooltip player_id='59785' first='Adelyn' last='Walker'], 2023, 5-8 G, [program_tooltip program_id='713210' first='Bella' last='Vista Prep'] (AZ), [program_tooltip program_id='712574' first='Indy' last='Magic'] BlueStar   TEAM ANNIE OAKLEY Those players who tend to shoot it well every time they take the floor This is a group of the better shooters in Indiana's Class of 2023. There are other good ones in this class, but these five shot it consistently all summer. If you've never heard of Annie Oakley, look her up...she'd likely be proud of this team.   [player_tooltip player_id='300067' first='Kyndell' last='Jochim'], 2023, 5-11 F, Franklin Community H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='712566' first='Indiana' last='Elite'] Lightning [player_tooltip player_id='241193' first='Grace' last='Stapleton'], 2023, 5-5 G, Eastern Hancock H.S., Indiana Showcase Black [player_tooltip player_id='241196' first='Hannah' last='Stutsman'], 2023, 5-9 F, Scottsburg H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='712566' first='Indiana' last='Elite'] Lightning [player_tooltip player_id='59779' first='Bailey' last='Tabeling'], 2023, 5-10 G, Trinity Lutheran School, [program_tooltip program_id='712566' first='Indiana' last='Elite'] Thunder, committed to Ohio U. [player_tooltip player_id='96093' first='Lilly' last='Toppen'], 2023, 5-9 G, Kankakee Valley H.S., Indiana Showcase Select

The featured image is of Grace Stapleton Grace Stapleton 5'5" | PG Eastern Hancock | 2023 IN (2023) of Eastern Hancock High School and Indiana Showcase Black 17U.