2023 Grassroots Honors: 17U
In this article:
The featured image is of Jordyn Poole Jordyn Poole 5'6" | PG Fort Wayne Snider | 2024 State IN (2024) of Fort Wayne’s R. Nelson Snider High School. Now that the Spring & Summer grassroots seasons have come to an…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe featured image is of Jordyn Poole Jordyn Poole 5'6" | PG Fort Wayne Snider | 2024 State IN (2024) of Fort Wayne’s R. Nelson Snider High School.
Now that the Spring & Summer grassroots seasons have come to an end, I wanted to take the time to offer up a handful of awards based on how participants in 17U performed during that stretch from March of 2023 through July of 2023. As it concerns many of these awards, my decision was based on a number of criteria, from skill, ability, and basketball IQ to production and impact on their team when I was able to see them, while also taking into consideration the level of competition they were playing against. There are obviously multiple candidates for each award below, and I’m sure I missed a big performance here or there, but this is simply an attempt to honor those who I thought stood out when I had the opportunity to see them, and their teams play.
.
TOP 17U HONORS
These postseason awards are an attempt at honoring girls who I thought stood out in the 17U division. Typically, there are multiple candidates for each award, and every award can be easily debatable, but I chose the individuals below based on who I thought filled the description the best. Each award is determined through different criteria, as some awards are based primarily on opinion, while others are decided with a heavy influence from success and statistical productivity when viewed.
Top 17U Team:
Indiana Elite
Thunder 3SSB
– While there were other talented, competitive teams in the division, I chose this group because of consistency. They maintained nearly the same roster throughout the entire season, and the played at a high level, improving throughout May and July. The one addition made in-season was significant, and that was Junior guard
Meredith Tippner
Meredith
Tippner
5'10" | SG
Noblesville | 2025
State
IN
, who added athleticism, energy, and a nice, versatile, offensive presence to the backcourt. She can play a variety of roles, she plays with an incredible motor and toughness, plus she has shown the ability to play “up” and impact the game as much as she does in her own age group. The biggest mismatch with this group is 6-6 Junior post
Avery Gordon
Avery
Gordon
6'6" | C
Brownsburg | 2025
State
IN
. She has unique size and strength, good length, solid hands and footwork, and she does a nice job at “being big”. She is incredibly difficult to defend, plus she runs the floor and creates a lane-clogger defensively. I also felt like Senior forward
Ava Ziolkowski
Ava
Ziolkowski
6'1" | PF
Crown Point | 2024
State
IN
really helped herself in the times I was able to view this group. She is a very good perimeter shooter, she plays with a motor, and she has the size and strength to defend and rebound inside. Other members of this Thunder team include:
Faith Wiseman
Faith
Wiseman
6'4" | PF
Indian Creek | 2024
State
IN
,
Camryn Runner
Camryn
Runner
5'9" | CG
Hamilton Heights | 2024
State
IN
,
Rachel Wirts
Rachel
Wirts
6'3" | C
Center Grove | 2024
State
IN
, Maddie Mueller (OH),
Kennedy Coleman
Kennedy
Coleman
6'0" | SF
Charlestown | 2024
State
IN
, and
Madisyn Bailey
Madisyn
Bailey
5'9" | PG
Bedford North Lawrence | 2024
State
IN
.
Most Outstanding Player:
Jordyn Poole
Jordyn
Poole
5'6" | PG
Fort Wayne Snider | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 5-6 PG, Fort Wayne Snider H.S., Lady Gym Rats EYBL
– Jordyn participated on a pair of teams throughout the Spring & Summer, but regardless of which jersey she donned, she was electric. She is an absolute playmaker who can create offense for herself or others at all three levels. She sees the floor so well, threads the needle at times, and she has developed into such a consistent shooter. Defensively, she is showing greater urgency possession to possession, and she could be elite at that end of the floor, if she so chooses. The Purdue University commit looks to lead the Lady Panthers deep into the playoffs in February.
Best Leader:
Reagan Wilson
Reagan
Wilson
5'7" | PG
Noblesville | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 5-7 PG, Noblesville H.S., West Virginia Thunder-Riego
– It’s always fun to hear the opinions of coaches who aren’t recruiting a kid, because they are typically pretty honest. Last weekend I had an NAIA Head Coach tell me he would take Reagan over any other point guard in the country for one explicit reason…her ability to communicate. Restating what we already know, Reagan has been one of the most vocal and involved players throughout her career, whether she’s on the floor or helping from the bench. She is highly skilled, tough, and hard-working as well, which is why I think she will fit in nicely at Iowa State University.
Biggest Stock-Riser:
Ciara Sims
Ciara
Sims
5'8" | SF
Fort Wayne Snider | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 5-8 SF, Fort Wayne Snider H.S.,
Always 100
-Wright Red
– I first saw Ciara in July of 2022, and I thought she had some upside, but nothing like this. Over the Winter, she was tremendous down the stretch for Snider, helping the Lady Panthers get to the Semi-State. She is long, athletic, and hard-working, and while I’ve been told she hasn’t been playing basketball very long, she sees the floor well and doesn’t seem to make the same mistake twice. Over the course of this grassroots season, July to be more specific, she put herself on the map in front of a number of coaches, and I don’t feel like we’ve even seen her reach her ceiling just yet.
Comeback Player of the Year:
Lauryn Merritt
Lauryn
Merritt
6'4" | C
Maconaquah | 2024
IN
, 2024, 6-4 C, Maconaquah H.S.,
Always 100
-Wright White
– The Comeback Player of the Year award tends to either go to someone who has dealt with an injury, or who essentially took a year off and returned to action. For anyone who hasn’t been around Lauryn, she missed the entire 2022-2023 season with an ACL injury, so this Spring was her first action since the injury. Throughout the Spring she was solid, sort of got her footing, and looked like she was reclaiming her basketball instincts. But throughout June and July, she looked much more comfortable, she played with great confidence, and she was more assertive than I can remember. She picked up a lot of interest/offers because of her strong play.
.
ADDITIONAL 17U HONORS
Toughest Player:
Emma Haan
Emma
Haan
5'8" | SG
Zionsville | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Zionsville Community H.S..
Always 100
Elite 3SSB
Best Motor:
Juliann Woodard
Juliann
Woodard
6'1" | PF
Jennings County | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Jennings County H.S., West Virginia Thunder-Riego
Best Defender:
Kamara Mills
Kamara
Mills
5'8" | SG
Lawrence North | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Lawrence North H.S., Ty Harris Elite UA Rise
Best Athlete:
Aniyah Bishop
Aniyah
Bishop
5'10" | SF
Lake Central | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Lake Central H.S.,
Always 100
VTR
Most Versatile:
Ellery Minch
Ellery
Minch
6'3" | PF
Mt. Vernon (Fortville) | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Mt. Vernon H.S. (Fortville),
IGB
‘ last=”]’ last=”]’ last=”]’ last=”] GUAA
Best Playing “Up”:
Jaylah Lampley
Jaylah
Lampley
6'2" | SF
Lawrence Central | 2025
State
IN
, 2025, Lawrence Central H.S., Lady Gym Rats EYBL
.
Additional 17U Prospects Who Also Stood Out:
I felt like the above awards limited the number of prospects I was able to mention, so I went back through each 17U roster I have in hand and wanted to mention a player from each team who wasn’t mentioned above, but who I felt stood out when I was able to see them. If someone else played better when I wasn’t around, I apologize, but these are the individuals I felt needed mentioning from when I was in attendance.
Lauren Bradley, 2024, Western H.S.,
Indiana Pride
Xpress
Jade Carnahan
Jade
Carnahan
5'8" | SF
Lakewood Park Christian | 2024
IN
, 2024, Lakewood Park Christian Academy,
Always 100
United
Alexis Castator
Alexis
Castator
6'1" | SG
Fort Wayne Northrop | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Fort Wayne Northrop H.S.,
Always 100
-Paul E40
Bradie Chambers
Bradie
Chambers
5'8" | SG
Linton-Stockton | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Linton-Stockton H.S.,
Indy Magic
-Scott E40
Morgan Crowe
Morgan
Crowe
5'8" | SF
Pike | 2024
IN
, 2024, Pike H.S.,
Indy Magic
-Marquis
Isyss Donelson
Isyss
Donelson
5'8" | SF
Warren Central | 2024
IN
, 2024, Warren Central H.S.,
Lady Team Teague
Jayden Flagg
Jayden
Flagg
5'6" | PG
New Prairie | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, New Prairie H.S., 5Star
Shena Fleming
Shena
Fleming
5'8" | SF
La Lumiere Prep | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, La Lumiere Preparatory, City Elite Prime
Kennedy Fuelling
Kennedy
Fuelling
5'7" | CG
Norwell | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Norwell H.S., OPS Black-Jordan E40
Arianna Gerkin
Arianna
Gerkin
5'11" | PF
Vincennes Lincoln | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Vincennes Lincoln H.S.,
Indiana Elite Havoc
Gold
Sydney Gorman
Sydney
Gorman
5'8" | SG
Fort Wayne Wayne | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Fort Wayne Wayne H.S.,
Lady Legit
Carrie Hiler
Carrie
Hiler
5'7" | SG
Scottsburg | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Scottsburg H.S., Indiana Showcase Red BSTL
Keylee Hudson
Keylee
Hudson
5'10" | SG
Eastern Greene | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Eastern Greene H.S.,
Indiana Elite
Lightning S40
Reagan Hughes
Reagan
Hughes
5'8" | SG
Jac-Cen-Del | 2024
IN
, 2024, Jac-Cen-Del H.S., Indiana Showcase Black BSSL
La’Kyra Johnson
La’Kyra
Johnson
5'7" | SG
Jeffersonville | 2024
IN
, 2024, Jeffersonville H.S., Louisville Legends
DeLorean Mason
DeLorean
Mason
5'4" | CG
Southmont | 2024
IN
, 2024, Southmont H.S.,
Indiana Sirens
Purple & White
Julia Meyer
Julia
Meyer
5'10" | SF
Jac-Cen-Del | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Jac-Cen-Del H.S.,
Indiana Pride
-Duke
Norah Miller
Norah
Miller
5'7" | CG
Evansville F.J. Reitz | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Evansville F.J. Reitz H.S.,
DistinXion
‘ last=”]’ last=”]’ last=”]’ last=”] Champions Black
Sophia Morrison
Sophia
Morrison
5'6" | CG
Eastbrook | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Eastbrook H.S.,
Always 100
-Gamble NE2K
Audri Prater
Audri
Prater
5'5" | CG
Eastbrook | 2024
IN
, 2024, Eastbrook H.S.,
Indiana Elite
Evolution
Morgan Roberts
Morgan
Roberts
6'0" | SF
Fishers | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Fishers H.S.,
Indiana Pride
Attack
Heaven Thompson
Heaven
Thompson
5'8" | SG
Decatur Central | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Roncalli H.S., Lady Gym Rats-Nic
Adrianne Tolen
Adrianne
Tolen
5'10" | SF
West Lafayette | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, West Lafayette H.S.,
Grand Park Premier
-Robbins
Ava Wilson
Ava
Wilson
5'8" | SF
Shelbyville | 2024
IN
, 2024, Shelbyville H.S.,
Indiana’s Best
Red
Miranda Wozniak
Miranda
Wozniak
5'7" | CG
Tri-Township | 2024
IN
, 2024, Tri-Township H.S.,
NWI Thunder
Black
Lindsay Arcella
Lindsay
Arcella
5'9" | SF
Andrean | 2025
State
IN
, 2025, Andrean H.S.,
Region Rebels
Alyssa Groover
Alyssa
Groover
6'0" | PF
Corydon Central | 2025
State
IN
, 2025, Corydon Central H.S.,
IGB
‘ last=”]’ last=”]’ last=”]’ last=”] UA Rise-Gatlin
Joslyn Marshall
Joslyn
Marshall
5'8" | SG
Heritage Christian | 2025
State
IN
, 2025, Heritage Christian H.S.,
Indiana Elite
Sparks
Madison Sonsini
Madison
Sonsini
6'0" | SF
Greenfield-Central | 2025
State
IN
, 2025, Richmond H.S.,
Midwest Explosion
Sophie Skidmore
Sophie
Skidmore
5'8" | SF
Seymour | 2026
State
IN
, 2026, Seymour H.S.,
Indiana Flight South
Ella Williams
Ella
Williams
5'10" | SG
Washington | 2026
State
IN
, 2026, Washington H.S.,
DistinXion
‘ last=”]’ last=”]’ last=”]’ last=”] Champions Red