Late-Season 2024 Stock-Risers

Brandon Bradley February 26, 2024 @ 04:36 PM

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='177332' first='Sophie' last='Johnson'] (2024) of Evansville's Reitz Memorial High School.   Over the next couple of weeks, I will be releasing my annual All-State teams for each of the four school classifications. In the meantime, I wanted to turn the focus on some ladies who played well after Christmas this 2023-2024 season. Below is a look at five such ladies who I felt stood out with their play in January and February.   .   [player_tooltip player_id='326486' first='Bradie' last='Chambers'], 2024, 5-8 SG, Linton-Stockton H.S. - Bradie had an all-around fantastic Senior season. She is a tough-nosed, high-motor, do-whatever-it-takes-to-win type of competitor. She is a well-balanced athlete, and she has a versatile skillset. I think at the next level she's probably more of a '2', but for the Miners, she handles the ball and gets them into offense at times, she is a very good shooter/scorer at all three levels, and she is an aggressive but disciplined defender who gets it done at that end.   [player_tooltip player_id='369832' first='Becca' last='Gerdt'], 2024, 6-0 PF/SF, Valparaiso H.S. - Becca injured her knee in the middle of last season, so it took her until late in the 2023-2024 season to start to look like her old self. She was effective all year, and she was a needed compliment to Super Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='419439' first='Lillian' last='Barnes']. But Becca has a quality game all her own. She is a fairly fluid athlete with length, wiry strength, and a little bounce to her. She can knock down an open jumper or drive it from the perimeter, plus she will battle inside.   [player_tooltip player_id='177324' first='Chloey' last='Graham'], 2024, 5-9 SF/SG, Gibson Southern H.S. - Chloey has always carried the reputation of being a good shooter, but throughout the state tournament and towards the end of the regular season, she was dialed in on another level. When she is in the comforts of the Titan offense and can get the ball on time/on target with her feet set, she is automatic. She has done a better job over the years of using her strong frame to straight-line it to the basket, but she is undoubtedly a shooter first.   [player_tooltip player_id='177332' first='Sophie' last='Johnson'], 2024, 6-0 PF/SF, Evansville Reitz Memorial H.S. - Sophie is a long, wiry, fluid, and somewhat bouncy forward. Through the Summer following her Sophomore year, she was drawing Division-I interest, but at the tail-end of the 2022-2023 season, she tore her ACL and missed the entire 2023 grassroots season. This Winter she rounded back into herself later in the year, and she really turned it on down the stretch. She has a solid handle at her height, creativity, and she can knock down an open jumper.   [player_tooltip player_id='177346' first='Olivia' last='Nickerson'], 2024, 5-7 SG, Twin Lakes H.S. - You'll quickly recognize this name, as Olivia set the all-time career record for 3-pointers made late in the year. She is without a doubt one of the last people I would want to play H-O-R-S-E against, and she continued her strong play as a Senior. When she is more aggressive off the dribble, it really helps open up her perimeter jumper. But she loves that 3-point shot, and she can extend her range by simply backing up if teams continue to come out and guard.

The featured image is of Sophie Johnson Sophie Johnson 6'0" | PF Evansville Memorial | 2024 State IN (2024) of Evansville's Reitz Memorial High School.