IBCA Team Showcase: Day-2 Notebook

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='324083' first='Natalie' last='Robinson'] (2025) of Marquette Catholic High School.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yesterday afternoon, the IBCA/IHSAA "Scholastic Live Period" Charlie Hughes Memorial team showcase wrapped up, with most of the 93 teams in action at Mt. Vernon High School (<em>Fortville, IN</em>), Mt. Vernon Middle School, and Hamilton Southeastern High School (<em>a few teams only played on Friday</em>). There were some outstanding individual performances, team performances, and several unique (<em>and closely contested</em>) matchups that teams would rarely have the opportunity to be a part of during the high school season. Below is a quick look at a handful of thoughts after watching yesterday's action.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">February 2025 in June 2024?</font></strong><br>If in February next season we see Marquette Catholic against Borden in the Class 1A State Championship game, those two teams can remember back to June 15th, 2024, when they met on a side court in an auxiliary gym at Hamilton Southeastern. With Lanesville moving to Class 2A in 2024-2025, Borden could be a handful in the South in Class 1A. The Braves were 20-5 last season, falling to a 20-4 Orleans team, Lanesville twice (<em>including the Sectional Final</em>), and Class 4A muscle in Franklin Central and Bedford North Lawrence. They boast an incredible 2026 class, led by Division-I prospects <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486522' first='Ava' last='Wheeler']</strong> (2026) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486550' first='Riley' last='Rarick']</strong> (2026), plus they've now gotten that experience under their belt to make a deep run. Wheeler was outstanding Thursday at the Top-100 individual showcase and is a long, bouncy, playmaking athlete at the forward position, while Rarick is another tall, long, perimeter player who acts as their primary ball-handler. Throw in kids like <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486552' first='A.J.' last='Mallad']</strong> (2026) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='797505' first='Emma' last='Hart']</strong> (2026), and they have great balance within their core group. There are some very good teams in the South in Class 1A, but if Borden dials in and just gets after it, their talent should help them immensely.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Marquette Catholic is nothing to scoff at either. All they did last season was finish as the State Runners-Up to Lanesville. The Blazers posted a 24-5 record on the year and had four of their six postseason victories come by double-figures. They also have size and talent, plus they have incredible depth for a Class 1A program. Junior-to-be guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486528' first='Laniah' last='Davis']</strong> (2026) is a handful to deal with, as she can fill it up from all over the floor, plus she has improved defensively. Seniors-to-be like <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='324083' first='Natalie' last='Robinson']</strong> (2025), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='331799' first='Jiselle' last='Chabes']</strong> (2025), and <strong>Livia Balling</strong> (2025) bring back good size, experience, and production. Robinson and Balling are both 6-0 forwards, with Robinson playing mostly in the mid-post and around the perimeter, while Balling works a lot inside the paint. Chabes is a very good shooter who can also act as their primary ball-handler at times. Add to that <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='751101' first='Marissa' last='Pleasant']</strong> (2027), who hit THE shot to push them past Clinton Central in the Semi-State, and those five will be tough for anyone to beat. But the Blazers also welcome a transfer in the way of point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486479' first='Addison' last='Penziol']</strong> (2026) from La Lumiere. She brings strength, poise, and experience to the position and should really help alleviate some pressure from Davis, Chabes, and Pleasant, allowing them to score the ball easier.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Bears on the Hunt Again!</font></strong><br>Lawrence Central took the one-day option and played two games Saturday morning. They didn't mess around, either, taking care of Silver Creek and Warsaw. They might not be Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference foes, but Silver Creek returns a lot from an 18-5 squad, including one of the top Juniors-to-be in 6-3 forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486543' first='Brooklynn' last='Renn']</strong> (2026), and they were rated 36th in the final Sagarin Ratings this past season. Warsaw returns even more production/talent and posted a 14-8 record (<em>but led in the second half of every game last season</em>), plus they were rated 20th in the final Sagarin Ratings. The Bears played deep into their bench throughout each game yesterday, but when that core group was together, they were impressive. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='295763' first='Jaylah' last='Lampley']</strong> (2025) shot the ball extremely well from the perimeter and was very good on the boards and defensively throughout the day. Younger sister <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='492321' first='Lola' last='Lampley']</strong> (2026) really asserted herself on the ball and in transition, making point guard type decisions at 6-3 and often finding teammates through small windows. She also had a couple of impressive footwork moves at 15-feet that resulted in mid-range jumpers. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='295753' first='Laila' last='Abdurraqib']</strong> (2025) has been outstanding all Spring, she was great at the Top-100 Thursday, and what she might do better than any point guard in the state right now is deliver passes on time/on target right at her teammates' hands. Forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='492322' first='Aniyah' last='McKenzie']</strong> (2026) adds size and strength around the basket, and she just goes through defenders to finish, plus she can play multiple positions at either end, while guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='468535' first='Mariah' last='Kenter-Garrett']</strong> (2025) has seemingly found her niche as the defensive pressure creator at the point of attack after coming over from Crispus Attucks last Summer. She has elite speed and quickness and just harasses the ball. Lawrence Central will surely still have to defeat a deep team in Lawrence North to win the Sectional, plus Sectional rivals Warren Central and North Central (Indianapolis) always have talented athletes, but the Bears are looking like the strongest of candidates in Class 4A South to get back the State Finals once again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Final Thoughts from Saturday:</font></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Plainfield is going to be a handful for opponents this year. With the graduation of front-liner <strong>Peyton Benge</strong> (2024), they aren't as big, but the backcourt combination of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='751064' first='Hannah' last='Menser']</strong> (2027), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486496' first='Berkeley' last='Williams']</strong> (2026), and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='756233' first='Abrielle' last='Dugan']</strong> (2027) will be tough to contend with. They can all handle, pass, and shoot the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Pendleton Heights has their own 3-headed monster in 5-9 guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='295797' first='Kaycie' last='Warfel']</strong> (2025), 5-8 wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486495' first='Olivia' last='Jones']</strong> (2026), and 6-3 post <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='750718' first='Adah' last='Hupfer']</strong> (2027). Warfel and Jones are outstanding athletes with great motors, and they put a lot of pressure on opponents, while Hupfer uses her size and physicality to dominate inside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Don't count out Fort Wayne Snider! Despite significant graduation losses, the Panthers should remain competitive behind a nice 2025 class. Post <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='496072' first='Saniah' last='Sandlin']</strong>, paired with wings <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='828076' first='Zyann' last='Phinezy']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='828072' first='Kyra' last='Parker']</strong>, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='828079' first='Brie' last='Barnes']</strong> have experience, skill, and talent. Plus, the Panthers have some nice young talent to add.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Despite the tough matchup with Lawrence Central, the Warsaw Tigers are incredibly skilled, deep, and they shoot the ball about as well as anyone. While full schedules haven't been posted yet, I am looking forward to another mid-January matchup with Homestead. Warsaw won, 69-48, in The Tiger Den January 16th.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- To end my day Saturday, a couple of incoming Freshman stood out. 5-10 forward <strong>Caroline Wiggins </strong>(2028) of Cathedral and 5-11 wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='898485' first='Alexis' last='Werner']</strong> (2028) of Penn were fantastic. Both showed an inside-out versatility throughout the weekend, plus each played with a really nice motor and a veteran confidence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->