Hoosier Hotbeds: #9 Tippecanoe County

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='486509' first='Maya' last='Layton'] (2026) of Lafayette's Thomas Jefferson High School.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Over the years, we've taken the time to look at how different counties from Hoosierland stack up against each other. This year, we're back at it, but we're having more of a countdown spread over a few articles, instead of one article highlighting just a few prospects. I began by taking a quick look at eight counties who were close to making our Top 10, but who were just on the outside looking in. Now, we're into our Top 10 list, continuing with #9, Tippecanoe County.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With our Top 10 counties, they are divided into five "starters" plus seven additional players to act as a "bench". I tried to stay as true to form as an all-star team would, with at least a couple of guards and a couple of wings/forwards as "starters". The fifth "starter" is likely to be a post player, if there are any worthy of making the 12-player list. If there isn't a post in that group of 12 players, I added another guard or forward, depending on what looks like a quality 5-player lineup. From there, the next seven players are based on a combination of PGH ranking, talent, and skill, regardless of position.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Disclaimer: I specifically used the classes of 2025-2027 to determine county strength, since the 2028 class has yet to play a high school game.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">BACKCOURT "STARTERS"</font></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["486538"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66c2332a600ae"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">As we've talked before, Trinity has experienced the misfortune of dealing with multiple injuries during her first two years of high school. At some point, however, she should return for a good portion of this season and be an instant impact player for the Lady Mavericks. As a Freshman in 2022-23, Trinity averaged 20.3 points, 3.5 assists, and 6.3 steals per game while attending Faith Christian. She is an explosive athlete, a dynamic creator off the bounce, and she can be an elite defender, whether she's on or off the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["486509"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66c2332a60107"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Maya moves over to Lafayette Jeff this season after posting 1105 points in two years at Faith Christian. She is a long, wiry, quick, fast, and athletic guard who has drawn multiple Division-I offers. Over the years, she has improved her perimeter shooting and her range, plus she's finishing through contact better around the rim. Defensively, she has such great length and quick feet, that she is always getting her hands on passes. Maya will be playing a much tougher schedule this Winter, but I still expect for her to be an elite playmaker.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["295785"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66c2332a60149"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Tippecanoe County isn't blessed with a ton of sizeable players right now, so I went with a 3-guard starting lineup here. Carley makes this group complete, because she plays with a lot of versatility. She is a long, fast, somewhat bouncy athlete, plus she has a toughness factor to her as well. She isn't afraid to attack the rim aggressively, she is physical rebounding the ball as a guard, plus she can defend multiple positions, including forwards. She plays with an outstanding motor, and she does a lot of the "little things", making winning plays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">FRONTCOURT "STARTERS"</font></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["751095"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66c2332a60184"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Lillie is one of the most talented prospects to come through Tippecanoe County in several years, and she has the potential to graduate as the best, if she continues to put in the work developing her skillset. She is a long, wiry-strong, athletic wing prospect who has done a nice job of becoming a true wing, despite growing at an early age. She is great off the bounce and has gotten much stronger with the ball and finishing around the basket. Her jumper continues to improve its consistency, plus she has grown a lot as an on-ball defender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["570386"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66c2332a601bb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Rylea is new to Tippecanoe County, as she moves in from Seeger High School. She is another player with nice versatility, as she prefers to operate in the mid-post, she is an aggressive pursuing rebounder, and she tends to defend forwards and undersized posts. At the same time, she can step outside and knock down an open rhythm 3-pointer, she has the ball skill to attack the basket North/South, plus she can defend bigger wings as well. She plays with a strong motor, she's vocal, and she has a real competitive fire to her game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">THE NEXT SEVEN</font></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='452729' first='Grace' last='Bordenet']</strong>, 2025, 5-5 CG, Lafayette Central Catholic H.S.<br><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='692232' first='Maddy' last='Bruce']</strong>, 2025, 5-7 CG, Lafayette Central Catholic H.S.<br><strong>Johanna Haste</strong>, 2027, 5-7 SG, Faith Christian H.S.<br><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='692230' first='Ava' last='Ahnert']</strong>, 2025, 5-8 SG, West Lafayette Harrison H.S.<br><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='553262' first='Chloe' last='Finney']</strong>, 2026, 5-9 SF, McCutcheon H.S.<br><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='828096' first='Elsie' last='Ahnert']</strong>, 2025, 5-9 CF, West Lafayette Harrison H.S.<br><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='828032' first='Molly' last='Andrew']</strong>, 2025, 6-0 PF, West Lafayette H.S.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->