From The Notebook: Central to East Central Indiana

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='496006' first='Camryn' last='Andrus'] (2025) of Eastern Hancock High School.   Over the past couple of weeks, I have seen about a dozen games, and now that I've had a little more time to catch up with the holiday break, here are a few teams from the Anderson area to down near Greenfield, Indiana, plus one squad from Indianapolis, along with some thoughts on each team and different prospects throughout each of their rosters.   .   Alexandria-Monroe (Alexandria, IN) Alexandria-Monroe is 14-0 at this time in Class 2A, with two more games today in Richmond's Casey Pohlenz Memorial Tournament. When I saw them several days ago, they were still incorporating their patented 1-2-1-1 full-court press and 1-3-1 half-court trapping defense. 5-8 Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='404111' first='Jacklynn' last='Hosier'] is by far and away their main weapon, leader, and do-it-all star. She has length, speed & quickness, and she can affect the game in so many different ways. She has always been an active defender who picks off a number of opponent passes, she is fast to the basket off the dribble, and she continues to shoot it better and better from the perimeter. She has signed with the University of Vermont. The Lady Tigers had two additional Seniors who I felt stood out in the game I saw, and who have some small college potential. 6-1 post Rylie Kellams is an intriguing "big" who just needs to continue getting reps. She has length, a wiry-strong frame, and she runs the floor North/South well. A couple of times, she got out in transition and beat everyone down the floor. She also showed some low-post skill. She's one of those prospects who could have a better college career than high school career, because she would likely continue to raise her level of play. I also liked 5-6 guard Lily Harpe. She is incredibly active, quick, fast, and feisty. She is a nice complement to Hosier defensively, and they seem to feed off of each other at times in pairing steals back-to-back. Harpe is mostly a driver offensively and likes to attack the baselines, but defensively, she can affect passing lanes or sit down and guard the ball well.   Cathedral (Indianapolis, IN) Cathedral was playing a little short-handed when I saw them due to some injury issues, but they battled and nearly pulled out a tough win. 5-8 Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='776078' first='Tianna' last='Guy'] has had a nice 12-15 months since transferring into Cathedral that she continued through the grassroots season and into this Winter. She is strong, incredibly active and effortful, and she can contribute at both ends of the floor. She is a very good on-ball defender and will make a lot of hustle plays at that end of the floor, plus she is a willing rebounder. Offensively, she can shoot it a little outside, but she's also a physical North/South driver who can get to the basket and finish through contact. At this time, she is leading the Lady Irish in scoring, but I think she could be even better at the next level. I also liked what I saw out of 5-8 Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1122716' first='Reaghan' last='Gilmore']. She is a long, wiry-strong, fluidly athletic kid who just looks like each possession is her last. She plays with a tremendous motor, does all of the "little things", but also shows some skill and ability. She can really affect winning by earning her team additional possessions. 5-11 Freshman forward [player_tooltip player_id='926326' first='Caroline' last='Wiggins'] has a pretty mature game for a rookie, and she is another one who can contribute in a variety of ways. She has a solid to strong frame already, she doesn't mind physicality and can rebound, defend, and score from the mid-post, but she can also step outside and play more of a wing role at times, knocking down open jumpers or creating off the dribble. She will be one to watch these next four years. 5-8 Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='506017' first='Abby' last='Beasley'] is having her best season for the Irish. She is a nice athlete and plays with a lot of the same versatility Gilmore does. She can score it a little from all three levels, she can defend multiple positions, and she can even initiate the offense, if needed. She is committed to the University of New Hampshire to play Soccer.   Eastern Hancock (Charlottesville, IN) Eastern Hancock graduated several members of the 2024 class back in the Spring, however, they return one of the best Sophomores in the state in 5-9 point guard [player_tooltip player_id='750766' first='McKenzie' last='Koch']. Kenzie is a do-it-all guard who can fill it up from the perimeter in bunches, attack the basket and finish around the rim in a variety of ways, or initiate the offense and create for open teammates. Defensively, she has great length at her height, she can defend the ball or the passing lanes, and she has a sixth sense for getting deflections. Overall, she is a very cerebral player who just loves to be in the gym. Fellow Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1137341' first='Bella' last='Sotelo'], a 5-6 guard, has stepped into a much bigger Varsity role this year after being a JV star last season. She is another nice athlete, she can also handle the ball and create, and she does a nice job of actually setting up Koch at times. Additionally, she has been an effective scorer thus far, she will rebound at her size, and she picks up a lot of steals as well. 5-7 Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='496006' first='Camryn' last='Andrus'] and 5-10 Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='832671' first='Kiersten' last='Judd'] are a pair of hustlers whose minutes have increased significantly this season. Andrus is a strong, physical wing who can handle and shoot it a little, she's good attacking the basket North/South, but she'll also get inside to rebound, and she's a willing defender. Judd has some length, a wiry strength, and she's somewhat bouncy. She plays extremely hard and is really good in the mid-post, whether it's taking a dribble to get to the basket or knocking down the 15-footer. The Royals are 12-2 heading into 2025.   Frankton (Frankton, IN) The Frankton Eagles might not have an eye-popping record, but they do have some solid talent on their roster this year. 5-7 Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1122757' first='Emma' last='Key'] is a nice small college prospect who has been steady for them all year. She has some strength, she's a nice all-around athlete, and she is versatile skillfully. She has a solid perimeter jumper when set and in rhythm, she is a physical North/South driver, plus she can initiate the offense when necessary. Defensively, she has good instincts and just knows where to be to get deflections/steals. Speaking of defense, I feel like 5-11 Senior forward Ann Curtis has the potential to be a really nice college defender. When they weren't recovering in transition and were able to play halfcourt defense, she did a really nice job of sitting down and taking on a Division I guard. She has a wiry, athletic frame, good lateral quickness, and some bounce to her. Offensively, she likes to play around the free throw line and the short corners, but she does have a little touch outside as well. 6-1 Junior post, and younger sister, [player_tooltip player_id='1131946' first='Macy' last='Curtis'] has a lot of potential for the next level as well. She is long, fluid, and bouncy, and she just needs to continue getting stronger to absorb contact. But she moves well, has good instincts around the paint, and she can face the rim a little as well. Also keep an eye out for 5-6 Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='1238468' first='Laela' last='Dietzer']. She is playing a lot of minutes for the Eagles and handling the ball quite a bit. She's a solid athlete, she can score it a little, and she plays extremely hard. She could be their next small college player.   Mount Vernon (Fortville, IN) The Marauders are off to a nice start at 10-4 beginning this morning, but the future is incredibly bright, as they are thriving behind a Freshman backcourt. 5-5 point guard [player_tooltip player_id='840811' first='Zoey' last='Wood'] is one of the better pure basketball players in the 2028 class in Indiana. How she projects to the next level is yet to be seen, but as far as her skill level, awareness, and understanding of the game, she is fun to watch. She's tough, compact, and strong for her size. She takes care of the basketball and can find open teammates, but she also does a nice job of finding the basket, whether that's a jumper outside or on a drive to the rim. 5-6 guard [player_tooltip player_id='1144658' first='Delani' last='Williams'] has been a near double-figure scorer as well. She's a strong, active ball of energy for Mt. Vernon. She comes in and makes plays immediately. She is really good attacking the basket and does a nice job of finishing inside. As she continues to round out her game, she's only going to get better as she ages. I first saw 5-10 Senior wing Addison Bucksot in the Spring, and she is an intriguing player who I think can help a small college somewhere. She is extremely long and wiry, fairly fluid athletically, and she has some skill/touch around the perimeter. She looks like she has grown a lot in a short time, which if that's the case, she could very well have a better college career than high school career as she improves her ability to absorb contact.   Yorktown (Yorktown, IN) The Yorktown Tigers are an intriguing group, and they only have one Senior on their entire roster, so they have a bright future ahead of them as well. 5-10 Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='486126' first='Lilly' last='Sylvester'] has done a really nice job of developing her game throughout the last couple of years. She has length, wiry strength, and she's a fluid athlete. She has worked on her handle, her ability to make perimeter jumpers, and now she has the versatility to play in the mid-post and dominate or step outside and create off the bounce. She could have a big Spring and strikes me as the type of kid a lot of the elite small colleges like to recruit. 6-1 Sophomore post [player_tooltip player_id='834931' first='Alexis' last='Fields'] is another promising younger frontline prospect. She is strong and physical, she plays hard and runs the floor, plus she has soft hands and some feel around the basketball. As she continues to play more and more, look for her to be a much more consistent scorer, adding to her defensive presence and rebounding. 5-9 Freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id='1144641' first='Rylie' last='Johnson'] is an extremely long, wiry, and rangy perimeter player. She looks like she still could grow multiple inches, and she plays with some versatility. She can handle the ball and initiate the offense, she can knock down open jumpers, and she can slice to the basket to score. She also does a really good job of using her length to defend. 5-7 Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='949526' first='Olivia' last='Conklin'] is their top perimeter shooting threat, but she has done a nice job over the last year of developing her handle and understanding of the game. She has a strong, athletic frame, she can get to the rim and finish inside, plus she has a solid mid-range pull-up. She seems to love being in the gym.

The featured image is of Camryn Andrus Camryn Andrus 5'7" | SG/SF Eastern Hancock | 2025 IN (2025) of Eastern Hancock High School.