From The Notebook: Pot Luck

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='324084' first='Jordan' last='Scott'] (2025) of Castle 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 half dozen random teams from all different parts of the state, along with some thoughts on each team and different prospects throughout each of their rosters.   .   Bluffton (Bluffton, IN) The Lady Tigers are off to an impressive 13-1 start, so I wanted to check in to see what makes them go. When games are on the line, they play a rotation that goes roughly nine deep, but they have four ladies who really stood out to me throughout the game I saw. 5-7 Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1122868' first='Isabella' last='Stout'] is their leading scorer at just over 20 points per game. She is a strong, somewhat physical wing, she is a solid North/South athlete, and she does a really nice job of drawing contact and getting to the free throw line. She has nice touch from the perimeter, and she's a little quicker and shiftier than people realize. She will get inside and rebound, too, so she just has a sense of how to manufacture points and not limit herself to one area of the floor. 5-9 Senior forward Maryn Schreiber also stood out because of her hustle and activity. She has a nose for the ball and is a very good rebounder. She is a long, wiry-strong athlete with some bounce, good speed, and just a nonstop motor. She is best in that mid-post area of the floor, but she can post smaller defenders as well. She is a decent shot-blocker at her size, but she can also sit down and defend bigger perimeter players. 5-7 Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1131919' first='Konley' last='Ault'] is another strong, aggressive driver who utilizes the charity stripe well. On each catch, she's looking to put her head down and go or get her defender off-balance and attack. She does have some touch outside, but she's just so much more assertive off the dribble. She will actively defend and rebound as well. 5-8 Freshman wing [player_tooltip player_id='1225041' first='Khloe' last='Dick'] was the fourth Tiger who impressed me. She is a longer, wirier player who has a lot of versatility. She has a little touch outside, she is quick and can attack the rim as well, but she also showed the ability to handle the ball and initiate the offense when needed. I think because of her youthfulness with this experienced team, she isn't forced into tough spots, so she's able to grow and develop. She's already averaging more than 9 points per game, and as she gets older, I anticipate she will be a much bigger weapon in their system.   Brownstown Central (Brownstown, IN) Brownstown was the Class 2A State Runner-Up back in February, and they again have nearly all of that same team in uniform this season. I felt like last year they were a very balanced team who got a little production from three or four positions each game. But when I saw them the other day, it looked to me like 5-6 Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='923178' first='Jenna' last='Klosterman'] is taking on a much bigger leadership role. She is strong, tough-nosed, and willing to battle anyone. She can play a traditional point guard role and facilitate, she can get downhill and attack the basket, or she can knock down an open jumper consistently. Her twin sister, Senior wing Mallory Klosterman, was also playing a much bigger role than I recall from last year. Mallory is a perimeter shooter who likes to hide in the corners and on the wings looking for that next shot. She can drive it a little too, and she'll rebound some as well. 5-9 Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='928931' first='Sophie' last='Wischmeier'] is probably the best all-around athlete for the Lady Braves. She is a long, wiry-strong, and somewhat bouncy forward. She is comfortable around the perimeter and can score it consistently on the drive or with outside jumpers. But she is also a hustler and can get physical inside to defend/rebound when necessary. 5-6 Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='486520' first='Harley' last='Toppe'] is another key player returning for the Braves. She is a smaller guard, but she plays with quickness and tempo. She can handle and play point when [player_tooltip player_id='923178' first='Jenna' last='Klosterman'] doesn't, but she is also a dangerous wing shooter with some range. She plays hard, will get after loose balls, and she's a solid on-ball defender herself.   Castle (Newburgh, IN) For whatever silly reason, the Castle Knights are one of my favorite nicknames in the state. They were really good playing in a holiday tournament at Vincennes University, and this was the best I had seen 5-11 Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='486494' first='Jayden' last='Scott'] play. She was as active and aggressive as I've seen, she did a lot off the dribble, changing directions, and getting to the basket at will to finish, plus she knocked down a couple of outside jumpers, though she could stand to elevate her shot-pocket a little for the next level. Her older sister, 5-6 Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='324084' first='Jordan' last='Scott'], is an athletic and electric prospect who makes a lot of plays at both ends of the floor. She can be an excellent defender on the ball, she pushes tempo in transition, plus she has good vision and is always willing to find the open teammate. She has improved her perimeter shooting as well. 5-6 Junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='486483' first='Paiton' last='Mitchell'] is one of my favorites to watch, because she always plays hard and with a toughness/edge to her. She doesn't always have to shoot/score, but she can. She just runs offense, finds teammates, defends, and does whatever it takes to help her team win. 5-7 Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='430958' first='Izabell' last='Grantz'] is another savvy basketball player who just competes each possession. If she is going to "wow" you, it's simply by playing intelligently, making open shots, and utilizing her strong motor. 5-9 Sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='751080' first='Jordyn' last='Poelhuis'] played a lot last year as a rookie, and she is another strong, physical player, but she has perimeter skill and a soft touch on her jump-shot. When she is aggressive inside, I feel like it opens up her jumper a lot more than when she just settles to be a perimeter shooter. She could be a really nice multilevel scorer.   Monrovia (Monrovia, IN) For the most part, the Bulldogs are a rather young team, though 5-5 Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='692239' first='Emery' last='Newlin'] does add at least some veteran presence to the lineup. Newlin is a nice athlete with length, wiry strength, and she can play on or off the ball...whatever is needed. She is a University of Dayton Soccer signee. 5-10 Freshman wing [player_tooltip player_id='999443' first='Zoie' last='Walls'] is averaging a double-double and leading the Bulldogs in both scoring and rebounding at this point in the season. She is an extremely long, wiry, fluidly athletic player who just needs time to continue growing into her frame. She has solid ball skill and can push in transition, she has some touch around the perimeter, but she is also effective in the mid-post and around the rim. She will be one to watch over the next few years. 5-6 Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='751061' first='Grace' last='Deaton'] really impressed me with her play. She is a nice athlete, a versatile combo guard who can shoot/score it in bunches or handle and run offense. She's also an active defender and rebounder, and I think she has a lot of upside for the next level. 5-5 Sophomore point guard [player_tooltip player_id='751036' first='Allie' last='Tallent'] is another nice, young guard. She is extremely long at her height, quick, fast, and feisty. She is more of a traditional point guard, though she can knock down open shots or slice to the rim. She also does a really nice job of using her length to defend and get in passing lanes. And 5-7 Freshman forward Camryn Wolfe is another youngster who gives the Bulldogs good minutes. She is a wiry-strong athlete, and she plays with a nice inside-out versatility. She likes to drive it aggressively to the rim, but if you leave her open, she is shooting it at 48% from 3-point range on limited attempts. She's also an active rebounder/defender.   Tri (Straughn, IN) The Tri High Titans are often one of the most competitive teams in East Central Indiana and in Class 1A. This season, they have a couple of nice perimeter weapons and a lot of size & strength inside. 5-7 Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1131939' first='Jillian' last='Chew'] is a real problem for opponents. She has a solid to strong frame, poise, skill, and she plays with a great motor. She has a nice-looking jump-shot and can consistently knock down 3-pointers, she is strong driving it North/South to the rim, but she also has good vision and is a more than willing passer for someone who scores it at nearly 18 points per game. I also liked how aggressive she was attacking the boards. 5-9 Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='570375' first='Kenley' last='Cornelius'] is someone I've talked about a few times on this platform, and while she has always been a solid, slashing style of athlete, she looks stronger this season. She's one of those kids who might not be elite at any one thing, but she is good at most things and can affect a game in a variety of ways, whether that be making shots, grabbing rebounds, defending, or facilitating. 5-3 Senior guard Jayda Cornes adds to the backcourt with her scrappy, active play. She is good for them defensively, and she's willing to do a lot of the "little things". Inside, the combination of 6-0 Junior forward/post Nakaya Cridge, 6-0 Junior post Olivia Parham, and 5-10 Senior post Soraya Cridge are tough to deal with. Nakaya Cridge is a little more active and athletic, she likes to play in the mid-post and short corners, but she also has the size & strength to compete inside. Parham and Soraya Cridge and broad-shouldered, strong, physical players who love that 5-foot area around the rim. They clog the lane defensively and control the boards, and they can score it a little from the low block as well.   Woodlan (Woodburn, IN) The Warriors are often a sneakily good team who surprise people from year to year. This season, they have two standouts and some nice younger prospects who surround them and play a role. 5-11 Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1038858' first='Alyssa' last='Anderson'] is probably flying under most people's radars. She is a long, wiry-strong, fluidly athletic, and somewhat bouncy frontline player. She is extremely active on the glass and is averaging a double-double this season. She is strong and physical enough to box out most opponents, but she's also active and will pursue caroms outside of her area. When she has the ball, she can finish at odd angles inside, plus she has really nice touch from the mid-post and short corner areas of the floor. She can sit down and defend the perimeter a little, or she can protect the paint. I think she's someone elite small colleges could be interested in by the Spring. 5-8 Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='828030' first='Brooke' last='Kneubuhler'] is another "sleeper", if you will. She is an extremely long and wiry player with really nice touch from the perimeter. She has a quick first step and can attack the basket, but she likes to hunt jump-shots from the perimeter as well. She, too, can defend a variety of guards/wings or even the occasional undersized forward. I think she has nice small college value as well. From there, it's a mixture of sizes, positions, and ages. Sophomore forward McKenna Goble is their third leading scorer, but she entered from the bench in the game I saw. She gives them another physical presence in the paint, but she can step outside and will attempt a couple of 3-pointers each game, and she has good vision and finds open teammates. 5-8 Senior wing Reagan Widenhoefer is another long, wiry-strong player who has some versatility to her game. She can shoot it a little, drive it a little, defend multiple positions, and she'll rebound. I also thought Freshman guard Savannah Scheumann was interesting. She is active and versatile, she can handle it a little, knock down an open jumper, and she'll play hard and defend/rebound.

The featured image is of Jordan Scott Jordan Scott 5'6" | PG Castle | 2025 State IN (2025) of Castle High School.