PGH’s The Encore: Indiana Guard Observations

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='814715' first='Jhordyn' last='Brown'] (2028) from Kokomo High School.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Girls Hoops ran a showcase event this past weekend in Mishawaka, Indiana, to offer programs in the Midwest a tune-up opportunity heading into the final "live" events this coming weekend. The event was littered with [program_tooltip program_id='1307580' first='Indy' last='One'] teams, along with 5Star, Indiana GAME, [program_tooltip program_id='715993' first='NWI' last='Select'], [program_tooltip program_id='1311881' first='Indiana' last='Starz'], and others in the high school divisions. While we had several qualified scouts from other states handling different age groups and offering all-tournament awards, I did find time Sunday to head up to the Mishawaka Fieldhouse. Since I have only seen the [program_tooltip program_id='1307580' first='Indy' last='One'] program once this grassroots season (<em>in May</em>), I wanted to put an emphasis on seeing each of their high school teams. Below is a look at a handful of 2027 and 2028 perimeter players who stood out throughout Sunday's action.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1275573"],"_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-6a601f47b3cda"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I first saw Grace at the annual Hall of Fame Tournament in New Castle back in December of 2024. I have since seen her a handful of times each of the last two grassroots seasons. She is a long, wiry, fluidly athletic guard with some bounce to her. She plays with a nice motor, she'll make hustle plays for her team, but she is also an accurate perimeter shooter with a little range as well. Sunday, she did a nice job of moving without the basketball, plus she used her length well at the defensive end to create steals/deflections.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["756236"],"_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-6a601f47b3d36"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kendal is a really nice point guard prospect, and she teams up in the Winter with [player_tooltip player_id='1275573' first='Grace' last='Detweiler'] (<em>above</em>) at South Knox. Kendal is a talented scorer who can make shots consistently outside, slice to the basket for scores, or find open teammates. She was one of the state's top assists people last season, regardless of class. The way she returned from an ACL injury this past year and has played so well in both high school and grassroots ball has been impressive. She has earned her Top 15 rating in the 2027 class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1819245"],"_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-6a601f47b3d7f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Shiloh is one of the best athletes in the state at her size, and she can be very entertaining to watch at times. She has an athletic frame with a little length, but it's her speed, quickness, bounce, and constant motor that help her stand out. She can get into ball-handlers and defend them 84-feet, plus she can level them off. Offensively, she is more of a '2', but if she gets downhill or sneakily back-cuts to catch the defense off-guard, you can't catch back up with her. She could be a really nice small college "culture" type of player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["814715"],"_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-6a604447c9dbc"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I was really impressed with what I saw out of Jhordyn on Sunday. She has always been an extremely long, athletic scoring threat, especially from the 3-point line. But Sunday she looked noticeably stronger and much more aggressive off the dribble. She was literally trying to get to the rim and absorb contact on each catch for her [program_tooltip program_id='1311881' first='Indiana' last='Starz'] team. She was so invested in attacking the rim that I don't even recall her shooting a perimeter jumper. Jhordyn also has the tools to become an elite on-ball defender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1203491"],"_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-6a604447c9ded"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Lily was pulling double-duty much of Sunday, as her normal backcourt running 'mate was not in attendance. Instead of knocking down 3-pointers on the wing and back-cutting for easy layups, Lily was handling the ball quite a bit, initiating the offense, and finding open teammates. She still found time to make the occasional 3-pointer, plus she is always good at collecting steals and out-sprinting opponents to the opposite end for an easy bucket. She's primed for a big Winter at Elkhart Christian.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["902152"],"_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-6a604447c9e0f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Delaney has played a part in Homestead's offense over the past couple of seasons, but minus the graduation of several 2026 prospects, she should be a go-to entity for the Lady Spartans, and I look for her to potentially be their leading scorer, their top shooting threat, and possibly their top assists person. Delaney has done a nice job of improving her handle and vision, and she has become an effective point guard. But with her elite skill as a shooter, that remains the priority.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1228365"],"_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-6a604447c9e2e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ellington isn't very big, but she was solid in her two games on Sunday, and she has done a nice job of working on both her playmaking abilities and her shooting. She is an excellent shooter outside, with good mechanics and touch. But it's her ball-handling that stood out to me on Sunday. She is doing a nice job of turning the corner on defenders and putting pressure on the entire defense, finding open teammates in traffic. She's also grittily defending and has figured out ways to create turnovers consistently.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->