PGH's The Encore: Indiana Youngsters

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='1263932' first='Heavynne' last='Beard'] (2029) from Lawrence North High School.   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 (in May), I wanted to put an emphasis on seeing each of their high school teams. Below is a look at a handful of 2029 and 2030 prospects who stood out throughout Sunday's action.   .    I have seen Heavynne a couple of times this Spring and Summer, and she is just a dawg who plays with an incredible motor and flies around the floor at 100 mph in every direction. She is strong/powerful for her age/position, she is physical, and she's always aggressive. Whether it's in the halfcourt or transition, she almost dares you to stop her from getting to the basket. The good thing is, she defends with the same type of energy/effort, plus she is a willing passer. As she ages and learns how to change speeds and "downshift" from time to time, I think it will help her get angles and create space better.     Lillian stepped up and had a fantastic rookie season for the Lady 'Rocks. I hadn't seen her yet in the grassroots season, but Sunday was a great opportunity, and she seemed to handle the ball much more than I recall. She is extremely long, fluidly athletic and smooth, plus she shoots a deadly ball from beyond the arc. She put up some big scoring numbers this Winter, but as she creates more and uses the free throw line as a weapon, she could really fill it up. Defensively, I think she has the physical tools to be a good on-ball defender. She already gets deflections with her length.     Rachel may not be the tallest, or even the fastest point guard prospect in 2029, but she can "wow" you with her IQ for the game, her vision up the floor, and her veteran savvy and poise in tough situations. She is strong with the ball and keeps it on a string, she is able to find open teammates on time/on target, but she can also absorb contact to finish or knock down an open rhythm jumper consistently. I think her value is in her ability to steadily run a team and keep her teammates calm and confident. I can only imagine her and [player_tooltip player_id='1137345' first='Carly' last='Stevens'] (2027) were a fun watch over the Winter.     A couple of small college coaches were raving about how well Riley played on Saturday, and Sunday I felt like she was one of the most consistent players on her EYBL team. She has gotten a little stronger and looks a bit more physical since last Summer, which is a good thing. She has great touch outside and loves to play around the perimeter, but at 6-2, she'll need to be more assertive inside at the next level, especially defensively and on the boards. Offensively, she is stronger with the ball, but I would like to see her play just a little lower to explode past her defender easier.     Watch out for Eastern Hancock to be a top contender in Class 2A this year. They were already good a season ago with [player_tooltip player_id='750766' first='McKenzie' last='Koch'] (2027) and [player_tooltip player_id='1137341' first='Bella' last='Sotelo'] (2027) leading the way. Now, Rylee brings some size and strength, and she will help rebound and defend some inside. But she is a wing by nature, skilled with the ball in her hands, and she is an excellent perimeter shooter. She can push the ball in transition like a point forward, she can run off screens and find shots, but I anticipate a lot of Koch/Grinstead ball screen-and-pop situations for the Royals in 2026-2027 as well.     Bo is the younger sister of ECA sharpshooter [player_tooltip player_id='1203491' first='Lily' last='Maxwell'] (2028). This was my first time seeing her, and she is definitely an intriguing young prospect. She has really nice length, she's a fluid athlete in all directions, and she's a fairly heady, versatile lead guard. She can make plays for herself and teammates off the bounce, she can knock down an open rhythm jumper from the perimeter as well, and she has the length and ability to become a really nice on-ball defender. All in all, I liked how she saw the floor and thought the game. She played with nice poise for her age.     With as much talent as Hamilton Southeastern possesses across the board, I'm not sure if Sloane will get a Varsity nod this coming Winter. But after watching her on Sunday, she certainly has some tools to consider for a role. She has some size, some strength, and an all-around athletic frame. She gets out and runs the floor well in translation, and she's good to hit in stride because she'll finish at the basket. In the halfcourt, she has skill facing the basket, whether that is in the mid-post or at the arc. And defensively, she also plays with effort, toughness, and versatility.

The featured image is of Heavynne Beard Heavynne Beard 5'8" | SG Lawrence North | 2029 IN (2029) from Lawrence North High School.