Northern Indiana Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='1690467' first='Kylah' last='Kendall'] (2029) from South Bend's John Adams High School.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>About once a year I like to go through various areas of the state and highlight players for different reasons. In this specific article, I wanted to create an All-Northern Indiana team of the Top 5 prospects from the area heading into the 2026-2027 season. Below that list is an Honorable Mention section including one prospect from each high school in Northern Indiana. All of these prospects come from schools in Northern Indiana, but more specifically, from the counties of St. Joseph, Elkhart, Marshall, Kosciusko, and Fulton, which include familiar cities like South Bend, Mishawaka, Elkhart, Goshen, Plymouth, Warsaw, and Rochester.</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":["834963"],"_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-6a7df4c1f19f6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Lily had a spectacular end to the 2025-2026 season and earned a roster spot on the Indiana Junior All-Star team. She is a physical, aggressive driver from the perimeter, she is strong with the ball, and she can find open teammates. She's able to absorb contact inside and finish, plus she plays with an outstanding motor. As she continues to make her perimeter jumper more consistent, she'll be even tougher to defend. She has drawn high-level D2/NAIA, and even some Division I interest/offers, and that was without playing this Spring or Summer due to an injury.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1050683"],"_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-6a7df4c1f1a66"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Laine is the first of four outstanding 2029 guards on this list. She is a tremendous athlete, she has incredible quick twitch ability that allows her to start/stop on a dime and change directions, plus she can run and jump with the best of them. She utilizes her athleticism to get by defenders and attack the basket, often finishing in acrobatic ways. Her jump-shot is improving, as is her handle, and while she does a nice job of creating for teammates, she is starting to do a better job of understanding game management, changing speeds, and running offense. Laine is also a quality defender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1166593"],"_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-6a7df4c1f1ac0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jillian was enjoyable to watch throughout July, and while I had seen some really good things out of her offensively during the Winter, I was very impressed with her urgency and ability at the defensive end this Summer. She is very strong for her age, she's a nice all-around athlete, but she is quick-footed and strong while defending the ball. Offensively, she is a traditional pass-first type of floor general with her club team, but she has proven she can shoot/score it at Penn as well. She does a nice job of choosing between the two roles and taking what the defense gives her.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1263959"],"_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-6a7df4c1f1b13"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Arianna is the "walking bucket" in the class of 2029. She is extremely long, wiry-strong, fluidly athletic, and just all-around smooth. She is crafty with the ball in her hands, she can really create offense off the dribble, but she also has range well-beyond the 3-point line. I don't know if she'll ever "just" be a point guard, but I don't know that I would want her to be with her ability to score it as well as she does. At the same time, she has the talent to be an excellent on-ball defender as well, and she can stifle opposing ball-handlers. She has a very bright future ahead of her.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1690467"],"_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-6a7df4c1f1b58"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kylah is kind of the lesser-known of the group statewide, but I promise you, the people in South Bend know who she is. Kylah is extremely long, still growing, and she's a smooth, fluid athlete. She has touch outside, the ability to get a defender off-balance and glide to the rim, plus she's a willing and capable passer. She has the potential to develop into a high-level defender as well with her length and athleticism. Right now, though, she is a developing offensive weapon that has already drawn a great deal of Division-I interest/offers. I am anxious to see what her Sophomore year looks like.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>HONORABLE MENTION:</strong><br><em>Argos Community - Leah Pizzuto (2027)<br>Bethany Christian - Kayli Rassi (2028)<br>Bremen - [player_tooltip player_id='1657595' first='Teagan' last='Feathers'] (2027)<br>Caston - [player_tooltip player_id='890801' first='Madisyn' last='Douglass'] (2027)<br>Concord - Hayden Minder (2027)<br>Culver Academy - [player_tooltip player_id='1538865' first='Sophia' last='Dickey'] (2027)<br>Culver Community - Ava McCune (2028)<br>Elkhart - [player_tooltip player_id='1824381' first='Isis' last='Robbins'] (2028)<br>Elkhart Christian - [player_tooltip player_id='1231955' first='Bo' last='Maxwell'] (2030)<br>Fairfield - [player_tooltip player_id='751296' first='Madison' last='Jones'] (2027)<br>Goshen - Amari Lind (2028)<br>Jimtown - [player_tooltip player_id='1234528' first='Kiera' last='Jackson'] (2027)<br>John Glenn - [player_tooltip player_id='1820381' first='Mia' last='Hurford'] (2027)<br>Lakeland Christian - Olivia Hawks (2028)<br>LaVille - Denni Markin (2027)<br>Mishawaka - Millie Mammolenti (2027)<br>Mishawaka Marian - [player_tooltip player_id='1678149' first='Kariya' last='Byer'] (2028)<br>Northridge - [player_tooltip player_id='747044' first='Reagan' last='Huss'] (2027)<br>NorthWood - [player_tooltip player_id='1657596' first='Claire' last='Hill'] (2027)<br>Penn - [player_tooltip player_id='898485' first='Alexis' last='Werner'] (2028)<br>Plymouth - [player_tooltip player_id='1814936' first='Chloe' last='Horton'] (2028)<br>Rochester Community - Jadyn Field (2027)<br>South Bend Career Academy - Jalaeyah Hopkins (2027)<br>South Bend John Adams - [player_tooltip player_id='1690495' first='Mariyah' last='Parker'] (2029)<br>South Bend Riley - Tinayja Summers (2027)<br>South Bend St. Joseph - Pollie Walters (2028)<br>South Bend Washington - Jada Jones (2029)<br>St. Thomas More - Clare Craig (2028)<br>Tippecanoe Valley - Hadley Wise (2027)<br>Trinity Academy - Audrey Lee (2027)<br>Triton - Savannah Hawley (2028)<br>Warsaw Community - Raegan Robinson (2028)<br>Wawasee - [player_tooltip player_id='1804459' first='Addison' last='Barger'] (2029)</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->