Under the Radar in Northeast Indiana

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='1821201' first='Isabella' last='Knitter'] (2028) from Columbia City High School.   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 focus on 6 prospects (3 in 2027, 2 in 2028, and 1 in 2029) who are either listed on the watch list, or not at all included in the rankings at the release of this article. All 6 of these prospects come from schools in Northeast Indiana, but more specifically, from the counties of LaGrange, Steuben, Noble, DeKalb, Whitley, Allen, Huntington, Wells, and Adams, which includes the state's second biggest city...Fort Wayne.   .    Bry'Lee transferred over the Summer from South Side to Wayne, so she will be looking to finish her career with the Generals. She is kind of a Swiss Army Knife at this level, and potentially in a small college environment, because she's a plug-and-play type. She is very strong at her size, athletic, and she plays with a great motor. Her strongest assets are probably her ability to defend guards, wings, and undersized forwards, plus she's an effective rebounder at her size. Offensively, she is more of a slasher/driver, but she won't force the action, and I think she could be a great screener as well.     Eden spent her first two seasons at nearby Norwell before transferring last year to Bluffton an instantly becoming a key piece to their operation. She has an athletically strong frame, some length, and she is a solid on-the-floor athlete in most directions. What stands out, though, is her nonstop motor. She is the first one on the floor, she'll take chargers, she'll rebound, and she can defend multiple positions effectively. Offensively, she has a nice mid-post game, she can knock down the 15-footer, and she can slice to the rim for scorers. She could be a nice small college contributor.     Gracie is a very strong/powerful guard who seems to absolutely enjoy contact. She is a lot quicker and shiftier than she looks, and she's more so quick than fast at this point. But she can create with the ball, she can bury open rhythm jumpers from outside, and she can harass the opposing ball-handler while defending the perimeter. To me, she's one of those kids who, if college coaches can put aside their ideal size stereotypes, I feel like she can bring some much-needed attitude defensively, while being able to run offense and knock down open jumpers offensively.     Isabella is a really nice basketball player who, by all accounts, is positionless. She can handle the ball in transition, initiate the offense in the halfcourt, and find open teammates in positions to score. When she has space and rhythm, she can knock down open jump-shots consistently, plus she has some size and strength and can play a little in the mid-post or even basket cut to post up smaller defenders. Defensively, she'll likely be better on the wing than up top, but she works hard at it and is a willing rebounder from the wing. She should draw some quality small college interest.     Ellington has really grown on me throughout the Spring and Summer. She is quick, fast, and feisty at both ends of the floor. She has always been a pretty good perimeter shooter with solid mechanics, but what I was most impressed with during this grassroots season was her ability to play a truer point guard position, run offense more efficiently, and consistently find teammates open in positions to score. She still has a scoring mentality to her, but she improved her shot selection as well this year. Defensively, she has the physical talent to be a really good on-ball defender and create turnovers.     Jules is a really nice athletic talent for Whitko working her way up the ranks, but she is also skillful and has a natural feel for the game. She can handle the ball, push and create in transition, but she will also change speeds and run the offense. Off the ball, she is a really nice slashing style of scorer, she can knock down a rhythm jumper, and she typically doesn't force shots. I also like her versatility defensively, where she can take on most point guards, 2-guards, and even some smaller 3-guards/wings. She should be much more involved this Winter and could be a key for the Wildcats.

The featured image is of Isabella Knitter Isabella Knitter 5'8" | CG Columbia City | 2028 IN (2028) from Columbia City High School.