Class of 2019 Rankings Breakdown: Power Forwards

The Class of 2019 has long been known for the quality of depth in its group of frontline players. Depth like this can be both good and bad. It’s good for colleges, because they are able to recruit much more talented players than in a typical graduating class, but it can be bad for prospects, because several of them are still sitting around with minimal interest, whereas if they were in a “normal” class they might be sought after by a number of colleges. With that in mind, below is an in-depth look at the Top-10 power forward prospects in Indiana’s Class of 2019.   <ol> <li> Jorie Allen, 2019, 6-1 F, Bedford North Lawrence H.S.</li> </ol> Jorie is a solidly built, physical, tough-nosed forward with a really nice skillset. She is probably most effective dominating the mid-post and abusing smaller defenders around the block, but she can shoot the ball around the perimeter, and you’ll even see her handle the ball and initiate offense for Bedford at times this season. She is so versatile for her size, it’s easy to see why she had all of the suitors she did before eventually committing to Indiana University.   <ol start="2"> <li> Tai-Yanna Jackson, 2019, 6-5 F/C, East Chicago Central H.S. [caption id="attachment_11298" align="alignright" width="186"] Tai-Yanna Jackson is a scary defensive presence inside Photo courtesy of nwitimes.com.[/caption]</li> </ol> Tai-Yanna might have the biggest upside of any 2019 prospect in Indiana from a physical standpoint. She is incredibly long, she runs like a gazelle, and she is bouncy. She can score the ball around the block, in the mid-post, and now she’s starting to handle and shoot it a little around the perimeter. She has drawn her fair share of high-major interest, but I still think she’s somewhat underappreciated because of the area of the state she comes from.   <ol start="3"> <li> Emma Nolan, 2019, 6-1 F, Marquette Catholic H.S.</li> </ol> Emma is a highly skilled face-up forward who does a little bit of everything for her teams. She has wiry strength, good length, and she’s a very good face-up shooter with range to the perimeter. She shot the ball extremely well during the grassroots season. She also has a great motor, she will try to be physical inside at times, and she comes up with hustle plays. She was originally committed to Saint Louis, but she reopened her recruitment in late-April.   <ol start="4"> <li> Sophia Nolan, 2019, 6-1 F, Marquette Catholic H.S.</li> </ol> Sophia, like her twin sister above, is also a skilled face-up forward. They are not only identical in how they look, but they’re also very similar in how they play. Sophia might actually be a little bouncier athletically, and she too shoots a nice ball from the perimeter. Sophia prefers to play around the perimeter a little more than Emma, but she will grab her share of rebounds. She was also a Saint Louis commit, but she is again available as of late-April.   <ol start="5"> <li> Amaya Hamilton, 2019, 6-1 F, Hamilton Southeastern H.S. [caption id="attachment_11300" align="alignright" width="219"] Amaya Hamilton of HSE Photo courtesy of Danny Riego's Twitter account.[/caption]</li> </ol> Amaya is a long, fluid, and athletic forward. She is probably best attacking the basket from the mid-post, but she can play around the low-block, and she’s fairly comfortable as a screener and a passer around the perimeter. I wouldn’t exactly call her a wing, but she can put it on the floor three to four dribbles and get somewhere with it. I think she has a lot of upside, and her best days are probably still in front of her. She has already committed to Duquesne.   <ol start="6"> <li> Lilly Hatton, 2019, 6-1 F, North Harrison H.S.</li> </ol> I really enjoy watching Lilly play, and now that she is over a nagging injury, she looked great in July when I was able to see her. She is strong, physical, and she plays with a chip on her shoulder. She also has deceptive athleticism, good length, and a tremendous motor. She’s a versatile interior player who can defend posts, she can block shots, but offensively she can step outside and knock down the 3. Ultimately, she’s a power forward who can play at all three levels.   <ol start="7"> <li> Delaney Richason, 2019, 6-1 F, Zionsville Community H.S.</li> </ol> I think Delaney had about as good of a June and July as I can remember seeing from her. She is long, fluid, and skilled. She still needs to gain some strength, but her ability to hit shots from the perimeter is what stands out the most. She was even handling the ball in transition a lot for Zionsville during June team camps. She has started to play more physical, but I think she’s a mid-post to perimeter forward. She has already committed to the University of Vermont.   <ol start="8"> <li> Caitlin Baird, 2019, 6-3 F, Perry Meridian H.S. [caption id="attachment_11301" align="alignright" width="200"] Caitlin Baird of Perry Meridian Photo courtesy of southsidervoice.com.[/caption]</li> </ol> Caitlin’s name is probably one you aren’t familiar with. While she has been a nice player for Perry Meridian the last three years, she has never played travel ball because she’s a major volleyball prospect. She was on the USA Junior National team this summer, and she has already committed to Stanford for volleyball. In basketball, though, she has a great frame, and she actually handles the ball a lot for the Falcons. She can hit shots outside and in the mid-post, and she defends the interior well with her size.   <ol start="9"> <li> Tiara Jackson, 2019, 6-2 F/C, East Chicago Central H.S.</li> </ol> Like we mentioned at the top, several girls are underrecruited at this point due to this class’ depth, and Tiara is one of those kids. She already has a Division I offer, but in a “normal” class she might have five or six by now. She is a wiry strong athlete, she has really committed herself to the game in the last year, and her production has increased a great deal. She can run and jump, block shots, and she’s active around the basket at both ends of the floor. I would put her in the “sleeper” category at this point.   <ol start="10"> <li> Haley Swing, 2019, 6-0 F, Homestead H.S.</li> </ol> Haley really turned the corner this spring and summer, and it appeared to me at least that it was due to adding strength, which brought on an added confidence. In the past, Haley was thinner and settled for playing more around the perimeter. But this grassroots season she was much more assertive on the interior, she was aggressive on the boards, and she finished through contact. She is a multilevel offensive threat now who has already committed to Division II Grand Valley State.   2019 Power Forwards 11-25: <ol start="11"> <li>Meleah Leatherman, 2019, 6-1 F, Central Noble H.S., committed to Saint Francis-IN</li> <li>Jessica Nunge, 2019, 6-1 F, Castle H.S., committed to Florida State (Volleyball)</li> <li>Morgan Litwiller, 2019, 5-11 F, Northridge H.S., committed to Eastern Illinois</li> <li>Darlisha Reed, 2019, 5-10 F, Hammond Clark H.S.</li> <li>Mackenzie Wood, 2019, 6-1 F, Carmel H.S.</li> <li>Jazmyn Turner, 2019, 6-0 F, Marion H.S.</li> <li>Jossie Hudson, 2019, 6-0 F, Evansville Mater Dei H.S., committed to Evansville</li> <li>Makenna Fee, 2019, 6-0 F, Seymour H.S., committed to Illinois-Springfield</li> <li>Alison Hein, 2019, 6-0 F, Vincennes Lincoln H.S.</li> <li>Kinnidy Garrard, 2019, 5-11 F, Pike H.S.</li> <li>Naomi McDaniel, 2019, 6-0 F, Attica H.S.</li> <li>Madeline Schumacher, 2019, 6-0 F, North Judson-San Pierre H.S., committed to IU-South Bend</li> <li>Chelsea Gibson, 2019, 6-0 F, Charlestown H.S.</li> <li>Stephanie Burns, 2019, 6-0 F, Northwestern H.S.</li> <li>Jordyn Barga, 2019, 5-11 F, Monroe Central H.S., committed to Kentucky Wesleyan</li> </ol>   Header photo of Jorie Allen of Bedford North Lawrence; photo courtesy of tmnews.com.