Ohio v Indiana : Buckeye Starters

(From Prep Girls Hoops Indiana's main writer Brandon Bradley) “In the spirit of fun and entertainment, one of our content directors at the Prep Network headquarters in Minneapolis had the idea of creating "paper" rivalries with neighboring states. Knowing that Indiana plays Kentucky in the annual IBCA/IndyStar All-Star series each June, it was proposed to Jim Dabbelt (Senior Editor, Prep Girls Hoops Ohio) and I to create a series of articles this week highlighting what would happen if Indiana and Ohio were to get together in a border war rivalry game. The biggest difference between our traditional Indiana/Kentucky rivalry and this one with Ohio is that we can incorporate anyone from any of the four graduating classes currently in high school. With that said, Jim and I agreed to picking 15 kids from across each of our states.”   Jim on picking Ohio's best- Ok Ohio fans, so what's the key to put together such a good team? You obviously have to have a good mix at different positions. So I've put together three solid groups of five that I think would be able to compete well against the Indiana stars. Over the next few days we'll take a look at those players starting today with the starting lineups, then on Wednesday will be the first five subs off the bench, followed by Thursday's look at the remainder of this powerful lineup. On Friday I'll do my best to break down what I think would happen if these two powerful squads went head to head. THE OHIO STARTERS    As far as the Ohio lineup is concerned, it all starts with the number one player in the country. Everybody has her ranked at the top and rightfully so. Saniyah, heading to USC next season, is the most feared player in the Buckeye State for a reason. She's got a really strong frame with the size to be able to take the ball to the rim, can also play any of the five positions which makes her a mismatch on the outside. She can knock down the three, great moves and footwork at the rim, good hang time and gets rid of the ball quickly from anywhere around the mid range. She is extremely smart with the ball and often it's a women v girls situation when she's on the court.     They call her Peanut, and this point guard has got an incredible all-around game. Quick super and athletic, she is in position to take over a game at any time. One thing I like about her is she's very resilient, plays tough and strong, made the move up to Spire and when she teams up with Hall, it makes them very difficult to beat. Cradle will be heading to Louisville next year, but in this mythical battle with our neighbors from the west, she would put people on notice!      This young lady is a difference maker. Not only is she a player that can score in multiple ways, that includes the three and anywhere around the arc. Smooth jumper, elevates well, releases it quickly and just plays the game with a lot of bounce. She'll be attending the University of Dayton next season, she still has some unfinished business during the regular season, but she would be a very good matchup in this series with Indiana as a player who can do a lot of damage in a lot of ways. She's just smooth, elegant and effective on the court which translates into success.     Talk about explosive, talk about somebody who can score at any time. It's definitely Mason. She just committed to The Ohio State University where I could see her having a great career. Tatiana displays the “it” factor that most people don't have. Her court vision is uncanny and she has great athletic ability to out work a lot of people. Very good defender, she will add very nicely to this stacked Ohio lineup!     Libby is a top 10 sophomore in the state, but on this team, I need somebody I can trust to run the show. She can score, but on this team, she doesn't need to. She needs to run the offense, distribute and play good defense. She's also able and capable of scoring so don't misinterpret that, she's just a steady force I need to play the point with this powerful team from Ohio! Everybody I talked to about her raves about her leadership. She's a perfect fit for this Buckeye loaded lineup!

(From Prep Girls Hoops Indiana's main writer Brandon Bradley)
“In the spirit of fun and entertainment, one of our content directors at the Prep Network headquarters in Minneapolis had the idea of creating "paper" rivalries with neighboring states. Knowing that Indiana plays Kentucky in the annual IBCA/IndyStar All-Star series each June, it was proposed to Jim Dabbelt (Senior Editor, Prep Girls Hoops Ohio) and I to create a series of articles this week highlighting what would happen if Indiana and Ohio were to get together in a border war rivalry game. The biggest difference between our traditional Indiana/Kentucky rivalry and this one with Ohio is that we can incorporate anyone from any of the four graduating classes currently in high school. With that said, Jim and I agreed to picking 15 kids from across each of our states.”