Indiana vs. Ohio: The Final 5 Hoosiers

The featured image is of Davidson College commit [player_tooltip player_id='567130' first='Gracyn' last='Gilliard'] (2026) from Center Grove High School.   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.   Once again, this is meant to be a fun article and not a debate as to who did or didn't make it, but rather why those who were chosen do fit well on a team of this type. We are also fielding a TEAM to play against another TEAM, so if the best 15 prospects in Indiana were, say, all 5-foot-5, it would make no sense competitively to field those 15 prospects when Ohio will definitely come with some size. There were some easy choices for me, and there were some tough ones as well, especially toward the end. All in all, I think this group as a team gives the Hoosiers the best chance to compete with the Buckeyes in this rivalry matchup. Below is a look at the final five ladies I chose to finish adding depth on this roster. With guards already chosen like Holman, Epps, Bricker, and Barnes, and the versatility they bring, I opted to go a little bigger with these final five players and choose scoring weapons on the wings and inside. We're almost to the end, and Friday's article will look at the potential outcome of the game if this, that, and the other happens...or if it doesn't. Let's get it, Indiana!   .    Throughout her career, Mollie has proven to be one of the most versatile prospects in Indiana's 2026 class. On this team, she can help as another primary ball-handler, or she can just settle in on the wing and shoot/score it. She has tremendous length, and she is a nice all-around athlete who seemingly glides all over the floor. She has always been a talented perimeter shooter with a quick release, but during her high school career, she has also improved her handle and ability to take care of it against pressure. This season she is averaging 24.2p, 6.5r, and 4.3a per game, plus this University of Kansas commit has also knocked down 66 3-pointers.     Speaking of versatility, Gracyn is right there with Mollie in that category. In fact, while I'm not sure she would need to handle the ball much with this team, Gracyn is a talented passer with very good vision. This season, she has helped the Lady Trojans to an undefeated regular season and a Top 5 ranking in both statewide polls. This strong and very athletic wing is also averaging 26.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game, while shooting an impressive 43% (46-107) from 3-point range. She doesn't back down from anyone, and she is committed to Davidson College, where she could take the Atlantic 10 by storm next year.     This was the spot where I kept going round and round over who to choose. But I kept coming back to Gabby's name. Why? She is one of the hardest working, toughest kids in the state, and she just flat out helps her teams win. She has solid size & strength, she's a fairly balanced athlete, and she's an outstanding shooter with tremendous range. Coming off the bench, she could settle in and knock down a couple of 3-pointers before Ohio realizes what hit them. I also love the fact that she wants to crash the boards and chase down rebounds. Gabby is committed to the University of Toledo, so Ohio fans will see plenty of her soon enough.     While she might not be overly well-known on a statewide platform, Kylah was an easy selection for me with this group. She brings a talented, skillful toolbox with her, and she definitely goes to work each time out, averaging 27.2 points, 15.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 5.0 steals per game. While she won't have to with this group, "KP" could almost play all five positions if needed. She has good size & strength, bounce, and a nice complement of skills. She can handle it in transition, create in the halfcourt for herself or teammates, plus she has drastically improved as a perimeter shooter (20-56, 36%). Division I coaches have taken notice!     To round out this version of Team Indiana, this choice was pretty easy for me. Maddie brings more size, a quiet toughness, and great effort to the lineup. For her CAREER, Maddie is averaging 20.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, plus she has made 53% of her field goal attempts. I've harped on it over and over again, but Maddie is one of the most complete, skillful forwards in the Midwest, let alone Indiana. She has an accurate 3-point shot, plus she can take smaller defenders to the block and abuse them. This University of Southern Indiana commit could produce a double-double for her team as a substitute player.

The featured image is of Davidson College commit Gracyn Gilliard Gracyn Gilliard 5'10" | SG/SF Center Grove | 2026 State IN (2026) from Center Grove High School.