Southwest Indiana Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='992369' first='Rhyan' last='Wagner'] (2028) from Evansville's Francis Joseph Reitz 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-Southwest Indiana team of the Top 5 prospects from the counties in the Southwest most "corner" of the state heading into the 2026-2027 season. Below that list is an Honorable Mention section including one prospect from each high school in the area. All of these prospects come from schools in Southwest Indiana, but more specifically, from the Central Time Zone counties of Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh, Warrick, Spencer, and Perry, plus Pike County and Southern Dubois County, because they are closest to this area.</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":["756247"],"_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-6a8fe0a5abc42"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Paige has been a top prospect throughout her career in the 2027 class, as she combines nice size with strength, some physicality, plus solid athleticism, and perimeter skill. She has good hands, touch, and a variety of finishing moves over each shoulder when she's on the block. She's probably most effective in the mid-post, where she can shoot or drive it. But over the years she has also added touch and consistency to her 3-point shot, which helps her in pick-and-pop situations. Defensively, she provides a nice presence in the paint, but she is also a strong rebounder as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["610126"],"_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-6a8fe0a5abcb2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One thing Indiana's Class of 2027 possesses is versatile size at the top of the rankings. Rylee is another inside-out front-liner who can use her size and strength inside to defend, rebound, and dominate smaller defenders. At the same time, she has solid ball skill, touch around the 3-point line, plus she can find open teammates. South Spencer should be fun to watch with her for a full season plus a pair of skilled Senior guards. Rylee was committed to Butler University, but following the Spring coaching changed, she reopened her recruitment and committed to Seton Hall University.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["751080"],"_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-6a8fe0a5abcfb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jordyn has always been a nice prospect in the 2027 class, but she also typically played "up" in the 2026 age group. This Spring, playing among her peers, she really stood out and had a nice grassroots season. She looked a little leaner and more explosive, she was still able to use her strength and physicality to get downhill, but she also continued her reputation of being a good perimeter shooter. She has a variety of low-major Division I and elite small college interest, but this Winter she should be THE option for the Lady Knights and could erupt offensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1137294"],"_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-6a8fe0a5abd42"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I've been tracking Mia since her Sophomore season, but this Spring she began putting herself "on the map" as far as colleges were concerned. She is a long, wiry, and fluidly athletic wing, but she's starting to get stronger, absorb contact better, and get to the rim with a little more ease. Mia has a nice-looking shot, and while she's almost automatic from 15-feet, she is becoming more and more consistent from 3-point range. She can push it in transition like a point forward, she's a more than willing passer, and she does a nice job of rebounding and using her versatility defensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["999407"],"_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-6a8fe0a5abd88"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kierstyn is a highly skilled, versatile, and intelligent forward prospect. She has tremendous length, a fluid athleticism to her, and she can play multiple roles for her team. She has the height and length to play/defend inside some, but she'll need to continue getting stronger. She has some touch outside and can work in pick-and-pop/pick-and-roll situations as well. Additionally, Kierstyn has good ball skill, she can push it in transition, and she can act as a point forward, whether she is initiating the offense or creating of the bounce and finding open teammates. She has a high ceiling.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>HONORABLE MENTION:</strong><br><em>Boonville - [player_tooltip player_id='1690470' first='Carlie' last='Kuebler'] (2029)<br>Cannelton - Jaliyah Little (2027)<br>Castle - [player_tooltip player_id='834934' first='Azaria' last='Finn'] (2027)<br>Evansville Bosse - Journee Ealum (2028)<br>Evansville Central - [player_tooltip player_id='990954' first='Madelyn' last='Bender'] (2028)<br>Evansville Christian - Lindey Schaefer (2028)<br>Evansville F.J. Reitz - [player_tooltip player_id='992369' first='Rhyan' last='Wagner'] (2028)<br>Evansville Harrison - [player_tooltip player_id='1690461' first='Jaliyah' last='Farmer'] (2029)<br>Evansville Mater Dei - [player_tooltip player_id='751070' first='Izzy' last='Like'] (2027)<br>Evansville Memorial - Brynna Alpers (2027)<br>Evansville North - [player_tooltip player_id='999422' first='Lexi' last='Scott'] (2028)<br>Forest Park - [player_tooltip player_id='756235' first='Avery' last='Hill'] (2027)<br>Gibson Southern - [player_tooltip player_id='1690475' first='Avery' last='Paridaen'] (2029)<br>Heritage Hills - [player_tooltip player_id='1690468' first='Iyla' last='Kress'] (2029)<br>Mt. Vernon (Posey) - [player_tooltip player_id='1690463' first='Stella' last='Hall'] (2029)<br>North Posey - Taylor Reich (2029)<br>Perry Central - [player_tooltip player_id='1351133' first='Masen' last='Labhart'] (2027)<br>Pike Central - [player_tooltip player_id='890882' first='Alyssa' last='McCutchan'] (2027)<br>Princeton - [player_tooltip player_id='756242' first='Alexis' last='Kermode'] (2027)<br>South Spencer - [player_tooltip player_id='1583133' first='Alexis' last='Harris'] (2027)<br>Southridge - Riley Blessinger (2027)<br>Tecumseh - [player_tooltip player_id='751068' first='Hazel' last='Melton'] (2027)<br>Tell City - Kendall Lane (2029)<br>Wood Memorial - Addy Phillips (2027)</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->