Summer Summary: Northern Indiana

Feature image is of [player_tooltip player_id="10705" first="Kaitlyn" last="Costner"] of Penn High School and MBA Select. In a year with a great deal of uncertainty, Central and Northern Indiana turned out to be quite the places to host a number of grassroots events. With the conclusion of the Run 4 Roses Classic a couple of weekends ago, and with kids participating in Fall leagues or playing Fall sports for their high schools, I wanted to turn my attention to reviewing what I saw all Summer long. This article is the seventh in a series of nine articles over a two-week span doing so. The programs who entered six or more teams in the 17U-14U age groups have gotten their own articles, while the remaining programs/teams are being divided into articles focusing on Northern, Central, or Southern teams. Below is a look at some of the approximately dozen teams in those age groups from Northern Indiana who took the court throughout July and early August (there have been some recent roster changes to a few teams, plus a handful of teams had fluid rosters from week to week anyway, so in this article I'll try to focus on who played the majority of the Summer with each team/coach when I was able to see them).   17U Teams: IABC (Indiana Attack Basketball Club): IABC was a new program on the circuit this Summer, with players ranging from the Elkhart/South Bend area down towards Warsaw. They had several younger players participate on multiple teams to have numbers each weekend, but I'll focus on the submitted roster. Heading into the Summer, I was most curious to see 5-8 wing [player_tooltip player_id="130332" first="Mercedes" last="Rhodes"] (2021) of Oregon-Davis. She put together a tremendous 2019-2020 season statistically and made the Indiana Junior All-Star team, so I wanted to see how here game has come along. She is very long, wiry, and fluidly athletic. She has a decent handle and can play a point forward role at times, but she is definitely programmed as a scorer. She is good slicing through the defense to get to the basket, and she's a fairly consistent perimeter shooter. Strength could really help her game long-term. 5-6 guard [player_tooltip player_id="130343" first="Danielle" last="Jenkins"] (2021) of Wawasee looked great at times. She is a really nice, somewhat underappreciated athlete. She's quick/fast, wiry strong, and she plays with a competitive motor. I like how she defends as much as anything, but she is a combo guard who can make plays off the bounce, find open teammates, or bury shots with range. 5-7 guard [player_tooltip player_id="184234" first="Mia" last="Naman"] (2021) of South Bend Saint Joseph was new to me, but I thought she had some really nice moments over the Summer. She's another long and wiry kid who is a solid all-around athlete with good end-to-end speed. She wasn't maybe as assertive as Jenkins offensively, but she did show the skill to play either guard spot, she made open rhythm jumpers, and she defended hard and used her length at that end of the floor. Lady Legit: The long-time Fort Wayne area program fielded two teams this Summer, with the 17U team featuring a mixture of youngsters and veterans. I've said it before, but 5-9 wing [player_tooltip player_id="10721" first="Tyra" last="Ford"] (2021) of Anderson might be the best pound-for-pound rebounder in the state. She has a tremendous nose for the ball, high-level athleticism, and she plays with a motor. She has done a tremendous job over the last three years of really working on her handle and perimeter touch, moving from a power forward role to that of a wing. She can defend just about any position except for maybe center, and she'll get a "quiet" double-double nearly every time she takes the floor. She has given a verbal commitment to IUPUI. Another prospect on this team who has a great deal of upside is 6-1 post [player_tooltip player_id="127213" first="Shabrea" last="O'Quinn"] (2023) of Fort Wayne Wayne. She is a broad-shouldered, powerfully built, true post who is a matchup problem for most opponents. She is forceful and rugged inside, she plays with a good motor, she'll move people to score, and she rebounds fairly well. I think she's somewhat deceptive as an athlete, plus she has shown a bit of a mid-post game in the past as well. Another nice, young prospect is 5-5 guard Emilia Diaz (2023), also of Fort Wayne Wayne. Emilia is a quick/fast, fairly athletic little guard with really good length at her height. She isn't really a point guard or a scoring guard; she's just a playmaker who can beat defenders off the bounce, hit shots at different levels, or find open teammates. I also like her motor and her willingness to defend. MBA Select: I was unable to catch MBA Select this year, as they got a late start to the Summer and I wasn't in attendance at the tournaments they played in. With that said, I would still like to recognize a few of their girls. This is a mixture of 17U and 16U prospects. 5-7 guard [player_tooltip player_id="10705" first="Kaitlyn" last="Costner"] (2021) of Penn is somewhat underappreciated on a statewide level, but she has a great deal of talent. She is an elite athlete, and she could probably earn a track scholarship in the 100m, 200m, long jump, or high jump. On the basketball court, she is one of the better on-ball defenders I've seen at the high school level over the years. She is strong, tough-nosed, gritty, and she plays with an outstanding motor. She is a pass-first kid as a point guard, but she can also score it at all three levels off the ball. She has already committed to play at The Ohio State University. 5-7 guard [player_tooltip player_id="130326" first="Joslynn" last="Spears"] (2021) of Indianapolis Pike ventured North this year to play with Select. She is a long, athletic combo guard who does a little of everything well. She can handle it a little, shoot it a little, and she has a nice first-step burst to get by defenders. I also think she can be a talented on-ball defender with her length and athleticism. 5-9 forward [player_tooltip player_id="127232" first="MaKaya" last="Porter"] (2023) of Mishawaka Marian has shown a lot of promise over the last calendar year. She is a strong, somewhat muscular, powerful, but also very athletic kid who works her tail off. She is a monster inside and dominates the mid-post and low-block because of her explosiveness and strength, but she also has some skill around the perimeter. I think she is a mid-post '4' right now, but she will likely develop into a full-time wing long-term. 5-10 wing [player_tooltip player_id="59744" first="Julia" last="Economou"] (2023) of Penn is another skillful and talented youngster in the program. She has really good length, fluid athleticism in most directions, plus she is skilled around the perimeter. She has a fairly consistent jumper, she is solid in the mid-post as well, and she plays with a nice motor and a quiet toughness. NWI Thunder Gold & Black: Year after year the Northwest Indiana Thunder program reels in several of the better prospects in Porter County and surrounding counties to field competitive teams from that corner of the state. This year they had two 17U teams, Gold and Black, with Gold sort of being the "flagship" team in the organization. I was really impressed with the growth and improvement of 5-5 guard [player_tooltip player_id="130401" first="Emma" last="O'Brien"] (2021) of Morgan Township. She looks taller, more explosive, and she's playing much stronger with the ball in her hands. She can play point and run offense, but she's also a very good shooter from the wing. I think as she continues adding more strength, it will only build her confidence even greater. This was my first time seeing 5-8 wing Olivia Marks (2023) of South Central (Union Mills, Indiana). She is a really nice athlete in most directions, she has a wiry strong frame, and she plays with a quiet toughness about her. She did some really nice things for the Satellites as a Freshman, but I anticipate her playing an even bigger role this year. South Central also returns 5-8 guard [player_tooltip player_id="128209" first="Abigail" last="Tomblin"] (2022). She is a strong, tough-nosed, and fairly athletic kid who has a natural feel for the game. She is creative with the ball in her hands, she can score it at all three levels or find teammates, but she's also solid off the ball. She is a physical guard who can defend a little as well. 6-0 post [player_tooltip player_id="130367" first="Kassie" last="Stanko"] (2021) of Morgan Township is one of the more under-recruited bigs in the state. I think she has a really nice combination of size, strength, and skill. She has a big frame, she's powerful on the low-block, she has good hands and decent footwork, and she can finish inside. But she's also capable of hitting the mid-range jumper consistently and playing away from the basket, because she has a nice motor as well. I thought 5-10 wing [player_tooltip player_id="130359" first="Kiana" last="Oelling"] (2021) of Valparaiso has improved a lot as well. She is a long, somewhat slender, but athletic, fluid, and smooth point forward type. She has good vision and passing skills with the ball in her hands, plus she can slice to the basket and score it as well. I really like her potential to become a high-level, versatile defender who can potentially guard any type of perimeter player. 5-6 guard Grace Weston (2022) of Westville is a small school "sleeper" who could be a nice find for some small college. She is strong, tough-nosed, and very skilled. She has a good handle, she's a really nice passer, and she plays with a high IQ and feel for the game. If she can continue working on her lateral quickness, especially defensively, I think it will really benefit her recruiting. Time2Ball: This Fort Wayne area group was new on the scene this year, replacing what was called Motivational Movements a season ago. This 17U group held their ground and hung with several quality travel teams all Summer long. 5-10 forward [player_tooltip player_id="184239" first="Delaney" last="Bailey"] (2021) of Fort Wayne Bishop Luers and 5-10 front-linter [player_tooltip player_id="130398" first="Eversyn" last="Murphy"] (2021) of Fort Wayne Carroll did a nice job of controlling the paint for this squad. Both are strong, physical kids with great motors. Bailey is kind of the mid-post threat, she has some touch on her jumper, plus she can play around the perimeter a little as well. Murphy is the workhorse on the low-block, but she can also find her way to the mid-post on occasion and score it there effectively. 5-10 wing [player_tooltip player_id="130379" first="Emma" last="Hoover"] (2021) of Northfield is one of the more talented sleepers in the state. She is long, wiry strong, and very athletic. She has ball skills and can play a point forward position, plus she has a nice soft touch from the perimeter and can hit shots at all three levels. She has already verbally committed to Trine University, and they are getting a heck of a player. 5-9 wing [player_tooltip player_id="158394" first="Kearston" last="Stout"] (2021), also from Northfield, is another athletic wing who does a variety of things well. She has great length, some bounce and quickness, and she doesn't mind being physical some inside the arc. But she can jet to the rim from the perimeter or knock down the occasional outside jumper as well. She, too, is already committed to Trine University. Biggest Stock-Riser: [player_tooltip player_id="130379" first="Emma" last="Hoover"], 2021, 5-10 SF, Northfield H.S. Most Under-Recruited Prospect: [player_tooltip player_id="127213" first="Shabrea" last="O'Quinn"], 2023, 6-1 C, Fort Wayne Wayne H.S. Best Motor: [player_tooltip player_id="10705" first="Kaitlyn" last="Costner"], 2021, 5-7 CG, Penn H.S.   16U Teams: IABC (Indiana Attack Basketball Club): In the 16U division, the IABC team was also led by strong perimeter play. I was probably most impressed with the improvement of 5-7 point guard [player_tooltip player_id="128171" first="Kelly" last="Ratigan"] (2022) of South Bend Saint Joseph. She is a fairly strong, skilled, and tough-nosed ball-handler. She plays sort of an "old school" game, dictating tempo, running offense efficiently, and taking/making shots when she's open and in rhythm. She uses her body to protect the ball, she gets defenders on her hip and draws contact, and she can finish and/or get to the line. I also like her basketball IQ and understanding of angles defensively. 5-6 point guard [player_tooltip player_id="128132" first="Bailie" last="Stephens"] (2022) of Warsaw has always been a ball of energy. She too has a fairly strong frame, she has good North/South speed, and she plays with a great deal of passion and intensity. She can run offense and find teammates, but she's also a nice downhill attacker who earns repeated trips to the free throw line. I like the fact that she also defends about as hard as she plays on offense. 6-0 post [player_tooltip player_id="182149" first="Maddie" last="Hudspeth"] (2022) of Oregon-Davis has had quite the last 12-18 months. She has grown a few inches, gotten much stronger, transferred to O-D from John Glenn, and she put together a very nice 2019-2020 season on a veteran team. She is strong, she plays hard, and she battles inside with good touch and all-around skill for a big. She can play comfortably in the mid-post, and her low-block game has improved quite a bit as well. 5-9 wing [player_tooltip player_id="182144" first="De'Mour" last="Watson"] (2022) of Elkhart Consolidated made her first appearance in grassroots basketball that I can recall over the last three years, and she was impressive at times. She is a long, wiry strong, and very fast and bouncy athlete. She is a talented playmaker who plays primarily on instincts right now. She has a nose for the ball and is a tremendous rebounder, she can defend multiple positions, and she's an aggressive attacking type of scorer off the bounce. If she can add a consistent perimeter shot, she could be scary good in her area. Biggest Stock-Riser: [player_tooltip player_id="128171" first="Kelly" last="Ratigan"], 2022, 5-7 PG, South Bend Saint Joseph H.S. Most Under-Recruited Prospect: [player_tooltip player_id="182144" first="De'Mour" last="Watson"], 2022, 5-9 SF, Elkhart Consolidated H.S. Best Motor: [player_tooltip player_id="128132" first="Bailie" last="Stephens"], 2022, 5-6 PG, Warsaw Community H.S.   15U Teams: IABC (Indiana Attack Basketball Club): The 15U IABC group was a hard-working group who played a little differently than their older teams. They used a little size, defense, and ball control a great deal more. 5-10 forward Peyton Hull (2023) of South Bend Saint Joseph showed a really versatile skillset and the ability to play inside and out. She has an athletic, strong frame, some length, and she's a solid athlete in all directions. She was great in the mid-post, she could score inside against smaller defenders, but she also showed a little touch outside on occasion, knocking down rhythm jumpers. 5-9 forward [player_tooltip player_id="201872" first="Gaby" last="Gates"] (2024) of Northridge showed a lot of similar characteristics as Hull, especially with the inside-out versatility. She played a lot bigger than she is inside, battling true posts on occasion defensively and rebounding fairly well, but her offensive game was more centered around the mid-post and the perimeter. She was a solid one-directional athlete off the bounce, and she also showed a little touch outside. 5-2 guard Kinsey Atkins (2023) of Triton also had some really good moments, often filling in on their older teams as well. She is a little water-bug type of guard with good speed and quickness. She can handle the ball and run offense, she gets into gaps well and collapses defenses, and she's a willing passer. I also like her efforts at the defensive end of the floor, as she can really bother opposing ball-handlers in the half-court. Time2Ball: The 15U group for this organization was also highly competitive each time I saw them this Summer. Maybe the most surprising prospect to me was 5-9 wing Taylor Double (2023) of Huntington North. I wasn't familiar with Taylor entering the Summer, and she showed a lot of skill and ability. She has an athletic frame and moves well in most directions. She plays with a motor, she can handle it a little, shoot it a little, and she's strong attacking the basket. I also like the fact that she rebounds and defends the perimeter well. 5-10 wing [player_tooltip player_id="127242" first="Olivia" last="Waters"] (2023) of Blackford might be the most interesting prospect of the group, though, as she has a great deal of skill and versatility to her game. She can handle the ball and run offense like a point forward, she is really effective scoring it off the bounce, plus she can defend multiple positions fairly well. She can make shots outside, but as that becomes a bit more consistent, I think it will make her a scoring threat at all three levels. 6-1 post [player_tooltip player_id="59783" first="Skyla" last="Tomasek"] (2023) of Norwell is someone to keep in mind down the road. She has a long, athletically strong frame, she plays with a solid motor, and she is a nice low-post athlete. She can score it a little with her back to the basket, or she can knock down the 15-footer from the mid-post or the short-corners. Defensively, she is a nice shot-blocking presence in the paint. I also thought 5-5 guard [player_tooltip player_id="201869" first="Anika" last="Davis"] (2024) of Fort Wayne South Side was very intriguing. She has a wiry strong, athletic frame with really good length at her height. She is an explosive athlete in most directions, and she plays with a nice motor as well. She can create offense off the bounce, she is best attacking the basket, but she can also change a game at the defensive end of the floor. She has noticeable talent and will be fun to watch the next four years. Biggest Stock-Riser: Peyton Hull, 2023, 5-10 PF, South Bend Saint Joseph H.S. Prospect With The Highest Ceiling: [player_tooltip player_id="127242" first="Olivia" last="Waters"], 2023, 5-10 SF, Blackford H.S. Best Motor: Taylor Double, 2023, 5-9 SF, Huntington North H.S.   14U Teams: Lady Legit: I was able to see a little of this Legit team in late-June, and they certainly have a few nice youngsters on the roster. 5-7 wing Amiyah Woodson (2024) of Fort Wayne North Side will be one to watch. North Side hasn't been strong for some time, so she could/should get an opportunity to play right away, and she could put up numbers for them immediately. She is strong and physical on the wing, she has a knack for scoring the ball, and she has some ball skill and is a solid all-around athlete. She'll need to pick her spots and play with a sense of urgency a little more, but I think that's true for many younger players. 5-5 point guard Sydney Gorman (2024) of Fort Wayne Wayne is a nice young guard in the Summit City. She has length, speed, and quickness, plus she plays with a really nice motor. She might still have an inch or two left in her, but she will need to get stronger at some point. I like her instincts for the game, plus she showed solid ball skills and the ability to knock down an open rhythm jumper. She comes from an athletic family, and that part of her game stands out. 5-10 post Addie Shank (2024) of Fort Wayne Bishop Luers also flashed some skill when I saw them. She has a fairly strong frame, a quiet toughness, and she plays with a motor and battles hard inside at both ends of the floor. She could stand to be a bit more explosive, especially vertically, but she was very crafty around the paint and figured out ways to score against length. NWI Thunder Grey: The 14U entry for the Northwest Indiana Thunder program didn't exactly have a great outing collectively when I had the opportunity to see them, however they did have two standouts rostered who are both on our current 2024 watch list. 6-0 post [player_tooltip player_id="201874" first="Genna" last="Hayes"] (2024) of Kankakee Valley is a strong, physical, but athletic and mobile frontline prospect who has a bright future ahead of her. She loves contact and dominates her peers around the block at times, but she can also play in the mid-post and score the ball facing the basket as well. As she continues to expand her skillset, I think she could be one of the better interior players in the state in 2024. 5-8 wing [player_tooltip player_id="201877" first="Sadie" last="Marks"] (2024) of South Central (Union Mills, Indiana) will join a talented Satellite lineup this Winter, and she could carve out a starting role. She is long, wiry strong, and very athletic in most directions. She has good ball skills and can play a point forward role for her teams. She is best off the bounce right now, but she can hit an open rhythm jumper on occasion. I just like her overall playmaking ability from the wing. Biggest Stock-Riser: [player_tooltip player_id="201877" first="Sadie" last="Marks"], 2024, 5-8 SF, South Central H.S. (Union Mills, Indiana) Prospect With The Highest Ceiling: [player_tooltip player_id="201874" first="Genna" last="Hayes"], 2024, 6-0 PF/C, Kankakee Valley H.S. Best Motor: Sydney Gorman, 2024, 5-5 PG, Fort Wayne Wayne H.S.