Rankings Update: New Additions In 2021

Brandon Bradley January 15, 2021 @ 12:43 PM

The holiday season was a time for many good things. When it comes to Prep Girls Hoops Indiana, it’s a time for our midseason update to the rankings in all graduating classes. Not only have we updated our rankings, but we have expanded our rankings as well. As it relates to the 2021 class specifically, we have expanded from 225 prospects to 250 prospects listed. If you refer back to a November 28 article titled "Rankings Preview: 2021", I touched on the probability of [player_tooltip player_id="245964" first="Cailynn" last="Dilosa"], [player_tooltip player_id="130395" first="Kaylee" last="Kear"], [player_tooltip player_id="245963" first="Macayla" last="McGowan"], [player_tooltip player_id="245969" first="Sayla" last="McIntosh"], and [player_tooltip player_id="245966" first="Treasure" last="Nickelson"] all joining the rankings in this update, and yes, they are all on there. With this article, I wanted to discuss five more prospects who have also found their way into the Class of 2021 rankings during this update.   [player_tooltip player_id="245962" first="Dyamond" last="Blair"], 2021, 5-4 CG, Andrean H.S. Dyamond took a big step last year, going from Varsity role player to double-digit scorer. But if you thought she was done there, she has made another leap this year and become one of the stars for the currently undefeated Andrean 59ers team. She might not be big in terms of height, but she is strong, athletic, and very aggressive at both ends of the floor. In 2020-2021, Dyamond has increased her scoring (13.3 to 15.6 points per game), her assists (2.1 to 3.4 per game), and her steals (1.7 to 2.8 per game), plus she has cut her turnovers by more than half (3.3 down to 1.4 per game). She is also shooting it at a career-best in all three categories...52% FGs, 38% 3s, and 75% FTs. [player_tooltip player_id="130403" first="Olivia" last="Brooke"], 2021, 5-9 SF/PF, Pioneer H.S. While Panther teammates [player_tooltip player_id="157179" first="Hailey" last="Cripe"] and [player_tooltip player_id="59732" first="Ashlynn" last="Brooke"] have garnered a lot of praise in the past because of their perimeter shooting prowess, Olivia has stepped up in a big way as a Senior, especially in the absence of her sister, Ashlynn. Olivia has really worked on her skillset, and she is scoring it (16.1 points per game), rebounding it (8.1 rebounds per game), dishing it out (3.3 assists per game), and stealing it (2.1 steals per game) at career-high levels. She’s also shooting a quality 52% from the field and 83% from the charity stripe. Her athleticism, versatility, and willingness to make the hustle plays have really helped the Panthers maintain elite status in Class 1A this year. [player_tooltip player_id="245976" first="Annelise" last="Lollar"], 2021, 5-6 SG, Edinburgh H.S. Annelise has been a Varsity contributor since her Freshman year at Edinburgh, but this year she has stepped into more of the starring role for the Lancers, following some key 2020 graduation losses. Annelise is a strong, somewhat physical scorer, who likes to get defenders on her hip and attack downhill. She gets to the free throw line often, and she’s knocking down those charity tosses at a career-best 74% clip. She hasn’t quite been the perimeter threat this year as in years past, but she is so good in the mid-range game and at finishing around the basket, that she’s still managing to score 18.3 points per game thus far, with a high of 34 points just a couple of weeks ago. [player_tooltip player_id="245979" first="Caitlyn" last="Madden"], 2021, 5-6 SF, Evansville Mater Dei H.S. Caitlyn is a very intriguing prospect who I feel could become a really nice small college "fit" kid somewhere and really turn some heads. She has good strength at her size, and she is a solid on-the-floor athlete, but she is known for her craftiness and playmaking ability. She is a deceptive point forward type with a good handle and solid floor vision. She does a really nice job of finding teammates in the smallest of windows, and she has a flair for the highlight reel play. Defensively, she is gritty and somewhat physical on the wing, she’s a willing rebounder, and I enjoy her motor and her passion for the game. She energizes her teammates with her emotion on the floor. [player_tooltip player_id="245972" first="Alayna" last="Webb"], 2021, 5-9 SG/SF, Mississinewa H.S. Alayna has had the reputation of being a perimeter shooter you have to chase. But following the 2020 graduation loss of Mississinewa’s floor general, plus an injury to another key player this Fall, Alayna has been thrust into a much more prominent ball-handling role. She has played admirably, and she is doing several more things for her team. She has good length, wiry strength, and fluid athleticism, plus she’s now starting to score the ball in a variety of different ways, hitting tough shots at all three levels instead of just rhythm jumpers. I’ve been impressed with her feel for the game and her creativity, and I think as she continues to handle the ball this much, she’ll only get better.   Additional Prospects New To The 2021 Rankings: [player_tooltip player_id="245978" first="Lauren" last="Bales"], 2021, 5-5 CG, Norwell H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245977" first="Lana" last="Bell"], 2021, 5-10 PF, South Decatur H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245985" first="Madison" last="Blickenstaff"], 2021, 5-11 PF, Pioneer H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245968" first="Dakota" last="Borman"], 2021, 5-7 SG, Fountain Central H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245964" first="Cailynn" last="Dilosa"], 2021, 5-2 PG, Merrillville H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245981" first="Samya" last="Gardner"], 2021, 5-9 SF, Hammond Morton H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245983" first="Sydney" last="Good"], 2021, 5-7 SG, Morgan Township H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245980" first="Nevaeh" last="Govert"], 2021, 5-4 SG, Hanover Central H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245967" first="Ryleigh" last="Grott"], 2021, 5-11 PF, Marquette Catholic School [player_tooltip player_id="245987" first="Georgia" last="Hanauer"], 2021, 5-7 SF, Southern Wells H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245971" first="Brooke" last="Jackson"], 2021, 5-11 PF, Mount Vernon H.S. (Posey) [player_tooltip player_id="245974" first="Micah" last="Jett"], 2021, 5-5 CG, Ben Davis H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="130395" first="Kaylee" last="Kear"], 2021, 5-10 PF, Cowan H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245984" first="Olivia" last="Labus"], 2021, 5-9 PF, Guerin Catholic School [player_tooltip player_id="245988" first="Lily" last="Martin"], 2021, 6-0 C, Faith Christian School [player_tooltip player_id="245963" first="Macayla" last="McGowan"], 2021, 5-10 SF, New Castle H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245969" first="Sayla" last="McIntosh"], 2021, 5-4 CG, Muncie Central H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245989" first="Mikayla" last="Miller"], 2021, 5-7 SG, Owen Valley H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245965" first="Tiana" last="Morales"], 2021, 5-6 SF/PG, Lake Central H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245966" first="Treasure" last="Nickelson"], 2021, 5-9 PF/SF, Crawford County H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245982" first="Grace" last="Sandlin"], 2021, 5-3 CG, Tri-West H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="158396" first="Emma" last="Schmidt"], 2021, 5-9 SF, Chesterton H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245970" first="Kendra" last="Sill"], 2021, 5-8 SF, Eastern H.S. (Pekin) [player_tooltip player_id="245975" first="Makenzie" last="VanHoy"], 2021, 5-8 PF/SF, Loogootee H.S. [player_tooltip player_id="245973" first="Megan" last="Wagner"], 2021, 5-9 SF, Carroll H.S. (Flora) [player_tooltip player_id="245986" first="Mariah" last="Wyatt"], 2021, 5-11 C/PF, Wabash H.S.