Down The Stretch: Class 4A

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id="62538" first="Chloe" last="McKnight"] of Bedford North Lawrence High School. As Sectional first round action continues later this evening, we finish our look into postseason play. The state tournament began last night, Tuesday, February 2, and teams are already making impressive statements. With that in mind, I wanted to highlight a handful of teams in Class 4A who stand out for three very different reasons as we enjoy the beginning of tourney play.   STRONG & STEADY I will call this the "usual suspect" list, as these four teams have been strong all season, they are strong most seasons, and they continue to perform at a high level night-in, and night-out. North Central (Indianapolis) could form a good argument as the most talented team in the state, regardless of classification. This season, they have been down right dominant at times, and after last night’s opening round Sectional victory, they have pushed their record to 22-2 on the season, plus they are currently in the midst of a 16-game winning streak. They have beaten too many traditional heavyweights to list, and their two losses are to Bedford North Lawrence before Thanksgiving, and to an absolutely loaded Mount Notre Dame out of Cincinnati, Ohio. The Panthers turn to a strong group of upperclassmen for leadership, and that collection of Seniors and Juniors has a lot of skill, talent, and balance. 6-3 Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="130310" first="Meg" last="Newman"] is one of the most talented players in the state. She has great skill at her size, she is athletic, and she can take over games. Senior front-liner [player_tooltip player_id="130317" first="Nakaih" last="Hunter"] is an enforcer inside of 15-feet. She loves contact, she’s a strong rebounder, and she can score it through defenders. Junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="128118" first="Tanyuel" last="Welch"] has shown as much improvement as anyone over the last couple of seasons, and a lot of that can be attributed to her growth and strength-gain. She is a dynamic creator and a high-level defender. Junior forwards [player_tooltip player_id="61043" first="Ramiah" last="Elliott"] and [player_tooltip player_id="128170" first="Destinee" last="Hooks"] add to the frontline depth. Elliott is a long, very athletic 6-0 talent, while Hooks is a stronger, physical, but skillful face-up ’4’. Sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id="96077" first="Ava" last="Couch"] brings a ton of energy and toughness to the lineup, plus she’s a skilled shooter/scorer. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="130327" first="Alivia" last="Terry"] and 6-4 Senior post [player_tooltip player_id="62583" first="Dynasty" last="Witherspoon"] have found bigger roles this season as well. There are more to name, but you can easily tell why they are considered a frontrunner to contend for a Class 4A state title. The Crown Point Bulldogs are a combined 45-2 over the last two seasons, and following last night’s opening round Sectional win, they are now sitting at 19-1 this season, with their lone loss to Class 3A power Silver Creek by four points. The Bulldogs have beaten teams like Castle, Lawrence North, and Penn, and they should be pretty dominant within their Sectional. A rematch with Penn in the Regional could be a real test, as those two programs have gone through battles these last couple of seasons. The Junior duo of guard [player_tooltip player_id="61030" first="Jessica" last="Carrothers"] (22.0p, 5.4r, 4.6a, 4.4s) and 6-4 forward [player_tooltip player_id="128115" first="Lilly" last="Stoddard"] (11.3p, 8.6r, 2,3b) form a nice inside-out pair who bring mismatch problems at both positions. Carrothers is a high-energy, strong, physical scorer from the perimeter, while Stoddard is a skillful face-up ’4’ with athletic talent and great length. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="62555" first="Alyna" last="Santiago"] (8.8p, 2.9r, 3.3a, 2.7s) has been healthy all season, and she is still one of the best on-ball defenders in the game. Junior front-liner [player_tooltip player_id="243580" first="Nikki" last="Gerodemos"] (5.9p, 4.6r) has been big for them at times this year and provides a nice physical compliment to Stoddard inside. Senior guard Allie Govert (6.2p, 2.6r, 2.2s) and Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="128172" first="Alyvia" last="Santiago"] (5.7p) bring experience and depth to the Bulldog lineup. If Crown Point can take care of the ball and continue to feed whichever of Carrothers/Stoddard has a mismatch each game, they could be making a trip to Indianapolis. Bedford North Lawrence has been a dominant force in Southern Indiana over the last decade or so, and the Lady Stars are now 19-2 following their Sectional win last night. The Stars lost to Brownsburg by one point back around Thanksgiving, and their second loss came at Columbus East in mid-January, again by a single point. They have beaten North Central (Indianapolis), Linton-Stockton, East Central, and Castle, and they should be tough to knock off in the South. This year’s team is built around it’s strong perimeter play. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="62538" first="Chloe" last="McKnight"] (14.8p, 4.7r, 2.4a, 2.8s) has been a Varsity regular since her Freshman year, and now she is in a position to lead as a Senior. Dynamic Freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id="176409" first="Chloe" last="Spreen"] (14.3p, 5.6r) has put together a really nice rookie season, and she is capable of exploding for 30 points on any given night. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="130321" first="Irye" last="Gomez"] (12.0p, 3.3r, 2.5a, 2.7s) is a really nice athlete with length and creative ability. Sophomore point guard [player_tooltip player_id="59766" first="Karsyn" last="Norman"] (8.2p, 2.8r, 3.7a, 2.1s) is someone to watch out for this postseason, as she put together a strong run down the stretch one year ago. The Stars are capable of beating anyone, so expect them to be a favorite to at least get to the South Semi-State once again. The Penn Kingsmen continue to stack up strong season after strong season. After last night’s Sectional victory, they are now 18-3 on the year, with their losses coming at Crown Point, to Newark (Ohio) in double overtime, and at Lawrence North. They have, however, knocked off South Bend Washington, Carroll (Fort Wayne), and Carmel. As stated above, their potential matchup with Crown Point in the Regional could help decide the Class 4A North representative to make it to Bankers Life Fieldhouse this season. Like Bedford North Lawrence, Penn looks to a strong backcourt for leadership. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="99357" first="Trinity" last="Clinton"] (15.0p, 4.9r, 2.7a, 2.4s) and Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="10705" first="Kaitlyn" last="Costner"] (11.2p, 3.7r, 2.9a, 2.8s) are the only two double-digit scorers on an incredibly deep team. Clinton is a strong, physical driver, while Costner is a very athletic playmaker at both ends of the floor. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="94969" first="Jordyn" last="Smith"] (8.6p, 3.1r, 4.3a, 3.0s) does a really nice job of managing the offense and finding open teammates. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="209421" first="Grace" last="Adams"] (6.7p, 5.8r) is skilled and versatile. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="23787" first="Jada" last="Patton"] (9.0p, 4.5r) is strong, athletic, and very active. 6-1 Junior post [player_tooltip player_id="128163" first="Gabrielle" last="Hoover"] (2.3p, 2.5r) and Sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id="59744" first="Julia" last="Economou"] (3.6p, 4.1r) offer more support along the frontline. Clinton has proven she can have big games at key times, and they’ll need her and Costner to take over at times if they are to make a deep playoff push.   OVERACHIEVERS The Grizzly Cubs of Franklin Community High School haven’t had a winning season since the 2011-2012 campaign, and while I think people felt they would be improved this season, here they are sitting at 18-2 following last night’s opening round Sectional win. They have beaten Mount Vernon (Fortville), Columbus North, Plainfield, and Center Grove, with their two losses coming to Zionsville and Martinsville. A potential rematch with Center Grove this Saturday could prove to be extremely tough, but the Grizzly Cubs have proven they aren’t quite the draw you want anymore. Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="61040" first="Kuryn" last="Brunson"] (16.1p, 5.3r, 5.1a, 2.6s) has been fantastic this season. She has great size and strength, and she is just a playmaker as a point forward. Freshmen guards [player_tooltip player_id="176408" first="Lauren" last="Klem"] (12.2p, 3.3r, 2.1a) and [player_tooltip player_id="177336" first="Scarlett" last="Kimbrell"] (11.1p, 5.5r) have added a lethal perimeter shooting element that has caught several opponents off-guard this season. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="99396" first="Kyra" last="Baker"] (9.8p, 3.7r, 2.8a, 2.1s) is a tough-nosed, strong, quick, and very skillful player who does a little of everything for this team. The key for the Grizzly Cubs will be to get additional production from their frontline other than just Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="130331" first="Lauren" last="Sandrock"] (2.4p, 4.7r). While they are ranked, I am a little surprised more people aren’t talking about the Carroll Chargers (Fort Wayne). After beginning the year 3-2 with an overtime loss to Hamilton Southeastern and a nine-point loss to Penn, the Chargers have rattled off 18 consecutive victories and sit at 21-2 right now. They hadn’t beaten rival Homestead since December 20, 2008, but they finally got that monkey off their back, plus they took care of South Bend Washington, Norwell, Carmel, Fort Wayne South Side, and Angola, to name a few. This team has a nice mixture of veterans and youthful talent, plus they play very well together. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="99373" first="Emily" last="Parrett"] (13.1p, 4.2r, 2.1a, 2.4s) is extremely heady and skillful, and she just dissects the opposing defense. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id="96079" first="Taylor" last="Fordyce"] (10.1p, 4.3r, 2.1s) is a strong, physical wing who can knock down shots or attack the basket and finish. Twin Sophomore wings [player_tooltip player_id="59758" first="Saniya" last="Jackson"] (9.0p, 5.2r, 2.9a, 2.5s) and [player_tooltip player_id="59759" first="Nevaeh" last="Jackson"] (7.7p, 3.3r, 2.4a, 2.1s) are long, fluidly athletic, and bouncy, plus they work hard from the mid-post to the perimeter. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id="241187" first="Kayla" last="Gibbs"] (6.1p, 3.3r, 2.0s), Freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id="177314" first="Alexis" last="Castator"] (6.1p, 3.3r), and Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="130365" first="Delane" last="Sheets"] (6.0p, 2.3r) add versatility, athleticism, and toughness to the lineup, while Junior front-liner [player_tooltip player_id="128156" first="Jasmine" last="Anderson"] (3.6p, 2.7r) brings length and an athletic element to the table.   POTENTIAL SLEEPERS I don’t mean for this to sound funny, more ironic than anything, but I feel like the 2020 Class 4A State Champion Lawrence North Wildcats are a sleeper at this point in the season. Following an incredible run last February, the Wildcats graduated a number of talented 2020 contributors, leaving this season as an uncertainty. They currently sit at 16-8, and I think those eight losses really confuse people who don’t understand what a brutal schedule they’ve played. Five of those losses have come against Top-10 teams according to Sagarin Ratings, with the other three coming at the hands of Homestead (#15), Ben Davis (#23), and Heritage Christian (#45). They have beaten Zionsville, Columbus North, Carmel, Roncalli (twice), Brownsburg, Penn, and Center Grove. If opponents disrespect them this postseason, they have enough firepower to make another deep run. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="62526" first="Jayla" last="Smith"] is an absolute talent. She can make big shot after big shot, and I anticipate her taking over a game or two. Sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id="155437" first="Monica" last="Williams"] is a budding star who has improved her skillset tremendously. When Williams and Smith are both on, the Wildcats are tough to beat. Sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id="127212" first="Laniya" last="Early"] is a talented athlete who can make highlight type of plays at times, while Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="130328" first="Sydnee" last="Hughes"], Junior post [player_tooltip player_id="61053" first="Ariel" last="Helm"], and Sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id="96095" first="Maykayla" last="Washington-Cobb"] give Lawrence North a powerful, physical, yet athletic trio inside the paint. Often overlooked because of their location, the Castle Knights are one team who can absolutely frustrate people in the South. Now, they have had a shortened, interrupted season due to COVID, so they are just 12-4 after last night’s Sectional win, but the Knights showed their potential in a Thanksgiving weekend tournament, losing to Crown Point by just one point. They did get a big win recently against Class 3A power Evansville Memorial, and based on regular season results, the Knights look to be a heavy favorite in Sectional #16. Castle has good balance, with Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="128117" first="Natalie" last="Niehaus"] (13.2p, 5.5r, 2.2a, 3.1s) and Junior guard Jordyn Coon (10.6p, 2.7r, 2.5s) leading the way for the Knights. Niehaus is a do-everything kid with strength and athleticism. Coon is a wiry strong guard who can shoot/score and will defend hard. Junior guard Keira Moore (8.3p, 2.7r, 2.1a, 2.2s), Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="97258" first="Kyrisha" last="Hay-Swope"] (7.8p, 3.1r, 2.0a, 2.8s), Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="128142" first="Megan" last="Kain"] (5.8p, 2.5r), and Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id="127216" first="Devyn" last="Barton"] (5.6p, 2.8r, 2.2s) give the backcourt tremendous balance and depth. Freshmen forwards [player_tooltip player_id="239354" first="Aleyna" last="Quinn"] (4.2p, 3.6r) and [player_tooltip player_id="177347" first="Kierstin" last="Niehaus"] (2.8p, 2.8r) can help up front, but more help could come from the recently promoted Lola Allen, a 6-2 Freshman post who just moved up within the program about 10 days ago and already has a 16-rebound effort to her credit. My final sleeper in Class 4A are the Ben Davis Giants. Like Lawrence North (above), you must look beyond the Giants’ 13-7 record and understand their tumultuous schedule. They too have played a Top-10 schedule in the state, and they have beaten some quality teams like Fishers, Brownsburg, Martinsville, Roncalli, Columbus North, and Lawrence North. During the recent past, the Giants have used their strong perimeter play and athleticism to gain advantages on opponents, but this season it seems they are using more of an inside-out approach. If they can find balance between the two, they have enough athletic talent to knock off anyone in the state. 6-0 Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="99389" first="Natalie" last="Howard"] (14.2p, 4.9r) has come up huge down the stretch for Ben Davis. She is a solidly built, athletic prospect who can run and jump with the best of them. 6-1 Sophomore front-liner [player_tooltip player_id="96082" first="Taylor" last="Guess"] (8.1p, 5.5r) is another talented athlete who has found a much bigger role for the Giants this season. Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="243570" first="Kansas" last="Robinson"] (7.5p, 4.1r, 2.3a, 2.5s) is a really nice, multisport athlete who gives them energy and versatility. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="128192" first="London" last="Brooks"] (5.7p, 2.0r) and Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="245974" first="Micah" last="Jett"] (5.1p, 2.7r, 2.3a) give the Giants experience and stability in the backcourt. Brooks transferred in from Cathedral this season. The Sophomore trio of 6-1 post [player_tooltip player_id="203653" first="Cristen" last="Carter"] (3.8p, 5.3r), guard [player_tooltip player_id="59735" first="Kirsten" last="Clark"] (3.6p, 2.3r), and wing [player_tooltip player_id="155438" first="Kaleah" last="Toomer"] (3.6p, 2.5r) bring a great deal of talent and potential. They could have big moments this month, but they also offer great hope for future Lady Giant teams.