Spring Rankings: 2024 Frontline Update
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The featured image is of Daneijah Wynn Daneijah Wynn 5'11" | PF Lawrence Central | 2024 IN (2024) of Lawrence North High School and DW3 Elite 16U. The power forwards and posts in the Class of 2024 are somewhat undervalued,…
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Continue ReadingThe featured image is of Daneijah Wynn Daneijah Wynn 5'11" | PF Lawrence Central | 2024 IN (2024) of Lawrence North High School and DW3 Elite 16U.
The power forwards and posts in the Class of 2024 are somewhat undervalued, in my opinion, due to such strong depth at the guard and wing positions. However, our Top-150 is currently home to 26 power forward and 19 center prospects who make up 30.0% of all 2024 prospects ranked in Indiana. There are some really nice defensive players, physical, low-block scorers, plus several athletes and skilled kids who can play around the perimeter. Below is a look at those 45 prospects, as well as some added information and analysis on a handful of girls who have stood out since our last rankings update in January.
Newcomers
Molly Baker
Molly
Baker
5'10" | PF
Columbia City | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 5-10 PF, Columbia City H.S.
– Molly is a strong, almost powerful, physical, but skillful forward. She is a solid athlete in most directions, she plays with a nice motor, and she seems to understand the game and is usually in the correct spot. She is a true power forward in the sense she can post smaller defenders on the block. But she also has a nice mid-post game and is a consistent shooter at 15-feet. She has expanded her game more each year.
Jadyn Harris
Jadyn
Harris
6'3" | C
Pike | 2024
IN
, 2024, 6-3 C, Pike H.S.
– I have yet to see Jadyn in person, but I hope to do so in the next couple of weeks. What I’ve heard about her (from multiple sources), is that she is an extremely long, tall, and athletic kid. She reportedly still needs to continue developing her offensive skillset, but she can finish around the basket, and she absolutely affects the game at the defensive end of the floor. She also might still grow another inch or two.
Tia Phinezy
Tia
Phinezy
6'3" | C
Fort Wayne Snider | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 6-2 C/PF, Fort Wayne Snider H.S.
– Tia is a long, wiry-strong, fluid, and bouncy athlete. She runs the floor very well, she can actually change directions well at her size, and she can defend a combination of ‘4s’ and ‘5s’. She has tremendous length and uses it to block shots or score over defenders at the basket. She has also worked to expand her offensive game to the mid-post. She’s athletic enough to transition into a ‘4’ role with more skill work.
Stock-Risers
Payton Benge
Payton
Benge
6'1" | PF
Plainfield | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 6-1 PF/C, Plainfield H.S.
– Payton is a big, strong front-liner, but she’s one of those kids who is going to beat you with her mind and her skill first. She is a coach’s daughter, and she really understands how to move and where to be on a given possession. She also has great touch on her jumper, and she can stretch a defense with her perimeter shooting. She works hard, battles inside, and she rotates to “help” well, defensively.
Kyra Hill
Kyra
Hill
6'2" | C
Goshen | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 6-2 C, Goshen H.S.
– I talked about Kyra after the Spring Bling tourney a month ago, and I am still impressed with how much improvement she has shown since last season. I don’t know that she’s improved a great deal skillfully (she has improved), as much as she’s just playing with a much greater confidence and sense of urgency. She is starting to shoot it a lot more and more consistently, and she’s much more active defensively.
Addie Shank
Addie
Shank
6'0" | PF
Bishop Luers | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 6-0 PF, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers H.S.
– Addie is another player who seemingly improves from one viewing to the next. She has such a strong, powerful frame, she plays with a really nice motor, and she has quite a nose for the ball. When she was younger, I felt like she was trying to become a wing, but now she seems to be embracing the physical nature of her position, while she is still working on developing her mid-post skill and all-around game.
Alexis Warren
Alexis
Warren
6'1" | C
Pike | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 6-1 C, Pike H.S.
– Last Summer, Alexis looked a little uncomfortable at times playing at the speed of the grassroots game, but her talent and potential were noticeable. Now, she’s stronger, much more instinctive in her movements, and she has developed into an impactful defender and rebounder for her travel team. She makes plays at the basket, she knocks down the mid-post jumper, and she can get to the rim in one or two dribbles.
Ava Ziolkowski
Ava
Ziolkowski
6'1" | PF
Crown Point | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 6-1 PF, Crown Point H.S.
– Ava could be ‘next’ for Crown Point in their line of recent Division-I prospects. She has good height, great length, and a frame that continues to get stronger. She is a knockdown perimeter shooter who is great in pick-and-pop situations, but she has also shown much more physicality around the basket. If she can be a presence around the paint and become a legitimate inside-out threat, plenty of schools will be interested.