IHSAA girls basketball Fab 15: Center Grove cracks top 3 following Lawrence North win
Does the girls high school basketball season start too early? Hank, Courtney Delks, Josh Sabol and Danny Riego discussed on The Scorers Table podcast.
Top-10 matchups in Classes 4A and 2A resulted in some changes to our pre-Christmas Central Indiana high school girls basketball rankings.
Here's how everyone stacks up entering the holiday break.
Hank's Holiday Hoops Guide: Where to go, who to see over winter break
Weekly wrap: Talia Harris took over, Lilly Bischoff 'didn't flinch'
1. Lawrence Central (12-1)
The Bears beat Pike for the second time in a week, but it was closer than the 68-43 final indicates. LC led by just seven midway through the second half and finished with 27 turnovers (16 Pike steals). That's more a credit to the Red Devils for making a game of it than anything (trailed 21-6 after a quarter), but the Bears' response — a 23-8 fourth quarter — was impressive nonetheless. Jaylah and Lola Lampley, Aniya McKenzie and Laila Abdurraqib combined for 60 points, with Jaylah netting a game-high 23 points on 8-of-17 shooting.
Friday at the Limestone Classic should provide a couple really intriguing matchups (and solid tests) for Lawrence Central with Noblesville in game one, followed by either host Bedford North Lawrence or Lake Central. The Bears boast the best win of the bunch (Lawrence North), but all four will be hungry for a quality win (or two).
2. Hamilton Southeastern (11-1)
PR: 2
The Royals are coming off their biggest win of the season, rallying from an eight-point deficit to beat rival Fishers for the first time in seven tries. It was an impressive performance under difficult circumstances (on the road and in perpetual foul trouble) by a team that's deeper than one may realize.
More: HSE looks to Maya Makalusky to take over. And that's what she did in OT vs. Fishers
I wrote about Maya Makalusky's exploits after the game and spotlight some of those other players who stepped up in my weekly wrap, so let's look ahead to January, specifically the week of Jan. 15. The Royals play three games that week: at Lawrence North (Tues., Jan. 16), vs. Zionsville (Jan. 19) and vs. Center Grove (Jan. 20). That's strikingly similar (both in terms of structure and caliber of opponents) to a sectional tournament, and they play just one game (Jan. 23 vs. Pike) between then and the start of sectionals. Get a feel for it, then rest up for the road ahead.
3. Center Grove (12-1)
PR: 4
It's not that the Trojans beat Lawrence North on Saturday. It's the manner in which they won. Center Grove shot 59% from the field with all five starters contributing at least nine points It was charged with 16 turnovers (10 LN steals), but was quick to extinguish any semblance of momentum LN managed to establish after the midway point of the second quarter.
The Trojans' average scoring margin is 59-40 and they're shooting 50% as a team.
Coach Kevin Stuckmeyer said there's "a little more spacing" so Lilly Bischoff and Aubrie Booker can drive — though they also have Audrey Annee on the perimeter, Rachel Wirts inside and Ava Grant (she's been a secret weapon for CG).
"When you have five players who can put it in the basket, as long as they're taking the shot they want to, they should," he said. "We don't want to pass up shots by being too unselfish, but that's a fine line. … The more the ball moves, the easier it is for all five or whoever's on the floor to get into their scoring opportunities."
4. Lawrence North (9-3)
PR: 3
In the Wildcats' defense, they played their first game in over a week (vs. Warren Central) less than 24 hours prior to traveling to Center Grove on Saturday. They put up a good fight through the first half before Center Grove began to take control in the second. It may be nothing, but LN has had fewer than 10 assists twice this season: Last week vs. Lawrence Central (five) and Saturday vs. Center Grove (seven). It lost both games.
The Wildcats have another Friday-Saturday swing this week with Brownsburg on Friday followed by a trip to 3A's Norwell on Saturday. The Knights upset Columbia City a couple weeks ago and will be playing their first game in a week.
5. Fishers (9-4)
PR: 5
Here's a fun fact: Saturday's point total (137) between Fishers and HSE was the highest in the series since the Royals' 82-69 win back in 2011.
Here's another fun fact: Fishers has scored at least 67 points in four straight games with back-to-back 70-point performances entering last weekend. It's probably unrealistic to expect the Tigers (or most teams) to continue scoring at that sort of clip, especially once we get into the state tournament, but they seemed just as comfortable grinding out a 46-38 win over Zionsville as they did engaging in a 70-67 track meet with HSE.
Fishers wraps up 2023 at Fort Wayne Carroll on Friday.
6. Indian Creek (11-2)
PR: 6
No surprises here as the Braves keep chugging along with blowout wins over Whiteland, Edgewood and North Putnam. Assuming they avoid letdowns on the road against Greenwood and Sullivan, they should be 13-2 entering the Hall of Fame Classic, where they'll face 4A's Columbia City then either Lake Central or Jennings County.
Columbia City should be a really fun opener. The Eagles have the guards to match up with IC's Lauren Foster and Ayla Lollar, then senior forward Molly Baker will likely be paired against IU commit Faith Wiseman inside.
7. Zionsville (10-2)
PR: 7
The Eagles have shot below 40% in four straight games, including 34% on Saturday vs. Franklin Central, but hit eight 3s in back-to-back games last week with a 40% mark from behind the arc. They've also committed just 10 turnovers in two of their past three games.
Vermont commit Emma Haan is on a nice little run, averaging 18.3 points over her past four games, with 20 vs. Ben Davis (60% shooting, plus eight assists) and a season-high 23 vs. Franklin Central (63% shooting) last week. Fellow seniors Allie Caldwell and Brooke Karesh have been steady contributors behind Haan.
This weekend's Walt Raines Classic pairs Zionsville against host Franklin in the opener, followed by either Carmel or Castle.
8. Noblesville (7-5)
PR: 8
The Millers pulled away for a 41-30 win at Westfield on Saturday afternoon. They overcame a 13-for-48 finish from the field by forcing 21 turnovers (14 steals), while committing just eight turnovers themselves.
Noblesville will participate in a couple tournaments before the new year: The Limestone Classic in Bedford on Friday (Lawrence Central then either BNL or Lake Central) and its own tournament on Dec. 28 with Lillian Barnes and Valparaiso in game one, followed by either Norwell or FW Snider. Noblesville's schedule lightens up significantly in January (six games), so individual performances are definitely more important than the final results over this four-game stretch.
9. Franklin (12-2)
PR: 13
Make it seven straight wins for the Grizzly Cubs since their runner-up finish to Center Grove at the Johnson County tournament. They took care of business against Franklin Central and Shelbyville with Scarlett Kimbrell (20) and Brooklyn York combining for 37 points vs. the Flashes, and Kimbrell (13) and Erica Buening combining for 31 points vs. the Golden Bears.
Franklin, which is 1-1 vs. Center Grove (a win that's appreciating in value), has a solid stretch upcoming with the Walt Raines Classic on Saturday (open vs. Zionsville), followed by Mooresville, Plainfield and Roncalli to begin the new year.
10. Eastern Hancock (12-0)
PR: 10
The Royals rallied then pulled away for a 62-55 win at Lapel on Tuesday and have a decent test at Monroe Central on Thursday. They're a uniquely difficult team for most 2A opponents with Ruby White inside, Samantha Bolding along the perimeter and Kenzie Koch, the rapidly rising freshman, running point. That's an excellent three-headed monster, and the players filling in behind them are all very good within their roles.
Eastern Hancock will get a crack at either Lawrence North or Westfield during the Lawrence North tournament on Dec. 30.
'One confident kid.' Kenzie Koch dazzles as a freshman for undefeated Eastern Hancock
11. Hamilton Heights (11-2)
PR: 9
The Huskies trailed West Lafayette by 20 at halftime and were unable to recover last week. Four players finished in double figures for the Red Devils, led by Adrianne Tolen, while Camryn Runner (19 points) was the lone player with more than two field goals for Hamilton Heights.
HH bounced back with a rout of Clinton Prairie, but has another big test coming with Tuesday's trip to Lapel.
12. Lapel (11-2)
PR: 11
The Bulldogs' inexperience at some positions showed last week against Eastern Hancock, especially down the stretch, but that should only help them in the long run. They bounced back with a nine-point win over Monroe Central, which saw Laniah Wills and Madelyn Poynter both go for 19 points (Poynter hit 8-of-15 shots with three 3s; Wills had a double-double with 16 rebounds), and Jocelyn Love pick up four steals.
Insider: Experience wins out in battle between 2A powers Eastern Hancock and Lapel
Lapel will not play again after Tuesday's visit from Hamilton Heights until the Madison County tournament on Jan. 6, a much-needed break after cramming 11 games into the past month.
13. Plainfield (10-3)
PR: 12
The Quakers resumed their winning ways last week (as expected), rolling by Martinsville and Harrison. They should be able to string together a third consecutive win vs. Terre Haute North this week, before hosting the Plainfield Winter Classic on Dec. 29 (good field with 10-2 Greensburg, Roncalli and Zionsville also involved).
14. Mooresville (12-2)
PR: 14
The Pios have gone about their business, stringing together an eight-game win streak. They've shot 40% or better in nine straight games and do not play again until Dec. 27 at the Bloom Bank Classic in Lebanon. Mooresville travels to Franklin on Jan. 5.
Individually, Rachel Harshman is good for 17 points and nine rebounds per game, while Kalyn Bunch is chipping in nine points, six boards and two assists. Emma McGinley and Ava Shafer lead the team at 3.2 and 2.4 assists per game, respectively.
15. Westfield (8-3)
PR: 15
The Rocks scored a nice win over Avon, then let an early win slip away in a loss to Noblesville on Saturday afternoon. They travel to Franklin Central on Tuesday, then play Fort Wayne North and Fort Wayne Northrop on Saturday at Trine University.
Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana girls high school basketball rankings: Updated Fab 15
