Fairland, IN: The 5th annual IGBRR All-Indiana Elite 80 Showcase featured a majority of the top talent in Indiana.  After 90 minutes of skills and drills work, players from all over the state laced them up a little tighter to measure up and get better in the scrimmages.  There were dazzling performances, electrifying moves, and quality play as Indiana's best performed in front of media scouts and college coaches.  For the 2020s in attendance, this was one of the last chances they'd have to impress, and a few of them did just that.  LBI takes a look at a few of those 2020's we believe can play at the next level and few others that showcased their skill at a high level at the 2019 IGBRR All-Indiana Elite 80 Showcase.

IGBRR All-Indiana Elite 80 Showcase Top Performers

2022 Tanyuel Welch 5’5” PG North Central HS/Nike Lady Gym Rats
Welch started the game off with back to back threes to get her team a nice lead early. She played with very good tempo, pushing in transition and finishing layups in the open court. After a quick breather, Welch came in still on fire, hitting yet another long bomb. She showed great fearlessness when getting to the rim, hitting a nice turn around in the paint area as well as some finesse finishes to go with it.

2021 Katie Burton 5’9” PG Fishers HS/Indiana Flight
Katie Burton is a do it all kind of player, she plays defense extremely hard at all times, penetrates gaps to find open teammates, handles the ball and hits the open three when it’s given. When Burton decided in the second half to get to the rim-she did just that, putting her down and giving defenders the blues with excellent ball handling. She pretty much got whatever shot she wanted whenever she wanted. Katie finished the game with a couple of deep bombs while the defense relaxed.

2021 Hanna Knoll 5’7” PG Angola HS/Indiana Flight
Hannah knoll was absolutely the difference-maker for her team today. Knoll came in on a mission. Her presence was felt from the second she stepped foot on the court to the last three she hit with time winding down. Her long ball shooting ability created problems for opponents all game long, forcing coaches to scream and shout to find her early and often. She brought her intensity to every possession, pushing the tempo in transition and causing havoc on defense as well.

2021 Mariah Dickerson 6’1” PF Evansville Mater Dei HS/IE Swish
Mariah Dickerson was an absolute force to be reckoned with inside today. She racked up bucket after bucket on undersized players and finished through bigs that were like-sized as well. Dickerson was a load to keep off the glass time and time again. She bullied her way around the basket with ease. On the defensive end, she showed up in a big-time way, throwing shots into the nearest stand and altering several more.

2021 Ari Wiggins 5’8” PG Heritage Christian HS/Nike Lady Gym Rats
Although Wiggins may not have been the leading scorer for her squad today, she no doubt was the best player on the floor. Her quickness and speed was head and shoulders above the rest. Wiggins court vision came to life when her teammates ran the floor or moved without the ball. She had sneaky-quick hands on the defensive end, snagging sleepy drives or flat out taking the ball from opposing guards. Ari was able to utilize her foot speed to get into passing lanes and finish with ease at the rim with little to no opposition.

2021 Zakia Rasheed 5’8” CG Bishop Chatard HS /Always100
In the first 33 seconds of the game, Zakia Rasheed nailed two triples and assisted a basket.  With such a hot start, you’d figure she would slow done at least a little bit, but that was not the case as Rasheed was electrifying on this Sunday afternoon.  Rasheed was in mid-season form as she scored on all three levels.  She stuffed the stat sheet with buckets, rebounds, assist, and steals.  She got out in passing lanes and played solid defense.  As other players got tired, Rasheed seemed to be able to kick her motor into another gear to help separate herself from the rest.  Rasheed has always seemed on the verge of breaking out, and if you could tell anything from the ability she put on display at AIS, you’d see she is ready to do just that.

2021 Jayla Smith 5’10” PG Lawrence North HS/Nike Lady Gym Rats
The formidable combination of size, athleticism, and skill is coveted at the next level at the point guard position, and Jayla Smith has it.  Jayla was able to get anywhere she wanted on the floor off the dribble and was a nightmare, especially for smaller guards.  She made multiple triples off the dribble and off the catch.  A few of the triples were from well beyond the arc.  And believe me, Smith can heat up quickly.  She has great speed and length, which serves her well on both ends of the court.  And her leaping ability, especially on the second jump, was eye-popping.  On one defensive possession, Smith was able to block the shot of the player she was guarding.  When that player regained possession of the ball, she quickly shot it, but Smith was already on her pogo-stick as she was able to get a second block and the rebound.  Jayla Smith is one to watch as she is poised to take her game to another level. 

2020 Audrey Strawsma 5’10” PF Benton Central HS
Audrey Strawsma is a ball player.  She is the kind of kid who would and could do anything you asked her to.  In some instances, Strawsma seemed to be outmatched according to the eye test as she was competing against players much taller and more athletic than her.  But Strawsma just flat out found away to get it done.  She’s a tough defender and rebounder in the paint. On offense, she featured impeccable footwork and touch on her shot in the lane.  In back to back offensive possessions, Strawsma was able to use her up-and-under to finish once with her right hand then on the second possession, she missed a shot but corralled the rebound and finished with her left.  You may consider her an undersized frontcourt player, but make no mistake about it, this girl can play the game of basketball and help some team at the next level possibly win their conference.

2020 Alexis German 5’5” PG Prairie Heights HS/Always100
If someone says a kid has a feel for the game, that usually means she has a high basketball I.Q. and given a situation, she can deliver the right pass…or make a big shot…or make the right play vs. pressure.  Alexis German has an excellent feel for the game.  German was able to be effective in so many ways on Sunday.  She made great passes for assist in pick and roll situations or off dribble penetration.  She showed off her fundamentally sound stroke from 3 and the ability to make the midrange shot.  German was smooth as ice and cool and as a cucumber, as she allowed the game to come to her.  At one point, National Evaluator Brett McCormick leaned over to me and whispered, “She has a little bit of Darby Maggard in her.” I totally agree!

2021 Meg Newman 6’3” SF North Central HS/Indiana Elite
Meg Newman was too big, too strong, and also too good.  Newman was the catalyst in her team’s 100-point performance as she was able to do what she wanted when she wanted to. For my money, she was the most dominant player in the gym.  Countless amounts of times, she was able to rebound or receive an outlet, and go coast to coast.  She was unstoppable in transition and a force on the boards.  Newman did most of her work off the dribble as she displayed great touch around the rim, especially on her 8-foot push shot in the middle of the lane.  Meg Newman had a great summer, and that trend continued with her showing at the All-Indiana Elite 80 Showcase.