Outside the Huddle and Bounce are counting down who it feels are the top 50 individual girls basketball players in northeast Indiana heading into the 2020-21 season.
Today, we unveil five of the best in the area at positions No. 30-26.
No. 30 – Chastity Craig, Concordia Lutheran
One half of the Craig sister twin towers, Chastity really became a diverse prospect last season playing alongside her sister. As a sophomore, Chastity had to pick up more of the primary post physicality for Concordia but when sister Chanteese returned to the lineup during their junior season, Chastity had to step out and be more of a significant stretch forward than she had ever been. It really allowed us to learn more about what she was capable of. While her numbers were on the low end with 2.2 points per game, her three rebounds per contest were third on the team.
What Craig brings to the table is pretty solid movement and a smoothness that has developed strongly. She is a big defensive stopper in the post, especially when alongside her sister and especially for a player who doesn’t block a lot of shots. Craig’s confidence has clearly risen because of how she has forced to be a more diverse player each year.
No. 29 – Morgan Shifferly, Bellmont
A second team All-NE8 player a year ago, the focus of Bellmont’s game now rests in Shifferly’s hands and they have become significantly more capable over the past 12 months. She, like many others in the Top 50, has developed substantially from a role player to star player placement and will have to take on a bulk of the scoring this season. She averaged a team second best 9.9 points per game last season and is the top returning scorer for a Squaws team looking to stay in the championship hunt yet again.
Shifferly is incredible efficient shooting the ball at 43 percent from the field and that is near strictly from inside the arc as she shot just one three pointer last season. The reality is that Shifferly knows where her strengths are and she plays within them; not one to play ‘hero ball.’ She also is very good at getting to the free throw line where she hit 77 percent last season shooting a team high 84 shots at the line. As her toughness continues to rise, she will be a complete player who’s will to score will make her tough to compete with inside the NE8.
COACH’S QUOTE ON MORGAN SHIFFERLY
“Morgan has really been a perfect example of ‘The Grace Hunter Effect.’ Meaning, Grace was a gym rat and that rubbed off on her teammates. It is the main reason for our success the last few years. Morgan saw that work ethic and it made her want to do the same thing. Morgan is now my “gym rat”. The question of “Coach can I get your keys for the basketballs, so I can get some extra shots up” started with Grace, but has now been past to Morgan.” – Bellmont coach Andy Heim
No. 28 – Mariah Hosted, Churubusco
If there is any grittier player in the NECC, then they have to step out and prove that they can out aggression Hosted. Headstrong and sure willed, Hosted plays like she always has a chip on her shoulder and seriousness across her face that can spread like wildfire, especially in pivotal moments of close games. Hosted is tough as nails and is willing to do whatever it takes to help her team be successful. She puts up good numbers, but some of her biggest assets are in the areas that are not measured by traditional basketball statistics. Hosted will get after loose balls, make deflections, step up as a help side defender and work the intangibles that make Churubusco flow.
Of those measurable numbers, Hosted averaged 11 points, 9.1 rebounds and two steals per game showing that she is going to help out everywhere she can. She looks to get to high percentage spots on the floor and the addition of David Goodwell as Churubusco’s new coach is a major plus for Hosted. She plays to the strengths of how Goodwell has always coached, with tenacity and speed. These are the two adjectives that define Hosted best so she is going to be in high demand in Churubusco’s schemes on both ends of the floor.
COACH’S QUOTE ON MARIAH HOSTED
“Mariah will be the leader of our team. She understands how to make her teammates better without me showing her. I love the energy that she brings to practice every day!” – Churubusco coach David Goodwell
No. 27 – Nataley Armstrong, Garrett
Into her third year of varsity play, expect Armstrong to enhance her role outside of a pure facilitator. But before we get to that, lets talk about her facilitator role, something she has enhanced greatly during her experience in helping push the Railroaders to a Sectional title last season. Armstrong can flat out pass the ball, averaging 5.8 assists per game because of two primary reasons. 1) She is a willing teammate. Armstrong’s goal is to win and she makes it clear that she, as the primary ball handler, is going to get the ball into whatever place she needs, to whomever she needs to in order to make that happen. 2) Her court vision is at the top of the area, let alone the NECC. Armstrong sees things differently than a lot of other players and paces herself to make the right play.
Into her junior season, expect Armstrong to add to her bag of tricks with enhanced scoring that will really make her unpredictable. To Garrett’s strength, Armstrong has been passive in her shooting in the past, but she has become more capable to create for herself as well. Her shooting form is better and she is going to make it so opposing teams won’t be able to try and sag off her as she works to improve on her 8 point per game average.
COACH’S QUOTE ON NATALEY ARMSTRONG
“Nataley has worked hard on developing her body and getting stronger. She had a great summer and her three point shot has become much more consistent and will make her harder to guard this season. Her lock down defense is a game changer for us in big games.” – Garrett coach Bob Lapadot
No. 26 – Kensie Ryman, Warsaw
Ryman is a really electric three point shooter that doesn’t get enough credit in our area since Warsaw sits outside of the four main Northeast Indiana conferences. But there are very few players that can sling the three ball on par with Ryman, who shot 44 percent from deep in 2019-20. Ryman actually shot the ball much better from three point range than she did inside the arc but took over 50 more shots from three point range than inside the arc. She still managed to get to the free throw line 42 times, where she yielded a 90 percent success rate. The girl can flat out shoot.
At the head of the Warsaw returners, with a smaller senior class, expect Ryman to be faced with a multitude of junk defenses at times in the NLC. She will really be tested on how she can create not only her own three point opportunities but off the dribble as well. She will have plenty of time and opportunities to do so as she was the Tigers’ leader in minutes played and will be their returning leader in assists at 2.4 per game to go with her 7.9 point per game average from a season ago.
These opinions represent those of Bounce and Outside the Huddle. No opinions expressed on Outside the Huddle represent those of any of our advertisers. Follow Bounce on Twitter at Bounce_OTH
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