For the sixth season in a row, Bounce and Outside the Huddle are counting down who they feel are the top 50 individual players in northeast Indiana heading into the 2024-2025 season.
Want to know how we come up with our rankings? Click here.
Today, we continue the countdown on the girls hoops side with positions No. 15-11
No. 15 – Marissa Trout, Huntington North
Trout is poised to make a significant impact this season with her exceptional capabilities as a ball handler and wither ability to excel at shooting the three-pointer, attacking off the dribble and, given the need, overpowering defenders in the post. Last season, Trout averaged 14.3 points per game to go with 4.4 rebounds and 3 assists. Her versatile skill set makes her a a very difficult matchup for opponents in the NE8.
COACH’S QUOTE ON TROUT
“Marissa has worked extremely hard this off-season. After a Patellar Tendon surgery set her back some last year, we are seeing her best basketball going into this season. She’s as explosive as I’ve ever seen her and is playing at a high level. We will look to her to be our leader this season.” – Huntington North coach Matt Hinds
No. 14 – Lily George, Carroll
George led Carroll in scoring average (14.9), rebound average (9.5) and field goal percentage (63%) last year. She is about as reliable as any player in the area on the interior after upping her shooting percentage seven percent last year as a sophomore, leaving plenty of intrigue about how she can get even more consistent as a junior. She had 19 games last season in double digit scoring with 13 games as posted double doubles, led by 14 rebound efforts against Concordia and North Side.
COACH’S QUOTE ON GEORGE
“Lily has made huge strides from last year as a force inside. Lily is a complete player inside and she is improving her offensive game away from the basket. Lily is an excellent passer against a double team and she is improving on reading defensive double teams. Lily is a strong and powerful post player with the understanding on how to maneuver around her defensive players to receive the ball. Lily as a junior has a great upswing due to her work ethic off and on the court so she can become a dominate post player and an all-around player in the future. Lily’s leadership ability makes her a valuable asset to any team. This is why, she is considered one of the best players in the area.” – Carroll coach Mark Redding
No. 13 – Brookelyn Buzzard, Wabash
After scoring in double figures in nine of her first 11 games last season – including 31 points on 59 percent shooting against Eastern – Buzzard established herself as one of the area’s best scorers. She went on to score in double figures 18 total times during the season to average 14.8 points per game. This season, she moves from Manchester to Wabash and is expected to make an immediate splash for the Apaches. She added 4.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game last season and had a game of seven steals against Southwood.
COACH’S QUOTE ON BUZZARD
“Brookelyn has great handles to go with being an above average passer and an excellent scorer. You add her quickness and defensive ability and you have a complete package for a high school guard.” – Wabash coach Matt Stone
No. 12 – Vanessa Rosswurm, Norwell
Rosswurm has an outstanding breakout season that helped push Norwell to a state finals appearance with her 11.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest. As one of Northeast Indiana’s breakout players, Rosswurm’s sophomore year earned her a spot in the IBCA’s Futures Game in June where she finished with 12 points and 9 rebounds while being second in minutes for the North team. Defensively, she’s the been one of the team’s best when it comes to both her play and communication, registering 1.5 steals per game for a team’s thats offense is predicated on creating turnovers in man or their smooth zone coverage.
COACH’S QUOTE ON ROSSWURM
“Vanessa is our only returning starter and does so much for our team. On offense, she scores at all 3 levels and creates extra possessions with her offensive rebounding. Defensively, she is our best communicator and brings relentless effort at the top of our 1-3-1. Vanessa played beyond her years last season and has worked hard to now take on more, especially in a leadership role for our young and talented team. We learned a lot about our team this past summer, including how confident we are in Vanessa’s ability to make decisions with the ball in her hands more often. When you lose 80% of your team’s offensive output from the previous season, you just feel very fortunate to have a skilled, athletic, and most importantly, a high-character competitor leading your team as we do with Vanessa.” – Norwell coach Eric Thornton
No. 11 – Swynn Jackson, Northrop
A highly recruited junior with multiple Division 1 offers, Jackson has been a standout player since being thrust into key varsity roles as a freshman. Playing under the coaching of her mom Jackson has consistently risen to the occasion, excelling in a variety of positions on the court. Last season, she averaged 6.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, showcasing her versatility and ability to impact the game in multiple ways. These numbers highlight not only her diverse skill set but also her capability to adapt and thrive in any role asked of her.
COACH’S QUOTE ON JACKSON
“She is the most fundamentally sound player we have in our program. She has worked hard on the court and in the weight room during the off-season, so we are looking for her to have an incredible year for Northrop. We will need her to score more for us this year for us to be successful.” – Northrop coach Katie Jackson
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