Who are the top South Bend-area girls basketball teams to watch? We've got you covered here

SOUTH BEND — Most basketball programs that graduated the second- and third-place finishers for Indiana's Miss Basketball would be in rebuilding mode the following season.

The South Bend Washington girls basketball program is not like most programs.

The Panthers are still focused firmly on chasing the Class 4A state championship during the 2023-24 campaign.

Despite the loss of star guards Rashunda Jones and Amiyah Reynolds, Washington returns a trio of the state's top players. Juniors Kira Reynolds, Ryiah Wilson and Monique Mitchell are all Division 1 prospects, with Reynolds recently committing to join older sisters Amiyah and Mila at Purdue.

Jones, who was Miss Basketball runner up and also now at Purdue, averaged a team-high 19.8 points per game while guard Amiyah Reynolds averaged 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists last season.

Kira Reynolds, a 6-3 force at both ends of the hardwood, averaged 16 points and 12 rebounds and led the state with 128 blocked shots. Wilson, a disruptive force on defense, averaged 12 points and had the most steals in the state with 174 while Mitchell averaged 13 ppg.

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The Panthers are 76-12 the past three seasons, including a Class 3A state title in 2021 after finishing as runner up in 2020. Washington was 27-1 last season and lost to Lake Central 62-57 in the 4A semistate with Amiyah Reynolds sidelined due to a foot injury that forced her to miss the postseason.

"This "Big 3" have played basketball together since middle school," said Washington coach Steve Reynolds, the father of Kira, Amiyah and Mila. "They are ready to take on bigger roles and continue to raise the bar of the standard set the last several years. We are going to need our role players to be super stars in their roles. We've built a tough in-state and out of state schedule to push this group's development. We are looking forward to make another state championship run."

Washington landed at No. 4 in the IBCA coaches preseason poll, which ranks the top teams in the state regardless of class.

Penn will be the team in the Northern Indiana Conference expected to contend with Washington, which is 22-0 in league play the past two years. The Kingsmen were 16-7 overall and 9-2 in the NIC a season ago and return a strong backcourt led by Jessa Troy and Lauren Walsh.

Penn coach Kristi Ulrich, who guided the Kingsmen to a 4A state title in 2016, is 312-50 in 14 seasons.

Several new coaches on the bench

Marian is one of several area teams with a new coach this season. Mike Bauer, formerly the boys coach at both New Prairie and Saint Joseph, takes over for Steve Scott. The Knights must replace superstar guard Nevaeh Foster, who scored 2,243 career points (the 21st most in state history). Foster, now at Western Kentucky, was the NIC MVP and All-State last season and averaged 25 ppg. for her prolific prep career.

Marian went 126-32 in Scott's six seasons with four 3A sectional titles. Its two sectional losses in that span were to Washington and the Knights lost in the regional round three of four years to the eventual 3A state champions NorthWood (2020) and Northwestern (2018 and 2019).

The list of new coaches around the area includes Maurice Scott at South Bend Adams and Karl Columbus at South Bend Riley. Scott was the Washington coach prior to Reynolds, where he directed the Panthers to a Class 4A state runner up finish in 2009. Columbus was a star player at Riley.

Other new area coaches include Ken Hunt (Elkhart), Brandon Abel (Concord), Ryan Reese (John Glenn) and Kyle Hartman (Fairfield).

Hartman takes over a Fairfield program from former Fairfield star Brodie Garber that won a Class 3A state title last season. The Falcons lost a ton to graduation though, including star Brea Garber.

Bethany Christian was 24-4 and claimed the Class 1A state runner-up finish. The Bruins return star guards Zoe Willems and Mariah Stoltzfus.

Top South Bend-area teams to watch in 2023-24

Following are a quick look at eight area teams to keep an eye on this season:

South Bend Washington

Coach: Steve Reynolds (146-82 in 10th season)

2022-23 Record: 27-1 (11-0 NIC, Lost in Class 4A semistate)

Key graduation losses: Rashunda Jones (Indiana Miss Basketball Runner up 19.8 ppg/4.5 apg/4.3 spg.), Amiyah Reynolds (Indiana Miss Basketball third place, 15.2 ppg/8.1 rpg/6.3 apg/3.3 spg.)

Key players returning: Kira Reynolds 16.1 ppg/12 rpg (#9 in Indiana)/2.8 apg/5.8 bpg (#1 in Indiana w/ 138 total blocks), Ryiah Wilson 11.3 ppg/4.0 apg/6.2 spg (#1 in Indiana w/ 174 total steals), Monique Mitchell 13.4 ppg/3.2 rpg.

Key newcomers: Freshman Kyra Lowe (point guard). Junior forward Makyla McNeal (transfer from Illinois)

Coach Reynolds says: "The biggest strengths of this team is the experience they all have as juniors. They've played close to 60 games already due to post season success and have spent time playing together in the summers. Also, we have two of the top defensive players in the state regardless of class as anchors with Ryiah Wilson holding things down on the perimeter and Kira Reynolds cleaning up our mistakes."

Penn

Coach: Kristi Ulrich (312-50 in 15th season)

2022-23 Record: 16-7 (9-2 NIC, Lost in Class 4A sectional)

Key graduation losses: Julia Economou (12.1 ppg., 6.7 rpg.), Peyton Brooks (9 ppg., 5.8 rpg.)

Key players returning: Senior Lauren Walsh (10.2 ppg., 4 rpg., 3.4 apg., 2.4 spg..), Junior Jessa Troy (14.1 ppg., 3.6 rpg.), Senior Karleisha Echols (2.4 ppg., 2.4 rpg., 3.5 apg.)

Key newcomers: Senior Kristlynn Minor (injured last season), Junior Ava Stebbins, Freshman Anna McCullough, Freshman Alivia Dawson

Coach Ulrich says: "Defense, as always, will be a huge key for us this season. This group is very unselfish and shares the ball well. We expect to fly under the radar for the most part and we are ok with that. This group is on a mission, but it is important that we bring the right mindset, mentality, and motivation each time that we set out on the court. Our culture is strong and our players believe in each other and what we are doing. We will be a young team once again, with only three players returning with heavy minutes from last season. Size could be an issue, but I expect to make up for that with our gritty guard play."

More: Indiana All-stars: Penn coach Kristi Ulrich thrilled to have Rashunda Jones on her side

Mishawaka Marian

Coach: Mike Bauer (0-0 in first season)

2022-23 Record: 22-6 (10-1 NIC, Lost in Class 3A regional)

Key graduation losses: Nevaeh Foster (25 ppg., NIC MVP, All-State), Makaya Porter (12 ppg., only played in three games due to an injury), Shayla Alexander (11 ppg.), Aliyah Hershberger (11 ppg.)

Key players returning: Sam Gruber (2.3 ppg.), Madison Meyers

Key newcomers: Senior Lillith Eaton, Sophomore Fane Sete

Coach Bauer says: "We have a lot of girls that will be filling new roles this year as well as having a new coach and a new system to learn. I feel as the year goes on and they become more comfortable playing with each other that our performance on the court will thrive. Our goal will be to get better every day and continue to build momentum for the postseason."

Northridge

Coach: Doug Springer (276-113 in 17th season, 328-131 overall in 20th season)

2022-23 Record: 22-6 (6-1 NLC, Lost in Class 4A regional)

Key graduation losses: Eva Fisher (14 ppg., now at Marian University), Savannah Boerema (8 ppg., now at Indiana Tech)

Key players returning: Senior Morgan Cross (10 ppg.), Senior Sabrina Miller (7.2 ppg.), Senior Gaby Gates, Junior Rielyn Goodwin

Key newcomers: Junior Ella Mohamed, Senior Cam Conley

Coach Springer says: "We have several girls back that have varsity experience. If we are willing to hold each other accountable and focus our attention to detail, this team can compete for an NLC championship and sectional championship. We have a variety of ways we can score. On any given night, we have six players that could score in double figures. An area of concern for us as always is rebounding with our lack of size."

Fairfield

Coach: Kyle Hartman (0-0 in first season)

2022-23 Record: 28-2 (10-0 in NECC, Class 3A state champions)

Key graduation losses: Brea Garber (15 ppg., 5 rpg., 4 apg.), Bailey Willard (10 ppg., 3 rpg., 1 apg.), Morgan Gawthrop (10 ppg., 4 rpg. 2 apg.), Delana Geiger (2 ppg., 4 rpg.)

Key players returning: Kaylee Dillon (7 ppg., 3 rpg. 1 apg.), Eva Herbert (6 ppg. 2 rpg 3 apg)., Natalie Whitaker (4 ppg. 2 rpg., 1 apg..)

Key newcomers: Sophomore Macy Worthman, Jayslynn Hall (injured the past two years), Freshman Madison Jones.

Coach Hartman says: " We return some players but the roles for those kids will be different. The attention will be on them now, not the four seniors from last year. I think they are ready for that spotlight but it’s going to be a growing process as the season goes on. We might struggle offensively early on but we have to make sure we defend like crazy. Our expectations don’t change. We want to continue this winning culture. I think we have a high ceiling this year but we just have to take it one day at a time. Get better every single day and the rest will take care of itself."

South Bend Adams

Coach: Maurice Scott (0-0 in first season, 91-45 in 7th season overall)

2022-23 Record: 11-12 (6-5 in NIC, Lost in Class 4A sectional)

Key players returning: Lois Carr (7.6 ppg.), Meredith Anella, Marigrace Foster, Zariyah Wiley (6.3 ppg.).

Coach Scott says: "I'm excited about coaching a group of young ladies that come to get better every day."

Bethany Christian

Coach: Krysten Parson (190-199 in 18th season)

2022-23 Record: 24-4 (5-0 in Hoosier Plains Conference, Class 1A state runner up)

Key graduation losses: Kiersten Todd (6.5 ppg., 3.9 rpg.), Julia Moser (5.7 ppg., 1.0 spg.)

Key players returning: Senior Zoe Willems (17.1 ppg., 8.2 rpg., 2.6 apg., 3.4 spg.), Senior Mariah Stoltzfus (10.9 ppg. .3.5 rpg., 4.3 apg., 4.1 spg..), Senior Eva Horning, Senior Morgan Chupp

Coach Parson says: "We lost a great group of seniors to graduation, as did many local teams. Our hope is that several of our players will step into important roles for us this year. Sophomore Ellie Morris could have a great season, as she will be able to handle the ball and can shoot from deep. Junior Karlee Crume and Senior Leyna Borgmann (transfer from Manchester) will carry the load down low, and both of them complement each other well. I also think that Adrienne Chupp will contribute significantly this year. We have a long season ahead of us so it will be good to see how this team gels together. Fundamentals will continue to be a focus of ours, doing the little things well. Ball movement, moving without the ball and playing great half-court defense are some of our focuses this season. I love what I do so every season is exciting for me. I love to watch my players develop over the course of the season and figure out ways to grow their game, and grow as individuals."

NorthWood

Coach: Taylor Burkhart (14-11 in second season)

2022-23 Record: 14-11 (3-4 in NLC, Lost in Class 3A sectional)

Key graduation losses: Aaliyah Bonner

Key players returning: Joselyn Edwards (8.8 ppg.). Haylee Heflin, Callie Johnson, Claire Payne (9.6 ppg., 11.1 rpg.), Megan Yoder

Kew newcomers: Freshmen: Ella Branham, Addie Davis, Kinzee Hartman, Claire Hill

Coach Burkhart says: "The NorthWood Black Swish team is excited for the new season and ready to take the court. The team finished last season with a winning record (14-11), which contributed to the second most improved record in the state. Returning with a strong core of players, the program is continuing its focus on execution, strong work ethic, and competing at the highest level. "

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Preview: 8 South Bend area girls basketball teams to watch in 2023-24