When the lights are at their brightest and the competition is at its highest, there are two options. You can either shy away from the moment, or you can thrive in it. No player in the area showed up more consistently on the biggest stages all season long than Joslyn Bricker, who is the Times-Union Player of the Year for girls basketball.
It wasn’t just the biggest games that Bricker shined in, as she was consistent all season long. Her 19 points a game led a team that featured three Indiana All-Stars, including herself. She also was second on the team in rebounding (5.3), assists (3.2) and steals (2.6).
Being named a Junior All-Star fulfilled a lifelong goal for the guard.
“I’ve wanted to be an All-Star ever since I found out it was a thing. Having that honor is really special to me and gives me the motivation to get that title next year too,” she said.
When it mattered most, Bricker was a beast. She scored 26 points against Columbia City. Twenty-seven against Northridge the first time that they played and 34 the second. She put up a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds against South Bend Washington in the regional before scoring 17 of her team’s first 19 points against McCutcheon in the semi-state en route to finishing with 35.
“As a competitor, those are the types of games that you dream about playing in and thrive in the most,” Bricker said. “In those situations I kind of just lose myself in the game and in the moment. I stop thinking about myself and put all my focus on just trying to win.”
Lenny Krebs, who has coached Bricker for all three years she’s been a varsity player, couldn’t agree more with her outlook.
“She just lets it happen. She doesn’t try to force anything. She loses herself in the moment and I want to make sure that’s emphasized,” he said. “She doesn’t try to take over, she’s just doing what she does.
“As a coach, when you have a player like that, you go into it very confident. We’ll sit in the coaches office and say ‘well, it’s a big game, we just need Bricker to lose herself in the moment.’ Time and time again, she did. That’s just big game DNA. A lot of kids would shy away from the pressure, and she runs towards it.”
Bricker is able to do all of the things she does because she is the definition of a complete player. She can score at a very high percentage from the outside, while also taking her defender to the rim and being a force to reckon with in the paint. She’s also improved her defense a ton over the past three seasons, and is able to make things happen on both ends of the court. If you ask her what her favorite part of her game is, she won’t hesitate to tell you.

    Warsaw senior Joslyn Bricker fades back for a shot during a Semi-State game against McCutcheon...Nieter

“I love driving to the basket. I love how physical it is and that I can get really crafty to score,” Bricker said. “I love getting past my defender, because from there you can also make plays for your teammates too.”
She’s gotten better every year, too.
“It’s very hard to get past Josyln Bricker with the basketball, and I think that’s going to set her up for success at the next level,” Krebs said. “But I think the area she’s improved the most is how she’s handled pressure and what we ask her to do. I don’t think the average fan watching from the stands realizes how much we ask her to do. Last year, I think that weighed on her. This year, she thrived in it.”
A big reason Bricker has improved every season is due to her participation in AAU during the offseason months. Her team, the West Virginia Thunder, will play a circuit this season, a series of tournaments and events that are full of elite talent from all over the country. She’s looking forward to the opportunity to test herself against some of the best players from all over.
“A lot of people like to play the game. She works at the game,” Krebs said. “She didn’t start playing AAU until she was in 8th grade because she was working at her craft and getting ready for it. Not many people work harder than her.”
Heading into her senior year, Bricker has yet to commit to play at the next level, but she is a hot commodity. Schools that have given her offers include Indiana Wesleyan, Ball State, Wright State, Loyola Chicago and Purdue Fort Wayne.
“Last summer is when my recruitment really started picking up, this past year has been really busy, trying to figure out what exactly it is that I want,” she said. “There’s so much that goes into that decision with a lot of moving parts. Ultimately, I just want to be surrounded by really good people and do what’s best for me and my family.”
Krebs thinks that this is just the beginning.
“I think she’s going to be surprised with what she walks away with,” he said. “I think her recruitment is going to explode this summer with how quickly she improves.”
Heading into her final season as a Lady Tiger, Bricker has one main goal: getting back to the state finals and finishing the job this time around.
“Our class is going to be the seniors, so I think our leadership is going to be what sets the tone and takes us there,” she said. “We know what’s needed from us and we have a lot to build off of.”
Bricker credits her older brother Luke, a member of the all-area team for the boys side, as being one of her biggest idols in the game of basketball
“When we were young we had an unfinished basement with a six-foot hoop down there so we’d always play one on one, begging our dad to come watch us play,” she said with a smile. “Those games got heated but having him has helped me grow so much.”
In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her family, playing pickleball and being outside. She played volleyball for Warsaw during her freshman and sophomore year, as well as soccer and golf when she was younger.
The Times-Union would like to congratulate Bricker on her fantastic season and wish her the best of luck as she prepares for her senior campaign.
Times-Union All-Area Team
Joslyn Bricker (POTY, Warsaw Jr.)
The 2024-25 Times-Union Player of the Year earned the honor with her dominant play in the biggest games of the season for Warsaw. Bricker is a player that can score from inside and out, facilitates when she needs to and makes everyone around her better. She’ll be a primary factor if next year’s Warsaw team wants to replicate a deep tournament run.
Brooke Winchester (Warsaw Sr.)
Winchester, last year’s Player of the Year. put together a fantastic senior season, culminating in being named an Indiana All-Star. She averaged 13 points and 10.1 rebounds a game, scoring the 1,000th point of her career in the regional victory over South Bend Washington. Winchester was a major factor in the biggest game of the year, scoring 20 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in the state championship game. She will continue her career next year at Ball State.
Brooke Zartman (Warsaw Jr.)
The sharpshooting Zartman is one of the best outside shooters in the country, let alone the state. Having to deal with a face guard for a majority of the season, she made her impact in other ways, including leading the team with nearly three steals a game. She still found a way to average 17.8 points while shooting 46% from deep and 52% overall. In one of the biggest moments of the season, She scored 25 points against undefeated Hamilton Southeastern to lead the way in a semi-state victory.
Alexis Neely (Warsaw Jr.)
One of the most underrated players in the northern part of the state, Neely would be the number one option on a large number of teams in Michiana. On a team with three other perennial Player of the Year candidates, she plays her role incredibly well. Playing great defense, she scored 9.5 points a game and led the team with 3.8 assists a night.
Reese Stonebreaker (Whitko Jr.)
The elder Stonebreaker sister was one of the most improved players in the area this year, and was a major factor in Whitko winning its first sectional and regional title this season. She led the team with 13.8 points a night, grabbed six rebounds and three steals to go with it. For her efforts, she was named to the Small School All-State team and will look to improve even further in her senior year.
Jayma Stonebreaker (Whitko So.)
Jayma, the younger Stonebreaker, was just as key a factor to Whitko’s success as her older sister. She averaged 12.7 points a game on a team-high 50% shooting mark. She also led the team in assists (3.8) and steals (3.8). Just a sophomore, Jayma has the ability to be the Player of the Year herself at some point if her meteoric rise continues.
Adriyanna Phillips (Whitko Sr.)
The third member of Whitko’s big three was Adriyanna Phillips, who as a senior, finally realized some postseason success. She was a major reason why, averaging 12.6 points a game and making a team-high 66 three pointers. Like Reese, Phillips was acknowledged for her fantastic season by being named an All-State honorable mention.
Mackenzie Hackleman (Wawasee Sr.)
Hackleman has been a mainstay on this list for the last couple years, as she has consistently been a Swiss Army Knife for a Wawasee team that has had a fair share of success. On a team that is most known for their ability to play together, she still found a way to stand out. This year, she led the team in points (11.8), assists (2.8), steals (3.8) and blocks (1.7). She will continue her career at Holy Cross College in Notre Dame, IN.
Gaby Gonzalez (Tippecanoe Valley Jr.)
Gonzalez is the type of two-way player that can change the outcome of games on both ends. She led the Lady Vikings in scoring with nine points a game, with a large portion of those coming off of the 3.5 steals she averaged each game. Despite being a smaller guard, she still found ways to average nearly two offensive rebounds a night, the second most on the team. She’ll be a key senior leader for Valley next season.
Emma Walker (Manchester So.)
Walker, the final member of the all-area team, is another player that stuffs the stat sheet for her team. Only a sophomore, she had already made some big strides in her game. Leading the team in points (12.2), she’s also a tenacious rebounder (6.6 a game) despite her 5’6” height. She’s also great defensively, averaging nearly three steals and half a block a game, leading the team in both. Walker will be a major factor going forward for a Lady Squire team that is trying to break through and start stacking up wins.