Outside the Huddle and Bounce are counting down who it feels are the top 50 individual boys basketball players in northeast Indiana heading into the 2022-23 season.
Today, we unveil five of the best in the area at positions No. 25-21.
No. 25: Cannen Houser, Carroll
Houser is one of the most well rounded knock down shooters in the area. His ability to hit shots when contested has been a big selling point on his abilities in the last year but it is certainly not the only area he succeeds in. Houser is an underrated defender who can make things happen with his intelligence and his length. Houser was one of the biggest breakout players from the area this summer but make no mistake he had those skills on display for Carroll last season a lot too. Houser averaged 14.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and two assists per game in 2021-22.
COACH’S QUOTE ON CANNEN HOUSER
“Cannen’s combination of length and skill is tremendous. His work ethic on his offensive skills was evident last year and his commitment to defense and rebounding in the off season has been outstanding. His well rounded play will be a key to our team’s success this year.” – Carroll coach Ryan Abbott
No. 24: Cadell Wallace, Bishop Luers
It has never been a question whether Wallace could score the ball or not and he proved that since his freshman season. But last year at Bishop Luers, we got to see how well rounded he can really be on the offensive end. Wallace’s speed is a pace setter and often he was the guy driving the entire game for both teams with what he was piecing together. Wallace averaged a team high 15 points for the Knights while adding two steals and two assists per game. He succeeds in pick and roll situations where he more often than not makes the right decision on when or if to pass the ball as he finishes big and strong at the rim.
COACH’S QUOTE ON CADELL WALLACE
“Cadell is a true competitor. He works extremely hard on his craft and is always looking to improve. Cadell will be looking to build on his sophomore season, where he was all SAC and led us in scoring. A big key to our success will be his ability to guard on the ball with the talented point guards on our schedule.” – Bishop Luers coach Seth Coffing
No. 23: Chase Bachelor, Prairie Heights
Bachelor has seen his role increase yearly at Prairie Heights but has been starting since a freshman year where he was leaned on as a defensive stopper. As he has gotten bigger and older, Bachelor has been a great on ball defender at all spots, making him a matchup issue for most teams. He has solid quickness to guard the perimeter and he’s become a stopper in the post, along with being a great rebounder. Sitting at 805 career points, Bachelor has become a go to scorer in the NECC, hitting 56 percent of his shots last season and is one of the most competitive guys in the conference. He averaged 21.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game last season.
COACH’S QUOTE ON CHASE BACHELOR
“He’s a 6’4 big body guard, capable of scoring at all 3 levels. His post work is that of a seasoned big. From the perimeter, he has a way of using his body to navigate into the lane and finishing midrange or at rim.” – Prairie Heights coach Delmar Bontrager
No. 22: Dalman Alexander, Northrop
At his peak, no post in the SAC can stop Alexander and that is fact. His length and athleticism cause major matchup problems even for beefier or stronger post players. He can finish strong (very strong) or he can finish with a soft touch and not many posts are adept at going back and forth like that. When Alexander is at his best, his rim protection is very good and few people want to challenge him at the rim. He averaged 7 points, 5.2 rebounds and a block a game during the 2021-22 season. Two of his best games last season were his last two (13/11 and 15/10) and it leaves a lot of intrigue to see how he will pick up from where he left off.
No. 21: Jaxon Pardon, Carroll
Jaxon Pardon is a nightmare for those who want to avoid pressure. He has a very high motor and just goes and goes and goes on both ends of the court. Another Carroll guard who is known for his shooting as well, Pardon doesn’t mind putting on the pressure and getting to the rim into contact. In fact, it may be fair to say that watching Pardon play, he may prefer contact. He does all of the little intangible things to help find success and he does them well. Pardon’s defense can be smothering and he is great at creating instant offense with his defense. He averaged 12.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and two assists per game for Carroll last season.
COACH’S QUOTE ON JAXON PARDON
“Jaxon is a competitor. Successful basketball players play hard, but Jaxon is able to take playing hard to another level. He took 13 charges last season as a sophomore and is a player who is diving on the floor day in and day out to give his team a chance to win.” – Carroll coach Ryan Abbott
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
Be the first to comment