We are back in action the Northeast Corner Conference and while some top players were lost to graduation, the bevy of experience back in the conference makes the race really interesting in the top, middle and even at the expected bottom.
So who rises to the top this season?
THE FAVORITE
WESTVIEW
Despite losing three big time contributors from a season ago, things are expected to continue to look up for perennial NECC power Westview this season. The team returns a mix of experience and developing talent for the 2023-24 season, led by senior guards Owen Brill and Kamden Yoder. While their varsity stats were modest last season, their leadership will play a key role in shaping the team’s identity. Junior Kaden Grau is a standout returning player, having averaged 8.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game, and his ability to contribute on both ends of the floor makes him a cornerstone for the team. Sophomore Austin Schlabach also showed great promise last season, contributing 5.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, and will take on a larger role in the backcourt alongside fellow sophomore Daniel Yoder.
The addition of new varsity players like junior guard Milan Miller and sophomore forward Kaine Reinhold adds depth to the roster.
“We lost a lot of experience from last year’s group. We will be younger, but excited about the talent within our younger group. We are hoping to compete for championships again this season,” said coach Chandler Prible.
THE CONTENDER
LAKELAND
Led by a senior-heavy core that includes Justin Carlson, Anthony Khanchareun and Chuck Schackow. Carlson provide leadership and versatility in the backcourt, with Schackow helping to anchor the frontcourt with his ability to defend the post and contribute on the boards. Together, this experienced group sets the tone for the team’s competitiveness and focus.
The junior class adds a lot of skill, depth and size to the roster, with Levi Cook and Keegan Merrifield providing valuable option. Guards Keyan Arroyo and Kyle Hartsough add speed and shooting ability, while sophomore Cole Riehl offers a spark of youthful energy and emerging talent in the backcourt. With a balanced mix of veteran leadership and underclassmen potential, the team is poised for a strong campaign, aiming to maximize their versatility and capitalize on their depth to help replace the output of Nate Keil, who was one of the top scorers in Northeast Indiana a season ago.
“We should have depth with a lot of returning players. We have a lot of areas that we need to improve in order to get to the next level. The guys have shown an “ALL IN” commitment to getting better over the summer and during the preseason,” coach TJ Schneider said.
THE REST (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)
ANGOLA
Angola will rely on a deep junior class in the first season under new head coach Bryan Weber. The junior group, featuring Tommy Caswell, Max Tynan, Landon Leach, Ryan Stuckey, Ben Thomas and Haven Stockcamp, offers a well-rounded blend of talent and versatility. With Caswell and Leach expected to make key contributions on both ends of the floor, and players like Tynan and Stockcamp providing depth and energy. This group’s cohesion and development will be crucial as they aim to grow together and make a strong impact this season.
Angola’s returners will be headlined by Kyler Husher, the lone senior bringing experience and guidance to the roster after an All-NECC Honorable Mention nod last season.
CENTRAL NOBLE
Senior guard Redick Zolman had an impressive season last year, averaging 10.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, and his all-around game will be crucial as he looks to take on a bigger leadership role this season alongside fellow senior Jayden Tilley. Junior Nick Freeman will continue to develop his game, bringing versatility to the guard position.
The team also adds new talent with seniors Carmine Shoda and Colt Kirkpatrick, as well as freshman Merek Malcolm. Shoda is a move-up from JV, while Kirkpatrick, a 6’4” forward, brings size and strength to the frontcourt after transferring from the Noble Whitley Warriors on the homeschool circuit. Kirkpatrick was a massive standout in that world and his inclusion helps the offense of Central Noble tick at a higher rate. Malcolm could be ready to make an immediate impact. With a mix of returning experience and fresh talent, the team is primed to build on last season’s progress and compete at a high level this year.
“I believe we will compete night in and night out. If we play to our ceiling we will be a high-
scoring team, that’ll be fun to watch,” said coach Ben Lemmon. “Redick Zolman and Colt Kirkpatrick are two very good high school basketball players. They find ways to score and set up other players for open shots. I believe our biggest strength as a team could be how we share the ball, but we’ll see how that unfolds.”
CHURUBUSCO
Mason Mast’s ability to facilitate the offense and knock down shots from deep, evident in his 76 assists and 35% accuracy from beyond the arc, makes him a key player for this group. Senior Braylon McCoy, who made an impact late last season once becoming eligible with his scoring and shooting, will look to expand his role as a consistent contributor alongside sharpshooter Brayden Bianski, who hit an impressive 50% of his three-point attempts. Junior forward Weston Ott provides a strong presence in the paint, averaging 6.2 rebounds per game and converting 43% of his field goal attempts, rounding out a well-balanced returning group.
Junior Carson Tonkel brings versatility as a guard/forward. Brody Lawrence, returning to the team after a year away, adds depth to the frontcourt, while sophomore Miles Pommer offers some additional size and potential at 6’2”.
“It will be crucial to carryover the foundation that was established last year and hit the ground running with the understanding of the process it takes to compete at a high level,” said coach Gabe Garman.
EASTSIDE
There will be a pretty bare cupboard for coach Will Lewis, who takes over on the Eastside sideline after previously being an assistant at Bishop Dwenger. Nolan Baker is slated to be the only returning varsity player, but having a 6-foot-6 junior as the lynchpin for a rebuild isn’t a bad thing. The majority of the varsity roster will be players up from the junior varsity, including seniors Ryan Strong and Konnor Johnson as well as sophomores Bryce Strong and Evan Elden. Junior Bryan Cuenca will join the lineup after not playing last season.
“We are a blank slate. I’m in a fortunate to start building our team towards my vision. We’re going to learn to love this journey together, process over prize. I’m excited about the energy bubbling up and what the future of Blazer basketball looks like,” said Lewis.
FAIRFIELD
After graduating the vast majority of their scoring, the Falcons are led by returning lettermen Eli Miller, Brant Garber and Cole Knight, who bring a solid mix of experience and leadership to the court. Senior forward Miller provides a steady presence inside, while juniors Garber and Knight contribute versatile skill sets, with Garber anchoring the backcourt and Knight adding size and scoring ability in the frontcourt. Their experience helps alot for first year boys head coach Brodie Garber, who won a 2023 state title coaching the Fairfield girls.
The varsity newcomers bring depth and energy, giving the team plenty of options on both ends of the floor. Junior forward Ben Kio and 6’6” forward Brady Park add much-needed size in the post, while guards like Grady Garber, Grady Chupp and Isaac Mast bring continued depth. Young players like sophomore Drew Beachy and freshman Parker Smith add potential for future growth. Matthew Holsopple will also join the lineup.
“One of our strengths should be a nice balance in scoring among the top four to five guys. We are going to have to defend well in order to compete with our schedule. I feel this team has a lot of room for growth with the goal of playing great basketball by the end of the year,” coach Brodie Garber said.
FREMONT
Fremont is not taking any part of their season for granted, prepping for the Class 1A postseason by putting forth a heavy schedule during the regular season. That includes trips to Class 4A programs LaPorte and Goshen; the Eagles have in fact had success against bigger schools recently with a massive upset of Wayne just two years ago. The team enters the 2023-24 season with a strong group of returning varsity players, led by senior forward Bryce Parnin. Parnin’s impact on both ends of the court is undeniable, with averages of 9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game, making him a defensive anchor and a consistent scoring option.
Fellow senior Colten Guthrie contributes at guard, averaging 10 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists per game last season and will be expected to be a lead guard. Ethan Grimm (8 ppg/5 rpg/2 spg) adds versatility at forward, while Cayden Hufnagle (9.5 ppg/2 spg) rounds out the core with his balanced offensive and defensive play. The team also welcomes new talent with senior guard Landon Jaeger, a move-in from Lakeland and sophomore forward Brant Bressler, who steps up from JV.
“We have a team of skilled basketball players with high basketball IQs. These two traits allow them to adjust in real time to any changes that are gameplan specific. So, I think our biggest strength lies in being able to play any type of basketball we need to play to win,” said coach Josh Stuckey.
GARRETT
Garrett will join the confines of NECC teams (5) with new coaches as Logan Traylor takes over the program. He acquires a program that has gone 5-18 in each of its past three seasons. Senior Parker Reed (8.5 ppg/4.5 rpg) is Garrett’s most key returner as he will be joined by fellow seniors Jakob Hoover and Royce Fuentes. Sophomore Carter Coffman (6 ppg/3.1 rpg) showed flashes of high level play as a freshman in the lineup last season. The remaining varsity returners don’t have a ton of experience, but add a lot of length to the lineup from juniors Gabe Armstrong and Jake Gonya, as well as sophomore Kohen Smith.
Joining the group of returners will be sophomore Isaiah King, who is the second player in the conference to move from a homeschool team; last season he averaged 8.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game with the Fort Wayne Hawks. Junior Ari Hippensteel will add backcourt depth after missing last season with an injury.
“Goal number one is rebuilding a culture of success and getting this group to buy into that change with a new head coach and staff. We want Garrett basketball to thrive now and into the future so culture within the program is a massive key for us,” Traylor said.
PRAIRIE HEIGHTS
At 6’4”, Cade Bachelor provides a strong presence on both ends of the floor, and his ability to play multiple positions makes him a valuable asset. Fellow juniors in guards Leo Hare, Keegan German and Lane Yoder bring returning depth to the wing. Senior guards Caleb Freed and Lance Speck provide leadership and experience. Sophomore Jake Stoy will also be a major piece of the puzzle for Prairie Heights with his ability to get downhill being so strong.
In addition to the returning players, the team gains several key contributors with new varsity players. Junior guard Brady Strater, along with forwards Caston Day (6’3”) and Connor Sizemore (6’2”), all move up from JV and are expected to add depth and versatility to the roster. Prairie Heights hopes that these additions and an experienced but young core can help them improve strength, quickness and athleticism.
“We return the majority of our players that are now upperclassmen. The improvement in strength and athleticism will provide a more competitive outlook this season. We will be a more aggressive defensive team looking to put pressure at the point of attack,” said coach Delmar Bontrager.
WEST NOBLE
Led by senior forward Jordan Eash, a consistent force averaging 8.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game last season leads West Noble into the new season. Eash shot an impressive 51.9% from the field and 81.6% from the free-throw line. Junior guard Nolan Kelly adds backcourt scoring and playmaking, with 7.9 points and 2.3 assists per game, alongside his shooting ability from beyond the arc. Trevor Steele (5.2 ppg), a 6’4” junior forward, complements Eash in the frontcourt with his rebounding and defensive presence, while underclassmen Aiden Replogle and Isaac Mast provide additional depth at the guard positions.
The team also welcomes several new players to the varsity roster, including senior Drew Burns, who returns from injury. Senior Logan Short also joins the roster and juniors Brayden Ritchie and Blake Short join him from the junior varsity roster, as does sophomore Caleb Saggars. The Chargers may see some help from a pair of freshmen in Cameron Eash and Ryan Glick.
“We return several players that were able to gain valuable experience last year. Though we lost
15 games last year, 10 of those losses were by a combined 31 points. We are hoping that close
game experience will pay dividends for our guys this year,” coach Ethan Marsh said. “Our guys have worked very hard this offseason, led by our senior leaders, and we are looking forward to seeing our improvement on the court.”
BOUNCE’S NECC PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1. Westview
2. Lakeland
3. Fremont
4. Central Noble
5. Fairfield
6. Garrett
7. West Noble
8. Angola
9. Prairie Heights
10. Churubusco
11. Eastside
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