For the eighth 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 2026-2027 season.
Want to know how we come up with our rankings? Click here.
At the end of this countdown, we reach the annual First Five and the top preseason honor given out for basketball by Outside the Huddle.
No. 4: Kendal VanderWal, Angola
Kendall VanderWal made an immediate impact after transferring to Angola from Ohio, emerging as the Hornets’ leading scorer, rebounder and playmaker during her sophomore season. Now entering her junior year, she returns after averaging 19.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.5 steals per game, earning first-team All-NECC and Outside the Huddle All-Area recognition. VanderWal shot 47.7 percent from the field and 57.8 percent on two-point attempts, showing an ability to finish inside while also contributing 1.4 three-pointers per contest. Her production across the board makes her a central figure in Angola’s experienced returning lineup.
VanderWal also demonstrated how high her ceiling can be, earning IBCA District 1 Player of the Week honors twice last season. During her second award-winning week in January, the 5-foot-8 guard averaged 27 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists across three victories, capped by a 34-point, 11-rebound, six-assist performance against Bishop Dwenger. Those outings illustrate the challenge she presents: VanderWal can carry the scoring load, create opportunities for teammates and control possessions through her rebounding. Building on that foundation would give Angola a powerful catalyst in its pursuit of NECC contention. She was also the MVP of the Futures Game played over this past summer.
COACH’S QUOTE ON VANDERWAL
“Kendall brings leadership, an elite mindset with strong basketball IQ and a dynamic style of play. She is constantly working on her craft. She has the ability to score the ball at all three levels, handle and distribute the ball with ease and strong court vision which allows her to create for her teammates. She has a nose for the ball when it comes to rebounding and understands playing the angles. She can play multiple positions and has the ability to set, push and control the tempo.” – Angola coach Caela Walker
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