Who is the next big thing? Or maybe not even big, but the next impact player who can help elevate a program?
Each year, there are big breakouts. Sometimes they come from newcomers from the middle school level and while that can be rare, there are always players that step up into bigger roles. Were they varsity role players a season ago waiting their turn behind the older and/or wiser? Were they JV kids who needed more seasoning or didn’t want lost in the shuffle behind too many other players based on position depth?
Lets talk about and maybe even predict who Northeast Indiana area’s breakout players for the 2026-2027 season will be.
LEAH WERTH, HOMESTEAD
Werth is an interesting case because she has basically had to wait her turn at Homestead, but not during the summer. She shot the ball at a great rate this past summer and had a stellar run on the P32 circuit. But in school ball, he varsity court time has been limited because she’s at Homestead where the Spartans are already loaded. Werth is well known on the girls basketball scene and has already committed to play D1 basketball at Eastern Michigan despite appearing in just XX games and playing XX minutes per game next season. The girls basketball world in the area knows all about Werth, but everyone else is going to get to know her very well during her junior campaign.
ANDREW MCCUTCHEON, HUNTINGTON NORTH
Huntington North junior Andrew McCutcheon looks poised to compete for a larger varsity role after a productive offseason. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 11.5 points per game in the 2026 Summit Summer League, earning a spot on Outside the Huddle’s unofficial All-League team. This came off a summer that was successful for McCutcheon with Summit City Elite and has him aligned with a really good junior class at Huntington North and positioned to be an impact player in a hopeful NE8 title run.
ELLA SAVICK, ANGOLA
Savick enters her junior season as an experienced piece of Angola’s backcourt, bringing scoring potential and a defensive presence that fits the Hornets’ fast-paced approach. She demonstrated her ability to lead the offense with a 19-point performance in a January 2026 victory over Westview, offering a strong example of what she can contribute. This season could afford her more opportunities in this experienced lineup as focus is throw other ways.
OWEN WILL, EAST NOBLE
East Noble sophomore Owen Will is a young player to watch after gaining varsity experience as a freshman and delivering a productive summer with Club1 Prime 2029. The 6-foot-3 forward contributed six points and four rebounds in the Knights’ 58-41 win over Central Noble last January, showing his ability to contribute around the basket. Will could be the next big player for East Noble, so his workload as a sophomore is not only going to uptick, but it may be crucial in the Knights’ ability to compete with the top NE8 teams again.
KHLOE VANDERFORD, CONCORDIA
Vanderford enters her sophomore season as a promising part of Concordia Lutheran’s returning core after gaining meaningful varsity experience as a freshman. In 19 games during the 2025–26 season, she averaged 5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists; contributing across several areas of the game. Those numbers give Vanderford a foundation to build on as the Cadets replace leading scorer Alivia Bolinger, whose graduation creates an opportunity for returning players to take on greater offensive responsibility. Vanderford’s early experience producing against varsity competition makes her a player to watch as Concordia develops its next group of leaders.
NOLAN BOWERS, HERITAGE
Bowers enters his junior season with the potential to become a larger force in Heritage’s frontcourt, bringing a 6-foot-5 frame and an established presence around the basket. After averaging 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks as a sophomore, The combination of rebounding, rim protection and developing low-post scoring makes Bowers a promising candidate for a bigger role, with greater consistency offering a path toward becoming one of the ACAC’s more impactful interior players.
ELIN BETTEN, MANCHESTER
Betten enters her sophomore season at Manchester with a strong defensive foundation after making an impact beyond the scoring column as a freshman. During the 2025–26 season, she averaged 4.9 rebounds and 2.5 steals, ranking second on the Squires in both categories and establishing herself as a valuable contributor on the glass and defensively. Her versatility showed in a December matchup with Southwood, when she contributed seven points, three rebounds, three steals and a block. With varsity experience already behind her, Betten looks positioned to become an increasingly important part of Manchester’s returning core, especially if her offensive production grows alongside her established rebounding and ability to create turnovers.
DAVIN DAY, WHITKO
Day enters his junior season as an established interior contributor for Whitko after leading the Wildcats in rebounding and shot blocking as a sophomore. In 22 games during the 2025–26 season, Day averaged 6.3 points and 5.9 rebounds, while shooting a team-best 48 percent from the field, giving Whitko a productive presence around the basket. With two seasons of varsity experience behind him, Day looks positioned to take on greater responsibility in the Wildcats’ frontcourt, and gives himself a big chance to breakout amongst the entire area.
MACKENZIE CARTER, SNIDER
Carter enters her junior season as a proven perimeter contributor for Snider after earning honorable mention All-SAC recognition as a sophomore. She finished the 2025–26 season with 170 points and 33 assists while shooting 38 percent from three-point range, giving the Panthers a valuable floor-spacing option alongside their other scorers. She had a solid summer with Always 100, adding to the picture of a developing guard whose shooting and versatility could make her increasingly important to the Panthers’ offense.
MASON WEAVER, HOMESTEAD
Weaver enters his sophomore season at Homestead with a promising foundation after averaging 3.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists as a freshman; a grade that doesn’t usually get much playing time on the varsity level at Homestead. Weaver has shown solid composure and understanding of the game while carving out a varsity role. His pacing complements his ability to contribute without needing to dominate the scoring, something seen last summer in his time with Grand Park Premier. With early varsity experience and a steady approach already established, Weaver is only going to become more important.
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