Top Backcourts In Class 1A

Indiana has always been known for its strong guard play, and this year Class 1A should have some really dynamic guards lighting up the scoreboards.  With most Class 1A teams not being terribly deep, we focused the selection of these Top-5 backcourts on their two best guards / wings, but we’ve listed as many of their perimeter players as we are aware of.  The teams who made the cut are arranged alphabetically.   Brooklyn Langkabel of Morristown Morristown H.S. (Morristown, IN) Morristown’s top four returnees are all members of their backcourt, so I’d anticipate them having a pretty strong year in Class 1A.  Leading the way is 2019 wing Cambie Poole (11.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.7 spg, 33 made 3s), a 5-5 wing who can knock down shots from the perimeter or attack the basket strong.  The second Yellow Jacket of note is equally talented, but she just plays different stylistically, and that’s 2019 wing Brooklyn Langkabel (10.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 34 made 3s).  Brooklyn is a 5-7 wing who can do a little of everything.  She handles the ball and runs offense a lot, she can get to the basket, or she can hit shots outside.  A third member of their backcourt is 2019 guard Raegan Butcher (8.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg. 2.4 spg).  She’s a long and fairly athletic 5-7 guard who is more of a slasher and who can defend multiple positions.  The only other two ladies returning with Varsity experience are 5-4 2019 guard Kenzie Logan (4.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg) and 5-3 2020 guard Maddie Lee (0.3 ppg).   Averi Davidson of North Central North Central H.S. (Farmersburg, IN) North Central has a really bright future, and it begins with their two Sophomore guards.  They were outstanding last season as just Freshmen, and they have opponents worried about what the next three seasons hold.  The top scorer of the two is 5-5 Averi Davidson (17.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.8 apg, 3.6 spg, 67 made 3s).  She is versatile enough to play some point guard at times, especially when her counterpart is out of the game, but she’s such a good perimeter shooter and a natural scorer, that you kind of want her running off of screens.  The point guard of the two is 5-4 Courtney Williams (15.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 5.1 apg, 2.4 spg, 32 made 3s).  Courtney is their primary ball-handler and setup person, but she’s always a capable shooter / scorer who can create her own shots.  It’s obvious to tell by their statistics that they are quite the duo, but if you get a chance, go check them out.   Kelcie Thomson (#22) of Northfield Northfield H.S. (Wabash, IN) Northfield has had a great 3-year run, and it’s primarily because of their two Senior guards.  5-2 point guard Kelcie Thomson (13.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 4.9 apg, 4.0 spg, 29 made 3s, 51% from 3) and 5-6 guard Ariel Dale (16.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2,2 spg, 47 made 3s) are both heading into their fourth year as starters for the Norse.  Kelcie is a strong, tough-nosed, feisty guard who can really shoot it outside or set teammates up for scores.  Ariel is a long lefty with an accurate perimeter shot, and a knack for scoring the basketball at all levels.  She’s also a feisty defender who can get after people.  But what will make Northfield better this year is they finally have nice depth to use.  5-7 wing Abbey Ross (4.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg) is another Senior who is a scrapper and comes up with hustle plays.  5-4 2020 guard Maddie Clark (2.5 ppg) got some experience a year ago, as did 5-5 2021 guard Kyra Kennedy (1.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg).  And 5-6 2021 guard Emma Hoover (1.3 ppg) looked much-improved when I saw her in July.   Katelyn Sauer of Oregon-Davis Oregon-Davis H.S. (Hamlet, IN) Oregon-Davis is one of the toughest Class 1A teams to play against, because they pressure the ball 84-feet nonstop, scramble everywhere, and just wear you down mentally and physically until you break.  That’s difficult to do unless you have good guards, and they should have a nice run over the next couple of years, because they again have some really nice guards who can get out and go.  Leading the charge is 4-11 2020 point guard Katelyn Sauer (14.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.3 apg, 5.0 spg, 41 made 3s).  She is shorter, but she has good strength, quickness, a veteran savvy, and she’s very tough / feisty.  She is joined on the perimeter by 5’7 2021 wing Mercedes Rhodes (14.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.1 apg, 3.2 spg, 36 made 3s), who put together a really nice Freshman season one year ago.  5-6 2020 guard Sydney Williams is a solid athlete who can hit shots from the perimeter, while 5-2 2020 guard Reece Danford is a scrappy little guard who will fly around, but who can also hit shots outside.  Those two have the most experience of any other returnees.  5-4 2019 guard Cassidy Stout transferred in from Whitko last year, but she grew up in the Oregon-Davis feeder system, and 5-5 wing Kynsey Lyles is yet another 2020 kid who adds more depth to an already tough backcourt.   Brooke Andrus of University University H.S. (Carmel, IN) University has maybe the deepest team in Class 1A, so it shouldn’t be any surprise that their backcourt winds up on this list.  5-7 2019 guard Brooke Andrus (9.4 ppg, 4.9 apg, 32 made 3s) moved in last year from Greenfield-Central, and she made an immediate impact.  She is strong, tough-nosed, and always plays with a good motor, plus she takes care of the ball, and she can hit shots outside.  Joining her on the perimeter will be 5-7 2019 wing Lily Snyder (8.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 2.8 spg) who kind of does a little of everything.  She’s a solid athlete who is good defensively.  5-3 2019 guard Haley Tomlinson (4.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg) brings back a great deal of experience and toughness to the lineup.  But the most intriguing player might be newcomer Maddi Sears (3.3 ppg).  She’s a 5-7 2020 guard who transferred in from Carmel, after earning letters for the Greyhounds each of her first two years.  Maddi is very tough-nosed, she plays with a great motor, a nice basketball IQ, and she can hit shots at all levels.  She should have an instant impact.   Also Heavily Considered Were: Bethesda Christian Blue River Valley Edinburgh Loogootee Marquette Catholic North Vermillion Waldron West Washington Wood Memorial   Header photo of Ariel Dale of Northfield (in blue); photo courtesy of inkfreenews.com.  Photo of Brooklyn Langkabel courtesy of therepublic.com.  Photo of Averi Davidson courtesy of sullivan-times.com.  Photo of Kelcie Thomson courtesy of northfieldathletics.com.  Photo of Katelyn Sauer courtesy of inkfreenews.com.  Photo of Brooke Andrus courtesy of