Preseason Top-50: #4 Northwestern

We are finally to our Top-5 teams on our Top-50 list, regardless of class. For the next few days we will preview each of those teams in their own article. This article focuses on our Preseason #4 team in the state, Northwestern. With regards to our Top-50 teams in general, we took in to account several different factors, most notably, but not limited to, last season’s record, Sagarin rating, and strength of schedule, graduation losses, newcomers, improvement of existing roster members, and coaching changes. Stay tuned to see who our remaining three teams are…   #4 Northwestern H.S. (Kokomo, IN)   Last Season: Northwestern posted a 29-1 record last season, with their only loss coming in their ninth game of the year. They lost to a tough Louisville Mercy team in the second game of the day in a showcase event down in Kentucky. Their defense was suffocating throughout the year, though, allowing just 30.6 points per game. Along the way, they beat some quality opponents, like Tipton, Hamilton Heights, Heritage Christian, Central Noble, Noblesville, Evansville North, Columbus North, Center Grove, Oak Hill, West Lafayette Harrison, and Benton Central. During their state tournament run, they never allowed more than 43 points, they never scored fewer than 61 points, and their closest margin of victory was in the State Finals where they knocked off Greensburg 63-42. All-in-all it was a near perfect season for the Tigers. They started a Senior, two Juniors, and two Sophomores for much of the year, and the typically played as many as 13 girls on a given night, but usually only nine played in their core rotation until the games were out of reach.   [caption id="attachment_16132" align="alignright" width="200"] Junior Guard Klair Merrell[/caption] Guards: Guard play will be a key area of concern coming into this season. They suffered some losses due to graduation, so they will be turning to lesser-experienced girls to fill the void they left. One girl who should step into the starting lineup with great experience and ability is 5-8 2020 guard Klair Merrell (4.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.7 spg, 2 made 3s). She is long, athletic, tough-nosed, and just down right gritty. She plays with a tremendous motor and makes a lot of hustle plays, but she’s also very skillful as a wing guard and can score the ball when necessary. She’s also very scrappy at the defensive end of the floor. From here is where it starts to get a little cloudier. 5’4 2019 guard Kaitlyn Neher (3.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.1 spg, 3 made 3s) returns with the next most experience, and she was a part of the rotation at times last season. She is another tough-nosed guard with a good motor. 5’5 2021 guard Ellie Boyer (0.6 ppg, 0.6 rpg) was one of the girls who got to play at the tail end of games once they were already decided, and she played in 22 games, so she’s likely looking at a much-increased workload this season. And 5-1 2020 guard Kate Miller saw action in just one game in late-November, but didn’t see the floor after that. Anyone else who is going to contribute as a guard will be a true newcomer with no Varsity experience.   [caption id="attachment_11572" align="alignleft" width="258"] Junior Wing Madison Layden[/caption] Forwards & Posts: Up front, Northwestern is as deep and talented as any team in Class 3A, and this is where they dominate their opponents. They can cause any number of mismatches on a given night, and the frontline is what will make the Tigers the heavy favorite to repeat as Class 3A State Champions. 6-1 2020 wing Madison Layden (18.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 5.3 apg, 4.1 spg, 70 made 3s) is a unique blend of size, skill, and savvy. She is a hybrid point forward type of ballplayer, so she handles the ball a lot for them, which will absolutely ease the stress on an inexperienced backcourt. She has developed into a dangerous perimeter shooter, she’s good in the mid-post, and she can take smaller defenders to the block. She recently gave a verbal commitment to Purdue University. 6-1 2020 post Kendall Bostic (15.6 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.9 apg, 2.0 spg, 2.2 bpg) is a powerful, physical kid, who causes mismatches because she has a tremendous motor and outworks everyone on the floor. She has always had great hands and finishing moves around the basket, but now she’s starting to stretch defenses with an improved jump-shot. She just committed to Michigan State University over the weekend. 6-0 2019 power forward Stephanie Burns (5.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.2 spg) is kind of the unsung hero of the group. She is long, bouncy, and athletic, and she plays with a good motor. She is a capable back-to-the-basket player, but she’s much better in the mid-post facing the rim. She is one of the state’s best uncommitted 2019 prospects at this time. Beyond those three are a couple of other really nice players who have some Varsity experience. 5-6 2019 forward Novalei Loer (0.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg) saw action at the end of 19 games last season, and she’s a little undersized for how she plays, but she’s tough-nosed, and she plays with a good motor. 5-7 2020 small forward Sarah Heaver (0.8 ppg, 1.0 rpg) made it on the floor for 20 games, and she’s another solid player with a good motor. 5-9 2019 front-liner Allison Miller (0.7 ppg, 0.8 rpg) adds a little more size and physicality up front, and she took part in 25 games during the last campaign.   Graduation Losses: Northwestern had three Seniors a year ago, and missed most will be 5-7 do-everything guard Sarah Vas (5.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.8 spg). She really had a breakthrough during the Summer between her Junior and Senior years, and she carried that over into last season. She is a nice athlete with some length, she played with a good motor, and she was a chameleon who could fit in wherever they needed her each game. 5-6 guard Morgan Mercer (1.4 ppg, 1.2 apg) didn’t put up big statistical numbers, but she was a solid and hard-working guard who brought experience. 5-8 front-liner Kora Loer (2.6 ppg, 1.3 rpg) was a little undersized for a post, but she brought good toughness and physicality in a backup role to Bostic and Burns. Probably the biggest loss, though, was the transfer of 5-10 2019 wing Taylor Boruff (9.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.2 spg, 13 made 3s) to nearby Taylor High School over the Summer. She is a Division-I recruit, already verbally committed to High Point University, but she is a strong and skilled wing who can create her own shot and score it in bunches at times. She was the third leading scorer for the Tigers last season.   Final Thoughts: Northwestern is, without question, the clear odds-on favorite to repeat as State Champions in Class 3A this season. However, the losses of Sarah Vas and Taylor Boruff cannot be overstated. They were very important pieces to their lineup. Additionally, Northwestern will be tested more often this season, as they’ve added regular season games with Carmel, Lafayette Jefferson, and Indianapolis North Central to the schedule, plus they’ve added a tournament in Ohio in late-November, and they are participating in the Hall of Fame Tournament in New Castle in late-December, with Bedford North Lawrence as their first opponent. That should undoubtedly prepare them for their run in February, as all of those programs are top-tier programs in the state, regardless of class. The duo of Layden and Bostic are a nightmare for opposing coaches at any high school, but I also anticipate Merrell and Burns having breakout seasons this year. The Tigers should once again be a lot of fun to watch, and it should come as no surprise if / when they give losses to the traditional Class 4A powers.   Header photo of the Northwestern High School athletics logo; photo courtesy of the Northwestern Tigers' MaxPreps account. Photo of Klair Merrell courtesy of kokomoperspective.com. Photo of Madison Layden courtesy of the Indiana Flight Twitter account.