Conference Look-In: Northeast 8 Conference
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The featured image is of Ashley Cox Ashley Cox 5'8" | CG DeKalb | 2025 State IN (2025) of DeKalb High School. As we approach the holiday break of the 2022-2023 high school season, I wanted to continue taking the…
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Continue ReadingThe featured image is of Ashley Cox Ashley Cox 5'8" | CG DeKalb | 2025 State IN (2025) of DeKalb High School.
As we approach the holiday break of the 2022-2023 high school season, I wanted to continue taking the time to highlight some of the better conferences in the state. I’ll take a quick look at the teams at the top, statistical leaders, players on the rise, a top Freshman, plus an under-the-radar recruit. In order to select which conferences get the first glance, I’ve taken the Sagarin ratings (as of 12/4/22) of each team in each conference and averaged them out to give each conference a “score”, if you will. As for individual statistical leaders, I am working off of whatever has currently been provided on MaxPreps. If your team’s stats on MaxPreps are incomplete, I apologize, but please ask your coach to put them there if you would like to be considered for stat-based portions in the future. (At the time of this article, only Leo and New Haven had statistics submitted on MaxPreps.)
NE8 Team Standings:
Columbia City (12-1 overall, 3-0 NE8)
Bellmont (11-1, 3-0)
Norwell (11-2, 2-1)
Huntington North (9-2, 2-1)
Leo (7-7, 1-2)
East Noble (3-9, 1-2)
DeKalb (7-7, 0-3)
New Haven (2-12, 0-3)
The Northeast 8 always has a strong showing from the top half of their conference come tournament time. Norwell is traditionally a state power in Class 3A, While Columbia City, Bellmont, and Huntington North are also typically strong. Leo is having one of its better seasons in a few years, as is DeKalb. At 3-0, Columbia City has already knocked off Norwell. They host both Bellmont, on January 6th, and Huntington North, on January 14th, so location works in their favor. Not only does Bellmont have to travel to Columbia City, but they also play at Huntington North on January 20th and host Norwell on January 14th. With their strong backcourt play, ability to control tempo, and their favorable schedule down the stretch, I’m going to lean towards the Eagles of Columbia City to take the Northeast 8 this season.
NE8 Statistical Leaders:
Scoring Leaders: | Rebounding Leaders: | Assist Leaders: |
Janiya Johnson, 2024, NH: 14.4 | Kayla Adams, 2024, Leo: 7.0 | Abby Bovie, 2024, Leo: 1.2 |
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Steals Leaders: | 3-Pointers Made: | Free Throw %: |
Janiya Johnson, 2024, NH: 2.6 | Janiya Johnson, 2024, NH: 20 | Leah Shappell, 2026, Leo: 64% |
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On The Rise:
Ashley Cox
Ashley
Cox
5'8" | CG
DeKalb | 2025
State
IN
, 2025, 5-8 G, DeKalb H.S.
– With Ashley, it’s really simple…as she has grown and continued to gain strength, her game has improved be leaps and bounds. She is a long, wiry, fluid, and smooth combo guard. She can score it at all three levels, she’s a consistent perimeter shooter, and she has added depth with her strength. She’s doing a lot more off the dribble lately, and she is capable of initiating/running offense for her team as well. Additionally, she has a little grit and toughness defensively, and she can come out on the floor and defend a multitude of guards with her length and athleticism. I feel like her ceiling continues to rise, especially since she isn’t finished growing.
Under-The-Radar Recruit:
Kennedy Fuelling
Kennedy
Fuelling
5'7" | CG
Norwell | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 5-7 G, Norwell H.S.
– One of the biggest reasons Kennedy is somewhat under the radar is because she hasn’t been a big grassroots participant in the past. She is a very athletic, energetic, and wiry-strong guard who can make plays at both ends of the floor. She has gotten off to a nice start once again, but she already lettered as a Freshman and Sophomore. She is great driving the ball to the basket, she can make plays for herself and others, but she’s also a dangerous perimeter shooter who you can’t let get any rhythm. Defensively, she is good on most guards and wings, she can take on the occasional power forward, and she rebounds her position well.
Impressive Freshman: Leah Shappell, 2026, 6-1 F, Leo H.S.
– Leah is recently new to me, so I am anxious to see a lot more of her in the near future. She is extremely long, wiry, and looks like she might still grow another inch or two. She is still a little in that awkward stage, but she has some fluidity to her game and looks like she should become a really nice athlete once she finishes growing. What’s most impressive is, she has a very nice skillset and the ability to play in the mid-post or exclusively around the perimeter. She isn’t a post at all, she can handle it well-enough to create space, and she can knock down the occasional 3-pointer. With her height and length, she does a nice job of protecting the rim, too.