Preseason Top-50: #3 Warren Central

We are finally to our Top-5 teams on our Top-50 list, regardless of class. For the next couple of days, we will finish previewing each of those teams in their own article. This article focuses on our Preseason #3 team in the state, Warren Central. 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 final two teams are…   #3 Warren Central H.S. (Indianapolis, IN)   Last Season: Last year Warren Central had an inconsistent beginning of the season that turned into a storybook ending. They began the year with wins over New Castle, Mount Vernon, and Cathedral, then dropped one at Center Grove, before taking games from Brebeuf, Ben Davis, and Greenfield-Central. At that point they were 6-1, but then they ran into a tough 4-game stretch and losing streak at the hands of Pike, Carmel, Roncalli, and Lawrence North. The Warriors bounced back with wins over Heritage Christian and South Bend Washington in a Christmas Break tournament, plus a narrow 34-33 victory over Hamilton Southeastern to set their record at 9-5. They dropped a tough one to Zionsville, then won against Franklin Central and Lawrence Central, before falling for the final time to a good Jeffersonville squad. At this point the Warriors were 11-7. They finished the regular season with wins against Anderson and North Central, then ran off seven more wins consecutively to take home the Class 4A State Championship, finishing 20-7 on the year. Their run wasn’t easy either, as their average margin of victory during the state tournament was a little over seven points per game, including games decided by one point, three points, and four points, and another game decided in overtime. Warren started a Senior, three Juniors, and a Sophomore for most of the year, including two of the Top-5 2019 prospects in our rankings, so they return a great deal of talent and experience for a chance to double-up on their state titles.   [caption id="attachment_10403" align="alignright" width="280"] Senior Guard Shaila Beeler[/caption] Guards: No matter which position group you look at for Warren Central, they have talented athletes spread throughout their roster. But their backcourt is probably as deep as any, though many of them aren’t necessarily household names. The one player who absolutely stands out is 5-7 2019 point guard Shaila Beeler (13.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 5.0 apg, 2.1 spg, 18 made 3s). She is extremely quick / fast, very athletic, and she can make plays at both ends of the floor. Offensively she is more of a penetrator who can finish or distribute, but she’s starting to shoot it more consistently from the perimeter. Defensively she can be a lock-down defender on the ball, and she can create steals from help-side. She was a core member of the Indiana Junior All-Star team this past June, and she has already verbally committed to Indiana University. 5-6 2019 guard Melody Johnson (6.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.2 spg) is a strong, tough-nosed athlete with good quickness. She transferred in from Perry Meridian last season, where she averaged 15.9 points per game as a Sophomore. Her willingness to accept a different role at Warren Central really helped their lineup, but opposing coaches are fearful because she can always explode for 30 points. This season Warren Central welcomes another newcomer in Franklin Central transfer Alexus Mobley (6.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.0 apg, 2.7 spg, 8 made 3s), a 5-6 2020 guard, and another really nice athlete with some strength and Varsity experience. She could be the first guard off the bench for them this year. To add depth, the Warriors will likely look to the combination of 5-3 guard Malaysia Mitchell (2.0 ppg, 2 made 3s), 5-3 guard Janiya Wright, and 5-7 guard K’La Talley…all are 2021 prospects. Mitchell and Wright are going to be quick little guards with some creativity, while Talley is a fairly skilled combo guard with good length, athleticism, and North / South speed.   [caption id="attachment_15786" align="alignleft" width="300"] Senior Post Cydni Dodd[/caption] Forwards & Posts: When you begin talking about the Warriors’ frontcourt, it’s kind of hard to get past the size of 6-5 2019 post Cydni Dodd (11.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.5 bpg). She is broad-shouldered, strong, and physical. She had struggled in the past with foul trouble, but she seems to have rectified that some in the past year. Whether she blocks shots or not, she’s definitely a presence in the paint that opponents try to avoid. She is also working hard on her face-up game, and she’s starting to shoot it better in the mid-post. She too was an Indiana Junior All-Star in June, and she has already pledged to Michigan State University. But there are some other really nice frontline prospects for the Warriors as well. 5-9 2020 wing K’Ja Talley (11.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.5 spg, 11 made 3s) really put herself on the map with her performance in the State Finals last year, but her entire season was a nice breakthrough for her. She is extremely long, tremendously fast and athletic, and she plays with a ton of energy. As she’s gotten older, she’s done a nice job of working on her skillset, but I think the physical maturity of adding strength to her frame has really helped as well. 5-8 2019 forward Trinity McClendon (3.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 1.2 apg, 8 made 3s) is as tough as they come, and she could find herself in the starting lineup consistently this season. She is a strong and physical player who can effectively score it in the mid-post, but she’s also comfortable around the perimeter as more of a wing. She plays with a great motor and does whatever her team needs from her to help them win. I think the biggest surprise this season could be 5-11 2020 power forward Alaysia Davis (2.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg). She is a wiry strong, extremely athletic forward who can play in the mid-post or around the block at times. She is one of the best athletes in the 2020 class, she’s dripping with upside, and she showed some flashes at times last season. This Summer she was putting it on the floor better and hitting face-up jumpers to about 17-feet. Her brother actually spent time with the NBA’s Orlando Magic during training camp this Fall. For additional depth, the Warriors could turn to 6-1 2020 post Lauronai Daly. She is an extremely long, true post, who played primarily JV a year ago, but she has flashed some potential at both Warren Central, and during the grassroots circuit. She could be a nice defensive presence off the bench.   Graduation Losses: Warren Central did graduate three players, and the one that will sting the most is Maray Bell (6.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.0 spg, 15 made 3s). She is a 5-11 wing with incredible length, fluid athleticism, and she made some big plays for them defensively. Additionally, she was the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award winner for Class 4A at the State Finals, so she was also a good student, teammate, and leader, as nominated by her coach and administration. 5-9 wing Shaniya Caldwell (3.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.6 spg) played in six games in November, and 5-5 wing Trinity Rainey (3.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 3 made 3s) played in eight games spread throughout the season after transferring in from Lawrence North, so while both will be missed, neither was part of the primary rotation during the State Finals run.   Final Thoughts: Warren Central got on a really nice hot streak at the end of last season, they worked together, and they found a way as a team to make their own luck and win the Class 4A State Championship. I actually think from a personnel perspective, they are in a better place this season to contend for a state title once again. Shaila Beeler and Cydni Dodd are two outstanding basketball players and talents that opposing coaches have to specifically game-plan for, and Dodd is especially someone that causes other teams to defend in ways they normally don’t, so it takes them away from their comfort zone to some degree when they play against Warren. Because of the presence of Beeler and Dodd, K’Ja Talley was able to put together a really nice season a year ago, and I can see her, plus possibly Melody Johnson, Trinity McClendon, Alaysia Davis, and newcomer Alexus Mobley really benefitting from the attention Beeler and Dodd receive. Look for Warren Central to consistently stay ranked in the Top-5 to Top-10 (at worst) this season, and I’d anticipate them approaching 25 wins this year with maybe only a couple of losses.   Header photo of the Warren Central High School athletics logo; photo courtesy of highschoolfootballamerica.com. Photo of Shaila Beeler courtesy of indystar.com. Photo of Cydni Dodd courtesy of dailyjournal.net.