Welcome in Indiana High School Basketball fans…now let’s move to the boys’ side and ask…who is the best team in Ft. Wayne for the upcoming 2019-20 season?? As far as I see it the there are 3 teams clearly above everyone else; Snider, Homestead and Blackhawk Christian. Let’s layout some of the key players on these 3 teams and then you can decide who you think is the best team in the Fort…
Snider
The Panthers are coming off a disappointing season from a year ago after failing to get out of the opening round of their sectional. Trust me when I say they are ready to take the next step and that will all start with the Senior Dillon Duff and Junior Michael Eley. They have played a lot of important minutes since their freshman season under Head Coach Jeremy Rauch and I believe both are under-recruited. Still, I feel they have a lot to prove. The team chemistry will need to be better from a year ago, but the talent is absolutely there for the Panthers to be THAT team.
Senior Dillon Duff
Duff is a slasher that hits the 18’ jumper consistently. I believe he’s underappreciated defensively as he can guard multiple positions on the court. He is athletic, has a very strong frame plus the ability to rebound at a high level. Watch out for Duff to take games over this year on both ends.
Junior Michael Eley
The shooting guard can flat-out do just that; shoot the rock. His range comes into play once he crosses the timeline with an effortless stroke. He has good athleticism as we saw last year with the multiple alley-oops converted not to mention the length to help on the defensive end.
Others
Notable returners are Seniors Isaac Farnsworth, Airyan Thomas, Jon Barnes Jr., and Jayshawn Underwood plus sophomores Karson Jenkins and Aiden Lambert. Farnsworth is a glue guy that does all the dirty work and is an important leader for Snider. Barnes and Thomas can knock down shots from deep and Underwood is a defensive nightmare for opposing players. Also, the added minutes will be big huge for sharpshooter Karson Jenkins and Aidan Lambert who I hear glowing things about coming into the season.
Homestead
One of the best coaches in the state of Indiana, Chris Johnson, has arguably the best backcourt returning from last year in Luke Goode and Zak Krueger. The Spartans had a disappointing end to last year with the early sectional exit which I believe they will carry with them all season to show everyone that was a fluke. With the added size, increased athleticism and the new players in the rotation this squad looks primed for a big-time run.
Senior Zack Krueger
The point guard is an extra smooth ball handler that can pull up on a dime and seems to never miss from 15 feet. Krueger has a high basketball IQ, good court vision and an underrated ball defender.
Junior Luke Goode
Goode is one of the deadliest offensive players we have in the state with his ability to score in so many ways. He is known as a shooter but has the ability to take a defender in the post and score over the top with his height. Also, don’t sleep on his ability to put it on the deck and get passed defenders, plus he has the bounce to finish at the rim.
Others
Jake Archbold will be taking his talents back to the court which will bring a huge defensive presence and grit to the Spartans. More players to look out for are senior Alec Grinsfelder, junior Preston Barker and sophomore Andrew Leeper. Alec will bring much-needed size to the front line for Sparty. Leeper has high potential and I believe will come into his own with more minutes this season. Barker is an in-conference transfer that will bring tenacity on both ends with the ability to put the ball in the bucket with regularity as we’ve seen in the summer AAU season.
Blackhawk Christian
Head Coach Marc Davidson and the Braves are the defending Class 1A State Champs and now they find themselves in Class 2A due to the “success factor.” They did lose a ton of talent from last year due to graduation but absolutely have the talent returning to keep the forward progression for the program. I believe the progression of Caleb Furst and Zane Burke will help bring Blackhawk Christian back to Indy, this time for a 2A State Title.
Junior Caleb Furst
The lefty post player is ranked as the 31st best player in the 2021 class. He is coveted by several high D1 Universities and there are many reasons why the love for the 6’10” forward. Caleb has tremendous size, skill, and touch, especially in the post. Also, add the increased work and comfortability on the defensive end and you have yourself a top player in the country.
Junior Zane Burke
The sharpshooter, who I witnessed hit over 5 trey’s in a handful of games, will be counted on to step in as a top scorer for the Braves. He’s more than capable as a shooter and with an added post-game he’ll be a tough matchup for any defender.
Others
To go along with that duo is Marcus Davidson, Callan Wood, Andrew McIntosh, Jake Boyer, Leo transfer Luke LaGrange, and add freshman Gage Sefton and Josh Furst. Davidson is an “in the gym” type of shooter and will most likely be the 3rd leading scorer this season. Wood and McIntyosh will see big varsity minutes after playing mostly JV last year. Jake Boyer could be the next big piece as coach Davidson raves about his work ethic. LaGrange brings needed size to the post and the freshman will be needed to round out the roster. The key for the Braves is finding that right combo of players on the court because they do have the parts to be a complete team.
So, with all of that said who do you have as the 2019-20 pre-season best team in the Summit City?
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