A new addition to the basketball coverage will include the top area basketball games to watch for each week. This week starts regular season girls’ basketball action across the state. 10 games will be briefly analyzed, with a prediction to each game mentioned here.

Tonight: Lakeland @ Leo

Series: 5-0 Lakeland

For these two schools, they will showcase a lot more things on the basketball court than trick or treat. James Benson is the new head coach at Lakeland after assistant coaching stints with the Central Noble boys’ and the Garrett girls. Benson expects his Lakers to push the pace and be a tough team to defend. While they graduate Peyton Hartsough (Huntington) and Alivia Rasler, they bring back Olivia Oman and Dulce Canedo is expecting to have a strong campaign as a sophomore.

An area Leo will try to exploit is the potential mismatch inside as Lakeland does not have a lot of height. Look for Leah Shappell and Kayla Adams in the interior to try to find those weaknesses. The x-factor will be: Can Leo make some shots? I say they make just enough to get by.

Players to Watch

Lakeland: Olivia Oman Senior Small Forward

Leo: Izzy Collins Senior Combo Guard

Leo by 3

Thursday: Concordia @ Eastside

What a great matchup over in Butler, as this is easily the NECC Game of the Week. For the first time, Eastside and Concordia square off. The Lady Blazers come into the season with a lot of expectations to win their first NECC title since 1992 and their first conference tournament title since 1994. They return a lot of talented guards, some grit and skill at forward, and they add a talented freshman class along with a hard-nosed defense.

Concordia showed flashes of great things last season where they went 10-14 in 22-23. While Annaka Nelson is now at Huntington University, they bring back several kids including sophomore Alivia Bolinger and Lauren Goodman. The Cadets should be a fun team this season, but in this game: Can they find their stride against a talented Blazers’ squad?

Players to Watch:

Concordia: Cailyn Bolinger Senior Guard

Eastside: Lilly Kreischer Junior Combo Forward

Eastside by 6

Friday: Woodlan @ Garrett

Series in the last 20 years: 22-4 Garrett

Friday nights will be dominated by football, but there are a few girls’ basketball games in the fold. Garrett will be hosting a football sectional championship game and their home opener for girls’ basketball. There has been a lot of changes to these programs since these two met in last year’s sectional championship game. Bailey Kelham, Garrett’s all-time leading scorer, is at Huntington University. Avah Smith, Woodlan’s most recent 1,000-point scorer, is at Indiana Tech.

Dave Randall returns as a Woodlan head basketball coach, this time coaching the girls’ team. He does have ties as an assistant coach during the Coach Kilmer years at Snider. John Bodey returns to his hometown roots after 8 seasons coaching the Central Noble boys’. Both teams look different from a year ago, but it should be a competitive game.

However, I think Woodlan has just enough scoring talent to escape a gritty, defense-first ball game at one of the best atmospheres in the area.

Players to Watch

Woodlan: Taylor Knuebuhler Senior Combo Guard

Garrett: Kelsey Bergman Senior Center

Woodlan by 8

Saturday:

Adams Central @ Lakewood Park

Series in the last 20 years: 7-4

It’s been 3 years since these two last met in girls’ basketball, but now we will get to see these two for the first time this season. Coming off a 7-16 campaign in year 1, Kyle Roe will be excited to see how much the Lady Jets have improved since last winter. For Lakewood Park, expectations are pretty strong under Jared Estep.

The Lady Panthers return two strong prospects in junior combo guard Ava McGrade, and senior guard/forward Jade Carnahan. Both will have a huge say on how well LPCS is able to do against a scrappy AC squad.

But for the Jets to succeed, they will need to take care of the basketball and defend the perimeter well because size will be an issue on many nights for AC.

Players to Watch

AC: Athena Schwartz Senior Combo Guard

LPCS: Jade Carnahan Senior Guard/Forward

Lakewood Park by 4

Carroll @ Columbia City

Series in the last 20 years: 17-7 Carroll

For my money, this is the NE8 Game of the Week. These are longtime and close rivals that really don’t like each other on the court. These are not only former longtime NHC rivals, but they also spent many of the early years in the same single-class sectional. Separated by less than 20 miles apart, these two have consistently fielded winning programs and a lot of talent.

Last season, Carroll had their way on the basketball court in a high-scoring affair. However, graduation took a hit on Carroll’s backcourt, and their depth will be greatly tested at C. City. The Lady Eagles return everyone from their 20-3 campaign and their first outright conference title since 1996. All 5 starters on the floor could very well end up on basketball scholarships when it’s all said and done: Addison Baxter (Butler), Kyndra Sheets (Huntington), Molly Baker, Faith Frey, and Tessa Tonkel.

The Eagles will play with fast pace but also with strong defense and physicality in the paint. That is Columbia City basketball. IF Carroll is unable to generate good possessions and fall into a plague of turnovers, it could be a rough road trip for the Chargers.

Players to Watch

Carroll: Jersey Paul Junior Point Guard

Columbia City: Addison Baxter Junior Combo Guard (Butler Commit)

Columbia City by 7

Central Noble @ Bishop Luers

Series: 3-2 CN

CN is coming off a 26-3 campaign where the Cougars were 1 win away from their second trip to the State Finals in program history. They won their only state championship in 2018. Luers was one win away from a trip to semistate as they fell to Lafayette Central Catholic at Lapel.

CN returns a lot of pieces from the previous season, but will have to find other players to step up on offense as Madison Vice (Siena Heights), Meghan Kiebel (Bethel Soccer), and Abby Hile all graduated. Abby Pliett, Taylor Custer, and Molly McCoy should be expected to have bigger roles this season to compliment the returning players of Grace Swank, McKenna Malcolm, Kierra Bolen, and Kyleigh Egolf.

But for CN to beat Luers, they have to contain Addie Shank (Huntington) in the post and not allow the guards at Luers to get hot. Generally speaking, the home team wins these games. Why change it now?!

Players to Watch

CN: Grace Swank Sophomore Center

Luers: Addie Shank Senior Power Forward (Huntington University commit)

Luers by 10

Northrop @ Carmel

Katie Jackson’s Bruins are making the long bus ride south to Carmel to play a 1:30 matinee basketball game. Northrop is coming off one of their best seasons in the program’s rich history going 19-4 in 22-23. However, Saniya and Neveah Jackson (Both at Valparaiso) and Brooklyn McLemore are among a few players that graduated. Several returnees will need to contribute to continue the winning ways at Northrop.

Senior Lexi Castator (Valparaiso) will continue to run the offense at the point but look for sophomore Swynn Jackson to have a huge swing this season with an elevated role. Senior Niya Bell (Heidelberg) will be Northrop’s dangerous perimeter shooter. Destini Craig (IUPUI) will be expected to have a huge bounce back season after her junior season was cut short to injury.

They will face a Carmel team that was plagued with inexperience and offensive struggles in 22-23 going 4-19. Longtime Heritage Christian coach Rick Risinger, who led them to 7 state championships, starts his reign at Carmel.

Unfortunately, for Risinger, this is not a state caliber team right now at Carmel, and growing pains early on are to be expected.

Players to Watch

Northrop: Destini Craig Senior Forward (IUPUI Commit)

Carmel: Izzy Shepherd Junior Point Guard

Northrop by 14

Norwell @ Warsaw

Series in the last 20 years: 5-4 Norwell

Now, here’s a very exciting matchup on paper with a lot of talent that will be on full display at Warsaw. Norwell returns everyone back on a 21-4 campaign in 22-23 and coming one game shy of a return to semi state. For Warsaw, it is a team that is on the rise out of the NLC going 18-6 in 22-23.

Norwell will field 7 seniors as Coach Thornton refers to them as one of many special senior classes in his 27-year coaching career. Kennedy Fuelling (Marian) is one of the most talented guards in the state with lethal shooting numbers, especially from three. Makenzie Fuess (Saint Francis) compliments her very well with strong penetration and a lot of quickness to add to her ball-handling.

Warsaw is a team that has many sophomores and some juniors looking to earn some hardware at a school that expects nothing short of championship aspirations. This success starts with strong team basketball but also a lot of dynamic playmakers.

Brooke Zartman is one of the best shooters in her class, Joslyn Bricker is a guard that rarely ever bricks shots (no pun intended). Look for Joslyn to really take off this season. But their success hinges on the junior combo forward Brooke Winchester (Ball State), where versatility on offense and defense makes her quite the difficult player to contain. She can clean up the glass, but she also can shoot the basketball.

The key questions in this game are: Can Warsaw solve Norwell’s 1-3-1 defense? and Can Norwell win the rebounding battle? I say Norwell has a very slight edge on the road.

Players to Watch

Norwell: Dekota Hubble Senior Power Forward/Center (Huntington University commit)

Warsaw: Brooke Winchester Forward (Ball State Commit)

Norwell by 2

South Adams @ Eastbrook

Series in the last 20 years: 12-6 Eastbrook

This was a game that South Adams won last season 38-36. However, the Starfires under legendary Head Coach Wayne Kreiger lost a lot of depth from that team, including Peyton Pries. Other than the fact that Macy Pries is back for her senior season, this is going to be a very young team this winter.

Don’t let some of their size fool you! These Lady Panthers out of Marion in the CIC are an extremely tough team. Think of them like the past Central Noble and Garrett teams combined. They are that good. The only reason they get no respect in the state is due to their lack of postseason success beyond sectionals. Going into this season, it has now been 40 years since Eastbrook last made it past regionals, which they played in the single-class state finals in 1984.

Sophia Morrison (Grace) is one of the best point guards in her class with a strong presence as a cold-blooded shooter, a player that can get to the basket, and an improved, tough-nosed defender. Senior Olivia Howell is one of the best athletes out of Grant County and a perennial state finalist in cross-country and track.

Beyond those two, this is simply a nice, talented, well-coached team that recorded the 3rd best overall defense in the state in 2022-23, allowing just 29.6 points per game. Eastbrook should finish as one of the premier 2A teams in Northern Indiana. Unless Macy Pries has a monster performance, Eastbrook should win this time around on their home court.

Players to Watch

SA: Macy Pries Senior Point Guard/Small Forward

Eastbrook: Sophia Morrison Senior Combo Guard (Grace College Commit)

Eastbrook by 16

Snider vs South Bend Washington @ the Lake Central Classic

Series: 2-1 Washington

These matchups are always tricky because you don’t know what to expect in a tournament-like setting where you are playing multiple games. This game in particular will be an 11:30am ET start, as there is a time zone change with this one. These two met in the 2020-21 season with Washington winning, 60-50.

The Lady Panthers under Steve Reynolds has seen graduation taking a hit as Rashunda Jones (Purdue) and Amiyah Reynolds (Purdue) both graduated on a 27-1 team. Despite that, they have some young talent in the fold led by junior sensation Kira Reynolds and junior Ryiah Wilson.

Snider is coming off a 21-5 campaign where Reggie Tharp’s group lost by 1 point to state finalist Fishers 67-66. However, Snider returns basically everybody off of that team led by the excellent duo of Jordyn Poole (Purdue) and Nae Nae Donahue (Bowling Green).

This should be an excellent tournament game that gets them prepared for not only their second game of this tournament but also the rest of their games moving forward. This might be a hot take, but I have Snider in a classic SuperSam Upset Special!

Players to Watch

Snider: Ciara Sims Senior Combo Guard

SB Washington: Kira Reynolds Junior Small Forward

Snider by 3

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