Open Gym Report: Westfield Shamrocks

<p>Here at Prep Hoops Indiana we take great pride in covering the Hoosier state with a breadth and depth unlike anyone else. We often say “nobody does content and event coverage like Prep Hoops.” That is certainly true, but our team here Indiana prefer to go even further than that. On top of wall-to-wall, border-to-border coverage during the grassroots and high school seasons we also hit the ground running in the fall. This is a great time to hit high school open gyms and get a behind the curtain preview of some of the top teams around the state. These trips also help strength our relationships with the high school coaches and prospects that we cover. On Friday, October 13th I had the privilege of attending a workout at Westfield High School. Let's dive in to what the Shamrocks have this season.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Program Profile</h2>   <p>In the 2021-2022 season, the Shamrocks finally got over the hump and knocked off Carmel to win Sectional 8. They would go on to reach the Regional final before bowing out to Kokomo, but the excitement of their first Sectional title in decades was plenty to build momentum around the program. However, they would be tasked with replacing Indiana Mr. Basketball [player_tooltip player_id='1158186' first='Braden' last='Smith'] and another Division I guard in Cameron Haffner. Westfield did about as well as you could expect after losing a Division I backcourt going 16-8 last season and once again defeating Carmel before losing to Noblesville in the Sectional. Coach Shane Sumpter is now 112-80 heading into his ninth season on the sidelines at Westfield.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Returning Indiana Junior All-Star</h2>   <p>For the second straight season, Westfield has big shoes to fill due to graduation. Alex Romack had a monster senior season averaging 16.3 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. The 6'6" athletic forward is now at Division II Colorado School of the Mines. However, the engine to their offense does return after an Indiana Junior All-Star season. [player_tooltip player_id='1275749' first='Trey' last='Buchanan'] proved to be one of the better guards in the Indianapolis area averaging 14.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. His elite shooting ability is something that puts pressure on opposing defenses from the moment he crosses half court. Look for another big year from Buchanan who is attracting serious college interest from nearly every level.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Incoming Senior Transfer</h2>   <p>We mentioned how replacing Alex Romack and what he brought to the Shamrocks around the basket would be tough. While that is certainly true, it sure helps to bring in a Division I level 6'8" post player to fill those shoes. [player_tooltip player_id='2079499' first='Nic' last='Book'] is a New Zealand native who attended the historic Oak Hill Academy as a junior before winding up at Westfield for his senior season. Since coming to Indiana he has earned an offer from Evansville and will be one of the most heavily recruited prospects in the state going into the high school season. The 6'8" left-hander scores it well around the basket with his agile footwork and strength, can face up from the perimeter, and is an active rebounder on both ends of the floor. Book and Buchanan will team up for a potent inside-outside duo that should make them an under-the-radar contender in the always competitive Sectional 8.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Returning Depth Adds Some Continuity</h2>   <p>Aside from Buchanan, fellow senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1761729' first='Charles' last='Farrell'] provides the most returning production to the Westfield roster. The athletic guard averaged 4.8 points per game last season and brings a real two-way toughness to the perimeter. He will often be matched up against the opponents best player in the backcourt and can more than hold his own defensively with his combination of athleticism and length. Farrell is poised for an excellent season for the Shamrocks. Additionally, senior [player_tooltip player_id='1293394' first='Caleb' last='Wise'] and junior Will Harvey are two more backcourt pieces that have varsity experience. They will add some more three-point shooting to the backcourt rotation as well. Junior wing Durante Morton is another name to know. He was excellent at Friday morning's workout getting to the rim consistently off of the dribble and using his length to finish. Morton will bring it on the defensive end as well.</p>   <p>Beyond those more known commodities, look for a talented sophomore class to step up and provide some depth for Coach Sumpter this season as well.</p>

Here at Prep Hoops Indiana we take great pride in covering the Hoosier state with a breadth and depth unlike anyone else. We often say “nobody does content and event coverage like Prep Hoops.” That is certainly true, but our team here Indiana prefer to go even further than that. On top of wall-to-wall, border-to-border coverage during the grassroots and high school seasons we also hit the ground running in the fall. This is a great time to hit high school open gyms and get a behind the curtain preview of some of the top teams around the state. These trips also help strength our relationships with the high school coaches and prospects that we cover. On Friday, October 13th I had the privilege of attending a workout at Westfield High School. Let's dive in to what the Shamrocks have this season.