Open Gym Report: North Central High School

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here at Prep Hoops Indiana the fall means it is time to get out to high school open gyms. Indiana High School Basketball teams are now allowed two on court days a week and we take that opportunity to start previewing the upcoming season. That tour around the state began on Wednesday with the Fishers College Combine Day. Then, it rolled on to North Central High School to watch the Panthers on Thursday evening. Miami (OH) was present watching 6'7" senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='868259' first='Joey' last='Brown']. Northern Kentucky has also started to make a strong push for his services along with Toledo who hosted him for an official visit recently. Let's dive in to what the Panthers have this coming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Roster Breakdown</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Head coach Kevin Gant went 16-8 in his first season at the helm of his alma mater and led North Central to a Marion County championship. A good stable of returning talent gives the Panthers faithful some reasons for optimism in year two, but it is never easy having to compete in Sectional 10. However, if North Central were to advance in the state tournament it would likely be in large part due to [player_tooltip player_id='868259' first='Joey' last='Brown']. <strong>The 6'7" senior guard is one of the more versatile two-way prospects in the state and is ranked #10 in the class by Prep Hoops Indiana.</strong> As a junior, Brown averaged 13.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game which earned him a selection to the Indiana Junior All-Star team. He provides all-around scoring ability, excellent size in the backcourt, and a strong defensive presence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Beyond Brown, <strong>North Central will feature two more talented guards in 5'9" junior [player_tooltip player_id='1158227' first='Mason' last='Lewis'] and 6'0" sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1297108' first='Rogelio' last='Rivera'].</strong> Both are ranked as Top 20 prospects in their respective classes by Prep Hoops Indiana. Lewis is dynamic point guard that can create off of the dribble consistently and will command constant attention playing next to talented teammates. He will likely be the engine of what could really be a fast-paced Panthers offense. Rivera, who sat out on Thursday due to a lingering hip injury, will be ready to really burst onto the scene in Indianapolis as a sophomore. He is a high-level shot maker from all three levels with a real knack for putting the ball in the basket. These two will benefit from the attention that Brown will attract in opposing scouting reports.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two more names to remember heading into this season that could have breakout years are junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1547429' first='Jaxson' last='Bell'] and sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='1578447' first='Nijah' last='Jewell']. Bell is a very physical, athletic wing that can bully smaller defenders off the dribble and around the basket. He will be excellent in transition and will finish at a high percentage up around the rim. <strong>His is a name you will likely hear a lot of this season.</strong> As for Jewell, his length and quickness stand out right away. He is another Panther who will score in transition a lot this season. There are a lot of talented guards at North Central, but it is hard to imagine that Jewell won't find himself playing serious minutes in the rotation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rounding out the North Central rotation are a variety of names with a combination of returners and new faces. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='1275784' first='Christian' last='Woodson'], junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1547489' first='Tim' last='Williams'], junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1578473' first='Tareek' last='Galadima'], and senior shooter Charlie Baker will all likely see rotation minutes. Football player T.J. Williams is another senior guard who should see minutes but obviously didn't participate as a fall athlete. There may not be a ton of size, but this group will be extremely quick and talented in the backcourt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Outlook</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>16-8 with a Marion County championship was a pretty darn good first year for Coach Gant. Can the Panthers build off of that in year two? The talent and depth is certainly there, but as we already mentioned, <strong>having to compete in Sectional 10 makes cutting down the nets tough.</strong> There is certainly a world where North Central beats Cathedral, but it will take an excellent performance. The record will have a chance to look similar or even improve. North Central would be one of my picks as a sleeper team in the Indianapolis area that deserves some more attention in the preseason.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->