Morgan Township coach Carl Patz quipped that junior guard Saffy Thompson-Woods “fell into our lap.”

The landing has been smooth all around. The 5-foot-8 Thompson-Woods, who transferred from Batavia, Illinois, is the leading scorer for the Cherokees.

“That’s the type of player she is,” Patz said. “Saffy moved in and brought a certain skill set that adds to the team significantly.”

Thompson-Woods, who was averaging team highs of 17.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists to go along with 3.2 steals before Morgan Township (15-4, 5-1) played Westville in the semifinals of the Porter County Conference Tournament on Friday, was born in Chicago. But she moved to Florida before she was a year old and grew up there.

Thompson-Woods attended Mount Dora Christian Academy as a freshman before she returned to the Midwest. She spent her sophomore year at Batavia, playing at the varsity and junior varsity levels for one season, and then her mother’s job led her to move to Morgan Township.

“It’s been good,” Thompson-Woods said. “Everybody’s nice. Everybody’s had positive input.”

Junior guard Saffy Thompson-Woods is Morgan Township’s leading scorer in her first season after transferring from Batavia, Illinois. (Michael Osipoff / Post-Tribune)

Thompson-Woods’ debut with the Cherokees was delayed, however.

“She wasn’t eligible all summer with us because she didn’t get enrolled before the school year ended,” Patz said. “But she was in the gym every day watching us. Not even enrolled here, not able to do anything, she just sat on the bleacher, and she would go to Chesterton and watch us play our games.

“Finally we got about one hour with her at the end of summer, right after she enrolled, that we were still in the gym. As soon as she got on the court, there was mad respect from the whole team because they finally got to see her play. But because she was here all summer, they already had a level of respect for her.”

Morgan Township junior guard Addison LaMere can attest to that.

“We lost some really good players from last year, some seniors that graduated that were really monumental to our team, and Saffy coming in this year has really changed things for us,” LaMere said. “She’s made such a big impact on our offensive play. She works super hard on both offense and defense.

“I love her personality. I love how she contributes to our team. She’s energetic and fun and knows how to uplift her teammates. She’s not afraid to drive and shoot, and it’s just been really great having her here.”

It didn’t take long for Thompson-Woods and LaMere, who lived in Orland Park, Illinois, for four years, to bond.

“She adjusted really well,” LaMere said. “She came from a part of the Chicagoland area that’s completely different, and I did, too, so I kind of know how that feels.

“Me and Saffy hit it off right away. I drive her around a lot and drop her off after practice. We’ve gotten close. At first, she was a little bit introverted, but everybody on the team was super accepting and excited, and she just warmed up so much. She’s the perfect addition to our team.”

Morgan Township’s Saffy Thompson-Woods (0) guards Tri-Township’s Bryleigh Rust during a Porter County Conference game in Valparaiso on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (Andy Lavalley / Post-Tribune)

Thompson-Woods, who also competes in hurdles and the high jump in track and field, has six older brothers. Her youngest brother is eight years older than her.

“My brothers are protective over me,” she said. “But they’d say I’m spoiled because I’m the youngest one.”

Patz praised Thompson-Woods’ work ethic.

“She’s earned everything she’s getting from her teammates, and she pays that back to them,” Patz said. “She is team-first, sometimes to a fault. With the way I coach and the way we run our team, it’s a good thing. Because of it, she’s gotten a lot of support from the girls. She’s earned the respect of the girls.

“She fits right in. They all play well together. If you weren’t from around here and you came to watch our team play, you would think she’s been here for three, four years, and grew up with these girls. It’s been a blessing for the team, myself as a coach and for the school. She’s put in a lot to make it work for herself and everyone around her.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/23/basketball-morgan-township-saffy-thompson-woods/