Crown Point is among the contenders for the Class 4A state title this season, but Chesterton and West Side are on the rise again.
TOP 10 TEAMS
1. Crown Point (23-3): It could be a special season for the 2025 Class 4A semistate finalist Bulldogs, who have won back-to-back regional titles and shared back-to-back Duneland Athletic Conference titles. Senior guard/forward Dikembe Shaw (Illinois-Chicago), an Indiana Junior All-Star last season, headlines the group. Senior guard Mason Darrell (Bellarmine), senior guard Kingston Rhodes and senior guard Bryce Peters also are back, as is senior guard Kaiden Rhodes. Sophomore guard MJ Wilson has potential.
2. Chesterton (15-9): The Trojans seem poised for an outstanding season with their entire starting lineup and top six scorers back, led by standout senior guard Logan Pokorney (Taylor). Congo native Bradly Basila, a sophomore forward/center, should shine in his first full season. Junior guard TJ Ray, senior guard Jaylon Watts, senior forward/center Caden Schneider and junior guard Malachi Ransom all are back.
3. West Side (17-7): The Cougars’ resurgence should continue. Senior guard Reginald “Trey” Hinton and senior guard Bryce Cooper are high-level players. Senior center Tyler Crews could be in position for a breakout season. Senior guard/forward Julian Holmes also is back. Forward Prentiss Gates and guard DeShawn Clay Jr. are potential impact freshmen.
4. 21st Century (21-7): The 2025 Class 2A semistate finalist Cougars, who have won nine sectional titles in 10 seasons and three regional titles in four seasons, should be contenders again. Senior guard Terrence Hayes Jr. (Missouri State), an Indiana Junior All-Star last season, is an elite player. Senior guard Ron Mosley and senior guard Jacolby Donaldson also are top players. Senior center Me’Trell Harbin, who spent his first three seasons at Bishop Noll, Don Bosco and Portage, and junior forward/center Kayleb Young, who transferred from Highland last season, should provide size. Senior guard/forward Jerry Triplett III, who transferred from Andrean, is another addition.
5. Munster (16-8): Standout senior guard Josh Malloy leads the Mustangs, who have won eight straight Northwest Crossroads Conference titles, a stretch that includes 42 wins in a row. Senior guard Victor Guaramato and junior forward Troy Jarrett also return for the perennial postseason contenders.
Munster’s Josh Malloy (2) shoots over Crown Point’s Mason Darrell (10) during a nonconference game in Munster on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (John Smierciak / Post-Tribune)
6. Michigan City (13-10): Could this be the season when the Wolves break through for their first sectional title since the consolidation? Senior guard Jaron Upshaw, senior guard Terrance McCray, senior forward TQ Van Buren, senior guard Isaiah Smoot and senior guard Nick Stewart all are back. Bolstering the rotation will be senior forward/center Colson Dobre, a Marquette transfer; senior guard Brian Jackson, a Westville transfer; and sophomore forward Myshawn Dawson, a Portage transfer who is the son of former Lew Wallace and Michigan State star Branden Dawson.
7. East Chicago Central (21-9): The 2025 Class 3A semistate finalist Cardinals lost Indiana All-Star Dominique Murphy to graduation after winning their first regional title since 2007. Senior guard Joseph Watkins and senior guard Jamarie Pollard should help pick up the slack. A promising freshman class includes guard Mekhi Gillis and guard Naji Meux.
8. Portage (20-6): The Indians will have a dramatically different look after the departure of a history-making class that won their first sectional title since 2001 and first DAC title since 1988. Sophomore guard Bryce Kobe should emerge as a go-to player. Junior guard Karter Kobe also returns, along with junior guard Dennis Moran III and junior guard Josiah Brown.
9. LaPorte (16-10): The versatile Slicers, who reached a Class 4A sectional final last season, return eight letter-winners. Leading the way is junior guard Griffin Ott-Large. Senior guard Sawyer Tonagel (Taylor) and junior forward Reed Raymond also are back.
10. Kouts (24-5): The 2025 Class 1A semistate finalist Mustangs return largely intact. Senior guard Lucas Kleckner highlights the returnees. Senior center Eli Harper also is back, along with senior forward Landon Garrett, senior forward Jesse Overholt and sophomore guard Billy Miller. Seven of the top eight players in the rotation are seniors, and four of the five starters played on the baseball team that was the 1A state runner-up in the spring.
25 PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ryan Basham, Hobart, senior, guard
Bradly Basila, Chesterton, sophomore, forward/center
Tony Bos, DeMotte Christian, senior, guard
Mason Darrell, Crown Point, senior, guard
Colson Dobre, Michigan City, senior, forward/center
Noah Enyeart, Lake Central, senior, forward
Quentavious Fly, Bowman, sophomore, guard/forward
Charles Hardiman, Merrillville, sophomore, guard
Terrence Hayes Jr., 21st Century, senior, guard
Reginald “Trey” Hinton, West Side, senior, guard
Johnnie Hudson IV, Calumet, senior, guard/forward
Lucas Kleckner, Kouts, senior, guard
Bryce Kobe, Portage, sophomore, guard
Josh Malloy, Munster, senior, guard
Josiah Mays, Marquette, junior, guard
Rob McGowan, Washington Township, senior, forward
Griffin Ott-Large, LaPorte, junior, guard
Bryce Peters, Crown Point, senior, guard
Logan Pokorney, Chesterton, senior, guard
Kingston Rhodes, Crown Point, senior, guard
Dikembe Shaw, Crown Point, senior, guard/forward
Noah Sons, Illiana Christian, senior, guard
Maddux Wagner, Valparaiso, junior, guard/forward
Joseph Watkins, East Chicago Central, senior, guard
Spencer Wynsma, Hebron, senior, guard
