As we approach the halfway mark of the 2020-21 girls basketball season, we have some big time non-conference games we still have to get to, if there are no COVID interruptions and quarantines and that’s a big if. One of those premier games in our area comes at the Castle where the Norwell Knights host Garrett in the battle of undefeated teams in girls hoops.
For the 5th ranked team in 3A, the Garrett Railroaders (10-0), they are off to their best start since the semi-state run back in 2013-14 led by an embarrassment of riches when it comes to talented players there. Bailey Kelham is the leader of this group averaging 17.9 points, 3.9 boards, 1.8 assists, 3 steals, and nearly a block a game. Lakewood Park transfer Taylor Gerke has provided that much needed presence on both ends of the floor as their number 2 scorer at 12.1 points, 3.7 boards, 1.9 assists, 3 steals, and nearly a block a game for Garrett. Then there are the other familiar names there such as Nataley Armstrong, whose putting up 9.1 assists a game, Faith Owen, and Morgan Ostrowski is averaging a double-double (11.1 points and 10.1 boards) and 2.4 blocks a game as their every-day rim protector. And those are just the big names on a stacked Junior-heavy lineup looking to make a deep run this season in the NECC and state tournaments. Garrett is also ranked 12th in the state in defense at 30.30 points allowed.
As for Norwell (6-0), it is just another day at the office for Coach Thornton’s squad as they’re ranked 2nd in 3A and undefeated. Much like with Garrett, this is a team that has a wealth of talent in Ossian, IN. While their go-to-girls are seniors Kaylee Fuelling and Maiah Shelton, they have other strong players like the speedy Lauren Bales, Mackinzie Toliver, rising young star in freshman Kennedy Fuelling, and the tough hard working forwards in Skya Tomasek and Grace Bradtmueller. Norwell’s 67 points a game on offense ranks 13th in all of Indiana and are still quietly allowing just under 40 points a game. In a lot of ways, this is the best matchup for each team to get ready for meaningful games in January and February. Norwell is a team that has experienced what it takes to win at a high level, and their wealth of senior leadership is a huge boost for the entire program.
This is only their 3rd meeting ever between these two teams with the last one coming December 30, 2014 where Norwell won 62-41.
3 Keys to winning
Garrett
- Must Close out well against Norwell’s dangerous shooters
This might be the best backcourt Garrett will play throughout the regular season as this is a team that can bury teams quickly through their dangerous perimeter offense that has 4-5 girls with high upside in just the perimeter alone.
This is a Norwell team that not only moves the ball extremely well, but they make very good cuts across the arc, execute their plays to near perfection, and they have a relentless motor to loose balls. In Norwell’s 52-35 win over Columbia City, the game was over the moment it was 16-1 in the 1st because Columbia City’s perimeter defense was not good at all.
Now granted, this is Garrett we are talking here, but they must come ready to compete on both ends of the floor and that means they will have to be smart defensively and get ready to fight for those loose balls..Which leads to my next point.
2. Win the Battle for the Boards
Obviously, Norwell does more than just shooting 3’s as they have quite a bit of size and speed to make life miserable for Garrett’s star forwards. That means Garrett will need to box out extremely well and be ready to grind through Norwell’s physical play that makes them a pain in the butt to play against.
It will come down to how well Gerke, Kelham, and Ostrowski do against Norwelll’s Bratmueller, Tomasek, and even the Fuelling sisters. Norwell’s way of opening up their offense is their ability to control the glass and using their speed to collapse defenses, thus leaving their shooters more open.
3. Compete, Compete Compete
While the NECC provides great opportunities to get ready for postseason basketball, there are areas that limit their ability to challenge them. This Norwell team in particular gives them their best challenge outside of their conference to really show what they’re made of against the state’s best.
So far, Garrett has come out hungry, physical, and playing with a ton of grit and determination. But the biggest challenge with this team much like most great teams is the pressure to be the best and that potential letdown that can happen. This is why scheduling these kind of teams are extremely important to make sure the girls are playing with good habits, so that come playoff time they don’t come in with a lot of pressure or in some ways unprepared.
Scoring will be hard to come by at times in this game, and maybe at times it may feel like hope is lost. But it is important for Garrett to stay focused and never lose that compete level. They haven’t played a ton of meaningful 4th quarters, so this is the perfect test to see how they fare.
Norwell
- Set the Tone early in this game
These are two programs that have been two of the best throughout this century, but these two rarely face each other, so it is important for Norwell to start off strong and really dictate on how the game goes.
Garrett is going to want to play a fast-pace style of basketball, and they’re going to attempt to impose physicality in this game. For a Norwell team that has faced little competition in their conference really needs this kind of competition as a measuring stick game to see where they are at as a team, not just in their conference or area. Remember, this is a Norwell team that has struggled to win their regional and have never made it to state under Coach Thornton (last won semi-state in 1977). So, they want to make a deep playoff run this year.
The first two quarters will tell where this team is at in this game and what to work on moving forward.
2. Control the Controllables; Limit the mistakes
In a game that would have been jammed packed on a normal year obviously won’t happen this time which is just criminal especially since this is a great place to play some hoops. For Norwell, it is important to execute their plays, their ball movement, and do within their power to eliminate the silly turnovers that happen once in a while.
It is just as important that they keep their game simple but also productive in order to execute their scheme against a Garrett team that will take away some of the things they usually do best at. Finally, Norwell will need to make sure they’re boxing out well and are trying to make Garrett’s star players feel uncomfortable, which they have done well at times.
3. Get ready to wear your hard-helmets and your work boots
As someone that covers the NECC a lot, I see a lot of Bob Lapadot’s Lady Railroaders. This team is expected to come to Norwell and play their butts off win or lose. I always call them a lunch pale team because Garrett has always been known as a blue-collar community that stresses hard work and excellence.
For Norwell, expect to make adjustments throughout the game because no matter how great your plan is, trying to defend all 5 players that can score double digits in a hurry is a hard task to do. Don’t be surprised if both teams play so hard out there that there could be some fouls, quite a few jump-balls, and even some bruises along the way.
This is going to have a playoff feel to it, except the whole fan experience part, which the COVID-19 pandemic has almost made this nonexistent for this season.
One player to Watch on Each team
Garrett
Bailey Kelham
This feels like a big game could come out of Kelham. With her being a forward, she can play almost anywhere on the floor as a perimeter and mid-range scorer, as well as a force in the paint. With Norwell being as big and athletic as they are, Kelham could be a vital part on both ends of the floor against their best players.
A couple other players to watch are Morgan Ostrowski and Sadie Best. Ostrowski will have her hands full in the paint, but with her importance in the paint that could be huge if she can make some buckets and get some key stops. For Best, if the opportunity comes for their bench, Best will most definitely be their most important player on the defensive side of the ball to try to get some of Norwell’s players a little frustrated.
Norwell
Maiah Shelton
The way Shelton started off against rival Columbia City, it provided some big time relief for their other big core players to settle in and take care of business against the always scrappy Lady Eagles. With this Garrett team being as it is, their depth will be tested greatly. If Shelton can find her groove from the perimeter and is able to attack the glass constantly, that could be the difference in the outcome of this game.
The Wild card here could be Lauren Bales, not just because of her upside as a secondary scorer, but even the little things she does on defense and her leadership presence on and off the court. With her being committed to run cross-country at Purdue (BOILER UP!), that grit and speed she brings could be extremely important against Garrett’s skilled athletes, especially with Nataley Armstrong who also runs cross-country and track at Garrett as well.
Conclusion
These are the kind of games I love to talk about here, especially when everyone knows this COULD and I mean could be a potential regional preview, if both teams manage to win their sectionals again this season. In a season where we don’t know what the next day or week holds, it is really nice to have games like this, especially if this game is good to go for tonight..
Let’s hope we get the chance to see these two compete and play their butts off at the Castle!
Around the NorthEast Corner 