Tuesdays matchup between Noblesville and Northwestern featured two of the top sophomores in Indiana with McKenna Layden and Ashlynn Shade. The contest was close in the first few minutes, but towards the end of the 1st quarter, Noblesville starting to get things going offensively in addition to playing shut down defense to build a sizable lead. After a dominating 2nd quarter, they built the lead to 33-11 at the half, putting the game out of reach. 

Even after losing two seniors from last season that are now at Big Ten Schools (Kendall Bostic and Madison Layden), Northwestern HS still has plenty of talent on the roster. However, on Tuesday evening Shade and Noblesville were just too much and secured the win 67-41. Here are the standouts from the game.

Ellie Boyer (2021 Northwestern HS): A senior guard that got plenty done on the offensive end. She is good with the ball in her hands and is a very skilled passer. Boyer showed a good ability to see the court and connect on multiple tough passes setting up teammates for easy buckets. She is good attacking the basket to create for teammates as well as score herself on drives. Plus she did a good job spotting up from three showing off a good looking jumper. 

McKenna Layden (2023 Northwestern HS): Skilled two-way guard with good length and size at 6’1”. Layden has a very good overall skill set and can do a variety of things on the floor. In this game, she scored the ball strong going to the basket on drives and cuts. Tough matchup with all her skills and size. Good active defender with her length and aggressiveness plus can matchup with anyone one the floor. 

Mallory Miller (2021 Noblesville HS): A 5’7” guard who performed well on both ends of the floor. A tough perimeter defender with good quickness. She is tough to defend with the ball with her moves plus quickness. Miller is at her best attacking the basket but also knocked down perimeter jumpers.  

Ashlynn Shade (2023 Noblesville HS): A highly talented guard that can do it all on both ends of the floor and showed the ability to take over a game. She does a great job attacking off the dribble to score around the paint as well to pulling up in the mid-range. A skilled scorer who can beat defenders in a number of ways who also hit jumpers from beyond the arc. She Is strong with the ball in her hands and accelerates well all the way to the basket. Shade also impressed with her defensive ability playing with a great motor. She put good pressure on the ball getting several steals and converting many of them into transition baskets. As well, she even had a couple of blocks in the game. It is very easy to see that Shade is not just one of the best sophomores in Indiana or the Midwest, but the entire nation. 

Brooklyn Smitherman (2023 Noblesville HS): As a sophomore, Smitherman stands at 6’5”. Even at her height plus a strong frame, she moves very well on the court with good agility. She showed a good ability to finish strong when she got the ball in the paint. The sophomore moves well defending around the paint. As well she plays with a good motor running the floor and going hard after rebounds on both ends.