The July basketball evaluation period is almost wrapped up and official visits are just around the corner for programs across the country.
Northwestern, with Phoenix Gill already in the fold in their Class of 2025, will be looking to get some of their top targets on campus this fall.
After talking to sources, these are the five priority players the Wildcats are focused on right now.
Matthew Able
The 6-foot-5 Able is Northwestern’s top priority at guard, and the Wildcats are trying to lock him into an early August official visit date. A three-star prospect, Rivals Rob Cassidy thinks Able will soon get a significant bump in the rankings after he averaged 22.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game at the Adidas 3SSB Championships this month.
“The 6-foot-5 guard is not just a volume scorer, however, as his ability to defend multiple positions and terrorize passing lanes has been obvious as he's thrived for Austin Rivers Southeast Elite this summer,” wrote Cassidy. “Able, who has picked up offers from programs such as Michigan, Miami and Northwestern in recent months, is certain to break into the rankings and may well add a fourth star in the process.”
Tre Singleton
If Able is NU’s top guard target, Singleton is their top wing prospect. The 6-foot-8 forward has seen his stock explode in July after a strong showing at the Adidas 3SSB Palmetto Road Championships. He pulled in eight high-major offers this month, including Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Xavier, Clemson Louisville and, most recently, Purdue.
The Wildcats offered Singleton at the end of June, and the hope is that the relationship coaches have built will enable them to hold off other suitors. He told our Matt Shelton after getting that offer that NU is a good fit for what he’s looking for in a school.
"I'm looking for a staff that's really mutual [in their interest]," he said. "Somewhere I can see myself for the next four years being pushed every day to continue to get better... I feel like [Northwestern] is the perfect match."
Brady Koehler
The four-star, 6-foot-9 Koehler saw his stock rise after a standout spring with the Indy Heat. He picked up offers from Iowa, Virginia, DePaul, West Virginia, Rutgers, Virgina Tech, Stanford and Northwestern, among others, since May.
The Wildcats have had their eyes on Koehler for a while, offering him on May 6. Koehler is currently ranked No. 109 nationally in the Class of 2025, but Cassidy thinks he has potential to jump higher.
“I don’t think the top 50 is out of reach for the smooth and versatile Koehler, who packs serious two-way potential,” he wrote back in June.
Mason Blackwood
Northwestern has been on versatile, 6-foot-7 wing Blackwood since the spring and they offered him in May. Blackwood has an impressive offer list that includes 13 power conference programs, including Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Virginia. The New York native had an official visit with Rutgers in June, and he’s going to Penn State and Northwestern on Sept. 7-9 and 20-22, respectively.
The Wildcats love those New England Prep School Athletic Council players, and Blackwood hails from New Hampton Prep, the same program that produced former Wildcat guard Anthony Gaines.
“A catch-and-post threat, Blackwood is a high-efficiency around-the-rim scoring presence,” said NYCHoops Zach Smart. “He's able to power up around the rim and score at point-blank effectively. He's also an active ingredient in the catch-and-shoot game, with a dependable 3-point shot and an adeptness for carving out space for his smooth 15- to 18-footer. Blackwood has been a focal point on the EYBL circuit for the City Rocks, with several double-doubles and game-altering performances this spring and summer.”
Josiah Sanders
Sanders, a 6-foot-4 point guard, has official visits locked in to home state Colorado, Northwestern and Tennessee so far. The Wildcats will get him on Oct. 7-9, but sources say they are working to move him up in the schedule. Sanders told us back in June, shortly after he earned an offer, that Northwestern’s recent guard play is what caught his eye.
"They have a really good system in terms of letting their point guards play freely," he said. "Their past point guards, like Boo Buie, [Coach McIntosh] has sent me videos of him and their offense, and how they give their guards freedom and how their system is built around good point guards that make plays for the rest of the team."
Northwestern, with Phoenix Gill already in the fold in their Class of 2025, will be looking to get some of their top targets on campus this fall.
After talking to sources, these are the five priority players the Wildcats are focused on right now.
Matthew Able
The 6-foot-5 Able is Northwestern’s top priority at guard, and the Wildcats are trying to lock him into an early August official visit date. A three-star prospect, Rivals Rob Cassidy thinks Able will soon get a significant bump in the rankings after he averaged 22.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game at the Adidas 3SSB Championships this month.
“The 6-foot-5 guard is not just a volume scorer, however, as his ability to defend multiple positions and terrorize passing lanes has been obvious as he's thrived for Austin Rivers Southeast Elite this summer,” wrote Cassidy. “Able, who has picked up offers from programs such as Michigan, Miami and Northwestern in recent months, is certain to break into the rankings and may well add a fourth star in the process.”
Tre Singleton
If Able is NU’s top guard target, Singleton is their top wing prospect. The 6-foot-8 forward has seen his stock explode in July after a strong showing at the Adidas 3SSB Palmetto Road Championships. He pulled in eight high-major offers this month, including Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Xavier, Clemson Louisville and, most recently, Purdue.
The Wildcats offered Singleton at the end of June, and the hope is that the relationship coaches have built will enable them to hold off other suitors. He told our Matt Shelton after getting that offer that NU is a good fit for what he’s looking for in a school.
"I'm looking for a staff that's really mutual [in their interest]," he said. "Somewhere I can see myself for the next four years being pushed every day to continue to get better... I feel like [Northwestern] is the perfect match."
Brady Koehler
The four-star, 6-foot-9 Koehler saw his stock rise after a standout spring with the Indy Heat. He picked up offers from Iowa, Virginia, DePaul, West Virginia, Rutgers, Virgina Tech, Stanford and Northwestern, among others, since May.
The Wildcats have had their eyes on Koehler for a while, offering him on May 6. Koehler is currently ranked No. 109 nationally in the Class of 2025, but Cassidy thinks he has potential to jump higher.
“I don’t think the top 50 is out of reach for the smooth and versatile Koehler, who packs serious two-way potential,” he wrote back in June.
Mason Blackwood
Northwestern has been on versatile, 6-foot-7 wing Blackwood since the spring and they offered him in May. Blackwood has an impressive offer list that includes 13 power conference programs, including Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Virginia. The New York native had an official visit with Rutgers in June, and he’s going to Penn State and Northwestern on Sept. 7-9 and 20-22, respectively.
The Wildcats love those New England Prep School Athletic Council players, and Blackwood hails from New Hampton Prep, the same program that produced former Wildcat guard Anthony Gaines.
“A catch-and-post threat, Blackwood is a high-efficiency around-the-rim scoring presence,” said NYCHoops Zach Smart. “He's able to power up around the rim and score at point-blank effectively. He's also an active ingredient in the catch-and-shoot game, with a dependable 3-point shot and an adeptness for carving out space for his smooth 15- to 18-footer. Blackwood has been a focal point on the EYBL circuit for the City Rocks, with several double-doubles and game-altering performances this spring and summer.”
Josiah Sanders
Sanders, a 6-foot-4 point guard, has official visits locked in to home state Colorado, Northwestern and Tennessee so far. The Wildcats will get him on Oct. 7-9, but sources say they are working to move him up in the schedule. Sanders told us back in June, shortly after he earned an offer, that Northwestern’s recent guard play is what caught his eye.
"They have a really good system in terms of letting their point guards play freely," he said. "Their past point guards, like Boo Buie, [Coach McIntosh] has sent me videos of him and their offense, and how they give their guards freedom and how their system is built around good point guards that make plays for the rest of the team."
