Lake Central junior Noah Enyeart’s skill set continues to evolve.
The 6-foot-5 forward already has made significant strides in his first full varsity season for the retooled Indians, nearly averaging a double-double.
“I’ve been making my presence felt in the paint, just rebounding,” Enyeart said. “I got told my role was to do the dirty work, and I’ve helped out with that. I’ve been rebounding pretty good.
“I knew I had to step up since we lost a bunch of key players from last year. I’m still not even where I should be. I want to be making more plays for my team.”
Second-year coach Ryan Sexson knows Enyeart has been increasingly moving in that direction for the Indians (2-3). Enyeart was averaging 14.0 points, a team-high 9.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists through three games, a significant leap from his 1.8 points and 1.9 rebounds last season.
“He does a lot of the dirty work for us,” Sexson said. “He’s a high-motor kid. He’s always playing hard. You don’t have to worry about whether or not he’s giving everything he’s got.
“He’s a good athlete with good size. We can post him. He’s able to take bigger guys off the dribble on the perimeter. He’s an elite rebounder, and he’s developing a game with his back to the basket. He’s not there quite yet, but eventually he’s going to, and at that point, he’s really going to be able to score on a variety of levels. He’s an improved 3-point shooter too.”
Sexson agreed Enyeart has even more room for growth.
“He’s still young,” Sexson said. “He’s in his fifth real varsity game where he’s playing real minutes, fifth start of his career. He’s only a junior. He’s learning lessons like most of these guys. But he has a really bright future ahead of him.”
Senior guard Zachary Greene, the team’s top scorer, also believes in Enyeart’s present.
“Noah is a very hard worker and brings great energy,” Green said. “He’s a huge piece to our team.”
Sexson has encouraged the reserved Enyeart to step to the forefront beyond his production.
“We need him to talk more,” Sexson said. “It’s like, ‘Man, you’re averaging 15 and 10, you need to show some leadership out there.’ But he’ll get there.
“That’s usually the last thing to come for guys. They’re trying to figure things out. They’re trying to be confident in themselves. Then once that’s established, they can start worrying about other people and bringing them up to their level. It’s a process.”
One that Enyeart is willing to embrace.
“My offensive game has gotten better — I’ve had a huge jump there — and now I’m trying to help lead,” Enyeart said. “It’s rough sometimes. We lost a lot of leaders from last year, so we have to figure out who’s going to lead this team. I’m trying to do my part, just talking, communicating as much as I can, encourage my teammates, always pick them up.”
The youngest of four children, Enyeart can look up to his siblings. Quentin Enyeart, a 2022 graduate, and Olivia Enyeart, who graduated in the spring, are former standout soccer players for Lake Central. Grace Enyeart, Quentin’s twin, was a cheerleader.
Noah Enyeart played soccer as a freshman before opting to focus on basketball.
“It’s great,” he said of the dynamic with his siblings. “They’re always pushing me to do better. It’s like a competition. It’s always a competition in the house.”
On top of that, their father, Chris Enyeart, is Lake Central’s athletic director.
“There’s some benefits to it, but sometimes it gets hard,” Noah Enyeart said. “Other student sections and other players will start chirping about it. But I just block it out, let it go right past my head.”
