Northwestern may have escaped Monday’s madness with just a few gears of its men’s basketball machine left, but two of the most important cogs left are locked in place. 

Freshman guards Jake West and Phoenix Gill, both part of the Wildcats’ highest-ranking recruiting class of the modern era, reaffirmed their commitment to NU Friday evening.

West, who came to the ’Cats as the third-ranked player in Pennsylvania, started the season with limited minutes but saw his playing time increase after the team’s January loss to Michigan State.

The Philadelphia native started 17 of NU’s final 18 games, only missing the ’Cats’ final regular-season game against Purdue due to an ankle injury. He averaged 5.3 points per game this season, but scored double-digit points in both of NU’s victories over Indiana in the season’s final stretch.

When announcing his return on his social media feeds, West posted a highlight video of his season with the caption taken from his Instagram bio: “Proving Myself Right.” 

Gill played in 11 games this season, with 15 of his 38 minutes coming in the ’Cats’ February blowout loss at Illinois. The Chicago native made just one of his eight field goal attempts on the year and added three free throws.

Coming out of high school, Gill was rated a three-star recruit and the fourth-best player in Illinois. His name is all over the St. Ignatius College Prep record book, with his senior season putting him in the top five all-time for field goals, points and rebounds.

With just four players currently slated to remain on the roster for next year, coach Chris Collins could look to West and Gill, as well as sophomore guards Angelo Ciaravino and Max Green, to lead NU into the future. 

Email: [email protected]

X: @YoniZacks

Related Stories:

— Kronenberg: An ode to Jordan Clayton

— Men’s Basketball: Monday madness leaves just four returning players

— Men’s Basketball: Former 4-star recruit Tre Singleton plans to enter transfer portal