Week 1 News and Notes

Finally, some actual games to discuss and report on. It seems like I’ve been talking about what I think should or what will happen for a long time. This week I got out to some games and got to stream many others. It was good to finally get into the gym and see some good ball. If there is a theme of what I saw this week it seems like there’s alot of underclassmen leading their teams. That bodes well for this year and the future of basketball here in southern Indiana. I don’t want to just limit myself to southern Indiana so I caught a big time game of two highly ranked teams on Saturday afternoon. Let’s go ahead and get to our first edition of our Week 1 Report.

Austin @ Crothersville- The season kicked off in the tiny town of Crothersville (halfway between Scottsburg and Seymour) on Monday but it was anything but quiet. There was a gym full of loud and screaming fans; and that was just for the jv game. In the varsity the draw for many fans was the debut of 6’4 Eagle freshman, Micah Mohler. Early on Mohler got going with a quick 5 but Crothersville kept the game within reach and wave of energy. Tigers senior point guard, Tymir Cromwell had his goggles on making some special passes. 6’5 Eagle junior Carter Hunley showed some muscle inside throughout the game finishing with 10 points. The last time seeing Austin sophomore Tracen Roush he was scoring 37 or 38 against Switz. County @ the sectional last year. Tonight he had a very efficient game running the point and got to the line giving him 19 pts. The debut of Mohler didn’t disappoint and after getting a breakaway two handed dunk in the 4th, he was taken out of the game with 26 pts, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists. The Eagles went on to put a running clock on the Tigers ending with a final score of 88- 44.

South Ripley @ Jac-Cen-Del- The battle of Ripley County is always the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and both teams the last 5 or 6 years have had really strong teams. JCD made back to back semi state appearances in 2022 and 2023. The Raiders went 21-2 in the ’20-’21 season as well as 23-2 last year. New Eagles coach Scott Smith came over from the girls side looking to get the Eagles back to 1A prominence. Jac scored the first point of the game on a few throw and never led again. Junior Raider guard Drew Volz was the story of the night scoring from everywhere on the floor finishing with 36 pts. 7 rbs. and 6 assists. The sophomore starting trio of Blake Gunter, Eli Gilpin, and Jacob Werner had strong games on the defensive end with Gilpin having at least 4 blocks and Gunter with block and breakaway slam. The one senior for SR, Bryson Sipples battled foul trouble all night but still managed 9 pts. South Ripley won going away, 75-43.

Madison @ Southwestern (Hanover)- This was a game of youth v. experience. The Rebels return 4 senior starters while Madison has an all freshman backcourt in Braysen Russell and Gavin Barnes. Russell started the game off on fire nailing his first two 3’s. The Cubs kept it close in the first quarter but Southwestern just increased their lead throughout the game. The Rebels are my #10 team in 2A and showed why tonight winning by a score of 83-58. They got good scoring from inside and out from multiple players. Senior Caleb Goode led the scoring with a game high 25 pts, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. Senior Brady Cooke had 17 while sophomore Andrew Nussbaum put in 14 pts. The long awaited debut of Madison freshman Braysen Russell did not disappoint. Russell was not shy or timid in his first varsity game scoring 24 pts. 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. Fellow freshman Gavin Barnes also put up 13 pts.

Hebron @ Kouts- This is a game I streamed on Friday night because I wanted to check out my #4 ranked Mustangs. I haven’t seen much of either team and senior Lucas Klecknor for Kouts is someone I wanted to check in on. He’s a 5’9 guard with a quick crossover and good handles. He was routinely crossing by defenders and getting to the basket. I believe Klecknor hit one outside shot but most of his damage was done going to the rim. 6’2 Mustang senior Eli Harper was a load inside also. He moved well for a big man underneath and is tough to stop in the low block. It seemed like senior captains, Spencer Wynsma and Peter Socci led Hebron tonight offensively In the end it was the Mustangs with a 66-51 W showing why they’re my #4 team in 1A.

Plainfield @ Noblesville– One of the more highly anticipated games of the weekend with 2 teams in my preseason Top 10. Junior Quaker Harper Baker Lands was the engine in this game scoring 19 points and driving by a very good defensive group @ Noblesville. 6’8 senior Noah Smith showed some flashes inside as well as hitting some outside shots on his way to 18 pts. Miller senior Justin Curry caught fire in this game trying to bring Noblesville back scoring 29 pts. but it wasn’t enough as Plainfield controlled most of the game and winning, 60-53. This was a BIG time statement win for the Quakers to show they’re a real player in 4A South.

Pike @ HSE– The one thing I took away from this game is Pike’s 7 ft. junior, Isaiah Hill is just going to be tough for any high school team to stop. Sophomore Landon Lampley showed flashes of his potential and junior Jahari Miller got going more in the 2nd half, but Hill is what puts Pike over the top. His defense, rebounding, and presence cannot be replicated. For HSE seniors Luke Weemer and Landon Osswald did what they could to keep the Royals in the game scoring 12 and 11 pts. The Red Devils justified their #3 in 4A  ranking I gave them in the preseason and with alot of quick guards and Hill down low, it’s going to be hard for teams in the state of Indiana to knock them off.

Other news and notes from around the state.

• Silver Creek senior Kasen Daeger got hot from the outside on his way to 17 pts. and 7 rebounds in a W v. Floyd Central, 67- 35.
• Anthony Fresh put up big time numbers in W v. Jennings County. The senior scored 32 pts and 5 assists.
• Henryville picked up an opening night W v. Rock Creek 71-53. New edition for the Hornets, Manon Gant put up 29 pts, 6 rbs, and 7 steals while freshman JP Siltz scored 17 pts, 8 rbs, and 5 steals in his high school debut.
• Borden pulled out a 53- 43 W over Eastern Pekin, 53-43 with sophomore Wyatt Jones put in 24 pts, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. On Saturday Borden got another W v. Shoals 56-39 with Jones scoring 18 pts and 7 boards.
• Trinity Lutheran got themselves a 72- 47 W over Mitchell with Jr. Hudson Lang poured in 33 pts on eight 3 pointers.
• Soph. Quintyn Voltz played his first game for Princeton after transferring from Decatur Central scoring 17 pts. in a W v. my 1A #10 Wood Memorial and senior Indiana All star candidate Edwin Holmes finished with 28 pts and 11 boards.
• Ben Davis put up a good fight against Fishers but the Tigers get it done opening up with a 65-57 win. Giant Jashawn Ladd had a game high 32 pts. while Jason Gardner Jr. put up 23 for Fishers.
• FW Blackhawk picked up an opening night W v. Marian, 77- 58. Senior Payton Rhinehart had himself a big game scoring 30 pts for the Braves.
• The upset of the weekend had to be North Central (Indy) over my #22 team overall, Brownsburg by a score of 68-61 in OT.
• In another surprise Valpo defeated my #4 team in 3A Gary Westside 67-66 in OT. Valpo. was led by Maddux Wagner with 18 pts. Freshman Deshawn Clay put up 18 pts. for GW in his debut game.
• Scottsburg got a BIG time W v. Austin to open up their season. The Warriors were 16/ 29 from 3 with Sr. Garrett Boling leading the way with 18 pts and 9 boards. Soph. Tracen Roush put in 18 for the Eagles.
• Super soph. Amarian Leggett scored 28 pts and 7 assists in a 58- 36 W v. Southwood.
• My #7 Barr Reeve Vikings opened up the year with a 66- 62 W on the road @ Washington. Soph. Jaylon Graber led with a game high 19 pts and 5 rbs.
• The high individual scorer for the first week has to be Rossville Jr. Brayden Thiele- Hahn who put up 52 pts in a Hornets W v. Delphi, 77- 48.
• Parke Heritage’s senior Treigh Schelsky certainly wins best shot of the week 1 with a game winner over a very good Terre Haute North squad.
• In what may have been the game of the week Evansville North defeated Princeton 67-61 in OT. North’s Bryson Chapman put in 20 pts and 7 rbs. while Tigers senior Edwin Holmes scored 25 pts and 10 rbs in the loss.
• South Ripley sophomore Eli Gilpin made six 3s on his way to 22 pts in a win Saturday v. Rising Sun

5 Stars of the Week

• Drew Volz- South Ripley. 36 pts, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists in a W v. JCD.
• Brayden Thiele-Hahn- Rossville. 52 pts, 10 rebounds, and 2 steals in a W v. Delphi
• James Kalala- Southport. 21 pts and 17 rebounds in a win Saturday v. Mooresville
• Anthony Fresh- Charlestown. 32 pts and 5 assists in a win v. Jennings County
• Harper Baker Lands- Plainfield. 18 pts. + 4 steals in a W v. Avon and 19 pts in a W v. Noblesville

Team of the Week; Scottsburg Warriors for their 73-38 win over country rival, Austin. The Warriors shot 56.2% FGs for the game and 53.3% from 3.Senior Garrett Boling led the team with 18 pts.

Upset of the Week; North Central over Brownsburg 66- 61 in OT. My #22 team in the preseason Top 50 took an surprising loss to a team that lost alot of pieces from last year due to graduation and transfers. Also, Zionsville beating Ben Davis 53-48 was eye opening.

Freshmen Debuts this Week;

• Ashton Brobston- Frankton. 23 pts. on 83% FGs, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in a W v. Taylor.
• Deshawn Clay- Gary West. 18 pts in a L v. Valpo
• Micah Mohler- Austin. 26 pts, 15 rbs, 7 assists in a W v. Crothersville
• Braysen Russell- Madison. 24 pts, 7 rbs., 4 assists in a L v. Southwestern
• JP Siltz- Henryville. 17 pts., 8 rbs., 5 steals in a W v. Rock Creek
• Will Tonagel- Oak Hill. 15 pts and 3 steals in a W v. Wabash and 14 pts, 3 rbs, and 3 steals in a W v. Manchester
• Quinton Lewis- Southwestern. 10 pts and 7 assists in a W v. Madison