Week 11 News and Notes

Week 11 was the annual Thursday/ Saturday games because of girls sectionals this week. And on top of that there were limited games on Tuesday and Wednesday and even some postponements down south. But there were some special individual performances from players from all over the state this weekend. So other than streaming some games on Tuesday I didn’t get to my first game until Thursday where I went to check out New Albany @ Jennings County. A couple other big ones in the state on Thursday night was Ben Davis v. Pike, LN v. Carmel game, Portage v. Crown Point, and Plainfield v. Terre Haute North. Saturday was the afternoon games and thankfully the weather was good enough to get all of the games in. FW Blackhawk @ Westview, Homestead @ Oak Hill, and Penn @ Chesterton were some really good games up in northern Indiana. Let’s go ahead and check out what happened in Week 11.

New Albany @ Jennings County- Game #1 wasn’t until Thursday night this week with girls sectionals and weather postponements. The Bulldogs came into the game as a top 10 team in the state in my latest rankings while the Panthers with Coach Wrightsman came in with a record of 8-7. After a couple of quick 3s from Panther seniors Cash Millspaugh and Johnny Elkins, the young Dogs jumped out quick with their press that gave Jennings County fits all game long. New Albany doesn’t have alot of height so they really rely on their pressure and quickness to speed teams up and score in transition. By the end of a fast paced quarter it was NA up 23-14. Bulldog senior TJ Washington was the beneficiary of alot of those transition baskets on his way to 13 pts for the game. The Dogs stretched their lead out to 42-27 by halftime and maintained that 15-20 pt. lead throughout the game. Super sophomore Noah Washington was a consistent offensive threat all game scoring a game-high 24 pts. New Albany also brings to the table one of the state’s top freshman in Karson Stoudemire. Karson really locks in on defense and is strong going downhill to the basket finishing with either hand. Stoudemire put in 11 pts on the night. A bright spot for the Panthers was their senior big, Johnny Elkins. Not only did he show range early but at a strong 6’4/ 6’5 finished down low with good post moves. JC has a fairly good size team that could give their Sectional 29 in 3A problems. Bulldog Jr. Seth Winslow’s dunk in the 3rd quarter gave NA a 20 pt. lead and they pretty much cruise from there on out winning by a score of 83-60. Jr. Greyson Grubbs had a strong 2nd half for New Albany scoring 12 pts in the game. If New Albany can speed up teams and counter the lack of height for transition baskets, they can make a deep run in March. They’ll more than likely have the best player on the floor in most of their games they play and the young pups want to be a year ahead of schedule with a run to semi state to surprise some people this season, rather than wait a year.

Lawrence North @ Carmel- This was a big one up in the central part of the state. Last week in Fishers win over Carmel, the Greyhounds got major contributions from Jr. Cash Daniels and Sr. Julian Vogt and not alot else. To start off this game Sr. Evan Harrell, Sr. Julian Vogt, and Sr. Ben Bremer hit some early shots to give Carmel more balance offensively. In past seasons it was just as likely 19 pts be their halftime score, but the Hounds put up 19 in the first quarter in this one to lead by 6. In the 2nd quarter both teams started out hot. A Vogt three pointer was matched by Soph. Davis Baker three from LN. A turning point in the 2nd quarter was a 2nd foul called on Wildcat Sr. Brennan Miller. Once Miller went out the Hounds slowly increased their lead but couldn’t quite pull away going into the halftime break up 33-26. Vogt was nearly automatic from deep in the 1st half with 11 pts in the 1st half. Early on in the 2nd half an important 3rd foul was called on Daniels and then a minute later on Dickerson for Carmel. That unlocked LN Sr. Cam Webster who scored the first 6 pts for the Cats. Somehow the Greyhounds increased their lead with their pg on the bench. LN just couldn’t get their outside shots to fall most of the night. On the other side Vogt hit a huge 3 at the end of the 3rd quarter to give Carmel a 47-34 lead. An unsung player in this game was the defense Greyhound Sr. Aiden Dickerson played on Brennan Miller. Every one of Miller’s 10 total pts. were hard earned. LN’s last gasp was when Cash Daniels fouled out with over 4 minutes left in the game. After a big offensive burst last weekend from Daniels, tonight he finished with 8 pts. in this one. The Hounds defense locked down the Cats in the last 4 minutes of the game. You’d think with Daniels out Carmel would struggle to hold onto a lead but instead they increased it again. It was a statement win, 60-43 by the Greyhounds in this one. Harrell with a game-high 18 pts and Vogt close behind with 16 pts. Webster was the leading scorer for LN with 15, but LN’s Indiana All Star candidate with only 10 was the deciding factor. Credit that to Dickerson who made life difficult all game for Miller.

Batesville @ Madison- Saturday afternoon basketball has always been nice because you get home early. Most of the state was playing this afternoon because of girls sectionals so I went over to check out a 15-2 Batesville squad against the Cubs.  Record- wise the game would look like a mismatch but I figured it would be closer than the records would indicate. Madison comes in with one of the leading freshman scorers in the state in guard Braysen Russell but missed a game earlier in the week because of a slight injury. Early on the Cubs looked ready to play feeding Sr. Zach Vinup down low and I believe I had him for 8 or 9 pts in the 1st quarter alone. The game was fairly high scoring in the 1st, 20-15 Madison with both defenses struggling to get stops. Bulldog seniors Brayden Maple and Trenten Luers made some shots and got themselves going some but today’s game was all about Jr. James Hughes. The 6’3 guard/ wing had his shot working from the outside and getting easy looks cutting to the basket. By halftime the Madison lead was down to 1 in a back and forth 2nd quarter. Things were continuing to go back and forth with Madison’s biggest lead at 4 or 5, but then with about 3 or 4 minutes left in the 3rd quarter is when the wheels fell off for the Cubs. Batesville went on a big run to end the 3rd quarter and took a 50-42 lead into the 4th. The 2nd half is when Hughes got really hot for the Dogs and things snowballed for Madison throughout the 4th. The Cubs just played 6 kids (3 freshmen) for most of the game and by the 4th they looked gassed. A 2nd half press helped speed up Madison and got them uncomfortable. Cub Jr. Gabe Fife did all he could handling pressure and scoring 15 pts. equaling Vinup’s team-high 15 pts. Madison’s freshman star, Braysen Russell ended up with 14 pts. Maple and Hughes just kept hitting shots though in the 4th while pulling away to a 77-53 Bulldog win. Batesville Jr. James Hughes had the hot hand putting up 39 with a chance at 40 before being taken out. It was the best single game performance from a Batesville Bulldog I’ve seen in person probably since the Bryon Hoeing 42 pt. game in January of 2013 in a W v. Greensburg.

Other News and Notes from Around the State in Week 11

• University Jr. Joshua Henderson scored 23 pts, including the game winning basket in a 70-68 W over Chatard. Henderson also scored 19 pts and 5 rbs v. Liberty Christian.
• Boonville defeated Gibson Southern 43-41. GS Jr. Cash Willis with a game-high 18 pts. 3 rbs, an 3 steals. On Thursday Boonville got another big W, this time v. Heritage Hills, 67-63. Jr. Jaxon McCain with a 17 pt. and 10 rbs. game for the Pioneers.
• Hauser beat South Decatur, 69-40. Jet Sr. Gavin Keller scored 20 pts.
• Liberty Christian got a big W v. University, 69-65. Lions Jr. Kendrick Martin put up 31 pts, 4 rbs, 5 assists, and 3 steals.
• Silver Creek over Madison, 69-27. Jr. Dragon Brandon Hunter put up 10 pts, 5 rbs, 4 steals, and 15 assists. Sr. Dane Caldwell with 14 pts, 7 rbs, and 3 steals.
• Michigan City got the 80-60 win over East Chicago. Seniors Colson Dobre put up 21 pts. and T.K. Van Buren with 15 pts. for the Wolves. Sr. Jamarie Pollard scored 14 for the Cards.
• Silver Creek got another W over Salem, 72-28. Dragon Jr. Brandon Hunter with 15 pts, 11 assists, and 5 rbs. SC Sr. Dane Caldwell with 16 pts and 6 rbs.
• Penn with a good 55-48 W over Mishawaka Marian. Soph. Caleb Coolman with 25 pts, 11 rbs, and 6 assists.
• THN got a 62-55 upset W over Plainfield. Sr. Gavin Woelfle with 18 pts for the Pats. Pats Jr. Tyler Renn put up 14 pts.
• Fishers pulled out a 74-72 OT W over Westfield. Tigers Jr. Cooper Zachary with 18 pts, 6 steals, and 4 assists.
• Crown Point ended Portage’s undefeated streak, 75-57. Sr. Dikembe Shaw with 21 pts. and Sr. Bryce Peters put up 17 pts for the Bulldogs.
• Charlestown got a 81-59 W over North Harrison. The Pirates had balanced scoring with Sr. Anthony Fresh led the team with 20 pts. Sr. Parker Odle scored 18 pts and Sr. AJ Todd put up 15 pts for Ctown.
• Bedford NL got a 46-45 W over Floyd Central. Sr. Dax Short led the Stars in scoring with 14 pts.
• SB St. Joe’s defeated SB Adams, 82-62. Jr. Huskie Elijah King scored 27 pts. Eagle Sr. Jarvis Tolbert put in a game-high 32 pts and 10 rbs.
• Chesterton got a 52-49 W v. Michigan City. Soph. Brad Basila put up 21 pts for the Trojans.
• Pike soph. Landon Lampley scored 21 pts in a 56-53 W over Ben Davis. Giant Sr. Sherman Moss Wright also scored 21 pts.
• Muncie Central defeated Marion, 90-70. Soph. Jaxson Johnson scored 20 pts and 8 rbs for the Bearcats. Sr. Tim Jones put up 20 pts, 7 rbs, and 4 assists for the Giants.
• Attucks got the 72-61 W over Indy Met. Sr. Dezhon Hall with another big game of 33 pts.
• Guerin Cath. defeated Culver Academy, 66-57. Jr. Jake Grissom with 24 pts.
• Austin got their 7th W in a row with a 62-56 victory over Corydon. Jr. Carter Hunley with 22 pts and 11 rbs.
• Westview got a good W v. FW Blackhawk. Warrior Jr. Austin Schlabach with 17 pts and Sr. Kaden Grau with 15. Braves Soph. Drake Sefton with a game-high 23 pts.
• Homestead ended Oak Hill’s undefeated season with a 58-53 W. Jr. Jake Coolman with 24 pts and Jr. Mack Welker with 23 for the Spartans.
• Scottsburg made a school record 18 three’s in their 94-56 W South Central. Jr. Jarin Luttrell led the Warriors with 27 pts.
• Mater Dei defeated Pike Central, 72-31. Soph. Cole Breeden with 22 pts for the Wildcats.
• Borden got a 49-48 W over Springs Valley. Soph. Wyatt Jones with the game winning shot giving him 16 pts and 7 rbs.
• Gary Lighthouse with a 58-42 W over LaLumiere Regional. Jr. Isaac Browder scored 24 pts and 10 rbs. for the Lions.

5 Stars of Week 11

Da’kori Parker- SB Riley. 35 pts (school record 11 three’s) in a W v. Mishawaka Marian.

Johnnie Hudson- Calumet. 48 pts (school record), 14 rbs, 2 steals and 1 block in a W v. Calumet Christian

James Hughes- Batesville. 25 pts, 5 rbs, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in a W v. South Dearborn. 39 pts in a W v. Madison.

Caleb Coolman- Penn. 25 pts, 11 rbs, and 6 assists in a W v. Mishawaka Marian. 24 pts, 9 rbs, and 3 assists in a W v. Chesterton.

Kendrick Martin- Liberty Christian. 31 pts, 6 rbs, 4 steals and 3 assists in a W v. University. 18 pts in a W v. Lawrence Central.

Team(s) of the Week- Boonville Pioneers and South Bend Riley Wildcats

Upset(s) of the Week- Castle over Bosse, 66-61. Terre Haute North 62-55 W v. Plainfield.

Top Freshmen from Around the State in Week 11

Kaleb Anderson-Mitchell- Elkhart. 30 pts in a W v. New Prairie.

Jaxon Owens- Scottsburg. 24 pts in a W v. Clarksville. 17 pts (five 3’s) in a W v. South Central.

Romyiez Calvin- Evansville Harrison. 22 pts and 6 rbs. in a W v. Linton.

Micah Mohler- Austin. 21 pts, 8 rbs, and 8 assists in a W v. Corydon.

Walker Johnson- Delta. 17 pts and 6 assists in a W v. Blackford.

JP Siltz- Henryville. 16 pts, 6 rbs. and 3 assists in a W v. Eastern Pekin.

Cade Baker- Castle. 15 pts, 3 rbs, and 2 assists in a W v. Evansville Bosse

Naji Meux- East Chicago Central. 14 pts v. Michigan City.

Braysen Russell- Madison. 14 pts v. Batesville.

Ashton Brobston- Frankton. 12 pts, 5 rbs, and 4 assists in a W v. Tri

Karson Stoudemire- New Albany. 11 pts in a W v. Jennings County. 16 pts in a W v. Columbus East.

Mekhi Gillis- East Chicago Central. 7 pts and 5 rbs v. Michigan City.

Games to see in Week 12

Tuesday- South Ripley @ Southwestern (Hanover)/ Austin @ Charlestown

Thursday- Borden @ Henryville

Friday- Paoli @ Orleans/ Ben Davis @ Lawrence North

Saturday- Madison @ Greensburg/ Penn @ Fishers/ FW Snider @ Mt. Vernon