The main event of the summer ball calendar has come and gone but getting to see a bunch of teams from all over the state the last 3 days has given me a pretty good idea of who’s who this year in Indiana. It started out on Friday @ Carmel for the day, and then also on Saturday back @ the high school, and over to Westfield on Sunday to finish the weekend off. 200 + teams descended on the area and there was loads of really nice teams, some surprises, and good individual talent. I’m not sure the exact number of teams and players I got to see but I locked into a good amount and caught bits and pieces of others. What’s great about this event is teams that normally wouldn’t get to see or play each other in the winter all come together for one Live weekend of the year. Alot of what I got to see this weekend will show up in the team and player rankings later on this summer and into fall. You really can’t beat the games, the networking, and all the info. you get out of being @ the Charlie Hughes this weekend where everyone who is anyone in the Indiana basketball world is @ the event. Let’s get to some News and Notes from this weekend’s event.
Game Notes
- My weekend kicked off with Scecina v. Blackford and was really impressed by Scecina. I knew they were good and probably Top 5 in 2A but came away thinking it will be hard to leave them outside of they Top 3. Jr. Jaylin Foster is very good defensively and their whole team likes to push the pace and get up and down. Foster finished with 22 pts, Jr. Ian Collins is super quick and put in 21 pts. Jr. Amarian Leggett put up 17 pts for the Bruins
- Scottsburg met up with Shelbyville next in what I thought would be a pretty good game. It was a very good game for Scottsburg. The Warriors began to pour it on in the 2nd half on their way to a 80-44 W. Jr. Caiden Boswell led the purple and gold with 20 pts while soph. Jaxon Owens put in 18. For the entire weekend Owens averaged 19.5 ppg and is a name to keep an eye on in southern Indiana for the next 3 years.
- I had to catch 2A runners up Westview one game this weekend and ended up seeing them twice. They earned a good 43-40 W over 4A Noblesville. Indiana All Star candidate Austin Schlabach finished up with 17 pts while Daniel and Pierce had around 10 for the Warriors. Miller Jr. Evan Magsamen led his team with 15 pts. Westview looked every bit of a preseason Top 5 team in 2A this weekend.
- Probably the game of the day was next up in The Cage (Carmel freshman/ aux gym). Guerin Catholic v. Lawrence North had good energy from both teams and fans. Seniors Jake Grissom and Carter Murans led the Golden Eagles with 15 pts and 13 pts. GC got the OT W 57-52. GC has a real shot at making it to the 3A state finals this year. On the LN side Jr. Chandon Gilbert was the main offensive piece. Gilbert put up 20 pts. The potential of Wildcat freshman, Levin Robinson is through the roof.
- Not many teams had a better weekend than the 4-0 New Albany Bulldogs. On Friday I got to see them matchup with Chesterton. Jr. Noah Washington was out for NA but they still ran 10-11 deep. They play at such a fast pace whether they’re up or down it’s hard to sustain for most teams. Soph. Karson Stoudemire led the team with 13 pts while Jr. Brad Basila was the Trojans top scorer with 20 pts. Despite Basila’s 20 NA picked up a 55-49 W.
- One of the more impressive performances of the weekend was Liberty Christian on Saturday morning v. Austin. LC is one of the quickest teams I saw @ the CH. The duo of Antonio Baymon and Kendrick Martin are probably the best duo in all of 1A. There was a point in the 2nd half where the Lions were up 20 on Austin. Eagle soph. Micah Mohler and Jr. Tracen Roush fought back to cut it to within 4 or 5 but the initial lead was too much as LC went on to win, 83-76. Martin put up 25 pts and Baymon with 19 while Austin’s trio of Mohler, Roush, and Braysen Russell scored 19 pts, 18 pts, and 17 pts.
- The 2nd game on Saturday was the Game of the Day and possibly the weekend. In a potential semi state finals matchup, Fishers and Homestead met up in the Aux Gym. I’m not sure Spartan Jr. Bryce Lacross missed a shot the entire 1st half on his way to a game-high 30 pts. Fishers had to fight and claw all game from behind with the senior duo of Cooper Zachary and Jason Gardner led the charge with 18 pts and 24 pts. After a Homestead missed game winner in regulation Fishers took advantage and won in OT, 69-66. Sr. Mack Welker is playing on another level this year and is one of the premier players in the class of ’27.
- Opposite ends of the state met up with SB St. Joe’s playing New Albany. With NA down Jr. Noah Washington for the weekend they still went 10-11 players deep and most everyone contributed. The speed and pressure New Albany puts on teams is special to watch, especially when you’re sitting courtside. Senior brothers Ashton and Reece McKee are two guards that get into you on defense and shot the ball well all weekend. Jeff transfer, Jacob Wilkerson also had himself a good weekend fitting in with the team. NA ended up pulling away 76-61 for the final. Soph. Karson Stoudemire led the Dogs with 19 pts while Ashton McKee put up 16 pts.
- I admittedly saw alot of New Albany this weekend, and for good reason. They’re really good and fun to watch. In a rematch of last year’s semi state (and potential HOF Classic matchup next December). In the first half THN hung around and kept the game within striking distance. In the 2nd half the depth of NA proved to be too much as the Dogs got a 71-44 W. The toughness of NA soph. Karson Stoudemire getting to the basket and finishing is impressive for his age. It’s not the same burst of speed getting to the basket as Jason Gardner but it’s very affective. Karson finished with 13 pts while Jacob Wilkerson scored 15 pts and Ashton McKee put up a game-high 16 pts. The Patriots were led in scoring by Sr. Tyler Renn with 13 pts.
- Finished off the Saturday with catching Silver Creek v. FW Snider. Snider was without their star guard, Trell Hogue but had a really good showing in this one. Jr. Chance Derossett has a real clip from the outside and finished with 27 pts. Snider held the lead most of the game but the Dragons size and Sr. Brandon Hunter eventually caught up with them. The lack of perimeter scoring for SC will be the big question going into the season because the size is there. Hunter shot it really well and will have to this season. Jr. Evan Renn showed flashes of hitting the outside 3 also. I didn’t get official stats in this one but SC ended up winning, 78-71.
- Sunday kicked off @ the Carmel Cage (freshman/aux gym) with New Pal. and Gary West. Westside jumped out to an early lead and held onto it much of the game. Sophomore Deshawn Clay (16 pts) showed flashes of getting to the rim and shooting the outside shot. Clay may find his way into the Top 10 in the c/o ’29 when it’s all said and done. It looked as though he could get to the basket most anytime he wanted. 6’8 Prentiss Gates, who has as much potential as anyone in the state put up 16 pts and 5 blocks. He showed flashes of greatness with his dunks and blocking shots. He’s got Isaiah Hill- like defensive instincts. GW is looking to play through him alot more this year and make it a point of getting him the ball. New Pal. fought back all game and in OT got the 56-53 W. Jr. Will Davison ended up with 17 pts.
- Cathedral got up on Westfield early on Sunday and held on to get a W. Irish Sr. Braylon Pippens was good in this one (I think he’d be a really good D2 player), as was guard Tristan Lloyd with soph. Jayden Kennedy out, but what really caught my attention was Westfield freshman, Maddox Smith. The 2030 guard went off for 26 pts for the Rocks. You can tell it’s his show to run and looks to be one of the top kids in his class. Cathedral ended up holding on and getting a 65-54 W. Expect Irish Jr. Jaxson Delaney to make a big jump in production this year.
- I may have saved the best game for last on Sunday with Austin taking on Plainfield. The Quakers obviously lost alot but return one of the state’s best in Sr. Harper Baker Lands. Fresh off an IU offer, Micah Mohler of Austin showed why he is a big time player and justified any questions anyone had on his 3 recent D1 offers as just a soph. This game got chippy early and the intensity for a June game was high level. The individual matchup of Baker Lands and Mohler going back and forth at each other made this really fun. The Eagles would go up by 6 or 7 and then Plainfield would fight back and make their run. Soph. Braysen Russell was also big time in this one hitting some really big shots finishing with 21 pts. After a couple of technicals for both teams and an OT, a layup with about 2 seconds left from Mohler ended up being the difference for an Austin W, 83-81. Baker Lands had an incredible game finishing with 40 pts while Mohler had a great game of his own putting in 33 pts.
More News + Notes
- Northview Sr. Trayven Buis averaged 25.3 ppg and the team went 3-1
- Greensburg Sr. Jacoby Miller averaged 25 ppg and the team went 2-2
- Marion incoming freshman Kai Shively had a strong weekend + is a name to remember with the Giants going 2-2.
- Providence Sr. Noah Leasor averaged 30 ppg for the Pioneers while going 2-0 for the day.
- Waldron going 4-0 could be a sign of a strong season for the 1A Mohawks.
- Yorktown also went 4-0 with Sr. Mason Trammell having a very good weekend for the Tigers.
- Liam Kitch is also an incoming freshman to remember for Warsaw who went 1-1 on the weekend.
- Snider’s Jr. Chance Derossett poured in 27 pts in their game v. Silver Creek.
- Elkhart went 3-1 @ the CH while soph. Kaleb Anderson is one of the fastest risers in the c/o ’29.
- Speaking of players climbing the rankings, Crown Point’s Jr. MJ Wilson had a good weekend for the Bulldogs. Wilson could find himself in the Top 5 of ’28 when rankings come out in a few months.
- Silver Creek Sr. Brandon Hunter showed some real shooting ability in the Dragons W v. FW Snider.
- Batesville Sr. James Hughes averaged 25.5 ppg for the Bulldogs who went 1-1.
- Pike incoming soph. Ryan Gold had a strong weekend for the 3-1 Red Devils and looked like a Top 10 kid in the ’29 class.
- Sullivan’s Sr. Paul Ridgeway had a very strong weekend averaging 31 ppg while going 2-2.
First Team All Charlie Hughes
Sr. Mack Welker- Homestead. 25.8 ppg and 9.2 rbs
Sr. Cooper Zachary- Fishers. 25.5 ppg
Jr. Jaylin Foster- Scecina. 22 pts v. Blackford
Jr. Charles Hardiman- Merrillville. 30.5 ppg
Sr. Jason Gardner Jr.- Fishers. 23.3 ppg
Second Team All Charlie Hughes
Sr. Judah Lewis- Columbus East. 36 ppg (in 2 games on Saturday)
Soph. Micah Mohler- Austin. 25.3 ppg (in 3 games)
Soph. Karson Stoudemire- New Albany. 15 ppg (in 3 games)
Jr. Bryce Lacross- Homestead. 22.3 ppg
Jr. Zen Szaferski- FW Luers. 23 ppg
Third Team All Charlie Hughes
Sr. Landon Lampley- Pike. N/A
Jr. Don Bowling- Anderson. 31.5 ppg
Sr. Jacoby Miller- Greensburg. 25 ppg
Sr. Sigmund Nash- Decatur Central. 21 ppg
Sr. Harper Baker Lands- Plainfield. 40 pts v. Austin on Sunday
Charlie Hughes First Team All Freshmen
Levin Robinson- Lawrence North. 10 ppg
Nasir Faniel- Merrillville. 13 ppg
Maddox Smith- Westfield. 26 pts v. Cathedral on Sunday
Tomarri Patterson- Attucks. 27 ppg
Jase Brooks- FW North. 18 ppg
4A Team(s) of the Weekend
New Albany Bulldogs and Fishers Tigers
3A Team(s) of the Weekend
Brebeuf Braves and Cathedral Irish
2A Team(s) of the Weekend
Westview Warriors and Scecina Crusaders
1A Team(s) of the Weekend
West Washington Senators and Cloverdale Clovers
Upset of the weekend
Gibson Southern over Hamilton Southeastern
Game of the Weekend
Austin v. Plainfield
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