Warm Weather Brings Hot Shooting in Week-15 of the IBCA/Franciscan Health Player of the Week Program
While the girls were eliminating 32 teams during the 1-game Regional format on Saturday, the boys spent the week lighting up scoreboards and torching nets with incredible shooting nights. In fact, there were several 40-point performances throughout the state, including 44 points by Jennings County Junior Carter Kent and a 40-point performance by Wawasee Senior Collin Ziebarth that warrant a mention. As the boys’ regular season has a week and a half remaining, 32 girls’ teams will participate in the Semi-State this coming weekend. With that said, six more ballplayers have been selected as the Week-15 IBCA/Franciscan Health Players of the week.
South Bend Clay Sophomore Tyrese Jones, Bishop Luers Sophomore Miley Wareing, Kokomo Senior Karson Rogers, Danville Community Junior Emma Ancelet, Switzerland County Junior Cam Craig, and Scottsburg Junior Ellie Richardson are being honored for Feb. 5-Feb. 10 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. Jones and Wareing collect boys’ and girls’ honors, respectively, in Disrict-1. Rogers is the boys’ winner and Ancelet is the girls’ winner in District-2. Craig and Richardson are the boys’ and girls’ recipients, respectively, in District-3.
Following a nice rookie season, South Bend Clay Sophomore Tyrese Jones has been much better in his second year at the helm for the Colonials. Last week, the 5-11 guard was dynamic at the point. In a pair of wins over South Bend Career Academy and Elkhart, Jones averaged 33.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 4.5 steals per game, while shooting a sizzling 61% (25-41) from the field, 46% (6-13) from 3-point range, and 91% (10-11) from the line.
Bishop Luers Sophomore Miley Wareing came up huge for the Knights, as they claimed their 13th Regional Championship, but their first since 2013. In a 57-46 triumph over a competitive Lafayette Central Catholic squad, the 6-2 post was 8-13 from the field and 8-9 from the free throw line, scoring 24 points. She posted a double-double with her 10 rebounds, she handed out 3 assists, collected a pair of steals, and she blocked a shot. Luers next plays Lapel this Saturday.
Kokomo Senior Karson Rogers put people on notice last week that in order to beat the Wildkats, they have more than one talented player to consider shutting down. In an 83-61 win at #13 Richmond and a 72-39 victory against a solid Lebanon team, the 6-6 forward was outstanding at both ends of the floor. Rogers averaged 23.5 points per game on 22-28 (79%) shooting from the field. Additionally, he averaged 9.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game for #5 Kokomo.
Danville Community High School tends to go as Junior Emma Ancelet is going, and last week she came up big in their 57-23 victory over the Speedway Sparkplugs. Ancelet, a 5-7 point guard, posted a double-double with 19 points and 10 assists, she was 8-15 from the field, and 2-3 from downtown, plus she added 8 rebounds, and 4 steals, proving her nice all-around worth as a ballplayer. Danville won just its 3rd Regional title in program history, but now they aim for their 1st State Finals appearance, beginning this Saturday with a matchup against Bishop Chatard.
District-3 was as competitive as any on the boys’ side, with multiple performances in the mid to high 30s and 40s. We selected Switzerland County Junior Cam Craig because of his all-around contributions and consistency in his team’s pair of wins. As the Pacers won 62-39 at Shawe Memorial and 78-71 in overtime at home against Austin, Craig was locked in and had a 37-point game and a
40-point game, averaging 38.5 points per game on 62% (26-42) shooting from the field. Additionally, he was 8-15 (53%) from deep, and 17-21 (81%) from the charity stripe. The 6-4 forward also posted a pair of double-doubles, averaging 15.0 rebounds per game (7.0 offensive rebounds per game).
Junior Ellie Richardson has helped Scottsburg accomplish a few things the Warriors haven’t seen in a while. They won their first Sectional title since 2012, their first Regional title since 1995 this past weekend with a 62-51 success against a talented Greensburg group, and now they look to return to the State Finals for the first time since the 1980s, when they made three appearances (1986, 1988, 1989). The aforementioned Richardson has been key to their success this season, and Saturday the 5-8 guard poured in 28 points, she pulled down 7 caroms, and she dished out 3 assists in their win against the Pirates. The Junior guard also shot 9-16 from the field, 3-5 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 7-7 on free tosses. Scottsburg now takes on Gibson Southern this Saturday in a midday Semi-State matchup.
This is the 16th season for the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Week program, and the fourth season it is being presented by Franciscan Health, a corporate sponsor of the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.
Player of the Week winners are chosen each week from each of the IHSAA’s three districts. Girls’ winners will be chosen two more times, through the Monday following the IHSAA Girls State Finals. Boys’ winners will be chosen six more times, through the Monday following the IHSAA Boys State Finals.
2023-24 Weekly Winners
Oct. 30-Nov. 4: District-1 girls: Tenley Davis, Chesterton. District-2 girls: Avery Gordon, Brownsburg. District–3 girls: Hadley Crosier, Lanesville.
Nov. 6-Nov. 11: District-1 girls: Ava Ziolkowski, Crown Point. District-2 girls: Kayla Lacombe, Arsenal Technical. District–3 girls: Chloe Spreen, Bedford North Lawrence.
Nov. 13-Nov. 18: District-1 girls: Samantha Redinger, Argos, and Gracyn Gilliard, Munster. District-2 girls: Kaycie Warfel, Pendleton Heights. District-3 girls: Audrey Annee, Center Grove.
Nov. 20-Nov. 25: District-1 boys: Bryce Wilcox, Southwood. District-1 girls: Brooke Zartman, Warsaw. District-2 boys: Brady Koehler, Cathedral. District-2 girls: Lillie Graves, McCutcheon. District-3 boys: Kasym Nash, Borden. District-3 girls: Madalynn Shirley, Evansville Central.
Nov. 27-Dec. 2: District-1 boys: Tyler Parrish, Chesterton. District-1 girls: Sadie Marks, South Central (Union Mills). District-2 boys: Damien King, Anderson. District-2 girls: Maya Layton, Faith Christian. District-3 boys: Trent Sisley, Heritage Hills. District-3 girls: Gabby Spink, Gibson Southern.
Dec. 4-Dec. 9: District-1 boys: Sam Essegian, Whitko. District-1 girls: Kenedi Bradley, Chesterton. District-2 boys: Braylon Mullins, Greenfield-Central. District-2 girls: Jaylah Lampley, Lawrence Central. District-3 boys: Aydan Head, Henryville. District-3 girls: Julia Meyer, Jac-Cen-Del.
Dec. 11-Dec. 16: District-1 boys: Jack Smiley, Valparaiso. District-1 girls: Kahlen Robinson, Bowman Academy. District-2 boys: Josiah Cox, Tri. District-2 girls: Maya Makalusky, Hamilton Southeastern. District-3 boys: Joshua Renfro, Christian Academy. District-3 girls: Brynn Owens, Austin.
Dec. 18-Dec. 23: District-1 boys: John Malchow, Winamac Community. District-1 girls: Gracyn Gilliard, Munster. District-2 boys: Philip Randolph, Indianapolis International. District-2 girls: Jacklynn Hosier, Alexandria-Monroe. District-3 boys: Josiah Dunham, Evansville Christian. District-3 girls: Brooklynn Renn, Silver Creek.
Dec. 25-Dec. 30: District-1 boys: Josiah Ball, Maconaquah. District-1 girls: Addison Baxter, Columbia City. District-2 boys: Julius Gizzi, New Palestine. District-2 girls: Reagan Wilson, Noblesville, and Olivia Nickerson, Twin Lakes. District-3 boys: Blake Neill, Bloomfield. District-3 girls: Juliann Woodard, Jennings County.
Jan. 1-Jan. 6: District-1 boys: Ashton Federspiel, Norwell. District-1 girls: Lillian Barnes, Valparaiso. District-2 boys: Nolan Swan, Tipton. District-2 girls: Laniah Wills, Lapel. District-3 boys: Malachi McNair, Evansville Harrison. District-3 girls: Chloey Graham, Gibson Southern.
Jan. 8-Jan. 13: District-1 boys: Jack Rodgers, Culver Community. District-1 girls: Samantha Redinger, Argos. District-2 boys: Braylon Mullins, Greenfield-Central. District-2 girls: Lillie Graves, McCutcheon. District-3 boys: Deion Edwards, Springs Valley. District-3 girls: Ella Bobe, South Knox.
Jan. 15-Jan. 20: District-1 boys: Chase Konieczny, South Bend St. Joseph. District-1 girls: Abby Ordonez, Wheeler. District-2 boys: Chris Huerta, Carroll (Flora). District-2 girls: Avery Gordon, Brownsburg. District-3 boys: Josiah Dunham, Evansville Christian. District-3 girls: Molly Schulte, South Spencer.
Jan. 22-Jan. 27: District-1 boys: Jack Smiley, Valparaiso. District-1 girls: Myah Epps, Homestead. District-2 boys: Braylon Mullins, Greenfield-Central. District-2 girls: Adrianne Tolen, West Lafayette. District-3 boys: Jack Benter, Brownstown Central. District-3 girls: Kaidin James, New Washington, and Faith Wiseman, Indian Creek.
Jan. 29-Feb. 3: District-1 boys: Josiah Ball, Maconaquah. District-1 girls: Laniah Davis, Marquette Catholic. District-2 boys: Isaac Andrews, Wapahani, and Flory Bidunga, Kokomo. District-2 girls: Sophia Morrison, Eastbrook. District-3 boys: Noah Lovan, Our Lady of Providence. District-3 girls: Madisyn Bailey, Bedford North Lawrence.
Feb. 5-Feb. 10: District-1 boys: Tyrese Jones, South Bend Clay. District-1 girls: Miley Wareing, Bishop Luers. District-2 boys: Karson Rogers, Kokomo. District-2 girls: Emma Ancelet, Danville Community. District-3 boys: Cam Craig, Switzerland County. District-3 girls: Ellie Richardson, Scottsburg.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.