Six Hoosier Hoopers Will “Unwrap” Week-7 IBCA/Franciscan Health Player of the Week Awards
The holiday season is upon us, and double-doubles are aplenty. Four of our six Week-7 honorees hail from the Sophomore class, plus we saw career highs, offensive explosions, and some high-level board work. By week’s end, six more young men and women earned IBCA/Franciscan Health Player of the Week honors this time around.
Fort Wayne North Side Sophomore Brauntae Johnson, Wapahani Sophomore Isaac Andrews, Silver Creek Senior Branden Northern, Pioneer Junior Ashlynn Brooke, Carroll (Flora) Sophomore Alli Harness, and Indian Creek Sophomore Faith Wiseman have been selected as recipients for Dec. 13-Dec. 18 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. Johnson and Brooke take home boys’ and girls’ honors, respectively, in District-1. Andrews is the boys’ winner, and Harness is the girls’ winner in District-2. Northern is the boys’ recipient, while Wiseman is the girls’ recipient in District-3.
Brauntae Johnson of Fort Wayne North Side had a big week, as the Legends split a pair of games. Friday night, in a crosstown rivalry against Fort Wayne Snider, Johnson was active at both ends of the floor. The Sophomore guard was 13-17 from the field and 4-6 from the free throw line, scoring 30 points in a big 81-60 victory over the Panthers. But Johnson also posted a double-double, with an impressive 21 rebounds on the evening. Add to that seven assists, a steal, and three blocked shots, and he found a number of ways to contribute.
The next day, the Legends traveled to Grace College to take on the Warsaw Tigers, but it was the cats who won this tightly contested game, 63-60. Still, the 6-3 Sophomore was outstanding, scoring 27 points and grabbing eight rebounds in the narrow defeat. Johnson has gotten off to a hot start, averaging 21.5 points per game to begin the season.
Pioneer Junior Ashlynn Brooke has played her first career games in November and December this season, and she’s starting to peak at the right time. Last week, in a trio of games, she helped the Panthers pick up three Hoosier North Conference wins and move their record to 10-2 overall. Tuesday night was the tough one, as Pioneer outlasted Caston 77-73. Brooke set a career-high with 45 points, including knocking down 16-19 from the charity stripe. She was also able to add three assists and four steals in the big conference win.
Two nights later, the Panthers easily took care of LaVille, and the Junior guard was again in the mix, nearly posting a triple-double with her 27 points, 11 assists, and nine steals in limited minutes. She was an efficient 10-15 from the field and 5-8 from deep, plus she grabbed five caroms in the victory.
Then on Saturday, Pioneer took on a much-improved Triton squad, only to win their third game in five days, 60-36. The 5-7 Brooke posted another double-double with 25 points and 11 assists in this contest. She also managed four rebounds and four steals in the Panthers’ final game of a 3-0 week.
Wapahani picked up a pair of road wins this past weekend, and Sophomore guard Isaac Andrews had a lot to do with it. In a 72-48 Mid-Eastern Conference road win at Wes-Del Friday night, Andrews knocked down 10-18 from the field, 3-8 from long range, while burying all three of his free throw attempts, on the way to 26 points for the Raiders. He also contributed five rebounds, a pair of assists, and four thefts to help Wapahani move to 1-0 in the conference.
The following day, the Raiders were back on the road at Alexandria-Monroe, where they won comfortably over the Tigers, 88-48. This time out, the 6-1 guard posted a double-double with his 24 points and 13 rebounds. The Sophomore also approached a triple-double status with his eight assists, plus he managed to add four steals in victory.
Carroll (Flora) Sophomore Alli Harness has been lighting up scoreboards for a season and a half now, already approaching the 1000-point mark in just her second year. Last week she was responsible for helping the Cougars to a pair of road wins. Monday, they traveled to Maconaquah, where they knocked off the Lady Braves, 63-45. Harness scored 28 points, grabbed nine rebounds, dished out eight assists, stole the ball four times, and blocked three shots in a well-rounded effort.
Friday, the Cougars headed to Rossville, where they picked up a Hoosier Heartland Conference win, 66-39. The 5-7 Harness was a highly effective 11-13 from the field and 6-7 from deep, plus she made both of her free throw opportunities, scoring 30 points in the conference win. The Sophomore guard added three rebounds, four assists, and an impressive seven thefts in the successful evening contest.
Coming off of two Class 3A State Championships in three years, the Silver Creek Dragons have a much different make-up this time around, but Senior Branden Northern remains a staple in the Dragons’ backcourt. Last Friday, Silver Creek knocked off the host Jeffersonville Red Devils, 72-59. In that contest, Northern scored 31 points, including knocking down 5-9 shots from behind the arc and all six of his free tosses from the line. The Senior point guard added six rebounds and seven assists in the victory.
The next day, the Dragons had to travel to the hostile environment of Bedford North Lawrence, unfortunately falling to the Stars, 64-51. Northern was still strong in defeat, as the 5-10 guard knocked down five more 3-pointers and scored 27 points in the effort. The Senior added a pair of boards, plus he found teammates on six more occasions for scores in the loss.
Indian Creek Sophomore Faith Wiseman was Miss Double-Double last week, reaching the accomplishment in all three of their triumphs. Tuesday night, they headed to Whiteland, defeating the Lady Warriors, 65-48. The 6-3 Wiseman began her week scoring 13 points and grabbing 15 rebounds, while also contributing five assists, two steals, and two blocked shots to the win.
Friday, they hosted previously unbeaten Edgewood in a big Western Indiana Conference matchup. The Lady Braves protected their home floor, knocking off the Mustangs in impressive fashion, 45-24. Wiseman was again key in their win, scoring 10 points, grabbing another 10 rebounds, while also patrolling the paint defensively and blocking three shots.
Finishing up their week on Saturday, Indian Creek traveled to North Putnam for another conference tilt. For the third time in five days, the Lady Braves found themselves victorious, defeating the Cougars, 56-34. Once again, the Sophomore forward was outstanding, scoring 12 points and grabbing a game-high 20 caroms in success. Wiseman also dished out seven assists, collected a pair of steals, and kept seven Cougar shots from going in with blocks.
This is the 14th season for the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Week program, but just the second 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 through the Monday following the IHSAA Girls State Finals. Boys’ winners will be chosen through the Monday following the IHSAA Boys State Finals.
Other Top Nominees for Week-7 (2021-22)
District-1 Boys: Chase Bachelor, Prairie Heights; Ben Garwood, LaCrosse; Jaxson Gould, Warsaw; Travis Grayson, Chesterton; Romeo Guerra, Lake Station Edison; Ashton Johnson, Fort Wayne South Side; Aidan Lambert, Fort Wayne Snider; Fletcher Loyer, Homestead; Hayden Maiben, Maconaquah; Kaden Manna, Marquette Catholic.
District-1 Girls: Allison Capouch, Kouts; Chloe Churilla, Highland; Taylor Delp, Plymouth; Asia Donald, Hobart; Ellia Foster, Bremen; Grace Kreischer, Eastside; Lilly Maple, Maconaquah; MaKaya Porter, Mishawaka Marian; Mila Reynolds, South Bend Washington; Zoe Willems, Bethany Christian.
District-2 Boys: Jake Chapman, Tri-Central; Ryan Conwell, Pike; Riley Goodnight, Frankfort; Will Grissom, Guerin Catholic; Armon Jarrard, Mount Vernon (Fortville); Trevion Johnson, Daleville; Ellis Lyons, North Putnam; Nate Powell, Tipton; A.J. Roseman, Bishop Chatard; Kyle Thomas, Cloverdale.
District-2 Girls: Mariah Claywell, Union City; Kendall Davison, Clinton Central; Gretchen Farley, Park Tudor; McKenna Layden, Northwestern; Ally Madden, Blue River Valley; Sophia Morrison, Eastbrook; Renna Schwieterman, Jay County; Ashlynn Shade, Noblesville; Adrianne Tolen, West Lafayette; Alexis Wines, Lebanon.
District-3 Boys: Brady Cato, Evansville Central; Cam Craig, Switzerland County; Caleb Dewey, Edinburgh; Brady Dunn, Christian Academy; Lane Hoefler, West Washington; Hunter Johnson, South Decatur; Hagen Knepp, Barr-Reeve; Brysen Montgomery, Austin; Jaylen Mullen, North Daviess; Trent Sisley, Heritage Hills.
District-3 Girls: Jackie Crews, Paoli; Jalyn Davidson, North Central (Farmersburg); Cortney Dove, Princeton; Kylee Edwards, Shelbyville; Rhylan Kalb, Northeast Dubois; Kencia Levasseur, Washington; Hadley Lytton, Heritage Hills; Kaybree Oxley, Tecumseh; Saige Stahl, Columbus East; Josie Trabel, East Central.
2021-22 Weekly Winners
Nov. 1-Nov. 6: District-1 girls: Mila Reynolds, South Bend Washington. District-2 girls: Emily Livingston, Union City. District–3 girls: Kyia McKinley, Eastern (Pekin).
Nov. 8-Nov. 13: District-1 girls: Julia Mantyla, Northridge. District-2 girls: Isabella Gizzi, New Palestine. District–3 girls: Zoe Stewart, Terre Haute North Vigo.
Nov. 15-Nov. 20: District-1 girls: Asia Donald, Hobart. District-2 girls: Adrianne Tolen, West Lafayette. District–3 girls: Bailey Tabeling, Trinity Lutheran.
Nov. 22-Nov. 27: District-1 boys: Joe Reidy, Woodlan. District-1 girls: RaShunda Jones, South Bend Washington. District–2 boys: Ryan Conwell, Pike. District-2 girls: Camryn Wise, Wapahani. District-3 boys: Hunter Johnson, South Decatur. District–3 girls: Saige Stahl, Columbus East.
Nov. 29-Dec. 4: District-1 boys: Fletcher Loyer, Homestead. District-1 girls: Nevaeh Foster, Mishawaka Marian. District–2 boys: Brady Ruggles, Danville. District-2 girls: Ashlynn Shade, Noblesville. District-3 boys: Wes Aigner, Castle. District–3 girls: Macey Timberman, Northview.
Dec. 6-Dec. 11: District-1 boys: Markus Burton, Penn. District-1 girls: Ayanna Patterson, Homestead. District–2 boys: Jake Chapman, Tri-Central. District-2 girls: Caitlyn Campbell, Winchester, and McKenna Layden, Northwestern. District-3 boys: Caleb Dewey, Edinburgh. District–3 girls: Reagan Martin, Owen Valley.
Dec. 13-Dec. 18: District-1 boys: Brauntae Johnson, Fort Wayne North Side. District-1 girls: Ashlynn Brooke, Pioneer. District–2 boys: Isaac Andrews, Wapahani. District-2 girls: Alli Harness, Carroll (Flora). District-3 boys: Branden Northern, Silver Creek. District–3 girls: Faith Wiseman, Indian Creek.
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