Koch, Owens, Davis claim IBCA Player of the Week honors;
Center Grove is IBCA Team of the Week in new recognition
One player who averaged 32.0 points and tied a school record for steals, another player who averaged 31.5 points and surpassed 1,000 career points and a third player who averaged just shy of a double-double have been selected as Week 1 winners in the IBCA/Franciscan Health Player of the Week program for 2024-25.
Sophomore Kenzie Koch of Eastern Hancock, junior Brynn Owens of Austin and junior Laniah Davis of Marquette Catholic have been cited for outstanding performances during the week of Nov. 4-9 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.
Also, Center Grove, which defeated a pair of ranked teams during the week, is the first IBCA/Ballogy Team of the Week in a new portion of the IBCA recognition program for 2024-25.
Players of the Week are cited by IHSAA District – Davis for District 1, Koch for District 2 and Owens for District 3. A single Team of the Week is cited for the entire state in the new part of the recognition program. Players and teams are recognized based on all performances in a Monday through Saturday week.
Koch, a 5-9 guard, is honored after averaging 32.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 6.3 steals in a 3-0 week for Eastern Hancock. She opened with 30 points, one rebound, four assists and tied a single-game school record with 13 steals in a 76-3 victory over Wes-Del. Koch followed with 34 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and two steals in a 64-40 decision over Morristown. She completed her week with a 32 points, eight rebounds, two assists and four steals as the Royals defeated Rushville 47-33. For the week, Koch was 38-of-65 on field goals, 7-of-24 on 3-pointers and 13-of-16 on free throws.
Owens, a 5-7 guard, posted norms of 31.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals in propelling Austin to a 2-0 week. She tallied 30 points with seven rebounds, four assists and one steal as the Eagles topped Clarksville 62-16. She then provided 33 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four steals while moving her career scoring total to 1,006 points in a 65-31 victory over South Ripley. For the week, Owens converted 21-of-41 shots, 10-of-19 3-pointers and 11-of-13 free throws.
Davis, also a 5-7 guard, averaged 18.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.3 steals as Class A Marquette Catholic went 1-2 against three Class 4A opponents. Davis scored 20 points with seven rebounds, two assists and three steals in a 66-26 victory over South Bend Adams. She followed with 14 points, nine rebounds, two assists and four steals in a 42-31 setback to Lake Central. Davis then netted 22 points with 13 rebounds and two assists as the Blazers dropped a 58-53 overtime decision to McCutcheon. Davis hit 24-of-63 field goals, 2-of-11 3-pointers and 6-of-9 free throws during the week.
Center Grove (2-0), No. 5 in the IBCA preseason poll, was named IBCA/Ballogy Team of the Week after it defeated then-No. 7 Franklin Central 44-39 and then-No. 8 Fishers in a pair of road contests. Balance was key in against the Flashes as junior Gracyn Gilliard scored 13 points, senior Lilly Bischoff tallied 12 points (with three assists), senior Emerson Vlcan netted nine points (with seven rebounds) and senior Ava Grant had seven points. Against Fishers, Grant sank four 3-pointers en route to 16 points and Gilliard added 15 points for eighth-year Trojans’ coach Kevin Stuckmeyer.
This is the 17th season for the IBCA Player of the Week program and the fifth season the awards are being presented by Franciscan Health Sports Medicine, an IBCA corporate partner. This is the first season for the IBCA Team of the Week program. The Team of the Week program is presented by Ballogy, another IBCA corporate partner.
Winners are chosen each week in the Player of the Week program from each of the IHSAA’s three districts, and one Team of the Week is selected from the entire state. The IBCA will begin boys’ Player and Team of the Week honors on Dec. 3. Former Brownsburg girls’ coach Debbie Smiley oversees the selection of girls’ honorees. Former Martinsville boys’ coach Kip Staggs will oversee the selection of boys’ honorees.
Coaches may nominate players and teams via buttons on the IBCA website (in.nhsbca.org). Coaches must be a current-year member for their players and/or team to be selected for a weekly award.
Girls’ winners are chosen from now through Monday following the IHSAA girls’ State Finals. Boys’ winners are chosen from Dec. 2 through the Monday following the IHSAA boys’ State Finals.
2024-25 IBCA week honorees
Nov. 4-9 – District 1 girls: Laniah Davis, Marquette Catholic. District 2 girls: McKenzie Koch, Eastern Hancock. District 3 girls: Brynn Owens, Austin. Team of the Week (girls): Center Grove.