Standout players lead Andrean, Lawrence Central and Morristown to sectional crowns
Kyle Ross averaged a double-double over three sectional games, and the Andrean sophomore headlines the recipients in this week’s IBCA/Subway Player of the Week program.
Lawrence Central senior Nijel Pack and Morristown senior Logan Laster join Ross as honorees for the week of Feb. 25-March 2 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.
Ross is the recipient District 1. Pack collected accolades for District 2. Laster received honors for District 3.
The 6-7 Ross averaged 23.3 points and 15.0 rebounds over three games in keying Andrean to the championship of the Class 3A sectional at Lake Station Edison.
Ross opened with 15 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and one steal in a 54-51 decision over Hammond Noll. He followed with 29 points, 22 rebounds, one assist, two steals and four blocks in a 62-56 victory over Lake Station. Ross completed his week with 26 points, 11 rebounds and two assists in a 70-64 triumph over Bowman Academy for the sectional crown. Over three games, Ross went 23-of-41 on field goals, 6-of-15 on 3-pointers and 18-of-23 on free throws as the Fighting 59ers improved to 17-8.
The 6-0 Pack averaged 19.0 points and 4.5 assists in two games as Lawrence Central captured the Class 4A sectional at Lawrence North, knocking off defending 4A champion Warren Central 67-52 in the final.
Pack scored 13 points with six assists and two steals as Lawrence Central defeated North Central 88-53 in the semifinal round. He stepped up in the touted game against the Warriors with five 3-pointers en route to 25 points, seven rebounds, three assists and one steal. Over both games, Pack went 14-of-26 from the floor, 6-of-14 from long range and 4-of-5 from the line as the Bears moved to 22-3 for the season.
The 6-0 Laster averaged 26.7 points and 6.0 rebounds over three games in leading Morristown to the Class A sectional trophy at Southwestern (Shelby).
Laster tossed in 26 points with four rebounds, one assist and one steal in a 57-56 first-round victory over Rising Sun. He provided 17 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one steal in a 63-38 decision over Southwestern in the semifinals. Laster erupted for 37 points with five rebounds, six assists and two steals as the Yellow Jackets beat Hauser 71-57 for the championship. In three games, Laster hit 33-of-56 shots, 8-of-22 3-pointers and 6-of-9 free throws as the defending Class A state champions improved to 22-4.
This is the 11th season for the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Week program and the seventh season it is presented by Subway Restaurants of Indiana, a banner sponsor of the IBCA. Subway, in its seventh season as an IBCA sponsor, encourages athletes to “train hard and eat fresh.”
Winners in the Player of the Week generally are chosen each week from each of the IHSAA’s three districts. Boys’ winners will be chosen from now through the week following March 23. The girls’ season is complete.
Other nominees for Week 17 (2018-19)
District 1 boys – Ali Ali, East Noble; Isaac Anderson, Fort Wayne Northrop; Tanner Behnfeldt, Fremont; Trenton Daughtry, Wabash; Frankie Davidson, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian; Johnell Davis, Gary 21st Century; Elias Gerodemos, Crown Point; Weston Hamby, Manchester; Calvin Larkin, Winamac; Sam Manikowski, Argos; Christopher Mantis, Lowell; Jake Reinhard, Plymouth; Bryant Robinson, Goshen; Jamar Styles, Hammond; Naylon Thompson, Fort Wayne Luers; Chuck Wilcox, North Judson; Charlie Yoder, Westview; Craig Young, Fort Wayne Wayne.
District 2 boys – JuJuan Allison, Beech Grove; Brooks Barnhizer, Lafayette Jeff; Harold Bennett, Indianapolis Attucks; Josh Bryan, Delta; Luke Bumbalough, New Castle; Wendell DeMyers, Avon; Gus Etchison, Hamilton Heights; Armaan Franklin, Cathedral; Kade Fuelling, Bellmont; Eric Harlan, Wes-Del; Jalen Johnson, Indianapolis Manual; Dawand Jones, Ben Davis; John Michael Mulloy, Carmel; Dylan Romine, New Palestine; David Schwartz, Lafayette Central Catholic; Tre Spence, Wapahani; Isaiah Thompson, Zionsville; Andrew Williams, Heritage Christian.
District 3 boys – Stephen Atkinson, Owen Valley; Gage Bobe, South Knox; Tripp Dillion, Lanesville; Wyatt Felling, Triton Central; Gabe Gladish, Barr-Reeve; Lincoln Hale, Linton; Cayman Hayes, Terre Haute North; Alex Hemenway, Castle; Trayce Jackson-Davis, Center Grove; Trey Johnson, Hauser; Jacob Jones, Jeffersonville; Isaac Lane, Vincennes Lincoln; Aleks Markovic, Bloomfield; Max Newman, Monrovia; Brandon Nalley, Corydon Central; Robert Raver, Batesville; Cory Richards, Franklin; Derrick Stevenson, New Albany; Josh Williams, Shelbyville.
2018-19 winners
Oct. 29-Nov. 3 – District 1 girls: Darlisha Reed, Hammond Gavit. District 2 girls: Madison Jones, Western Boone. District 3 girls: Addy Blackwell, Bloomington South, and Amani Brown, Terre Haute South.
Nov. 5-10 – District 1 girls: Sydney Freeman, Central Noble, and Dash Shaw, Gary West. District 2 girls: Maggie Cora, Tri-West. District 3 girls: Hannah Sisk, Princeton.
Nov. 12-17 – District 1 girls: Sophie Bussard, Tippecanoe Valley. District 2 girls: Alaina Omonode, West Lafayette, and Cameron Tabor, New Castle. District 3 girls: Lilly Hatton, North Harrison.
Nov. 19-24 – District 1 boys: Sam Skaggs, Logansport. District 1 girls: Mila Reynolds, South Bend Washington. District 2 boys: Colton Brown, Covington, and Luke Brown, Blackford. District 2 girls: Ella Collier, Danville. District 3 boys: Drew Buhr, Austin. District 3 girls: Nan Garcia, Jeffersonville.
Nov. 26-Dec. 1 – District 1 boys: Colin Kenney, Marquette Catholic. District 1 girls: Lilliann Frasure, North Judson. District 2 boys: Luke Brown, Blackford. District 2 girls: Jayla Smith, Lawrence North. District 3 boys: Josiah Ricketts, North Posey. District 3 girls: Jewel McCormick, Springs Valley.
Dec. 3-8 – District 1 boys: Tanner Behnfeldt, Fremont. District 1 girls: Emma Nolan, Marquette Catholic. District 2 boys: Zach Banks, Westfield. District 2 girls: Grace Hunter, Bellmont. District 3 boys: Kade Badger, Henryville. District 3 girls: Myah Montgomery, Southridge.
Dec. 10-15 – District 1 boys: Brandon Newman, Valparaiso. District 1 girls: Hannah Noveroske, Michigan City. District 2 boys: Luke Brown, Blackford. District 2 girls: Sydney Parrish, Hamilton Southeastern. District 3 boys: Trayce Jackson-Davis, Center Grove. District 3 girls: Grace Waggoner, Vincennes Rivet.
Dec. 17-22 – District 1 boys: Chuck Wilcox, North Judson. District 1 girls: Courtney Blakely, Hammond Noll. District 2 boys: Luke Bumbalough, New Castle. District 2 girls: Shelby Caldwell, Jay County. District 3 boys: Cobie Barnes, Floyd Central. District 3 girls: Meredith Raley, Gibson Southern.
Dec. 24-29 – District 1 boys: Jaden Ivey, Mishawaka Marian. District 1 girls: Jessica Carrothers, Crown Point. District 2 boys: Armaan Franklin, Cathedral. District 2 girls: Cassidy Crawford, Tipton. District 3 boys: Alex Hemenway, Castle. District 3 girls: Ella Thompson, Center Grove.
Dec. 31-Jan. 5 – District 1 boys: G’Angelo Reillo, Whiting. District 1 girls: Emma Nolan, Marquette Catholic, and Hannah Noveroske, Michigan City. District 2 boys: Harold Bennett, Indianapolis Attucks. District 2 girls: Kendall Bostic, Northwestern. District 3 boys: Drew Buhr, Austin, and Khristian Lander, Evansville Reitz. District 3 girls: Makinzi Meurer, North Knox.
Jan. 7-12 – District 1 boys: Spencer Sroufe, Whitko. District 1 girls: Jordan Clingler, Caston. District 2 boys: Gus Etchison, Hamilton Heights, and John Michael Mulloy, Carmel. District 2 girls: Madison Jones, Western Boone. District 3 boys: Christian Tucker, Springs Valley. District 3 girls: Natalie Boesing, Providence, and Allison Stogsdill, Brown County.
Jan. 14-19 – District 1 boys: Christopher Mantis, Lowell. District 1 girls: Bianca Radtke, Rensselaer Central. District 2 boys: Jalen Blackmon, Marion. District 2 girls: Lindsey Syrek, University. District 3 boys: Alex Hemenway, Castle. District 3 girls: Kenna Hisle, Evansville North.
Jan. 21-26 – District 1 boys: Sydney Curry, Fort Wayne Northrop. District 1 girls: Taylor Austin, Lake Station Edison. District 2 boys: Jalen Blackmon, Marion. District 2 girls: Madison Jones, Western Boone. District 3 boys: Wyatt Felling, Triton Central. District 3 girls: Makinzi Meurer, North Knox.
Jan. 28-Feb. 2 – District 1 boys: Alex Yoder, Eastside. District 1 girls: Jessica Carrothers, Crown Point. District 2 boys: Kayden Key, Frankton. District 2 girls: Maddie Bischoff, Roncalli. District 3 boys: Stephan Wilkerson, Princeton. District 3 girls: Elise Scaggs, Mooresville.
Feb. 4-9 – District 1 boys: Johnell Davis, Gary 21st Century. District 1 girls: Sydney Freeman, Central Noble. District 2 boys: Tayson Parker, Northwestern. District 2 girls: Madison Layden, Northwestern. District 3 boys: Colson Montgomery, Southridge. District 3 girls: Jorie Allen, Bedford North Lawrence.
Feb. 11-16 – District 1 boys: Brandon Newman, Valparaiso. District 1 girls: Sophia Nolan, Marquette Catholic. District 2 boys: Luke Brown, Blackford. District 2 girls: Maddie Lawrence, Winchester, and Audrey Strawsma, Benton Central. District 3 boys: Cobie Barnes, Floyd Central. District 3 girls: Grace Waggoner, Vincennes Rivet.
Feb. 18-23 – District 1 boys: Maurion Martin, Portage, and Dominique Smith, Lake Station Edison. District 1 girls: Sophia Nolan, Marquette Catholic. District 2 boys: Jesse Johnson-Hall, Crawfordsville. District 2 girls: Kendall Bostic, Northwestern; Sydney Parrish, Hamilton Southeastern, and Kaela Robey, Oak Hill. District 3 boys: Foster Mefford, Southwestern (Hanover). District 3 girls: None.
Feb. 25-March 2 – District 1 boys: Kyle Ross, Andrean. District 2 boys: Nijel Pack, Lawrence Central. District 3 boys: Logan Laster, Morristown.