Roster set for 2017 IndyStar Indiana Boys All-Stars
13 players selected to squad to face Kentucky on June 10 and June 11
Thirteen players have been selected for the 2017 IndyStar Indiana Boys All-Stars, it was announced Monday (April 10).
Those chosen to the team will play four games in June — two exhibition games against the Indiana Junior All-Stars as well as home-and-home contests against the Kentucky All-Stars.
The 2017 Indiana Boys All-Stars, listed alphabetically, are Jaylen Butz of Fort Wayne North, Jermaine Couisnard of East Chicago Central, Michael Ertel of Mt. Vernon (Fortville), Zach Gunn of Hamilton Southeastern, Kyle Mangas of Warsaw, Jaylen Minnett of Terre Haute South, Cooper Neese of Cloverdale, Jack Nunge of Castle, Grant Smith of Connersville, Mack Smith of Warren Central, Sasha Stefanovic of Crown Point, Kris Wilkes of North Central and Malik Williams of Fort Wayne Snider.
The head coach for the 2017 Boys All-Stars will be Marty Beasley of Carroll (Fort Wayne). He will be assisted by Kerry Brown of Connersville and Mark Galloway of Culver Academy.
The 2017 IndyStar Indiana Mr. Basketball will be announced from within the group of All-Stars listed above at The Star’s Indiana Sports Awards Dinner set for April 27 in Indianapolis. Neese, Nunge, Wilkes and Williams have been announced as Mr. Basketball finalists.
The Junior-Senior exhibition games are set for June 6 at New Albany and June 8 at Plainfield. The first game against Kentucky will be June 10 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The final game against Kentucky will be June 11 at Central Hardin High School in Elizabethtown, Ky.
All four dates will be doubleheaders with the IndyStar Indiana Girls All-Stars. Girls will play at 6 p.m. with boys to follow on June 6 and June 8. Girls will play at 5 p.m. on June 10 with boys to follow. Girls will play at 1 p.m. on June 11 with boys to follow.
The Indiana All-Stars program was founded in 1939 when the Indiana Boys All-Stars played the state champion Frankfort Hot Dogs. The series with Kentucky began in 1940, and the girls portion of the All-Stars was added in 1976.
The Indiana portion of the All-Star Games is organized and produced by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. The Indianapolis Star, with its IndyStar brand, is the title sponsor and Best Choice Fieldhouse is a presenting sponsor.
Mr. Basketball is selected through a balloting process of coaches and media overseen by game organizers from the IBCA. The remainder of the team is finalized by All-Star game director Charlie Hall after observing numerous games and events throughout the season, conferring with coaches, school officials and media across the state and reviewing votes submitted by coaches and media who each can recommend up to 12 players.
A complete list of those chosen as 2017 IndyStar Indiana Boys All-Stars follows.
2017 IndyStar Indiana Boys All-Stars
Name, School, Height, Pos., PPG, College Choice
Jaylen Butz, Fort Wayne North, 6-10, F, 17.2, DePaul
Jermaine Couisnard, East Chicago Central, 6-4, G, 27.5, undecided
Michael Ertel, Mt. Vernon (Fortville), 6-2, G, 19.8, Louisiana-Monroe
Zach Gunn, Hamilton Southeastern, 6-6, F, 21.2, Ball State
Kyle Mangas, Warsaw, 6-3, G, 22.6, Indiana Wesleyan
Jaylen Minnett, Terre Haute South, 6-1, G, 25.8, IUPUI
Cooper Neese, Cloverdale, 6-4, G, 27.2, Butler
Jack Nunge, Castle, 6-10, F, 22.8, Iowa
Grant Smith, Connersville, 6-6, F, 18.9, Indiana Wesleyan
Mack Smith, Warren Central, 6-2, F, 19.5, Eastern Illinois
Sasha Stefanovic, Crown Point, 6-4, G, 19.9, Purdue
Kris Wilkes, North Central, 6-7, F, 22.1, UCLA
Malik Williams, Fort Wayne Snider, 7-0, F, 21.5, Louisville
Head coach: Marty Beasley, Carroll (Fort Wayne)
Assistant coaches: Kerry Brown, Connersville; Mark Galloway, Culver Academy