A trio of senior standouts has been selected as Week 3 winners in the IBCA/Franciscan Health Player of the Week program for 2024-25.
Addison Baxter of Columbia City, Maya Makalusky of Hamilton Southeastern and Jalyn Davidson of North Central (Farmersburg) have been cited for outstanding performances during the week of Nov. 18-23 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.
Also, Warsaw is the 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 – Baxter for District 1, Makalusky for District 2 and Davidson 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.
Baxter is honored after averaging 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals as Class 3A No. 5 Columbia City improved to 4-1 by defeating Fort Wayne Snider 54-42 and Valparaiso 64-45. Against Snider, the 5-9 Baxter tallied 26 points with six rebounds, three assists, three steals and one blocked shot. Against Valpo, the Butler-bound guard again scored 26 points with eight rebounds, five assists and one steal. For the two games, she converted 17-of-27 field goals, 2-of-4 3-pointers and 16-of-17 free throws.
Makalusky posted norms of 24.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists as Class 4A No. 2 Hamilton Southeastern moved to 5-0 by knocking off Indianapolis Cathedral 50-39 and 4A No. 10 Franklin Central 55-44. The IU recruit totaled 18 points, nine rebounds, one assist and one block against the Irish. The 6-4 wing then poured in 31 points with seven rebounds two assists and steal against the Flashes. For the week, she was 13-of-33 from the field, 5-of-16 from long range and 18-of-19 from the line.
Davidson tallied averages of 29.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists as Class A No. 1 North Central (Farmersburg) improved to 6-0 with two road victories – 69-28 at Greencastle and 49-44 in double overtime at Linton-Stockton. The 5-9 guard scored 26 points with five rebounds and eight assists against the Tiger Cubs. She following with a career-high 33 points – including 21 of her team’s final 25 points and the game-winning shot – plus seven rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block against the Miners.
Warsaw, ranked sixth in 4A, moved to 7-0 and claimed Team of the Week accolades after posting victories over Valparaiso (73-71 in overtime), Crown Point (74-52) and Merrillville (70-41). The “big three” of junior Brooke Zartman, junior Joslyn Bricker and senior Brooke Winchester led the way for coach Lenny Krebs’ Tigers. Bricker scored 30 points with five rebounds, Zartman had 17 points with one assist, and Winchester had 11 points, 11 rebounds and five assists against Valparaiso. Zartman netted 29 points and two assists, Bricker had 22 points and eight rebounds, and Winchester had four points and nine rebounds against Crown Point. Zartman scored 29 points with one assist, Bricker tallied 12 points with two rebounds, and Winchester netted 11 points with five rebounds and four assists against Merrillville.
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 weekly 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.
Nov. 11-16 – District 1 girls: Lillian Barnes, Valparaiso. District 2 girls: Jacklynn Hosier, Alexandria. District 3 girls: Brooklynn Renn, Silver Creek. Team of the Week (girls): South Knox.
Nov. 18-23 – District 1 girls: Addison Baxter, Columbia City. District 2 girls: Maya Makalusky, Hamilton Southeastern. District 3 girls: Jalyn Davidson, North Central (Farmersburg). Team of the Week (girls): Warsaw.