Week-18 of the IBCA/Franciscan Health Player of the Week Program Highlighted by Boys’ Sectional Play

Last week, the boys’ IHSAA State Tournament finally got underway, and there were several notable performances throughout the state. There were a handful of big scoring nights, quite a few double-doubles, but at the end of the day, we chose three young men due to their consistency in helping their programs to Sectional Championships.
Chesterton Junior Tyler Parrish, Delta Junior Jackson Wors, and Gibson Southern Senior Cole McKee stood out as selections for Feb. 27-Mar. 4 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. Parrish is the recipient for District-1. Wors takes home honors in
District-2. McKee was a standout in District-3.
Following a 29-1 2021-2022 season and a run to the State Finals, Chesterton is back at it, having won Sectional #2 once again. A big part of their success lies on the shoulders of Junior Tyler Parrish. In their two Sectional wins, he was on target, providing a 28.0 point per game average. In their matchup with host Crown Point, a 59-50 win for the Trojans, the 6-3 Junior guard scored 25 points on 9-18 shooting, plus he was a perfect 7-7 from the charity stripe. He also collected nine caroms in the Semi-Final win. In the championship game, Parrish was even better, knocking down 11-19 shots, 2-3 from deep, and again went 7-7 from the free throw line, scoring 31 points in this outing, as the Trojans knocked off Valparaiso, 66-50. The Junior guard snagged four more rebounds and handed out five assists in the big win.
The Delta Eagles won their third Sectional title in the last five years, posting a 3-0 record last week. Junior Jackson Wors stood out each game, as he contributed in a variety of ways. During a 63-41 win against Centerville, Wors scored a highly efficient 27 points on 11-15 from the field and 5-7 from the free throw stripe. He also collected four rebounds and three steals in the victory. In Friday night’s Semi-Final, the 6-3 forward tossed in 20 points on 8-13 shooting, including a 3-pointer and three made free throws. Wors added six rebounds, two assists, and two steals, as the Eagles took care of Hamilton Heights, 61-42. As for Championship Saturday, the Junior forward was again steady in a 50-37 outcome against host New Castle. Wors scored 21 points, made 10-16 shots from the floor, and grabbed five rebounds in the title triumph.
In District-3, the Gibson Southern Titans won their first Sectional crown since the 2001-2002 season, and Senior Cole McKee played an impactful role in that success. In their first game, Friday, against Boonville, the Titans escaped with a hard-fought, 66-55 victory over the host Pioneers. McKee was very methodical, scoring 15 points on just 5-7 shooting, he made one shot from 3-point range, and he was a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line. He added a pair of rebounds and dished out five assists on the night. Saturday evening, the Titans broke a 21-year curse, as they knocked off Evansville Mater Dei, 70-51. The 6-0 guard was even better in this contest, shooting a blistering 6-8 from beyond the arc and again a perfect 4-4 from the stripe, scoring 24 points in total on the night. His three rebounds and four assists were also welcomed additions to the stat sheet.
This is the 15th season for the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Week program, but just the third 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 were chosen through February 25th, following the IHSAA Girls State Finals. Boys’ winners will be chosen through the Monday following the IHSAA Boys State Finals.