IPSAC/Midwest Showcase

What a great day of action at Indianapolis John Marshall High School! Some of the best teams in the state were in action today, and P-Hoops was on hand for a number of the games and is back with a report. Here we go...

Indianapolis Northwest 66 - Evansville Bosse 64

Upset alert! The Space Pioneers were the clear underdog in this one, facing off with the #5 ranked team in 3A. The Bulldogs were in control early, as is their MO. The Bulldogs were off and running early, leading 18-10 after the first quarter, in which senior guard Jalen Pendleton made an impact, taking the ball to the hole with abandon. Sophomore star Jaquan Lyle, meanwhile, seemed disinterested for most of the early going, perhaps affected by playing five games in five days. Nonetheless, Bosse clung to a solid six point lead at halftime, 33-27. In the second half, Northwest point guard and Lamar recruit Donnell Mixon came alive. He took the ball to the hoop, scoring off the bounce and setting up his teammates, most often 6'3 junior Michael Brown, for open looks. Bosse hung tough as Lyle got more involved, showing off his tremendous passing skills. However, his great dishes often went wanting as his teammates often failed to convert open looks or layups. At the end of the third, the game was all knotted up at 45-45. The Space Pioneers started the fourth on a quick run, taking the lead by four, but the Bulldogs clawed back to tie the game at 51-51 with just under five minutes remaining. The game was back and forth, and with two minutes to play, Bosse led by one, 56-55, and Lyle made a beautiful pass to Romeo Wright for layup plus the foul. Wright converted the freebie to give the Bulldogs a 59-55 lead. On the following possession, Brown hit a three pointer for the Space Pioneers to cut the lead to one. With a minute to go, Bosse sophomore Perry Fairrow turned the ball over at midcourt and fouled Minton, who made the first of his of two free throws to tie the game at 59-59. The second came up short, but Northwest's Harris Brown came up with a huge offensive rebound, was fouled, and made two free throws to give the Space Pioneers a 61-59 lead. A Pendleton turnover and foul followed, and Northwest's Alphonso Bowen made one of two free throws to stretch the lead to 62-59. After a Bosse timeout, the Bulldogs ran a nice play, setting up Bo Burkhart for an open three, which he nailed to tie it at 62-62 with 18 seconds to go. But the Bulldogs inexplicably fouled Minton on the inbounds pass, sending him to the line, where he made one of two, giving the Pioneers a one point lead. Pendleton took the rebound of the missed free throw coast-to-coast, spun at the top of the key, and attacked the rim, finishing the layup, giving Bosse a 64-63 lead. Northwest called a timeout with nine seconds left. Bosse came out in a 2-2-1 press, which failed them this time. Minton took the inbounds pass, raced up the court, drove the paint, and finished over three Bulldogs, plus the foul. He knocked in the free throw with two seconds on the clock, and Pendleton's half court heave went long, giving Northwest the two point win.

Minton and Brown led Northwest with 19 points each, while Brown added 17 points. Minton was awarded game MVP honors.

Pendleton tied game high honors with 19 points, Fairrow added 15 points, and Lyle had 12 points, seven assists, and seven rebounds to go along with a pair of blocks and steals.

Ft. Wayne Northrop 66 - Indianapolis Tech 55

Quick takeaway before the recap. BRYSON SCOTT IS REALLY GOOD. Okay, moving on.

The first quarter was a display of two of the state's best in Bryson Scott of Northrop and Trey Lyles of Tech. The Titans were successful at the start of the game feeding the ball inside to the 6'8 Lyles, who scored six quick points to start the game. He also took the ball coast to coast off a steal in transition, finishing at the rim on the run, one of the most impressive moves I've seen this season, considering he's supposed to be a power forward. The twins Bryson and Brenton Scott were also hot at the start, specifically Brenton, who hit a pair of threes in the opening frame, which ended at 17-16 with the Bruins holding the lead. The second quarter was when things started going downhill for Tech. The Titan guards could not find a way to get the ball into Lyles, their shots weren't falling, and they had numerous turnovers, a trend that continued for the remainder of the contest. And this was also the time when Bryson Scott began taking over. None of the Tech guard could do anything to prevent him from taking them off the dribble, more often than not getting all the way to the rim for an easy layup, or for a shooting foul. But the Bruins did not take full advantage of Tech's struggles just yet, and led by three at half, 32-29. The first two minutes of the third quarter is where Tech lost the game. Lyles picked up a quick reach in foul and then two fairly to very questionable charging calls, saddling him with his fourth foul with six minutes to go in the third. Coach Jason Delaney blew a gasket at the second charge, earning a technical, and by the end of it all, the Bruins stretched their three point lead considerably. Lyles sat almost the rest of the third quarter, and Tech tried valiantly to stay in the game with their star on the bench. They did just enough, and were still withing striking distance, down eight at the end of three, 46-38. There was a glimmer of hope for Tech, as they came out fired up to start the fourth. A pair of free throws and a dunk by Lyles eventually cut the lead down to five points with just under seven minutes to play. But the turnover bug bit the Titan guards yet again, as they threw the ball away on three consecutive possessions, and the Bruins capitalized, stretching the lead to eleven at 54-43, and they never looked back. The remainder of the game was a layup-fest by Northrop, and Lyles fouled out on a 50-50 ball with over two minutes to go.

Bryson Scott's game was unreal. He attacked the basket at will and showed a killer instinct. The ball is as safe in his hands as it would be in a Brinks armored car (aka, it's on a string and you ain't taking it from him). He struggled a bit at the line and didn't take many outside shots, but I'm nitpicking. He was phenomenal on the way to 35 points. Brother Brenton was no slouch, finishing with 21 points and those two threes. Bryson is Purdue bound, and I'm not so sure Brenton couldn't be at that level as well. He holds only mid and low major offers, but if that's how he always plays, he can find a spot and be productive at a big school.

Lyles finished a frustrating day with 13 points, ten rebounds, and by my count, six blocks. His guards, while very good on other nights, were ineffective at getting the ball to him. Lyles is not their only player or their whole team, but Northrop had no one to stop him. Bruins coach Barak Coolman was wise to zone them and make it tougher to get him the ball in a position to score. Not trying to pile on, but I have to imagine Tech had upwards to 25 turnovers, and as many rushed or poor shots by their guards. One thing to note is that Lyles did not let his frustration affect his play or his outward demeanor, a big plus for a young team.

Nice win for the Bruins, who should move up from #10 in 4A.

Richmond 70 - Ft. Wayne Luers 49

A defensive clinic by the Red Devils, who recently took North Central to the wire. They threw all they had defensively at one of Indiana's best sophomores, James Blackmon, Jr., often double and triple teaming him, making his teammates rise to the occasion. Obviously, they didn't. Richmond's Quenten Hunter and freshman Joel Okafor took turns on the Blackmon assignment (with help) and did amazingly well. Richmond big man Bola Olaniyan was dominant. At 6'8 and 220 pounds, and as a senior, schools are going to come calling on Bola. He had 17 points and 17 rebounds and was simply too much for Luers to handle. Hunter led the Red Devils with 19 points.

Blackmon was harassed and held to a season-low eight points. He came in averaging over thirty per game, so this is obviously one he'd like to forget.

Broad Ripple 58 - Louisville (KY) Central 43

Big night for many reasons for Broad Ripple senior Ron "Buss" Patterson, an IU recruit. In front of his future coach Tom Crean (who was there all day, and raced to North Central-Park Tudor as well!), Buss led his team to a big showcase win, and set a record along the way.

Broad Ripple and Patterson both started slow, leading 13-11 after one with only two points from their star. From there, the Rockets defense took over, holding Central to only two second quarter points, taking the lead to 25-13 at halftime. Still, Patterson had only four points at the break.

In the third quarter, Buss revved his engine and scored nine in the frame, taking the Broad Ripple lead up to 15 points at 40-25.

A team oriented fourth quarter was Patterson score two more points, finishing the night with 15 points, six rebounds, and five assists. The record? Patterson's 15 points moved him into first place on the all-time scoring list at Broad Ripple, placing him in front of former Rocket and IUPUI Jaguar and current NBA star George Hill. Major congrats are in order to Buss for a high school career to be proud of, but not yet content with.

Non-IPSAC Game of the Night

Park Tudor 83 - North Central 61

Wow! I'd be lying if I said I saw that one coming. Park Tudor winning is not that shocking, but Park Tudor winning by 22 points at North Central is that shocking! Park Tudor, the #1 ranked team in 2A, were the best Panthers tonight.

Park was on fire in the first half, draining threes, more often than not, threes that were set up by a Yogi Ferrell pass or drive and kick. Ferrell played the role of floor general to a "T" tonight, mimicking the role he'll likely play in college at IU. And a fine time to do it, too, as Coach Crean was in the crowd. Also in attendance was future MSU Spartan Gary Harris of HSE, who recently spurned the like of IU and Purdue to go out of state.

North Central's pressure led to open shots in the first half and led to free throws in the second half, as Park Tudor was in the bonus with two minutes to play in the third quarter. North Central never got it closer than eight points in the second half.

Sophomores Trevon Bluiett and Troy Spears led Park Tudor in the scoring department tonight. Bluiett had 24 points and Spears, a New Mexico recruit, had 19 points. Ferrell had 13 points and nine big assists. Even though his scoring was not high, the win over 4A's number one team and the assists make it a strong statement to stake his claim as a Mr. Basketball frontrunner.

Purdue signee Ronnie Johnson led North Central with 19 points.

IPSAC Showcase Tomorrow!

An INSANE amount of fantastic games tip off tomorrow morning at 10:15 and last all day long in the IPSAC Midwest Showcase. Indianapolis John Marshall High School will play host to seven great games Friday. Let's take a glimpse at the action for Friday.

10:15- East Chicago Central (3-2) vs. Indianapolis Marshall (4-1)

Top Players - EC Central: Anfernee Brown - Marshall: Jock Breeding

12:00- Gary West (3-2) vs. Indianapolis Howe (2-2)

Top Players - Gary West: Arnold Wilson - Howe: Tyler Alexander

1:45- Evansville Bosse (6-1) vs. Indianapolis Northwest (3-2)

Top Players - Bosse: Jalen Pendleton, Jaquan Lyle - Northwest: Donnell Minton (Lamar)

3:15- Fort Wayne Northrop (6-0) vs. Indianapolis Tech (4-2)

Top Players - Northrop: Bryson Scott (Purdue), Brenton Scott - Tech: Trey Lyles (IU), Jeremie Tyler, Mike Jones

5:00- Fort Wayne Luers (4-1) vs. Richmond (4-1)

Top Players - Luers: James Blackmon, Jr. (IU) - Richmond: Bola Olaniyan, Joel Okafor

6:45- Bowman Academy (1-3) vs. Southport (3-3)

Top Players - Bowman: DeJuan Marrero (Depaul), Stephen Hawkins (Robert Morris), Elijah Ray (IUPUI) - Southport: Kellon Thomas (Kent State), Michael Ramey (Ball State)

8:30- Indianapolis Broad Ripple (4-1) vs. Louisville Central (KY)

Top Players - Broad Ripple: Ron Patterson (IU), Aaron Payne, Mo Cross

Check in throughout the day for results!

Game Highlights: Wednesday, December 21st

It was an exciting Wednesday night of hoops action across the Hoosier state! Top teams clashed, upsets were pulled off, and players excelled in individual performances they'll remember long after the whistle blew. Here are a few recaps of the P-Hoops Preview, as well as other highlights.

Lawrence Central 70 - Hamilton Southeastern 68

After earning the #1 ranking in 4A, the Royals have dropped two bitter losses in a row, first to North Central, and now this one, which many would consider a sizeable upset, to the Bears. The Royals got out early and led by ten at halftime, 34-24. The lead got up to 11 points in the fourth quarter before LC went on a 16-0 scoring run, sparked by a switch to a 2-3 zone, to take a lead they never relinquished. The lead grew to as many as nine points for the Bears before Gary Harris tried his best to get 4A #2 HSE back in the game. A three by Harris with under 20 seconds to play cut the lead to three for LC at 68-65. The Royals put LC at the line, where they missed the one-and-one, but Bears junior Richard Freeman promptly stole the ball and threw down a thunderous windmill jam. A 45-foot heave by Harris at the buzzer went in, but it was all over by then, as the 4A #7 Bears hung on for a classic win, 70-68. IU commit Jeremy Hollowell and teammate Tyler Fischl led the Bears with 16 points apiece. Fischl also grabbed 11 rebounds, and point guard Tyler Corley had 15 points and eight assists. while Harris led HSE with 26 points.

Warren Central 51 - Pike 49

Another upset! Pike came into the game riding high with the #4 ranking in 4A, while the Warriors have been up and down so far this season. With the game tied and under ten seconds to go, the Warriors worked for a layup by Sam Thompson to give them the win. One of the top juniors in the state, IU commit Devin Davis, led Warren Central with 18 points and nine rebounds. Detriot signee Brent Calhoun chipped in ten points for the Warriors, while RJ Hunter, a Georgia State commit, led Pike with 21 points, including five three pointers.

Fishers 70 - Avon 51

As predicted, the Tigers got back on track against a quality, ranked 4A team. Fishers jumped out to a 13 points lead at the end of the first quarter, going up 27-14. The remainder of the game was played fairly evenly, but the big start was too much to overcome for the Orioles. CJ Johnson led Fishers with 18 points, while Tyler Alderman added 14 points of his own. Joe Retic and Jaylon Brown had 12 points apiece for the Tigers, and JP Pena was also in double
figures with ten points. Notre Dame commit Austin Burgett struggled to just seven points for the Orioles, who were led by Lance Magee's 12 points.

Other Highlights

* Bosse beat Reitz 78-72, getting 24 points from senior Jalen Pendleton. Sophomore Jaquan Lyle scored 16 points, including four treys in six attempts.

* New Castle beat Centerville 56-30 behind 17 points from Korey Ryan.

* Evansville Harrison, playing without star sophomore Ernie Duncan (back injury), beat Floyd Central 72-66, getting 31 points from brother Everett Duncan. He had seven three pointers in the win.

* Greensburg rolled Hauser 87-64, getting 26 points from Sean Sellers and 19 points from Bryant McIntosh, both sophomores.

* Finally, LaPorte LaLumiere won their third game in a row at the Elgin Holiday Tournament, advancing to the championship game, but did so without their top two players. Hanner Mosquera-Perea was gone while attending his sister's first communion, and sadly, Rapheal Davis was gone with the passing of his grandmother. Both will miss the final. Prayers go out to Raph and his family in this hard time.

Top Games for Wednesday, 12/21

A few games pop up on the P-Hoops radar as ones to watch for Wednesday, December 21st. Top players and teams will take the floor looking to score big wins for their teams. Here's a quick look at some of the best the state has to offer four days before Christmas!

Hamilton Southeastern (5-1) vs. Lawrence Central (4-1)

Two of the top teams in the 4A class will do battle at the home of the Bears. HSE is coming off a heart-breaking loss in the one-versus-two matchup against North Central, despite top dog Gary Harris' 34 points. The Royals also boast juniors Zakarie Irvin and Paul Furlin, and are led by senior point guard Jaccobby Bledsoe. They look to get back on track against a team who is coming off potentially the biggest win in school history. The Bears broke Bloomington South's 50-game home win streak with a 51-50 win on the road. Leading the way for LC is IU recruit Jeremy Hollowell, averaging over 20 points a game. Flanking him are point guard Tyler Corley, who made the game winning layup against thr Panthers, and forward Richard Freeman. This should be an awesome game.

Warren Central (3-2) vs. Pike (5-1)

Greg Graham's Warriors have yet to play their best basketball, and tonight would be the perfect time to do so. Led by 6'6 junior forward Devin Davis and 6'8 senior Brent Calhoun, the Warriors have the size and skill to compete with anyone. Pike has won five straight after dropping their opener to North Central, including big wins over Lawrence Central and Avon. The Red Devils are led by 6'5 senior guard RJ Hunter and 5'9 junior play maker Zavier Turner. They also get strong inside play from Johntae Alexander. This could be a signature win for the Warriors, but Pike is rolling right now.

Avon (5-1) vs. Fishers (2-4)

The Orioles are off to a fast start, with their only loss a nine-point defeat to Pike. They are led by 6'8 forward Austin Burgett, a Notre Dame recruit. Fishers has lost a string of heartbreakers recently, dropping their last four by a combined 21 points. The Tigers have gotten strong play this year from 6'9 senior center Tyler Alderman, and from guards JP Pena and Jaylon Brown. I expect Fishers to get back in the win column tonight, with their size and depth more than Avon has seen since Pike.

Other Good Games

Evansville Bosse (5-1) vs. Evansville Reitz (4-3)

Centerville (5-0) vs. New Castle (5-1)

Connersville (4-2) vs. Winchester (4-2)

And the LaPorte LaLumiere Lakers are in action for the third game of four in the Elgin Holiday Tournament today. The Lakers are 2-0 thus far led by Rapheal Davis (19.5 ppg in tourney) and Hanner Perea (10.5 ppg in tourney).

Check back for results as they come in!

Tuesday 12/20 Trio: Update!

Today P-Hoops focused on three fantastic games between top teams in Indiana. Let's take a glimpse at how things went tonight!

Muncie Central 58 - Jay County 33

The game was much closer than the score indicated. The Bearcats finished the game on a 23-3 run as the well simply went dry for the Patriots. Senior point guard Adam Botts led all scorers with 25 points. Travis Woods chipped in 13 points for Central. Big man Nick Osborne was limited to five points offensively, but he still did work on the glass, gobbling up ten rebounds. The Patriots were led by Kegan Comer with 11 points. The Bearcats face a brutal upcoming stretch, playing the likes of Pike, HSE, Ricmond, and North Central. If they cam navigate this stretch successfully, 3A will have a big time favorite.

Warsaw 46 - Triton 40

In an ugly, turnover filled game, the 4A Tigers pulled out a lackluster win over the visiting 1A Trojans. Triton had many chances to win this game, and they will no doubt look back in disgust at their 4-12 performance at the free throw line.

Lake Central 53 - Munster 49

It was close all game long. The Indians went into the half, nursing a four point lead at 31-27. In the third quarter, Lake Central doubled that lead to eight, 42-34. But Munster was not about to go down without a fight. They scrapped and clawed, outscoring the Indians 15-11 in the fourth. In fact, the game was tied until Indians reserve guard Zach Gentz nailed a go-ahead three pointer with under three minutes remaining. Munster had two tries at a three pointer with under 25 seconds, trailing 52-49. Both came up short, however, and the Mustangs were forced to foul. Glenn Robinson III stepped to the line and made one of two, putting the game out of reach. Robinson scored 13 points in all, but missed four free throws in the fourth quarter which made it very interesting. Junior center Tyler Wideman led Lake Central with 14 points and Tye Wilburn added 11 points. Munster was led by Nate Bubash and Mike Schlotman, with 14 points apiece.

Other Highlights

* Castle junior Blake Simmons had 27 points and 5 boards in a win over New Albany. Simmons is a 6'6 forward.

* Bosse sophomore Jaquan Lyle had 14 points, eight assists, and five rebounds in a win against Mt. Carmel (IL).

* Wapahani got a mice win over Frankton and 25 points from sophomore Grant Evans.

* North Judson thumped Culver behind 25 points from big forward John Eckert.

LaLu Wins Again

In round two of the Elgin Holiday Tournament, the LaLimiere Lakers defeated Dundee-Crown, 62-42. DC was extremely patient, playing a slowed down pace, but they could not keep up with the Lakers. Purdue recruit Rapheal Davis scored 21 points while IU recruit Hanner Mosquera-Perea had ten points. LaLumiere, who is now 9-1, plays again tomorrow. Check back for updates.

A Tuesday Trio for 12/20

On a relatively quiet night of games in the state of Indiana, three games stand out as ones to keep a close eye on. Let's take a look at the trio of games for Tuesday, December 20th.

Jay County (5-0) vs. Muncie Central (6-0)

Two unbeaten teams square off tonight, one with a much more impressive resume than the other. The class 4A Patriots are 5-0, but four of those wins came against 1A or 2A opponents. Meanwhile, the Bearcats have taken down Kokomo, New Castle, and others on their way to their 6-0 mark. Will Jay County be able to keep pace with big man Nick Osborne and the rest of the Bearcats? It would certainly be an upset if the Patriots won, despite the undefeated record. Look for Muncie Central to stay unbeaten and retain the #1 ranking in the 3A class.

Lake Central (5-1) vs. Munster (5-0)

A region game with implications of area dominance tips off tonight. The Indians are led by dynamic guard Glenn Robinson III, a Michigan commit who is scoring over 22 points a game. Lake Central junior forward Tyler Wideman, a 6'7 wide body, is a D1 prospect who has been scouted live by Purdue and many others this season. The Mustangs are once again unbeaten, much like last year until their fall in the postseason. They are led by a pair of juniors, 6'6 forward Nate Bubash (15 points) and 6'3 guard Mike Schlotman (13.4 points). This should be a close one!

Triton (5-2) vs. Warsaw (5-1)

The classic little guy and big man game. Triton is a perennial power in the 1A class, and this year's version is led by high-scoring Clay Yeo. The Tigers are without 2011 Indiana All-Star Nic Moore, now playing in college, but they are having another good season under coach Doug Ogle. If the Trojans are able to pull off the upset, all of 1A will be officially put on notice!

Today also marks day two of the Elgin Holiday Tournament, which LaPorte LaLumiere is playing in. Check back for updates on all of these games!