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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Brandon Bradley, 260-580-4799 Mar. 22, 2022 Coordinator, Player of the Week
We’re coming to the conclusion of the season, where only four teams in the entire state will wake up Sunday morning with thoughts of a victory on their mind. When talking about sports, we often live in the past. We will reminisce about a game or a season, replay highlights over and over again in our minds and through conversation, and sometimes wish we could go back in time and change an item or two. For the Week-20 IBCA/Franciscan Health Players of the Week, they are perfectly happy living in the present, enjoying their Semi-State wins, and enjoying the anticipation leading them to Indianapolis this Saturday.
Mishawaka Marian Senior Richard Brooks, Cathedral Junior Jaron Tibbs, and North Daviess Junior Jaylen Mullen have been selected as winners for Mar. 14-Mar. 19 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. Brooks earned the honor for District-1, Tibbs is the recipient for District-2, and Mullen takes home the award in District-3.
Saturday evening, Mishawaka Marian took on Leo at Elkhart’s historic North Side Gymnasium. The #14 Knights used a strong shooting performance from Senior Richard Brooks to knock off the Lions, 74-63, and advance to the Class 3A State Finals. Brooks was 6-8 from behind the arc and a near-perfect 7-8 from the free throw line, pouring in 29 points in the program-changing win, as it’s the first time Marian will make an appearance in the State Finals. The 6-3 wing also pulled down six rebounds and handed out three assists in success, plus the Knights look to extend their 12-game winning streak this weekend.
The Fighting Irish of #6 Cathedral High School will be making their third appearance (1998, 2013) in the State Championship game, after they won a hard-fought game against #17 Bloomington North, 61- 55. Junior Jaron Tibbs has been consistently impactful all season, and his double-double on Saturday certainly helped the Irish continue their strong postseason run. In six postseason victories, they have now beaten five ranked opponents. In Saturday’s contest, Tibbs, a 6-5 wing, scored 15 points on a solid 6-10 from the floor. He collected 12 caroms, dished out four assists, and stole the ball twice as well.
North Daviess Junior Jaylen Mullen helped the Cougars to their first State Finals appearance, as they took care of a worthy Jac-Cen-Del squad, 60-47. In the game, Mullen affected more than half of their offensive output, scoring 16 points and delivering eight assists to open teammates. The 5-11 floor general also rebounded his position well, pulling down five boards, plus he managed to block a shot in the team’s big victory. Now sitting at 26 wins, it is the most in program history for the Cougars.
This is the 14th season for the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Week program, but just the second 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 the Monday following the IHSAA Girls State Finals. Boys’ winners will be chosen through next Monday, following the IHSAA Boys State Finals.
Other Top Nominees for Week-20 (2021-22)
District-1 Boys: Caedmon Bontrager, Leo; Connor Essegian, Central Noble; Logan Gard, Central Noble; Travis Grayson, Chesterton; Kaleo Kakalia, Mishawaka Marian; Conner Lemmon, Central Noble; Jackson McGee, Leo; Chris Mullen, Chesterton; Eric Price Jr., Gary 21st Century; Justin Sims, Chesterton; Deaglan Sullivan, Mishawaka Marian; Ashton Williamson, Gary 21st Century.
District-2 Boys: Jeremiah Alexander, Beech Grove; Anthony Ball, Beech Grove; Clark Barrett, Lafayette Central Catholic; Reis Beard, Kokomo; Flory Bidunga, Kokomo; Xavier Booker, Cathedral; Tayshawn Comer, Cathedral; Jaleel Edwards, Beech Grove; Alex Hardebeck, Lafayette Central Catholic; Chris Huerta, Carroll (Flora); Jake Skinner, Carroll (Flora); Landon O’Neal, Eastern Hancock; Clark Obermiller, Lafayette Central Catholic; Jacob Spaulding, Eastern Hancock.
District-3 Boys: Max Beatty, Our Lady of Providence; Wyatt Day, Jac-Cen-Del; Marco Fitch, Bloomington North; Jackson Hills, Sullivan; Casey Kaelin, Our Lady of Providence; Randy Kelley, Sullivan; Nick Klaiber, Bloomington North; Tyler Simmons, Our Lady of Providence; Caleb Simon, Jac- Cen-Del; Brendan Stickles, North Daviess; Logan Wilson, North Daviess.
2021-22 Weekly Winners
Nov. 1-Nov. 6: District-1 girls: Mila Reynolds, South Bend Washington. District-2 girls: Emily
Livingston, Union City. District-3 girls: Kyia McKinley, Eastern (Pekin).
Nov. 8-Nov. 13: District-1 girls: Julia Mantyla, Northridge. District-2 girls: Isabella Gizzi, New
Palestine. District-3 girls: Zoe Stewart, Terre Haute North Vigo.
Nov. 15-Nov. 20: District-1 girls: Asia Donald, Hobart. District-2 girls: Adrianne Tolen, West
Lafayette. District-3 girls: Bailey Tabeling, Trinity Lutheran.
Nov. 22-Nov. 27: District-1 boys: Joe Reidy, Woodlan. District-1 girls: RaShunda Jones, South Bend Washington. District-2 boys: Ryan Conwell, Pike. District-2 girls: Camryn Wise, Wapahani. District-3 boys: Hunter Johnson, South Decatur. District-3 girls: Saige Stahl, Columbus East.
Nov. 29-Dec. 4: District-1 boys: Fletcher Loyer, Homestead. District-1 girls: Nevaeh Foster, Mishawaka Marian. District-2 boys: Brady Ruggles, Danville. District-2 girls: Ashlynn Shade, Noblesville. District-3 boys: Wes Aigner, Castle. District-3 girls: Macey Timberman, Northview.
Dec. 6-Dec. 11: District-1 boys: Markus Burton, Penn. District-1 girls: Ayanna Patterson, Homestead. District-2 boys: Jake Chapman, Tri-Central. District-2 girls: Caitlyn Campbell, Winchester, and McKenna Layden, Northwestern. District-3 boys: Caleb Dewey, Edinburgh. District-3 girls: Reagan Martin, Owen Valley.
Dec. 13-Dec. 18: District-1 boys: Brauntae Johnson, Fort Wayne North Side. District-1 girls: Ashlynn Brooke, Pioneer. District-2 boys: Isaac Andrews, Wapahani. District-2 girls: Alli Harness, Carroll (Flora). District-3 boys: Branden Northern, Silver Creek. District-3 girls: Faith Wiseman, Indian Creek.
Dec. 20-Dec. 25: District-1 boys: Ashton Johnson, Fort Wayne South Side. District-1 girls: Kacilyn Krebs, Warsaw. District-2 boys: Armon Jarrard, Mount Vernon (Fortville). District-2 girls: Laila Hull, Zionsville. District-3 boys: Hagen Knepp, Barr-Reeve. District-3 girls: Chloe Spreen, Bedford North Lawrence.
Dec. 27-Jan. 1: District-1 boys: Karson Jenkins, Fort Wayne Snider. District-1 girls: MaKaya Porter, Mishawaka Marian. District-2 boys: Reggie Bass, Arsenal Tech. District-2 girls: Ally Madden, Blue River Valley. District-3 boys: Jack Benter, Brownstown Central. District-3 girls: Juliann Woodard, Jennings County.
Jan. 3-Jan. 8: District-1 boys: Travis Grayson, Chesterton. District-1 girls: Lilly Maple, Maconaquah. District-2 boys: Braden Smith, Westfield. District-2 girls: Maddy Meek, New Castle. District-3 boys: Brysen Montgomery, Austin. District-3 girls: Kendall Hale, Cannelton.
Jan. 10-Jan. 15: District-1 boys: Connor Essegian, Central Noble. District-1 girls: Kelly Ratigan, South Bend St. Joseph. District-2 boys: Kyle Thomas, Cloverdale. District-2 girls: Teresa Maggio, McCutcheon. District-3 boys: Hunter Johnson, South Decatur. District-3 girls: Zoe Stewart, Terre Haute North Vigo.
Jan. 17-Jan. 22: District-1 boys: Ashton Williamson, Gary 21st Century. District-1 girls: Jyah LoVett, Fort Wayne Snider. District-2 boys: Ahmere Carson, Anderson. District-2 girls: Bailey Parham, Tri. District-3 boys: Tucker Biven, New Albany. District-3 girls: Ava Weber, Corydon Central.
Jan. 24-Jan. 29: District-1 boys: Markus Burton, Penn. District-1 girls: Hailey Cripe, Pioneer. District-2 boys: Chrishon McCray, Avon. District-2 girls: Kaycie Warfel, Pendleton Heights. District-3 boys: Josiah Dunham, Evansville Christian. District-3 girls: Saige Stahl, Columbus East.
Jan. 31-Feb. 5: District-1 boys: Connor Essegian, Central Noble. District-1 girls: Mila Reynolds, South Bend Washington. District-2 boys: Jordan Turner, Cardinal Ritter. District-2
girls: Ashlynn Shade, Noblesville. District-3 boys: Branden Northern, Silver Creek. District-3 girls: Ava Weber, Corydon Central.
Feb. 7-Feb. 12: District-1 boys: Trey Steinhilber, Boone Grove. District-1 girls: Jessica Carrothers, Crown Point. District-2 boys: Flory Bidunga, Kokomo. District-2 girls: McKenna Layden, Northwestern. District-3 boys: Jameer Ajibade, Evansville Bosse. District-3 girls: Josie Trabel, East Central.
Feb. 14-Feb. 19: District-1 boys: Travis Grayson, Chesterton. District-1 girls: RaShunda Jones, South Bend Washington. District-2 boys: Logan Imes, Zionsville. District-2 girls: Karsyn Cherry, Lafayette Central Catholic. District-3 boys: Jack Benter, Brownstown Central. District-3 girls: Kaybree Oxley, Tecumseh.
Feb. 21-Feb. 26: District-1 boys: Ben Garwood, LaCrosse. District-1 girls: Kira Reynolds, South Bend Washington. District-2 boys: Jake Chapman, Tri-Central. District-2 girls: Ashlynn Shade, Noblesville. District-3 boys: Hunter Johnson, South Decatur. District-3 girls: Amber Tretter, Forest Park, and Jenna Donohoo, Tecumseh.
Feb. 28-Mar. 5: District-1 boys: Karson Jenkins, Fort Wayne Snider. District-2 boys: Braden Smith, Westfield. District-3 boys: JaQualon Roberts, Bloomington North.
Mar. 7-Mar. 12: District-1 boys: Connor Essegian, Central Noble. District-2 boys: Clark Obermiller, Lafayette Central Catholic. District-3 boys: Randy Kelley, Sullivan.
Mar. 14-Mar. 19: District-1 boys: Richard Brooks, Mishawaka Marian. District-2 boys: Jaron Tibbs, Cathedral. District-3 boys: Jaylen Mullen, North Daviess.