Player/Team of the Week(POW/TOW) Week 15 2/17/2026

FOR IMMEDIATERELEASE Contact: Pat McKee, 317-403-1665

Feb. 17, 2026 IBCA Director of Special Projects

Western’s Biggs headlines IBCA Players of the Week; Michigan City boys, Fremont girls named IBCA Teams of the Week

Carter Biggs poured in a school-record 50 points in one game and averaged 37.0 points over two games. For those outstanding performances, the Western High School senior paces the honorees in this week’s IBCA Player of the Week program.

Cloverdale senior Ishmael Kiteka, South Bend Saint Joseph senior Nick Shrewsberry, Hauser senior Gavin Keller, Norwell senior Vanessa Rosswurm, Lawrence Central senior Ke’Adriah “Keke” Butler and Jennings County senior Mollie Ernstes join Biggs as Week 15 winners in the IBCA Player of the Week program for 2025-26.

Also, the Michigan City boys’ team and the Fremont girls ’team each was cited as an IBCA/Ballogy Team of the Week for respective performances during the week of Feb. 9-14 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.

Players of the Week are selected by IHSAA district – Shrewsberry and Rosswurm for District 1, Biggs, Kiteka and Butler for District 2, and Kellerand Ernstes for District 3. Teams of the Week are cited at the discretion of the program coordinators, former Martinsville coach Kip Staggs for boys and former Brownsburg coach Debbie Smiley for girls. Players and teams are recognized based on all performances in a Monday through Saturday week.

  Biggs exploded for 50 points plus eight rebounds, three assists and one steal as the Western boys (9-10) upset Class A No. 5 Rossville75-72. The 6-3 guard followed with 24 points, nine rebounds, four assists, three steals and one blocked shot as the Panthers defeated Peru 62-54. For the two games, Biggs sank 30-of-47 field goals, 6-of-13 3-pointers and 8-of-10 free throws. That included a 20-of-28, 3-of-6 and 7-of-8 performance in the 50-pointgame, which eclipsed the previous Western record of 44 points set by John Stratton against Clinton Prairie on Nov. 22, 1968. Biggs also pushed his career point total to 1,092 points at week’s end.

Biggs and Kiteka shared the boys’ District 2 award.

 Kiteka averaged 20.5 points, 14.5 rebounds and 4.0 blocks while posting two double-doubles to lead the Cloverdale boys (13-6) to the championship of the Putnam County Tournament. The 6-10 sophomore center totaled24 points (on a perfect 12-of-12 from the field), 14 rebounds, one steal and three blocks in a 64-49 semifinal victory over North Putnam. He followed with17 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks as the Clovers topped Greencastle 59-43for the crown. In the two games, Kiteka was 20-of-22 from the field and 1-of-2from the line.

 Shrewsberry posted norms of 23.5 points and 9.5 rebounds as Class 4A No. 12 South Bend Saint Joseph improved to 16-4. First, the 6-5guard netted 10 points with four rebounds, two assists and one steal in a 67-58decision over Class 4A No. 13 Penn. The Notre Dame signee followed with 37points, 15 rebounds, two assists and one steal as the Huskies beat Mishawaka Marian 78-66. Shrewsberry was 18-of-40 on field goals, 8-of-20 on 3-pointersand 3-of-3 on free throws for the week.

 Keller averaged 26.0 points and 5.3 rebounds with a double-double over three games for the Class A No. 3 Hauser boys (19-2). The6-3 guard scored 34 points with 11 rebounds, one assist and two steals in a77-44 victory at Rising Sun. He followed with 22 points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal in a 93-44 runaway at Jac-Cen-Del. The Hanover College commit completed his week with 22 points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal as the Jets crushed Crothersville 70-34. For the three games, Keller hit on 33-of-48 from the field, 2-of-4 from distance and 10-of-15 from the line.

 Rosswurm scored 36 points with six rebounds and one steal as the Class 4A No. 6 Norwell girls captured the Bellmont Regional with a 90-56victory over Fort Wayne Snider. An Indiana Wesleyan University signee, the 5-10guard converted 13-of-20 shots, including 5-of-6 3-pointers, plus 5-of-7 free-throws for the 23-4 Knights.

 Butler totaled 22 points, six rebounds, two assists and three steals as the Class 4A No. 5 Lawrence Central girls knocked off Class 4ANo. 1 Pike 61-52. The 5-8 guard, a Boston College recruit, converted 5-of-11field goals, 2-of-4 3-pointers and 10-of-12 free throws as the Bears (21-4) won the Greencastle Regional.

 Ernstes dropped in 29 points with 12 rebounds, two assists and six steals as the Class 3A No. 8 Jennings County girls defeated Class 3A No. 2 Silver Creek 62-51. The 6-0 guard, a University of Kansas signee, sank 11-of-19 from the floor, 2-of-6 from distance and 5-of-6 from the line as the Panthers (19-6) claimed the Charlestown Regional.

Rosswurm and Ernstes each was a second-time IBCA Player of the Week this season. Rosswurm previously was recognized for the week of Jan. 26-31. Ernstes previously was cited the week of Nov. 17-22.

Team of the Week honors went to Michigan CIty for boys as well as Fremont for girls.

        Michigan City Boys                                                                     Fremont Girls

The Michigan City boys, 13-8 overall and coached by Larry Upshaw, went 2-0 for the week. First, the Wolves upset Class 2A No. 6 Gary 21st Century Charter 62-60.They followed by clipping Lake Central 70-68 in overtime.

The Class A No. 3 Fremont girls, now 26-2 overall and coached by Shae Thomas, won the Jimtown Regional by stunning Class A No. 1 Marquette Catholic 64-51.

This is the 18th season for the IBCA Player of the Week program. This is the second season for the IBCA Team of the Week program and the second season the Team of the Week program is presented by Ballogy, an IBCA corporate partner.

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 now through the Monday following the IHSAA boys' State Finals.

2025-26 IBCA weekly honorees

>Nov. 3-8 – District 1 girls: Laniah Davis, Marquette Catholic. >District 2 girls: Kenzie Koch, Eastern Hancock. District 3 girls: Gracyn Gilliard, Center Grove. Teams of the Week (girls): North Knox, South Central (Elizabeth), Warsaw.

>Nov. 10-15 – District 1 girls: Leah Shappell, Leo. District 2 girls: Adah Hupfer, Pendleton Heights. >District 3 girls: Emily Parker, Boonville. Team of the Week (girls): Homestead.

>Nov. 17-22 – District 1 girls: Sarah Thompson, Oregon-Davis. >District 2 girls: Kennedy Holman, Hamilton Southeastern. District 3 girls: Mollie Ernstes, Jennings County. Teams of the Week (girls): Crown Point, LaPorte.

>Nov. 24-29 – District 1 boys: Josh McBride and Nick McBride, Norwell >District 1 girls: Kendall VanderWal, Angola. District 2 boys: Brayden Thiele-Hahn, Rossville. District 2girls: Carly Davison, Clinton Central. District3 boys: Anthony Fresh, Charlestown. District3 girls: Natalie Stenger, East Central. Teams of the Week (boys): Corydon Central, Plainfield. >Team of the Week (girls): Maconaquah.

>Dec. 1-6 – District 1 boys: Mack Welker, Homestead. District 1 girls: Hillary Labis, Westville. District 2 boys: Drew Matelic, Speedway. District 2 girls: Riley Suarez, Hamilton Heights. '>District 3 boys: Wyatt Jones, Borden. >District 3 girls: Hannah Higgs, Evansville Christian. Team of the Week(boys): Indianapolis Cathedral. Team of the Week (girls): Borden.

>Dec. 8-13 – District 1 boys: Charles Hardiman, Merrillville. >District 1 girls: Allison Ambers, Northridge. District 2 boys: Devin Bolden, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter, and Luke Ertel, Mt. Vernon (Fortville). >District 2 girls: Elliot Leffler, Roncalli. District 3 boys: Jake Prior, Heritage Hills. District 3 girls: Maddy Shirley, Evansville Central. Teams of the Week (boys): Lawrence North, Northridge. Team of the Week (girls): Floyd Central.>Dec. 15-20 – District 1 boys: Daniel Selking, Bellmont. District 1 girls: Konley Ault, Bluffton. District 2 boys: DeZhon Hall, Indianapolis Crispus Attucks. >District 2 girls: Shania Curry, Ben Davis. District 3 boys: Noah Vance, Christian Academy of Indiana. District 3girls: Haley Wagoner, Center Grove. Teams of the Week (boys): South Bend Riley, Taylor. Team of the Week (girls): Hamilton Southeastern.

>Dec. 22-27 – District 1 boys: Dikembe Shaw, Crown Point. District 1 girls: Brooke Zartman, Warsaw. District 2 boys: Luke Ertel, Mt. Vernon (Fortville). >District 2 girls: Carly Davison, Clinton Central. District 3 boys: Dane Caldwell, Silver Creek. District 3girls: Emery Stroud, Crawford County. Teams of the Week (boys): Crown Point, Gibson Southern, Mt. Vernon (Fortville).>Team of the Week (girls): Valparaiso.

>Dec. 29-Jan. 3 – District 1 boys: Brady Scholl, Northridge. District 1 girls: Joslyn Bricker, Warsaw. District 2 boys: Noah Smith, Plainfield. District 2 girls: Zoey Wood, Mt. Vernon (Fortville). >District 3 boys: Braxton Bowman, Crawford County. District 3 girls: Claire Larrison, Greensburg. Teams of the Week (boys): LaPorte, Indianapolis Riverside, Silver Creek. Team of the Week (girls): Homestead.

>Jan. 5-10 – District 1 boys: Bryce Wilcox, Southwood. District 1 girls: Kamri Rowland, Rensselaer Central. >District 2 boys: Jaxson Johnson, Muncie Central. District 2 girls: Alyx Kendall, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard. District3 boys: Dorion Bowen, Evansville Bosse. District 3 girls: Paige Schnaus, Gibson Southern. >Teams of the Week (boys): Oak Hill, South Dearborn. Teams of the Week (girls): Plainfield, Princeton.

Jan. 12-17 – District 1 boys: Tim Knoll, LaPorte. District 1 girls: Myah Epps, Homestead. District 2 boys: Harper Baker-Lands, Plainfield. >District 2 girls: Maya Layton, Lafayette Jefferson. District 3 boys: Kamden Partenheimer, Forest Park. District3 girls: Juliana Davis, Madison. Teams of the Week (boys): Lawrence North, Westview, Whiteland. >Team of the Week (girls): Bluffton.>

>Jan. 19-24 – District 1 boys: Stephen Akase, Wawasee, and Wyatt Schroll, Manchester. District 1 girls: Kendall VanderWal, Angola. District 2boys: Luke Ertel, Mt. Vernon (Fortville). District 2 girls: Lillie Graves, McCutcheon. District 3 boys: Blake Neill, Bloomfield. District 3 girls: Gracyn Gilliard, Center Grove. >Teams of the Week (boys): Frankton, Kouts. Teams of the Week (girls): Kankakee Valley, Whitko.

>Jan. 26-31 – District 1 boys: Bryce LaCross, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian. >District 1 girls: Vanessa Rosswurm, Norwell. District 2 boys: Colton Lindsay, Eastern (Greentown). District 2girls: C.C. Quigley, Noblesville. District3 boys: Eli Sego, Triton Central. District3 girls: Maddy Shirley, Evansville Central. Teams of the Week (boys): Hauser, Penn. Team of the Week (girls): Brownsburg.

>Feb. 2-7 – District 1 boys: Caleb Coolman, Penn. District 1 girls: Lily Scholl, Northridge. District 2 boys: DeZhon Hall, Indianapolis Crispus Attucks. >District 2 girls: Adah Hupfer, Pendleton Heights. District 3 boys: James Hughes, Batesville. District 3 girls: Brynn Owens, Austin. Team of the Week(boys): Terre Haute North. Teams of the Week (girls): Jennings County, Northridge.'>Feb. 9-14 – District 1 boys: Nick Shrewsberry, South Bend Saint Joseph. >District 1 girls: Vanessa Rosswurm, Norwell. District 2 boys: Carter Biggs, Western, and Ishmael Kiteka, Cloverdale. District 2 girls: Ke’Adriah “Keke” Butler, Lawrence Central. '>District 3 boys: Gavin Keller, Hauser. >District 3 girls: Mollie Ernstes, Jennings County. Team of the Week(boys): Michigan City. Team of the Week (girls): Fremont.

Feb.9-14 – District1 boys: Nick Shrewsberry, South Bend Saint Joseph. District 1girls: Vanessa Rosswurm, Norwell. District 2 boys: Carter Biggs, Western, and Ishmael Kiteka, Cloverdale. District 2girls: Ke’Adriah “Keke” Butler, Lawrence Central. District 3boys: Gavin Keller, Hauser.>District 3 girls: MollieErnstes, Jennings County. Team of the Week (boys): Michigan City. Team of the Week (girls): Fremont.

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 Gene Milner

IBCA Website Coordinator