Player/Team of the Week(POW/TOW) Week 18 3/10/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Pat McKee, 317-403-1665

March 10, 2026 IBCA Director of Special Projects

Partenheimer headlines IBCA Players of the Week; Carmel, Marquette Catholic named IBCA Teams of the Week

Kamdon Partenheimer averaged 19.3 points, 17.7 rebounds and recorded a trio of double-doubles to lead the Forest Park boys’ basketball team to the championship of Class 2A Sectional 48. Consequently, Partenheimer paces the honorees in this week’s IBCA Player of the Week program.

Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian sophomore Bryce LaCross, Monroe Central senior TaShaun Beatty and Evansville Bosse senior Dorion Bowen join Partenheimer as Week 18 winners in the IBCA Player of the Week program for 2025-26.

Also, Carmel and Marquette Catholic each was cited as an IBCA/Ballogy Team of the Week for respective performances during the week of March 2-7 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.

Players of the Week are selected by IHSAA district – LaCross for District 1, Beatty for District 2, and Bowen and Partenheimer sharing the award for District 3. Teams of the Week are cited at the discretion of the program coordinator, former Martinsville coach Kip Staggs for boys. Players and teams are recognized based on all performances in a Monday through Saturday week.

   Partenheimer was a force as host Forest Park captured its fifth consecutive sectional title. The 6-9 wing opened with 18 points, 19 rebounds, one assist and five blocked shots in a 47-42 decision over Pike Central. He totaled 21 points, 22 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block in a 54-40 semifinal victory over South Spencer. He completed his week with 19 points, 12 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block as the Rangers (13-13) defeated Evansville Mater Dei 54-41 for the crown. In the three games, Partenheimer connected on 17-of-36 field goals, including one 3-pointer, and 23-of-27 free throws.

  LaCross averaged 24.0 points, including a 40-point game, and 8.0 rebounds in leading Class 3A No. 12 Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian (20-7) to the championship of Sectional 21. The 6-3 guard scored 21 points with seven rebounds, one assist and one steal in a 61-48 victory over Angola. The 6-3 guard poured in 40 points with 10 rebounds, one assist, three steals and two blocks as the Braves edged host DeKalb 53-52 in overtime. In the final, he tallied 11 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks in a 47-45 nail-biter over East Noble. For the three games, LaCross went 21-of-45 from the floor, 7-of-13 from distance and 23-of-27 from the line. That included an 11-of-21, 3-of-4 and 15-of-17 performance in the 40-point outburst.

   Beatty posted norms of 22.3 points and 15.7 rebounds with three double-doubles in propelling Class A No. 7 Monroe Central (20-4) to the title in Sectional 56 at Cambridge City Lincoln. The 6-4 forward scored 19 points with 13 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block in a 69-23 rout of Blue River Valley. He came up big with 27 points and 20 rebounds in a 69-60 semifinal decision over Randolph Southern. He completed his week with 21 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block as the Golden Eagles topped Union City 53-39. Beatty went 27-of-38 on fielders and 13-of-24 on free throws for the week.

   Bowen tallied 23.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists with two double-doubles in three games as Evansville Bosse captured the Class 3A Sectional 32 at Boonville. The 6-6 guard opened with 17 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and two steals in a 76-54 decision over Evansville Central. He exploded for 33 points plus 16 rebounds, two assists, four steals and one block in a 61-55 victory over Evansville Memorial. In the final, he recorded 21 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals as the Bulldogs (17-8) outlasted Heritage Hills 62-52. In the three games, Bowen sank 27-of-47 shots, including one 3-pointer, plus 16-of-22 free throws.

Partenheimer, LaCross and Bowen are second-time Player of the Week honorees this season. Partenheimer previously was recognized Jan. 12-17. LaCross previously was cited Jan. 26-31. Bowen previously was honored Jan. 5-10.

Team of the Week honors went to Carmel (18-5) and Marquette Catholic (19-7). Carmel, ranked 10th in Class 4A and coached by Ryan Osborn, won Sectional 8 by knocking off host Noblesville 44-30 and Class 4A No. 1 Fishers 50-49. Marquette Catholic, unranked in Class A and coached by Ray Tarnow, seized Sectional 49 by beating Tri-Township 75-32, Class A No. 13 Washington Township 70-65 and Class A No. 1 Kouts 59-57.

                    Carmel Boys                                                        Marquette Catholic Boys

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. Boys’ winners are chosen from now through the Monday following the IHSAA boys' State Finals. The girls’ season concluded on Feb. 28.

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 2 girls: Carly Davison, Clinton Central. District 3 boys: Anthony Fresh, Charlestown. District 3 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 3 girls: 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 3 girls: 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. District 3 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: Kamdon Partenheimer, Forest Park. District 3 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 2 boys: 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 2 girls: C.C. Quigley, Noblesville. District 3 boys: Eli Sego, Triton Central. District 3 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. 16-21 – District 1 boys: Ayle Taylor, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers. District 1 girls: Grace Scharlach, Fremont. District 2 boys: Camden Bell, Wapahani. District 2 girls: Brianna Dailey, Oak Hill. District 3 boys: Micah Mohler, Austin. District 3 girls: Riley Rarick, Borden. Teams of the Week (boys): Shakamak, Sheridan, Washington Township. Team of the Week (girls): Eastern (Pekin).

Feb. 23-28 – District 1 boys: George Poiry, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger. District 1 girls: Ashley Bleke, Bellmont. District 2 boys: Ari Sahm, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard. District 2 girls: Elliot Leffler, Roncalli. District 3 boys: Noah Washington, New Albany. District 3 girls: Sidney Burton, Eastern (Pekin), and Emma Hart, Borden. Team of the Week (boys): Fishers. Teams of the Week (girls): Center Grove, Bellmont, Eastern (Pekin), Borden.

March 2-7 – District 1 boys: Bryce LaCross, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian. District 2 boys: TaShaun Beatty, Monroe Central. District 3 boys: Dorion Bowen, Evansville Bosse, and Kamdon Partenheimer, Forest Park. Teams of the Week (boys): Carmel, Marquette Catholic.

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 Gene Milner

IBCA Website Coordinator