Player/Team of the Week(POW/TOW) Week 19 3/17/2026

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

March 17, 2026 IBCA Director of Special Projects

Aldridge paces IBCA Players of the Week; five squads named IBCA Teams of the Week

    Keaton Aldridge Jr. posted a double-double and hit a game-winning shot with 1.9 seconds to play as Class 3A No. 3 Indianapolis Cathedral edged Class 3A No. 10 Brebeuf Jesuit 69-67 in the Martinsville Regional. Thus, the Fighting Irish senior headlines the honorees in this week’s IBCA Player of the Week program.

     Westview junior Austin Schlabach and Silver Creek junior Brandon Hunter join Aldridge as Week 19 winners in the IBCA Player of the Week program for 2025-26.

Also, Decatur Central, New Haven, North Vermillion, Northridge and Tri-County each was cited as an IBCA/Ballogy Team of the Week for respective performances during the week of March 9-14 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.
 

Decatur Central                                                     New Haven

North Vermillion                                           Northridge

Tri-County

Players of the Week are selected by IHSAA district – Schlabach for District 1, Aldridge for District 2, and Hunter 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.

Aldridge scored 22 points with 10 rebounds, seven assists and three steals as Cathedral outlasted rival Brebeuf Jesuit. The 6-4 forward connected on 7-of-14 field goals and 8-of-9 free throws in helping the Irish improved to 22-5.

Schlabach poured in 33 points as Class 2A No. 3 Westview defeated Class 2A No. 7 Gary 21st Century Charter 63-59 in the North Judson Regional. The 6-2 guard added nine rebounds and six assists as the Warriors moved their record to 25-1. For the game, he went 11-of-16 from the field, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, and 9-of-12 from the line.

    Hunter totaled 19 points with four rebounds, 10 assists and two steals in keying Class 3A No. 1 Silver Creek to a 92-77 decision over Class 3A No. 13 Batesville in the Charlestown Regional. The 6-3 guard sank 9-of-12 fielders and 1-of-2 3-pointers as the Dragons improved to 28-1.

Team of the Week honors went to Decatur Central, New Haven, Northridge and Tri-County, all first-time regional winners, as well as North Vermillion, which added a second regional title to a previous crown claimed in 1969.

Decatur Central, 20-6 and coached by Bryan Surber, defeated Lawrence Central 73-60 to win a Class 4A regional at Southport. New Haven, 20-7 and coached by Brandon Appleton, upset Class 3A No. 9 West Lafayette 54-49 to win the Logansport Regional. Class 4A No. 5 Northridge, 25-1 and coached by Scott Radeker, edged Class 4A No. 8 South Bend Saint Joseph 73-67 to win the Plymouth Regional. Tri-County, 16-10 and coached by Trev Parker, nipped Fort Wayne Canterbury in a Class A regional at Huntington North. North Vermillion, 16-11 and coached by Phil Leonard, knocked off Class A No. 10 Rossville 59-54 in overtime in the Frankfort Regional.

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.

March 9-14 – District 1 boys: Austin Schlabach, Westview. District 2 boys: Keaton Aldridge Jr., Indianapolis Cathedral. District 3 boys: Brandon Hunter, Silver Creek. Teams of the Week (boys): Decatur Central, New Haven, North Vermillion, Northridge, Tri-County.

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 Gene Milner

IBCA Website Coordinator