Player/Team of the Week(POW/TOW) Week 7

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

Dec. 24, 2024                                                                  IBCA Director of Special Projects

Stewart, Neill set records, lead IBCA Players of the Week; Silver Creek boys, North Central (Farmersburg) girls claim team awards

            Two high-scoring record setters – Tri-Township senior Dillon Stewart and Bloomfield junior Blake Neill – headline this week’s group of honorees in the IBCA/Franciscan Health Player of the Week program for 2024-25.

            Stewart poured in a school-record 45 points while Neill tallied a Guy Glover Gym-record 44 points during the week of Dec. 16-21. Thus, Stewart and Neill along with Lawrence North senior Azavier Robinson, Bellmont senior Emily Bleke, Lapel junior Laniah Wills and Silver Creek junior Emma Schoen have been selected as winners in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.

            Also, the Silver Creek boys’ team and the North Central (Farmersburg) girls’ team each has been cited as an IBCA/Ballogy Team of the Week in another part of this season's IBCA recognition program.

            Players of the Week are chosen by IHSAA district – Stewart and Bleke for District 1, Robinson and Wills for District 2 and Neill and Schoen for District 3. A single team for each gender from the entire state is cited as a Team of the Week in that portion of the recognition program. Players and teams are recognized based on all performances in a Monday through Saturday week.

            Stewart averaged 35.5 points and 15.0 rebounds in keying Tri-Township (3-5) to a 1-1 week. The 6-5 forward opened with 26 points, 15 rebounds, one assist and one steal in a 76-36 setback at Boone Grove. He then poured in 45 points with 15 rebounds, one assists and four steals as the Tigers edged Oregon-Davis 64-61 in overtime. The latter output – on 17-of-19 shooting plus 11-of-17 free throws – eclipsed the previous LaCrosse/Tri-Township record of 44 points set in 1922. In the two games, he was 28-of-40 from the floor and 15-of-30 on free throws.

            Neill made his only game of the week count for Bloomfield. He converted 15-of-21 field goals, 5-of-10 3-pointers and 9-of-11 free throws en route to 44 points to break the boys’ single-game mark in Guy Glover Gym, a facility that opened in 1985 and saw the previous mark of 43 set in 2010. The 6-6 forward also contributed eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks as the Cardinals improved to 5-1.

            Robinson averaged 24.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 4.0 steals in helping Class 4A No. 2 Lawrence North to a pair of victories. First, the 6-1 guard had 19 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals in an 80-41 decision at Indianapolis Tech. The Butler-bound standout then produced 30 points, six rebounds, three assists and four steals as the Wildcats moved to 5-1 by knocking off 4A No. 13 and previously unbeaten New Albany 77-63. For both games, Robinson was 18-of-29 from the floor, 5-of-10 from distance and 8-of-10 on freebies.

            Bleke tallied 21.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.0 steals in keying 3A No. 8 Bellmont to a 2-0 week. The 5-7 guard scored 22 points with 10 rebounds, one assist, four steals and two blocks in a 52-41 victory over Carroll (Fort Wayne). She followed with 20 points, five rebounds, two assists, four steals and one block as the Braves defeated New Haven 80-37 to improve to 12-1. For the week, she sank 16-of-25 shots, 3-of-7 3-pointers and 7-of-9 free throws.

            Wills averaged 30.5 points and 19.0 rebounds as Lapel moved to 9-5 with two victories. The 6-0 forward opened with 29 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks in a 60-56 upset of 2A No. 5 and previously undefeated Eastern Hancock. She followed with 32 points, 26 rebounds and two assists as the Bulldogs knocked off Monroe Central 48-39. In two games, she converted 22-of-46 from the field, 4-of-13 from deep and 13-of-17 from the line.

            Schoen netted 24.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 3.5 steals as the Silver Creek girls won twice. The 5-7 guard opened with a career-high 31 points plus four rebounds, seven assists and five steals in a 63-42 triumph at Scottsburg. She followed with 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals as the Dragons defeated 2A No. 7 Brownstown Central 57-47 to improve to 9-2. For the week, she was 17-of-30 on field goals, 7-of-15 on 3-pointers and 8-of-8 on free throws.

            The Silver Creek boys, ranked sixth in 3A, posted two victories to move to 8-0. First, coach Brandon Hoffman’s crew beat 4A No. 9 Jeffersonville 71-63 as junior Dane Caldwell tallied 19 points and nine rebounds, junior Kasen Daeger totaled 19 points, junior Dane Sprigler scored 14 points and sophomore Brandon Hunter had 10 points. The youth-laden Dragons followed with a 59-51 victory over Bedford North Lawrence, Sprigler scoring 26 points, Daeger providing 14 points and sophomore Brody McLaughlin contributing 11 points.

            The North Central (Farmersburg) girls, ranked No. 1 in Class A, moved to 11-0 by posting a 45-36 decision over Marshall, Ill., in their only game of the week for coach Joey Davidson. Senior Jalyn Davidson led the Thunderbirds with 17 points and five rebounds. Senior Shelby Seay added 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and eight steals. Junior Hannah Stepp contributed 10 points, three rebounds and five steals.

            This is the 17th season for the IBCA Player of the Week program and the fifth season the awards are being presented by Franciscan Health Sports Medicine, an IBCA corporate partner. This is the first season for the IBCA Team of the Week program. The Team of the Week program is presented by Ballogy, another IBCA corporate partner.

            Winners are chosen each week in the Player of the Week program from each of the IHSAA's three districts, and one Team of the Week is selected from the entire state. Former Martinsville boys’ coach Kip Staggs oversees the selection of boys’ honorees. Former Brownsburg girls’ coach Debbie Smiley oversees the selection of girls’ honorees.

            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.

2024-25 IBCA weekly honorees

            Nov. 4-9 – District 1 girls: Laniah Davis, Marquette Catholic. District 2 girls: McKenzie Koch, Eastern Hancock. District 3 girls: Brynn Owens, Austin. Team of the Week (girls): Center Grove.

            Nov. 11-16 – District 1 girls: Lillian Barnes, Valparaiso. District 2 girls: Jacklynn Hosier, Alexandria. District 3 girls: Brooklynn Renn, Silver Creek. Team of the Week (girls): South Knox.

            Nov. 18-23 – District 1 girls: Addison Baxter, Columbia City. District 2 girls: Maya Makalusky, Hamilton Southeastern. District 3 girls: Jalyn Davidson, North Central (Farmersburg). Team of the Week (girls): Warsaw.

            Nov. 25-30 – District 1 boys: Gavin Betten, Manchester. District 1 girls: Vanessa Rosswurm, Norwell. District 2 boys: Josiah Love, Wes-Del. District 2 girls: Avery Gordon, Brownsburg. District 3 boys: Michael Cooper, Jeffersonville. District 3 girls: Mollie Ernstes, Jennings County. Team of the Week (boys): Vincennes Lincoln. Team of the Week (girls): Evansville North.

            Dec. 2-7 – District 1 boys: Anthony Murphy, Michigan City. District 1 girls: Laniah Davis, Marquette Catholic. District 2 boys: Braylon Mullins, Greenfield-Central. District 2 girls: Aniah Smith Avon. District 3 boys: Keaton Lawson, Columbus East. District 3 girls: Maddy Shirley, Evansville Central. Team of the Week (boys): Warsaw. Team of the Week (girls): Lawrence Central.

            Dec. 9-14 – District 1 boys: Chase Konieczny, South Bend Saint Joseph. District 1 girls: Ashley Cox, DeKalb. District 2 boys: Gavin Saunders, Hamilton Heights. District 2 girls: Jaylah Lampley, Lawrence Central. District 3 boys: Mar Nicholson, Shelbyville. District 3 girls: Gabby Spink, Gibson Southern. Team of the Week (boys): Lawrence North. Team of the Week (girls): Columbia City.

            Dec. 16-21 – District 1 boys: Dillon Stewart, Tri-Township. District 1 girls: Emily Bleke, Bellmont. District 2 boys: Azavier Robinson, Lawrence North. District 2 girls: Laniah Wills, Lapel. District 3 boys: Blake Neill, Bloomfield. District 3 girls: Emma Schoen, Silver Creek. Team of the Week (boys): Silver Creek. Team of the Week (girls): North Central (Farmersburg).