Player/Team of the Week(POW/TOW) Week 8

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

Dec. 31, 2024                                                                   IBCA Director of Special Projects

SBW’s Reynolds paces IBCA Players of the Week;

Fishers boys, HSE girls claim team awards

            South Bend Washington junior Steven Reynolds III poured in a school-record 50 points in a game and averaged a double-double over three contests to headline this week’s group of honorees in the IBCA/Franciscan Health Player of the Week program for 2024-25.

            Reynolds tallied 30.3 points – including a 50-point outburst against Hobart – plus 10.7 rebounds during the week of Dec. 23-28 as the Class 3A No. 10 Panthers moved to 7-1 for the season by going 3-0 in the Harrison Classic in West Lafayette. He sank 20-of-36 shots, 5-of-10 3-pointers and 5-of-6 free throws in his record-setting game.

            Thus, Reynolds along with Guerin Catholic senior Bryson Cardinal, South Ripley seniors Blaine Ward and Cole Henry, Northridge sophomore Lily Scholl, Noblesville senior Meredith Tippner and Scottsburg senior Ellie Richardson have been selected as winners in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.

            Also, the Fishers boys’ team and the Hamilton Southeastern 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 – Reynolds and Scholl for District 1, Cardinal and Tippner for District 2, and Ward, Henry and Richardson 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.

            Reynolds opened his week by totaling 27 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and three steals in a 74-36 victory over Connersville. The 6-6 guard followed with 14 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and six blocked shots as the Panthers defeated host Harrison 75-64 in overtime. He capped his week with 50 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in an 87-51 decision over Hobart. In the three games, Reynolds was 36-of-68 from floor, 8-of-19 on 3-pointers and 11-of-13 on free throws.

            Cardinal averaged 25.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and claimed MVP honors in propelling 3A No. 4 Guerin Catholic (10-2) to a 4-0 week and the championship of Ray Furney Holiday Classic in Lawrenceburg. The 6-7 forward scored 20 points with nine rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in a 60-45 victory over Gainesville (Fla.). He poured in 32 points with 11 rebounds, one assist and two steals in a 72-51 decision over Jennings County. Cardinal followed with 24 points, eight rebounds, one assist and two steals as the Golden Eagles beat Whiteland 67-52. He finished his week with 26 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in a 68-57 title-game win over 3A No. 6 Silver Creek. Over four games, Cardinal was 39-of-70 on field goals, including one 3-pointer, and 23-of-29 on free throws.

            Ward and Henry were selected District 3 boys’ co-winners after they combined to lead 2A No. 13 South Ripley to a 3-0 week, including victories over two ranked opponents in the Southridge Tournament. Ward averaged 24.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.7 steals over the three games and was MVP of the Southridge event. Henry netted 21.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks as South Ripley improved to 10-0 for the season.

            Ward opened with 23 points, three rebounds, one assist and five steals in a 78-74 victory over Batesville. The 6-1 guard followed with 31 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in a 62-49 decision over 1A No. 1 Orleans. He then tallied 20 points with two rebounds, one assist and one steal as the Raiders edged 3A No. 5 host Southridge 50-48. Meanwhile, Henry tossed in 34 points with nine rebounds and one block against Batesville. The 6-7 forward tallied 17 points with 10 rebounds and two blocks against Orleans. And he provided 12 points, seven rebounds and two blocks against Southridge.

            Scholl averaged 19.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 3.0 steals in keying the 4A No. 7 Northridge girls (15-2) to a 4-0 week and the championship of the Northridge Interra Classic. The 5-10 wing opened with 18 points, six rebounds, two assists and three steals in a 72-36 victory over Rushville. She followed with 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals as the Raiders knocked off 4A No. 8 and previously undefeated Floyd Central 58-43. Scholl tallied 21 points with three rebounds, two assists and five steals in a 52-27 decision over Andrean. She capped her week with 27 points, six rebounds, one assist and two steals as Northridge edged Penn 54-53 in overtime. In four games, Scholl sank 33-of-43 field goals and 11-of-15 free throws.

            Tippner tallied 25.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 4.0 steals and 2.0 blocks as the 4A No. 13 Noblesville girls (10-3) won the Noblesville Holiday Tournament. The 5-10 guard poured in 33 points with 10 rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks as the Millers outlasted 3A No. 7 Norwell 73-71 in overtime. The University of Miami recruit then totaled 18 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, four steals and one block as Noblesville topped Valparaiso 43-37. For the two games, Tippner was 19-of-45 from the field, 3-of-9 on 3-pointers and 10-of-13 on freebies. Her 51 points moved her into fourth place on Noblesville’s career scoring list with 1,488 points.

            Richardson averaged 26.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.0 steals while moving to the top of the Scottsburg career assist list (445, passing 1989 graduate Renee Westmoreland) and to fourth on the school’s career scoring chart (1,395 points). The 5-8 guard opened with 24 points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals in a 62-46 victory over Batesville. The Western Carolina signee tallied 30 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in a 73-51 loss to Columbus North. She capped the Warriorettes’ 2-1 week and third-place finish in the Donna Cheatham Invitational with 25 points, five rebounds, seven assists and four steals in a 54-44 decision over Eastern (Pekin). In the three games, Richardson was 26-of-49 on field goals, 7-of-19 from distance and a perfect 20-of-20 on free throws.

            The Fishers boys, ranked first in 4A and the defending Class 4A champions, defeated two highly touted opponents to win the Henry Community Health Hall of Fame Classic and improve to 9-0. Sophomore Jason Gardner Jr. totaled 17 points with five assists, while sophomore Cooper Zachary tallied 11 points and four assists as the Tigers edged 4A No. 6 Warsaw 54-51 in the first round. In the title contest, Gardner notched 20 points and nine assists, senior Justin Kirby netted 20 points and Zachary had 18 points and seven assists as coach Garrett Winegar’s squad outlasted 4A No. 4 Greenfield-Central 85-80.

            The Hamilton Southeastern girls, ranked No. 2 in 4A, knocked off a pair of No. 1-ranked and previously undefeated foes to move to 15-0 overall and win the girls’ Hall of Fame Classic. Senior Maya Makalusky poured in 35 points while junior Kennedy Holman added 12 points and junior Kayla Stidham had 11 points as coach Brian Satterfield’s crew beat 2A No. 1 South Knox 67-59. Holman then tallied 15 points, Stidham netted 12 points, Makalusky provided 10 points and senior Addison Van Hoesen dropped in the game-winning shot as the Royals edged 4A No. 1 Lawrence Central 52-50 in the tournament final.

            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).

            Dec. 23-28 – District 1 boys: Steven Reynolds III, South Bend Washington. District 1 girls: Lily Scholl. District 2 boys: Bryson Cardinal, Guerin Catholic. District 2 girls: Meredith Tippner, Noblesville. District 3 boys: Cole Henry, South Ripley, and Blaine Ward, South Ripley. District 3 girls: Ellie Richardson, Scottsburg. Team of the Week (boys): Fishers. Team of the Week (girls): Hamilton Southeastern.