Player/Team of the Week(POW/TOW) Week 9

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

Jan. 7, 2025                                                                     IBCA Director of Special Projects

SBW’s Reynolds posts Indiana’s first quintuple-double, leads IBCA Player of the Week honorees; Ben Davis boys, Bellmont girls claim team awards

            Kira Reynolds recorded the first quintuple double in Indiana high school basketball history last Saturday, and the South Bend senior headlines this week’s group of honorees in the IBCA/Franciscan Health Player of the Week program for 2024-25.

            The 6-3 Reynolds totaled 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting to go with 18 rebounds, 12 assists, 11 steals and 10 blocked shots as the Class 4A No. 5 Panthers defeated New Prairie 85-12 in their only game during the week of Dec. 30-Jan. 4. Thus, Reynolds along with Maconaquah senior Josiah Ball, North Montgomery senior Kelby Harwood, Brownsburg senior Avery Gordon, Jeffersonville senior Michael Cooper and Evansville Central junior Maddy Shirley have been selected as winners in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.

            Also, the Ben Davis boys’ team and the Bellmont 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 – Ball and Reynolds for District 1, Harwood and Gordon for District 2, and Cooper and Shirley 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 program. Players and teams are recognized based on all performances in a Monday through Saturday week.

            Reynolds, sister of SBW junior Steven Reynolds III (last week’s boys’ District 1 winner), is averaging 16.6 points, 13.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 3.5 steals and 6.5 blocks this season for her 15-1 team. For her career, through last Saturday, the Purdue recruit has totaled 1,325 points, 1,052 rebounds, 325 assists, 187 steals and 527 blocks in 92 varsity contests.

            Her quintuple double is believed to be the sixth ever nationally by a high school player. The previous girls’ “five-double feats” were accomplished by Tamika Catchings of Duncanville (Texas) in 1997, Alexis Pope of Ganesha (Calif.) in 2003, Alex Montgomery of Tacoma Lincoln (Wash.) in 2007 and Aimee Ortner of Northern Lehigh (Pa.) in 2012. The only known boys’ quintuple double was by Marqus Blakely of Metuchen (N.J.) in 2006.

            Another SBW girls’ player did have a quadruple-double on Jan. 31, 2015. That was recorded by then-senior guard Tia Murphy, who tallied 31 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals against Fort Wayne Snider. Murphy’s effort is one of at least 19 Indiana high school quadruple doubles – 16 by girls and three by boys.

            Ball poured in 37 points to go with nine rebounds, three assists and four steals as the Maconaquah boys beat Whitko 75-50 in their only game of the week. The 6-5 forward converted 11-of-21 field goals, 1-of-4 3-pointers and 14-of-16 free throws as the Braves improved to 6-1. The Bethel University commit is averaging 30.1 points this season, is his school all-time leading scorer and pushed his career total to 1,575 points.

            Harwood averaged 27.0 points and 8.3 rebounds in three games for the North Montgomery boys (3-6). The 6-3 guard tallied 28 points, eight rebounds, two assists and four steals in a 57-51 loss to Delphi in the first round of the Delphi Indiana Kitchen Classic. Harwood followed with 28 points, eight rebounds, one assist and three steals in a 54-47 loss to Pioneer. He came back with 25 points, nine rebounds, three assists and four steals in a 66-41 victory over North Newton. In the three games, Harwood was 34-of-59 from the floor and 13-of-24 from the line.

            Gordon averaged 31.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in leading the 4A No. 10 Brownsburg girls (12-3) to the championship of the Carol Tumey Invitational. The 6-6 center opened with 30 points, six rebounds and one blocked shot as the Bulldogs knocked off Jeffersonville 82-56. The Purdue signee followed with 33 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and six blocks in a 66-48 upset of 4A No. 6 Center Grove, the tournament host. Gordon, previously an IBCA Player of the Week honoree on Nov. 25-30, made 26-of-36 field goals, one 3-pointer and 10-of-15 free throws in the two games.

            Cooper averaged 27.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 5.5 steals in keying the 4A No. 9 Jeffersonville boys (6-5) to a 1-1 week. The 6-3 guard poured in 34 points with five rebounds, four assists and six steals in an 82-71 victory over Louisville Eastern. The Wright State signee also totaled 21 points, one rebounds, four assists and five steals in a 70-64 setback to 4A No. 2 Lawrence North. For the week, he converted 22-of-36 shots, 2-of-7 3-pointers and 9-of-12 free throws. Cooper is a second-time winner of IBCA Player of the Week, also being recognized the week of Nov. 25-30.

            Shirley had averages of 29.0 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in picking up her second IBCA Player of the Week award for the 3A No. 6 Evansville Central girls. The 6-1 forward – previously recognized Dec. 2-7 – scored 29 points with 13 rebounds, two assists, four steals and one block in a 49-42 decision over Bedford North Lawrence. She followed with 29 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and one block as the Bears moved to 13-3 with a 67-33 victory over Southridge. In the two games, she was 23-of-34 on field goals and 12-of-14 on free throws.

            Ben Davis, ranked No. 14 in 4A, is the boys’ Team of the Week after going 4-0 (and beating two ranked teams) to win the championship of the Bob Wettig Memorial Tournament in Richmond. Junior Jashawn Ladd scored 18 points and senior Tavion Williams netted 12 points in a 61-43 victory over Centerville. Ladd tallied 15 points, Williams 12 points and senior Jahmir Avery had 10 points as the Giants beat 3A No. 9 and previously unbeaten NorthWood 52-40. Ladd scored 12 points, Williams and junior Sherman Moss each tallied 11 points, and senior Justin Parks chipped in 10 points in a 55-41 decision over 2A No. 3 and previously unbeaten Fort Wayne Bishop Luers. And Williams scored 15 points and senior Kaleb Milan added 14 points as coach Don Carlisle’s crew improved to 8-2 overall and claimed the tournament title with a 51-43 victory over Shelbyville.

            Bellmont, ranked eighth in 3A, moved to 14-1 and claimed girls’ Team of the Week accolades after defeating two ranked opponents for coach Andy Heim. Senior Emily Bleke scored 17 points, while freshman Ashley Bleke added 12 points and freshman Marianne Bleke had nine points in a 54-52 decision over 2A No. 10 and previously unbeaten Eastside. Ashley Bleke then scored 17 points and Emily Bleke tallied 15 points as the Braves defeated 2A No. 8 Bluffton 53-47.

            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, Northridge. 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.

            Dec. 30-Jan. 4 – District 1 boys: Josiah Ball, Maconaquah. District 1 girls: Kira Reynolds, South Bend Washington. District 2 boys: Kelby Harwood, North Montgomery. District 2 girls: Avery Gordon Brownsburg. District 3 boys: Michael Cooper, Jeffersonville. District 3 girls: Maddy Shirley, Evansville Central. Team of the Week (boys): Ben Davis. Team of the Week (girls): Bellmont.