Player/Team of the Week(POW/TOW) Week 11

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

Jan. 21, 2025                                                                   IBCA Director of Special Projects

Mullins, Baxter headline IBCA Player of the Week honorees;

Avon boys, Silver Creek girls claim team awards

            Greenfield-Central senior Braylon Mullins averaged 36.0 points over two games and Columbia City senior Addison Baxter became her school’s all-time leading scorer, leading this week’s group of winners in the IBCA/Franciscan Health Player of the Week program for 2024-25 and both becoming second-time honorees this season.

            Mullins and Baxter along with Hanover Central senior Brad Rhode, Southwestern (Shelby) senior Benjamin Kahler, Sheridan senior Kenzie Garner and South Knox senior Ella Bobe have been selected as winners for the week of Jan. 13-18 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.

            Also, the Avon boys’ team and the Silver Creek 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 – Rhode and Baxter for District 1, Mullins and Garner for District 2, and Kahler and Bobe 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.

            Mullins opened his week with 31 points, six rebounds, four assists and seven steals in leading the Class 4A No. 3 Greenfield-Central boys to a 72-50 victory at New Castle. The 6-5 senior guard followed by pouring in 41 points with five rebounds, five assists and four steals in a 100-46 triumph at Eastern Hancock as the Cougars improved to 11-2 for the season. Against Eastern Hancock, the Connecticut signee sank 15-of-19 field goals, 5-of-8 3-pointers and 6-of-7 free throws. In the two games, he was 23-of-35 from the floor, 7-of-14 from distance and 19-of-21 at the stripe. He was a previous IBCA Player of the Week honoree for the week of Dec. 2-7.

            Baxter became the all-time leading scorer for the Columbia City girls en route to her second Player of the Week award this season. She scored 19 points with six rebounds, five assists and four steals as the Eagles defeated Wawasee 54-24. The 5-9 guard did even better against Huntington North, totaling 30 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and five steals in a 59-46 decision. For the week, the Butler University recruit was 16-of-33 on field goals and 17-of-19 on free throws. She finished the week with 1,665 career points, passing the previous CC record of 1,629 set by 2000 graduate Connie Myers in the Wawasee game. Baxter previously was honored as a Player of the Week for Nov. 18-23.

            Rhode tallied a pair of double-doubles in keying the Hanover Central boys to two victories. He scored 16 points with 13 rebounds and three assists as the Wildcats topped Hammond Noll 70-57. The 6-6 forward followed with 30 points, 16 rebounds and two assists in a 64-44 triumph over Hobart as Hanover Central improved to 6-5. In the two games, the Polk State College (Fla.) baseball commit converted 16-of-26 field goals and 14-of-18 free throws.

            Kahler averaged 34.5 points and posted two double-doubles in propelling the Southwestern (Shelby) boys to a 2-0 week. He opened with 39 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and two steals in a 67-57 triumph over Brown County. The 6-4 wing followed with 30 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and one steal as the Spartans defeated South Decatur 67-56 to improve their record to 4-7. In the opener, Kahler was 10-of-15 from the floor, 1-of-4 from distance and 18-of-19 from the line. For the week, he was 16-of-30, 2-of-8 and 35-of-40, respectively.

            Garner averaged a double-double in leading the 2A No. 12 Sheridan (16-1) girls to two victories. The 6-0 senior wing scored 27 points with nine rebounds, four assists, one steal and three blocks in a 57-41 decision over Lapel. The Ferris State recruit then produced 26 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks as the Blackhawks beat Speedway 48-24. In the two games, Garner hit on 21-of-39 field goals, 7-of-15 3-pointers and 4-of-4 free throws.

            Bobe led the 2A No. 1 South Knox girls to a 3-0 week. The 5-8 guard totaled 22 points, two rebounds, two assists and seven steals in an 81-40 victory over Wood Memorial. The Southern Indiana signee followed with 31 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and three steals in an 85-28 runaway against North Daviess. She completed her week with 25 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals as the Spartans topped 3A No. 14 Vincennes Lincoln 84-52. For the week, Bobe was 32-of-49 from the field, including four 3-pointers, and 10-of-20 on free throws.

            The Avon boys, ranked 11th in Class 4A, improved to 13-1 with two victories. First, the Orioles defeated Plainfield 65-44 in the championship game of the weather-delayed Hendricks County Tournament. Coach Drew Schauss’ squad later topped 4A co-No. 15 Mt. Vernon (Fortville) 76-46. Junior Keriawn Berry scored 20 points, junior Jedidiah Minnett tallied 19 points and senior DeAndre Lott-Hancock had nine points against the Quakers. Lott-Hancock scored 20 points, Minnett 16 points and Berry and senior Rohan Pearson each netted 13 points against the Marauders.

            The Silver Creek girls, rated third in Class 3A, moved to 15-2 with three triumphs for coach Scott Schoen. Junior Emma Schoen scored 21 points, junior Brooklynn Renn tallied 18 points and senior Lydia Wright had 11 points in a 56-45 victory at Madison. Schoen netted 23 points, Renn provided 21 points and senior Amira Estephan added 14 points as the Dragons edged 3A No. 9 Corydon Central 80-79. Lastly, Renn dropped in 15 points, Schoen scored 14 points and Wright chipped in nine points as Silver Creek defeated 2A No. 4 Austin 54-41. 

            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.

            Jan. 6-11 – District 1 boys: Ethan Zahn, Huntington North. District 1 girls: Lillian Barnes, Valparaiso. District 2 boys: Zion Bellamy, Kokomo. District 2 girls: Kenzie Koch, Eastern Hancock. District 3 boys: Eli Sego, Triton Central. District 3 girls: Claire Larrison, Greensburg. Team of the Week (boys): Fort Wayne Bishop Luers. Team of the Week (girls): Lanesville.

            Jan. 13-18 – District 1 boys: Brad Rhode, Hanover Central. District 1 girls: Addison Baxter, Columbia City. District 2 boys: Braylon Mullins, Greenfield-Central. District 2 girls: Kenzie Garner, Sheridan. District 3 boys: Benjamin Kahler, Southwestern (Shelby). District 3 girls: Ella Bobe, South Knox. Team of the Week (boys): Avon. Team of the Week (girls): Silver Creek.