Player/Team of the Week(POW/TOW) Week 19

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

March 18, 2025                                                                IBCA Director of Special Projects

Jones’ 45-point outburst leads IBCA Player of the Week honorees; 

upset-minded Delta is IBCA Team of the Week

            Tyrese Jones poured in 45 points on a super-efficient shooting performance to propel his team to a Class 4A regional title, and the South Bend Riley junior headlines this week’s honorees in the IBCA/Franciscan Health Player of the Week program for 2024-25.

            Jones is joined by New Palestine senior Julius Gizzi, Whiteland senior Ethan Edwards and Hauser junior Stryker Gill as winners for the week of March 10-15 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. Also, Delta has been cited as the 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 – Jones for District 1, Gizzi for District 2, and Edwards and Gill for District 3. A single team 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.

            Jones carried Class 4A No. 13 South Bend Riley (22-4) to its 77-71 double-overtime victory over 4A No. 9 Warsaw at South Bend Washington for the Wildcats’ eighth regional title but first since 2018. The 6-1 guard not only scored in bunches, but he also provided 10 rebounds, five steals and one blocked shot while hitting 18-of-21 field goals, 4-of-6 3 pointers and 5-of-6 free throws. Jones’ 45 points were just off the school record of 50 points set by Eric Ford against South Bend Clay in a sectional semifinal game on March 1, 1991.

            Gizzi totaled 28 points and nine rebounds in helping 3A No. 3 New Palestine to its first regional championship in program history with a 63-49 triumph over 3A No 5 Guerin Catholic at Greenfield-Central. The 6-3 guard converted 7-of-12 shots, including 1-of-3 3-pointers, plus 13-of-17 free throws as the Dragons improved to 25-3. This is Gizzi’s second IBCA Player of the Week award. The Indiana Wesleyan commit previously was cited for the week of Jan. 27-Feb. 1.

            Edwards and Gill are co-winners of the District 3 award.

            Edwards, a University of Indianapolis recruit, scored 35 points with six rebounds, one assist and one steal as Whiteland dropped a 72-69 double-overtime decision to Terre Haute North in a 4A regional at Washington. The 6-6 senior wing sank 12-of-21 from the field, 3-of-6 from deep and 8-of-11 freebies, but it was not enough as the Warriors completed their season at 15-12.

            Gill produced a triple-double as 1A No. 2 Hauser defeated Indianapolis Lutheran 70-52 at Martinsville. The 5-10 guard tallied 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as the Jets (24-3) captured the program’s third regional title and first since back-to-back crowns in 2005 and 2006. He hit 5-of-9 shots, including 3-of-7 3-pointers en route to his scoring output. He also pushed his school record for assists in a season to 211.

            Delta, unranked in Class 3A, was selected IBCA Team of the Week after it knocked off 3A No. 7 Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian 45-43 at New Castle. Senior Bronson Edwards paced the Eagles (17-7) with 19 points, including a game-deciding left-handed scoop shot with 3.8 seconds to go, plus six rebounds and two steals. Senior Jordan Furney contributed 12 points and four steals as coach Mark Detweiler’s squad captured its third consecutive regional trophy and the sixth overall in program history.

            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 oversaw the selection of girls’ honorees during their season.

            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’ portion of the recognition program concluded on March 4 for 2024-25.

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.

            Jan. 20-25 – District 1 boys: Lucas Kleckner, Kouts. District 1 girls: Brooke Winchester, Warsaw. District 2 boys: Jace Tonagel, Oak Hill. District 2 girls: Lillie Graves, McCutcheon. District 3 boys: Cole Thomas, South Central (Elizabeth). District 3 girls: Ava Wheeler, Borden. Team of the Week (boys): Penn. Team of the Week (girls): Homestead.

            Jan. 27-Feb. 1 – District 1 boys: Drew Bowers, Rochester. District 1 girls: Kila Foster, Bremen. District 2 boys: Julius Gizzi, New Palestine. District 2 girls: Jacklynn Hosier, Alexandria. District 3 boys: Cam Craig, Switzerland County. District 3 girls: Shelby Allen, Lanesville. Team of the Week (boys): Avon. Team of the Week (girls): Greensburg.

            Feb. 3-8 – District 1 boys: Collin Czarnecki, LaVille. District 1 girls: Jordan Steele, Highland. District 2 boys: Gavin Saunders, Hamilton Heights. District 2 girls: Kenzie Garner, Sheridan. District 3 boys: Tate Whitehead, Southridge. District 3 girls: Shelby Seay, North Central (Farmersburg). Team of the Week (boys): Portage. Team of the Week (girls): Corydon Central.

            Feb. 10-15 – District 1 boys: Dikembe Shaw, Crown Point. District 1 girls: Vanessa Rosswurm, Norwell. District 2 boys: Luke Ertel, Mt. Vernon (Fortville). District 2 girls: Kennedy Holman, Hamilton Southeastern. District 3 boys: Tre Singleton, Jeffersonville. District 3 girls: Gabby Spink, Gibson Southern. Team of the Week (boys): Lawrence Central. Team of the Week (girls): Roncalli.

            Feb. 17-22 – District 1 boys: Trace Maller, Adams Central, and Josh Malloy, Munster. District 1 girls: Joslyn Bricker, Warsaw. District 2 boys: Braylon Mullins, Greenfield-Central. District 2 girls: Ke’Adriah Butler, Lawrence North. District 3 boys: Dane Sprigler, Silver Creek. District 3 girls: Ella Bobe, South Knox. Team of the Week (boys): Jeffersonville. Team of the Week (girls): Rensselaer Central.

            Feb. 24-March 1 – District 1 boys: Chase Konieczny, South Bend Saint Joseph. District 1 girls: Vanessa Rosswurm, Norwell. District 2 boys: Trey Page, Sheridan. District 2 girls: Ke’Adriah Butler, Lawrence North. District 3 boys: Luke Ellspermann, Evansville Memorial, and Cole Thomas, South Central (Elizabeth). District 3 girls: Kendal Hill, South Knox. Team of the Week (boys): Anderson. Team of the Week (girls): Borden.

            March 3-March 8 – District 1 boys: Paxton Crane, Carroll (Fort Wayne). District 2 boys: Kai McGrew, Lawrence North. District 3 boys: Carter Kent, Jennings County. Team of the Week (boys): Mt. Vernon (Fortville).

            March 10-March 15 – District 1 boys: Tyrese Jones, South Bend Riley. District 2 boys: Julius Gizzi, New Palestine. District 3 boys: Ethan Edwards, Whiteland, and Stryker Gill, Hauser. Team of the Week (boys): Delta.

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 Gene Milner

IBCA Website Coordinator