Player/Team of the Week(POW/TOW) Week Two 11/18/2025

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

Nov. 18, 2025                                                                   IBCA Director of Special Projects

Shappell, Hupfer and Parker honored as IBCA Players of the Week; Homestead selected as IBCA Team of the Week

  Leo senior Leah Shappell, Pendleton Heights junior Adah Hupfer and Boonville senior Emily Parker have been selected Week 2 winners in the IBCA Player of the Week program for 2025-26.

            Also, Class 4A No. 1 Homestead was recognized as IBCA/Ballogy Team of the Week for its performance during the week of Nov. 10-15 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.

            Players of the Week are cited by IHSAA District – Shappell for District 1, Hupfer for District 2 and Parker for District 3. Teams of the Week are cited at the discretion of the program coordinators, former Martinsville coach Kip Staggs for boys and former Brownsburg coach Debbie Smiley for girls. Players and teams are recognized based on all performances in a Monday through Saturday week.

  Shappell averaged 20.7 points while posting two double-doubles and nearly had a third double-double or possibly two triple-doubles in leading Leo (4-0) to three victories. The 6-0 wing opened with 21 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and nine steals in a 67-39 victory over Churubusco. She followed with 25 points, 16 rebounds, nine assists, three steals and five blocks as the Lions topped Fort Wayne Wayne 61-43. She then provided 16 points, nine rebonds, six assists, six steals and three blocks in a 62-44 decision over Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian. For the three games, the Ferris State softball recruit was 20-of-36 from the field, 5-of-12 on 3-pointers and 17-of-18 on free throws.

 Hupfer had norms of 23.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in posting two double-doubles as Class 4A No. 15 Pendleton Heights (3-0) topped New Castle 62-31 and Heritage Christian 79-50. Against New Castle, the 6-3 forward tallied 19 points, 15 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. Against, HCS, she netted 26 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and one block. For the week, Hupfer was 19-of-34 on field goals, 1-of-2 from distance and 6-of-9 from the line.

    Parker averaged 42.0 points and 8.5 rebounds as Boonville (1-2) split a pair of games. First, the 5-11 guard totaled 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals in a 53-25 triumph over Pike Central, She followed with 51 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals as the Pioneers dropped a 74-64 decision to Evansville Harrison. For both games, she was 31-of-53 from the floor, 13-of-23 on 3-pointers and 9-of-12 from the line. That included 18-of-34, 10-of-18 and 5-of-8 in her 51-point outburst.

  Homestead Team of the Week honors went to Homestead (3-0), which defeated then-4A No. 11 Northridge 68-47 and then-4A No. 3 Pike 71-57 in a 2-0 week. Coached by Rod Parker, senior Gabby Helsom totaled 17 points and seven rebounds against the Raiders. The 5-11 wing followed with 30 points and six rebounds against the Red Devils.

            This is the 18th season for the IBCA Player of the Week program. This is the second season for the IBCA Team of the Week program and the second season the Team of the Week program is presented by Ballogy, an IBCA corporate partner.

            The IBCA will begin boys’ Player and Team of the Week honors on Dec. 2.

            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 Dec. 2 through the Monday following the IHSAA boys' State Finals.

2025-26 IBCA weekly honorees

            Nov. 3-8 – District 1 girls: Laniah Davis, Marquette Catholic. District 2 girls: Kenzie Koch, Eastern Hancock. District 3 girls: Gracyn Gilliard, Center Grove. Teams of the Week (girls): North Knox, South Central (Elizabeth), Warsaw.

            Nov. 10-15 – District 1 girls: Leah Shappell, Leo. District 2 girls: Adah Hupfer, Pendleton Heights. District 3 girls: Emily Parker, Boonville. Teams of the Week (girls): Homestead.

# END #