Hoosier Hills Hoops | Southern Indiana high school basketball

Burdin awarded player of the week honors by IBCA

November 16, 2012

Indiana Basketball Coaches AssociationCharlestown sophomore Justice Burdin was one of three Indiana Basketball Coaches Association/Subway Players of the Week for her performance during the opening week of the high school girls’ basketball season (Nov. 5-10).

Burdin, a 5-11 sophomore wing, notched a double-double as the Pirates began its season with a 64-37 triumph over Southwestern. She tallied 21 points and 14 rebounds as Charlestown jumped to a big lead and captured the season-opening decision over the Rebels.

Wawasee senior KiLee Knafel and Richmond sophomore Mackenzie Taylor were also named players of the week.

Winners are chosen each week from each of the IHSAA’s three districts. Girls winners will be chosen from now through the week following March 2. Boys winners will be chosen starting in two weeks and through the week following March 23.

Other local nominees for Week One from Southern Indiana’s District 3:

Alex Davidson, Salem; Ashley Elliott, Scottsburg; Emily Hollis, Henryville; Ashley Johnson, New Washington; Mikala Lomax, Columbus East; Tanner Marcum, New Albany; Ali Patberg, Columbus North; Kirsten Ricke, Oldenburg Academy; Annie Thomas, Southwestern (Shelby); Haley Vogen, Jeffersonville; Lauren Whitlatch, Bloomington South; Whitney Williamson, Brown County and Jackie Young, Princeton.

→ Discuss this postCategory: Uncategorized
Tags: , ,

Eight schools set for first Subway/Columbus North Invitational

November 15, 2012

2012 Columbus North/Subway InvitationalThe top-ranked Columbus North girls basketball team will host seven visiting teams in the first Subway/Columbus North Invitational next month.

The Bull Dogs, ranked first in the current IBCA top 20 all-class poll as well as second in the ICGSA Class 4A ratings, will host visitors from Avon, Fort Wayne Canterbury, Fort Wayne South, Mishawaka, Norwell, Notre Dame Academy (of Park Hills, Ky.) and Roncalli on Dec. 21-22 in the Bill Stearman Athletic Complex.

Five of the seven visitors currently are ranked in the Indiana polls — Fort Wayne Canterbury is first in Class A by the ICGSA; Fort Wayne South is fourth in 4A by the ICGSA; Norwell is seventh in 3A by the ICGSA; and Mishawaka and Roncalli are tied for 24th in 4A by the ICGSA.

Action in the two-day, three-session event begins at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 21 when Columbus North faces Avon in Gym 1 and Roncalli meets Fort Wayne Canterbury in Gym 2. At 8:15 p.m., Norwell squares off against Notre Dame Academy in Gym 1 and Fort Wayne South will play Mishawaka in Gym 2.

The second session begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 with consolation semifinals in both gyms; championship semifinals follow at 11:45 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 in both gyms.

The placement round starts at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 with seventh-place and fifth-place games in both gyms. The third place game is at 5:15 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 in Gym 1. The championship game is at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 in Gym 1.

Gym 1, also known as Memorial Gym, is one of the 15 largest high school gymnasiums in Indiana and seats about 7,000 fans when at capacity. Gym 2 is in the same building and seats about 1,000 fans.

Tickets for the Subway/Columbus North Invitational will be available at the door on game days. Prices are $12 for a three-session pass, available on Friday, Dec. 21; $8 for a two-session pass, available Saturday morning, Dec. 22; or $5 for single-session admission, available for each session.

Most all the teams enter this season coming off strong efforts in 2011-12. Here is how each team finished last season:

  • Avon (6-15)
  • Columbus North (23-4)
  • Fort Wayne Canterbury (25-2)
  • Fort Wayne South (22-2)
  • Mishawaka (17-6)
  • Norwell (21-4)
  • Notre Dame Academy (Ky.) (25-6)
  • Indianapolis Roncalli (17-7)

→ Discuss this postCategory: Uncategorized
Tags:

University of Louisville recruits to play in Louisville Jan. 26

October 2, 2012

Two members of the University of Louisville basketball programs Class of 2013 recruiting class will a chance to play in Louisville this winter.

Chatham, Va., Hargrave Military Academy – featuring U of L commitments Anton Gill and Terry Rozier – will compete in the four-game Louisville HoopFest event on Jan. 26 at Iroquois High School in Louisville, Ky.

Hargrave will play Action Sports Academy, a prep school out of Stone Mountain, Ga., with more than a half dozen Division I prospects.

The event will mark the first time Gill and Rozier will play in Louisville this year. Both are expected to sign with U of L in November and are part of the Cardinals’ No. 3 ranked recruiting class nationally, according to Fox SportsNext.com.

The HoopFest is being produced by Matt Denison, a local basketball promoter and editor of the Hoosier Hills Hoops Southern Indiana Basketball Report, and Jody Demling, the longtime local basketball recruiting guru who is now the publisher of Cardinal Authority, a FoxSportsNext.com website covering U of L athletics.

The 6-foot-4 Gill, considered one of the top 30 prospects in the Class of 2013, transferred to Hargrave for his senior season after spending three years at Raleigh, N.C., Ravenscroft High School.

Gill led Ravenscroft to the NCISAA Class 3A state title as a junior and averaged 17 points a game at the school during his final two seasons.

Gill is ranked as the No. 27 prospect nationally according to FoxSportsNext.

The 5-foot-11 Rozier is a native of Shaker Heights, Ohio, and was originally a member of the Class of 2012 at U of L. But he didn’t qualify academically and opted to spend a year at prep school before heading to U of L.

Rozier was one of the top five players in the Cleveland area as a senior last season by the Cleveland Plain Dealer. He averaged 25.6 points, 6.5 rebounds. 4.7 steals and 4.5 assists for Shaker Heights High School.

Rozier is ranked as the No. 82 player in the ’13 class, according to FoxSportsNext.

Action Sports Academy features several top prospects, including Tennessee Tech commitment Shaquille Calhoun, a 6-foot-4, two-guard.

Forward Shakir Brown, point guard Micah Thomas, forward Rod Booker and guard Jah’Sheme Ringgold are all getting major Division I attention. Thomas is from Highlands Springs, Va., and led that state in scoring last season at 27 points a game.

Also competing in the event will be Lexington Catholic, which is expected to be one of the state’s top teams in the preseason, and defending Third Region champion Apollo. Sixth Region powers Butler, Manual and Iroquois will also be competing in the event, along with Sellersburg, Ind., Rock Creek.

Admission for the event will be $10 at the door. No presale tickets will be sold.

Games times and other matchups will be announced at a later time.

→ Discuss this postCategory: Uncategorized
Tags: , , ,

Scouting Indiana highlights top players from week one of Fall League

September 30, 2012

Brandon Bradley, owner and publisher of Scouting Indiana, attended the first day the Hoosier Hills Hoops Fall Basketball League at Charlestown High School last Sunday. Below are his observations on top prospects he scouted throughout the day.

I really enjoyed myself Sunday at the Hoosier Hills Hoops Fall League. Matt Denison does a great job with providing an opportunity for Southern Indiana basketball players to not only prepare themselves for their upcoming season, but also to showcase themselves in case college coaches or scouts stop by. I was impressed with the facilities, but more so with the overall organization of the event. It seemed to run like clockwork, and everyone knew what they were doing and where they were supposed to be.

With eight girls’ teams and 18 boys’ teams, below is a look at five girls and five boys who stood out to me throughout the day. With four courts running in two different rooms I didn’t get a chance to see every minute of every game, and these also aren’t necessarily the best prospects at the event, simply the girls or boys who I thought played well when I got a chance to see them.

Top-5 girls’ from week one

+ Annie Thomas, Class of 2014, 5’4, PG, Southwestern (Shelby): Annie caught my eye in the very first game I saw, and her play stuck with me throughout the day. She is quick-on-quick, almost feisty defensively, and she made plays at both ends of the floor. She has a solid handle either direction, and she has an overall good feel for the game. She’ll probably need to shoot it a little more consistently from the perimeter, but all-in-all she possesses what a lot of coaches are looking for in a lead guard: poise, toughness, ability, and ball skill.

+ Shelby Kirchgessner, Class of 2014, 5’4, PG, Borden: Shelby is another fairly quick, tough, feisty lead guard. She, too, has a great feel for the game and can knock down perimeter shots. She has a solid frame that I think can continue to get stronger, and she isn’t afraid to mix it up a little bit. I liked her control of her team for a fall league, and when she was in it seemed like positive things were always happening.

+ Haley Vogen, Class of 2014, 6’0, C, Jeffersonville: Haley was a post a coach can truly appreciate. She knows she’s strong, so she does most of her work around the paint and didn’t get caught up floating around the perimeter trying to make plays. She’s a post who you just can’t let catch it inside of 5-feet or else she’s going to score the ball. She worked hard at both ends and ran the floor well. If she plays like this every time out, she has a chance to make a major impact this year.

+ Olivia Crozier, Class of 2015, 6’1, PF/C, Madison: I was very impressed with Olivia, and she has about as much upside as anyone in the league. She is a very active front liner who isn’t necessarily a center, but because of her height is probably often stuck there. She is skilled facing the basket, she can handle it in transition a little bit, and she can knock down jump shots or post around the block. I definitely need to see more of her, but she definitely made a lasting impression on me.

+ Jenna Shine, Class of 2016, 5’10, SF/PF, New Albany: Jenna is another prospect who has very good potential and upside. She has good length, she’s fairly fluid, and she looks comfortable handling and shooting the basketball around the perimeter. She’s still somewhat slender and definitely needs to get much stronger, but I think once she does she’ll be more explosive and more consistent shooting it from outside. If she can become a true small forward throughout her career, even a borderline 2-guard, she has a chance to get a lot of college attention.

Top-5 boys from week one

+ Darryl Baker, Class of 2013, 6’2, SG, Jeffersonville: I have seen Darryl play numerous times throughout the last four years, and this was easily the best I can remember him shooting the ball from the perimeter. If he can stay that consistent from the perimeter throughout the season, that’s really the one thing that was missing from his skill set. He’s always been good attacking the rim and making plays off the dribble, plus he’s so strong and athletic. I’ve said several times before that when he wants to be he can be dominant, but he must consistently increase his motor. Still he’s quite a talent, and definitely hard-to-guard for your everyday, run-of-the-mill high school kid.

+ Bryce Lienhoop, Class of 2014, 6’5, SF, Columbus East: Bryce continues to improve his game. It’s impressive to see how far he’s come since last fall. He was aggressive attacking the basket, and even looked a little more athletic than I remember, though he could stand to continue getting more explosive. He has a solid handle and does a nice job of taking care of it in transition. I think the combination of his size, strength, and now a much-improved skill set will have him drawing a few Division I coaches this next year.

+ Devin Burt, Class of 2014, 6’2 SF/SG, Rock Creek: I’ve had Devin’s name in my database for some time, but this was my first chance to really sit and evaluate him. Devin is a big-time athlete. He may need to play with a bit more of a motor at times, but his ability to get from the ground to the rim as quickly and easily as he does is impressive. He could make for a fine wide receiver prospect. Basketball-wise, his handle is decent but needs to improve to be a true 2-guard, and I didn’t get a chance to really see him shoot it from the perimeter. But he was great attacking the rim and finishing well above most defenders. He has a lot of physical talent, and once the skill set catches up he’ll draw quite a few college looks.

+ Chad O’Bryan, Class of 2014, 6’6, SF/PF, Southridge: I’ve been a fan of Chad’s since I first saw him over a year ago. He’s a very long, slender kid who has grown so quickly that he’s still working through some robotic issues and becoming a more fluid athlete. But he’s tremendously skilled, especially shooting it from the perimeter. He’s lefty stroke is pure whenever he’s able to get his feet set. As he continues to mature physically and add strength, he’ll be a much more explosive vertical athlete, and I think his game will see even another level.

+ Gabe Bauer, Class 0f 2015, 6’1, SG, Silver Creek: I first saw Gabe in the spring, and his game has changed from the spring to the summer and from the summer until now. He continues to get stronger and more effective with the ball in his hands. He also looks like he’s grown a little bit, and he may actually be closer to 6’2 now. What I’ve liked most about Gabe is that he just flat knows how to play. He takes care of the ball, can make plays off the dribble, shoot it from the perimeter, and he rarely turns it over. He might be one of the most efficient and effective guards in the state in 2015.

More on Bradley: The owner and publisher of Scouting Indiana since its inception in 2006, he has written various articles for basketball publications including SLAM Magazine and the Hoop Scoop. He’s currently in the midst of a blog series on Indiana’s top college prospects for the Indianapolis Star. Scouting Indiana has over 120 paying colleges at this point, and more than 3,500 Indiana prospects in his database.

→ Discuss this postCategory: Uncategorized

Rosters, schedules for Hoosier Hills Hoops 2012 Fall Basketball League

September 18, 2012

Rosters and schedules for all divisions and locations of the Hoosier Hills Hoops 2012 Fall Basketball Leagues are now available. Click here to visit the Fall League page for details.

Please arrive 45 minutes before your first game to check in. Contact us with questions.

→ Discuss this postCategory: Uncategorized

Vincennes University announces preseason jamboree participants

August 24, 2012

Vincennes JamboreeVincennes University will host an array of prep school and junior college teams at its annual preseason event, the Vincennes Jamboree, VU assistant coach Brian Davis told us this week.

The event will be held Sunday, Oct. 14, and the hour-long exhibitions will begin at approximately 11:30 a.m.

“It’s a great opportunity for everyone to see where they’re at,” Davis said. “It’s also good to get the prep schools on (the Vincennes) campus and to give other colleges a chance to see and recruit our kids. We expect a lot of Division I-type kids to participate in this event.”

Prep schools scheduled to attend includes: Core City Hoops (Windsor, Ontario), Creating Young Minds Academy (Irving, Tex.), two teams from God’s Academy (Good Prairie, Tex.), Kingdom Prep (Des Moines, Iowa), LaPorte La Lumiere (Ind.) and Summit Prep (Lansing, Mich.).

The list of participating junior colleges includes: Cincinnati State (Oh.), John Logan (Ill.), Lincoln Trail (Ill.), Parkland (Ill.), Kaskaskia (Ill.), Olney Central (Ill.), Shawnee (Ill.) South Suburban (Ill.) and Vincennes.

College coaches admission and roster packet will cost $50, and general admission for fans will be $5.

→ Discuss this postCategory: Uncategorized
Tags: ,