IBCA Players of the Week: December 11-16
IBCA PRESS RELEASE: Four 50-point scorers and multiple record-setting performers headline the recipients in this week’s IBCA/Subway Player of the Week program.
Cloverdale senior Jalen Moore, Castle junior Alex Hemenway, Fort Wayne North junior Keion Brooks Jr. and McCutcheon senior Robert Phinisee all scored 50 or more points in a single game in a remarkable week of outstanding performances.
The quartet is joined by Evansville Bosse senior Mekhi Lairy as a fifth boys’ honoree for the week of Dec. 11-16.
Brooks is the honoree for District 1 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. Moore and Phinisee are winners for District 2. Hemenway and Lairy are recipients in District 3.
Moore averaged 45.7 points and 6.3 rebounds, including a school-record-tying 53 points in one game, in a 3-0 week for the Cloverdale boys (6-2). The 5-9 guard opened with 48 points, seven rebounds, nine assists and two steals as the Clovers beat South Putnam 72-53. He followed with 36 points, three rebounds, three assists and seven steals ina 60-43 triumph over Brown County.
Moore capped his week with his 53-point explosion in an 80-64 victory over Greencastle, tying the school record set last season by Cooper Neese against Southmont. Moore added nine rebounds, five assists and four steals against the Tiger Cubs, hitting 19-of-33 shots, 3-of-9 3-pointers and 12-of-13 free throws. Over three games, he was 43-of-84 from the floor, 11-of-27 on 3s and 40-of-46 on free throws.
Hemenway had 34.0-point and 5.0-assist averages in leading the Castle boys (3-3) to two victories. The 6-4 guard scored 15 points with two rebounds and seven assists in a 71-53 triumph over Evansville Reitz. Hemenway then produced a school-record 53 points with nine rebounds and three assists as the Knights beat Dayton (Ohio) Thurgood Marshall 101-73 in the Bosse Winter Showcase.
Hemenway made 19-of-29 shots, 2-of-5 3-pointers and 13-of-13 free throws in his big game, which eclipsed the previous Castle school record of 52 points by Luke Sprague against Bowling Green (Ohio) on Dec. 28, 2007. For both games, Hemenway was 25-of-43, 3-of-11 from long range and 15-of-17 on free throws.
Brooks averaged 35.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in propelling the Fort Wayne North boys (6-2) to two triumphs. The 6-7* standout opened with a school-record 52 points plus 13 rebounds and four assists in a 102-81 decision over Fort Wayne Snider. He followed with 18 points, eight rebounds and two assists as the Legends edged Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Ohio) 80-79.
Against Snider, Brooks’ output broke the Fort Wayne North school record of 47 points set by Sean McGee against Fort Wayne South on Dec. 23, 2014. Brooks was 18-of-25 from the field, 3-of-5 on 3-pointers and 13-of-17 on free throws against Snider. Over both games, he shot 26-of-38, 3-of-7 on 3s and 15-of-19 on free throws.
Phinisee also averaged 35.0 points over two games as the McCutcheon boys improved to 6-2. The Indiana University recruit opened with 50 points as the Mavericks walloped Harrison (West Lafayette) 91-34 and followed with 20 points and five rebounds in a 58-31 victory at Winamac. The 6-1 guard made 21 shots from the field, four 3-pointers and 4-of-6 free throws against Harrison.
Phinisee’s 50-point effort was eight points shy of McCutcheon’s single-game school record of 58 points set by Chad Peckinpaugh against Fountain Central on Feb. 11, 1995. But Phinisee set the school career scoring record in the game, eclipsing the mark of 1,470 set by 2002 graduate Avery Sheets. Phinisee finished the week with 1,525 career points.
Lairy had norms of 28.0 points and 7.7 assists in three triumphs for the Evansville Bosse boys (6-0). The 5-9 guard opened with 33 points, six rebounds and 10 assists in an 85-59 victory over Evansville Memorial. The Miami of Ohio signee added 15 points, four rebounds and eight assists in limited minutes as the Bulldogs beat Washington 92-42. He then produced 36 points, six rebounds and five assists in a 74-64 decision over Culver Military in the Bosse Winter Showcase.
Lairy became Bosse’s career leading scorer in the Memorial game, finishing the week with 1,611 points and surpassing the previous school mark of 1,559 points by 1967 graduate Larry Weatherford. Over the three games, Lairy hit 30-of-48 shots, 10-of-15 3-pointers and 14-of-15 free throws.