PRESS RELEASE: Mishawaka Marian junior Jaden Ivey and Castle senior Alex Hemenway each averaged more than 30 points per game, and that duo headlines the honorees in this week’s IBCA/Subway Player of the Week program.
Ivey and Hemenway are joined by Cathedral senior Armaan Franklin, Crown Point freshman Jessica Carrothers, Tipton senior Cassidy Crawford and Center Grove senior Ella Thompson as recipients for the week of Dec. 24-29 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.
Ivey and Carrothers are respective boys and girls honorees for District 1. Franklin and Crawford received accolades for District 2. Hemenway and Thompson are winners for District 3.
The 6-3 Ivey averaged 33.0 points in leading the Mishawaka Marian boys to a pair of victories in their Thomas Moorman Tournament. He opened with 31 points, four assists and three steals in a 74-35 decision over Concord. Ivey followed with 35 points, three rebounds, two assists and three steals as the Knights (8-0) topped Norwell 58-32 in the title game. Over both games, Ivey was 24-of-38 on field goals, 12-of-21 on 3-pointers and 6-of-8 on free throws.
Hemenway average 32.0 points and 6.5 rebounds in propelling the Castle boys to the championship of the Wooden Classic at Martinsville. The 6-4 guard scored 28 points with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals in a 64-55 triumph over Mt. Vernon (Fortville). Hemenway poured in 36 points with five rebounds as the Knights (7-2) defeated the host Artesians 64-41 in the final. Over both games, Hemenway sank 20-of-34 shots from the field, 8-of-16 shots from distance and 16-of-23 from the line.
The 6-5 Franklin averaged 21.3 points in leading the Cathedral boys to the crown of the Bob Wettig Memorial Tournament in Richmond. Franklin opened with 18 points, five rebounds, three assists and four steals in a 77-45 victory over Indianapolis Home School. The Indiana University recruit followed with 20 points, six rebounds, one assist and two steals in a 73-55 decision over Greensburg. Franklin totaled 17 points, three rebounds and two steals as the Irish beat Richmond 78-52 in the semifinals. He netted 30 points and 10 rebounds as Cathedral edged Zionsville 80-78 in double overtime for the title. Over four games, Franklin was 34-of-63 shooting, 6-of-19 on 3-pointers and 11-of-16 on free throws as the Irish improved to 10-2.
Carrothers averaged 23.3 points in keying the Crown Point girls to the championship of the Twin Lakes Invitational. The 5-7 guard tallied 21 points plus two rebounds, four assists and five steals in a 67-21 victory over North White. She provided 18 points, five rebounds, three assists and five steals in a 54-31 decision over Mt. Vernon (Fortville). Carrothers poured in 34 points with eight rebounds, two assists and five steals as the Bulldogs (16-0) knocked off Cathedral 78-48 for the title. Over three games, Carrothers was 29-of-49 on field goals and 15-of-20 on free throws.
The 6-0 Crawford averaged 28.0 points and set two school records over three games for the Tipton girls in the Lady Devils Holiday tournament. She scored 14 points with seven rebounds and three steals in a 40-38 setback to Richmond. The Saint Francis signee followed with a school-record 40 points with 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals in a 57-47 victory over Reavis, Ill. Crawford then scored 30 points with 11 rebounds and three steals as the Lady Devils (13-3) beat Guerin Catholic 57-36.
Crawford’s 40-point game surpassed Tipton’s previous single-game scoring record of 38 points set by Kacie Juday against Elwood on Feb. 15, 2014. Crawford’s 84 points for the week moved her career total to a school-record 1,592 points, moving her past the previous mark of 1,575 points set by 2016 graduate Macie Lively. Crawford was 33-of-62 from the field, 1-of-8 from distance and 17-of-27 on free throws over the three games. That included 16-of-26, 1-of-3 and 7-of-9 in the 40-point game.
The 5-7 Thompson averaged 19.7 points and 5.3 rebounds in propelling the Center Grove girls to the championship of the Subway/Columbus North Invitational. The Bentley University (Mass.) recruit opened with 23 points, eight rebounds and two assists in a 52-48 overtime decision against Elkhart Central. She followed with 14 points, four rebounds and one assist in a hard-fought 37-33 victory over Martinsville. Thompson tallied 22 points with four rebounds and two assists as the Trojans (14-2) knocked off Mooresville 62-50 in the title game. Over three games, Thompson converted 15-of-32 shots from the field, 11-of-22 3-pointers and 18-of-22 free throws.
This is the 11th season for the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Week program and the seventh season it is presented by Subway Restaurants of Indiana, a banner sponsor of the IBCA. Subway, in its seventh season as an IBCA sponsor, encourages athletes to "train hard and eat fresh."
Winners in the Player of the Week are chosen each week from each of the IHSAA’s three districts. Girls winners will be chosen from now through the week following Feb. 23. Boys winners will be chosen from now through the week following March 23.
District 1 girls– Taylor Austin, Lake Station; Courtney Blakely, Hammond Noll; Sophie Bussard, Tippecanoe Valley; Morgan Litwiller, Northridge; Emma Nolan, Marquette Catholic; Ryin Ott, LaPorte; Ayanna Patterson, Homestead; Nautica Rogers, Fort Wayne Concordia; Kate Rulli, NorthWood; Maddie Ryman, Warsaw; Keegan Sullivan, South Bend St. Joseph.
Oct. 29-Nov. 3–District 1 girls:Darliesha Reed, Hammond Gavit.District 2 girls: Madison Jones, Western Boone. District3 girls:Addy Blackwell, Bloomington South, and Amani Brown, Terre Haute South.
Nov. 5-10 – District 1 girls: Sydney Freeman, Central Noble, and Dash Shaw, Gary West. District 2 girls: Maggie Cora, Tri-West.District 3 girls: Hannah Sisk, Princeton.
Nov. 12-17 – District 1 girls: Sophie Bussard, Tippecanoe Valley. District 2 girls: Alaina Omonode, West Lafayette, and Cameron Tabor, New Castle. District 3 girls: Lilly Hatton, North Harrison.
Nov. 19-24 – District 1 boys:Sam Skaggs, Logansport. District 1 girls: Mila Reynolds, South Bend Washington. District 2 boys:Colton Brown, Covington, and Luke Brown, Blackford. District 2 girls: Ella Collier, Danville. District 3 boys: Drew Buhr, Austin. District 3 girls: Nan Garcia, Jeffersonville.
Nov. 26-Dec. 1 – District 1 boys: Colin Kenney, Marquette Catholic. District 1 girls: Lilliann Frasure, North Judson. District 2 boys:Luke Brown, Blackford. District 2 girls: Jayla Smith, Lawrence North. District 3 boys:Josiah Ricketts, North Posey. District 3 girls:Jewel McCormick, Springs Valley.
Dec. 3-8 – District 1 boys: Tanner Behnfeldt, Fremont. District 1 girls: Emma Nolan, Marquette Catholic. District 2 boys:Zach Banks, Westfield. District 2 girls: Grace Hunter, Bellmont. District 3 boys: Kade Badger, Henryville. District 3 girls: Myah Montgomery, Southridge.
Dec. 10-15 – District 1 boys:Brandon Newman, Valparaiso. District 1 girls: Hannah Noveroske, Michigan City. District 2 boys:Luke Brown, Blackford. District 2 girls: Sydney Parrish, Hamilton Southeastern. District 3 boys:Trayce Jackson-Davis, Center Grove.District 3 girls: Grace Waggoner, Vincennes Rivet.
Dec. 17-22 – District 1 boys: Chuck Wilcox, North Judson. District 1 girls: Courtney Blakely, Hammond Noll. District 2 boys:Luke Bumbalough, New Castle. District 2 girls: Shelby Caldwell, Jay County. District 3 boys:Cobie Barnes, Floyd Central. District 3 girls:Meredith Raley, Gibson Southern.
Dec. 24-29 – District 1 boys:Jaden Ivey, Mishawaka Marian. District 1 girls: Jessica Carrothers, Crown Point. District 2 boys:Armaan Franklin, Cathedral. District 2 girls: Cassidy Crawford, Tipton. District 3 boys:Alex Hemenway, Castle. District 3 girls: Ella Thompson, Center Grove.