(Mr. Basketball candidate Trey Kaufman-Renn is looking for his second state title)

 

Indiana Basketball Source dives into the 3A 2021 IHSAA boys basketball state title game match-up between Silver Creek and Leo.

 

Silver Creek was a top 3A team all season. Indiana Basketball Source had the Dragons ranked behind Hammond for most of the season, but Silver Creek was a favorite to navigate 3A South. It was a bit of a rocky season with Mr. Basketball candidate and Purdue signee Trey Kaufman-Renn injured to begin the year. Then, junior point guard Branden Northern suffered an injury that is still hobbling him. When those two were down, Toldeo signee Kooper Jacobi stepped up. The senior forward averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds per game. He is the second all-time leading scorer in Silver Creek history behind Kaufman-Renn.

 

With all three key players on the court, Kaufman-Renn is the go-to player. As a senior, he averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds. This year, Kaufman-Renn played on the perimeter more than ever. Although he struggled from three, he handled the ball and distributed it well. When Silver Creek needs a basket, he will get it.

 

As mentioned, there are not many teams that have a second option like Jacobi. He is a lanky, active forward that thrives on the glass. In the semi-state, Jacobi hit a crucial three-pointer against Guerin Catholic to give Silver Creek breathing room. If teams concentrate on Kaufman-Renn, Jacobi will make opponents pay.

 

The third piece to SC is Northern. When healthy, he changes the game with his defensive pressure and ability to slash to the basket. At the Seymour semi-state, it was clear that Northern is not 100 percent, yet. He will still be able to get into opponents on both ends, but he was missing a half step. The extra week might be huge to Northern’s recovery.

 

Silver Creek’s surrounding players – Isaac Hinton, Trey Schoen, Nolan Gilbert – are well seasoned and fill roles well. All three shoot it well from the outside. In the Guerin Catholic game, Hinton and Schoen provided tough perimeter defense that took the Golden Eagles out of their offense.

 

Leo was a top-five 3A team for most of the season but struggled towards the end of the regular season. The postseason has not been smooth sailing, either. In the sectional, Bishop Luers and Dwenger gave Leo scares, but the Lions prevailed. In the regional final, it looked like NorthWood took a late lead, but a foul was called on the floor, and Leo stopped Nothwood on the final possession. Against St. Joe in the semi-state, Leo faced a big halftime deficit before coming back to win by two.

 

The Lions are a veteran team led by senior guard Blake Davison. He posts 16.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. Davison, heading to Indiana Tech next year, likes to slash to the basket or pull-up in the mid-range. On occasion, he will look for the three-ball as well, but that is not his strength.

 

Things start for Leo with Davison, but the inside force of DJ Allen and Zack Troyer is a productive pair. Allen is a major football prospect and plays like it inside. He averages 13 points and 7.7 rebounds. Troyer, a senior, averages 11.3 points and 7.6 rebounds. There have been many games where Allen and Troyer led Leo to a victory. It will be a battle inside against Silver Creek.

 

It can be argued that Leo is at its best when Xavier Middleton and Ayden Ruble are making shots. The duo only averages a combined ten points per game, but Leo hits a new gear when one of those two is producing on the offensive end.

 

The inside match-up is easy to point to in this one, but Kaufman-Renn and Jacobi play on the perimeter a lot. Will Allen and Troyer be able to contain the Silver Creek duo away from the basket? Silver Creek’s perimeter defense was great last week, will Davison be able to find consistent looks against Norther, Hinton, and Schoen? Those are the points Indiana Basketball Source will be watching.