Gary West Side overcame a 12-point first half deficit to put away Michigan City by a score of 63-61 on Saturday night. West Side’s Jalen Washington returned to the Cougar lineup after missing all last season with an ACL tear.The Cougars utilized an effective zone for a stretch to slow down the uptempo Wolves attack, and fans got to witness a shootout between two of the finest guards in Northwest Indiana down the stretch.
Michigan City’s sophomore guard Hodges finished with 30 points, including 15 in the fourth. The undersized guard buried big shots for the Wolves like he has since entering high school.
The mega effort from Hodges wasn’t enough as West Side countered with Quimari Peterson and Chrishawn Christmas. Peterson was locked in from deep all game and matched Hodges in big points of the game. He finished with 23 points.
Christmas is also back in the rotation for West Side after a stint at a prep school and, like Washington, tearing his ACL last year. It was his bucket late in the game that gave West Side the lead. He made a major impact on the glass and around the rim with his size and athleticism.
The inaugural Sneakers for Santa Shootout saw many great individual performances. Although there were many candidates, here are Indiana Basketball Source’s top 11 performers from the seven-game slate.
Ian Scott – Plainfield – 2021
Scott turned in an insane performance against North Central. The senior forward was attacking and scoring at the basket all game. He went 19-26 from the field for 43 points. Scott had four dunks in the game and nearly had another poster dunk but he laid it in at the last second. He also collected 14 rebounds. As a scorer, Scott was great in two or three dribble slashes to the basket. He also scored off basket cuts and high-lows with Cael Vanderbush. Scott displayed great footwork with multiple pivot scores in the lane. Currently, Marian University is his only offer, but his phone was blowing up after this performance.
Goode scored the first five points for Homestead and kept that going throughout the game. He was especially good in the mid-range either posting up or shooting on the move. The Illinois signee also hit the glass hard and made a defensive impact. Goode dished out five assists as well. Adjusted for a top-tier opponent, this was the best overall game Indiana Basketball Source has seen Goode play.
In a match-up against Auburn-bound Sage Tolentino, Furst won in a no contest. Furst was 10-14 from the field, including 10-11 in the paint. Furst has experience going against seven-footers from his Nike EYBL days, and he took the action right at Tolentino. With his Blackhawk Christian squad in control, Furst did not have to pile up huge numbers. The Purdue signee still finished with 23 points and nine rebounds.
Gunn had a slow start against Hammond before taking over down the stretch. His 19-point effort helped Lawrence North avoid being upset by the opposing Wildcats. Gunn banked in a three-pointer early before going on a cold streak. He continued to play with confidence and connected on two more triples late in the game. Gunn also had six rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. It was a good start to Gunn’s junior season.
Reggie Abram – Hammond – 2021
In that same game, Abram was on fire from deep. He went 6-11 from three-point range. The senior guard was a major reason why Hammond had a chance to beat LN. He was tremendous as a spot-up shooter. He also handled the ball a lot for the Wildcats. In the five games that Indiana Basketball Source saw Hammond last year, Abram was 8-18 from deep. This was not a fluke.
Altman continued his hot start to the season. After scoring 24 against Cathedral Friday, the senior forward scored 22 points to push the Braves to victory. Altman has been fantastic at taking a dribble handoff and getting downhill after trailing the play. Against Avon, he was 6-10 from the field and 10-12 from the line. With his size and strength, Altman overpowers high school defenders in the paint.
Vincent Brady – Cathedral – 2021 – Air Force Academy
In Cathedral’s last three games, Brady has been a flamethrower from deep. Against Homestead, the senior guard went 4-8 from deep. Over the three-game stretch, he is 8-13. He finished with 17 points in the double-overtime lost to Homestead. Brady also had six rebounds.
During an up and down game, Stanley remained under control. His early shooting helped Warren Central take a double-figure lead against Attucks. He connected on his first threes of the game. He finished 4-8 from deep. Before fouling out, Stanley tallied 23 points, five rebounds, and two assists. With Tae Davis, Chandler Jackson, and Sean Black running with him this year, Stanley should continue to get plenty of open looks from the outside.
Mitchell O’Mara – Avon – 2021
In a low-scoring game, O’Mara scored 17 points in Avon’s loss to Brebeuf. O’Mara’s energy helped the Orioles in all phases of the game. He had three rebounds, three assists, and a steal in addition to his team-high 17 points. O’Mara’s aggressiveness shows with his 7-8 performance from the free throw line.
Isaiah Stafford – Crispus Attucks – 2021
It was a tale of two halves for Stafford. The first half was not pretty for Stafford as his quick trigger led to bad shots and run-out opportunities for Warren Central. In the second half, Stafford played under more control and took better shots. The enhanced selection led to 18 second-half points. Stafford is a great athlete that can create space off the dribble. He also has a smooth looking shot when he isn’t rushing it. Stafford added five rebounds, three steals, and a block to his stat line in the Attucks victory.
Walker was another player that started slowly before having a big-time game. The dynamic guard was able to get into the lane any time he wanted against Plainfield. In the first half, he forced more outside shots. After halftime, he found a rhythm by getting to the basket and free throw line. He shot 14 free throws in the loss. Walker finished with 23 points, two steals, two rebounds, and two assists. After averaging 20 points a game as a sophomore, Walker is poised for a massive junior season.
(Luke Goode turned in a tremendous effort for Homestead)
The inaugural Sneakers for Santa Shootout took place Saturday at Brownsburg High School. An event to collect shoes for Samaritan's Feet. Here are the game recaps from each of the seven contests
In an early season NIC matchup, Adams rode defensive pressure and an outstanding effort on the glass to pull away from St. Joe and win by a 65-54 count. The Eagles placed three in double figures, led by Brayden Saxton's 21-point, 10-rebound effort. Sydney Jefferies had 15 and Lynn King added 13. JR Konieczny of St. Joe led all scorers with 30 points to go along with a game-high 13 boards.
