Starting on a state championship team as a freshman, Suder's role was a motor guy and a plus-defender, even as a freshman. He made plays on the offensive glass. He made hustle plays. They didn't need him to score. His play last year evolved immediately to that of a slasher, whose production on the scoreboard and back board had to increase immediately. He lived up to that early, while honing his defense--being able to guard the opponent's best player without picking up bad fouls.
What started to show midway through his sophomore season was the improvement in his jump shot. His ranged beyond the 3pt line was non-existent as a freshman. It wasn't just because as a freshman his offensive production wasn't counted on. His shot mechanics, though not bad, weren't where they needed to be.
Suder's progression into his junior year includes more playmaking, especially off the dribble. While there have been times he's needed to attack more, when he's getting downhill he's finding the openings as the defense helps and rotates around him. He's also showed more of a mid-range game, jump shot and floater. He still needs to improve consistency from 3PT range, but it's not something that can't go unguarded.
Next thing to add to his game? Possibly making people pay for going under on ball screens or handoffs. That goes with being a more consistent behind the arc.
The good and the bad of it for Cathedral turned out to be their ability to finish at the rim. When they were getting that done, they were in control of the game. When it sputtered, they struggled. When they combined it with turnovers, Crispus Attucks, which had trimmed an 18 point deficit to 14, it quickly became 2. Cathedral course corrected and held on.
Zak Tyler and Jim Reamer discuss the injunction process that allowed Jayden Brewer to play over the weekend. Jim breaks down the Homestead at Lawrence North showdown in 'Best Games'
Weekly Features: Recruiting updates Best Games, Best Teams, Best Performance Games we're looking forward to Hot Take Theater!
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The game had stretches in which both teams swapped turnovers or rushed shots, but in a game that was tight most of the way, Tindley's production on the offensive glass finally won the night.
31 points (5-10 3PTR), 6 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals in just 21 minutes of action. That's pretty good, right? How about 40 points (5-12 3PTR and 13-14 FT), 4 assists and 4 rebounds. That's even better, right? Both of those games are in wins over Western Boone and Lapel.
As impressive as the counting stats have been for Gus Etchison, what's been nice to see is the consistent shooting. Checking the boxes for improvement the 6'0" senior guard for Hamilton Heights needed to match his dynamic athleticism. The Western Michigan recruit is one of a forest of guards vying for the 2021 Indiana All-star team. He's doing his part, including leading Heights to their best start (7-2) in about a decade.
This earns Gus Etchison the Metro Indy Basketball Player of the Week for the week of January 11-January 16
POTW is powered by the Metro Indy Basketball Fall League
Others Considered
Chris Mantis, the best player in the Region this year, is making a push for the Indiana All-star team. The 6'7" guard produced games of 37 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals vs. Gary West. He followed that up with 33 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals vs. Hammond Gavit.
Evansville Reitz had a delayed start, then about a month between their first and second games. They have taken it stride, off to a 7-0 start to their season. A big reason for that has been the play of Owen Dease. The 6'7" senior guard had an impressive week, mainly a 38 point explosion over Evansville North, which included 7 3PTR. He added 18 points and 17 points respectively in wins over Webster County (KY) and Central Christian Academy. He also doled out 11 assists over those three games and pulled down 37 rebounds.
Joey Bomba has really had to step up for Bloomington South. The 6'4" senior guard knew he would have to up his production in the wake of Anthony Leal (Indiana) and Noah Jager's (Army) graduation, but add in the season long injury of Conner Hickman, 6'2" senior, who is committed to Bradley. Bomba is following through. His latest effort, in a win over Columbus East, Bomba scored 38 points, including 30 in the first half, going 10-14 3PTR for the game.
Starting a program from scratch isn't easy, and that's what former Pike and Purdue star, David Teague did a couple of years ago. Purdue Poly Technical is still a year away from participating in the state tournament, but building a culture of hard working, high motor kids has been a must from day one. Kevin Bodley, 6'3" senior forward, is having a great year, 16.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, but in their win over Washington, he poured in 21 points and a career high 26 rebounds.
Others Nominated
Sophomores and Freshmen Nominated
PREPEND: Recruiting update, update
Zak Tyler updates us on recruiting news, then Zak and Jim Reamer discuss the Caedmon Bontrager transfer to Elevation Prep.
Weekly Features: Best Games, Best Teams, Best Performances Upcoming games Hot Take Theater!
In a game that featured 3 upper-tier guards from the classes of 2022 and 2023, Chesterton's 2022 Travis Grayson got the best of the 2023s of the the Kingsmen and Joe Smith and Markus Burton. The lead, for the now 11-1 Trojans, never got any greater than 9 as Penn was able to keep the game with in reach. A few times in the second half they were within scoring on a few possessions of potentially taking a lead, but were unable to hit shots or make stops when they needed to. In the end the Chesterton D, play of Travis Grayson, and the stepping up of Trojan role-players was the difference.
In what was a tight, back and forth game for a little over three quarters, it turned into an 8 point win for Northridge. Great pace and tempo to this one. In the end, 14 NorthWood turnovers created by the Ridge tough pressure D, combined with Northridge senior leadership and big first half from Blake Jacobs doomed the Panthers.
The game went as expected, back and forth. Both teams held 8-point leads. It was actually a Cathedral 19-4 run (15-0 at one point), taking their 7-point deficit to their largest lead at 30-22. Carmel dug in, took the lead back at 34-33, and from there, no one led by more than 3.
Truly a tale of two halves, and it’s tough to resolve what happened in the second half. Ben Davis tried to come out in the first half and assert themselves as the big school favorite they usually are. Beech Grove withstood the defensive pressure, took the first punch then provided an analytics dream - all 3s and shots at the rim - as BD’s defense started to relent a bit.
The second half, BD’s defensive pressure didn’t relent, and BG scrambled to find shots on the perimeter. They were getting good (though contested) shots at the rim throughout but were very rushed. As BD got the game to one possession, it them awhile to get over the hump. There are likely a few shots they’d like back.
BD turned defense into offense, and BG had little answer for BD in transition. Still, with the ball under :30, BG got to the rim in transition, only to see the ball bounce out. BD secured the rebound and iced it at the line. BG had one final possession, but a deflected pass to Jadyn Curry threw off their possession. They never got a shot off.