Trent Sisley came out of the gates hot for Heritage Hills Saturday afternoon. He hit a 3, a runner in the lane, and a dunk in traffic. Guerin Catholic did a really good job on Sisley from there. They bracketed him and got physical with him and made it tough. Robert Sorensen was the dude for Guerin Catholic. He hit shots from all over the floor and carried Guerin the whole way. Junior Bryson Cardinal didn’t have the offensive output he’s had over his first few games but he had the challenge of sticking Sisley and getting physical with him. Guerin Catholic needs another perimeter scorer to really round out their team and lucky for them, Jack Cherry will be back from injury and will be another talented perimeter player along with Sorensen.
*5’10 Senior guard Robert Sorensen was the player of the day (in the games I saw) for Guerin Catholic. Sorensen had 29 of Guerin’s 52. Sorensen plays with so much confidence and has a feel for the game you can’t teach. He really had his pull-up jumper going Saturday and showed the ability to get to the rim and finish with both hands. Sorensen looks like an NAIA kid to me or a really good D3 program.
*2025 4 star Trent Sisley had flashes of special Saturday afternoon. His athleticism and fluidness in traffic continues to progress. He had 2 really impressive dunks in traffic. Sisley is going to draw double and triple teams all year and Saturday he made some mistakes in those situations, but he’s going to need other guys to consistently step up. He does need to continue to work in his shot making from the perimeter to really solidify himself as a HM 3. Sisley ended up with 13 points and ended up fouling out with around 3 minutes left. Certainly not one of Sisley’s best games, but you can see the talent and see why he has the offers he does.
Two of the top 3 teams in their respective classes met up tonight as the Brownstown Braves hosted the Scottsburg Warriors. This game was anticipated by both schools so much that the game had been sold out for weeks and there was a watch party at the visiting Warriors gym. Scottsburg started out hot outscoring Brownstown 15-9 in the 1st half. That is when the game turned for the Warriors and their offense became cold. By half the Braves were up 26-19 and by the final buzzer, Brownstown took home the conference win, 51- 37.
● Everyone in the state knows 6'5 Brave senior Jack Benter who's committed to Purdue. Coming off a knee/calf injury last week there were questions if Jack would be available for tonight. He did and looked like he did not miss a beat scoring 19. 19 points lowers his average but it was not an easy 19. Scottsburg's 1-3-1 defense was focused on him throughout and he took advantage scoring and assisting. Benter did not force anything tonight which I've seen him do before. His athleticism, strength, and height at this level is too much for most teams to handle.
● 6'0 point guard Parker Hehman was the benefactor of Benter's passing most of the night. Hehman is a very underrated part of this team and looks like he was made to play in the HCAC (division 3 conference that includes, Hanover, Franklin, Manchester). His two 3 pointers in the 2nd quarter brought Brownstown back from being down and gave life to their offense. Hehman really controls the game and is very limited on turnovers. Parker finished with 14 points.
● Kody Clancy is the Warriors 6'3 point guard. Clancy got going offensively getting to the basket, hitting mid range jumpers, and 3 point range. Kody is not afraid of contact when getting to the rim. Not the most athletic kid on the floor but Clancy makes up for that with size and length. He finished with a Warrior high 16 points
● Jack Miller is a 6'5 guard that has really been playing well for Scottsburg so far in this young season. The first quarter for Miller was his best scoring 9 and looked unstoppable getting to the rim. When switched out on bigger defenders Miller gets passed them with a quick first step and on smaller guys by using his size and athleticism. Jack also had the task of guarding Brownstown's star, Jack Benter all night. Miller's best assest may be his defense. He has a couple of D2 offers and really showed flashes of Division 1 capabilities in front of Bellarmine head coach, Scotty Davenport. Once his outside shot becomes consistent, watch out.
● 6'8 senior Wyatt Zellers had a tough night offensively for the Warriors. Defensive Zellers made up for it with 2 huge blocks and countless deflections and rebounds. His size and length added with his 3 point shooting ability makes him a mismatch everytime he steps on the floor. Zellers is a stretch 4 in college but at the high school level I'd like to see him take advantage of his height down low at times. Zellers finished with 4 points.
The Crown Point Bulldogs made the trip over to the John A. Barratto Center in East Chicago last night to take on the Cardinals. This game was tight throughout with leads exchanging numerous times. It was my first chance to watch Bulldog sophomore, Dikembe Shaw and East Chicago junior, Dominique Murphy. The matchup did not disappoint but it was thr young pups from Crown Point earning a hard fought 63- 57 win.
● 6'6 sophomore Dikembe Shaw is a long and athletic prospect for the Bulldogs. Shaw finished the night with 18 points and guarded Murphy for most of the night when in man to man. Shaw showed that he could handle the ball and range hitting an outside shot. Right now Shaw is more comfortable driving to the basket in transition but with 2 and a half years of high school ball is looking like a sure fire Division 1 prospect.
● 6'1 guard Mason Darrell is another sophomore for the Dogs. Mason had a really strong 1st half and helped handle the ball against the quick East Chicago pressure. Darrell finished with 13 and will continue to develop with this young Bulldog team.
● 6'5 wing Dominique Murphy came in averaging 22 ppg on the young season for the Cards. Although he did not hit his season average Murphy did score 14 while having a big time impact for EC. Murphy can score in alot of ways. His shot is pure and he is big enough at the high school level to out jump and bully his defenders inside. With a handful of division 1 offers already look for Murphy to make a leap into the High- major category.
● Junior Keontaye Bell is a 6'1 guard for the Cardinals that helped propel EC in the 1st half scoring all of his 14 points. Bell is a very quick guard that is best when in transition. Bell also showed he is able to hit the 3 netting two of those against the Crown Point zone. Look for the Bell and Murphy combo to be dangerous going forward.
A game that lived up to all of the hype. The Indians pushed a lead to 11 at one point in the 3rd, which was the biggest lead for either team. Chesterton fought back behind senior leaders Justin Sims and Tyler Parrish who both had great games. Parrish knocked down some big shots, not only at the rim, but also from way outside. Handled the ball very well and made good decisions. Sims had 2 big blocks to seal the victory, as well as finishing with a double double, which he has a great chance to average this season. Both receiving interest from Crossroads schools, and would be a great fit at that level. Sophomore Logan Pokorney also hit some big time shots for the Trojans. I still feel like the Indians are trying to figure out their rolls on the offensive in, as their full court defensive pressure gave the Trojans fits. But in the end it just wasn't enough. Both of these teams look to make deep runs in the tournament.
Mishawaka Marian traveled to Fort Wayne Luers Saturday night after an emotional game against South Bend Riley Friday night. There was a lid on the bucket for Marian in the first half. Marian had 9 points at half. They missed about 5 or 6 high percentage shots right at the rim. Luers came out energized and ready to put on a show. Drelyn and Dereon Truesdale made their Bishop Luers debut coming over from Carroll. Luers was up 15 plus points most of the 1st half but Marian’s Zion Rhoades got it going in a hurry in the second half. Rhoades ended with 23 and 19 in the 2nd half. Marian got it under 10 a few times in the 2nd half but couldn’t get over the hump.
* Mishawaka Marian will be a factor in the 3A north again. They still play their 2-3 zone and it is tough for some teams to crack. Zion Rhoades ended with 23 for Marian and was doing it inside and outside. Paxan Sullivan is a drive-first guard that makes winning plays for Marian. Junior forward Deuce Owen’s provides another interior scorer to go along with Zion Rhoades. Senior guard Jordan Maust showed the ability to make plays on the perimeter as well.
* Junior guards Drelyn and Dereon Truesdale had a nice debut for Luers. Drelyn ended with 18 points and Dereon ended with 10. Both of them create havoc defensively. They get a lot of deflections with their length and athleticism. Offensively, they both can hit shots from the perimeter and both are relentless attacking the paint. I want to see them continue to add strength and tighten up their handle. Sometimes they can be a little too loose with the ball. Both were trying to do too much at times in this one as well which makes sense in their first home game. Both tried dunking in traffic a few times when a layup would have been an easy 2, but overall they both impacted the game like always and they are poised to have big years. Should start seeing some offers roll in at some point this season.
*2026 guard Carmani Davis is going to be a fan favorite at Luers this year. Carmani is a zone buster and that’s exactly what he did Saturday night. Carmani splashed in 5 3s and got fouled on another and hit all three free throws. What I love about Davis is his confidence. He hit 2 3’s in a row and the next time down he pulled one from the volleyball line. He missed it but shows how much confidence he has and how much confidence Coach Coffing has in him to give him the green light.
BNL visited the "pressure cooker" on Saturday night to face the #3 ranked Scottsburg Warriors. BNL was coming off a loss to Bloomington South the night before and Scottsburg was coming off a win at Charlestown. The Stars started out hot and led at half 29- 19 while holding Scottsburg pg Kody Clancy scoreless. Scottsburg's came out with a different intensity in the 2nd half, especially on defense. The Warriors caught up and took a 1 point lead going into the 4th and held on for a 57-51 in a really hard fought game. I came away very impressed with BNL and look for them to be a contender in their sectional while Scottsburg is hoping for a state title run.
● Jack Miller is a 6'5 senior that really carried the Warriors offensively tonight. He had a thunderous dunk in the 2nd quarter that showcased his athleticism. He consistently guards the other teams best player each game and is very disruptive on top of their 1-3-1 zone. Miller also showed flashes of hitting the outside shot tonight while finishing with a game- high 26 points. Miller is best offensively when he is driving to the basket or pulling up from 8- 10 feet. He is a legit D2 prospect.
● Senior Wyatt Zellers stands 6'8 and can really stretch the floor. He was a factor defensively tonight on the backside of their 1-3-1 with 2 big blocks. Zellers is also money from the corner 3 offensively. He is not a "back you down/ over power you" big but with his height and length will shoot over his opponents. Zellers has a handful of NAIA offers and even D2.
● 6'4 Senior Kody Clancy is the Warriors leading scorer so far in this young season. Clancy did not have it going tonight scoring all of his 7 in the second half on free throws. He is a true point guard with good size for the next level. He currently has a Hanover College and IU- East offer.
● 6'5 junior Patric Matson is a very intriguing prospect for the Stars. Matson started out hot from 3 in lieu to his team high 22 points. He is long and a true 2 guard which should get him on some college radars this summer. Look for Matson to be a real sleeper in a loaded 2025 class.
In a game that Valpo led start to finish, you never really got the feeling that East Chicago would come back in this one. The couple runs that ECC made were quickly countered by Valpo runs of their own. Valpo showed depth as well, going 10 deep. They were able to handle the ECC pressure well enough to finish this one with the W. This was Valparaiso's night the whole way, as it was coach Ben Lieske's first win. Congrats!
2025 Valpo guard Jack Smiley had himself a ballgame. This was the first time I have seen him go off like this personally, but knew he had it in him. Stuffed the stat sheet and was solid all game. Sneaky athletic and long. Can hit from outside when he gets his feet under him with smooth lefty shot. Currently has Valpo and Ohio offers, which is a great level for him. I expect him to have a great junior year that leads into a big time senior season. More offers loading...
6'8" Viking senior big man Alec Pladipodis did what he always does; score inside and rebound. Great fit at a D3 with his size and length down low. Has a handful of offers to choose from at that level.
A pleasant surprise for me in this one was ECC 6'6 junior Yamauree Wallace. D1 potential with a stop at a post grad most likely, but showed athleticism and his ability to shoot and rebound. Especially shoot over defenders. Versatile defender as well. Need to see some more of him for sure!
ECC junior guard Dominique Murphy came into this contest with probably the most hype. He's been discussed as one of the top of his class in the state. Finished this one shooting 12/24 from the field and 8 rebounds. Didn't hit any shots from outside, but the form is there. Did all of his damage in the post, put-back rebounds, and a couple nice jumpers from 10-12 foot. Hasn't reached his full potential yet, and motor is trending in the right direction. With continued work, Murphy could be a name we see mentioned for a potential Indiana All Star his senior year.
After a strong first half by Noblesville, Fishers outscored the Millers 24-11 in the third quarter. The key to the game was paint touches. Noblesville, relying heavily on ball screens, found success in the first half, especially the second quarter. Fishers answered in the third by doing a better job of creating space, where they were able to take advantage of some matchups athletically. Where Fishers turned to the tide, starting early in the third quarter, was attacking on loose possessions (misses or live ball turnovers).
A battle of Sectional 10 foes, it was a back and forth game until midway through the 2nd quarter when North Central stretched out to a seven point lead. A four point Panther lead bounced to 12 by midway in 3rd. North Central kept Crispus Attucks at arm's length for much of the 4th, but Attucks only had the ball once down on possession in the final two minutes.
Great home win for FW North on Tuesday night. Jaxson Fugate, Eugene Young Jr, and Javion Davenport lead the legends. There were times last year when Fugate and Young Jr were a little inconsistent, but that was not the case Tuesday night. Both were taking turns hitting shots from all over the court. The story on Blackhawk Tuesday night was about players fitting into different roles. Kellen Pickett goes from being a really nice piece to their go-to guy. Isaac Smith and Aiden Muldoon go from 5th and 6th options to 2nd and 3rd options. Bryce Sefton goes from best player on JV to varsity starter. All of them struggled at times which is expected in their first game, but I expect Blackhawk to be much improved as the season goes on and will be a contender in the 2A north come March.