Before we get to the Outside the Huddle All-Area Team and our end-of-year awards, Bounce wanted to take some time and take a last glance at area conferences and hand out some league-specific metaphorical hardware.
We continue today with the SAC.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Trey Dillard, Wayne
Dillard showed up in masterful ways during his senior season. He had been part of a dynasty at Wayne, but with their high end work of their guard play over that time, Dillard wasn’t leaned on as much. That could have been the case for his senior season too, but Dillard was top notch throughout Wayne’s run to a third straight SAC title and an appearance in the Sectional final.s
Dillard was able to, on average, secure one or more in all five major stat categories with 14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. He was one of only five area players to average a double double during the season as well. In addition, Dillard surpassed 1,000 career points and flirted with doing so in rebounding as well. While he did not surpass 1,000 career rebounds, he did become Wayne’s all-time leading rebounder, a huge accomplishment for a program who has had some storied big men over the decades. Dillard was also part of the Fishers Tournament First Team in January.
HONORABLE MENTION: Dereon Truesdale (Bishop Luers), Drelyn Truesdale (Bishop Luers), Damarcus Barr (South Side), Chase Barnes (Wayne), Paxton Crane (Carroll)
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Paxton Crane, Carroll
If you know Bounce’s awards and OTH history, you know MVP means something different than Player of the Year. MVP to us is someone who is legit the most valuable to their team and overall success of that program.
Carroll did not have an ideal record, but the Chargers’ growth was still immense and Crane was a massive part of that. He grew from a solid presence a year ago into a can’t miss big man who was among the best of area posts. He had a strong summer coming into this season, but you never know what you are going to get until high school season tips off in November. Crane didn’t backslide even a little bit and seemed to be improving all year, which added some much needed value to Carroll’s stretch run.
Crane ended up as one of just five area players to average a double double with his 17.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. While the Chargers did not place a winning record on the season, they did add hardware with a Sectional title. During the Sectional round, Crane averaged 25.5 points and 10 rebounds per game including a season second best 28 points against Snider.
HONORABLE MENTION: Zachariah Belcher (South Side), Chase Barnes (Wayne), Xavier Wilson (Snider), Qualyn Clopton (Snider), James Browning (Northrop), Will Schlegel (Concordia), Mack Welker (Homestead)
BREAKOUT/MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: Xavier Wilson, Snider
Wilson averaged 2.6 points per game as a sophomore. This past season, as a junior, that number inflated to 14.8 points per game which led Snider in scoring. He added 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals. It was a massive influx for a player who looked to be a role guy for the Panthers as he became one of the more consistent go-to first options in the SAC.
He scored 14 out of the gate against Merrillville and then only scored in single digits six more times. Wilson’s first big eye opening moment for the rest of us came in his then career best 21 point game in late December’s win over North Side, where he shot 8-of-11 from the field. He scored in the 20’s six more times, including a new career high 25 opposite Blackhawk Christian. He ended up shooting 46 percent from the field, but had some pretty stellar shooting games including a perfect 8-of-8 against Heritage.
HONORABLE MENTION: Will Schlegel (Concordia), Sebastian Moore (North Side), James Browning (Northrop), Ayle Taylor (Bishop Luers), Jake Coolman (Homestead), Javonte Eldridge (Wayne)
COACH OF THE YEAR: Chris Johnson, Homestead
When people think about Chris Johnson, they think of a legend and future Hall of Fame coach. But did you realize that 2024-2025 was one of the best seasons of his career in win totals?
Johnson now sits a single win short of 450 for his Homestead career and this was his 12th season with a postseason title as the Spartans captured both Sectional and Regional crowns. But along the way, he has only compiled more wins than this season’s 22 on four other occasions with his highest being 29 wins the year Homestead went all the way to a state title game win.
Johnson was forced in his hand in ways with Homestead, losing his best player to graduation in 2024. But his losses after the 2023 season forced him to cultivate some players in 23-24 more than he probably would have otherwise. That paid major dividends in 24-25 because he had built a capable lineup that could handle rigors of various games. The Spartans won 16 of their last 17 games before their semi state loss to Crown Point. Their only loss in that time, to conference champion Wayne, was gotten back by beating the Generals in the Sectional title game.
HONORABLE MENTION: Anthony Brewer (Wayne), Chris Benedict (Carroll)
GAME OF THE YEAR: Homestead vs. Wayne, Sectional finals
You could easily tag their first contest, a 63-60 Wayne win, as the game of the year. But then they met again in Sectionals…this time with a title on the line and this time at Wayne.
Wayne had won the previous five meetings as the two programs have basically been the top of the SAC and their Sectional in recent seasons. This time, Homestead opened up a lead in the second half and it did not look like they were going to relent at all. Everything was coming up Sparty as Mack Welker opened the fourth quarter with a three pointer that put the road team up 11 points. But then, Homestead didn’t really score again; the Spartans were held without a made field goal most of the fourth quarter and only could muster 5-of-10 makes from the free throw line.
Wayne did hit though and a a three pointer by junior Lashawn Green narrowed the Homestead lead to 53-52. Ultimately, it was a two point with just over eight seconds left when Wayne executed a great alley oop layup play out of a timeout that just didn’t go down.
The Spartans survived a game that didn’t look like much of a game in the middle two quarters, but ended up being one of the most high energy fourth quarters and closings all season. Welker ended the game with 16 points as Homestead celebrated their title. The reign of Wayne ended – for now – with Tyree Eldridge leading the way with 12 points. It was Wayne’s first loss to a SAC team since January 6, 2023.
EARLY 2025-26 CONFERENCE CHAMP PICK: Snider
Well why wouldn’t it be? Plenty of reasons I guess because Homestead will be Homestead and the likes of Wayne, Bishop Luers and Carroll are more likely to reload than to no reload.
But Snider has a huge benefit too in that they seem to be stacking breakout players on top of breakout players and if they all play at a consistently high level, this Panther team is stacked. Snider only loses two players to graduation and as exceptional as Qualyn Clopton could be at times, the development of Xavier Wilson into an IBCA All-State Honorable Mention player takes a great deal of pressure off Snider in trying to figure out how to replace Clopton’s output.
They also will return Trell Hogue and Ketron Paschall for their junior seasons. Sure, we can admit that these two aren’t as big of buzz players leading their sophomore seasons as they were when they left their freshmen years. That said, they are still two of the most skilled players in the class of 2027 anywhere in the area. Paschall is developing a more well rounded game but is still so tough on the interior and defensively, while Hogue is one of the most skilled and shifty guards in the area.
These opinions represent those of Bounce and Outside the Huddle. No opinions expressed on Outside the Huddle represent those of any of our advertisers. Follow Bounce on Twitter at Bounce_OTH
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