We are now into a full slate of basketball across the state. Sure it was a lighter week with the Thanksgiving Holiday but that doesn’t mean we didn’t have a lot of play with the boys taking to the court for the first time this season.
So what did you miss this week? What were the big happenings?
BOYS SEASON TIPS OFF
Lakeland was the first official team to play this season with a Tuesday afternoon win over the Fort Wayne Hawks homeschool team. The event was a really unique one with the game scheduled during the school day and a projected 1,200 students and staff in attendance. A big home crowd on opening day? Can’t get much better other than picking up the 79-34 win. Lakeland outscored the Hawks 26-0 in the third quarter to pull away for good; the Lakers held the Hawks scoreless for the first 11 minutes of the second half. Cole Riehl finished with 17 points and seven assists for Lakeland; Kyle Hartsough scored 18 with five assists.
Westview‘s Austin Schlabach helped get things really rolling to start the new season, scoring 18 against Bethany Christian on Tuesday. But 14 of those points game in a 33 point second quarter for the Warriors as they opened the season playing off the hype they had from last season. Kaden Grau led the Warriors with 19 points, doing so in just three quarters of play. In Auburn, Lakewood Park got 20 points, 10 rebounds and three steals from Avery MacFarlane in a season opening win against Southern Wells.
Also on Tuesday, Leo outscored Concordia 21-8 in the fourth quarter for a season opening win despite not having senior Nolan Hiteshew. It was Sajeh Richard who stepped up in the opener, scoring 18 points with eight rebounds, while going 5-of-7 from three point range. Fairfield opened their season with a Tuesday win over Wawasee behind 19 points from Parker Smith and 14 from Matthew Holsopple.
Tuesday was a great start for Norwell and the McBride brothers. In a 66-62 win over Northrop, it was Josh McBride leading all scorers with 23 points, while brother Nick McBride scored 20. The Knights outscored Northrop 23-16 in the fourth quarter while the pair combined to shoot 7-of-13 from three point range in the game and 14-of-25 total. The duo also combined for 13 rebounds and 11 assists.
New Haven dominated Woodlan to open the season Tuesday, 73-31. Jadrien Ezell scored 13 for the Bulldogs, but transfer Shane Rogers-Smith was the star of a balanced effort with 15 points, eight steals and four assists.
In Columbia City‘s Wednesday opener, a win over Whitko, the Eagles got 18 from Landon Richmond and 14 from Owen Marshall, but how about the 16 point outing from sophomore guard Ian St. John. He finished 4-of-7 from three point range in a bit of an early breakout performance. Another sophomore that shined Wednesday with his first significant varsity time is Heritage‘s Kingston Galentine. He also scored 14 and threw down a fast break dunk in the Patriots’ win over Garrett. Also in that game, the Railroaders got a breakout performance of their own from junior transfer Ayden O’Neal, who led all scorers in the game with 22 points (on 8-of-10 shooting) with eight rebounds.
Elsewhere in DeKalb County on Wednesday, Brady Vince led DeKalb to a win over Tippecanoe Valley in coach Austin Ervin’s debut. He hit 7-of-9 shots to score 17 to go with six assists and five rebounds. Caden Rice added 11 points for the Barons.
Prairie Heights‘ Cade Bachelor scored an early season high 25 points Saturday in a win at Garrett; the Railroaders’ Carter Coffman fought back with 22 of his own.
LILY GEORGE’S TORRIED PACE
There may be no player in the area on the girls side who asserted their dominance early in the season as much as Carroll‘s Lily George.
She added to that last week with 27 points in a close loss to East Noble. While the Chargers’ record sits at just 1-5 heading into this week, they have been competitive most nights and George has been a standout amongst that push.
George is now averaging 22 points on the season to go with 12.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals. And yes, it is still early in the year, but double double averages are rare and she has been able to showcase that she is doing this against a wide variety of opponents.
The senior put up season low numbers of 15 points and 8 rebounds in a loss to Carmel. Those numbers are ones that almost any player would love to be a good day, let alone the worst day of their young season. Outside of that, George’s other splits have been 20/14, 18/11, 25/15, 27/15, 27/14.
There is a lot of basketball to be played in her senior year, but there is no argument that George has been one of the most impressive performers in the 260 and Northeast Indiana so far this basketball season.
GIRLS QUICK HITS
Norwell‘s Vanessa Rosswurm posted 24 points and 5 steals Tuesday in a 58-point win over Concordia….Eastside opened Tuesday’s win over Bishop Luers holding the Knights to just five first quarter points; Taylor Mack ended with 20 points for the Blazers….East Noble‘s win over Carroll Tuesday was just their third of the Chargers in the last 16 years….Columbia City held Goshen to just 4 points on Tuesday in a 67 point win….South Adams’ Laney Trausch scored a season best 20 points Tuesday in a loss to Leo….Central Noble held off a flurry of fourth quarter triples on Tuesday to beat Lakeland, led by Grace Swank‘s 22 points….On Tuesday, Fairfield‘s Madison Jones scored 20 points in a win over NorthWood….Kendall VanderWal scored a new high for Angola Tuesday with 34 points in the win over Garrett….On Friday, Bluffton had 3 scorers in double figures led by 20 points from Konley Ault….On Friday, Grace Scharlach was 3 of 4 from deep and scored 22 points for Fremont in a win over West Noble….In Saturday’s win over Prairie Heights, Garrett got another double double from Sarah DePew with 22 points and 14 rebounds….On Saturday, Gabby Helsom scored a game high 24 points in a 63-40 win for Homestead over previously unbeaten Bellmont.
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