Where has all the time gone?
Boys basketball’s regular season is officially over and girls basketball’s complete season is officially over. It is hard to believe we are down to the last month total of basketball this season.
So what did we learn this week? With conference titles wrapped up on the boys side coming into the week, it was a chance to make some individual and team statements heading into the postseason. So this weekend’s wrap up is going change it up a little bit and talk about some stock risers as we look ahead to Sectional play starting Tuesday.
STOCK RISER TEAMS
HERITAGE PATRIOTS
Heritage had lost five straight games – three close ones and two double digit losses in a row – heading into a Senior Night battle with DeKalb on Tuesday. And then the Patriots beat the Barons by 11, containing Zeke Penrod and Brady Vince in the process. Lantae Cassel scored 24 points on 69 percent shooting in the game, while sophomore Nolan Bowers continues to emerge as he had 6 points on perfect shooting, seven rebounds and three blocks in Tuesday’s win.
LEO LIONS
It has been an up and down season for the Lions, but this week did more good than harm to them heading into Sectional play. Tuesday’s outing against Blackhawk Christian opened a decent amount of eyes. The Lions didn’t rely on a three point shot, they went inside with Sajeh Richard and Jonah Lagrange to the tune of 24 of their 46 points in a four point loss to the favorites in their own Sectional. It was a game with seven lead changes where a blowout was moderately expeted.
NORTH SIDE LEGENDS
The Legends closed their season on Tuesday with a win over Garrett, 71-61. It is a nice little breather for them with nine days between games before their Sectional semi final game. Rest helps, but North Side’s Tuesday encounter helped them handle adversity well as Garrett pushed more than expected. The Legends proved again that they have a nice core of weapons though as Sebastian Moore led with 22 points, but the 21 they got from Andrew Upton and 17 (including a great big man spin move finish) from Omarion Waites highlight just how deep this team can go with top end scoring.
CANTERBURY CAVALIERS
The Cavs have been on a roll as of late as well, with a big showing on Tuesdya in a win over Lakeland Christian. The best part about Canterbury’s successes late in the season is the introduction to casual fans to some of their quality players. On Tuesday, it was Nicholas Collins showing out as he scored 23 points and pulled down 13 rebounds in the win.
SOUTH SIDE ARCHERS
“But Bounce, how can the SAC champions be considered rising stock?”
By beating the NE8 champions by 13 to close the regular season, that is how. On Thursday, South Side picked up a 72-59 win over New Haven in a game sadly a bit lost in the final week of the season, being on a Thursday and with girls state finals preview coverage dominating much of the area. South Side is 18-4, their best record since the 2006-2007 season and the win over New Haven helps answer the age old debate – for this season at least – of the SAC vs. the NE8. The 72 points ties for the fourth most scored in a game by the Archers this season.
Corte Wallace led South Side with 24 points in the win, followed by 18 from Jayvon Irby, while New Haven was paced by 18 points from Marquaylon Johnson. The win gives South major momentum heading into a challenging Sectional.
ANGOLA HORNETS
Angola spoiled Lakeland’s senior night on Friday and they did so because of their continued ability to flex their depth. Niles Knox led the way in the 58-47 win with 20 points, followed by seven from Cru Weber.
The Hornets have been able to be a deep team scoring the ball all season and Weber recently had a seven made three pointer outing against Eastside. On Friday, while Knox led the way with the help of Weber, Angola also got scoring from five other behind the two of them. Junior Jacob Fraley chipped in 8 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals on Friday night.
STOCK RISER PLAYERS
ISAIAH KING, GARRETT
It has been a start-stop year for King, who has dealt with a string of injuries, this week playing just his 7th and 8th games of the season. He opened the week though strong, scoring a game high 26 in a closer than expected loss for the Railroaders at North Side. King threw down a couple of powerful two handed dunks and also finished with eight rebounds and three steals at North. King finished the regular season with just his eighth game of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds, his third double double in the last four games.
BRODY FISHER, CARROLL
The senior big man has had a solid final campaign with the Chargers, but opened this past week up with an even bigger performance at Norwell. Fisher didn’t just dominate in the paint, where he was 5-of-8, he also stepped out and hit a big three on his way to a game high 17 points in Tuesday’s win against Norwell. A player of Fisher’s size knocking down long range shots opens up a lot for the Charger offense. He also helped Carroll lock in a 56-52 win over Bishop Luers on Friday night to help them finish a co-SAC best 7-2 in conference.
DREW JONES, WARSAW
What better time for a career high than the last week of the regular season. Warsaw got that with 15 points from Jones on Tuesday in a win over Tippecanoe Valley. Jones has also dealt with slight injury issues during his sophomore campaign but appears to be peaking at the right time. He finished 7-of-7 from the field on Tuesday with five rebounds.
GEORGE POIRY, BISHOP DWENGER
It is possible that no other player in the area has risen as well as Poiry has the last couple of weeks. He turned that up to another level in Tuesday’s win over Bellmont. Poiry scored 27 of the Saints’ 59 points int he game, adding 10 rebounds and four assists.
BOYS QUICK NOTES
Landon Richmond of Columbia City posted a 22 point/12 rebound double double on Friday night in a senior night win over Concordia, adding three blocks….Garrett‘s Carter Coffman flirted with triple double history on Friday in a win over West Noble with a balanced 8 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists….Snider scored 96 points at Marion on Friday, with six guys in double figure scoring, led by Jordan Woods‘ 16, followed by Ketron Paschall (15), Braylin Fertil (14), Chance DeRossett (13), Xavier Wilson (12) and Layne Patterson (10); Snider last scored in the 90s on February 4, 2023 in a win over East Noble, 93-76. They scored 100 points on December 18, 2020 in a win over North Side….While not in our area, area adjacent Northridge set a program record this season for victories, finishing with 22 after beating DeKalb on Friday night.
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