J&C Boys Hoops Classic by Journal & Courier

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Sunday, Nov. 28, 2010

Boys J&C Hoops Classic

Sunday, November 28, 2010 | jconline.com

About the tournament

Tournament schedule

At Lafayette Jeff Monday Central Catholic vs. Twin Lakes, 6 p.m. Benton Central vs. Harrison, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday West Lafayette vs. Frankfort, 6 p.m. McCutcheon vs. Lafayette Jeff, 7:30 p.m. Thursday Monday’s losers, 6 p.m. Tuesday’s losers, 7:30 p.m. Friday Monday’s winners, 6 p.m. Tuesday’s winners, 7:30 p.m. Saturday Auxiliary gym Seventh place, 4 p.m. Main gym Fifth place, 4 p.m. Third place, 6 p.m. Championship, 8 p.m.

The eighth-annual boys J&C Hoops Classic is a tournament featuring the ﬁve Tippecanoe County high schools, along with Benton Central, Frankfort and Twin Lakes.

On the cover

From left: Central Catholic’s Brett Haan, McCutcheon’s Brady Knoy, Lafayette Jeff’s Nick Stacy, Benton Central’s Kyle Bird, Frankfort’s Stanley Moore, Harrison’s Josh Withers, West Lafayette’s George Zhang and Twin Lakes’ Sam Johnson. Special thanks to Tim Fitzgerald of Exploration Acres. — Photo by Jordan Kartholl/Journal & Courier

Journal & Courier file photo

The boys J&C Hoops Classic championship trophy.

Team previews

Benton Central...........................3 Central Catholic........................ 4 Frankfort..................................... 5 Harrison ..................................... 6 Lafayette Jeff............................. 8 McCutcheon.............................. 9 Twin Lakes ............................... 10 West Lafayette .........................11

Sunday, November 28, 2010 | jconline.com

Boys J&C Hoops Classic

BENTON CENTRAL BISON Quick shots Coach: Kyle Rule (ﬁrst season) 2009-10 results: 3-18, lost to Frankfort 67-52 in sectional opener Conference: Hoosier Sectional: Class 3A, Sectional 20 Sectional opponents: Frankfort (host), Northwestern, Twin Lakes, West Lafayette, Western

Returning stat leaders

Johnson

Bird

Scoring: Jordan Johnson (8.3) Rebounding: Johnson and Kyle Bird (2.1) Assists: Bird (1.2) Steals: Johnson (1.1)

Last season Offensive average: 44.9 Defensive average: 58.2 Benton Central opened the season with 11 straight losses, only two of which were by fewer than four points. The Bison ﬁnally broke through with a 60-46 home victory over Seeger on Jan. 29. Two victories on one February weekend — at South Newton and at home against Sheridan — gave BC a lateseason lift. But sectional host Frankfort dismissed the Bison in the opening round. Senior guard Aaron Kult raised his game to another level, boosting his scoring average nearly nine points per game. Five other seniors graduated at season’s end, and Eric Wiley stepped down after one season as head coach and a long tenure as an assistant.

Roster

Rule

No.Name Pos. Ht. Yr. 10 Patrick Lester G 6-0 Sr. 12 Ty Fischbach F 6-2 Jr. 14 Kyle Bird G 6-1 Sr. 20 Mitch Schluttenhofer F 6-2 Sr. 22 Sonny Flores G 5-8 Jr. 24 Devon Freeland G 6-0 Jr. 30 John O’Malley G 5-8 Jr. 32 Jordan Johnson G 6-0 Jr. 34 Brandon Rooze G 6-4 So. 40 Tyler Souligne F 6-3 Fr. 42 Nate Slavens F 6-1 Jr. 44 Colin Claire F 5-10 Jr.

Fischbach

ON GUARD

New coach Kyle Rule expects to start four guards at the beginning of the season. As a sophomore, Jordan Johnson emerged as the Bison’s second-best scoring option behind senior Aaron Kult. He shot 35 percent from 3point range and is perhaps the Bison’s only known returning threat for many opponents. “What we’ve told Jordan is ‘hey, teams are probably going to be focusing on you,’ so we need everyone else to step up their game,” Rule said. “I’d be happy if we had seven, eight guys scoring four to 10 points. We can’t just have one guy carry us; we’re not good enough. We’re going to have to have the whole team.” Kyle Bird will be the only senior starter early on, at another guard spot. He and John O’Malley will handle the bulk of the point guard duties. Devon Freeland, who missed last season due to injury, will be the fourth starting guard.

FRONT LINE

Ty Fischbach stands just 6-foot-2 but will be counted on to provide the team’s post presence. He had the most varsity minutes played last season among returning players. “He’s going to work harder or as hard as the guy he’s guarding, even if he’s a foot bigger,” Rule said. “I told my guys, what we lack in size, we’ve got to make up with heart and passion.”

NEWCOMERS

Senior Mitch Schluttenhofer will come off the bench to help underneath, along with juniors Colin Claire and Nate Slavens. Sonny Flores and Patrick Lester will help with backcourt depth.

By Jordan Kartholl / Journal & Courier

BC junior Jordan Johnson.

Rule likes the long-term potential of two underclassmen — 6-4 sophomore guard Brandon Rooze and 6-3 freshman forward Tyler Souligne. Both could see an expanded varsity role as the year progresses. “Hopefully I’m going to rotate a lot of guys, see a lot of faces out there,” Rule said.

OUTLOOK

Rule takes over after six years as an assistant. He’s the program’s third coach in as many seasons but has already

G et

put his own stamp on the Bison. “Coach Rule is bringing a lot more intensity and fire to the practices,” Bird said. “The harder you practice, the harder you’re going to play, and the better you’re going to play.” To help overcome a significant size disadvantage, Rule wants a more up-tempo approach at both ends of the floor. “We’re going to press a lot,” Johnson said. “We’re going to make sure we’re running the entire game, up and down the court, getting layups.” A lack of rebounding is a concern, and the Bison won’t have any big bodies to rely on. Rule hopes the team takes the same approach during games that it has during practices. “I can’t tell you enough how hard these kids are working,” Rule said. “... They know what it takes. They know where we are in our program and what we’ve got to do to turn it around to get where we need to be.” — Nathan Baird/ nbaird@jconline.com

complete tournament coverage on jconline.com � ��

Boys J&C Hoops Classic

Sunday, November 28, 2010 | jconline.com

CENTRAL CATHOLIC KNIGHTS Quick shots Coach: Dave Barrett (9733 in sixth season) 2009-10 results: 19-6, lost to Monroe Central 6860 in regional semiﬁnals Conference: Hoosier Heartland Sectional: Class A, Sectional 53 Sectional opponents: Clinton Prairie, Frontier, Rossville, Tri-Central (host)

Returning stat leaders

Haan

Scoring: Brett Haan (15.7) Rebounding: Haan (5.4) Assists: Haan (1.8) Steals: Haan (1.3)

Last season Offensive average: 64.4 Defensive average: 52.2 Last season, for the ﬁrst time since 2006, the Knights didn’t win a regional championship. Central Catholic did win a ninth straight sectional title and 12th in 13 seasons. Including Barrett its three sectional wins, CC won 12 straight games before losing to Monroe Central in the regional semiﬁnals at Frankfort. The Knights have posted one of the most impressive home win streaks in recent years, winning their last 30 games at McHale Gymnasium dating back to December 2006.

Roster

Anthrop

No.Name Pos. Ht. Yr. 10 Matt Burks G 5-10 Jr. 12 Austin Munn G 5-11 Jr. 14 Danny Anthrop G 6-0 Jr. 20 Danny Skees G 5-10 Jr. 22 Cowan Olinger G 5-10 So. 24 Cody Christopher G 5-11 Sr. 30 Brett Haan F 6-4 Sr. 32 Joe Tharp G 5-11 Jr. 34 Chase Thieme G 6-0 Jr. 40 Nick Zak F 6-0 Jr. 42 Hayden Gloyeske F/C 6-3 Sr. 44 Ryan DeBoy F 6-0 So. 50 Nick Hilligoss C 6-4 So.

Christopher

ON GUARD

The offense goes through Brett Haan, the leading returnee in every statistical category. He’ll be asked to direct a team that lost six seniors from last season. “It makes it a lot easier when you still have that guy to run things through,” coach Dave Barrett said. To make matters worse, CC will begin the season without several key players who are members of the football team that advanced to the state ﬁnals. They will not be able to play until they have completed ﬁve practices. Once the football players return, Danny Anthrop and Cody Christopher will help hold down the backcourt. “Cody and Danny, they will be providing all of our pressure on defense,” Haan said. “With those two, we can be one of the better defensive teams in 1A. “Danny is so fast and can get up and down the court. Cody can run the break too. We will be one of the fastest, if not the fastest in 1A.”

FRONT LINE

Last season, the football team’s state championship run gave Hayden Gloyeske a couple of starts at the beginning of the season. Once they returned, Gloyeske was a reserve and gained valuable varsity experience. After graduation depleted the team’s height, Gloyeske will be called upon for a bigger role. “It deﬁnitely makes my role a whole lot harder,” said Gloyeske, who averaged 2.5 points and 2 rebounds last season. “I’ve got a whole lot more on my shoulders.” Nick Hilligoss also earned some early varsity minutes last

By Brent Drinkut/Journal & Courier

CC senior Brett Haan.

season and has since improved drastically. “He’s vastly improved from a year ago,” Barrett said. “He’s got good size at 6-foot-5.” The success of Gloyeske and Hilligoss will drive the Knights. “If they rebound, I think our offense and our defense will go right through them,” Haan said. “If they are rolling, we will deﬁnitely be rolling.”

NEWCOMERS

Matt Burks, Dalton Skees and Austin Munn all are members of the football team, but once they return, they are expected to ﬁght for varsity minutes. Jake Churchill is injured, but is expected to return in January and compete for playing time. Cowan Olinger also is in the mix.

OUTLOOK

When you’ve won three state championships since the

Gloyeske

Hilligoss

inception of class basketball, the goals are high. Since Barrett took over as head coach of the Knights, the girls basketball, volleyball, baseball and football teams all have won state titles. Barrett’s teams advanced to three semistates in a row, but have never reached the championship game. Accomplishing that is mission No. 1 for CC. “We are looking to redeem the dream this year,” Haan said. “I think we can do it with the group of players we have. We aren’t the biggest team, but we never really are. “We play tough defense every single year. With the group of guys, we’re very talented, very quick and a very good defensive team. Defense wins championships.” — Sam King/ sking@jconline.com

Sunday, November 28, 2010 | jconline.com

Boys J&C Hoops Classic

FRANKFORT HOT DOGS Quick shots Coach: Jason Good (4944 in ﬁfth season) 2009-10 results: 12-12, lost to West Lafayette 50-40 in sectional championship Conference: Sagamore Sectional: Class 3A, Sectional 20 (host) Sectional opponents: Benton Central, Northwestern, Twin Lakes, West Lafayette, Western

Moore

D. Isgrigg

ON GUARD

Scoring: Tanner Svoboda (9.1) Rebounding: Svoboda (4.6) Assists: Korben Shirar (3.3) Steals: Svoboda (1.2)

Three senior guards return to give Frankfort one of the area’s most experienced backcourts. Korben “Snoop” Shirar started at point guard as a sophomore and junior. But coach Jason Good said Shirar will move to the wing this season to better utilize his playmaking ability. Stan Moore will handle the starting point guard duties, and Tanner Svododa, the team’s leading returning scorer and rebounder, is at the other wing. Svoboda shot 45 percent from 3-point range last season. Alex Isgrigg returns to give the Hot Dogs a boost of hustle and defense off the bench.

Last season

FRONT LINE

Returning stat leaders

Svoboda

Shirar

Offensive average: 61.5 Defensive average: 59.2 Troy Porter helped fill the void of Steve Loveless’ graduation. The forward scored 30 or more points seven times, posted 10 double-doubles and finished second in the area in scoring and rebounding. The Hot Dogs suffered a pair of tough losses to end January. A Jan. 29 game at Crawfordsville went four overtimes, but the Athenians won 88-86. The following night, Frankfort lost at West Lafayette, 59-56. The Hot Dogs lost just twice in their next eight games, though, and put together a four-game winning streak entering the sectional championship game. But for the second straight season, West Lafayette denied Frankfort on its home floor, 50-40.

Troy Porter’s graduation deprives the Hot Dogs of a big rebounding source. Good has turned to a pair of underclassmen to ﬁll the void. Dakota Isgrigg averaged 4.5 points and 4.1 rebounds off the bench as a freshman. Good said the sophomore had a strong summer and could emerge as the team’s most consistent scorer. “If we do a good job of getting him the ball inside, it kind of opens everything else up for us,” Good said. Freshman forward Christian Smith held down the ﬁfth starting spot on opening night. Good likes his aggressiveness on rebounding and defense and his shot-blocking ability. Senior post player Grayden Gilmore, the only player besides Dakota Isgrigg who stands taller than 6-2, will come off the bench.

NEWCOMERS

Senior Roger Acevedo will help in the post, and sopho-

By Brent Drinkut/Journal & Courier

Frankfort’s Tanner Svoboda grabs a rebound against Lafayette Jeff during last year’s J&C Hoops Classic.

Roster No.Name 3 Brody Kirby 4 Tanner Coomer 5 Roger Acevedo 12 Stanley Moore 14 Korben Shirar 20 Alex Isgrigg 21 Tanner Svoboda 33 Christian Smith 34 Grayden Gilmore 40 Dakota Isgrigg

Pos. Ht. Yr. G 5-11 Fr. G 5-11 So. F 5-10 Sr. G 5-8 Sr. G 6-0 Sr. G 5-11 Jr. G/F 6-1 Sr. F 6-1 Fr. F 6-3 Sr. C/F 6-6 So.

more Tanner Coomer gives the Hot Dogs more backcourt depth. Good says another freshman, Brody Kirby, will play a lot off the bench and gives Frankfort another solid outside shooter.

OUTLOOK

Good said he was fortunate during his ﬁrst four seasons to have Stevie Loveless and Porter as go-to players. While this year’s team lacks that level of standout player, it should also have greater balance. “I think we’ll have a lot more depth talent-wise,” Good

said. “Ever since I’ve been here we’ve had basically one player well above everyone else, then role players. This year we have four kids who could be our go-to guy on any given night scoring-wise.” With a handful of freshmen and sophomores expected Good to contribute immediately, Good said much of the preseason was spent working on team defense. As a result, the Hot Dogs’ offensive ﬂow hasn’t come around yet. Frankfort must also ﬁnd a way to overcome a lack of height and inexperience in the post, especially when rebounding. However, Good says team chemistry has improved. The experience and talent at the guard position should make the Hot Dogs competitive. — Nathan Baird/ nbaird@jconline.com

Boys J&C Hoops Classic

Sunday, November 28, 2010 | jconline.com

HARRISON RAIDERS Quick shots Coach: Jeff VanArsdel (240-162 in 19th season) 2009-10 results: 11-12, lost to Lafayette Jeff 60-51 in sectional semiﬁnals Conference: Hoosier Crossroads Sectional: Class 4A, Sectional 7 Sectional opponents: Kokomo, Lafayette Jeff, Logansport (host), McCutcheon

Returning stat leaders

Williams

Burkhalter

Scoring: Zach Williams (7.4) Rebounding: Williams (3.6) Assists: Brock Burkhalter (4.7) Steals: Burkhalter (1.3)

Last season Offensive average: 54.8 Defensive average: 53.2 A six-player senior class led Harrison to its first season of double-digit victories in three years. A 6-2 start included a loss to Lafayette Jeff in the J&C Hoops Classic championship game, where the Raiders rallied from a 17-point thirdquarter deficit and tied the game with four minutes left before losing 82-73. Harrison then lost eight of nine in one midseason stretch. The Raiders didn’t allow more than 62 points in a game after Jan. 22, and solid defense helped them win four of five in the season’s final weeks. Lafayette Jeff defeated Harrison for the third time, 60-51, in the Kokomo Sectional semifinals. Jacob VanArsdel repeated as a Journal & Courier second-team All-Area selection.

Richter

Withers

ON GUARD

A pair of seniors, Corbin Richter and Brock Burkhalter, will handle point guard duties. Burkhalter started much of last season, but coach Jeff VanArsdel said Richter, last year’s junior varsity point guard and a varsity reserve, will open this season as the starter. Josh Withers showed ﬂashes of big scoring ability last season while shooting 44 percent from 3-point range and averaging 7.1 points. VanArsdel describes him as a “ﬁerce competitor.”

FRONT LINE

Last season’s roster boasted ﬁve players 6-foot-4 or taller. This season, senior forward Zach Williams is the Raiders’ only true big man. The team’s leading returning scorer and rebounder, Williams brings athleticism to the post and he also bulked up in the weight room in the offseason. “He’s really strong and quick,” Withers said. “He plays really well around the basket. He’s a smart player.”

NEWCOMERS

Though he stands just 5-11, Will Barr will be expected to help rebound and defend in the post. “He’s going to be undersized in terms of height, playing inside, but he does a tremendous job rebounding and keeping things alive,” VanArsdel said. Ryan Mundy came off the bench in a dozen games last season and will help on the perimeter. Senior guard Ben Trapp hit 4 of 6 3-pointers in limited action last season, and is one reason why the Raiders believe perimeter scoring will be a strength. VanArsdel said Desmond

Jordan Kartholl/Journal & Courier

Zach Williams prepares to pass to a teammate during practice.

Roster No.Name 10 Brock Burkhalter 11 Josh Withers 12 Corbin Richter 15 Cam Brown 21 Desmond Rias 22 Ryan Mundy 25 Ben Trapp 30 Kevin Holden 31 Will Barr 42 Zach Williams 45 Tyler Port

Pos. Ht. Yr. G 5-7 Sr. F 6-1 Sr. G 5-9 Sr. F 6-0 Sr. F 5-11 Sr. F 6-0 Sr. G 5-10 Sr. C 6-4 Sr. F 5-11 Sr. C 6-5 Sr. F 6-2 Sr.

Rias, a senior wing, may be the team’s best at executing the dribble-drive.

OUTLOOK

VanArsdel has already announced this will be his ﬁnal season. Whether or not the Raiders send him out with a winning record will likely depend on two factors: rebound-

ing and shooting. While Harrison has a seniorheavy roster for the second straight season, some of them will play their first significant varsity minutes this season. “We have plenty of people to choose from, VanArsdel but not plenty of people who have been on the floor at the varsity level,” VanArsdel said. “Who can handle that? That becomes an issue early on. I don’t think depth will be a problem throughout the course of the year. But early on, figuring out who can step up and play at that level, and who can’t, might be.” — Nathan Baird/ nbaird@jconline.com

Sunday, November 28, 2010 | jconline.com

Boys J&C Hoops Classic

TOURNAMENT HISTORY 2009

2006

2004

2008

2005

2003

Monday, Nov. 30 West Lafayette 49, Benton Central 48 Harrison 54, Central Catholic 36 Tuesday, Dec. 1 Lafayette Jeff 64, Frankfort 54 McCutcheon 54, Twin Lakes 51 Thursday, Dec. 3 Central Catholic 56, Benton Central 45 Frankfort 64, Twin Lakes 47 Friday, Dec. 4 Harrison 64, West Lafayette 37 Lafayette Jeff 77, McCutcheon 42 Saturday, Dec. 5 Seventh place Twin Lakes 52, Benton Central 41 Fifth place Frankfort 61, Central Catholic 47 Third place West Lafayette 57, McCutcheon 36 Championship Lafayette Jeff 82, Harrison 73 All-tournament team MVP — Jesse Berry, Lafayette Jeff Roddy Richardson, Lafayette Jeff Jacob VanArsdel, Harrison Troy Porter, Frankfort Alantae Crawford, McCutcheon

Monday, Dec. 1 McCutcheon 52, West Lafayette 42 Lafayette Jeff 85, Harrison 57 Tuesday, Dec. 2 Frankfort 65, Twin Lakes 35 Central Catholic 64, Benton Central 43 Thursday, Dec. 4 West Lafayette 50, Harrison 39 Benton Central 72, Twin Lakes 62 Friday, Dec. 5 Lafayette Jeff 62, McCutcheon 49 Frankfort 66, Central Catholic 51 Saturday, Dec. 6 Seventh place Harrison 64, Twin Lakes 55 Fifth place West Lafayette 57, Benton Central 34 Third place McCutcheon 54, Central Catholic 51 Championship Lafayette Jeff 81, Frankfort 62 All-tournament team MVP — Jesse Berry, Lafayette Jeff Shane Wyant, Lafayette Jeff Roddy Richardson, Lafayette Jeff Stevie Loveless, Frankfort Dru Anthrop, Central Catholic

2007

Monday, Nov. 26 Benton Central 56, Harrison 51 (OT) Lafayette Jeff 75, West Lafayette 43 Tuesday, Nov. 27 McCutcheon 73, Twin Lakes 42 Central Catholic 63, Frankfort 50 Thursday, Nov. 29 West Lafayette 34, Harrison 31 Frankfort 63, Twin Lakes 55 Friday, Nov. 30 Lafayette Jeff 94, Benton Central 48 Central Catholic 67, McCutcheon 52 Saturday, Dec. 1 Seventh place Twin Lakes 66, Harrison 54 Fifth place Frankfort 72, West Lafayette 52 Third place McCutcheon 60, Benton Central 55 Championship Lafayette Jeff 67, Central Catholic 64 All-tournament team MVP — Brandon Williams, Lafayette Jeff Joe Gamble, Lafayette Jeff Dru Anthrop, Central Catholic Jade Anthrop, Central Catholic Stevie Loveless, Frankfort

Monday, Nov. 27 Central Catholic 63, Frankfort 38 West Lafayette 63, Benton Central 45 Tuesday, Nov. 28 Lafayette Jeff 70, Twin Lakes 63 McCutcheon 41, Harrison 27 Thursday, Nov. 30 Frankfort 66, Benton Central 56 Harrison 47, Twin Lakes 44 Friday, Dec. 1 Central Catholic 66, West Lafayette 63 (OT) Lafayette Jeff 56, McCutcheon 48 Saturday, Dec. 2 Seventh place Twin Lakes 52, Benton Central 47 Fifth place Frankfort 60, Harrison 56 Third place McCutcheon 51, West Lafayette 50 Championship Lafayette Jeff 73, Central Catholic 59 All-tournament team MVP — Blaine Koger, Lafayette Jeff Will Hubertz, Central Catholic Stevie Loveless, Frankfort Andy Day, West Lafayette Derek Lord, McCutcheon

Monday, Nov. 28 McCutcheon 63, Central Catholic 59 West Lafayette 71, Lafayette Jeff 61 Tuesday, Nov. 29 Benton Central 56, Twin Lakes 49 Harrison 67, Frankfort 48 Thursday. Dec. 1 Lafayette Jeff 89, Central Catholic 64 Frankfort 62, Twin Lakes 59 Friday, Dec. 2 McCutcheon 42, West Lafayette 38 Benton Central 53, Harrison 31 Saturday, Dec. 3 Seventh place Central Catholic 87, Twin Lakes 55 Fifth place Lafayette Jeff 82, Frankfort 55 Third place Harrison 52, West Lafayette 50 (OT) Championship McCutcheon 51, Benton Central 42 All-tournament team MVP — Michael Teller, McCutcheon Kyle Peabody, McCutcheon Kevin Lange, Benton Central Brad Folta, West Lafayette Dallas Richardson, Lafayette Jeff

Monday, Nov. 29 Frankfort 63, West Lafayette 57 McCutcheon 59, Harrison 57 Tuesday, Nov. 30 Twin Lakes 70, Benton Central 35 Lafayette Jeff 73, Central Catholic 61 Thursday, Dec. 2 Harrison 63, West Lafayette 62 (3 OT) Central Catholic 58, Benton Central 32 Friday, Dec. 3 McCutcheon 48, Frankfort 35 Lafayette Jeff 64, Twin Lakes 59 (3 OT) Saturday, Dec. 4 Seventh place Benton Central 52, West Lafayette 51 Fifth place Harrison 79, Central Catholic 65 Third place Twin Lakes 67, Frankfort 63 Championship Lafayette Jeff 52, McCutcheon 47 All-tournament team MVP — Dallas Richardson, Lafayette Jeff Gentry Miller, Lafayette Jeff Lamar Lee, McCutcheon Tyler Provo, Twin Lakes Jared Catron, Frankfort

Monday, Dec. 1 Harrison 58, West Lafayette 37 Benton Central 60, Central Catholic 57 Tuesday, Dec. 2 Twin Lakes 56, Frankfort 53 Lafayette Jeff 54, McCutcheon 45 Thursday, Dec. 4 West Lafayette 68, Central Catholic 67 Frankfort 55, McCutcheon 43 Friday, Dec. 5 Benton Central 48, Harrison 41 (2 OT) Lafayette Jeff 66, Twin Lakes 47 Saturday, Dec. 6 Seventh place Central Catholic 49, McCutcheon 46 Fifth place Frankfort 56, West Lafayette 41 Third place Harrison 73, Twin Lakes 51 Championship Benton Central 68, Lafayette Jeff 65 (3 OT) All-tournament team MVP — Cody Anderson, Benton Central Brett Butler, Benton Central Justin Russell, Lafayette Jeff Jared Catron, Frankfort Jon Pierce, Harrison

Boys J&C Hoops Classic

Sunday, November 28, 2010 | jconline.com

LAFAYETTE JEFF BRONCHOS Quick shots Coach: Scott Radeker (ﬁrst season with Lafayette Jeff; 120-80 in 10th season overall) 2009-10 results: 17-7, lost to Muncie Central 66-52 in regional semiﬁnals Conference: Hoosier Crossroads Sectional: Class 4A, Sectional 7 Sectional opponents: Harrison, Kokomo, Logansport (host), McCutcheon

Returning stat leaders

Richardson

Stacy

Scoring: Rashad Richardson (12.6) Rebounding: Richardson (5.9) Assists: N/A Steals: Nick Stacy (1.5)

Last season Offensive average: 68.7 Defensive average: 61.1 Led by third-year starting guards Jesse Berry and Roddy Richardson, the Bronchos opened the season with their fourth straight J&C Hoops Classic championship and finished it with their second sectional title in three years. Jeff lost four of five after a 5-1 start, then reeled off nine straight victories. The Bronchos defeated host Kokomo to win its 68th sectional title, but scored a season-low 52 points in a regional semifinal loss to Muncie Central at Marion. Berry, now at Ball State, finished his career as Tippecanoe County’s all-time boys basketball scoring leader. Scot Bunnell stepped down after the season to become the head coach at Evansville North.

Washington

Bultinck

ON GUARD

Nick Stacy returns for his third season starting on the perimeter. He nearly doubled his scoring average from 4.1 points to 7.4 last season. Courtney Waldon played in every game last season, mostly coming off the bench to provide another perimeter scoring threat. RJ Layton came off the bench in 23 games, and the Bronchos will have three seniors in the backcourt. In new coach Scott Radeker’s motion offense, the scoring should not be as focused on the perimeter as in recent seasons. “If we have open shots, we’ll take them, for sure,” Stacy said. “But we’re doing more with the basket cuts and back screens and back doors.”

FRONT LINE

Rashad Richardson showcased his lanky 6-foot-3 frame and perimeter scoring skills from the wing the past two seasons. He’ll need to ﬁnd his way underneath to help rebound for a team that lacks an abundance of tall bodies. “I’ve been talking to him a lot about averaging a doubledouble and being real active on the boards,” Radeker said. Colin Bultinck spent the past two seasons as a part-time starter. Jason Washington started when healthy last season and averaged 5.1 rebounds in 16 games.

NEWCOMERS

Justin Ulmer and Darian Green add depth at guard. Jonah Green steps in as a transfer from West Lafayette. Joel Ripke returns to the program and provides a muchneeded 6-foot-7 frame. Chris Nestleroad and DJ Rogers are forwards coming off the bench.

By John Terhune/Journal & Courier

Junior forward Rashad Richardson shoots during practice.

Roster No.Name 10 RJ Layton 11 Rashad Richardson 12 Courtney Waldon 20 Darian Green 22 Nick Stacy 30 Colin Bultinck 32 Derrick Rogers 34 Justin Ulmer 42 Jonah Green 44 Chris Nestleroad 50 Jason Washington 54 Joel Ripke

OUTLOOK

Pos. Ht. Yr. G 5-7 Sr. F 6-3 Jr. G 6-0 Sr. G 5-7 Fr. G 5-10 Sr. F 6-0 Sr. F 6-1 Jr. G 5-9 Jr. F 6-2 Jr. F 6-1 Sr. C 6-4 Sr. C 6-5 Sr.

With three returning starters, and a couple of other players back with extensive varsity resumes, the Bronchos will not lack in experience. While Berry’s all-around scoring ability will be missed, the bigger question is who will ﬁll Roddy Richardson’s void as an aggressive rebounder, intense defender and ﬂoor leader.

“He carried us last year, spirit-wise and rebounding and defense, and obviously Jesse carried us offensively,” Waldon said. “As a team, we’ll have to pick each other up any way we can on both sides of the ball.” Radeker ’s motion offense emphasizes more ball movement and sharing on offense. It may also beneﬁt a Radeker Jeff team that will need more scoring balance than in recent seasons. “There’s no question they’re going to have to adjust to some different roles,” Radeker said. “But they’re adapting well to it and I think it’s a team that’s going to be very well-balanced.” — Nathan Baird/ nbaird@jconline.com

Sunday, November 28, 2010 | jconline.com

Boys J&C Hoops Classic

McCUTCHEON MAVERICKS Quick shots Coach: Rick Peckinpaugh (360-210 in 26th season with McCutcheon; 422-273 in 32nd season overall) 2009-10 results: 7-14, lost to Harrison 47-32 in sectional opener Conference: Hoosier Crossroads Sectional: Class 4A, Sectional 7 Sectional opponents: Kokomo, Lafayette Jeff, Logansport (host), McCutcheon

Returning stat leaders

Ashley

Hunsicker

Scoring: Troy Ashley (11.1) Rebounding: Vince Hunsicker (4.2) Assists: Brady Knoy (1.4) Steals: Knoy (0.9)

Last season Offensive average: 47.5 Defensive average: 55.4 As Alantae Crawford went in 2009-10, so did the Mavericks. The guard led the team in scoring, rebounding and assists. He was McCutcheon’s leading scorer in 17 of 21 games, and eight times was the only Maverick to reach double ﬁgures. Troy Ashley, who transferred from Lafayette Jeff in the second semester of his sophomore year, was not declared eligible to compete by the IHSAA until midseason. McCutcheon only scored more than 60 points twice, but went 5-1 when holding opponents to 46 or fewer points. Having only one senior meant a lot of playing time for sophomores and juniors, which is one reason the Mavericks feel experience is a strength this season.

Knoy

Peckinpaugh

ON GUARD

Senior guards Troy Ashley and Brady Knoy give the Mavericks a pair of perimeter scoring threats. Knoy averaged 8.9 points and hit 30 percent of his 3-pointers last season. Ashley scored 89 points in eight games, including 25 in his McCutcheon debut. He’ll help provide some of the scoring punch lost by the graduation of Alantae Crawford and also run the point. “If he can get 12, 14, 15 and get the other players involved, that’s a much better player for us at point guard,” coach Rick Peckinpaugh said. “I thought he had a great summer, and people are going to be surprised, I think, at what he can do.” Austin Price played all 21 games last season, averaging 3.2 points per game. Michael Southern played in 17 games last season as a freshman.

FRONT LINE

Development of a post presence that complements the guards is crucial for the Mavericks. Clint Thayer, last year’s leading rebounder and a twoyear starter, opted not to play this season. A lack of upperclassmen, and frontcourt options, meant a lot of playing time last season for then-sophomores Juan Del Real and Vince Hunsicker. Now they give McCutcheon a pair of experienced, solid bodies underneath. “They’ve gotten so much better,” Ashley said. “This year they’ve been stepping up, taking boards, getting everything they need to get down.”

NEWCOMERS

Peckinpaugh is excited about the potential of senior Clyde Greyer, in his second season with the team. He and

By Brent Drinkut/Journal & Courier

Troy Ashley brings the ball upcourt during a practice drill.

Roster No.Name Pos. Ht. Yr. 4 JT Yocum G 5-9 Jr. 10 Troy Ashley G 5-9 Sr. 12 Ian Love F 5-11 Sr. 14 Vince Hunsicker F 6-3 Sr. 20 Michael Southern G 6-1 So. 22 Brady Knoy G 6-2 Sr. 24 Clyde Greyer F 6-2 Sr. 30 Juan Del Real C 6-4 Jr. 32 Austin Price G 5-9 Jr. 42 Nathan Acree F 6-1 So.

Nathan Acree, a transfer from Louisville, provide versatility on the wing and in the post. JT Yocum and Ian Love, neither of whom played varsity last season, are expected to contribute as well. The players say they like the team’s mix of personalities. “Our team chemistry is amazing, I think,” Knoy said. “We all get along perfect; no problems yet. Also, I feel like, if we do struggle, we all have the ability to work together to ﬁgure out what we need to ﬁg-

ure out.”

OUTLOOK

Knoy is the only player who has spent four years in the Mavericks’ system. However, six players return who started at least one game last season, so experience should be a positive. “We’re so far ahead from where we were last year,” Ashley said. “Guys know where to go, they know what to do. I don’t even have to look where I am passing; somebody knows where to be to get the ball.” Right now, the Mavericks may not have anyone to replace Crawford’s consistent scoring ability. Peckinpaugh envisions more offensive balance, so McCutcheon doesn’t need one player to score 25 in order for the team to reach 50. — Nathan Baird/ nbaird@jconline.com

Boys J&C Hoops Classic

Sunday, November 28, 2010 | jconline.com

TWIN LAKES INDIANS Quick shots Coach: Kent Adams (168-142 in 15th season with Twin Lakes; 238-247 in 23rd season overall) 2009-10 results: 9-13, lost to Western 72-63 (OT) in sectional opener Conference: Hoosier Sectional: Class 3A, Sectional 20 Sectional opponents: Benton Central, Frankfort (host), Northwestern, West Lafayette, Western

Returning stat leaders

Johnson

Elizalde

Scoring: Sam Johnson (9.0) Rebounding: Taylor Elizalde (3.9) Assists: Johnson (1.2) Steals: Brian Moore (1.8)

Last season Offensive average: 57.8 Defensive average: 58.4 It was an inconsistent season for the Indians, who did not win back-to-back games in the ﬁrst three months. Twin Lakes lost eight of 10 in a midseason stretch before mounting a threegame winning streak against Frontier, Tri-County and Sheridan to end the regular season. Sparked by that lateseason surge, Twin Lakes pushed Western to two overtimes in its Class 3A Frankfort Sectional opener. But the Panthers ultimately prevailed, 72-63. The Indians’ nine victories were three times as many as they had managed the previous season.

Moore

S. Gardiner

ON GUARD

Drake Danford, who led Twin Lakes in scoring as a sophomore, transferred to West Lafayette. But two backcourt starters return, including Brian Moore, who is one of the Indians’ tallest players but will play point guard. He averaged 7.8 points per game and is the team’s top returning 3-point threat. Sam Johnson ﬂirted with a double-ﬁgure scoring average as a sophomore and provides another perimeter threat. “They both bring a lot of athleticism for what we have, in terms of both can shoot the ball, handle the ball, and have pretty good instincts for basketball,” coach Kent Adams said. Another junior guard, Jordan Crabb, moves up from last season’s junior varsity role.

FRONT LINE

Sean Gardiner and Taylor Elizalde both started part-time as juniors last season. They are two of the Indians’ tallest players at 6-foot-3, and their ability to rebound and defend in the post will be crucial. Adams said those two likely needtoproduce 8-10 rebounds per night combined. “Those are two kids who have the poAdams tential to be very, very solid,” Adams said. “They’re more slashers than they are strong block players. Both have decent shooting ability from outside.” Garrett Howe is in contention for the ﬁfth starting spot. A fourth senior forward, Sean Fite, will come off the bench.

Photo by Jerry Schultheiss

Sam Johnson brings the ball upcourt during practice.

Roster No.Name Pos. Ht. 3 Brian Moore G 6-3 5 Cody DeBoy F 6-2 10 Garrett Howe F 6-0 13 Levi Pritts F 6-0 20 Sam Johnson G 6-0 22 Sean Fite F 6-1 23 Jordan Crabb G 6-1 24 Trevor Graham G 6-2 25 Taylor Elizalde F 6-3 31 Cameron BenningtonG 6-1 33 Tyler Reddington G 5-11 40 Sean Gardiner F 6-3 44 Mac Gardiner F 6-1

NEWCOMERS

Yr. Jr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Sr. So.

Freshman guard Cameron Bennington could become a big part of the Indians’ backcourt rotation from the beginning of the season. “He’s learning on the ﬂy, but he does have the ability to contribute right away,” Adams said. Three other freshman contenders — guard Tyler Reddington and forwards Cody DeBoy and Levi Pritts — were part of an eighth grade team that went 22-0.

Trevor Graham, a guard, has returned to the program for his senior season.

OUTLOOK

Adams believes in the talent of his underclassmen, but there’s no telling how soon those players will develop into consistent varsity contributors. It will be up to the Indians’ ﬁve seniors to provide stability and leadership, especially early. With four part-time starters and two other seniors back from last year’s squad, experience could be a positive. “We need to play hard,” Adams said. “We need to hustle. We need to have a great set of intangibles and have conﬁdence early.”. — Sam King/ sking@jconline.com

Sunday, November 28, 2010 | jconline.com

Boys J&C Hoops Classic

WEST LAFAYETTE RED DEVILS Quick shots Coach: Dave Wood (202158 in 17th season) 2009-10 results: 15-10, lost to Gary Wallace 71-52 in regional championship Conference: Hoosier Sectional: Class 3A, Sectional 20 Sectional opponents: Benton Central, Frankfort (host), Northwestern, Twin Lakes, Western

Returning stat leaders

Zhang

Tudor

Scoring: George Zhang (16.1) Rebounding: Zhang (5.4) Assists: Zach Tudor (1.4) Steals: Tudor (1.0)

Last season Offensive average: 52.5 Defensive average: 49.2 The Red Devils repeated as sectional champions last season, then advanced to the regional championship game for the ﬁrst time under Dave Wood. A three-game winning streak to close the regular season propelled WL to a tournament run that was halted by state runner-up Gary Wallace. The Red Devils began last season 4-2 despite many key players getting a late start after winning the Class 3A state football title. By ending the year 15-10, West Lafayette achieved a winning season for the sixth straight season. The Red Devils held opponents under 50 points in 18 of their 25 games.

Danford

Thomas

ON GUARD

Zach Tudor has spent his previous high school years learning the point guard position behind Daniel Wodicka. Now a senior, Tudor is ready to direct the team after playing in all 25 games as a junior. “I thought he played great the last half of the season for us,” coach Dave Wood said. “We expect a lot out of him as the leader on the ﬂoor for our team.” Sean Busch returns for his senior season, but an injury will keep him sidelined until January. Meanwhile, Thomas Fisher and Matt Peck will be thrust into their ﬁrst long-term varsity experience. Both combined to play in 17 games last season, but already have impressed teammates. “Peck is a really good role player,” Tudor said. “He likes to set picks and get offensive rebounds and guard on defense. “Thomas Fisher is a good spot up shooter. With Sean out, he will have to step up and score solid points and get at it on defense.”

FRONT LINE

Height is on WL’s side with 6-foot-4 Ben Thomas, 6-4 George Zhang and 6-5 Brian Bangs all expected to contribute. Zhang, who averaged 16 points a game last season, is a threat from the inside and outside, where he shot 48 percent from 3-point range last season (57 of 118). “In George Zhang, we’ve got one of the best scorers in the area and one of the best scorers in the history of our school,” Wood said. “He’s worked very hard to improve his overall game these last four years.”

By Brent Drinkut/Journal & Courier

George Zhang is WL’s top returning scorer and rebounder.

Roster No.Name 2 Ben Thomas 3 Drake Danford 5 Sean Busch 10 Brian Bangs 14 Thomas Fisher 20 Zach Tudor 22 Matt Peck 24 Ben Waters 30 George Zhang 32 Jake Shinn 40 Dayton Snyder 44 Justus Stanback

NEWCOMERS

Pos. Ht. Yr. F 6-4 Jr. G 5-11 Jr. G 6-3 Jr. F 6-5 So. G 6-0 Jr. G 5-10 Sr. G 6-1 Sr. G 6-2 Jr. F 6-4 Sr. F 6-2 Sr. F 6-2 Jr. F 6-5 So.

Former Twin Lakes guard Drake Danford has moved to West Lafayette for his junior season and provides a scoring threat opposite Zhang. “We return the bulk of our team, and we add ﬁrepower with the addiWood tion of Drake Danford,” Zhang said. “It beneﬁts me tremendously. Drake takes a load off my shoulders regarding scoring.”

Six-foot-5 sophomore Justus Stanback didn’t play as a freshman, but is an athletic big man with a long wing span. “He’s 6-5 with 8-foot-long arms,” Wood said. “His progress will be slow and steady, but I think he’s got a chance to be a very good player.” Also with size and muscle is 6-2 Dayton Snyder, a 220pound forward.

OUTLOOK

Expectations are high as key pieces from last year’s team return. The Red Devils were not intimidated in a regional title game against Gary Wallace and nationally touted recruit Branden Dawson, but couldn’t overcome the size and athleticism in a 19-point loss. “We came out and despite all their big players and athleticism, we still came out and played pretty well,” Tudor said. “That’s carried over to this year and taught us what we should strive for.” — Sam King/ sking@jconline.com

Boys J&C Hoops Classic

Sunday, November 28, 2010 | jconline.com