JOURNAL & COURIER | JCONLINE.COM SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2013
J&C Hoops Classic
2 Sunday, November 17, 2013
Benton Central players display the Unity Sports Medicine Trophy after claiming the 2012 J&C Hoops Classic championship with a victory against Harrison. JOHN TERHUNE/JOURNAL & COURIER
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE At Harrison Monday
Twin Lakes vs. Frankfort, 6 p.m. Benton Central vs. McCutcheon, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday
Lafayette Jeff vs. Central Catholic, 6 p.m. Harrison vs. West Lafayette, 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
Seventh-place game, 4 p.m. Fifth-place game, 4 p.m. Third-place game, 6 p.m. Championship, 8 p.m. ON THE COVER
Front row (left to right): Courtney Bowsman
of Twin Lakes, Samantha Henderson of Frankfort and Kaylee Simms of Lafayette Jeff Back row (left to right): Emily Denhart of Central Catholic, Shelby Mann of West Lafayette, Gabby Gary of McCutcheon, Tessa Brouilette of Benton Central and Autumn Ringen of Harrison Photo by Michael Heinz/Journal & Courier
HOOPS CLASSIC
HOOPS CLASSIC
Sunday, November 17, 2013
3
BENTON CENTRAL BISON QUICK SHOTS Coach: David Baxter (62-11 in fourth season, 138-93 in 11th season overall) 2012-13 results: 22-4; defeated Western 40-34 to win sectional; defeated Plymouth 44-28 to win regional; lost to Hamilton Heights 69-58 in semistate Conference: Hoosier Sectional: Class 3A, Sectional 20 Sectional opponents: Maconaquah, Northwestern, Peru, Twin Lakes, West Lafayette, Western Returning stat leaders Scoring: Kaylan Coffman (6.1) Rebounding: Katie Shields (3.5) Assists: Tessa Brouillette (2.4) Steals: Brouillette (1.4) Last season The Bison came within one victory of their second Class 3A state championship game appearance in three seasons, losing to Hamilton Heights at the semistate. Gone from that squad is Caitlyn Tolen, Cassidy Deno and Courtney Lester, who combined for more than 43 points per game. Tolen was an Indiana all-star and she and Deno, who combined for 2,900 career points, are both playing at the college level. It marked BC’s eighthstraight winning season during a run in which the Bison have never finished worse than 14-7.
ROSTER No. 3 4 5 12 15 21 23 24 25 32 33 42
Name Kelsey Minniear Taylor Tucker Hunter Rice Madison Tolen Katie Post Tessa Brouillette Evonnie Payne Katie Shields Erin Gick Courtney Best Betsy Marquie Kaylan Coffman
Pos. G G G G F G F C G G F C
Ht. 5-1 5-6 5-4 5-6 5-7 5-5 5-8 6-0 5-10 5-6 5-9 6-2
Yr. Fr. Fr. So. Fr. Jr. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. Fr. So.
has a deadly outside shot and sophomore Hunter Rice is a strong defensive presence. “We did lose our top three players, but we’ve been working a lot on getting up and down the court on fast breaks,” Coffman said. “We have a lot of hard work and dedication put in at every practice.”
Outlook
Tessa Brouillette assumes the leadership burden of a very young Benton Central girls basketball team, MICHAEL HEINZ/JOURNAL & COURIER
On guard Last year’s talented trio of senior guards left a lot of open space for Tessa Brouillette to knock down 3-pointers or drive to the basket. Now Brouillette is the team’s lone senior and knows those gaps aren’t going to be there as she becomes the focal point of opposing defenses. “I am a senior. I am supposed to step up my game and show what I have,” said Brouillette, who made 42.5 percent of her 3s last season. “It’s not just me. My teammates have to be leaders too.”
Front line Out of necessity, BC relied on freshmen Kaylan Coffman and Katie Shields last season. Now as sophomores, they become two of the most experienced players on the team. “You can see a definite change in them, this year,” Brouillette said. “They are going to be a big help to our
team this year. They are going to be the main keys to our team.” Junior defensive stopper Evonnie Payne’s role also increases and she’ll be asked to produce more offensively after averaging 2.2 points off the bench last season. Last year’s senior group of Caitlyn Tolen, Cassidy Deno and Courtney Lester took a lot of pressure off the post players. Now they’re hopeing to use the confidence gained last season and contributing in larger roles. “We have good leaders. It keeps progressing down as people come up (to the varsity),” Shields said. “We learn from the best and it’s a good system we have here in our program.”
Coach David Baxter perhaps said it best while looking at a court full of mostly freshmen and sophomores. “We’ve got a lot of growing up to do in a short amount of time,” Baxter said. But don’t confuse a young team with one void of talent. If any team can overcome the loss of 1,130 points, it is the Bison. “In Benton Central history, we’ve always been a good team,” Payne said. “Just because we lost three really good seniors doesn’t mean it is going to go downhill. We have a young team, but we have a lot of talent.”
— Sam King/ sking@jconline.com
Key newcomers This season, there’s a lot of players BC will need to become impact players. It starts with freshman post player Betsy Marquie and freshmen guards Taylor Tucker and Maddie Tolen. Junior guard Courtney Best
Benton Central's Kaylan Coffman takes a shot against West Lafayette during the semifinals of the 2012 J&C Hoops Classic. FILE/JOURNAL & COURIER
4 Sunday, November 17, 2013
HOOPS CLASSIC
CENTRAL CATHOLIC KNIGHTS QUICK SHOTS
On guard
Coach: Craig DeVault (17-10 in second season) 2012-13 results: 17-10, won Rossville Sectional and TriCentral Regional, lost to Fort Wayne Canterbury 74-50 in Crown Point Semistate Conference: Hoosier Sectional: Class A, Sectional 53 Sectional opponents: Attica, Covington, North Vermillion, Rockville, Turkey Run Returning stat leaders Scoring: Cameron Onken (12.5) Rebounding: Emily Denhart (6.9) Assists: Onken (4.5) Steals: Onken (3.5) Last season The Knights claimed their first regional championship since 2006 before running into No. 1 Fort Wayne Canterbury at semistate. With Cameron Onken, Emily Denhart and Emily Burks leading CC’s volleyball team to the state championship game, there’s optimism that the trio can help the Knights make another deep tournament run. Sophomore Angela Tharp, one of the players taking advantage of practice time during the volleyball team’s postseason run, likes what she has seen. “We see other girls stepping up,” Tharp said. “Their energy has been awesome too.”
Is it possible that Cameron Onken can be even better as a sophomore after averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3.5 steals and 4.4 rebounds a year ago? Coach Craig DeVault says yes about his point guard. “Cameron had a great summer of AAU, then when we had our summer games she was tremendous,” DeVault said. “I’m expecting her to get better each year. She’s the kind of girl who’s in the gym every night shooting. She has the work ethic.” Emily Burks is back at shooting guard after averaging 6.4 points last season. DeVault believes sophomore Angela Tharp can fill the role left by the graduEmily Burks ation of Alanna Roswarski. “She can really shoot the ball,” said DeVault of Tharp, who had 18 points in the Knights’ scrimmage against South Newton. Tharp said she prepared during the offseason just for this role. “I worked on my shot and my form,” Tharp said. “I want to be quicker with my feet so I can get some steals. I also worked on my ballhanding as well. “I’m trying to step up for our team. Since she was such a big scorer, I’m trying to replace that.”
ROSTER
Newcomers
No. 0 2 3 4 5 11 12 15 22 23 24 33
Name Cameron Onken Emily Denhart Emily Burks Jenny Harkcom Angela Tharp Sammy Bonner Lucy Kendrick Tierney Hurst Maggie Bobillo Anna Marlatt Emma Gerrety Sarah Scheetz
Pos. G F F G G-F G F F F G G C
Ht. 5-10 5-10 5-6 5-2 5-6 5-5 5-9 5-10 5-10 5-5 5-4 6-0
Yr. So. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Fr. So.
Front line There’s experience here, too, with Emily Denhart and Maggie Bobillo returning. Denhart, who also can play outside, averaged nearly 7 rebounds a game last season while scoring 12.2 points. Bobillo has gotten stronger and could up her rebounding average of 3.5 from last season.
Central Catholic’s journey to the Class A state volleyball championship game allowed DeVault plenty of practice time to evaluate the younger players. “The girls who played JV last year needed a whole lot of varsity time,” DeVault said. “We’ve spent a lot of time this year, including setting our offense and getting them to know every spot so when the girls from volleyball come they already know what we will running. “It gave all my coaches a chance to work with the girls one on one. Actually, it’s been a bonus really to spend more time with the younger kids.” Sammy Bonner moves up from the junior varsity and has impressed DeVault with her
Cameron Onken lines up a free throw during practice. JOHN TERHUNE/JOURNAL & COURIER
defensive skills. Point guard Jenny Harkcom’s quickness and ability to run the offense will allow her to spell Onken. Freshman Emma Gerrety will split time between JV and varsity.
Outlook Thanks to the postponement of the scheduled season opener against Logansport, the Knights will have had a full week to practice with their full roster before the J&C Hoops Classic. DeVault hopes the presence of Onken, Denhart and Burks will help improve the halfcourt offense. Until then, CC is counting on defense to win games. The Knights increased their sectional championship streak to eight in a row despite closing the regular season with a five-game losing streak. Now they are thinking of bigger goals. “I think we have a really good chance of winning a lot this year,” Tharp said. “I think we can make it to state.”
—Ken Thompson/ kthompson@jconline.com
HOOPS CLASSIC
Sunday, November 17, 2013
5
FRANKFORT HOT DOGS QUICK SHOTS
On guard
Coach: Andy Ross (12-53 in fourth year, 101-156 in 13th year overall) 2012-13 results: 3-19, lost to North Montgomery 42-27 in sectional opener Conference: Sagamore Sectional: Class 3A, Sectional 25 Sectional opponents: Crawfordsville, Lebanon, North Montgomery, Western Boone Returning stat leaders Scoring: Taylor Kirby (10.4) Rebounding: Cassidy Dubree (6.6) Assists: Kirby (1.6) Steals: Kirby (1.8) Last season Eight experienced players, although just one senior among them, is a positive sign for a program that has just five wins the past two seasons. “We have a bunch of talented athletes this year,” senior center Samantha Henderson said. “We have pretty much the same team, and I think that’s going to benefit us.” The first five contests in a 10-day span will test that depth — the home opener against Western, McCutcheon to open three games in the J&C Hoops Classic and a trip to Central Catholic.
ROSTER No. Name
12 15 21 22 23 24 25 31 33 35 42 45 53
Elisa Silva Cassidy Dubree Sam Henderson Lyndsey Isenhower Mandi Boggs Adriana Olivas Taylor Kirby Kayley Foust Laina Boggs Jacinda Perry Tania Olivas Makayla Wood Tanya Cervantes
Pos. G G C G G G G F F G F F F
Ht. 5-0 5-5 5-9 5-2 5-5 5-3 5-4 5-6 5-8 5-6 5-8 5-7 5-3
Yr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. So. Jr. Jr.
Juniors Taylor Kirby and Cassidy Dubree were the Hot Dogs’ top two scorers a year ago at 10.4 and 9.3 points a game. Coach Andy Ross expects another good season from the duo. “Taylor shoots the ball extremely well,” Ross said. “Cassidy, if not the best, is one of our best athletes. She’s very quick and can transition from the defensive end to the offensive end very well.” Classmate Mandi Boggs also was a starter a year ago and was a defensive stalwart. Now, Ross would like to see her improve on last season’s 2.5 scoring average. Frankfort has experienced depth with sophomore Jacinda Perry and junior Lyndsey Isenhower. Ross is espcially encouraged from the improvement he’s seen from Perry during the summer in ballhandling and aggressiveness. “We feel like she’s going to be a very, very good guard for us,” he said. Like her backcourt mates, Isenhower is small in stature but her hustle more than makes up for it. “Lyndsey Isenhower might be tiny in size but huge in heart,” Ross said. “She probably plays as hard as anybody we have. She gets on the floor after loose balls. She brings a great deal of energy when she gets in.”
Front line Once again, Samantha Henderson is the only Hot Dog 5-foot-9 or taller so it’s a good thing that the lone senior starter plays “bigger than her size,” Ross said. Henderson is looking forward to running in the Hot Dogs’ new uptempo offense this season. “I played in an AAU tournament this summer and that’s the same pace that we played there, and the same
Taylor Kirby
Cassidy Dubree
pace these girls like to play at,” Henderson said of her teammates. “I think it will be a lot of fun this year.” Sophomore Tania Olivas and Laina Boggs will also see plenty of action. “Olivas has matured physically and mentally on the basketball court,” Ross said. “She’s going to help us a lot. “Boggs is probably the strongest player we have. She’s not real tall but she does a great job of rebounding and defending inside.”
Key newcomers There won’t be many with the Hot Dogs’ top eight returning from a year ago. Juniors Makayla Wood, Tanya Cervantes, Kayley Foust and Elisa Silva have moved up to the varsity.
Sam Henderson
Outlook The Hot Dogs played a lot of freshmen and sophomores a year ago, but Ross is hoping a year of mental and physical maturity will make an impact. “It’s made a huge difference as far as how we’ve come into practice, how we’ve approached practice, the things we’ve been able to do in practice,” he said. Frankfort will need to be in shape to play the way Ross wants them. “We want to be a team that’s going to press and get out and pressure people defensively. We want to run the ball up and down the floor offensively. All eight of them are going to have to play, and play well, for us to be successful.”
— Ken Thompson/ kthompson@jconline.com
6 Sunday, November 17, 2013
HOOPS CLASSIC
HARRISON RAIDERS QUICK SHOTS
On guard
Coach: Jake Rettig (13-52 in fourth season) 2012-13 results: 8-14, lost to Logansport 75-48 in sectional semifinals. Conference: Hoosier Crossroads Sectional: Class 4A, Sectional 7 Sectional opponents: Kokomo, Lafayette Jeff, Logansport, Marion, McCutcheon Returning stat leaders Scoring: Courtney Jacobsen (11.5) Rebounding: Kaitlyn Carnahan (6.0) Assists: Jacobsen (2.0) Steals: Jacobsen (1.0) Last season The Raiders were not satisfied with an 8-14 season, but knew a large step in the right direction was taken for a team that was playing a younger lineup. Harrison got its first taste of a championship environment when it advanced to the J&C Hoops title game for the first time before falling to Benton Central. A month later, the Raiders ended their 11-game losing streak to rival McCutcheon that began a second-half surge where Harrison went 6-5. Harrison’s late-season push gave the Raiders their most victories in a season since 2004-05. The wins didn’t carry over to the postseason, where Harrison had a bye and played eventual sectional champion Logansport. The Berries knocked off the confident Raiders, extending Harrison’s postseason losing streak to nine games.
Jake Rettig has an odd situation at the point guard spot, but one every coach wishes to have. “Courtney Jacobsen is just a gym rat. You can’t get her out of the gym,” Rettig said. “It seems like we have to beg her to take a day off of basketball in the offseason just to get healthy.” The junior, who was a starter as soon as she got to high school, leads an experienced Raiders squad consisting of only upperclassmen and knows they’ll lean on her to become a more vocal commander. “I’ve had a lot of experience Courtney on varsity and hopefully that will Jacobsen help with us winning games,” Jacobsen said. “That’s our goal this year is to win a lot more.” Surrounding Jacobsen are senior veterans Autumn Ringen (9.6 points per game, 35.3 percent 3-pointers) and Maya Mengler.
ROSTER No. 1 4 5 10 11 12 15 22 23 24 25 33
Name Ellie Snyder Autumn Ringen Shailen Johnson Maya Mengler Maggie Shandrick Katie Bond Claire Muller Lizzie Paschen Kaitlyn Carnahan Maren McCarty Courtney Jacobsen Olivia Crooks
Pos. G G/F F G/F G G F G/F F F G F
Ht. 5-5 5-11 5-9 5-11 5-6 5-5 6-0 5-7 5-9 5-11 5-9 5-9
Yr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr.
Front line Ringen’s versatility is a bonus for Harrison and the senior enters the season with a personal goal of pulling down five rebounds per game to help the post after averaging 3.1 last season. That’d be a welcome stat line to help 6footer Claire Muller, who averaged nearly a block a game, but was often plagued by foul trouble last season. Rettig said the games Harrison struggled in were ones where Muller got in early foul trouble. “I am guilty of getting in foul trouble, Muller admits. “From playing AAU, they don’t really Autumn call those things and then comRingen ing into season where they are really strict, you just have to transition from AAU to high school season.” Kaitlyn Carnahan led the team in rebounding last season and junior Shailen Johnson, who started last season on JV, averaged 4.4 boards. Both bring leadership, scrappiness and a winning mentality after helping lead Harrison’s softball team to semistate last year. “Shailen and Kaitlyn, they are always all over the place trying to get that rolling ball on the court, anything to get it,” Ringen said.
Key newcomers Along with experience, Harrison hopes to add firepower with outside shooters and a speedy junior guard being called upon to step
Harrison's Courtney Jacobsen will assume a greater leadership role this season. FILE/JOURNAL & COURIER
up for the varsity. Junior Maggie Shandrick inherits the role left by departed Alex Spitznagle. Mengler will be relied upon much more this season as a defensive stopper and juniors Katie Bond and Lizzie Paschen “can shoot the lights out,” Rettig said. Junior forward Olivia Crooks, “is another Shailen/Carnahan type.”
Outlook Harrison increased its win total by five last season from the Claire previous year. The Raiders hope Muller that was just the first step. While the win total increased, there were nights where the scoreboard was lopsided in the opponent’s favor. Those were lessons that the players say have made them stronger for this season. “Eight games doesn’t sound like a lot. Compared to our program in previous years, only winning two games, three games, eight games is a lot to us,” Ringen said. “Last year after winning eight games, it has put a motivation on us this year to improve from eight wins.”
— Sam King/sking@jconline.com
HOOPS CLASSIC
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Girls J&C Hoops Classic history 2012 At McCutcheon Nov. 12 Twin Lakes 64, Frankfort 52 Harrison 38, Lafayette Jeff 28 Nov. 13 Benton Central 64, Central Catholic 45 West Lafayette 59, McCutcheon 46 Nov. 15 Lafayette Jeff 43, Frankfort 32 Central Catholic 49, McCutcheon 47 Nov. 16 Harrison 62, Twin Lakes 44 Benton Central 68, West Lafayette 64 (OT) Nov. 17 Seventh place McCutcheon 51, Frankfort 47 Fifth place Lafayette Jeff 48, Central Catholic 42 Third place West Lafayette 52, Twin Lakes 42 Championship Benton Central 64, Harrison 27 All-tournament team MVP—Caitlyn Tolen, Benton Central Cassidy Deno, Benton Central Claire Muller, Harrison Anna Searle, West Lafayette Aliyia Kind, Lafayette Jeff Sportsmanship Award Caitlyn Tolen, Benton Central Donald and Pauline Trout Scholarship Award Anna Searle, West Lafayette 2011 At Harrison Nov. 14 West Lafayette 36, Twin Lakes 34 Harrison 54, Central Catholic 40 Nov. 15 McCutcheon 90, Frankfort 27 Benton Central 55, Lafayette Jeff 42 Nov. 17 Twin Lakes 52, Central Catholic 47 West Lafayette 69, Harrison 62 (2OT) Nov. 18 Lafayette Jeff 51, Frankfort 25 McCutcheon 54, Benton Central 44 Nov. 19 Seventh place Central Catholic 56, Frankfort 29 Fifth place Twin Lakes 57, Lafayette Jeff 49 Third place Benton Central 50, Harrison 38 Championship McCutcheon 67, West Lafayette 42 All-tournament team MVP—Lakan HasserSmith, McCutcheon Ashlynn Sexton, McCutcheon Carissa Pekny, West Lafayette Caitlyn Tolen, Benton Central Coryn Tirpak, Twin Lakes Sportsmanship Award Caitlyn Tolen, Benton Central Donald and Pauline Trout Scholarship Award
Taylor VanArsdel, Harrison 2010 At McCutcheon Nov. 15 McCutcheon 70, Twin Lakes 29 Frankfort 49, Harrison 37 Nov. 16 Lafayette Jeff 51, West Lafayette 48 Benton Central 56, West Lafayette 46 Nov. 18 Twin Lakes 65, Harrison 31 Central Catholic 63, West Lafayette 46 Nov. 19 McCutcheon 75, Frankfort 20 Benton Central 40, Lafayette Jeff 37 Nov. 20 Seventh place West Lafayette 41, Harrison 20 Fifth place Central Catholic 51, Twin Lakes 45 Third place Lafayette Jeff 44, Frankfort 38 Championship McCutcheon 50, Benton Central 48 All-tournament team MVP—Lakan HasserSmith, McCutcheon Jessica Valley, McCutcheon Caitlyn Tolen, Benton Central Kayla McCall, Lafayette Jeff Alex Thompson, Frankfort Sportsmanship Award Ayren Cobb, Benton Central Donald and Pauline Trout Scholarship Award Audrey Matteson, Twin Lakes 2009 At Harrison Nov. 16 Lafayette Jeff 65, Frankfort 50 McCutcheon 50, Benton Central 36 Nov. 17 Central Catholic 53, Twin Lakes 48 West Lafayette 48, Harrison 44 Nov. 19 Twin Lakes 40, Harrison 30 Central Catholic 52, West Lafayette 46 Nov. 20 Benton Central 48, Frankfort 39 McCutcheon 52, Lafayette Jeff 26 Nov. 21 Seventh place Frankfort 45, Harrison 21 Fifth place Benton Central 61, Twin Lakes 47 Third place Lafayette Jeff 69, West Lafayette 52 McCutcheon 81, Central Catholic 36 All-tournament team MVP—Jessica Valley, McCutcheon Lakan Hasser-Smith, McCutcheon Olivia Walker, Central Catholic Morgan Hainje, Central Catholic Brandi Richardson, Lafayette Jeff Sportsmanship Award Jessica Valley, McCutcheon Donald and Pauline Trout Scholarship
Sam Loeffler, Harrison 2008 At McCutcheon Nov. 17 Benton Central 59, Frankfort 33 McCutcheon 55, Twin Lakes 51 Nov. 18 Lafayette Jeff 87, Harrison 44 West Lafayette 62, Central Catholic 58 Nov. 20 Twin Lakes 33, Frankfort 17 Central Catholic 44, Harrison 36 Nov. 21 McCutcheon 63, Benton Central 62 (3OT) Lafayette Jeff 99, West Lafayette 51 Nov. 22 Seventh place Frankfort 35, Harrison 19 Fifth place Twin Lakes 45, Central Catholic 39 Third place Benton Central 74, West Lafayette 34 Championship Lafayette Jeff 86, McCutcheon 46 All-tournament team MVP—Charae Richardson, Jeff Channie Williams, Jeff Brandi Richardson, Jeff Jessica Valley and Hilde Thayer, McCutcheon Sportsmanship Award Ashley Courtney, Harrison Donald and Pauline Trout Scholarship Award Heidi Brenan, West
Lafayette 2007 At Harrison Nov. 12 Lafayette Jeff 61, Frankfort 53 (OT) Benton Central 49, Central Catholic 37 Nov. 13 Twin Lakes 50, West Lafayette 29 McCutcheon 71, Harrison 41 Nov. 15 Frankfort 47, Central Catholic 31 West Lafayette 63, Harrison 39 Nov. 16 Benton Central 48, Lafayette Jeff 46 Twin Lakes 45, McCutcheon 44 Nov. 17 Seventh place Central Catholic 33, Harrison 29 Fifth place West Lafayette 63, Frankfort 38 Third place Lafayette Jeff 64, McCutcheon 48 Championship Twin Lakes 52, Benton Central 25 All-tournament team MVP—Betsy Adams, Twin Lakes Emileah Manahan, Twin Lakes Kayla Cripe, Benton Central Charae Richardson, Lafayette Jeff Mackenzie Staton, West Lafayette Sportsmanship Award Maggie Tull, McCutche-
on Mental Attitude Scholarship Grace Walker, CC 2006 At McCutcheon Nov. 13 McCutcheon 63, Twin Lakes 50 Central Catholic 51, Harrison 39 Nov. 14 Benton Central 62, Lafayette Jeff 48 West Lafayette 58, Frankfort 34 Nov. 16 Lafayette Jeff 59, Frankfort 54 Twin Lakes 57, Harrison 41 Nov. 17 McCutcheon 64, Central Catholic 47 Benton Central 49, West Lafayette 44 Nov. 18 Seventh place Harrison 38, Frankfort 37 Fifth place Twin Lakes 69, Lafayette Jeff 45 Third place West Lafayette 58, Central Catholic 47 Championship McCutcheon 70, Benton Central 63 All-tournament team MVP—Brooke Osborne, McCutcheon Skyler Gick, Benton Central Betsy Adams, Twin Lakes Taylor LaBaw, McCutcheon Michelle Oswalt, West Lafayette Sportsmanship Award
Katie Pechin, CC 2005 At Harrison Nov. 14 Twin Lakes 57, Central Catholic 45 Benton Central 65, Harrison 46 Nov. 15 McCutcheon 67, Frankfort 53 West Lafayette 58, Lafayette Jeff 52 Nov. 17 Harrison 51, Central Catholic 49 Lafayette Jeff 83, Frankfort 30 Nov. 18 Benton Central 59, Twin Lakes 57 McCutcheon 67, West Lafayette 55 Nov. 19 Seventh place Frankfort 62, Central Catholic 37 Fifth place Lafayette Jeff 75, Harrison 47 Third place West Lafayette 64, Twin Lakes 59 Championship Benton Central 69, McCutcheon 62 All-tournament team MVP—Skyler Gick, Benton Central Chauncey Stacy, Benton Central Brooke Osborne, McCutcheon Betsy Adams, Twin Lakes Michelle Oswalt, West Lafayette Sportsmanship Award Helen Lahrman, McCutcheon
7
8 Sunday, November 17, 2013
HOOPS CLASSIC
LAFAYETTE JEFF BRONCHOS QUICK SHOTS
On guard
Coach: Andy Baker (first season) 2012-13 results: 3-19; lost to Kokomo 49-35 in sectional opener Conference: Hoosier Crossroads Sectional: Class 4A, Sectional 7 Sectional opponents: Harrison, Kokomo, Logansport, Marion, McCutcheon Returning stat leaders Scoring: Aliyia Kind (10.4) Rebounding: Hinkel (3.8) Assists: Kaylee Simms (2.2) Steals: Simms (2.2)
Aliyia Kind and Kaylee Simms are senior veterans. Junior Rylie Pittard got accustomed to running the offense last year as well. With those three, first-year coach Andy Baker has installed a new quicker-paced offense. “With Aliyia’s athleticism, she is tough to guard. Kaylee is tough as nails. Rylie has a work ethic like crazy,” Baker said. Sharpshooting Kara Homeier spent the offseason working on a quicker release to her shot after leading the team with 26 made 3-pointers last season and hopes the new offense provides more open looks from deep.
Front line Aliyia Kind
Kaylee Simms
Last season It was not a year any Broncho player wanted to endure. Three victories, two of those against Central Catholic. Problems scoring, breaking 50 points just once and scoring 30 or less 10 times. After starting the season 2-2, Lafayette Jeff lost its next 16 games and eventually finished with a 3-19 record. Coach Geoff Salmon resigned after the season to take an athletic director/ girls basketball coach position at Northfield.
ROSTER No. 3 4 10 12 20 22 24 32 34 40 52
Name Aliyia Kind Carlie Hinkel Kaylee Simms Rylie Pittard Stephanie Harris Jordan Richards Kara Homeier Martina McQuay Julia Randolph Ariel Callis Haley Carter
Pos. G F G G F G G F F/C G F/C
Ht. 5-3 6-1 5-3 5-5 5-9 5-5 5-7 5-10 5-10 5-6 6-0
Yr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr.
Rebounding was an area where the Bronchos struggled last season and Jeff graduated leading rebounder Allie Aikerson-Russell. However, an athletic and physical presence has Baker with no concerns about his post play. “Julia Randolph worked really hard in the offseason,” said senior Carlie Hinkel, who averaged 3.8 rebounds and 6.5 points last season while earning Team MVP honors. “Martina McQuay is really Carlie good in there Hinkel and I can get in there and help even though I’m smaller.” Baker hopes those two, along with the return of senior Stephanie Harris and the addition of junior Haley Carter to the varsity opens up Hinkel’s midrange jumper. Hinkel led the team, shooting 46 percent last season.
Key newcomers The Bronchos have eight
Kara Homeier was Lafayette Jeff’s top shooter from 3-point range last season. JOHN TERHUNE/JOURNAL & COURIER
seniors and three juniors, most with varsity experience. Junior shooting guard Ariel Callis comes up from the JV, as does Randolph. Guard Jordan Richards played in just nine varsity contests last season.
Outlook Last year’s struggles are behind the Bronchos, they believe, and this early season tournament provides the opportunity to prove that. “The J&C is a good way for us to start,” Simms said. “There’s good competition, but I think we compete well with all of them. We have a chance to get some wins and get this season started right.” Last season, the Bronchos relied heavily on leading scorer Kind, the only player on the team to average double-digit
scoring. This season, they’ll hope for a more balanced attack. “I don’t want this year for this team to depend on me to score,” Kind said. “I want the whole team to score. I want everyone to have points on the board, not just one person or two or three.” The Bronchos hope that translates to more victories as well. Baker said when he noticed the amount of talent on the roster, looking at last year’s record, “shocked me.” A new coach offers a new start for Jeff’s veteran squad. “We obviously didn’t have that great of a record but we’re coming in here, we have a new coach and I think we are all pretty excited about it,” Homeier said.
— Sam King/ sking@jconline.com
HOOPS CLASSIC
Sunday, November 17, 2013
9
McCUTCHEON MAVERICKS QUICK SHOTS
On guard
Coach: Jeff Knoy (116-73 in ninth season) 2012-13 results: 5-17, lost to Logansport 48-21 in sectional opener Conference: Hoosier Crossroads Sectional: Class 4A, Sectional 7 Sectional opponents: Harrison, Kokomo, Lafayette Jeff, Logansport, Marion
Kerstyn Lowery
Becca Spitalniak
Returning stat leaders Scoring: Kerstyn Lowery (13.0) Rebounding: Becca Spitalniak (4.6) Assists: Lowery (1.7) Steals: Lowery (2.4) Last season After an incredible three-year run that included three sectional titles and a 63-13 overall record, graduation departures caused a rebuilding year last season where a sophomore-heavy Mavericks squad went 5-17. McCutcheon lost eight of its final nine games, getting a senior night victory over North Montgomery and Division I signee Kelsi Byrd that showed the Mavericks’ progress. It marked only the second time McCutcheon finished in single digit victories in Knoy’s eight seasons.
ROSTER No. 3 5 12 14 22 24 30 34 44
Name Gabby Gary Allison Boardman Becca Spitalniak Katee Kurtz Sydney Tracer Kerstyn Lowery Kiana Fields Hannah Burger Claire Weideman
Pos. G G G G F G F F C
Ht. 5-5 5-6 5-11 5-8 5-11 5-6 6-0 6-1 6-1
Yr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr.
For the junior combo of Kerstyn Lowery and Gabrielle Gary, last season was instrumental to the long-term success of the Mavericks. The starting backcourt suffered through a five-win season, but learned invaluable lessons they hope makes them a lethal duo this season. “It’s really nice to have a point guard who knows where Allison every single player on the floor Boardman should be,” Gary said, referring to Lowery, who was a reserve on McCutcheon’s sectional championship team two years ago. Gary had a brief bout with fame after she saved a ball going out of bounds and threw it over her head for a 3-point basket. Now she hopes to share recognition with Lowery, Becca Spitalniak, Katee Kurtz and Allison Boardman as one of the area’s deepest backcourt units.
Front line An area where Spitalniak can also help is in the post with her athletic ability and size. She led a team that struggled on the boards a year ago. Adding some size are juniors Claire Weideman and Hannah Burger, both 6-foot-1. Sydney Tracer is a talented athlete who helped lead the Mavs to a volleyball sectional championship last month. “We have a lot of basketball type kids, tall and lanky,” coach Jeff Knoy said. “We’re not necessarily real physical in there, but we can run the floor. That’s what Hannah we’ve had in the past is kids that Burger can get up and down the floor.” Katee Kurtz
Key newcomers The question was posed to three players who gave three different answers. That’s a quality problem when so many players have shown massive improvements over the summer and in the early season practices. “Hannah Carithers is going to do big things for us,” Kurtz said. “She’s a sophomore, but she is a really good ball handler.” Additionally, 6-foot forward Kiana Fields gives the Mavericks a high-leaping and physical rebounding presence. “Kiana is a great kid for us,” coach Jeff Knoy said. “She played some for us on JV last
McCutcheon's Gabrielle Gary brings the ball up court against Central Catholic during last year’s J&C Hoops Classic. FILE/JOURNAL & COURIER
year and had a great summer. She will get a lot of playing time in our post.”
Outlook By the end of last season, McCutcheon was starting five sophomores. By then, the idea was to plan for the future and Knoy hopes that experience gained as a unit carries over to Kiana Fields the start of this season. “We all saw we got better over the season,” Spitalniak said. “It showed how much we still needed to work on.” The summer and early season has been focused on shoring up those shortcomings. The Mavericks have won the J&C Hoops Classic four times, the only multi-time winner along with defending champion Benton Central. With their experience, winning title No. 5 becomes the first on Knoy’s checklist the Mavericks make prior to each season. “We want to prove we are better and we are a good team even though we don’t have any seniors,” said Gary, who shot 39 percent from 3-point range last season. “We still have a lot of leaders on our team.”
— Sam King/sking@jconline.com
10 Sunday, November 17, 2013
HOOPS CLASSIC
TWIN LAKES INDIANS QUICK SHOTS Coach: Brad Bowsman (154-77 in 11th season) 2012-13 results: 12-11, lost to Western 42-21 in sectional semifinal Conference: Hoosier Sectional: Class 3A, Sectional 20 Sectional opponents: Benton Central, Maconaquah, Northwestern, Peru, Western, West Lafayette Returning stat leaders Scoring: Laurhen Pickett (15.9) Rebounding: Pickett (11.8) Assists: Courtney Bowsman (1.9) Steals: Pickett (1.7)
Laurhen Pickett
Courtney Bowsman
Last season Twin Lakes went into a tailspin after Pickett was declared ineligible, losing four in a row before winning its season finale against Lewis Cass and the sectional opener against Maconaquah thanks to free throw shooting by Chloe McAchren and Courtney Bowsman. With Pickett in the lineup, the Indians averaged nearly 51 points a game and were 9-3 before a holday stretch of games that saw them lose to Lebanon, Central Catholic and Harrison (in overtime).
ROSTER No. 10 11 13 14 15 20 21 22 23 25
Name Lily Dowden Courtney Bowsman Laurhen Pickett Elizabeth Propes Gabrielle Kendall Katie Hattabaugh Kassie Hunt Shelby Sturgeon Elizabeth Sabados Kaylee Bonnette
Pos. G G F F/C G/F G F G/F F G
Ht. 5-8 5-5 5-10 5-9 5-7 5-6 5-9 5-7 5-8 5-5
Yr. Fr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. So. Sr. So. Sr.
Elizabeth Propes
Shelby Sturgeon
Gabby Kendall
On guard Even with the graduation losses of second-leading scorer Chloe McAchren and third-leading scorer Morgan Gutwein, this may be the deepest position on the team. Senior point guard Courtney Bowsman is back for her fourth season, which will be a bittersweet one for both her and her father, head coach Brad Bowsman. Brad has coached Courtney since fourth grade. “It will be sad at the end,” said Courtney, one of the Indians’ best free throw shooters at 76 percent a year ago. Separating the roles of father and coach wasn’t always easy. “The first couple of years were kind of rocky between us,” Brad Bowsman said. “Last year, I felt we had a breakthrough.” Now he’s seeking another breakthrough from Courtney, wanting her to attack the basket while being less analytical and afraid of making mistakes. “I think she’s gotten more aggressive, and that’s what this team needs,” Brad Bowsman said. Shelby Sturgeon, Kaylee Brad Bonnette and Gabby Kendall Bowsman were forced into action last season, and that experience should benefit the three seniors. “That helped us grow a lot and it will help this year, I think,” Brad Bowsman said. “We had two seniors who graduated who had been a big part of the team since they were freshmen, so that’s going to be some big shoes to fill. But I feel like we have girls in those positions to fill those shoes.”
Front line Laurhen Pickett played just 14 games last season before being ruled academically ineligible. Pickett was the Indians’ top scorer at 15.9 per game and averaged a season double-double with 11.8 rebounds. Brad Bowsman calls Pickett a “natural” rebounder. “She’s got such a knack for the ball,” he said. “She’s quick to the spot and can antici-
Laurhen Pickett averaged a double-double last season. JERRY SCHULTHEISS/FOR THE JOURNAL & COURIER
pate where the ball’s going to be.” Elizabeth Propes also returns on the front line and averaged 5.1 rebounds a game. Pickett’s absence allowed sophomore Kassie Hunt to gain experience. Hunt played in nine games and averaged 2.7 points and 2.6 rebounds.
Key newcomers Freshman guard Lily Dowden (5-8) and sophomores Katie Hattabaugh (5-6) and Elizabeth Sabados (5-8) could see some action this season.
Outlook Courtney Bowsman agrees with her father that last season’s difficulties will benefit the Indians this season. “Going through adversity helped us grow together as a team,” she said. “We’ve worked hard together.” Pickett had a strong volleyball season and is a threat to score 20 points and grab 15 rebounds a game. Propes and Hunt will benefit from their experience a year ago to give the Indians depth on the front line. Perhaps most importantly, Bowsman feels like she has grown into the role of Twin Lakes’ on-court leader. “It feels good to be a senior, a leader and a motivator,” she said.
— Ken Thompson/kthompson@jconline.com
HOOPS CLASSIC
Sunday, November 17, 2013 11
WEST LAFAYETTE RED DEVILS QUICK SHOTS
On guard
Coach: Jane Schott (69-63 in seventh year, 137-151 in 14th year overall) 2012-13 results: 17-6, lost to Benton Central 55-41 in sectional Conference: Hoosier Sectional: Class 3A, Sectional 20 Sectional opponents: Benton Central, Maconaquah, Northwestern, Peru, Twin Lakes, Western Returning stat leaders Scoring: Shelby Mann (13.8) Rebounding: Lorelei Turner (3.6) Assists: Mann (1.8) Steals: Mann (2.5) Last season The Red Devils got on a roll during the second half of the season, winning 10 in a row before running into Indiana All-Star Caitlyn Tolen and Benton Central on their home court in the sectional. The Bison handed the Red Devils three of their six losses in 2012-13. Several players on this year’s roster celebrated championships in the fall, including Shelby Mann and Kasey Touloukian in soccer, Jessica Martin in volleyball and Julia Bittner with cross country. That taste of success could lead to the Red Devils’ first sectional title since 2005. “I think the fact that most of our players have experienced winning in environments where there are a lot of people watching will help us a lot, especially in pressure situations,” Mann said.
While no one is expecting Shelby Mann to break scoring records in basketball after her historic season for the state champion girls soccer team, coach Jane Schott expects a lingering effect from the tournament run. “She’s a competitor and she’s a champion,” Schott said. “I’ve known that for a long time. Maybe everybody else didn’t because she hadn’t won a championship but I do know that’s how she’s wired. We expect that to carry over.” Jessica Martin comes in from a volleyball sectional championship squad to assume a starting role after being one of the Red Devils’ top reserves a year ago. She and Mann will be relied upon heavily to score and defend. A familiar name to West Lafayette athletics takes over the point guard role. Sophomore Maggie Wodicka is a lot like her brothers James and Daniel, Schott said. James Wodicka was a three-sport athlete and class valedictorian, while Daniel was Indiana’s Mr. Football after quarterbacking West Lafayette to a Class 3A state championship. “She’s wired just like them,” Schott said. “She’s extremely intelligent, she’s heady, she’s very stable. We’re blessed to have her to go along with Shelby and Jessica. I think that makes our backcourt pretty strong.”
her to be an inside-outside attacker for us. “She had a terrific summer, hardest worker in terms of how much time she spent in the gym this offseason. We’re really excited for her.” At 5-foot-5, Taylor Martin — Jessica’s twin sister — will be a starting forward. “We smile when we say ‘other post player,’ ” Schott said in reference to Taylor Martin. “We’re kind of like the Purdue women; we’re playing four guards and a post. “Taylor has embraced that. She’s tough. She can guard somebody bigger if she has to. She can rebound, so we feel comfortable with a little bit smaller lineup.”
Front line
Newcomers
Schott is expecting big things from Lorelei Turner, a returning starter and the Red Devils’ only experienced post player. “She’s ready to explode on to the scene,” Schott said. “Last year she was in a little bit of a reserve role even though she was a starter because of the people she was surrounded by, a lot of veterans and scorers. Now we’re really going to rely on
Junior Megan Crawford is battling a sprained ankle but will help the Red Devils inside. Classmate Kasey Touloukian will see playing time because of her ability to do whatever the Red Devils need. Sophomores Julia Bittner and Abby Martin, plus freshmen Kaia Harris and Madi Jacobs also figure into the Red Devils’ plans. “Julia Bittner can defend, can score and she’s long,”
ROSTER No. 3 4 5 10 12 15 20 21 22 23 24 32
Name Kaia Harris Shelby Mann Maggie Wodicka Abby Martin Kasey Touloukian Taylor Martin Madi Jacobs Lorelei Turner Jessica Martin Megan Crawford Julia Bittner Shannon Berry
Pos. Ht. F 5-9 G 5-7 G 5-6 G 5-5 F 5-6 G 5-5 G 5-5 F 5-10 G 5-5 G 5-10 G 5-8 F 5-10
Yr. Fr. Sr. So. So. Jr. Sr. Fr. Jr. Sr. Jr. So. So.
Shelby Mann is coming off a record-breaking scoring season for the state champion soccer team. JOHN TERHUNE/JOURNAL & COURIER
Jessica Martin
Taylor Martin
Maggie Wodicka
Lorelei Turner
Schott said. “She just needs experience. I’ve been really excited about Abby Martin and Madi Jacobs to give us a little bit of a boost in the guard spot.” Schott could barely contain her enthusiasm when discussing Harris. “She’s long and lanky and got a lot to learn, but I love her energy,” Schott said. “She gets on the floor and things happen.”
Outlook Mann sees similarities with her state championship soccer team. “We have a good senior class,” Mann said. “Soccer really helped me realize it’s not about the talent, it’s more about the camaraderie.” Schott hopes the Red Devils find their identity after graduation took starters Grace Palmieri, Anna Searle and Kayla Jones. “With each and every game it’s not about the wins and losses, especially early on,” Schott said. “It’s going to be about improving every minute, every day, every practice, every game and letting our kids grow as basketball players and as people. The winning will take care of itself.”
— Ken Thompson/ kthompson@jconline.com
12 Sunday, November 17, 2013
HOOPS CLASSIC