INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Caleb Furst has earned the top individual award in Indiana high school boys basketball. Furst, a 6-10 senior forward from Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian, has been named IndyStar Indiana Mr. Basketball for 2021 in online voting of media and boys’ varsity coaches conducted by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association and All-Star game director Mike Broughton, it was announced Friday (April 16).
The Mr. Basketball result allows Furst to join Lawrence North senior Jayla Smith to wear No. 1 jerseys for the Indiana All-Stars in their annual series with Kentucky. Smith's selection as 2021 Indiana Miss Basketball, after a vote of media and girls' varsity coaches, was announced last month.
The Mr. Basketball and Miss Basketball awards go to the respective top boys’ basketball senior and top girls’ basketball senior in the state. The Mr. Basketball award is part of the IndyStar Indiana All-Star program that dates to 1939. The Miss Basketball award, along with the girls All-Stars, was added to the All-Star program in 1976.
The remainder of the 2021 Boys All-Star team is expected to be announced next week. The full 2021 Girls All-Star team also was announced last month.
Furst earned the boys' top honor after being named on 73 ballots submitted to Broughton during late March and early April. Trey Kaufman-Renn of Silver Creek was runner-up in the voting with 47 votes. Luke Brown of Blackford placed third with 40 votes. Other finalists were Brooks Barnhizer of Lafayette Jeff, Shamar Avance of Lawrence North and J.R. Konieczny of South Bend St. Joseph.
A Purdue University recruit, Furst averaged 21.4 points, 14.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.2 blocks as a senior while leading Blackhawk Christian to a 28-3 season that included the Class 2A state championship. He converted 64.0 percent on field goals (260-of-406) and 84.2 percent on free throws (133-of-158) as the Braves captured their second state crown in three seasons. They also captured the Class A trophy in 2019 and no title was determined in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic that stopped the tournament after sectional play.
For his career, Furst totaled a school records of 2,067 points, 1,254 rebounds and 213 blocked shots while Blackhawk Christian amassed an aggregate 105-11 record over his four seasons (26-3, 28-2, 23-3 and 28-3). He averaged 18.7 points and 8.9 rebounds as a sophomore and followed with norms of 22.1 points and 13.4 rebounds as a junior. Furst is the first Mr. Basketball winner and the just second player to become an Indiana All-Star from his school, joining Russell Byrd in 2010.
Furst also is the 12th Mr. Basketball recipient -- but just the second in the past 30 years -- bound for Purdue. He joins Joe Sexson (1952), Willie Eison (1955), Dennis Brady (1964), Billy Keller (1965), Rick Mount (1966), Kyle Macy (1975), Dan Palombizio (1981), Troy Lewis (1984), Woody Austin (1988), Glenn Robinson (1991) and Caleb Swanigan (2015) as Mr. Basketball winners who joined the Boilermakers.
In voting announced on March 19, Smith captured the Indiana Miss Basketball award for 2021 after receiving 28 votes in balloting that occurred in late February and early March. Ariana Wiggins of Heritage Christian was second with 22 votes. Ally Becki of Brownsburg was third with 21 votes.
Smith, also a Purdue signee, averaged 19.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 4.8 steals in leading Lawrence North to a 19-7 record as a senior. That came after the 5-11 guard averaged 14.7 points and propelled the Wildcats to the 2020 Class 4A state championship with a 26-4 record as a junior. The previous season, Smith averaged 16.1 points and helped Lawrence North finish as Class 4A state runner-up with a 22-7 slate.
Smith is her school's first Indiana Miss Basketball honoree and the 14th girl from Lawrence North to be chosen to the All-Star team. LN girls chosen All-Star to previous All-Star teams were Kelly Miller (1983), Reicina Russell (2005), Azjah Bass (2007), Felisha Johnson (2008), CoCo Moore (2012), Destiny Washington (2014), Ana Owens (2014), Lamina Cooper (2015), Lauren Dickerson (2016), Ae'Rianna Harris (2016), Destiny Perkins (2017), Kristian Young (2020) and Katie Davidson (2020).Lawrence North also has had 15 boys named as All-Stars over the years dating to Reed Crafton in 1985. The Wildcats have had one Mr. Basketball winner in Greg Oden in 2006.
Smith is the 10th Miss Basketball honoree to be headed to Purdue. Previous winners to join the Boilermakers are Sharon Versyp (1984), Jennifer Jacoby (1991), Stephanie White (1995), Kelly Komara (1998), Katie Gearlds (2003), Jodi Howell (2005), Brittany Rayburn (2008), Courtney Moses (2010) and Karissa McLaughlin (2017).
Mr. Basketball and Miss Basketball traditionally wear No. 1 jerseys for the respective Indiana Boys All-Stars and Indiana Girls All-Stars in the annual series with Kentucky. The All-Stars will face the Indiana Junior All-Stars in an exhibition doubleheader on June 9 at Brownsburg High School. The All-Stars follow with their home-and-home doubleheaders with Kentucky -- June 11 at the Owensboro SportsCenter in Owensboro, Ky., and June 12 at Southport Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Indiana Mr. Basketball honorees
1939:George Crowe, Franklin
1940:Ed Schienbein, Southport
1941:John Bass, Greenwood
1942:Bud Brown, Muncie Burris
1943:not awarded (World War II)
1944:not awarded (World War II)
1945:Tom Schwartz, Kokomo
1946:Johnny Wilson, Anderson
1947:Bill Garrett, Shelbyville
1948:Bob Masters, Lafayette Jeff
1949:Dee Monroe, Madison
1950:Pat Klein, Marion
1951:Tom Harrold, Muncie Central
1952:Joe Sexson, Indianapolis Tech
1953:Hallie Bryant, Indianapolis Attucks
1954:Bobby Plump, Milan
1955:Wilson Eison, Gary Roosevelt
1956:Oscar Robertson, Indianapolis Attucks
1957:Joan Coalmon, South Bend Central
1958:Mike McCoy, Fort Wayne South
1959:Jimmy Rayl, Kokomo
1960:Ron Bonham, Muncie Central
1961:Tom VanArsdale, Indianapolis Manual, and Dick VanArsdale, Indianpolis Manual
1962:Larry Humes, Madison
1963:Rick Jones, Muncie Central
1964:Dennis Brady, Lafayette Jeff
1965:Bill Keller, Indianapolis Washington
1966:Rick Mount, Lebanon
1967:Willie Long, Fort Wayne South
1968:Billy Shepherd, Carme
l1969:George McGinnis, Indianapolis Washington
1970:Dave Shepherd, Carmel
1971:Mike Flynn, Jeffersonville
1972:Phil Cox, Connersville
1973:Kent Benson, New Castle
1974:Steve Collier, Southwestern (Hanover), and Roy Taylor, Anderson
1975:Kyle Macy, Peru
1976:Dave Colescott, Marion
1977:Ray Tolbert, Anderson Madison Heights
1978:David Magley, South Bend LaSalle
1979:Steve Bouchie, Washington
1980:Jim Master, Fort Wayne Harding
1981:Dan Palombizio, Michigan City Rogers
1982:Roger Harden, Valparaiso
1983:Steve Alford, New Castle
1984:Delray Brooks, Michigan City Rogers, and Troy Lewis, Anderson,
1985:Jeff Grose, Warsaw
1986:Mark Jewell, Lafayette Jeff
1987:Jay Edwards, Marion, and Lyndon Jones, Marion
1988:Woody Austin, Richmond
1989:Pat Graham, Floyd Central
1990:Damon Bailey, Bedford North Lawrence
1991:Glenn Robinson, Gary Roosevelt
1992:Charles Macon, Michigan City Elston
1993:Maurice “Kojak” Fuller, Anderson
1994:Bryce Drew, Valparaiso
1995:Damon Frierson, Ben Davis
1996:Kevin Ault, Warsaw
1997:Luke Recker, DeKalb
1998:Tom Coverdale, Noblesville
1999:Jason Gardner, North Central
2000:Jared Jeffries, Bloomington North
2001:Chris Thomas, Pike
2002:Sean May, Bloomington North
2003:Justin Cage, Pike
2004:A.J. Ratliff, North Central
2005:Luke Zeller, Washington
2006:Greg Oden, Lawrence North
2007:Eric Gordon, North Central
2008:Tyler Zeller, Washington
2009:Jordan Hulls, Bloomington South
2010:DeShaun Thomas, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers
2011:Cody Zeller, Washington
2012:Gary Harris, Hamilton Southeastern
2013:Zak Irvin, Hamilton Southeastern
2014:Trey Lyles, Indianapolis Tech
2015:Caleb Swanigan, Homestead
2016:Kyle Guy, Lawrence Central
2017:Kris Wilkes, North Central
2018:Romeo Langford, New Albany
2019:Trayce Jackson-Davis, Center Grove
2020:Anthony Leal, Bloomington South
2021: Caleb Furst, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian
Indiana Miss Basketball honorees
1976:Judi Warren, Warsaw
1977:Teri Rosinski, Norwell
1978:Chanda Kline, Warsaw
1979:LaTaunya Pollard, East Chicago Roosevelt
1980:Maria Stack, Columbus East
1981:Cheryl Cook, Indianapolis Washington
1982:Trena Keys, Marion
1983:Jody Beerman, Heritage
1984:Sharon Versyp, Mishawaka
1985:Jodie Whitaker, Austin
1986:Kim Barrier, Jimtown
1987:Lori Meinerding, Fort Wayne Northrop
1988:Vicki Hall, Brebeuf Jesuit
1989:Renee Westmoreland, Scottsburg
1990:Patricia Babcock, Culver Academy
1991:Jennifer Jacoby, Rossville
1992:Marla Inman, Bedford North Lawrence
1993:Abby Conklin, Charlestown
1994:Tiffany Gooden, Fort Wayne Snider
1995:Stephanie White, Seeger
1996:Lisa Winter, Huntington North
1997:Lisa Shepherd, Richmond
1998:Kelly Komara, Lake Central
1999:April McDivitt, Connersville
2000:Sara Nord, Jeffersonville
2001:Shyra Ely, Ben Davis
2002:Shanna Zolman, Wawasee
2003:Katie Gearlds, Beech Grove
2004:Jaclyn Leininger, Warsaw
2005:Jodi Howell, Alexandria
2006:Amber Harris, North Central
2007:Ta’Shia Phillips, Brebeuf Jesuit
2008:Brittany Rayburn, Attica2
009:Skylar Diggins, South Bend Washington
2010:Courtney Moses, Oak Hill
2011:Bria Goss, Ben Davis
2012:Jessica Rupright, Norwell
2013:Stephanie Mavunga, Brownsburg
2014:Whitney Jennings, Logansport
2015:Ali Patberg, Columbus North
2016:Jackie Young, Princeton
2017:Karissa McLaughlin, Homestead
2018:Amy Dilk, Carmel
2019:Jorie Allen, Bedford North Lawrence
2020:Sydney Parrish, Hamilton Southeastern
2021: Jayla Smith, Lawrence North
2021 IndyStar Indiana All-Star key dates
Wednesday, June 9— Junior-Senior All-Star game at Brownsburg High School (1000 S. Odell St., Brownsburg, IN 46112) — girls, 6:00 p.m.; boys, to follow; admission, $8 per person at the door.
Friday, June 11— Indiana at Owensboro SportsCenter (1215 Hickman Ave., Owensboro, KY 42301) — girls, 6:00 p.m.; boys, to follow. Ticket information TBA.
Saturday, June 12 — Indiana vs. Kentucky at Southport Fieldhouse (971 E. Banta Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46227) — girls, 5:00 p.m.; boys, to follow. Ticket information, prices are $25 and $10.
