INDIANA -- Woodlan Senior Joe Reidy, Pike Senior Ryan Conwell, South Decatur Senior Hunter Johnson, South Bend Washington Junior RaShunda Jones, Wapahani Junior Camryn Wise, and Columbus East Junior Saige Stahl have been selected players of the week!

Boys Season Gets Rolling; Six Preps Selected as Week-4 IBCA/Franciscan Health Players of the Week

Last Monday, November 22, marked the beginning of the boys’ 2021-2022 season. Between all of the nominees, there were huge scoring performances, double-doubles left and right, some come-from-behind victories, and multiple 1000-point plateaus reached. In the end, three young men and three young women were chosen as this week’s IBCA/Franciscan Health Players of the Week.

Woodlan picked up a pair of opening week wins, as Senior Joe Reidy was outstanding for the Warriors. Wednesday, against an athletic New Haven squad, the Warriors escaped with a narrow, 67-65 victory. Reidy posted his first double-double of the week, scoring 37 points while pulling down 18 rebounds. The 6-7 forward was an efficient 16-18 from the free throw line as well, plus he added three assists, two steals, and blocked four shots in success.

Saturday, the Warriors returned to action at Bellmont, leaving Decatur, Indiana, with a 64-49 victory. Reidy put up yet another double-double, with 29 points and 12 rebounds in the effort. He rounded out his stat-line with another assist, four more steals, and two more blocked shots, helping Woodlan to their second consecutive 2-0 start to the season.

The Panthers of South Bend Washington are a heavy favorite in Class 3A to return to the girls’ State Finals, and Junior RaShunda Jones is a big reason why. Tuesday against nearby South Bend St. Joseph, the Panthers won easily, while Jones scored the 1000th point of her career. On the night, the 5-7 guard was 9-14 from the field, she put in 22 points, pulled down four rebounds, handed out three assists, and snagged eight steals in the win.

Saturday, in a matchup with Indianapolis North Central, the Panthers fell in a close one, 62-56. Jones, however, was again one of the best players on the floor. In this contest, the athletic Junior scored 23 points and grabbed six rebounds. She went on to add three assists, three steals, and a blocked shot in defeat.

District-2 boys’ action saw a big early season matchup between Pike and Hamilton Southeastern, with the Red Devils pulling out the 66-60 win over the Royals. Senior Ryan Conwell put forth a balanced effort, helping Pike to the nice victory. In this contest, the 6-3 guard scored 29 points on 12-23 shooting, he knocked down one 3-pointer, plus he was 4-5 from the charity stripe. Committed to the University of South Florida, Conwell also collected five rebounds, dished out six assists, and snagged eight steals, while not turning it over a single time.

Over in Delaware County, Wapahani Junior Camryn Wise has helped the Lady Raiders to a 4-1 start to the year. Monday, Wapahani traveled to Wes-Del, winning the Mid-Eastern Conference matchup, 62-43. Wise was 11-22 from the field, she knocked down a 3-pointer, and she made four free throws, on her way to 27 points. The 5-10 forward added nine rebounds, four assists, and seven steals in the successful outing.

Saturday, the Lady Raiders visited Eastern Hancock in another conference clash, but they unfortunately fell 80-73 in a four-overtime thriller. This time around, Wise used the free throw line to her advantage, making 14 of her attempts. She poured in 31 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the double-double in the close loss. The Junior forward also handed out five assists and picked off seven passes.

South Decatur’s Hunter Johnson might be a big Jackie Robinson fan, as the Senior guard poured in 42 points on two separate occasions last week. Wednesday, in a 79-71 loss at Trinity Lutheran, Johnson reached the mark on 15-26 shooting, 4-9 from deep, and 8-10 from the charity stripe. He also posted a double-double with his 10 rebounds, plus he handed out a pair of assists in defeat.

When the Cougars returned to action on Friday, they took care of Switzerland County, 82-64. This time Johnson was a more efficient 16-20 from the field, he made 3-6 from outside, and he was 7-8 from the free throw line. The 6-2 guard grabbed another seven rebounds, and he handed out three more assists in their home opener.

Columbus East Junior Saige Stahl has been quietly putting up solid numbers for the Olympians over the past couple of seasons, but she seems to have hit full-stride this year. Tuesday, in a 71-50 win at Brownstown Central, the 6-1 forward set a career high in points, with 20, while also collecting seven rebounds. She was an efficient 10-13 from the field, plus she added three assists and four steals.

Saturday saw Columbus East prove anything is possible. Trailing 32-9 at the midpoint, Stahl and the Olympians battled all the way back for a 62-51 victory over Mooresville in remarkable fashion. This time the Junior forward was a near perfect 11-13 from the free throw line in the contest. Stahl finished with 19 points and posted a double-double with her 11 rebounds, plus she contributed two assists and stole the ball eight times in the comeback win.

This is the 14th season for the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Week program, but just the second season it is being presented by Franciscan Health, a corporate sponsor of the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.

Player of the Week winners are chosen each week from each of the IHSAA’s three districts. Girls winners will be chosen through the Monday following the IHSAA Girls State Finals. Boys winners will be chosen through the Monday following the IHSAA Boys State Finals.

Other Top Nominees for Week-4 (2021-22)

District-1 Boys: Chase Bachelor, Prairie Heights; Markus Burton, Penn; Austin Cripe, West Noble; Connor Essegian, Central Noble; Fletcher Loyer, Homestead; Hayden Maiben, Maconaquah; Reece Marrs, Hebron; Brandon Trilli, Munster; Ajani Washington, Fort Wayne Concordia; Jakar Williams, New Haven.

District-1 Girls: Nataley Armstrong, Garrett; Allison Capouch, Kouts; Jessica Carrothers, Crown Point; Taylor Delp, Plymouth; Eva Dodds, New Prairie; Kaydence Mellott, Tippecanoe Valley; MaKaya Porter, Mishawaka Marian; Peyton Pries, South Adams; Lilly Toppen, Kankakee Valley; Zoe Willems, Bethany Christian.

District-2 Boys: Gage Alexander, Cascade; Xavier Booker, Cathedral; Will Grissom, Guerin Catholic; Chrishon McCray, Avon; Avery Saunders, Southmont; Jeffrey Simmons, Fishers; Javon Tracy, Decatur Central; Hayden Ulerick, Mississinewa; Cael Vanderbush, Plainfield; Bobby Wonnell, Taylor.

District-2 Girls: Kenzie Garner, Sheridan; Alli Harness, Carroll (Flora); Laila Hull, Zionsville; Jaylah Lampley, Lawrence Central; Caroline Long, Western; Ally Madden, Blue River Valley; Olivia Nickerson, Twin Lakes; Ashlynn Shade, Noblesville; Jada Stansberry, Alexandria-Monroe; Mackenzie Thomas, Carmel.

District-3 Boys: Caleb Dewey, Edinburgh; Josiah Dunham, Evansville Christian; Baylin Graf, Bloomfield; Cole Hess, Perry Central; Drew Howard, Forest Park; Cade Jones, Eastern (Pekin); Jaylen Mullen, North Daviess; Landon Myers, Martinsville; Tyler Myers, Evansville Day; Branden Northern, Silver Creek.

District-3 Girls: Jackie Crews, Paoli; Cortney Dove, Princeton; Kendall Hale, Cannelton; Keylee Hudson, Eastern Greene; Kaiden James, New Washington; Kencia Levasseur, Washington; Hadley Lytton, Heritage Hills; Carly Sherfield, Edgewood; Bailey Tabeling, Trinity Lutheran; Linzie Wernert, Lanesville.

2021-22 Weekly Winners

Nov. 1-Nov. 6: District-1 girls: Mila Reynolds, South Bend Washington. District-2 girls: Emily Livingston, Union City. District-3 girls: Kyia McKinley, Eastern (Pekin).

Nov. 8-Nov. 13: District-1 girls: Julia Mantyla, Northridge. District-2 girls: Isabella Gizzi, New Palestine. District-3 girls: Zoe Stewart, Terre Haute North Vigo.

Nov. 15-Nov. 20: District-1 girls: Asia Donald, Hobart. District-2 girls: Adrianne Tolen, West Lafayette. District-3 girls: Bailey Tabeling, Trinity Lutheran.

Nov. 22-Nov. 27: District-1 boys: Joe Reidy, Woodlan. District-1 girls: RaShunda Jones, South Bend Washington. District-2 boys: Ryan Conwell, Pike. District-2 girls: Camryn Wise, Wapahani. District-3 boys: Hunter Johnson, South Decatur. District-3 girls: Saige Stahl, Columbus East.