Scholl, Owens headline IBCA Players of the Week

Scholl, Owens headline IBCA Players of the Week; Terre Haute North boys, Jennings County girls, Northridge girls cited as IBCA Teams of the Week

(2-10-26) Northridge junior Lily Scholl set a school record for points in a game, Austin senior Brynn Owens set a school record for points in a career, and both players led their teams to sectional championships over highly ranked opponents. Thus, Scholl and Owens headline the honorees in this week’s IBCA Player of the Week program.

Pendleton Heights junior Adah Hupfer, Penn sophomore Caleb Coolman, Indianapolis Crispus Attucks senior DeZhon Hall and Batesville junior James Hughes join Scholl and Owens as Week 14 winners in the IBCA Player of the Week program for 2025-26.

 Also, the Terre Haute North boys’ team, the Jennings County girls’ team and the Northridge girls’ team each was cited as an IBCA/Ballogy Team of the Week for respective performances during the week of Feb. 2-7 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.

Players of the Week are selected by IHSAA district – Coolman and Scholl for District 1, Hall and Hupfer for District 2, and Hughes and Owens for District 3. Teams of the Week are cited at the discretion of the program coordinators, former Martinsville coach Kip Staggs for boys and former Brownsburg coach Debbie Smiley for girls. Players and teams are recognized based on all performances in a Monday through Saturday week.

Scholl averaged 37.5 points and 10.4 rebounds in leading the Northridge girls (19-7) to the championship of the Goshen Sectional. First, the 5-10 wing totaled 31 points, 13 rebounds, one assist, two steals and two blocked shots in a 71-41 semifinal victory over Concord. She followed with a school-record 42 points plus eight rebounds, three assists and two steals as the Raiders stunned Class 4A No. 4 Warsaw 63-60.

Scholl’s outburst put her over 1,000 points – at 1,031, to be precise – and eclipsed the previous school record of 37 points by Eva Fisher against Goshen on Dec. 16, 2022. For the two games, Scholl connected on 28-of-37 field goals, 1-of-3 3-pointers and 16-of-19 free throws. That included a 14-of-20, 1-of-3 and 13-of-14 performance against Warsaw.

Owens produced 61 points in two games and pushed her career scoring total to 2,218 points, surpassing the previous school mark of 2,195 set by 2010 graduate Katy McIntosh, as the Class 2A No. 17 Austin girls (17-9) won the Austin Sectional. The 5-7 guard opened with 42 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals in a 79-25 runaway against Switzerland County. She followed with 19 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal as the Eagles outlasted Class 2A co-No. 12 Brownstown Central 37-23. Owens converted 18-of-31 fielders, 5-of-11 treys and 20-of-24 freebies in the two games. That included 15-of-20, 3-of-6 and 9-of-9 marksmanship in her 42-point game.

Hupfer averaged 21.7 points and 12.7 rebounds while posting three double-doubles in helping the Class 4A co-No. 10 Pendleton Heights girls (22-3) to the championship of the Pendleton Heights Sectional. The 6-3 junior forward scored 11 points, with 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks in a 60-39 first-round decision over Mt. Vernon (Fortville). She followed with 23 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and two blocks in an 84-30 rout of Richmond. She completed her week with 31 points, 11 rebounds and two assists as the Arabians defeated Greenfield-Central 66-49. In the three games, Hupfer hit on 24-of-39 from the floor, 4-of-8 from distance and 13-of-26 from the line. She is a second-time IBCA Player of the Week honoree, previously being recognized the week of Nov. 10-15.

Coolman averaged 24.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in propelling the Class 4A No. 14 Penn boys (14-3) to two victories. The 6-5 guard opened with 25 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, four steals and one block in a 55-45 victory at Class 3A No. 20 Mishawaka Marian, which also was the 300th career victory for coach and father Barak Coolman. Caleb followed with 24 points, nine rebounds, five assists and one steal as the Kingsmen defeated Chesterton 68-53. In the two games, Coolman sank 16-of-28 field goals, including 7-of-13 from long range, and 10-of-12 free throws.

Hall, another second-time Player of the Week honoree, posted norms of 36.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists in keying the Class 3A co-No. 12 Crispus Attucks boys (15-9) to a pair of triumphs. The 6-3 guard dropped 35 points with six rebounds, four assists and two steals in a 72-61 win over Indianapolis Metropolitan. He followed with 37 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals as the Tigers went on the road to edge Urbana, Ill., 73-70 in overtime. Hall, previously honored the week of Dec. 15-20, connected on 23-of-40 fielders, 5-of-9 3-pointers and 21-of-28 charity tosses in the two contests.

Hughes averaged 32.0 points over two games for the Class 3A No. 7 Batesville boys (16-2), hitting decisive free throws in the first game and claiming the No. 2 spot for 3-pointers in a game in the second. The 6-4 forward scored 25 points – including two late-game, pressure-packed FTs – with five rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks as the Bulldogs edged South Dearborn 68-67. He followed by sinking 7-of-10 3-pointers to total 39 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals in a 77-53 victory over Madison. For the two games, Hughes hit on 24-of-30 from the floor, 7-of-11 from distance and 13-of-13 free throws.

Team of the Week honors went to Terre Haute North for boys as well as Jennings County and Northridge for girls.

The Class 4A No. 12 Terre Haute North boys, 16-3 overall and coached by Todd Woelfle, went 2-0 for the week. First, the Patriots knocked off Class 4A No. 2 Plainfield 62-55. They followed by dumping Decatur Central 79-61.

The Class 3A No. 8 Jennings County girls, now 18-6 overall and coached by Kristi Sigler, won the Franklin County Sectional. The Panthers beat Lawrenceburg 47-33 and upset Class 3A No. 3 Greensburg 65-47 to claim the title. Northridge, as mentioned above, went 2-0 to capture the Goshen Sectional. The Raiders, coached by Doug Springer, topped Concord 71-41 and knocked off Class 4A No. 4 Warsaw 63-60 in the final.

This is the 18th season for the IBCA Player of the Week program. This is the second season for the IBCA Team of the Week program and the second season the Team of the Week program is presented by Ballogy, an IBCA corporate partner.

       

Coaches may nominate players and teams via buttons on the IBCA website (in.nhsbca.org). Coaches must be a current-year member for their players and/or team to be selected for a weekly award. Girls’ winners are chosen from now through Monday following the IHSAA girls’ State Finals. Boys’ winners are chosen from now through the Monday following the IHSAA boys’ State Finals.

2025-26 IBCA weekly honorees

            Nov. 3-8 – District 1 girls: Laniah Davis, Marquette Catholic. District 2 girls: Kenzie Koch, Eastern Hancock. District 3 girls: Gracyn Gilliard, Center Grove. Teams of the Week (girls): North Knox, South Central (Elizabeth), Warsaw.

            Nov. 10-15 – District 1 girls: Leah Shappell, Leo. District 2 girls: Adah Hupfer, Pendleton Heights. District 3 girls: Emily Parker, Boonville. Team of the Week (girls): Homestead.

            Nov. 17-22 – District 1 girls: Sarah Thompson, Oregon-Davis. District 2 girls: Kennedy Holman, Hamilton Southeastern. District 3 girls: Mollie Ernstes, Jennings County. Teams of the Week (girls): Crown Point, LaPorte.

            Nov. 24-29 – District 1 boys: Josh McBride and Nick McBride, Norwell. District 1 girls: Kendall VanderWal, Angola. District 2 boys: Brayden Thiele-Hahn, Rossville. District 2 girls: Carly Davison, Clinton Central. District 3 boys: Anthony Fresh, Charlestown. District 3 girls: Natalie Stenger, East Central. Teams of the Week (boys): Corydon Central, Plainfield. Team of the Week (girls): Maconaquah.

            Dec. 1-6 – District 1 boys: Mack Welker, Homestead. District 1 girls: Hillary Labis, Westville. District 2 boys: Drew Matelic, Speedway. District 2 girls: Riley Suarez, Hamilton Heights. District 3 boys: Wyatt Jones, Borden. District 3 girls: Hannah Higgs, Evansville Christian. Team of the Week (boys): Indianapolis Cathedral. Team of the Week (girls): Borden.

            Dec. 8-13 – District 1 boys: Charles Hardiman, Merrillville. District 1 girls: Allison Ambers, Northridge. District 2 boys: Devin Bolden, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter, and Luke Ertel, Mt. Vernon (Fortville). District 2 girls: Elliot Leffler, Roncalli. District 3 boys: Jake Prior, Heritage Hills. District 3 girls: Maddy Shirley, Evansville Central. Teams of the Week (boys): Lawrence North, Northridge. Team of the Week (girls): Floyd Central.

            Dec. 15-20 – District 1 boys: Daniel Selking, Bellmont. District 1 girls: Konley Ault, Bluffton. District 2 boys: DeZhon Hall, Indianapolis Crispus Attucks. District 2 girls: Shania Curry, Ben Davis. District 3 boys: Noah Vance, Christian Academy of Indiana. District 3 girls: Haley Wagoner, Center Grove. Teams of the Week (boys): South Bend Riley, Taylor. Team of the Week (girls): Hamilton Southeastern.

            Dec. 22-27 – District 1 boys: Dikembe Shaw, Crown Point. District 1 girls: Brooke Zartman, Warsaw. District 2 boys: Luke Ertel, Mt. Vernon (Fortville). District 2 girls: Carly Davison, Clinton Central. District 3 boys: Dane Caldwell, Silver Creek. District 3 girls: Emery Stroud, Crawford County. Teams of the Week (boys): Crown Point, Gibson Southern, Mt. Vernon (Fortville). Team of the Week (girls): Valparaiso.

            Dec. 29-Jan. 3 – District 1 boys: Brady Scholl, Northridge. District 1 girls: Joslyn Bricker, Warsaw. District 2 boys: Noah Smith, Plainfield. District 2 girls: Zoey Wood, Mt. Vernon (Fortville). District 3 boys: Braxton Bowman, Crawford County. District 3 girls: Claire Larrison, Greensburg. Teams of the Week (boys): LaPorte, Indianapolis Riverside, Silver Creek. Team of the Week (girls): Homestead.

            Jan. 5-10 – District 1 boys: Bryce Wilcox, Southwood. District 1 girls: Kamri Rowland, Rensselaer Central. District 2 boys: Jaxson Johnson, Muncie Central. District 2 girls: Alyx Kendall, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard. District 3 boys: Dorion Bowen, Evansville Bosse. District 3 girls: Paige Schnaus, Gibson Southern. Teams of the Week (boys): Oak Hill, South Dearborn. Teams of the Week (girls): Plainfield, Princeton.

            Jan. 12-17 – District 1 boys: Tim Knoll, LaPorte. District 1 girls: Myah Epps, Homestead. District 2 boys: Harper Baker-Lands, Plainfield. District 2 girls: Maya Layton, Lafayette Jefferson. District 3 boys: Kamden Partenheimer, Forest Park. District 3 girls: Juliana Davis, Madison. Teams of the Week (boys): Lawrence North, Westview, Whiteland. Team of the Week (girls): Bluffton.

            Jan. 19-24 – District 1 boys: Stephen Akase, Wawasee, and Wyatt Schroll, Manchester. District 1 girls: Kendall VanderWal, Angola. District 2 boys: Luke Ertel, Mt. Vernon (Fortville). District 2 girls: Lillie Graves, McCutcheon. District 3 boys: Blake Neill, Bloomfield. District 3 girls: Gracyn Gilliard, Center Grove. Teams of the Week (boys): Frankton, Kouts. Teams of the Week (girls): Kankakee Valley, Whitko.

            Jan. 26-31 – District 1 boys: Bryce LaCross, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian. District 1 girls: Vanessa Rosswurm, Norwell. District 2 boys: Colton Lindsay, Eastern (Greentown). District 2 girls: C.C. Quigley, Noblesville. District 3 boys: Eli Sego, Triton Central. District 3 girls: Maddy Shirley, Evansville Central. Teams of the Week (boys): Hauser, Penn. Team of the Week (girls): Brownsburg.

            Feb. 2-7 – District 1 boys: Caleb Coolman, Penn. District 1 girls: Lilly Scholl, Northridge. District 2 boys: DeZhon Hall, Indianapolis Crispus Attucks. District 2 girls: Adah Hupfer, Pendleton Heights. District 3 boys: James Hughes, Batesville. District 3 girls: Brynn Owens, Austin. Team of the Week (boys): Terre Haute North. Teams of the Week (girls): Jennings County, Northridge.