The REPORTER
Three Hamilton County girls basketball players are among those named to the rosters for the 2024 IndyStar girls’ All-Star “Futures Game,” games director Mike Broughton announced last Friday.
The Futures Games, one each for boys and girls, are a second-year part of the Indiana All-Star basketball program. The Futures Games will pair teams of current Indiana freshmen and sophomores in a North-South format. The second Futures Games will be played Monday, June 3 at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, Ind. The girls’ game is set for 6 p.m., and the boys’ game will follow about 8:00 p.m.
Hamilton Southeastern sophomores Kennedy Holman and Kayla Stidham, along with Noblesville sophomore C.C. Quigley, have been selected to the South Team for the 2024 Futures Game. They will be joined by sophomores Lola Lampley and Aniyah McKenzie of Lawrence Central, sophomore Mollie Ernstes of Jennings County, sophomore Denell Jacobs of Warren Central, freshman McKenzie Koch of Eastern Hancock, freshman Hannah Menser of Plainfield, sophomore Brooklynn Renn of Silver Creek, freshman Paige Schnaus of Gibson Southern and sophomore Madalynn Shirley of Evansville Central on the South squad.
Sophomores Myah Epps and Gabby Helsom of Homestead will team with 10 others on the North Team. Completing that squad are sophomore Lillian Barnes of Valparaiso, sophomore Kenedi Bradley of Chesterton, sophomore Joslyn Bricker of Warsaw, sophomore Laniah Davis of Marquette Catholic, sophomore Gracyn Gilliard of Munster, freshman Lillie Graves of McCutcheon, sophomore Vanessa Rosswurm of Norwell, sophomore Miley Wareing of Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, sophomore Khala Williams-Thomas of Fort Wayne Northrop and sophomore Laniah Wills of Lapel.
Kyle Brasher of Gibson Southern is head coach for the South Team. He will be assisted by Tyler Choate of Evansville North. Lisa Finn of Indianapolis Cathedral is head coach for the North Team. She will be assisted by Amy Shearer of Columbia City.
Brasher is 124-31 in six seasons, and his Titans were 2024 Class 3A state champions with a 26-4 record. Choate is 135-61 in eight seasons at Evansville North, including 16-11 last season with sectional titles in 2020 and 2024. Finn is 63-57 in five seasons at Cathedral, including 12-12 in 2023-24. Shearer is 197-137 in 14 seasons at Columbia City, her alma mater, including 22-3 last season.
Players and coaches for the All-Star Futures Games are picked by a Futures Games committee chaired by Broughton. In a change from last year, the 2024 Futures Games will feature only freshmen and sophomores. The inaugural Futures Games in 2023 included freshmen, sophomores and juniors.
In the inaugural girls’ Futures Game, Maya Makalusky of Hamilton Southeastern scored 15 points and Jordyn Poole of Fort Wayne Snider tallied 11 points as the North girls defeated the South girls 73-63. Talia Harris of Fishers added eight points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals for the North and was named Game MVP. Jaylah Lampley of Lawrence Central and Juliann Woodard of Jennings County each scored 12 points to pace the South girls.
In the first boys’ Futures Game, Braylon Mullins of Greenfield-Central scored 16 points to lead a balanced South Team to a 100-96 victory. K.J. Windham of Ben Davis added 15 points, while Jack Benter of Brownstown Central and Azavier Robinson of Lawrence North each netted 14 points, Taray Howell of Evansville Bosse chipped in 12 points and Brennan Miller of Lawrence North had 10 points for the winners. Flory Bidunga collected MVP honors after totaling game highs of 21 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks for the North. Ajani Washington, then of Fort Wayne Concordia, added 20 points. Sabien Cain of University had 17 points.
The Indiana All-Stars program was founded in 1939 when the Indiana boys’ All-Stars played the state champion Frankfort Hot Dogs. The All-Star series with Kentucky began in 1940, and the girls’ portion of the All-Stars was added in 1976. The Junior All-Stars, boys and girls, were added in 1996. The Futures Games doubleheader was added in 2023.
The Indiana portion of the All-Star Games is organized and produced by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. The Indianapolis Star, with its IndyStar brand, is the title sponsor. Hoosier Shooting Academy is a presenting partner for All-Star week. Energy Systems Group is a presenting partner for the Saturday doubleheader against Kentucky.