By RICHIE HALL
Sydney Parrish found out she had been named the 2020 Indiana Miss Basketball about the same time everybody else did: When the news release came out this morning.
“Right away I just started crying,” said Parrish. “I was so happy, I was in shock.”
The Hamilton Southeastern senior became the first girls player from her school to win the prestigious award, which was announced on Friday. Parrish won with 102 votes, finishing ahead of two Northwestern players, Madison Layden (83 votes) and Kendall Bostic (22 votes).
“I’m still kind of in shock, I haven’t really processed it,” said Parrish early Friday evening. “I’m very excited about it and I’m excited to be a part of such a special group of girls.”
“I’m ecstatic,” said Royals coach Chris Huppenthal. “I’m so excited for Sydney because I know how much she’s worked for this. She’s well-deserving.”
Anyone who watched Parrish play basketball for Hamilton Southeastern over the past four years was not shocked that she was voted Miss Basketball. From her first game as a freshman, it was obvious that Parrish was an exceptional talent.
Huppenthal saw the potential from the first day of summer workouts. At first Parrish was with the junior varsity, but she got moved to the varsity fairly quickly.
“It took all of five minutes to realize that she was not just a good player, but an elite one,” said Huppenthal.
Parrish proved it right away. In her first high school game as a Royal, she scored 29 points as Southeastern pushed Ben Davis, ranked No. 10 in the state, to double overtime before the Giants won 85-77. Parrish would go on to a highly successful career, finishing with a career total of 1,925 points to become Hamilton County’s all-time girls scoring leader.
Parrish had career averages of 19.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. During her senior year, she scored at a 24.8 points per game clip, shooting 50 percent from the field by making 201 of 401 attempts. Parrish was named the Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year during her junior (2018-19) season, averaging 21.0 points per game and helping the Royals to a 27-1 season and Class 4A state championship.
Parrish said that while people look at all four years of high school, a player has “to have a good senior year to have a chance of winning. Definitely my teammates have helped me the entire way and I wouldn’t be where I am without them.”
In the 2019 4A state championship game, Parrish scored 30 points and pulled 10 rebounds, making her the only player in state finals history to reach the 30-10 mark.
“It was amazing,” said Parrish, remembering the seniors she played on that team with. Parrish said she loves “all those girls so much and I miss them more than anything,” also remembering the fun she had playing with them.
While she has always been a good teammate, another aspect that Huppenthal noted is how much Parrish has worked during her career.
“Sydney’s never been one to act entitled,” said Huppenthal. “Anything that she’s received, she’s worked for.
“What a lot of people don’t see is all the time she spends in the gym by herself,” said Huppenthal.
Parrish has committed to play at the University of Oregon, where she is part of a group of five incoming freshmen that is highly regarded as one of the top recruiting classes in the nation.
“I’ve been texting them almost every day,” said Parrish. The team has also done an online group chat, along with the coaches.
“They’re really excited for us to get out there, just as much as we are,” said Parrish.
While Parrish is Southeastern’s first Miss Basketball winner, the Royals have two Mr. Basketballs. Gary Harris won the award in 2012 and Zak Irvin followed him as the winner in 2013. Parrish is the second Hamilton County girl to win Miss Basketball; Carmel’s Amy Dilk was the first in 2018.
LEAL NAMED MR. BASKETBALL
Anthony Leal, a 6-5 senior guard from Bloomington South, has been named Indiana Mr. Basketball for 2020. 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.
Leal earned the boys’ honor after being named on 103 ballots submitted to Broughton during late March and early April. Tony Perkins of Lawrence North was runner-up in the voting with 37 votes. He was followed by Trey Galloway of Culver Academy with 33 votes, Johnell Davis of Gary 21st Century with 22 votes and Dre Davis of Lawrence Central with 15 votes.
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. However, the 2020 All-Star games have been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic that has prompted government officials to implement stay-at-home mandates in Indiana, Kentucky and much of the nation. The All-Star games were to have been played June 5 in Georgetown, Ky., and June 6 at Southport Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Leal, an Indiana University recruit, averaged 18.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.2 steals in leading Bloomington South to a 26-0 record and a Class 4A No. 1 ranking. His Panthers won the Columbus North Sectional and were set to face Floyd Central in a Seymour Regional semifinal when the IHSAA state tournament series initially was suspended and ultimately canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Leal probably could have scored more points if that were his objective, but he was part of a team that had four players score in double figures and showed a team balance that made them difficult to beat. For the season, Leal hit 59 percent from the field (173-of-293), 37 percent from 3-point range (38-of-103) and 76 percent from the free-throw line (90-of-119). Still, he completed his career as Bloomington South’s all-time leading scorer with 1,620 points while helping the Panthers to a 98-12 record during his four seasons.
Leal is the second player from Bloomington South to win Mr. Basketball, joining Jordan Hulls in 2009. Leal also is the third consecutive Mr. Basketball to be headed to IU. He follows 2018 Mr. Basketball Romeo Langford of New Albany and 2019 Mr. Basketball Trayce Jackson-Davis of Center Grove to decide to join the Hoosiers.