The REPORTER
Three Hamilton County girls basketball stars are among the 18 players that have been selected to play for the IndyStar Indiana girls’ Junior All-Stars for 2024, All-Stars games director Mike Broughton announced Monday.
Hamilton Southeastern’s Maya Makalusky and Noblesville’s Meredith Tippner are part of the six-player Core Group. In addition, Sheridan’s Kenzie Garner is part of the Blue Group; six players each were voted to squads labeled Red Group and Blue Group.
The other Core Group players are Addison Baxter of Columbia City, Jaylah Lampley of Lawrence Central, Monique Mitchell of South Bend Washington and Brooke Winchester of Warsaw.
The Red Group players are Lilly Bischoff of Center Grove, Lily Graves of Franklin Central, Ellie Richardson of Scottsburg, Aniah Smith of Avon, Gabby Spink of Gibson Southern and Leah West of Greensburg.
The other Blue Group players are Laila Abdurraqib of Lawrence Central, Addie Bowsman of Twin Lakes, Avery Gordon of Brownsburg, Kira Reynolds of South Bend Washington and Vanessa Wimberly of Lake Central.
In addition, Hadley Crosier of Lanesville — who was injured in the Class A State Finals — is recognized as an honorary Junior All-Star player. Her health status, however, will prevent her from playing in the games.
Kaley May of Danville will be the head coach and three-time state champion Angie Hinton of Lanesville will be the assistant coach for the 2024 Indiana girls’ Junior All-Stars.
May has compiled a 234-83 record in 11 seasons at Danville, including a 24-4 mark with sectional and regional titles in 2023-24. Hinton is 145-20 in six seasons at Lanesville, including Class A state championships in 2023 and 2024. She has an overall ledger of 326-95 in 18 seasons as a varsity coach. Her overall record includes a 173-73 mark — and the 1999 Class 4A state title — at New Albany.
The Junior All-Stars will play one game against the Kentucky Junior All-Stars on Sunday, June 2 at a site to be announced. The Junior All-Stars also will play one game against the Indiana All-Star senior girls on Wednesday, June 5 at Kokomo High School. Both games will be doubleheaders with the 2024 Indiana boys Junior All-Stars, who will be chosen later.
The players listed as Core Group players each will play in two games. The players listed in the Red and Blue groups each will play in one game, the Red Group on June 2 against the Kentucky Juniors and the Blue Group on June 5 against the Indiana Seniors.
The Indiana senior All-Stars will play the Kentucky senior All-Stars on June 7 at a site to be announced. The Indiana senior All-Stars will play Kentucky’s seniors again on June 8 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The second IndyStar Indiana All-Star “Futures Games” doubleheader will be played on June 3 at Hamilton Southeastern High School. The Futures Games will be a girls-boys doubleheader with Indiana-only squads of sophomores and freshmen in a North vs. South format. The Futures Games rosters will be announced later.
The 2024 Indiana girls’ Junior All-Star team was selected through a process that allows all IBCA-member head coaches to nominate players through the IBCA all-state process. The IBCA 20-member Indiana Basketball Coaches Association all-state committee reviewed and voted on players for the 2024 IBCA/Franciscan Health girls All-State teams that were released on Thursday (Feb. 29).
The 20 all-state committee members also provided input to a seven-person IBCA subcommittee appointed by IBCA executive director Marty Johnson and chaired by Brandon Bradley of Kankakee Valley. Bradley, Broughton plus coaches Tyler Choate of Evansville North, Lisa Finn of Indianapolis Cathedral, Carrie Shappell of Leo, Jason Simpson of Greensburg and all-state committee chairman Doug Springer of Northridge finalized the selections for the 2024 girls’ Junior All-Stars.
The Indiana Junior All-Star program was founded in 1996 by former Indiana All-Star games director Patrick Aikman. In most years, 18 players have been chosen to the Junior All-Stars. In five years (2005, 2006, 2007, 2018 and 2019), 24 players were chosen to the Junior All-Stars. In 2021, just 12 players were chosen to the Junior All-Stars.
In games from 1996 through 2023 (with no games in 2020 because of COVID-19), the Indiana Senior girls lead the Indiana Junior girls 41-11 and the Indiana Senior boys lead the Indiana Junior boys 41-11. In seven years of games against the Kentucky Juniors, the Indiana Junior girls lead 11-1 and the Indiana Junior boys lead 7-5. Games against the Kentucky Juniors previously have been played in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 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 Academic is a presenting partner for All-Star Week. Energy Systems Group is a presenting partner of the Saturday doubleheader against Kentucky.