Three Hamilton County basketball players – Hamilton Southeastern’s Vinny Buccilla, Hamilton Heights’ Gus Etchison and Carmel’s Brian Waddell – have been selected to participate in the Hoosier Basketball Magazine Top 60 Senior Workout on Sunday at Marian University in Indianapolis.
The workout is highlighted by 13 players who participated in the 2021 IHSAA State Finals on Saturday, April 3rd including seven state champions— Brycen Graber and Curt Hopf (Class 1A – Barr-Reeve), Zane Burke and Caleb Furst (2A – Fort Wayne Blackhawk), Kooper Jacobi and Trey Kaufman-Renn (3A – Silver Creek) and Waddell (4A – Carmel). Selected from runner-up teams are Cale and Cole Wireman (Class 1A – Kouts), Connor Davis (2A – Parke Heritage), Blake Davison (3A – Leo) along with Shamar Avance and DJ Hughes (4A – Lawrence North). Unfortunately, due to spring break conflicts a few of these players are selected, but unable to attend. They include Davison and future Purdue Boilermakers Furst and Kaufman-Renn.
The top two scorers in the state are also featured in the Top 60 Workout. They are Jalen Blackmon, Marion (33.5 ppg) who will attend Divison I Grand Canyon and Brooks Barnhizer, Lafayette Jeff (32.7), who will play in the Big Ten at Northwestern. Two more high scorers are also signees with the University of Notre Dame. They are JR Konieczny, South Bend St. Joe (28.6 ppg) and Blake Wesley, South Bend Riley (27.1).
More Division I talent that will be headed to in-state colleges include Payton Sparks, Winchester (Ball State) and Blake Sisley, Heritage Hills (Evansville) along with three Bulter recruits— Hughes, Lawrence North and Jayden Taylor, Perry Meridian and Pierce Thomas, Brownsburg. Other Division I players on display at the Top 60 Workout will be Jacobi, Silver Creek (Toledo), Darrell Reed, Hammond (Alabama State), Christopher Mantis, Lowell (Appalachian State), Etchison (Western Michigan), Langdon “LT” Hatton, North Harrison (William & Mary) along with three US Military Academy commits— Blake Barker, Columbus North (Army – West Point) plus Vincent Brady, Indianapolis Cathedral (Air Force Academy) and Jake Heidbreder, Floyd Central (Air Force Academy).
Statistical evaluation, game observation and statewide research were conducted throughout the season to determine Hoosier Basketball Magazine’s Top 60. Two sessions of the Top 60 Senior Workout will take place. Boys primarily from Northern and Southern Indiana will participate in the first session (1 to 3 p.m.). The remaining players, mostly from Central Indiana, will compete during the second session (3:30 to 5:30 p.m.).
Coach Steve Lynch (Brownsburg) will direct both sessions. Four other outstanding IBCA coaches— Chad Ballenger (Hamilton Heights), Chad Johnston (South Bend Adams), Rich Schelsky (Parke Heritage) and Kendall Wildey (South Decatur)— have been invited to assist with on-court coaching.
Both sessions are open to the public for admission fee of $8 ($5 for students).
