With crowds in full force last week, the boys’ IHSAA state tournament got underway with sectional play at 64 different sites. While we are now down to a “Sweet 16” in each class, and regionals are set to begin this coming Saturday, three players have earned Week 18 IBCA/Franciscan Health Player of the Week honors for their strong play during the early rounds of tourney play.
Fort Wayne Snider senior Karson Jenkins, Westfield senior Braden Smith, and Bloomington North junior JaQualon Roberts have been selected as winners for Feb. 28 to Mar. 5 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. Jenkins is the recipient in District 1, Smith takes home honors in District 2, while Roberts is the winner in District 3. This is the second time this season that Jenkins and Smith have received this award for their accomplishments.
The No. 11 Westfield Shamrocks claimed their first-ever sectional title by winning three games in a loaded Sectional 8. Senior Braden Smith has been a key cog the last four seasons, and last week he extended his career, as he helped the ‘Rocks to three wins. Tuesday, Westfield took on No. 2 Fishers. Not only did the Shamrocks win, but they won by a convincing 62-44 margin. Smith was instrumental, knocking down a scorching 11 of 16 shots, including 5 of 9 from deep, and scoring 28 in the opener. He posted a double-double with his 10 assists, plus he added six rebounds and four steals to his stat line.
In its semi-final game on Friday, Westfield took care of Hamilton Southeastern with relative ease, 77-50. Smith, a 6-0 point guard, was again locked in, making 8 of 11 shots from the floor and 5 of 8 from outside, scoring 22 points in victory. He handed out seven assists, collected three rebounds and a pair of steals, plus he even blocked a shot.
Saturday, in the championship game, the ‘Rocks took on backyard rival and No. 4 Carmel. In what proved to be its toughest matchup of the week, Westfield prevailed in a tight one, 59-54. Smith continued his strong shooting, making 9 of 13 shots, including a 3 of 4 effort from behind the arc, and scoring 22 points for the second night in a row. The Purdue University commit again contributed in multiple ways, dishing out seven assists, pulling down seven rebounds, and picking off a steal.
Fort Wayne Snider senior Karson Jenkins helped the Panthers to three wins last week, including their second Sectional title in three seasons. Tuesday, in their matchup with Fort Wayne North Side, the Panthers escaped with a narrow 60-59 outcome. Jenkins was dialed in, scoring 26 of his team’s points, including knocking down a pair of shots from deep and 4 of 5 from the free throw line. He added nine rebounds, three assists, and a steal in the first-round victory.
Friday, the Panthers took on host DeKalb. Jenkins, a 6-1 guard, managed to again affect more than half of his team’s offense, scoring 25 points and dishing out three assists, as Snider defeated DeKalb, 60-52. Jenkins knocked down three more shots from long range, and he again had a well-rounded game, adding nine rebounds, three steals, and a pair of blocked shots in the effort.
The next night, in the championship game, Snider and Jenkins held off a tough Northrop squad, winning a nail-biter, 72-69. Jenkins was electric, scoring 39 points on 13 of 23 shooting, he made 6 of 10 3-point attempts, and he was a near perfect 7-8 from the charity stripe. The Division II Barry University commit added six rebounds, five of them offensive, and he handed out three assists in the triumph.
Junior JaQualon Roberts is a talented underclassman, and last week he helped No. 17 Bloomington North to its first sectional title since 2014 by dominating the glass each game. Tuesday, the Cougars took on Columbus East, and in what proved to be their easiest matchup of the week, they won a tough one, 48-37. Roberts posted his first double-double of the week, scoring 23 points and grabbing an impressive 21 caroms (seven offensive). He also handed out an assist and blocked a shot for good measure.
Friday proved much tougher for Bloomington North, as it took them two extra periods to knock off the Columbus North Bulldogs, 60-55, in double overtime. The 6-7 Roberts was a modest 4 of 6 from the field, but he made 6 of 8 free throws, scoring 14 points in the contest. The Junior forward came through with another double-double, pulling down 15 more rebounds, plus he contributed three assists, two seals, and blocked another shot in the 40-minute game.
Saturday’s championship game saw the Cougars take on crosstown rival Bloomington South, and in a game played at a much slower pace, Bloomington North survived the Panthers, 32-28, in a matchup that even saw one overtime period added. Despite the low-scoring outcome, Roberts somehow managed his third double-double in as many tries on the week. He scored 10 points, even knocked down a 3-pointer, plus he collected another 11 rebounds, giving him 47 in the three tourney games. He also made some key defensive plays, stealing the ball three times and blocking a pair of shots.
This is the 14th season for the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Week program, but just the second season it is being presented by Franciscan Health, a corporate sponsor of the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.
Player of the Week winners are chosen each week from each of the IHSAA’s three districts. Girls winners were chosen through the Monday following the IHSAA Girls State Finals. Boys winners will be chosen through the Monday following the IHSAA Boys State Finals.