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Shots, blocks & boards: Vote for IHSAA girls basketball players of the week (Dec. 26-30)

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Shots, blocks & boards: Vote for IHSAA girls basketball players of the week (Dec. 26-30)


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IndyStar will be recognizing the top basketball players in Indiana with our players of the week poll.

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Scroll to the bottom of the article to vote. Voting is open until noon Friday. You can vote once per hour.

Congratulations to Evansville Reitz’s Norah Miller on being voted Player of the Week for Dec. 11-16! Miller finished with 27 points on 12-of-22 shooting in a win over North Posey. She rounded out her line with 10 rebounds, five assists and seven steals.

Congratulations to Zionsville’s Allie Caldwell and Carroll (Flora)’s Alli Harness on being selected Players of the Week for Dec. 18-23!

Player of the Week winners will be honored at IndyStar’s Indiana Sports Awards this spring.

Insider: Wrapping up the Twin Lakes Holiday Tournament

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Here are this week’s nominees.

Addison Bowsman, Twin Lakes

The junior matched a school record with 46 points on 13-of-25 shooting (5-for-6 from 3) in an overtime loss to Bishop Chatard last Thursday afternoon. Bowsman rounded out her line with five rebounds, five assists and three steals before fouling out in the extra session. She finished the three-game Twin Lakes Holiday Tournament with 99 points, 36 field goals, 18 rebounds, 21 assists and 10 steals. 

Addison Davis, Danville

The junior scored a triple-double vs. Frankfort, logging 18 points, 16 rebounds and 12 steals (plus seven assists and a block).  She hit 9-of-18 shots from the field. 

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Aijia Elliott, Kokomo

The senior blocked six shots and scored 18 points in a one-point loss to Batesville at a tournament in Scottsburg. She logged 14 points, seven rebounds and three steals the day before vs. Borden, then tallied eight points and nine rebounds against Eastern. 

Myah Epps, Homestead

Epps racked up 30 points to lift the Spartans to a 61-50 win over Pike on Wednesday. 

Kennedy Fuelling, Norwell

Fuelling put up 22 points in a loss to Fort Wayne Snider, then poured in a team-high 32 points to help the Knights erase a six-point deficit and knock off Valparaiso. 

Ashley Fulton, Southwestern

Fulton racked up 61 points, 14 rebounds, 18 assists and 10 assists over four games for the Rebels. Her week was highlighted by a 20-point, six-assist performance vs. Class 2A No. 11 Brownstown Central (Southwestern lost by a point).  

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Kenzie Garner, Sheridan

Garner scored 26 points on 12-of-14 shooting with 10 rebounds, four assists and five steals in a win over Beech Grove. She picked up 14 points, nine rebounds and three assists in a loss to Alexandria-Monroe. 

Becca Gerdt, Valparaiso

Gerdt shined in game one of the Noblesville Holiday Tournament vs. the host Millers, recording 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting with 15 rebounds, three assists and a steal. She went for 13 points, seven rebounds, two assists and three steals in the nightcap vs. Norwell. 

Insider: Wrapping up the Noblesville Holiday Tournament

Charlee Gibson, Blue River Valley

The junior matched her season-high with 23 points (8-of-12 shooting) on Dec. 29 vs. Blackford, then reset it a day later with 32 points vs. Southwestern (Shelbyville). She went 12-for-20 from the field vs. the Spartans with six 3-pointers, and rounded out her line with eight rebounds and five steals.

Kennedy Holman, Hamilton Southeastern

Holman enjoyed a career day vs. North Central, finishing with 11-for-18 from the field for 26 points. The sophomore also dished out five assists and picked up four steals. Holman recorded 16 points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals vs. Decatur Central. 

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Jayla Keithley, Morristown

After being held to six points against Milan, Keithley scored 17 points in back-to-back games. She added eight rebounds, three assists and a steal vs. Cambridge City Lincoln, and seven rebounds, three assists and four steals against Scecina. 

Olivia Nickerson, Twin Lakes

Nickerson drilled six 3-pointers to surpass Oregon-Davis’ Aubrey Minix as the state’s all-time leader for 3-pointers made with 364. The Bethel-bound senior pushed her total to 368 with four threes over two games Thursday, with her 20-point effort vs. Chatard making her Twin Lakes’ all-time leading scorer. Nickerson totaled 70 points in three games. 

Mia Robbennolt, Bloomington North

Robbennolt cleared 1,000 career points amidst a strong showing at the Lebanon tournament. She registered 24 points (9-for-15 shooting), seven rebounds, three assists, five steals and a block vs. Lowell, notched a double-double against Mooresville (13 points, 10 rebounds) and collected 11 points, eight rebounds, and four steals vs. Perry Meridian. 

Kyndra Sheets, Columbia City

The senior Huntington commit poured in 13 points in the Hall of Fame Classic opener vs. Indian Creek, then scored 12 points (plus three assists and two steals) against Jennings County.

Insider: What we learned from the girls Hall of Fame Classic

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Ruby White, Eastern Hancock

The senior shined against 4A foe Elkhart, picking up 14 points, four rebounds, four assists, two steals and four blocks in a 60-49 victory. 

Ava Wilson, Shelbyville

Wilson cleared 1,000 career points by scoring a career-high 34 points in a win over Madison at the North Decatur tournament. She notched 24 points later in the day against Edgewood. Wilson is one of seven 1,000-point scorers in program history. 

Reagan Wilson, Noblesville

Wilson scored 29 points and registered five steals against Valparaiso, then went for 30 points on 10-of-19 shooting in a win over Fort Wayne Snider. 

Juliann Woodard, Jennings County

Woodard finished with 21 points, 22 rebounds, six assists, five blocks and a couple steals vs. Lake Central at the Hall of Fame Classic, then logged 18 points and 12 rebounds in the championship game vs. Columbia City. 

Sara Zarse, Tri-County

Zarse lifted the Class A Cavaliers to victory over 4A’s Mt. Vernon, registering 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting with eight rebounds and two steals. She posted six points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals against 4A’s McCutcheon in the semifinals, and 15 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals vs. 3A’s Twin Lakes in the third-place game.

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Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.





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DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to speak in NW Indiana Thursday

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DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to speak in NW Indiana Thursday


CHICAGO (WLS) — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will visit northwest Indiana Thursday.

She’s expected to bring updates on the immigration enforcement that’s happening across the area.

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Secretary Kristi Noem will give an update on recent immigration enforcement deemed “Operation Midway Blitz,” which Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino has called “wildly successful” in an interview with ABC News earlier this week.

She will be joined by Indiana governor Mike Braun in Gary along with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, among others.

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SEE ALSO: Court pauses order requiring CBP Chief Bovino to meet with judge daily on immigration operations

Her visit has been met with some criticism, though, from other local northwest Indiana leaders.

Gary’s Mayor Eddie Melton said his office was not involved with planning the event and is not participating.

Hammond’s Mayor Thomas McDermott also posting on Facebook, criticizing how the press conference was announced.

Counter-protests are expected later Thursday morning.

RELATED | Chicago federal intervention: Tracking surge in immigration enforcement operations | Live updates

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Bovino says nearly 3,000 people have been arrested in the Chicago area, as part of “Midway Blitz.”

The expanded immigration enforcement started in September.

Wednesday night, Governor Pritzker sent a letter to Secretary Noem, requesting a pause in ICE enforcement this weekend in and around homes, schools, hospitals, parks and place of worship, so children can safely celebrate Halloween.

The governor referenced an incident in his letter this past weekend in Old Irving Park – in which he says, federal agents reportedly interrupted a children’s Halloween parade and deployed tear gas without warning – on residents peacefully celebrating the holiday.

Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

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Indiana BMV reports another text-related scam impacting Hoosiers

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Indiana BMV reports another text-related scam impacting Hoosiers


INDIANAPOLIS — Officials with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles are warning Indiana residents of a new scam that is being sent to Hoosiers via text.

According to a news release from the Indiana BMV, the scam asks the user for overdue payments over text, including traffic violations or unpaid tolls. The text reportedly “strongly” mimics the BMV’s mobile website and improperly cites Indiana code.

Officials said the messages should be considered fraudulent. The BMV is urging people who receive the message to delete it immediately and not click on any links.

This is not the first time that the Indiana BMV has been the subject of scam texts. According to previous reports, a scam was sent out to some Indiana residents from the “Indiana Department of Vehicles” regarding outstanding traffic tickets in early June.

“We want to make it clear that these messages are not from the Indiana BMV,” the release said. “The BMV does not send SMS text messages about outstanding penalties. In fact, the fees outlined in the messages are not ones that the agency actually collects.”

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For a list of known BMV-related scams, click here.



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Indiana zoo waited 11 days to report stolen endangered tortoises

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Indiana zoo waited 11 days to report stolen endangered tortoises


Police have launched a search for two stolen endangered tortoises after the Indianapolis Zoo waited 11 days to report them missing.

An Egyptian tortoise and a Northern Spider tortoise, both of which are on the critically endangered species list, were taken from their enclosure in the zoo’s desert exhibit between 10 a.m. local time on October 11 and 10 a.m. on October 12, Indiana State Police say.

Captain Ron Galaviz with the Indiana State Police confirmed to Fox 59 that the tortoises were not reported missing until last Thursday.

On Monday, authorities asked for the public’s help in finding the two tortoises in a Facebook post.

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The Indianapolis Zoo waited 11 days to report the theft of two endangered tortoises, including this Northern Spider tortoise

The Indianapolis Zoo waited 11 days to report the theft of two endangered tortoises, including this Northern Spider tortoise (Indiana State Police)

Facebook users questioned how the theft could’ve happened.

“I’m curious how exactly you steal not one but TWO tortoises from a Zoo?” one user wrote.

To which another replied, “We recently went to the Indianapolis zoo and they’re not in a really closed encounter. They’re just smack in the middle with very accessible fence type thing you could reach in and pick it up.”

“How do you walk out of the zoo with 2 turtles? That must be a big rain coat,” a third user commented.

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But Galaviz explained the tortoises stolen were rather small.

“The tortoises are not the large giant tortoises that you see people sitting on and riding around on,” he told Fox 59. “These are actually very small, probably fit in the palm of your hand.”

Galaviz said the tortoises can be anywhere by now.

“They could end up in a pet store. They could be in somebody’s personal aquarium somewhere that obviously we don’t know, [the] black market. I think the possibilities run the gamut,” he said.

An Egyptian tortoise was also taken from the zoo between 10 a.m. local time on October 11 and 10 a.m. on October 12, police say

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An Egyptian tortoise was also taken from the zoo between 10 a.m. local time on October 11 and 10 a.m. on October 12, police say (Indiana State Police)

The Independent has reached out to the zoo for comment and Indiana State Police for updates on the tortoises’ whereabouts.

According to the zoo’s website, the Egyptian tortoises are typically four inches long and weigh one pound, and are endangered due to habitat loss and pet trade. Northern Spider tortoises, which are five inches long and weigh one pound, suffer from habitat loss and poaching.

Jake Oakman, a spokesperson for the zoo, said in a statement shared by ABC News, it is “working closely with law enforcement to investigate the theft.”

“We continue to hope for their safe return and we appreciate the community’s support during this time,” Oakman said.

Indiana State Police asked anyone with information that could help them in the search for the tortoises to contact police.

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