Indiana
Tristen Newton struggles during summer league for Indiana Pacers, but should be able to be better in the future
LAS VEGAS — Tristen Newton had simple hopes for his first summer league: he wanted to leave an impression.
The rookie guard, who was drafted 49th overall by the Indiana Pacers in the 2024 NBA Draft, showed a little bit of everything during his college days. At UConn, where he won two national titles, he was a capable rebounder, strong passer, and effective scorer. At his best, he knocked down threes.
There was prevalent thinking that a player like him could be effective during summer league. And yet, despite his wide-ranging talent in college, it was actually totally different skills that popped for Newton during the tune-up games: his ability to draw fouls.
Newton took 28 free throws in Las Vegas, which topped the Pacers by far. Nobody else on the roster even reached 20. He was one of just two players to average more than 5.5 free throw attempts per game in under 22 minutes per night (Moses Brown of the LA Lakers was the other).
Indiana’s rookie point guard finished summer league with a free throw rate of 70%, far better than his collegiate figure of 46.9%. He made 89.3% of those foul shots, which kept his efficiency afloat.
Newton’s game stood out in that way. His second-best skill was his passing in traffic — he averaged 4.6 assists per game, good for second on the team, and quite a few of them came in tight spaces. As a point guard, that skill will be important.
“Tristen Newton, tremendous [growth] from game one to game five,” Pacers summer league head coach Jannero Pargo said. “Understanding our offense more, playing more confident. Being able to call plays and run our sets and be more comfortable out there.”
Unfortunately for Newton, some of his other skills from his NCAA days didn’t translate to the Vegas heat. In particular, his shot making was a disaster, and that held down his effectiveness.
The rookie guard shot 8/40 from the field across his five games, good for just 20%. He was 4/22 from long range (18.2%) and a not-much-better 4/18 (22.2%) on two-point looks. Shot distance and location didn’t matter — Newton struggled.
Taking 22 threes in five games in solid, and volume transfers more often from summer league than percentage. That’s the bright side for the young guard. But those field goals did not drop, and his ability to create good looks inside the arc didn’t pop.
Newton did grab 3.8 rebounds per game, a fine number for a guard, but he also had 2.8 turnovers per night. At times, he looked rushed and gave up the ball too quickly. He didn’t get all the way to the rim on his drives.
In those ways, Newton needed to be better. His defense was fine enough and he got his hands on a few steals, but the disappointing play finishing really hindered his effectiveness during summer league.
The Pacers liked that Newton was a more established player when they selected him in the draft. His play during summer league shouldn’t deter that thinking — if anything, the context around his summer outings should provide important perspective.
Newton played for a UConn team in 2022-23 that got up threes and had multiple players capable of setting the table for others. He performed well, and the team was great. In the following season, the Huskies dramatically changed their play style. There were fewer outside shots, and Newton’s playmaking burden grew.
He was extremely effective in both systems, which is why he was an All-Big East player and consensus All-American. He can adapt to any team when he gets time within a style and with a coaching staff.
In summer league, there is no time. Newton still hadn’t been drafted one month ago today. He went through a minicamp that was less than a week long, then was thrown into action. It didn’t always look great, though there were successes.
His free throw rate was extremely encouraging, but the shots didn’t fall. His rebounding was effective, yet the turnovers were concerning. Overall, the lack of shot making made the experience a negative.
But it is still reasonable to believe that Newton can be a capable do-it-all floor general when given time and space to figure out how his shots will come and what his teammates do well. He did it twice at UConn, and he can do it again in the NBA. He very quickly left an impression on his new teammates.
“Trsiten and Johnny [Furphy] are great guys,” Pacers rookie forward Enrique Freeman said. Newton didn’t get off to an awesome start, but he should have little trouble being more effective in future settings.
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Indiana
First Tier 2 study for Mid-States Corridor project to begin – Inside INdiana Business
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The team behind the Mid-States Corridor Project in southern Indiana has received approval from the Indiana Department of Transportation to proceed with its first Tier 2 study.
The study will be the first of several to determine the alignment and access plan for the new highway, which is being designed to connect I-64 to I-69 through Spencer, Dubois and Martin counties.
The first Tier 2 study will focus on what’s known as Section of Independent Utility 2, or SIU 2, which extends from Interstate 64 near Huntingburg and Jasper to State Road 56 at Haysville in Dubois County.
The goal of the study is to “evaluate more site-specific impacts to determine the specific preferred location and right-of-way needs” for the highway. The study of SIU 2 is expected to take about three years to complete.
Early activity of the study will include survey work and data analysis, the project team said.
Mid-States Corridor rolls forward with business sector support, community blowback
In March 2023, the project team identified a refined preferred route alternative, known as Alternative P, which would run 54 from the I-64/U.S. 231 interchange up to I-69 near Odon.
The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) issued last September said four new alignment SIUs will each require a separate Tier 2 analysis and are expected to take place sequentially, rather than concurrently.
“Securing and programming funding to complete construction of each SIU may take nine to 15 years in several distinct phases of three to five years,” the FEIS said.
The Tier 2 studies for the remaining SIUs have not been scheduled.
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Indiana
Parents can safely surrender babies up to 30 days old due to Indiana’s safe haven law
The deaths of two abandoned babies left out in the elements became foundational in establishing Indiana’s Safe Haven Law.
After the discovery of these babies, the state’s opinion on parents who couldn’t care for their babies shifted, which is why there are safe haven laws today.
Here’s what to know.
Baby Ephraim was a baby found dead outside a hospital emergency room on Jan. 26, 2000. He died of hypothermia.
While the parents clearly wanted their baby to receive the care he needed, it was determined that the fear of prosecution is what deterred the parents from handing their child directly to a nurse inside the hospital.
Indiana had been mulling legislation like many states across the country, but Ephraim’s death would solidify their decision and on March 24, 2000, then-governor Frank O’Bannon signed the Indiana law.
Although the law didn’t exist to help Ephraim, it should have saved Baby Jacob.
Just a year later, on Dec. 8, 2001, Jacob was found dead in a trashcan by workers outside a laundromat. He was wrapped in a sheet, several shopping bags and a trash bag. He still had his umbilical cord attached to his tiny body.
At this point, Indiana’s Safe Haven law had been enacted for 18 months, but few people in Indianapolis knew. Jacob’s death would change that by prompting a widespread awareness campaign.
Read the full story: 2 babies found dead outside were buried in unmarked graves. How they changed Indiana law
Indiana’s Safe Haven Law allows for the anonymous surrender of an infant 30 days old or younger without prosecution. Infants may be surrendered at fire departments, hospitals and emergency medical services stations. So long as there are no signs of intentional abuse or neglect, the person surrendering the child is not required to provide any information.
Developed by Monica Kelsey, who learned as an adult that she had been abandoned at a hospital after birth, safe haven baby boxes are devices installed in an exterior wall of fire stations or hospitals that allow for the anonymous surrender of an infant. The first box was installed at a fire station in Woodburn, Indiana, near Fort Wayne, in 2016.
The device is a two-way box, with a door inside and outside the building. The boxes are temperature controlled and programmed with several silent alarms to alert first responders. A silent alarm is triggered when the outside door is opened, when the baby is placed in the bassinet and again when the door is closed and automatically locked.
First responders retrieve the baby from inside the building and transport the infant to an area hospital for medical evaluation. The Department of Child Services then assumes custody of the child.
Do people actually use safe haven baby boxes?
Yes. In 2017 and 2018, babies were surrendered in a box at a Michigan City, Indiana, fire station. Delays in construction meant a box was still not ready when a baby was surrendered at Decatur Township Fire Department on Indianapolis’ southwest side in 2018. The infant was found healthy.
In October of 2023, IndyStar reported that a baby box in Carmel was one of the most used in the country.
According to Kevin Albin from Safe Haven Baby Boxes, 2 babies have been surrendered via baby boxes in the state this year, with many more being surrendered directly to personnel using the national crisis hotline.
Previously: More infants are left in this Indiana baby box than anywhere else in the country
In Indiana, parents can surrender babies that are up to 30 days old either face to face or via baby boxes without facing prosecution.
You can check Safe Haven Baby Box’s website to find the nearest baby box.
Katie Wiseman is a trending news intern at IndyStar. Contact her at klwiseman@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @itskatiewiseman.
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