Kentucky
Ertel, Indiana All-Stars take a punch, deliver counter to sweep Kentucky
Mr. Basketball Luke Ertel after Indiana All-Stars’ win over Kentucky
Luke Ertel named game MVP with 21 points, eight assists, eight rebounds for Indiana All-Stars
INDIANAPOLIS – Baron Walker had a far-fetched thought after the Indiana All-Stars’ game against Kentucky on Saturday night that actually might make some sense in this crazy transfer portal college basketball world.
“I wish we could just form a college and be a college team if we could,” Walker said.
Indiana All-Stars’ coach Todd Woelfle, told of Walker’s idea, said he would pay money to watch that team play. He had a front-row view on Saturday night as Indiana swept Kentucky with a 94-80 victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in front of 4,702 fans.
It was not easy. Indiana looked like it might follow a similar path from Friday night’s 106-83 win in Lexington, Ky., when Indiana took command in the second half after leading by three points at halftime. Indiana took a 49-43 lead into the locker room on Saturday, then quickly pushed out to a 15-point advantage with a spark from Noblesville’s Walker, a Butler recruit.
This time, Kentucky had an answer. More specifically, Kentucky Mr. Basketball Jake Feldhaus had an answer. The 6-8 Feldhaus, a South Florida recruit who finished with 25 points and 16 rebounds, sparked a comeback that allowed Kentucky to tie the score, 70-70, with 6:25 remaining.
Kentucky, which had not won a game in the series on Indiana soil since 1996, had the momentum.
“I think when it was 70-70, those kids bonding during the week and coming together, even though it was a short period of time, got them over the hump,” Woelfle said. “Everybody put their egos aside and just wanted to win. What a great group of kids.”
Indiana got back on track with a nifty pass from IndyStar Mr. Basketball Luke Ertel to Crown Point’s Dikembe Shaw, who somehow flipped the ball off the backboard and in as he was fouled. After Walker and Ertel each hit two free throws, the Indiana All-Stars delivered a couple of knockout blows on a dish from Brady Scholl to Brennan Miller for a dunk and a 3-pointer from Ertel.
Just like that, Indiana led 81-70. And no more concern about losing to Kentucky at home for the first time in 30 years.
“I was just happy to get one to go,” a relieved Ertel said. “I was shooting it terrible all week, so to get that one three to go, I was pretty excited.”
Even when he is not making shots at a high rate (he was 1-for-6 from the 3-point line on Saturday), the Purdue-bound Ertel can impact games in many other ways. He still finished with 21 points on 7-for-16 shooting overall and added eight assists and eight rebounds to earn MVP honors.
“He does so many things,” Woelfle said of Ertel. “He always defends and gives you his best effort. He never puts his head down. And that’s what separates good from great. There’s a reason, even if he didn’t score a ton of points the last two nights, why he’s Mr. Basketball. He’s a phenomenal person, first.”
Walker added 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists for the Indiana All-Stars and Lawrence North’s Miller also finished in double figures with 14 points and eight rebounds. Silver Creek’s Dane Caldwell was another player who provided a spark in limited playing time with nine points in 11 minutes.
Up and down the lineup, the All-Stars received contributions from all 11 available players (Fishers’ Kai McGrew and Ben Davis’ JaShawn Ladd were out with injuries). Even more than meshing on the court, the 2026 Indiana All-Stars seemed to genuinely enjoy one another.
“Honestly, no,” Ertel said when asked if he knew it would be that way coming into the week. “Usually there’s some drama or people jealous of each other or people complaining. But that wasn’t really the case at all this week. That shows why we went 3-0. We have a great group of guys.”
The win clinched the 13th sweep for Indiana in the past 17 years and pushed Indiana’s all-time record to 109-46 against Kentucky since the series began in 1940. Indiana has won 45 of 52 games since 2000.
The Indiana players ran back to the locker room together one final time after the buzzer sounded and meeting a midcourt with a yell of “Indiana!” They will now go their separate ways, as soon as Sunday for Ertel, Walker and others. In some ways, the Saturday of the Indiana All-Star series has the feel of the last day of school.
“These relationships that we just built the last five days are going to take us way further,” Walker said. “It’s such a great group of guys … I could go down the list, just being able to play with some of them for the first time. It’s a blessing just to be part of this. I won’t really realize it now, but when I’m older and basketball is done, that’s when I’ll remember it. Just very blessed and grateful for the opportunity.”
*Carmel’s Evan Harrell and Pike’s Komari Booker were named the Wooden/MCL Citizenship Award for 2026 as presented by the IndyStar Indiana All-Stars.
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649. Get IndyStar’s high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter. And be sure to subscribe to our new IndyStarTV: Preps YouTube channel.
Kentucky
June unemployment rate shows slight increase in Kentucky Center for Statistics latest report
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Recent heavy rainfall has left soil across the state completely soaked, contributing to localized flooding in some areas.
When rain falls, some water soaks into the ground through a process called percolation.
Soil can only hold a limited amount of water. Once the small air spaces within the soil fill with water, the ground becomes saturated and additional rainfall has nowhere to go.
Soil type plays a role in how quickly water drains.
Much of Kentucky has clay-heavy soil, which is made up of very small, flat particles packed tightly together.
That composition makes it harder for water to move through. In clay soil, water may drain at a rate of only 0.02 to 0.17 inches per hour.
When rainfall comes down faster than the ground can absorb it and water cannot drain into a stream or storm drain quickly enough, it begins to build up.
That buildup is what leads to localized flooding.
Copyright 2026 WKYT. All rights reserved.
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) – Cyclosporiasis is a microscopic parasite that can contaminate food and water — is making people sick across several states, including Kentucky.
Dr. Patricia Tellez-Watson said, the illness is caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis and spreads when someone ingests contaminated food or water. “It is an intestinal infection caused by this water-borne, food-borne microscopic parasite,” she said.
Symptoms can include diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
Tellez-Watson said, cases are often sporadic, but outbreaks can happen — especially during hot, wet months, when the parasite can survive in the environment long enough to become infectious.
Health experts recommend taking extra precautions with food and water. Washing hands and thoroughly rinsing produce before eating or cooking can reduce risk.
Watson also urged people to be cautious with fresh produce, particularly pre-packaged items, and to consider using bottled water.
Officials have confirmed cases in Bowling Green, though it’s unclear how many.
Copyright 2026 WBKO. All rights reserved.
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