Indiana All-Stars assert dominance over Kentucky, win sixth straight

OWENSBORO, Ky. – Indiana was right down to 9 gamers for Friday’s sport vs. the Kentucky All-Stars on the Owensboro Sportscenter.

On this case, 9 was sufficient — greater than sufficient.

Indiana dunked, rattled and rolled its approach to a 104-77 victory over Kentucky that began with an intense effort on the defensive finish. It’s the sixth consecutive win for Indiana, which is 23-2 towards Kentucky since 2009 within the annual sequence pitting the highest senior gamers from every state.

“Clearly we wish to win,” Carmel’s Pete Suder mentioned. “However we needed to win by greater than 20 factors. That was our fundamental objective. Now we have numerous guards so we needed to fly round and strain the ball, swap on protection, then rebound and push in transition.”

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Indiana will go for the sweep Saturday at Southport Fieldhouse. If the sport is something like Friday, Kentucky could have bother maintaining.

Lawrence North’s CJ Gunn, an Indiana recruit, led a balanced assault with 20 factors. Pike’s Ryan Conwell crammed the stat sheet with 18 factors, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. In all, seven of the 9 Indiana gamers completed in double figures.

“The primary time we met I mentioned, ‘I’m going to say it 85 instances between now and Saturday, however we now have to play nice halfcourt protection due to our measurement,’” mentioned Chad Johnston, the Indiana coach from South Bend Adams. “If we play protection and rebound, we are going to win. I mentioned, ‘Give me these 25 or half-hour on protection after which we’ll do the stuff you wish to do like shoot.’ They actually purchased into that in a brief time period, which is a credit score to their highschool coaches.”

Indiana jumped out to leads of 15-5 and 35-15 within the first half and was by no means significantly threatened. Kentucky was shell-shocked by the Indiana protection, committing 20 turnovers that led to 30 factors — a number of of them on dunks. Indiana outscored Kentucky 33-5 on quick break factors.

“We’re not too fearful about how they play,” Conwell mentioned of Kentucky. “It’s actually simply primarily based on how we play. If we play protection, play exhausting and play collectively, we’ll be effective.”

The Indiana All-Stars, initially a 14-player roster, are right down to 9 gamers following the sprained ankle suffered by Central Noble’s Connor Essegian in Wednesday’s sport towards the Junior All-Stars at Mt. Vernon. The Wisconsin recruit didn’t make the journey to Owensboro, however it’s anticipated to be in attendance at Southport, although he won’t play.

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Cathedral’s Tayshawn Comer didn’t make the journey both after leaving camp at Marian College early Thursday as a result of a household scenario. All-Stars director Mike Broughton and Johnston mentioned they hope Comer can play Saturday, however perceive if not.

These losses have been along with the anticipated absences of Mr. Basketball Braden Smith, who went by means of warmups and cheered from the bench Saturday as he recovers from foot surgical procedure, Warren Central’s Tae Davis (on campus at Seton Corridor) and Gary West Aspect’s Jalen Washington (who missed the season with a knee damage).

“(Comer) is my man and I want he might have been right here,” Conwell mentioned. “However we had different guys like (Travis) Grayson and Branden (Northern) step up and play very well. We’re all actually good gamers — just about the perfect gamers at our excessive colleges — so we will all play.”

Suder helped set the tone with two offensive rebounds and putbacks within the first couple of minutes and took a cost on the defensive finish. He completed with 11 factors, six rebounds and 5 steals in 20 minutes. Chesterton’s Grayson had 12 factors, 5 rebounds and two assists, Lafayette Jeff’s Javan Buchanan completed with 11 factors and 6 rebounds, Cathedral’s Jaxon Edwards had 10 factors and 6 rebounds and Silver Creek’s Northern had 10 factors and two assists.

“I’ve been taking part in with and towards numerous these guys since about third grade,” Gunn mentioned. “So realizing (Saturday) is that final time on the court docket collectively, you simply form of wish to dwell within the second and luxuriate in it.”

Johnston mentioned it was apparent the group was having fun with its time collectively, which is clearly simpler to do when up by 20 factors at halftime.

“Primary, successful is enjoyable,” Johnston mentioned with amusing. “But it surely’s been a really satisfying week off the court docket, too. Attending to know these children has been nice. Even Tayshawn and Connor, they each checked in on the group chat earlier than the sport. It’s a very neat group of youngsters. I’m glad I had this chance to teach them and be round them.”

With yet one more highschool sport to go earlier than he leaves for South Florida, Conwell mentioned the week as an All-Star has been a studying expertise. Indiana now leads the all-time sequence between the groups 102-44 and has received 43 of 51 courting to 1996.

“All through the entire week they’ve been telling us concerning the historical past,” Conwell mentioned. “It’s good to listen to about what we’re taking part in for.”

Name Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

INDIANA 104, KENTUCKY 77

INDIANA – Peter Suder 5-7 0-0 11, Ryan Conwell 6-13 4-4 18, Jalen Jackson 1-4 2-2 4, Jaxon Edwards 5-10 0-0 10, Javan Buchanan 5-9 0-0 11, CJ Gunn 8-18 3-4 20, Travis Grayson 5-8 0-2 12, Amhad Jarrard 3-6 2-4 8, Branden Northern 4-7 1-1 10. Totals: 42-82 12-17 104.

KENTUCKY – Turner Buttry 2-6 2-2 7, Jaiden Lawrence 1-5 0-0 3, Andrew Mason 0-2 2-2 2, Mitchell Rylee 8-13 8-14 24, Jabrion Spikes 2-9 1-2 5, James Jewell 1-2 0-4 3, Kennedy Hayden 1-4 1-2 3, Sam Powell 7-9 0-1 17, Darien Lewis 1-3 1-2 3, Jay Milburn 1-5 2-2 4, Cade Stinnett 1-4 2-2 4, Gavin Stevens 1-1 0-0 3. Totals: 26-63 19-33 77.

3-point targets: Indiana 8-19 (Grayson 2, Conwell 2, Suder, Buchanan, Gunn, Northern); Kentucky 6-17 (Powell 3, Buttry, Lawrence, Stevens); Rebounds: Indiana 44 (Conwell 10), Kentucky 41 (Rylee 6); Assists: Indiana 22 (Conwell 5, Jarrard 5); Kentucky 15 (Buttry 6); Turnovers: Indiana 7, Kentucky 20.