2023 Sneakers For Santa Shootout Preview
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The fourth annual Sneakers For Santa Shootout is set to tip-off on Saturday featuring six excellent games between some of Indiana’s best basketball programs. Based on the current Prep Hoops Indiana poll, eight of the 12 teams are ranked in…
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Continue ReadingThe fourth annual Sneakers For Santa Shootout is set to tip-off on Saturday featuring six excellent games between some of Indiana’s best basketball programs. Based on the current Prep Hoops Indiana poll, eight of the 12 teams are ranked in the Top 10 of their respective classes. There are also five nationally ranked prospects along with dozens of the top in-state prospects. As always, this will be a great day of hoops at Brownsburg High School and Prep Hoops Indiana will have boots on the ground coverage from start to finish. Let’s take a look at all six matchups as we preview the 2023 Sneakers For Santa Shootout.
***All rankings are based on the latest Prep Hoops Indiana poll.***
11:30 a.m. – #8 (3A) Heritage Hills vs. #2 (1A) Evansville Christian
Records: Heritage Hills (2-0) Evansville Christian (3-0)
Prospects to Watch: Josiah Dunham Josiah Dunham 6'0" | PG Evansville Christian | 2024 State IN (Evansville Christian 2024), Trent Sisley Trent Sisley 6'8" | PF Heritage Hills | 2025 State #47 Nation IN (Heritage Hills H.S. 2025)
Storyline: Two talented teams out of the Pocket City will tip things off on the big stage at the fourth annual Sneakers For Santa Shootout. The obvious draw here is 4-star, Class of 2025 Top 75 prospect Trent Sisley Trent Sisley 6'8" | PF Heritage Hills | 2025 State #47 Nation IN who is highly sought after across the Big 10 including by the home state Hoosiers and Boilermakers. You can expect to see plenty of fans from across Big 10 country make the trip to Brownsburg to see the prized recruit. Josiah Dunham Josiah Dunham 6'0" | PG Evansville Christian | 2024 State IN is a talented prospect in his own right holding current offers from SIU-Edwardsville and Purdue Northwest.
Prediction: Evansville Christian is no stranger to playing against bigger schools as they’ve already knocked off Terre Haute North this season. However, the size and talent of the 6’8″ Sisley along with sophomore wing Jake Prior Jake Prior 6'5" | SG Heritage Hills | 2026 State IN will be too much for the Eagles in this one. Heritage Hills 66 Evansville Christian 54.
1:15 p.m. – Cathedral vs. Evansville Bosse
Records: Cathedral (2-0) Evansville Bosse (0-1)
Prospects to Watch: Taray Howell Taray Howell 5'8" | PG Evansville Bosse | 2024 State IN (Evansville Bosse H.S. 2024), Brady Koehler Brady Koehler 6'9" | SF Cathedral | 2025 State #199 Nation IN (Cathedral H.S. 2025)
Storyline: Cathedral won the 2022 Class 4A state championship and backed it up with a Sectional title last season. However, there is a lot to replace from the last couple of seasons. 6’8″ wing Brady Koehler Brady Koehler 6'9" | SF Cathedral | 2025 State #199 Nation IN will lead the way as a talented left-handed shooter with several mid-major offers. He is off to an excellent start to the season scoring 26 and 24 points in the Irish’s first two contests. Junior point guard Lebron Gough Lebron Gough 6'1" | PG Cathedral | 2025 State IN and sophomore wing Keaton Aldridge Jr Keaton Aldridge Jr 6'4" | SF Cathedral | 2026 State IN . are two other names to know. Meanwhile, for Bosse, this will be an excellent statewide stage for one of the best scorers in Indiana, Taray Howell Taray Howell 5'8" | PG Evansville Bosse | 2024 State IN . The 5’7″ point guard averaged 23.2 points per game last year on his way to being named an Indiana Junior All-Star.
Prediction: The Fighting Irish are off to a somewhat surprisingly strong after losing as much as they did a year ago. It looks like it is a reload, not a rebuild this season under Coach Jason Delany. Look for them to control this one as well to move to 3-0. Cathedral 82 Evansville Bosse 66.
3:00 p.m. – Brownsburg vs. Warren Central
Records: Brownsburg (2-0) Warren Central (0-1)
Prospects to Watch: Jevon Guess Jevon Guess 6'6" | PF Warren Central | 2025 State IN (Warren Central H.S. 2025), Jordan Lomax Jordan Lomax 6'3" | SG Brownsburg | 2024 State IN (Brownsburg H.S. 2024)
Storyline: Admittedly, this game isn’t what it would have been if Purdue commit Kanon Catchings hadn’t left Brownsburg for Overtime Elite. However, there is still plenty of talent taking the floor. Jordan Lomax Jordan Lomax 6'3" | SG Brownsburg | 2024 State IN made the move to Brownsburg from Avon High School for his senior season after averaging 17.3 points per game. He will play along side another transfer, Jesiah Sloss from Evansville Harrison, returning senior guard Grant Porath Grant Porath 6'1" | SG Brownsburg | 2024 State IN , and several other talented pieces. Warren Central features junior big man Jevon Guess Jevon Guess 6'6" | PF Warren Central | 2025 State IN who will have help inside from senior Nick Glover. Look for Robert Walker Robert Walker 6'3" | SF Warren Central | 2024 State IN to have a big senior season on the wing as well.
Prediction: Warren Central has the athleticism to pressure the Bulldogs guards, but ultimately look for Brownsburg to get it done on their home floor. Lomax and Porath will be the difference in the backcourt. Brownsburg 71 Warren Central 67.
4:45 p.m. – #9 (4A) Ben Davis vs. #2 (4A) Fort Wayne Wayne
Records: Ben Davis (1-1) Fort Wayne Wayne (1-0)
Prospects to Watch: Chase Barnes Chase Barnes 6'1" | PG Fort Wayne Wayne | 2025 State #355 Nation IN (Fort Wayne Wayne H.S. 2025), Jevon Lewis Jevon Lewis 5'9" | PG Fort Wayne Wayne | 2024 State IN (Fort Wayne Wayne H.S. 2024), K.J. Windham K.J. Windham 6'3" | PG Ben Davis | 2024 State #137 Nation IN (Ben Davis H.S. 2024 – Northwestern)
Storyline: Ben Davis returns from an undefeated, state championship season with another Top 10 roster with repeating on its mind. The Giants will be lead by Northwestern commit K.J. Windham K.J. Windham 6'3" | PG Ben Davis | 2024 State #137 Nation IN who was named to the “Core” Indiana Junior All-Star team last year. Look for Mark Zackery Mark Zackery 6'0" | PG Ben Davis | 2025 State #398 Nation IN to have a big junior season as well as one of the better two-way guards in the state. As for the Generals, they return nearly everything from last season’s Semi-State team including their top two scorers in Jevon Lewis Jevon Lewis 5'9" | PG Fort Wayne Wayne | 2024 State IN and Chase Barnes Chase Barnes 6'1" | PG Fort Wayne Wayne | 2025 State #355 Nation IN . Those two will lead one of the best backcourts in the state of Indiana this season. This will be an excellent matchup between two teams with aspirations of getting to Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Prediction: In order to beat Ben Davis you have to have excellent guard play to be able to withstand their pressure. The Generals have that in spades with Lewis, Barnes, and junior guard Khalyn Williams-Thomas Khalyn Williams-Thomas 5'11" | PG Fort Wayne Wayne | 2025 State IN . Fort Wayne Wayne 75 Ben Davis 65.
6:30 p.m. – #1 (4A) Lawrence North vs. #1 (2A) Brownstown Central
Records: Lawrence North (1-0) Brownstown Central (2-0)
Prospects to Watch: Jack Benter Jack Benter 6'4" | SG Brownstown Central | 2024 State #121 Nation IN (Brownstown Central H.S. 2024 – Purdue), Kobi Bowles Kobi Bowles 6'2" | PG Lawrence North | 2024 State IN (Lawrence North H.S. 2024), Azavier Robinson Azavier Robinson 6'1" | PG Lawrence North | 2025 State #88 Nation IN (Lawrence North H.S. 2025)
Storyline: Not often could you pair the #1 Class 2A team against the #1 Class 4A team in the state and call the game pretty close to a toss-up. However, Brownstown Central is not your ordinary 2A team. They are led by Purdue commit and Mr. Basketball candidate Jack Benter Jack Benter 6'4" | SG Brownstown Central | 2024 State #121 Nation IN who is one of the best pure scorers in the state. The Braves have several other very good players in senior guard Parker Hehman Parker Hehman 6'0" | PG Brownstown Central | 2024 IN alongside juniors Colby Hall Colby Hall 6'6" | PF Brownstown Central | 2025 State IN and Chance Coomer that helped them beat many of the best 4A programs over the summer. Lawrence North will feature the best backcourt in Indiana led by 4-star prospect Azavier Robinson Azavier Robinson 6'1" | PG Lawrence North | 2025 State #88 Nation IN and senior Division I-level prospect Kobi Bowles Kobi Bowles 6'2" | PG Lawrence North | 2024 State IN . There is a ton of depth on the Wildcats sideline.
Prediction: Lawrence North is just too good with too much depth. Barring an off night they will be able to take care of business in this one against the Braves. Lawrence North 74 Brownstown Central 60.
8:15 p.m. – #7 (4A) Crispus Attucks vs. #8 (4A) Center Grove
Records: Crispus Attucks (0-1) Center Grove (2-1)
Prospects to Watch: Dezmon Briscoe Dezmon Briscoe 6'9" | PF Crispus Attucks | 2025 State #107 Nation IN (Crispus Attucks H.S. 2025), Michael Ephraim Michael Ephraim 6'10" | C Center Grove | 2025 State IN (Center Grove H.S. 2025), Ron Rutland III Ron Rutland III 6'1" | SG Crispus Attucks | 2024 State IN (Crispus Attucks H.S. – UIndy)
Storyline: Crispus Attucks returns the vast majority of their roster from last season’s 18-8 squad that won the Indianapolis City Tournament. Ron Rutland III Ron Rutland III 6'1" | SG Crispus Attucks | 2024 State IN led the way averaging 18.0 points per game while 3-star, Class of 2025 Top 150 prospect Dezmon Briscoe Dezmon Briscoe 6'9" | PF Crispus Attucks | 2025 State #107 Nation IN averaged 15.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 4.0 blocks per game. Those two will create arguably the best inside-outside presence in the state this season. Briscoe will be tasked with going against 6’10” transfer Michael Ephraim Michael Ephraim 6'10" | C Center Grove | 2025 State IN who moved in from Florida for his junior season. The Trojans also feature senior point guard Joey Schmitz Joey Schmitz 6'2" | PG Center Grove | 2024 State IN and senior forward Will Spellman Will Spellman 6'6" | PF Center Grove | 2024 State IN .
Prediction: This Trojans team has a lot of pieces. Schmitz, alongside Jalen Bundy Jalen Bundy 5'11" | PG Center Grove | 2024 State IN and Dylan Meador Dylan Meador 5'11" | PG Center Grove | 2024 State IN are as good of a senior led backcourt as you’ll find. Crispus Attucks certainly isn’t lacking in that department, and Briscoe can be a game-changer inside, but the veteran nature of Center Grove will be the difference in the end. Center Grove 61 Crispus Attucks 55