3 For 3: Week 14 Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2023-24 high school boys' basketball season is at week 14 and the final week of the regular season and we at Prep Hoops Indiana want to give you the absolute best coverage in the whole state. Indiana is full of great teams and talented players thus giving the fans incredible matchups every week. Join me, Kyler Staley, every Monday during the season as I preview the 3 Players, 3 Teams, and 3 Matchups to watch for that coming week. Are you ready? Let's get started!&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">3 Players</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1172872"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"For nearly four years now, 2024 guard [player_tooltip player_id='1172872' first='Jordan' last='Lomax'] has been one of the more dynamic scorers in the state. After spending his first three seasons at Avon, Lomax transferred to Brownsburg to finish out his high school career and almost immediately became one of their go-to scorers and has been that way all season. He is averaging 13.0 point per game while shooting 42% on the year. Lomax is an aggressive offensive player that uses his length and athleticism to his advantage and has proven the ability to score from all three levels on the floor. Starting to get some offers in and will look to finish out his final regular season week strong when the Bulldogs travel to Center Grove on 2/20.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65ca7bd412c99"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1275800"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Johnson has been one of the better in-state risers over the last couple seasons and you can officially say he is one of the more high-upside bigs in the 2024 class. Johnson is a 6'5 power forward and is one of the more physically bigger prospects in any game that Portage has played this season. He is one of the more versatile bigs and when locked in, he has proved that he could be really dominant. He is averaging 11.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game this year. You can watch him finish out the regular season when Portage travels to Hebron on 2/20 and host Hammond Morton on 2/23.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65ca7bd412d10"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1457552"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"When it comes to super under-the-radar players in the in-state 2024 class, I have always felt that [player_tooltip player_id='1457552' first='Allen' last='Briggs'] was one of them. All the way up in Michigan City, Briggs is a 6'2 combo guard that is a very good at cutting to the basket and using his high IQ. He is also a great rebounding guard as well and has got some smoothness to his game playing on and off the ball at a high rate. He is averaging a team high 13.5 points per game on the year. Michigan City finishes out the regular season at LaPorte on 2/20.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65ca7bd412d74"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">3 Teams</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>New Palestine (4A) - </strong>The Dragons of New Palestine of been one of the most dominant teams in Class 4A all season long. At 18-4 as of this writing, the Dragons have won their last 7 games and have a ton of momentum heading into a loaded Sectional 9 next week. It has really helped them this year that they have one of the top breakout juniors in the state, shooting guard [player_tooltip player_id='1297068' first='Julius' last='Gizzi'], who averaging an outstanding 30.5 points per game on the year. Guys like [player_tooltip player_id='1539484' first='Moses' last='Haynes'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1539483' first='Ben' last='Slagley'] have also been having good seasons, as well. The Dragons finish out the season on the road at Mount Vernon (Fortville) (2/20) and at Greenwood (2/23).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Greensburg (4A) -</strong> They may not be the most talented team year in and year out, but the Greensburg Pirates are just always consistently good. They come into the final week of the regular season 15-7 on the year with wins over Yorktown, Bloomington South, Tindley, South Ripley and more. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1297041' first='Jack' last='McKinsey'] has been a stud for them all season with his 15.6 points per game while [player_tooltip player_id='1293348' first='Drew' last='Busick'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1158211' first='Addison' last='Barnes-Pettit'] have also been big contributors as well. They will be one of the favorites to come out of Sectional 29. They finish out the regular season at North Decatur (2/20) and vs East Central (2.23) this week. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Terre Haute North (4A) - </strong>Don't sleep on the Terre Haute North Patriots because this team is GOOD. They come into the final week of the regular season 20-3 on the year and have not lost a game since December 15th, 2023. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1275782' first='Kavish' last='Reddy'] has been the leading scorer with his 11.3 ppg and senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1158180' first='Braden' last='Walters'] has been a nice addition for the Patriots with his 10.3 ppg as well. Cam Fennell, [player_tooltip player_id='2053676' first='Bryce' last='Renn'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1548652' first='Jack' last='Halls'] have been good for them this season, as well. They travel to Evansville North on 2/23 before Sectional 12 next week. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">3 Matchups</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Guerin Catholic (3A) at University (2A) – Feb 20th, 7:30 pm</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This could be one of the more fun matchups in central Indiana as the final week of the regular approaches. On paper, Guerin Catholic is the better teams considering the talented they have, but University is a team to not sleep on with their fun trio of Max Mccomb, [player_tooltip player_id='1282878' first='Blake' last='Gray'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1278817' first='Bryce' last='Gray']. I do think the size mismatch will be a problem for University especially when they have to go up against size of [player_tooltip player_id='2053658' first='Bryson' last='Cardinal'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1547883' first='Dylan' last='Murans']. For that reason, I go Guerin Catholic in this one. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>North Central-Indianapolis</strong> <strong>(4A) at Hamilton Southeastern (4A) – Feb 22nd, 7:30 pm</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another game in the central Indiana area that is going to be a fun one with a bunch of talent on the floor. Right away, the matchup between [player_tooltip player_id='2079501' first='Nate' last='Orr V'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1297108' first='Rogelio' last='Rivera'] is already a great one and the surrounding pieces by each team make is more of a game to watch. Both teams have had a similar season this year and matchup extremely well with one-another. Close one to call, but I like Hamilton Southeastern because of the home advantage. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>South Bend Washington</strong> <strong>(3A) at Tippecanoe Valley (3A) – Feb 23rd, 7:30 pm</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is a matchup between one of the best prospects in the state vs one of the better 3A teams up north. South Bend Washington features the No. 1 2026 player in the state in in 6'5 shooting guard [player_tooltip player_id='1561449' first='Steven' last='Reynolds III'] and while the Panthers are only 9-11 on the year, he has been a highlight. Tippecanoe Valley comes into this game 14-7 on the season and features a great trio of [player_tooltip player_id='2628579' first='Ian' last='Cooksey'], [player_tooltip player_id='1981703' first='Stephen' last='Akase'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1189495' first='Riley' last='Shepherd'] who combine average 40.4 ppg for the Vikings. This is a game to watch, but I think the Vikings win this one pretty easily. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->