3 For 3: Week 1 Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2024-25 high school boys' basketball season is BACK and it is the first 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":["1296984"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-672d00d9c632c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The 3 For 3 season previews are back and I honestly can't think of better way to kick things off than listing the favorite to win Indiana Mr. Basketball as one of the three players to watch this week. The UConn commit returns to Greenfield-Central for one last go-around and will be looking to help lead the Cougars to a possible Class 4A State Championship run. He returns for his senior season after averaging 25.0 ppg as a junior, proving to be one of the more versatile scores across the state and country. You can watch this special player this week when Greenfield-Central host Beech Grove on 11/26. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1561440"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-672d00d9c638e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Things are going to look a whole lot different up in Kokomo this season as it is the first time will see the Wildkats be without last year's Indiana Mr. Basketball and current Kansas center Flory Bidunga. Kokomo will be looking to find guys to replace Bidunga's production an the guy that will carry most of that weight is 2026 guard [player_tooltip player_id='1561440' first='Korbyn' last='Hammel']. He brings back 6.9 points per game from last year but you can almost 100% expect those numbers to increase, especially from the flashes he showed over the summer. He is a dynamic playmaker with good positional size, length, and a very high motor. Watch him and Kokomo this week when they travel to Western (11/26) to kick off the season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2141045"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-672d00d9c63cf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The in-state 2027 class is starting to really come into their own and see some guys breaking out. One of the more intriguing prospects in that class is Brebeuf Jesuit big man [player_tooltip player_id='2141045' first='Ben' last='McKinney']. At a legit 6-foot-10, McKinney as gotten stronger, more polished around the basket, and even flashes some burgeoning face-up ability than what we saw from him as a freshman and looks to be a guy that has unlimited potential. He will slide into a more important role for Bebeuf this year and will be exciting to watch what he can do. Watch him this week at Indianapolis Ritter on 11/27. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">3 Teams</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Guerin Catholic (3A) –&nbsp;</strong>The Golden Eagles are ushering in a new era this season but once again are looking to make a big run when it comes to Class 3A basketball. For Guerin Catholic, it all starts with the man in the middle, 2025 senior [player_tooltip player_id='2053658' first='Bryson' last='Cardinal'], who will be relied on filling the production they lost due to six graduations. Cardinal brings back 13.0 points and 7.7 rebound per game but look for other players like [player_tooltip player_id='1534939' first='Jack' last='Toles'], [player_tooltip player_id='1881720' first='RJ' last='Hill'], [player_tooltip player_id='2277795' first='Malcolm' last='Houze'], [player_tooltip player_id='2137375' first='Carter' last='Murans'], [player_tooltip player_id='2140383' first='Jake' last='Grissom'], and others to have increased roles for the Golden Eagles. Watch them this week when they travel to Park Tudor on 11/27 and then host Indianapolis Ritter on 11/30. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Parke Heritage (2A) –</strong>&nbsp;Class 2A basketball has a ton of talented teams this season and one team that is looking at being near the top is the Parke Heritage Wolves. Of course, they return elite sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='1560965' first='Treigh' last='Schelsky'] who returns as their leading producer with his 15.4 points per game a season ago. Schelsky is not the only returner who averaged double-figures last season as seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1297106' first='Renn' last='Harper'] (12.6 ppg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2485734' first='Brayden' last='Luce'] (10.8 ppg) also are coming back. You can watch the Wolves for the first time this season when they at West Vigo on 11/26 and then go up against Plainfield at Rose-Hulman on 11/30. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Christian Academy (1A) –&nbsp;</strong>At the Class 1A level, one of the teams you can almost bet will make a deep run in the postseason will be the Christian Academy Warriors. They return one of the best pure shooters in the state with senior shooting guard and Marian University commit [player_tooltip player_id='1297066' first='Joshua' last='Renfro'] bringing back a team-leading 21.5 points per game. Along with Renfro, you have fellow senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1749327' first='David' last='Cook'] coming back making them one of the best perimeter duos at the 1A level. The Warriors are looking at having a really strong season and it starts with the Loughmiller Classic Tournament on 11/30. </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>Zionsville (4A) at Carmel (4A) – Nov. 26th, 7:30 pm</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When it comes to Sectional 8, the team everyone has chalked to be the winner is Fishers however, both Zionsville and Carmel can be competitors as well. Both of the teams showed constant improvement last season and will be looking to continue to show why they are one of the best in the metro-Indy area. You got a fun matchup of Zionsville senior wings [player_tooltip player_id='1525678' first='Maguire' last='Mitchell'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1525679' first='Drew' last='Snively'] vs Carmel 1-2 punch of [player_tooltip player_id='1296972' first='Alex' last='Couto'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1560952' first='Evan' last='Harrell']. This one will be a fun one and strictly due to the hime court advantage, I am going with the Greyhounds of Carmel. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cathedral&nbsp;(3A) at Jeffersonville (4A) – Nov. 30th, 7:30 pm</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The open week of the Indiana high school basketball always features a few heavyweight matchups and this is arguably the biggest of them all with two legit championship contenders. Cathedral will be moving down to Class 3A and will be a force at that level while Jeffersonville will be one of the teams that can compete for a state championship at the 4A level. Unfortunately we won't get to see the matchup of [player_tooltip player_id='1525663' first='Brady' last='Koehler'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='1388408' first='Tre' last='Singleton'] due to Singleton's injury, but there is still plenty of talent on the floor in this one like [player_tooltip player_id='1297093' first='Michael' last='Cooper'], [player_tooltip player_id='1373104' first='P.J.' last='Douglas'], [player_tooltip player_id='1561030' first='R'mani' last='Wells'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1561435' first='Julien' last='Smith']. I am going to give the edge to Cathedral here just because of their depth. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gobbler Games Shootout (Rose-Hulman) - Nov. 30th, 10:00 am-8:30 pm</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the best early season single-day shootouts is happening once again with the annual Gobbler Games at Rose-Hulman. The lineup is stacked like it always is with eight really fun games on tap. Below is the full schedule.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">10:00 am</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Eastern Greene vs. Riverton Parke</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">11:30 am</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">South Vermillion vs. West Vigo</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">1:00 pm</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Cloverdale vs. Greencastle</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">2:30 pm</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Mount Vernon (Posey) vs. Cascade</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">4:00 pm</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">North Vermillion vs. Northview</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">5:30 pm</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">South Knox vs. Terre Haute North</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">7:00 pm</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">North Central (Farmersburg) vs. Terre Haute South</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">8:30 pm</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Plainfield vs. Parke Heritage</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table -->