Friday Night (1/24) Games to Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It is a loaded Friday night slate across the Hoosier state. As always, Prep Hoops Indiana will have boots on the ground coverage from a couple of the top games while also keep eyes and ears in various gyms from border to border. Let's dive right in and highlight five of this evening's top matchups.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Avon @ Fishers</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It doesn't get much bigger than this. Prep Hoops Indiana Class 4A #9 Avon (13-1) travels to take on #1 Fishers (14-0). The Orioles are off to a school-record best start while the Tigers remain undefeated as they look to repeat as state champions. Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1565984' first='Keriawn' last='Berry'] leads Avon in scoring with 15.4 points to go with 5.4 rebounds per game. Classmate [player_tooltip player_id='1561685' first='Jedidiah' last='Minnett'] adds 13.9 points per game while senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1539455' first='DeAndre' last='Lott-Hancock'] averages 12.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2267046' first='Jason' last='Gardner Jr.'] leads Fishers with 16.3 points and 5.0 assists per game while fellow sophomore backcourt mate [player_tooltip player_id='2140345' first='Cooper' last='Zachary'] adds 11.3 points and 6.1 assists per game. Miami (OH) signee [player_tooltip player_id='1297069' first='Justin' last='Kirby'] averages 12.5 points per game. This should be a fun one.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Evansville Memorial @ Evansville Harrison</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two of the best in the Pocket City will battle it out tonight as 10-1 Memorial travels to 8-3 Harrison. The host Warriors are led by a senior trio of [player_tooltip player_id='1297113' first='Shane' last='Sims'], [player_tooltip player_id='1297123' first='Jay' last='Summitt'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1539669' first='Brooks' last='Thomas']. Sims averages 18.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. Summitt chips in 14.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. Thomas, a 6'7" center, adds 12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, for Memorial, [player_tooltip player_id='1539999' first='Luke' last='Ellspermann'] is the man to watch as he averages 18.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. [player_tooltip player_id='2053670' first='Asher' last='Evans'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1560976' first='Maxx' last='Anslinger'] are also in double-figures for the Tigers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Gary 21st Century @ East Chicago Central</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you are up in the Region this will be your game for the evening. East Chicago Central is ranked #8 in this week's Prep Hoops Indiana Class 3A Top 10 while Gary 21st Century checks in at #2 in our Class 2A Top 10 after winning six of their last seven. The Cougars win over Crispus Attucks recently is what moved them up to #2. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1561080' first='Terrence' last='Hayes'] Jr and company will look to knock off another Top 10 Class 3A team this evening. Unsigned senior [player_tooltip player_id='1297020' first='Dominique' last='Murphy Jr'] is on his way to becoming the school's all-time leading scorer averaging 21.9 points and 8.7 rebounds per game this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">North Central @ Lawrence North</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There isn't a team in the state hotter than North Central right now. They went on a bit of a surprise run in the Marion County Tournament defeating Decatur Central, Pike, and Ben Davis in the span of four days to win the title. Then, despite playing without star senior guards [player_tooltip player_id='1297108' first='Papi' last='Rivera'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1297098' first='Nijah' last='Jewell'], they turned around and beat Ben Davis again 74-64 on Wednesday. Now, the Panthers will travel to take on Prep Hoops Indiana Class 4A #5 Lawrence North featuring Butler signee [player_tooltip player_id='1296979' first='Azavier' last='Robinson'] averaging 19.5 points and 4.4 assists per game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Silver Creek @ New Albany</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The game of the night in southern Indiana features 14-2 Silver Creek, ranked #9 in the Prep Hoops Indiana Class 3A Top 10, traveling to take on 9-1 New Albany who checks in at #16 in this week's Prep Hoops Indiana Top 20 Super Poll. Silver Creek features a trio of junior stars led by [player_tooltip player_id='1385611' first='Kasen' last='Daeger'] who averages 17.5 points per game and is one of the top shooters in the state. [player_tooltip player_id='1561483' first='Dane' last='Sprigler'] adds 16.1 points per game while 6'8" [player_tooltip player_id='2476482' first='Dane' last='Caldwell'], who just earned his first offer from Eastern Illinois, chips in 12.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Sophomore point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2140328' first='Brandon' last='Hunter'] is one to watch as well averaging 7.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game. Class of 2028 superstar [player_tooltip player_id='2382148' first='Noah' last='Washington'] leads New Albany alongside seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2276379' first='Chris' last='Lampkins'], Rylan Shrinks, and [player_tooltip player_id='1578420' first='Jordan' last='Treat'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->