High School Spotlight: Blackford Bruins

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The High School Spotlight Series is back and we are excited to feature multiple teams throughout the state once again! The season is still a few months away, but it is never too early to look ahead at the high school season. We will be taking a look at some quick hitters, the top player(s), a potential breakout player, other roster members, and more for the upcoming season. For today's spotlight, we take a look at the Blackford Bruins. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Quick Hitters</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Went 20-7 last season.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Lost to Lapel in Regionals. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Head Coach Aaron Daniels starts his 3rd year as head coach. He is <strong>34-17</strong> as a head coach.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>A favorite in Class 2A. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top Player: [player_tooltip player_id='2539991' first='Amarian' last='Leggett']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Blackford Bruins took a bit of a hit with their roster recently, but as long as they have 2028 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2539991' first='Amarian' last='Leggett'], they will always have a chance to compete. Leggett proved throughout the summer why he is considered one of the top three players in Indiana's 2028 class, and that momentum should carry over into this upcoming season. He is a smooth scoring guard who can impact the game in a variety of ways, whether creating for himself off the bounce or making plays without the ball in his hands. Leggett enters the year coming off an outstanding season where he averaged 26.3 points per game, and with an increased offensive workload, it would not be surprising to see him push toward averaging 30 points per game this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Potential Breakout Player: [player_tooltip player_id='3662612' first='Eli' last='Petro']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the roster shifting for the Bruins this season, there will be plenty of opportunities for multiple players to step into larger roles, and one player who could benefit the most is senior big man [player_tooltip player_id='3662612' first='Eli' last='Petro']. With [player_tooltip player_id='2539991' first='Amarian' last='Leggett'] handling much of the offensive load in the backcourt, Petro has a chance to become a reliable secondary option for Blackford in the frontcourt. He is an under-the-radar big man in the state who brings excellent mobility, plays above the rim, and excels as a rim runner. His athleticism and ability to impact the game around the basket make him an intriguing prospect, and several small college programs should make it a priority to get a look at him this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Other Key Roster Members</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Eli Morgan</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Koen Pitts</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kamari Taylor</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jesse Townsend </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hunter Slusher</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->