3 For 3: Week 1 Preview

<p>The high school boys’ basketball season is underway and we at PrepHoops 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! </p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>3 Players</strong></span></p> <p><strong>Brayton Bailey - 2020 SG - Bedford North Lawrence:</strong> Bailey is heading into this season as one of the top unsigned prospects in the 2020 class. In kind of a "prove yourself" year, Brayton will get an opportunity right off the bat as he and the Stars head to Bloomington North on Tuesday to go up against an aggressive, defensive-minded team. Brayton is one of the most explosive guards in the state and is bound to get the most out of his senior year. This should be Brayton's best year yet.      <strong> </strong>  </p> <p><strong>Coltin Page - 2021 SG - Wood Memorial: </strong>Page is one of the players that has really fallen "under the radar" coming into this year. Page has really worked hard this off-season and has put on nearly 20-25 pounds since the end of last season. This young man has got a drive to him to be the best player on the court and should show that when he and the Trojans take on Princeston on Tuesday. Page has the challenge to replace stud Paxton Bartley, and I believe that he is more than up for it.    </p> <p><strong>Trey Kaufman - 2021 PF - Silver Creek: </strong>Kaufman comes into the season as one of the top prospects in the entire state. He will undoubtedly be the leader and focal point of a Silver Creek team that has State Championship aspirations. Him and the Dragons start off the season this Wednesday against a Columbus East team that is always coached well. Kaufman will be tested at times but look for this great power forward and his team to start off the season with a win and show why he is one of the front-runners for Mr. Basketball in the state.     </p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>3 Teams</strong></span></p> <p><strong>Andrean (2A):</strong> The Fighting 59ers go on the road twice this week with a matchup tonight against Lake Central and on Saturday against Chesterton, both teams who will give them a challenge but ones they should defeat. From top-to-bottom, Andrean has the potential, the talent, and leadership to repeat as State Champions in 2A. Look for this dangerous squad that consists of junior trio Kyle Ross, Nick Flesher, and Ben Jones IV to take care of business this week and show how good they are. If you are in the Lake Central and Chesteron area, take the time out of your night to go watch this special team.     <br /> <b></b></p> <p><b>Bar-Reeve (1A): </b>This team is simply going to be one of the most dominate teams not only in 1A but in the entire state as well. They travel to Washington on Wednesday to face the Hatchets, who also will be wanting to prove themselves. The one thing that will be interesting to see is what their outside shooting will look like as that is an area of improvement for them. However, Bar-Reeve should be the ones that come out with one in the win column to start the season.  </p> <p><strong>Evansville Reitz (4A): </strong>Reitze is my "way to early" winner for most improved team for this season. Last season there was a lot of hype forced onto their young team. However, this season they are a year older and year more mature. Khristian Lander comes into this year as a Mr. Basketball Indiana candidate and will be looking to show what he is capable of. The Panthers' season starts on Saturday with Jasper which will give them a great opportunity to start the season off right and prove some doubters wrong.       </p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>3 Matchups </strong></span></p> <p><strong>Carmel (4A) at Zionsville (4A) - Nov. 30, 7 pm: </strong>This game provides a very unique matchup as both of these squads are in kind of a rebuilding phase to start off the season. Both of these teams have lost a ton of talent from last year. Carmel is coming off one of their best runs in school history as they are once again the reigning 4A State Champs. Zionsville knows that because they fell to Carmel early on in the post-season so they will be looking to avenge that loss. With this matchup on Saturday, it will interesting to see just who is further ahead of their rebuilding process out of the two.    <br /> <b></b></p> <p><b>Heritage Hills (3A) at North Harrison (3A) - Nov. 30, 7 pm: </b>This is a matchup with a team filled with good talent vs a team that should be extremely well-coached. Heritage Hills has one of the most talented teams in 3A as North Harrison brings in excellent coach Lou Lefevre, who is known for bringing the best out of his teams. There is also the intriguing matchup of top 2021 big men Blake Sisley and Langdon Hatton. Not to take away from Hills' great coach Nate Hawkins and the other great talent of Harrison, but this a true matchup of "Jimmys and Joes" vs "X's and O's."    </p> <p><strong>North Daviess (1A) at Loogootee (1A) - Nov. 26, 7:30 pm: </strong>This matchup will consist of a bucket-getting offense (North Daviess) taking on a ball-stopping defense (Loogootee). North Daviess is filled with a team that can flat out get buckets whereas Loogootee has a great chance to be one of the best defensive teams in 1A. Will it be point guard Trevor Riggins' elite offense taking over the game or will it be power forward Silas Bauer's aggressive defense providing a host of offensive problems? Only way to find out is to check out this game on Tuesday.    </p>