Players from top squads gobble up All-Area spots

By BRYAN GASKINS

Players from top squads gobble up All-Area spots

The Tipton boys basketball team fell short of its goal of winning the Class 2A state championship, but it still had a season to remember. Mr. Basketball candidate Derek Elston led the way as the Blue Devils defended their Hoosier Conference and sectional championships and finished with an outstanding 23-3 record.

Carroll, Peru, Kokomo and Western had reasons to smile, too. The Cougars won a school-record 19 games and repeated as sectional champions; Peru also racked up 19 wins and a second straight sectional title; the Kats surged to their state-best 70th sectional title; and the Panthers ruled the Mid-Indiana Conference.

Fittingly, players from those five squads headline the 46th annual Kokomo Tribune All-Area Boys Basketball Team. Tipton and Kokomo lead the way with three selections apiece and Carroll, Peru and Western follow with two selections each.

Elston is making his third straight All-Area appearance. Kokomo center Patrick Hopkins is the only other holdover from last season.

In all, players selected represent eight of the area’s 12 teams.

FIRST TEAM

Alan Arnett, Kokomo

Arnett drew starts in all 23 games for the Class 4A Sectional 7 champion Wildkats. The 6-4 senior point guard offered 12.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

“Alan, as a basketball player and a person, really made huge strides from his sophomore to senior year,” Kokomo coach Brian McCauley said. “His athleticism really improved. He got stronger and you just really saw it in his quickness and his jumping ability. You combine his improved athleticism with his natural length, he was an awfully tough guard at the high school level. He was a great slasher and at times, he rebounded really well from a guard position.

“We asked him to step in and be our point guard. He didn’t have a ton of experience with that, but he did a solid job for us,” McCauley added. “He did a good job of distributing the basketball and keeping his turnovers relatively low, and then he was a major scorer for us.”

Arnett brought versatility to the defensive end where he racked up 26 steals and 25 blocked shots.

Derek Elston, Tipton

The Class 2A Sectional 40 champion Blue Devils looked to Elston to carry a heavy load and the Indiana University recruit delivered. The 6-foot-9 senior forward scored 19.7 ppg and grabbed 10.9 rpg, topping the area in both categories. He complemented his scoring with 2.8 apg.

“I think it’s hard for most of us to understand the pressure that someone like Derek is under,” Tipton coach Travis Daugherty said, referring to the attention that Elston received as an IU recruit. “The number of casual fans who want to show up on a particular night and judge his performance could be overwhelming, but he never let that effect the way that he played. Statistically, he had a great season and yet within that, he was able to still get all of our other guys involved. He put together one of the better seasons in the history of Tipton basketball.”

Elston gave opponents problems with his ability to score inside, outside and points in between. He shot 53 percent from the field overall and 33 percent from 3-point range. He made 72.4 percent of his free throw attempts.

Defensively, Elston helped the Blue Devils hold opponents to 39.6 ppg, the lowest mark in the area and the third-lowest in the state. He blocked an area-best 41 shots and took 36 steals.

Elston helped the Devils better their record from the previous season throughout his career. They went a combined 56-16 over the last three seasons, including 44-6 over the last two, and he averaged a double-double each season. He finished with more than 1,400 career points.

“I think I’ll be hard-pressed to coach a better player in my career,” Daugherty said. “I’ve been very privileged to have the opportunity to see him develop up close and to be a part of his high school career.”

Patrick Hopkins, Kokomo

Hopkins, a 6-7 senior center, led the way as the Wildkats won 11 of their final 14 games following a 4-5 start.

“We had a rough start, but in the second half of the season, Patrick played like an Indiana All-Star, averaging a double-double in points and rebounds,” McCauley said. “Offensively, he was a guy who really did a lot for us from scoring to offensive rebounding to assists. He was a very good passing post player.

“He was an emotional leader for us. Our team went as he went. When he played well, our team was extremely tough to beat.”

Hopkins scored 12.3 ppg, grabbed 9.6 rpg and dished 2.3 apg. He had 10 or more rebounds in 12 different games — including a school-record 18 against Lebanon.

“He offered tremendous rebounding ability,” McCauley said. “I can think of some big games where he was just a beast on the boards and really gave us a great chance to win.”

A three-year starter, Hopkins grabbed 557 career rebounds. He will continue his career at Indiana Wesleyan.

Adam Spesard, Carroll

Spesard emerged as a rock in the middle for the Class 2A Sectional 37 champion Cougars. The 6-7 senior center scored 15 ppg and cleared 6.8 rpg.

“Adam really had a great summer and he also lost some weight — thinned down, got a little quicker. He really turned the corner in the summer and turned into a really good basketball player for us,” Carroll coach Jeff Hodson said, noting Spesard went from splitting time with another player as a junior to anchoring the middle as a senior. “He made our team a whole lot better.”

Spesard often saw heavy defensive attention. Still, he shot 55.3 percent from the field.

“He is 6-7 and he not only scores under the bucket, but he can also hit the outside shot. He has a really nice, soft touch,” Hodson said.

Defensively, Spesard blocked 39 shots, took 21 steals and drew 10 charges.

Wes White, Western

White, a 6-3 senior guard, brought a versatile game to the floor for the Mid-Indiana Conference champion Panthers. He scored 12.8 ppg, grabbed 6 rpg and dished 3.8 apg — ranking second on the team in each category. In addition, he topped his squad in steals (33) and blocked shots (15).

“Wes is a skilled basketball player who brought a lot to the table,” Western coach Andy Weaver said. “He gave us scoring, rebounding and assists. He could take care of the basketball and he could go right or left off ball screens with penetration. He did a solid job defensively for us too.”

A three-year starter, White closed his Panther career with 590 points and 244 assists. He ranks fifth in program history in the latter category.

“As a sophomore, he was on a team that won 20 games and a sectional championship,” Weaver said. “Last year, he basically lost the last fourth of the season due to an injury. He came back strong this year and put together a solid campaign for us.”

SECOND TEAM

Greg Dickey, Tipton

Dickey helped make the Blue Devils go offensively. The 5-10 sophomore point guard scored 11.3 ppg and dished 3.8 apg. He complemented attacking drives into the lane with deep range. He connected on 47 attempts from 3-point range.

“His steadiness was a real influence for our team,” Daugherty said. “He is a super competitive kid. He is a guy who is willing to do whatever it takes to win and that attitude has rubbed off on his teammates a lot in the last two years.”

Defensively, Dickey provided consistent pressure on the perimeter that was a key to the Blue Devils’ lock-down approach. He took an area-best 2.6 steals per game.

The Blue Devils graduate four starters and their top reserve meaning Dickey will need to tackle a heavier workload next season.

“The point guard position is so important. With his ability and now with his experience, I think he has the opportunity to lead some of our newcomers and continue to lead us the next couple years,” Daugherty said.

Reomey Northington, Taylor

Northington, a 5-10 junior point guard, scored 14.1 ppg and dished 3.4 apg. He proved hard to contain when he aggressively attacked the opposing defense. In addition, he connected on 35.6 percent of his 3-point attempts.

“He’s the one who makes us go,” Taylor coach Jeff Fisher said. “He can make plays for you outside of the offense. He can break people down and he can dribble drive and raise up above taller players and shoot over them in the paint. You need people to make plays for you and he’s one of those guys who can do that.”

Northington hit game-winning baskets against Westfield and Carroll.

He also sparked the Titans’ on defense where he took 2.5 steals per game.

“He has very quick hands and he can really bother a ball-handler,” Fisher noted.

Zech Sanders, Northwestern

Sanders, a 6-3 senior wing, scored 13.9 ppg and grabbed 4.4 rpg for the Howard County Tournament champion Purple Tigers. In addition to scoring, Sanders also topped his squad in 3-pointers made (42), blocked shots (12) and deflections (23).

“He did a lot offensively for us that allowed us to have some success this year,” Northwestern coach Jim Gish said, noting Sanders led the Tigers in scoring. “He had the ability to get to the rim and hit the jumper as well.”

Sanders caught fire late in the regular season. In consecutive games, he scored 23 points in an upset of Peru, 24 points against Frankfort, 28 against Hamilton Heights and 25 against Eastern. He topped his previous career high three different times during the stretch.

“I thought in those last few games, he probably played some of the best basketball of his career in the individual sense, getting the most out of his athletic ability,” Gish said.

Sanders is a younger brother of four-time All-Area player Zavier Sanders.

Terry Smith, Peru

Smith served as the motor for the Class 3A Sectional 22 champion Bengal Tigers’ offense. The 6-1 junior point guard scored 12.5 ppg and dished 3 apg.

“Solid is an excellent term for him,” Peru coach Eric Thompson said. “He’d go some games without a turnover which, with our schedule, is quite a feat. He was very consistent all season both offensively and defensively. He was injured [with a broken hand] and had to sit out a couple of games and then had to wear a soft cast for a couple games after that. We weren’t the same team during that stretch. We managed to win a couple games, but it was a lot tougher.

“He was kind of our quiet leader — very dependable.”

Smith proved just as impressive on defense where he helped Peru hold opponents to 46.7 ppg and 38.2 percent shooting from the field. Smith averaged 2.5 steals per game.

“We saw a lot of really good point guards and off guards and his task was to pester them and disrupt the other team’s offense. He did a really good job of that,” Thompson said. “He has a nose for the ball.”

Wes Zimmerman, Peru

Zimmerman posed matchup problems for opponents with his ability to score inside and outside. The 6-3 junior forward scored 13.7 ppg and grabbed 6.1 rpg. He scored a season-high 26 points in a regular-season upset of Class 3A state champion Rochester.

“Wes brought different things to the table,” Thompson said. “He really came on the second half of the season with his offensive rebounding — I was really pleased with that part of his game. And he learned how to adapt to teams taking away certain parts of his game. If they took away his 3-point shot, he’d take it inside or vice versa.

“Defensively, he came a long way this year. He really started to grasp the defense. I don’t think defense was a high priority for him earlier in his career, but he learned to like it this year. It kind of clicked, which was great to see.”

Zimmerman blocked 17 shots and took 37 steals.

THIRD TEAM

Tyrone Brown, Kokomo

Brown, a 6-3 senior forward, handled the dirty work for the Red and Blue.

“I categorize him as a warrior,” McCauley said. “He was a guy who provided a lot of little things that added up to a huge key to our team. He was a very consistent and solid player for us.”

Brown shot 60.7 percent from the field, scored 7.9 ppg and grabbed 5.3 rpg. In addition, he routinely drew tough defensive assignments. He took 26 steals.

“He was very versatile on the defensive end,” McCauley said. “If we were in our man defense, he could guard anyone from the point guard to a post player. If we were in zone, we knew he’d take care of his responsibility. His versatility, his nose for the ball, his toughness and his strength were all just intangibles that made our team go.”

Brown helped Kokomo win the North Central Conference football championship in the fall. Now that basketball is over, he is competing in track and field.

“He is one of those guys who represents Kokomo well from an athletic standpoint,” McCauley said.

Kyle Coleman, Tipton

Coleman, a 6-5 senior forward, offered efficient play to complement Elston on the Blue Devils’ front line. Coleman scored 10.9 ppg, grabbed 5.4 rpg and shot 59 percent from the field.

“I think Kyle is a guy who typically went under-appreciated by the people outside our program, but the things he gave us were so important,” Daugherty said. “His ability to give us something positive all over the floor was a really big part of our success.”

Coleman showed his defensive ability when he took on the assignment of guarding Fort Wayne Luers’ DeShaun Thomas in a Class 2A regional semifinal game.

“Kyle was always a guy who was willing to step up and take any challenge,” Daugherty said. “I think the effort with which he played at both ends is hard to come by in your typical high school kid.”

Coleman, a two-year starter at Tipton, is planning to pursue an invited walk-on position at Purdue.

Riley Eller, Carroll

Eller scored 15.3 ppg in helping the Cougars storm to a school-best 10-0 start. The 6-1 senior guard suffered a major knee injury three games later that eventually cut his season short. It marked the second straight season a knee injury took him out of action.

“Riley is one of the neatest kids that I’ve ever coached. To have this happen to him two years in a row is unbelievable,” Hodson said. “He really handled it well. A lot of kids would have been bitter, but he showed up to practice every day and he helped make decisions on the bench and in the locker room. We joked that we turned him into my assistant coach.

“When he was playing and was healthy, we had a lot of confidence going into every game that we were going to be able to compete. When he went down, I was proud of our other guys that they picked it up. Riley was a big part of that, cheering them on.”

Eller finished with a 12.3 scoring average and a 2.3 assist average. He knocked down an area-best and school-record 91.3 percent of his free throw attempts. Over his four-year career, he shot 89 percent from the line.

Darrian Greene, Western

Greene, a 6-2 senior wing, scored 15.3 ppg and grabbed 3.5 rpg for the Panthers. He inflicted a lot of his offensive damage from 3-point range where he connected on 51 of 151 attempts. He made four or more triples in seven different games.

“Darrian had the capability of scoring in bunches,” Weaver said. “He played well in the conference season for us. He had 23 points at Northwestern and 26 points down at Hamilton Heights. We had a big win over Peru where he had 10 points in the first three minutes of the third quarter [after Western trailed 35-27 at halftime].”

Greene averaged 17.1 ppg in conference games.

“He put the ball in the basket in some key games for us,” Weaver said.

Joby Renbarger, Eastern

Renbarger helped the Comets post an 11-11 record, which snapped a string of 17 straight losing seasons. The 6-5 junior center scored 11.5 ppg and cleared 7.5 rpg.

“Joby went beyond our expectations — not to say we didn’t expect him to step up, but I think he more than met the call. His teammates saw that as well and they showed that by naming him our MVP,” said Eastern coach Duane Keisling, whose return to the sideline sparked the Comets’ resurgence.

Renbarger shot 63 percent from the field, the second-best mark in the area.

“Needless to say, our offense looked strongly to Joby in terms of initially going through him,” Keisling said. “Defenses tried to shut him down and I think he answered that challenge by realizing if they’re going to collapse on him, he had to punch it back out. I think he did a good job of doing that.

“We’re really proud of him and happy for him,” Keisling added. “Hopefully [his taste of success] spurs him on to get out and work even harder this summer.”

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