This year, we are bringing back something IndyStar used to do: separate all-East, West, North, South and Indy postseason teams. These are in addition to our Super Team, which honors Central Indiana’s best of the best. But we cover more than 80 high schools, and there are a lot of boys basketball players worthy of recognition — well beyond the 15 Super Team members.
The all-South team:
First team
Jazz Banwait, Whiteland, Sr.
The 6-1 guard made a big jump from his junior to senior season, averaging 15.0 points, 3.4 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals for a team that improved by five games to finish 15-11. Banwait shot 41% from the 3-point line. He was also named all-Mid-State Conference and academic all-state.
Max Booher, Greenwood Christian, Sr.
The 6-2 Booher, a Quincy University commit, averaged 19.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.2 steals and 2.0 assists as a senior and shot 47.4% (63-for-133) from the 3-point line. Booher helped his team an 18-8 record and Class A regional title. He finished his career with 1,268 points.
Jalen Bundy, Center Grove, Sr.
The 6-foot Bundy averaged 10.8 points and a team-high 5.1 assists per game to help the Trojans to a 21-5 record and Class 4A regional championship. The point guard shot 50% from the field and averaged 1.5 steals per game to earn honorable mention all-state honors.
Micah Davis, Franklin, Sr.
The 6-2 Davis, an Eastern Kentucky recruit, averaged 25.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game to lead Franklin to an 18-5 season and sectional championship. Davis shot 53% from the field, including 37.4% (43-for-115) from the 3-point line. He scored 1,296 career points in three seasons at Franklin.
Joey Schmitz, Center Grove, Sr.
The 6-2 Schmitz lit it up behind the 3-point arc as a senior, shooting 54.6% (83-for-152) to lead the Trojans to a 21-win season and Class 4A regional championship. The Rose-Hulman commit averaged a team-leading 16.6 points per game, along with 3.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.5 steals.
Second team
Adam Crouch, Indian Creek, Jr.
The 6-1 junior averaged 17.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.3 steals per game for a 15-9 Indian Creek team. That season came on the heels of Crouch averaging 14.7 points and 4.5 rebounds as a sophomore. Crouch, who has 852 career points, should easily eclipse 1,000 for his career with a healthy senior year.
A.J. Defur, Mooresville, Jr.
The 6-4 Defur averaged 15.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game for the 10-14 Pioneers. Defur shot 40.6% (52-for-128) from the 3-point line as a junior and is a 40.3% 3-point shooter for his career. He has 671 career points.
Ethan Edwards, Whiteland, Jr.
The 6-5 Edwards averaged 12.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game for a 15-win Whiteland team. He shot 33.3% (45-for-135) from the 3-point line. Edwards nearly tripled his offensive production from his sophomore year.
Grady Gardner, Martinsville, So.
The 6-2 Gardner averaged 16.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game to lead a young Martinsville team. He shot 41.1% (65-for-158) from the 3-point line. Gardner has 659 points through his first two high school seasons.
Will Spellman, Center Grove, Sr.
The 6-6 Spellman, a Franklin College commit, returned from a shoulder injury as a junior to average 10.0 points and a team-leading 5.8 rebounds for the Class 4A regional champion Trojans. Spellman shot 62% from the field and 76% from the free-throw line.
Third team
Peyton Byrd, Center Grove, Sr.
The 6-7 Byrd, an Indiana Wesleyan commit, averaged 8.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 blocked shots per game for a 21-5 Center Grove team that reached the Class 4A semistate. Byrd shot 52% from the field and 33.3% (19-for-57) from the 3-point line.
Jake Mosemann, Greenwood, Sr.
The 6-3 Mosemann, a Trine University commit, averaged a team-leading 15.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game for the 8-15 Woodmen. Mosemann shot 33.9% (41-for-121) from the 3-point line as a senior.
Wyatt Nickleson, Franklin, Sr.
The 5-11 guard averaged 10.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game to help Franklin to an 18-win season and sectional championship. He shot 38.9% (51-for-131) from the 3-point line. Nickleson made 155 3-pointers for his career, hitting 36.7% of his attempts.
Tucker Rahn, Monrovia, Sr.
The 6-foot Rahn averaged 15.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game to lead Monrovia to an 11-12 season and its highest win total in four years. Rahn shot 41.8% (69-for-165) from the 3-point line. Rahn scored 819 points in his three varsity seasons.
Wiatt McLaughlin, Whiteland, Sr.
The 6-2 McLaughlin averaged 11.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 steals per game as a senior to help Whiteland to a 15-win season. He shot 49% from the field. McLaughlin finished with 726 career points over three seasons.
Honorable mention
Center Grove: Michael Ephraim (Jr.); Dylan Meador (Sr.)
Edinburgh: Connor Ramey (Jr.)
Franklin: Kolt Nelson (Jr.)
Greenwood: Isaac O’Neal (Jr.)
Greenwood Christian: Noah Reed (Jr.)
Indian Creek: Bobby Emberton (Jr.); Landon Martin (Jr.)
Martinsville: Hunter Stroud (Jr.)
Monrovia: Jayden Jones (Sr.); Hayden McCloud (Jr.); Clay Tharp (Soph.)
Mooresville: Brevon Burns (Jr.); Tyronne Elmore (Soph.)
Whiteland: Gavin Stubbe (Jr.)
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.