PLAINFIELD – For the better part of two days, the boys IndyStar Indiana All-Stars had to hear and read about the talented Junior All-Stars.
Enough was enough. After a 12-point loss to the Juniors in New Albany on Tuesday, the All-Stars rebounded in a big way with a 134-92 win on Thursday.
“It bothered me and it bothered all of us a lot,” Mt. Vernon’s Michael Ertel said. “Everybody was talking about how great the juniors are and didn’t give much credit. We definitely wanted to come out here and win.”
Castle’s Jack Nunge led the way with a team-high 28 points and 13 rebounds and was backed by Cloverdale’s Cooper Neese (25 points and 10 rebounds). Neese, a Butler recruit, was 5-for-6 from the 3-point line and added four assists and four steals.
“Everybody was clicking,” said Neese, who is playing with a broken little toe on his left foot. “It wasn’t just me, it was the whole team. I know they still scored (92) points, but a lot of it was our defense leading to offense.”
The All-Stars were playing without IndyStar Mr. Basketball Kris Wilkes of North Central and Terre Haute South’s Jaylen Minnett. Wilkes and Minnett, along with New Albany’s Chyna Anthony and North Central’s Ajanae’ Thomas from the girls team, served a one-game suspension for “conduct that violates team rules and policy,” according All-Star games director Charlie Hall.
Hall declined further comment. All four players are expected to play Saturday when the All-Stars play the Kentucky All-Stars at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
All-Stars coach Marty Beasley, of Fort Wayne Carroll, said it was “disappointing” not to have the players in uniform.
“I’m disappointed for them,” Beasley said. “They’ve earned the right to be All-Stars and have pride in their state. Life is about learning experiences. This is Charlie Hall’s thing and whatever he decides to do, we’re behind him. The kids have to have ownership of themselves, too.”
Neese said Wilkes and Minnett were vocal from the bench on Thursday. There was plenty to cheer about most of the night as the All-Stars pulled away to a 16-point halftime lead and were never seriously threatened in the second half.
Neese had a lot to do with that, finding his rhythm in the first half. He teamed with Crown Point’s Sasha Stefanovic, a Purdue recruit, on several baskets with one setting up the other. Stefanovic, who missed Tuesday’s game because of graduation, finished with 17 points, five rebounds and four assists.
“Honestly, I’ve never played with (Neese) other than the Junior team last year,” Stefanovic said. “I think we are similar players. We just kind of rolled off each other tonight.”
Warren Central’s Mack Smith (20 points, five steals), Logansport’s Jalen Adaway (20 points, 11 rebounds) and Connersville’s Grant Smith (12 points, six rebounds) rounded out the players scoring in double figures.
With just eight players available, Benedict installed a zone defense that the All-Stars stayed with for much of the night. The Junior All-Stars were 19-for-54 from the 3-point line, but shot just 39 percent overall. Merrillville’s Johnny Bernard led the Juniors with 15 points, Lawrence North’s Kevin Easley added 13 and Walter Ellis (South Bend Adams) and Eric Hunter (Tindley) each had 12.
“We came in just wanting to get a win before we play Kentucky,” Neese said. “That’s a big confidence booster. To be honest, I think some of our juniors could beat Kentucky too. So that’s not a knock to them tonight. It wasn’t necessarily their night. But we played well together, on both ends of the floor.”
The 6-10 Nunge, an Iowa recruit, had his way inside against the Juniors. Overall, the All-Stars outscored the Juniors 72-20 on points in the paint. The All-Stars outrebounded the Juniors by 30.
All in all, it ended as a feel-good night for the All-Stars after a rough first game Tuesday and the suspensions earlier in the day on Thursday. They left the gym Thursday night eating pizza and laughing.
“Kris and Jaylen were enthusiastic on the bench, giving it everything they had whether they were on the court or not,” Neese said. “They were just as big a part of tonight as the guys were on the court.”