Indiana girls team sweeps Kentucky in 1st Junior All-Stars series

GOSHEN, Ky. — For several years, Charlie Hall, Indiana All-Stars game director, and Dave Satterly, Kentucky All-Stars game director, have been discussing a match up with the juniors.

Hall said one reason for starting the Junior All-Star program now is recent talk of a national Junior All-Star tournament, in which a team from each state will
compete.

“We might as well get a pilot program going and get a feel for how it will work,” Hall said. “It also gives me a chance to evaluate the players.”

As the game director, Hall makes the decision on the rosters for the teams with input from members of the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.

“We will choose the Indiana All-Stars next year from all the seniors,” Hall said.
The Indiana Boys All-Star team Head Coach Scott Heady said he felt honored to be selected as the first Junior All-Star team head coach.

“It is a great honor,” Heady said. “Whether you are a coach or a player, it is something you take pride in because you are representing Indiana.”

Purdue commit shines
The inaugural Junior All-Star matchup between Indiana and Kentucky came to an end Saturday at North Oldham High School with a girls’ sweep for Indiana and a split in the boys’ games in the home-and-home format.

The girls took the court the day after beating the Junior All-Stars from Kentucky, 101-98, at Heritage Christian High School in Indianapolis.

The Kentucky girls sought to get a series split and looked to be well on their way as they took a 39-29 point lead into halftime.

Despite not having an IU commit on the girls’ team Saturday night, Hoosier fans had a chance to see what’s in store with Purdue commit Bridget Perry.
“Driving is one of my strengths,” Perry said.

Defense must be one as well, as she held Kentucky All-Star Becca Greenwell to 16 points after her game high, 44, on Friday.

“My assignment was to stop her and guard her the whole time,” Perry said. “I was on a mission to do that.”

The Indiana girls came back in the second half. Led by Notre Dame commit Taya Reimer’s 18 second-half points, the Indiana girls won, 78-68.

Boys split series
After a decisive win Friday, the boys’ team entered Saturday with a slightly different roster.

“We have two players that are at the top 100 NBA tryout camp in Virginia and another player who is honoring a commitment with his high school team,” Hall said.
Heady said the team did not come out with a lot of energy early. Kentucky was able to get in the lane and score points in the paint.

The Kentucky All-Stars jumped out to a 10-point first quarter lead. The lead was cut one at halftime.

During the game, both teams played what seemed to be a more physical game than on Friday.

“You play hard, you are going to take a couple of elbows,” IU commit Devin Davis said about getting hit in the face during the game. “You just have to get right back up and keep playing.”

In the second half, Indiana kept the game close until Kentucky pulled away in the final four minutes of the game, which led to a 81-71 win for the home team.
Despite the loss, Davis was a bright spot for the Indiana team.

He achieved the game’s only double-double with 13 points and a game high 13 rebounds.

“It was a great experience,” Davis said. “It was a good game. Both teams played hard.”

Davis finished the two-game series with 37 points and 28 rebounds.

“Really competitive,” Hall said, describing the series.