21 players to watch as boys state basketball finals commence Saturday

If their teams have a chance to win a state title on Saturday, it's likely the players listed below will have a hand in the outcome. Here are 21 players to watch this weekend:

Dana Batt, Homestead: The 6-9 Colgate recruit plays alongside teammate Caleb Swanigan, arguably the best player in the state. Batt, a senior, is averaging 8.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and shooting 63 percent from the field.

Austin Compton, Frankton: The 6-1 senior guard is averaging a team-leading 15.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists. He's also shooting 44 percent (47-for-106) from the 3-point line. Compton is committed to NAIA St. Francis.

Tahj Curry, Homestead: The 6-2 junior is averaging 9.6 points and a team-high 5.4 assists for the 28-2 Spartans. He is the team's third-leading scorer.

Ryan Fazekas, Michigan City Marquette: The 6-8 Providence recruit set a Class A record with seven 3-pointers in last year's championship game win over Barr-Reeve and finished with 34 points. The senior is averaging 21.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and shooting 38 percent from the 3-point line.

Jordan Geist, Homestead: The 6-1 senior has provided a significant boost for the Spartans since his transfer from Penn. Geist is averaging 16.8 points, 3.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds.

Dwayne Gibson, Park Tudor: The 6-4 senior does a little bit of everything for defending Class 2A champion Park Tudor. The Division II Nova Southeastern (Fla.) recruit is averaging 9.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

Nate Hansen, Evansville Reitz: College interest is rising for the 6-3 senior, who is averaging 12.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and shooting 36 percent from the 3-point line.

Anthony Harris, Griffith: Like Geist, Harris transferred in before this season (coming from Calumet). The 6-4 senior has fit in well with the Murphy twins, averaging 17.0 points and 7.5 rebounds.

Matt Holba, Guerin Catholic: The 6-6 Leigh recruit is averaging a team-leading 18.5 points and 9.6 rebounds as he's taken on more of a leadership role as a senior. Holba is shooting 53 percent from the field.

Jaren Jackson Jr., Park Tudor: The 6-9 Jackson has emerged as a sophomore and blocked 35 shots in six tournament games. Jackson, who has offers from Butler, Indiana, IUPUI and Purdue, is averaging 9.0 points and 5.7 rebounds.

Bryce Moore, Park Tudor: The 6-3 Western Michigan recruit is averaging a team-high 18.9 points as a senior as he's made a strong case for the Indiana All-Star team. He also averages 4.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists and is shooting 37 percent from 3.

Christian Munson, Guerin Catholic: The 6-4 junior is an excellent outside shooter, connecting on 46 percent from 3 this season. He's averaging 15.1 points, second on the team behind Holba.

Tremell and Anthony Murphy, Griffith: Cheating a bit here to get another name on the list but the Murphys, both juniors, are the core of the Griffith team. The 6-5 Tremell is averaging 17.6 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists and the 6-4 Anthony is averaging 14.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists.

Jacob Norman, Evansville Reitz: The 6-5 senior is committed to Division II Southern Indiana. Norman is averaging 11.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and is shooting 65 percent from the field this season.

Jaelan Sanford, Evansville Reitz: The 6-3 senior, a Toledo recruit, is averaging 20.6 points and shooting 41 percent from the 3-point line this season for the 29-1 Panthers.

Alex Stein, Evansville Reitz: The 6-3 senior is a signee of Division II Southern Indiana and the son of USI women's coach Rick Stein. He is averaging 19.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and is shooting 48 percent from the 3-point line.

Dru Smith, Evansville Reitz: The 6-2 junior guard is picking up Division I interest and averaging 10.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists this season.

Caleb Swanigan, Homestead: The 6-9 senior won the state's Gatorade Player of the Year and could add IndyStar Mr. Basketball to his list as well. Swanigan, who is considering Arizona, Cal, Chicago State, Duke, Kentucky, Michigan State and Purdue, is averaging 22.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and shooting 61 percent from the field.

Addison Wagler, Barr-Reeve: The 6-5 senior is averaging 16.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and is shooting 63 percent from the field for the 26-2 Vikings.

Kobe Webster, Park Tudor: The 5-10 sophomore has come up big for the Panthers in the tournament. For the season, he's averaging 10.0 points and shooting better than 50 percent from the 3-point line.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

High school basketball state finals

When/where: Saturday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse

Class A: Marquette Catholic (24-6) vs. Barr-Reeve (26-2), 10:30 a.m.

Class 2A: Frankton (26-2) vs. Park Tudor (25-2), 12:45 p.m.

Class 3A: Griffith (19-10) vs. Guerin Catholic (21-8), 6 p.m.

Class 4A: Homestead (28-2) vs. Evansville Reitz (29-1), 8:15 p.m.