HS notes: Jackie Young named Naismith Award semifinalist
Princeton’s Jackie Young was named a semifinalist for the Naismith Award as the national girls high school player of the year.
Young, a 6-foot senior guard and Notre Dame recruit, set the state’s girls basketball career scoring record as a senior and finished with 3,268 points, more than any individual in Indiana.
Young’s Princeton team saw its 53-game winning streak snapped last week in a 34-33 sectional semifinal loss to Southridge.
The Princeton star is one of 10 girls up for the award. Erin Boley of Elizabethtown (Ky.) is another Notre Dame recruit named as a semifinalist.
The finalists will be announced on Feb. 23 and the winner on March 10.
Skylar Diggins (South Bend Washington) was the last Indiana girls player to win the Naismith in 2009. Others were Shyra Ely (Ben Davis) in 2001, Tiffany Gooden (Fort Wayne Snider) in 1994 and Vicki Hall (Brebeuf Jesuit) in 1988.
More from Jackie Young's record night
• Noblesville’s John Kiser is putting together a season that could put him in the discussion for the IndyStar Indiana All-Star team.
The 6-5 Kiser had 21 points in Noblesville’s 58-56 upset win over Class 4A sixth-ranked Pike and is averaging 21.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists this season for the 11-7 Millers.
Kiser is uncommitted for college. A wide range of schools are showing interest, including Division I Austin Peay. Others are Florida Southern, Hillsdale, St. Francis (Ind.), Huntington, Elmhurst and Purdue-Calumet.
Noblesville hosts Howe on Saturday and Lawrence Central on Tuesday.
• New Albany has cracked the USA Today Super 25 boys basketball national rankings this week at No. 24.
The Bulldogs (17-1) are ranked No. 1 in Class 4A, led by super sophomore Romeo Langford. The 6-4 Langford scored 31 points in an 82-39 win over Evansville Central on Tuesday. Langford eclipsed 1,000 career points in the win.
Marsh Athlete of the Month - IndyStar Indiana Sports Awards
• Tech senior C.J. Walker and Tindley sophomore Eric Hunter were named IBCA/Subway Players of the Week after each scored 50 or more points in a game last week.
Walker and Hunter were joined by East Chicago Central’s Damien Jefferson, New Albany’s Langford, Gary West’s Dana Evans, Heritage Christian’s Tyasha Harris and Indian Creek’s Candace Danz as this week’s winners.
The 6-foot Walker, a Florida State recruit, scored a school-record 53 points in an 82-76 overtime loss to Pike. He was 18-for-30 from the floor, 6-for-10 from 3 and 11-for-12 from the free throw line. He also scored 29 points in an 83-79 loss to Kokomo.
Hunter scored a school-record 50 points as Tindley defeated Washington 104-69. He was 18-for-26 from the field in the win.
The 6-4 Jefferson, a New Mexico recruit, averaged 29.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in wins over Andrean and Crown Point.
The 5-6 Evans averaged 40.0 points to lead Gary West to the championship of the Lowell Sectional. She had 43 points in an 84-73 win over East Chicago Central in the championship.
Harris produced 29.3 points and 5.3 rebounds as Heritage Christian won three games in the Hamilton Heights Sectional, including a 40-point game in a 74-37 win over Marion.
The 5-6 Danz averaged 27.0 points and 7.3 rebounds as Indian Creek (20-4) won the Indian Creek Sectional. In a 71-70 win over Danville, she had 36 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
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