HS basketball preseason Fab 15: No. 15 Pendleton Heights
From now until the beginning of the high school boys basketball season, we'll count down the Preseason Fab 15, a ranking of the top teams in Central Indiana. We begin today with No. 15:
No. 15 – Pendleton Heights
A lot has changed in a year at Pendleton Heights. Its two top scorers and rebounders are gone and Brian Hahn, after eight seasons and three sectional titles as coach, is no longer leading the Arabians.
So, why is Pendleton Heights included here? Coming off a 17-7 season that included wins over Hamilton Southeastern, Pike, Fishers and Guerin Catholic, the Arabians have one of the top shooters in the state and a hard-nosed senior point guard. In addition, longtime assistant Kevin Bates takes over for Hahn, which should give the program stability.
"Sometimes with a new coach coming in, a kid might try to press or try to really show his skill," said Bates, an assistant for 17 years at Pendleton Heights. "I've taught a lot of these kids since kindergarten. They know me. They know what to expect from me. It doesn't mean it's going to help us win any more ballgames, but there is a comfort feel. They know I expect a lot out of them. My expectations are high, both on and off the court."
The Arabians will look to replace IndyStar Indiana All-Star Sean McDermott (16 ppg, 6.6 rebounds), who is now a freshman at Butler. Another unanticipated defection was 6-4 forward Caleb Hardy (11.2 ppg, 5.2 rebounds), who transferred to Liberty Christian for his senior year. Those losses are crucial due to Pendleton Heights' lack of size and strength.
"Size, strength and defense are our biggest concerns," Bates said. "With our schedule, those are things that concern me. On a given night, you might have that off night shooting when the ball just doesn't want to go in the basket. To compensate for that, you have to come up with stops."
Bates is counting on the Arabians' ability to execute on offense and shoot better than most opponents. Two players Pendleton Heights will rely on heavily will be 5-11 senior guard Kenton Dunham (10.4 ppg, 4.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds) and 6-3 junior Mark Albers (10.3 ppg, 3.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists).
Dunham, the younger brother of standout Butler shooting guard Kellen Dunham, is a veteran guard who Bates said "would run through a brick wall to save a ball or try to win the game."
"He's our strongest player on bench press, deadlift and squat," Bates said. "His grit, I love everything about it. His leadership and work ethic on and off the floor and in the classroom is outstanding. He's the heartbeat of our team."
Albers is one of the best perimeter shooters in the area. Air Force, Cornell and Indiana State are among the Division I programs to express early interest in Albers, who was 52-for-118 from the 3-point line (44 percent) as a sophomore.
"There was a time when people thought all he did was stand in the corner and shoot it," Bates said of Albers. "And he did that really well. Now he's learning to move without the ball, read screens and read cuts. He's able to put the ball on the floor and go either way. He's learning to score from the foul line and become more of a complete offense player."
Albers said his confidence rose after playing well over the summer with his Indiana Elite AAU team in several national tournaments. He said he wants to be "more than a role player" as a junior. Albers shot only 29 free throws as a sophomore (he made 24), a number that needs to increase this season. Nearly 70 percent of his overall field-goal attempts last year came from the 3-point line.
"I want to take my defense and rebounding to the next level," he said. "I'm trying to be a better rebounder and driver. I need to be able to post up and shoot off the dribble, stuff like that."
Dunham and Albers are team captains, along with 6-3 senior Max Grbic (2.7 ppg, 2.1 rebounds as a junior). Another senior with experience is 6-foot guard Logan Robertson (2.1 ppg, 1.2 rebounds), who scored 10 points in a pair of early-season games as a junior. Conner Gustin, a 6-1 senior guard, averaged 1.8 points last season.
Others expected to contribute are juniors Brandon Helpling and Eston Stull. Trent Miller, a 6-foot sophomore guard, saw some varsity minutes last season. And a strong freshman class includes Eli Pancol, who should have an impact at some point during the season.
"When you lose what we lost, you have to have a lot of guys step up," Bates said. "There are a lot of kids who will have opportunities to help us along the way. It's a long season. I believe we have nine or 10 kids who can help contribute for us to be successful."
Why Pendleton Heights could be higher: This team competed well against top competition last season and Dunham and Albers have been through the battles. Dunham's shooting (29 percent from 3 last year) should improve and Albers is a deadly shooter. If his game can round out a bit, he'll be in store for a big season.
Why Pendleton Heights could be lower: There is some size coming in the younger classes but this team will be a little light on the interior. The Arabians may not defend or rebound well enough to take significant strides.
Circle the date: Dec. 11, vs. Mt. Vernon. Games at Westfield and Hamilton Southeastern are prior to this one, but a game against Sectional 9 rival Mt. Vernon should be an early litmus test.