The calendar has flipped to 2023, which means girls basketball season is winding down and boys basketball season hits the midway point.
By now there’s enough evidence to assess where teams stand.
Here’s what we learned in November and December about high school basketball in the Greater Lafayette area.
Best teams
Twin Lakes girls: This one is pretty clear cut. The Indians are 16-0 and ranked first in Class 3A. Only three of those wins have been decided by single digits with West Lafayette nearly knocking off Twin Lakes three weeks ago. Twin Lakes has a three-headed scoring monster in guards Olivia Nickerson, Addi Ward and Addie Bowsman. The trio combines for nearly 50 points per game.
Harrison boys: Another unbeaten, Harrison has done it with several challenges along the way during its 10-0 start. It matches the longest winning streak under 12th-year coach Mark Rinehart, whose team won 10 straight during the 2019-20 season. After three tough wins at the Warsaw Classic, it doesn’t get easier for the Raiders over the next two weeks, with a conference road game at Tech looming followed by hosting a one-loss Lake Central team. Kokomo and West Lafayette, which took Harrison to overtime earlier this season, are on the docket the following weekend.
Best players
Alli Harness, Carroll: There’s a whole abundance of players who are in the mix here, but the Cougars junior point guard continues to show why she has Division I offers piling up. Carroll is 15-2 with losses to Twin Lakes and Western, two teams with a combined 28-3 record. Harness averages an area-best 26.3 points per game to go with 5.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 3.8 steals. Harness’ low point total for the season is 20 against Clinton Central.
Ben Henderson, Harrison: The senior came out of the gates hot, scoring 22 or more in four straight games to open the season, a needed boost for the Raiders who were shuffling players with illness ransacking the roster. As others have returned, Harrison has built depth behind its star player.
Biggest surprise
Faith Christian girls: With the talented freshmen that joined the roster this season, a better year by the Eagles was expected. Since winning 11 games in 2012-13, Faith has experienced seven seasons with three wins or fewer. The Eagles went 9-14 last season and this year have won 14 of 17 games. Freshmen Trinity Wilburn and Maya Layton are combining to average more than 41 points per game.
Lafayette Jeff boys: The Bronchos had very little returning after, for the second season in a row, coach Mark Barnhizer saw all of his significant players graduate. And here Lafayette Jeff is with an 8-3 record. Two of those are competitive losses to unbeaten Harrison and the other came against Kankakee, Illinois.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.
