The boys’ Kentucky All-Star team figures to have its Mr. Basketball back in action, but there’s no such guarantee for the Indiana stars when the teams meet for the first time Friday night in the resumption of their decades-old series.
Ballard High School point guard and University of Louisville signee Quentin Snider, who missed two Kentucky junior-senior scrimmages this week with an ankle injury, was cleared to play Thursday morning and will participate in this weekend’s two games against Indiana, his father said.
Scott Snider wrote in a text message that his son will be available Friday night at Transylvania University’s Beck Center in Lexington. The girls’ All-Stars will tip off at 5:30 p.m., and the boys will follow. The rematches will be Saturday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
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“(Snider) is Mr. Basketball for a reason,” said Kentucky coach Chris O’Hearn of Mason County. “… He can break you down and create for other people, and when he gets going (shooting), he can really fill it up. He would add a great offensive punch to our game.”
Meanwhile, the availability of Indiana Mr. Basketball Trey Lyles, a University of Kentucky signee, is in doubt as he recovers from meningitis that kept him out of all scrimmages and practices this week.
Tom Lyles told The Indianapolis Star on Thursday that his son has been suffering from extreme dehydration and fatigue and will be checked out by a doctor again Friday morning.
“Hopefully, he will be able to play (this weekend),” the elder Lyles said. “But we’ll have to see what the doctor says.”
Even without Lyles, the Indiana boys are a high-powered team featuring sharpshooting Marion guard James Blackmon Jr., a McDonald’s All American who has signed with Indiana University, and high-scoring Park Tudor wing Trevon Bluiett, who’s headed to Xavier.
The Indiana seniors ripped the juniors 140-91 on Monday and 124-102 on Wednesday. Bluiett scored 44 points and Blackmon 28 in the second game.
The Hoosiers will try to extend their dominance in the series, which dates to 1940. Indiana leads 89-44 and has won 11 straight and 18 of 19.
The Kentucky seniors edged their junior counterparts 87-85 on Wednesday but viewed it as a sloppy effort, given the big challenge they face next.
“I think they’re well aware of what they’re facing,” O’Hearn said, noting that his team must rebound, fight for loose balls and play transition defense at a high level. “… It’s going to take one of those special nights where a lot of things go your way.”
Girls
Kentucky, which trails 42-34 in the series, has no players headed to colleges in high major conferences next season, whereas Indiana has four who have signed with Big Ten schools, including Iowa-bound Miss Basketball Whitney Jennings of Logansport.
“We love being the underdogs,” said Sacred Heart’s Raven Merriweather, a Bellarmine signee. “We’re going to have that on our shoulders, so we’re going to be ready.”
The Kentucky seniors hit nine 3-pointers in Wednesday’s 82-74 scrimmage victory over the juniors, and “obviously we’re a great shooting team if we’re waiting on that good shot,” coach Jennifer Parsons of Corbin said. “We have several who can score and score well.”
Kentucky rosters
Boys: Christen Cunningham, Cordia; Jackson Davis, Lafayette; Jordan Green, Henry Clay; Chris Hudson, Hazard; Justin Johnson, Perry County Central; Kelan Martin, Ballard; Chris Porter-Bunton, Warren Central; Nick Ruthsatz, Covington Catholic; x-Quentin Snider, Ballard; Keon Williams, John Hardin. x-Mr. Basketball
Head coach: Chris O’Hearn (Mason County). Assistant coaches: James Haire (Elizabethtown), Brad Cox (Mason County).
Girls: y-Ivy Brown, LaRue County; Makenzie Cann, Anderson County; Jamie Castle, Magoffin County; Sarah Cooley, Lafayette; Essence Grey, Danville; Danielle Lawrence, Butler; Javonna Layfield, Ballard; Eriel McKee, Anderson County; Raven Merriweather, Sacred Heart; Abby Owings, Simon Kenton; Brooke Todd, Paul Dunbar; Shalika Smith, Glasgow. y-Miss Basketball
Head coach: Jennifer Parsons (Corbin). Assistant coaches: Scott Sivills (Calloway County), Christy Clark (Butler County).
Indiana rosters
Boys: James Blackmon, Marion; Trevon Bluiett, Park Tudor; Grant Evans, Wapahani; x-Trey Lyles, Arsenal Tech; D.J. McCall, Fort Wayne Concordia; Tayler Persons, Kokomo; Bryant McIntosh, Greensburg; Mack Mercer, Plymouth; Zach McRoberts, Carmel; Sean Sellers, Greensburg; P.J. Thompson, Brebeuf Jesuit; Jeremie Tyler, Arsenal Tech; Tyler Wideman, Lake Central. x-Mr. Basketball
Head coach: David Benter (Brownstown). Assistant coaches: James Blackmon Sr. (Marion), Clint Swan (Crown Point).
Girls: Kayla Brown, Westfield; Caroline Buhr, Penn; Sydney Buck, Homestead; Danielle Cuttino, Ben Davis; Kindell Fincher, Fort Wayne Canterbury; Tayler Goodall, Columbus North; Alex Hochstedler, Fishers; y-Whitney Jennings, Logansport; Erica Moore, Mt. Vernon (Fortville); Maura Muensterman, Evansville Mater Dei; Ana Owens, Lawrence North; Destiny Washington, Lawrence North; Lauren Whitlatch, Bloomington South. y-Miss Basketball.
Head coach: Eric Thornton (Norwell). Assistant coaches: Amy Brauman (Brownsburg), Gretchen Miles (Washington).
Kentucky-Indiana All-Star Series
Friday: Beck Center, Transylvania University, Lexington; girls’ game at 5:30 p.m. with boys to follow (Tickets: $20 and $30)
Saturday: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis; girls’ game at 5 p.m. with boys to follow (Tickets: $5, $16, $18.)
Boys’ series: Indiana leads 89-44. Last year, Indiana won 114-60 in Louisville and 84-77 in Indianapolis.
Girls’ series: Indiana leads 42-34: Last year; Kentucky won 84-78 in Louisville; Indiana won 100-86 in Indianapolis.
KENTUCKY
BOYS
Name, school Ht. PPG College
Christen Cunningham, Cordia 6-2 18.7 Undecided
Jackson Davis, Lafayette 6-8 21.9 Butler
Jordan Green, Henry Clay 6-5 20.0 Western Kentucky
Chris Hudson, Hazard 6-6 16.8 Miami (Ohio) (football)
Justin Johnson, Perry County Central 6-7 21.9 Western Kentucky
Kelan Martin, Ballard 6-6 22.8 Butler
Chris Porter-Bunton, Warren Central 6-4 15.6 Austin Peay
Nick Ruthsatz, Covington Catholic 5-10 21.8 Findlay
x-Quentin Snider, Ballard 6-1 21.9 Louisville
Keon Williams, John Hardin 6-4 17.6 Undecided
x-Mr. Basketball
Head coach: Chris O’Hearn (Mason County). Assistant coaches: James Haire (Elizabethtown), Brad Cox (Mason County).
GIRLS
Name, school Ht. PPG College
y-Ivy Brown, LaRue County 6-1 23.2 Western Kentucky
Makenzie Cann, Anderson County 5-11 17.3 Cincinnati
Jamie Castle, Magoffin County 5-4 21.0 Pikeville
Sarah Cooley, Lafayette 5-11 9.6 Canisius
Essence Grey, Danville 5-5 17.4 Undecided
Danielle Lawrence, Butler 5-10 15.2 IUPUI
Javonna Layfield, Ballard 5-10 17.3 Dayton
Eriel McKee, Anderson County 5-11 19.3 Morehead State
Raven Merriweather, Sacred Heart 5-6 16.6 Bellarmine
Abby Owings, Simon Kenton 5-2 16.9 Thomas More
Brooke Todd, Paul Dunbar 6-2 13.1 Morehead State
Shalika Smith, Glasgow 6-1 15.4 Western Kentucky
y-Miss Basketball
Head coach: Jennifer Parsons (Corbin). Assistant coaches: Scott Sivills (Calloway County), Christy Clark (Butler County).
INDIANA
BOYS
Name, school Ht. PPG College
James Blackmon, Marion 6-3 33.2 Indiana
Trevon Bluiett, Park Tudor 6-6 36.2 Xavier
Grant Evans, Wapahani 6-3 25.5 Dayton
x-Trey Lyles, Arsenal Tech 6-10 23.7 Kentucky
D.J. McCall, Ft. Wayne Concordia 6-5 18.5 IUPUI
Tayler Persons, Kokomo 6-2 18.2 Northern Kentucky
Bryant McIntosh, Greensburg 6-4 14.3 Northwestern
Mack Mercer, Plymouth 6-9 17.1 Belmont
Zach McRoberts, Carmel 6-6 14.1 Vermont
Sean Sellers, Greensburg 6-6 20.7 Ball State
P.J. Thompson, Brebeuf Jesuit 5-11 23.6 Purdue
Jeremie Tyler, Arsenal Tech 6-3 16.2 Ball State
Tyler Wideman, Lake Central 6-8 15.7 Butler
Head coach: David Benter (Brownstown). Assistant coaches: James Blackmon Sr. (Marion), Clint Swan (Crown Point).
GIRLS
Name, school Ht. PPG College
Kayla Brown, Westfield 6-2 18.0 Miami (Ohio)
Caroline Buhr, Penn 6-1 11.2 San Diego
Sydney Buck, Homestead 5-8 17.8 Butler
Danielle Cuttino, Ben Davis 6-2 12.8 Purdue
Kindell Fincher, Ft. Wayne Canterbury 5-10 25.8 Xavier
Tayler Goodall, Columbus North 5-9 16.3 Fla. Gulf Coast
Alex Hochstedler, Fishers 5-7 16.1 Walsh
y-Whitney Jennings, Loganport 5-5 32.0 Iowa
Erica Moore, Mt. Vernon (Fortville) 6-0 8.0 Purdue
Maura Muensterman, Evansville Mater Dei 6-0 22.7 Indiana
Ana Owens, Lawrence North 5-6 14.7 Cincinnati
Destiny Washington, Lawrence North 5-11 10.9 Loyola (Ill.)
Lauren Whitlatch, Bloomington South 5-11 15.6 Pennsylvania
Head coach: Eric Thornton (Norwell). Assistant coaches: Amy Brauman (Brownsburg), Gretchn Miles (Washington).
