IHSAA boys basketball preview: 27 small-school players to watch for 2023-24 season

As the high school basketball season gets started this week, here are 25 small school (Class 2A and A) standouts poised to shine for 2023-24:

Isaac Andrews, Wapahani

The 6-1 Andrews, a senior, will lead a team that went 25-2 last season and lost in the first game of the semistate to Lewis Cass. Andrews averaged 17.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.1 steals per game, shooting 38.7% from the 3-point line. Andrews should contend for an Indiana All-Star spot.

Jack Benter, Brownstown Central

You’ve probably heard of him. The 6-5 Purdue recruit, a senior, will be one of the few who could challenge Kokomo’s Flory Bidunga for IndyStar Mr. Basketball. Benter averaged 28.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and shot 38% from the 3-point line as a junior. He already holds the school scoring record with 1,859 points and will lead a Brownstown Central team coming off a 24-5 season that came within one game of reaching the state finals.

IHSAA basketball preview: Everything you need to know for 2023-24 season

Gavin Betten, Manchester

The 6-7 junior is coming off a season that saw him average 21.4 points, 11.6 rebounds and 3.1 blocked shots for his Class 2A team, which finished 18-6 after a loss to in the sectional to eventual state champion Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian.

Max Booher, Greenwood Christian

The 6-2 senior guard averaged 15.4 ppg and 2.5 rebounds last season for Greenwood Christian, which went 19-7 and lost by four points in the sectional championship to Lutheran, which went on to win the state championship. Booher shot 39% from the 3-point line as a junior.

Grady Carpenter, Tipton

The 6-5 junior averaged 15.4 points, 7.4 assists and 6.3 rebounds for a Tipton team that went 18-7 last season and won a Class 2A sectional title. With Carpenter and several other key players returning, Tipton could challenge to make a deep run in 2A.

Fletcher Cole, Paoli

The 6-foot Cole averaged 19.4 points as a sophomore and is already closing in on 1,000 points for his career with two seasons to go. Paoli finished 18-6 last season, losing to state runner-up Linton-Stockton in the sectional.

Josiah Dunham, Evansville Christian

The 6-1 senior averaged 24.6 points, 5.4 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 2.5 steals as a junior, shooting 36.7% from the 3-point line (72-for-196). Dunham’s Class A team went 16-10 last season, falling in overtime to Northeast Dubois in the sectional championship.

Ian Hall, Orleans

The 6-2 senior averaged 12.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 steals per game as a junior, shooting 43% from the 3-point line. The Class A Bulldogs return the core of a team that finished 22-4 last season and played in the sectional championship, losing to Loogootee.

Will Harmon, Fountain Central

Fountain Central is coming off a 23-5 season and Class 2A regional championship. The 6-2 Harmon, a senior, averaged 15.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.8 steals as a junior and shot nearly 40% from the 3-point line.

Mason Harvey, Seton Catholic

The 6-8 Harvey averaged 17.7 points and 10.6 rebounds as a junior and has 1,010 career points going into the season for Class A Seton Catholic, which is coming off a 12-15 season.

Keagen Holder, Morgan Township

The 6-foot senior guard led Morgan Township to a 20-6 record and Class A sectional championship appearance by averaging 18.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.2 steals per game.

Hudson Horvath, Park Tudor

The 6-1 junior averaged 10.4 points last season and is the top returning scorer for the Panthers, who won the program’s first sectional championship since 2016. Horvath can light it up in a hurry, shooting 41.6% from the 3-point line as a sophomore.

Brode Judge, Lapel

The 6-4 Judge, a junior, averaged 14.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game for Lapel, which went 12-13 and lost to Wapahani in the sectional semifinal. Judge shot 37.5% (48-for-128) from the 3-point line as a sophomore.

Kyler Krull, Whitko

The 6-7 Krull averaged 19.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game as a junior for Whitko, which struggled to a 5-18 record. Krull has 748 career points coming into the season.

Devon Lewis, Fort Wayne Canterbury

The 5-10 senior averaged 16.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game last season, shooting 35% (37-for-105) from the 3-point line.

Cayden Loescher, Lutheran

The 6-3 junior finished his season averaging 9.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game and was playing his best basketball at the end of the season for the Class A state champions.

Noah Lovan, Providence

The 6-3 senior will lead a team that is coming off a 19-5 season and came within two points of Brownstown Central in the sectional semifinal in Class 2A. Lovan averaged 15.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists last season, shooting 37% from the 3-point line.

Jake McGraw, Clinton Prairie

The 6-4 McGraw, a junior, is coming off a strong sophomore season that saw him average 23.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 1.7 assists per game for the 16-10 Gophers, a 2A program. McGraw shot 38% from the 3-point line.

Sam Mlagan, Bethesda Christian

The 6-2 senior guard averaged 16.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 steals as a junior for Bethesda Christian, which finished 21-5 and won a sectional championship, falling by two points to Jac-Cen-Del in the regional. He shot 39.8% from the 3-point line.

Kasym Nash, Borden

The 6-foot senior guard, already a 1,000-point scorer, averaged 19.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game as a junior to lead Class A Borden to an 18-8 record and within one point of winning a sectional championship.

Kellen Pickett, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian

The 6-8 junior is one of the top players in the class and currently has Division I offers from Central Florida, Purdue Fort Wayne, Toledo and Valparaiso. Pickett averaged 13.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists last season, shooting 42.3% from the 3-point line for a team that finished 27-3 and won the Class 3A state championship. Pickett should have a big season.

Josh Renfro, Christian Academy of Indiana

The 6-2 Renfro, a junior guard, averaged 21.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game as a sophomore to help Class A Christian Academy to a 16-7 record. He shot 41.6% from the 3-point line (77-for-185).

Isaac Schultz, Adams Central

The 2A Flying Jets are coming off a 20-6 season and will be led again by the 6-7 Schultz, an Olivet Nazarene commit. Schultz averaged 17.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game as a junior  for Adams Central, which played 2A state champion Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian to a seven-point game in the sectional championship.

Nolan Swan, Tipton

The 6-1 senior averaged 19.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.3 steals per game as a junior, shooting 41% from the 3-point line. Swan, who already has 1,045 career points, will be a big part of a Tipton team that returns a lot of talent from an 18-7 team that won a 2A sectional championship last season.

LJ Ward, Lutheran

The 5-10 junior had a breakout sophomore season that was capped with a big game in the Class A state championship. Ward averaged 13.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.8 steals per game for the Saints. Ward also played on Lutheran’s state championship football team and was sixth in the state in the high jump.

Caleb Wright, Sheridan

The 6-2 junior averaged 16.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.2 steals last season for Sheridan, shooting 40.5% (51-for-126) from the 3-point line. Class 2A Sheridan, coming off a 10-13 season, should be improved this year with leading scorer Wright and almost everyone else returning.

Izaak Wright, Wabash

The 6-3 senior averaged 18.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game as a junior for Class 2A Wabash, which was a 17-7 team. The left-hander is also the quarterback of the Wabash football team.

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

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana high school basketball: 27 small-school players to watch