Kansas freshman Flory Bidunga earns MVP honors at Indiana-Kentucky All-Star Game
Kansas freshman forward Flory Bidunga scored 31 points, grabbed 17 rebounds and blocked five shots, earning MVP honors in the Indiana All-Stars’ 92-89 victory over the Kentucky All-Stars on Saturday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The 6-foot-9, 220-pound Bidunga hit 13 of 21 shots and went 5-of-8 from the free throw line. The Kokomo (Indiana) High graduate also had four assists, two turnovers and a steal while starting and playing 38 minutes.
The Indiana team had five players score in double-figures. Future Purdue guard Jack Benter of Brownstown (Indiana) Central, scored 16 points and grabbed four rebounds.
Max Green, a future Holy Cross guard, scored 25 points and future Jacksonville State guard Quel’Ron House added 24 points for the losing Kentucky squad.
Bidunga, who is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Saturday concluded a hectic week of basketball.
On Friday night he scored 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting and grabbed four rebounds while playing 13 foul-plagued minutes in the Indiana All-Stars’ 103-82 loss to the Kentucky All-Stars at Lexington (Kentucky) Catholic High School. He played just 13 minutes, fouling out with 10 minutes to play. Indiana trailed by just a point when he fouled out.
On Wednesday night, Bidunga scored 34 points and grabbed 22 rebounds in the Indiana high school seniors’ 104-96 victory over the state’s top juniors at Kokomo High’s gym. On Tuesday, he scored eight points in the Bill Self campers intrasquad contest at Horejsi Center adjacent to Allen Fieldhouse. He started summer school at KU on Monday.
Of his performance a day after fouling out, Bidunga told the Indianapolis Star: “We took it personal.”
In the interview room after the game, Bidunga added: “I was motivated to support my teammates and to fight through adversity. We were all fired up.”
Indiana All-Stars’ coach John Peckinpaugh, who coached Bidunga three years at Kokomo High said: “He’s been really special for our community, for our basketball program. He’s a wonderful kid. He’s going to have a big-time future. He’s hard working, will keep getting better. It’s been a fun ride. I’m glad I got to coach him two more games before he heads to college.”
After the game, Casey Bartley of Rivals.com wrote on social media site X: “Flory Bidunga is a force. He’s maybe the quickest repeat jumper I’ve ever seen.”
“Indiana Mr. Basketball Flory Bidunga got a few more minutes than 12 tonight … and took advantage,” Jason Frakes of the Louisville Courier-Journal wrote on X.
Indiana’s stars improved to 105-46 all-time versus Kentucky.
