With two nationally-ranked players on the junior team — Taya Reimer (Hamilton SE, Notre Dame) and Stephanie Mavunga (Brownsburg), together with a very, very strong supporting 2013 class, this idea couldn’t be employed at a better time or for a better class in Indiana’s girls basketball history.

The series will be played on June 15 at Heritage Christian High School and June 16 at a  location TBA in the Louisville area, one week after the Indiana Senior All-Stars play Kentucky on June 8 and June 9. The juniors are also set to play two exhibition games against the seniors on June 4 at Seymour and on June 6 at Pendleton Heights.

Members of the 2012 Indiana Junior All-Stars are as follows:

CORE TEAM
Celeste Edwards, North Central
Ally Lehman, Indian Creek
Stephanie Mavunga, Brownsburg
Bridget Perry, Roncalli / Purdue
Taya Reimer, Hamilton Southeastern / Notre Dame
Ariana Simmons, Fort Wayne South / IPFW

NORTH TEAM
Lindsay Baker, Warsaw / Toledo
Andrijana Cvitkovic, Culver
Bailey Farley, Fort Wayne Canterbury / Loyola Chicago
Nikki Monohan, Portage
Meredith Shipman, Fort Wayne Snider / Western Michigan
Caitlyn Tolen, Benton Central

SOUTH TEAM
Jenn Anderson, Westfield / Indiana
Nicole Anderson, Terre Haute North
Katie Curtis, Lebanon
Jill Morrison, Winchester
Rhagen Smith, Sullivan
Dakota Weatherford, Hamilton Heights

Players are listed in alphabetical order by school name:

Also, 88 additional seniors were selected as honorable mention all-state and an 91 additional juniors, sophomores and freshmen were recognized as honorable mention underclass all-state.   

Rachael Gregory and Nariah Taylor of 2012 Class 4A state champion North Central as well as Natalie Cohlmeyer of 2011 Class 3A state champion Evansville Memorial are among those picked to the Senior First Team.   

Completing that list are Jordin Alexander of Hamilton Southeastern, Brionna Barnett of Elkhart Memorial, Jessica Brown of Mt. Vernon (Fortville), Lakan Hasser-Smith of McCutcheon, Kasey Johnson of Plainfield, Amanda Moore of Seymour, CoCo Moore of Lawrence North, Alex Morton of Penn, Jocelyn Mousty of Eastern (Pekin), Raveen Murray of Merrillville, Jessica Rupright of Norwell and Akilah Sims of Fort Wayne Snider.   

The Underclass First Team features Celeste Edwards of Class 4A champion North Central, Maura Muensterman of Class 2A champion Evansville Mater Dei and Kindell Fincher of Class A champion Fort Wayne Canterbury.    

Others on the Underclass first 15 are Andrijana Cvitkovic of Culver Academy, Whitney Jennings of Logansport, Ally Lehman of Indian Creek, Stephanie Mavunga of Brownsburg, Nicki Monohan of Portage, Jill Morrison of Winchester, Ana Owens of Lawrence North, Bridget Perry of Roncalli, Taya Reimer of Hamilton Southeastern, Ariana Simmons of Fort Wayne South, Rhagen Smith of Sullivan and Caitlyn Tolen of Benton Central.   

The IBCA all-state teams are selected in a process where all IBCA-member head coaches have the opportunity to vote for top players from schools on the traditional regional structure of the non-class tournament format. A representative from each of those 16 regional areas, plus six at-large representatives, then meet to review those votes and finalize the selections.

Academic All-State

Academic All-State Honorable Mention

5'9 Portage junior guard Nikki Monohan earned a spot on the North Team after a solid season, averaging 15.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game for the 5-18 Indians.

The Indianapolis Star has released the names of the 2012 Junior All-Star team members, who will prepare the Senior All-Stars for their two-game series with Kentucky in June.

Headlining the core list are two premier players in 6’3 PF Stephanie Mavunga of Brownsburg — recently named the Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year — and 6’2 G/F Taya Reimer of Hamilton Southeastern. Both players are being courted by a number of nationally esteemed women’s basketball programs.

The Core team will play in two exhibition games, joined by the North Team for one game and the South team in the other. The Junior-Senior All-Star exhibition game dates and sites have not yet been determined, nor have the Junior All Star coaches been named.

The 2012 Junior All-Star team members are as follows:

CORE TEAM
Celeste Edwards, North Central
Ally Lehman, Indian Creek
Stephanie Mavunga, Brownsburg
Bridget Perry, Roncalli
Taya Reimer, Hamilton Southeastern
Ariana Simmons, Fort Wayne South

NORTH TEAM
Lindsay Baker, Warsaw
Andrijana Cvitkovic, Culver
Bailey Farley, Fort Wayne Canterbury
Nikki Monohan, Portage
Meredith Shipman, Fort Wayne Snider
Caitlyn Tolen, Benton Central

SOUTH TEAM
Jenn Anderson, Westfield
Nicole Anderson, Terre Haute North
Katie Curtis, Lebanon
Jill Morrison, Winchester
Rhagen Smith, Sullivan
Dakota Weatherford, Hamilton Heights

Selection Process
The Junior All Stars are selected by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, which appoints a committee of 22 IBCA coaches who meet, discuss and select the team members. The selection process is conducted by the IBCA as follows:

1. Nomination letters go out to all boy’s and girl’s Head Coaches in Indiana.

2. Coaches have approximately one month to nominate the best Junior players they have seen from their area (including their own players).

3. These nominations are sent to their regional representatives who form the selection committee.

4. The selection committee consists of 22 coaches.  Sixteen coaches representing sixteen geographic regions across the state as well as two 1A or 2 A coaches from each of the three IHSAA districts.

5. The committee meets to discuss those players who have been nominated.  If three Junior All Star games are to be played the committee selects a core group of six players, plus six players form the north, six players from the south and six players from the central part of the state.  If only two games are played the committee will select six core players, plus six players from the north and six players from the south.

Five players that participated in the 2012 IHSAA State Finals highlight the list of the Top 60 invitees.  Two are from 4A state champion North Central (Marion)— Rachael Gregory and Nariah Taylor.  The other three are from 3A state runner-up Mt. Vernon (Fortville)— Jessica Brown, Anna Olson and Makenzi Reasor.

Top 60 participants include six of the state’s highest scorers— Taylor Miller, Hauser (24.3 ppg), Amanda Moore, Seymour (23.9 ppg), JoJo Daghe, Speedway (23.6 ppg), Jaidlin Delph, Sheridan (22.5 ppg), Staci Groom, Tippecanoe Valley (21.6 ppg) and Nicole Rogers, Western (21.5 ppg).

Also among the 2012 Top 60 selectees are the following 12 girls who will play at in-state Division I Universities— Katie Brewer, Roncalli (Butler), Abby Dean, Carmel (Valparaiso), Laura Friday, Marion (Evansville), Kasey Johnson, Plainfield (Indiana State), Blaire Langlois, Carmel (Butler), Taylor Miller, Hauser (Ball State), Jocelyn Mousty, Eastern-Pekin (Ball State), Courtney Ogle, Columbus East (IPFW), Makenzi Reasor, Mt. Vernon-Fortville (Indiana State), Nicole Rogers, Western (IUPUI), Akilah Sims, Fort Wayne Snider (IUPUI) and Brittany Webb, Heritage Christian (Indiana).

Statistical evaluation, game observation and statewide research were conducted all season and throughout the state tournament to determine Hoosier Basketball Magazine’s Top 60.

Two sessions of the 31st annual Top 60 Workout will be hosted by Hoosier Basketball Magazine in conjunction with the IHSAA and the IBCA on Sunday, March 11th on the campus of Marian University in Indianapolis.

Twenty-eight girls of the Top 60, primarily from northern and southern Indiana, will participate in the first session (1:00-3:00 pm EST). The remaining 32 girls of the Top 60, primarily from central Indiana, will compete during the second session (3:30-5:30 pm EST).

Four-time state champion coach Rick Risinger (Heritage Christian) will direct both sessions. Four other outstanding Indiana girls’ high school coaches from the IBCA have been invited to join the 2012 Top 60 staff— Curt Benge (Plainfield), Amy Brauman (Brownsburg), Kristi Kaniewski (Penn) and Mike McBride (Eastern Pekin).

Both sessions are open to the public for an admission fee of $7.00.  Media should call  (317)  925-8200 if interested in credentials for one or both sessions. The Top 60 girls follow.

HBM Top 60

Jordin Alexander, Hamilton Southeastern
Emily Alfrey, Triton Central
Kylie Ballard, Northwestern
Brionna Barnett, Elkhart Memorial
Emma Brattain, Covenant Christian
Katie Brewer, Roncalli
Sarah Brewer, Western Boone
Jessica Brown, Mt. Vernon (Fortville)
Shelbi Chander, Pike
CoCo Clark, Roncalli
Natalie Cohlmeyer, Evansville Memorial
Kamaren Cole, New Albany
Kelsey Cromer, Wabash
JoJo Daghe, Speedway
Abby Dean, Carmel
Jaidlin Delph, Sheridan
Laura Friday, Marion
Alli Gentry, Perry Meridian
Princess German, Bowman Academy
Rachael Gregory, North Central (Marion)
Staci Groom, Tippecanoe Valley
Lakan Hasser-Smith, McCutcheon
Jailyn Henderson, Pike
Kelsey Hubble, Pendleton Heights
Chelsea Jellison, Crawford County
Kasey Johnson, Plainfield
Brooklyn Juday, Tipton
Alex Kubsch, South Bend St. Joe
Courtney Kvachkoff, Crown Point
Blaire Langlois, Carmel
Jalynn McClain, Jeffersonville
Taylor Miller, Hauser
Jade Mills-Harris, Ben Davis
Amanda Moore, Seymour
Andrianna Moore, East Chicago Central
CoCo Moore, Lawrence North
Linzi Moore, Warren Central
Alex Morton, Penn
Jocelyn Mousty, Eastern (Pekin)
Raveen Murray, Merrillville
Bethany Murrell, New Palestine
Symantha Norton, Scottsburg
Courtney Ogle, Columbus East
Anna Olson, Mt. Vernon (Fortville)
Shelby Parmer, Franklin
Makenzi Reasor, Mt. Vernon (Fortville)
Nicole Rogers, Western
Lakin Roland, Jeffersonville
Nyla Rueter, Hagerstown
Jessica Rupright, Norwell
Morgan Settle, Mooresville
Ashlynn Sexton, McCutcheon
Kinsey Siler, Centerville
Akilah Sims, Fort Wayne Snider
Demetria Snaden, Evansville North
Jill Steinmetz, Avon
Alexis Swearingen, Greenwood
Nariah Taylor, North Central (Marion)
Brittany Webb, Heritage Christian
Brittany Wells, Heritage Christian

SELECTED BUT INJURED and UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE:
Raven Greer (Princeton), Lexus Murry (Decatur Central) and Shawnece Teague (Ben Davis)

• Graduation may shift girls basketball balance of power in area – Journal & Courier
• Mater Dei duo leads SIAC girls team – Evansville Courier & Press
• 4A title game to air Sunday – Indianapolis star
• RHS grad, former coach reunite to win state – Palladium-Item
• IHSAA launches “Hoosiers for Henryville Project” – Greene County Daily World
• Girls State Basketball Champs’, Runnersup’s Rallies Set – Indiana’s NewsCenter
• Fort Wayne girls hoops teams embrace state – News Sentinel
• Canterbury Celebrates Fourth Title – WANE
• Cadets seize control in second half to win second state title in three seasons – Greenfield Daily Reporter
• Mater Dei ‘family’ turns out to greet state champions – Evansville Courier & Press
• Class 3A girls basketball: Fort Wayne Concordia beats Mt. Vernon – Indianapolis Star
• Class A girls basketball: Fort Wayne Canterbury tops Northeast Dubois – Indianapolis Star
• Class 2A girls basketball: Evansville Mater Dei defeats Fort Wayne Bishop Luers – Indianapolis Star
• Mater Dei gains Evansville some hoops respect – Courier & Press
• Cavs, Cadets claim crowns – FW Journal Gazette
• Red Devil graduate helps coach Class 4A state champion – Palladium-Item
• Jeeps stall out in Class A state title game – Courier & Press
• Pure joy for Cadets, Cavaliers – FW Journal Gazette
• Luers is ‘thankful’ after three-year run – News Sentinel
• Knights are denied again in OT – Journal Gazette
• Rueter, Morrison share TEC’s top honor – Palladium-Item
• North Central beats Columbus North 58-48 in overtime – Greenfield Daily Reporter
• Terre Haute gets IHSAA’s approval – Journal Gazette
• 13 WTHR IndianapolisNorth Central beats Columbus North in OT for 4A title – WTHR
• North wins rebounding battle; blown amplifier kills broadcast – The Republic
• Canterbury takes fourth girls basketball title – News Sentinel
• Bishop Luers falls in state OT thriller – WANE
• Maggard leads Fort Wayne Canterbury girls to fourth state title in 5 years – Greenfield Daily Reporter
• No clear-cut Miss Basketball favorites – Indianapolis Star
• Free throws in waning seconds of OT give Mater Dei 1st state title – Greenfield Daily Reporter
• IHSAA intent with class sports missing mark – News Sentinel
• Mater Dei girls win state championship – Courier & Journal
• Canterbury proves championship worthy – News Sentinel
• Canterbury Wins, Luers Falls At State – Indiana’s NewsCenter
• Marinko leads Concordia to second title – News Sentinel
• Players, coach from Mt. Vernon’s 1977 state finals team look back – Greenfield Daily Reporter
• Cadet seniors have come long way on way to state – Journal Gazette
• Times girls basketball Player of the Year: Raveen Murray – NWI Times
• Twins team up, guide Knights to finals – FW Journal Gazette
• Mt. Vernon’s Brown leads with humility – Indianapolis Star
• Cavaliers coach not focused on feats – FW Journal Gazette
• Mater Dei girls look for another super effort from sophomore guard – Courier & Press
• Road trip to finals this year – Journal Gazette
• Smith steps down as Southwestern coach – Madison Courier
• Owens is Marauders’ unsung hero – Greenfield Daily Reporter
• Reliving the memories from the season that was – NWI Times

Submit News Article
Did we miss news about your team or players? You can submit it here and we’ll include it in our next update:

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Mavunga as Indiana’s best high school girls basketball player.  Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award announced in March, Mavunga joins an elite alumni association of past state girls basketball award-winners, including Candace Parker (2003-04, 2002-03, & 2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Diana Taurasi (1998-99 & 1999-00, Don Antonio Lugo HS, Calif.), Maya Moore (2005-06 Collins Hill HS, Ga.), Rashanda McCants (2004-05, Asheville HS, N.C.), Shyra Ely (1999-00, Ben Davis HS, Ind.) and Lisa Leslie (1988-89, Morningside HS, Calif.).

The 6-foot-3 junior forward averaged 21.6 points, 12.4 rebounds, 5.1 blocks, 2.4 steals and 1.5 assists per game this past season, leading the Bulldogs (18-3) to the Class 4A state tournament. (RRR Note: Brownsburg was eliminated in first-round of sectional play by Ben Davis.) A member of the USA Basketball U16 National Team that won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championships in July, 2011, Mavunga was a 2011 Associated Press Third Team All-State selection and a member of the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association All-State Underclassmen team. She has scored 1,188 points in her prep basketball career.

Mavunga has maintained a 3.48 GPA in the classroom. The vice president of the Brownsburg High House of Representatives, she has volunteered locally as a church aide and with Family Career and Community Leaders of America.

“Stephanie Mavunga really has to do things that are out of her skill set and comfort level just to give her team a chance to win,” said David Cupp, head coach at Avon High. “She has to handle the ball, get every rebound, block shots and score out of double- and triple-teams on a consistent basis.”

Mavunga will begin her senior year of high school this fall.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by ESPNHS and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Mavunga joins recent Gatorade Indiana Girls Basketball Players of the Year Bria Goss (2010-11, Ben Davis High School), Courtney Moses (2009-10, Oak Hill), Skylar Diggins (2008-09 & 2007-08, Washington), Ta’Shia Phillips (2006 – 07, Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School), Janese Banks (2003-04, Ben Davis), and Katie Geralds (2002-03, Beech Grove) among the state’s list of former award winners.

To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners, and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.

Tornado stricken Henryville High School

One circumstance that has recently grabbed the attention of Hoosiers and others around the nation is the plight of Henryville residents — young and old — who are trying to put their lives back together after a devastating and horrifying EF4 tornado ripped through their community and completely demolished Henryville Jr/Sr HIgh School on March 2nd. In all, 14 precious lives were lost in Southern Indiana as a result of the storm that day.

The IHSAA, in an effort to aid the rebuilding efforts taking place in Henryville, has launched a donation campaign to raise funds for Henryville High School athletics.

The students in Henryville are trying to make sense of this horrible catastrophe and many of them are grieving for family and friends who were lost in the disaster. Helping the black and gold Hornets find some normalcy in their lives through the reinstatement of their high school athletic programs is just one small way we can all help.

The IHSAA will be collecting funds during the upcoming boys basketball tournament, but you can also make your donation online. If you would like to contribute, please do so by clicking on the “Donate” button below. All donation funds are being managed by the IHSAA and will be 100% passed along to the Henryville athletic department.

View the full IHSAA release regarding the Hoosiers for Henryville project.

The Henryville Hornets gymnasium prior to the devastation of the tornado.

• Ben Davis forces OT but falls to Columbus North – Indianapolis Star
• Mt. Vernon can’t be denied its long-awaited return … – Indianapolis Star
• North Central ends Penn run in semistate – WSBT-TV
• Southwestern, Triton Central lose – Indianapolis Star
• Penn girls fall in semi-state – Fox 28
• Fort Wayne teams to dominate state presence – FW News Sentinel
• Concordia Girls Head To State For Second Time In Three Years – Indiana’s NewsCenter
• Cavaliers earn 4th trip to state finals in 5 years – FW Journal Gazette
• It takes a Miracle to lift Knights – FW Journal Gazette
• Three city teams to girls hoops finals – FW News Sentinel
• Bishop Luers claims semi-state title – WANE
• Defense powers Cadets to title game – FW Journal Gazette
• Panthers fall to Concordia in semistate – Kokomo Tribune
• Western star leaves a lasting impression – Kokomo Tribune
• Photos: Western Semi-State - Kokomo Perspective
• Luers Stops Seeger Again, Earns Chance To Defend 2A Ttitle – Indiana’s NewsCenter
• Pats suffer lengthy loss – Danville Commercial News
• Seeger falls to Luers at semi-state – WLFI.com
• Canterbury Rolls Back To State, Seeks Fourth 1A Title – Indiana’s NewsCenter
• Canterbury beats Riverton-Park 77-59 – WTHI
• Canterbury punches ticket to state – WANE
• Penn girls fall in semi-state – Fox 28
• Penn falls in girls hoops Semi-State – WNDU-TV
• Madison basketball defeated at semistate – Courier-Journal
• Northeast Dubois spoils Borden’s girls’ basketball dream – Courier-Journal
• Buhr thrives on quick starts – South Bend Tribune
• Girls Semi-State Scores – Indiana’s NewsCenter
• Mater Dei girls to play for Class 2A state championship – Evansville Courier & Press
• Former Red Devil Shepherd-Stidham helps Panthers reach Class 4A semistate – Palladium-Item
• Markfull out at Andrean – Post-Tribune
• Hard-nosed attitude drives Cadets’ success – FW Journal Gazette
• Triton Central guard stays true to school – Indianapolis Star
• Canterbury vs. Riverton; IHSAA Girls Semi-State – FW Journal Gazette
• Madison will run versus Mt. Vernon – Indianapolis Star
• Bishop Luers vs. Seeger; IHSAA Girls Semi-State – FW Journal Gazette
• Canterbury girls basketball to play unfamiliar opponent in semistate – News Sentinel
• Steve Goans has Mater Dei girls’ basketball on a roll – Courier & Press
• Andrean’s Markfull fired as girls basketball coach – NWI Times
• Knights back in a familiar place – FW Journal Gazette
• Laughing & Loose – Madison Courier
• Cox steps down at Plymouth – South Bend Tribune
• Mefford announces retirement – Madison Courier
• Northeast Dubois girls look to make a state-ment – Courier & Press
• Season marked by losses finally ends for Carroll – Madison Courier
• Cavaliers’ ‘go, go, go’ offense becomes state’s best ever – FW Journal Gazette
• In regional defeat, Paoli, Cole demonstrate class – Paoli News-Republican
• Seeger senior prides herself in taking punishment – Journal & Courier
• Bittersweet Ending – Madison Courier
• Ten years hence, South still has championship memories – Tribune Star
• Reasons plentiful for success of ‘01-02 South girls – Tribune Star
• Russell: I never wanted to leave Terre Haute – Tribune Star

Submit News Article
Did we miss news about your team or players? You can submit it here and we’ll include it in our next update: