Top players to watch in 2021 Indiana (IHSAA) boys basketball state finals
The 2021 Indiana high school boys basketball state finals take place Saturday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Here’s a look at the top players to watch across all four state title games.
Top players to watch in IHSAA boys basketball state finals
Class A: Kouts (29-2) vs. Barr-Reeve (28-2)
G Cale Wireman, sr., Kouts
The 5-foot-11 senior point guard is averaging 16.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.9 steals per game for Kouts, which reached the state final for the first time in program history.
G Cole Wireman, sr., Kouts
Twin brother of Cale, the 6-foot Cole Wireman is Porter County’s all-time leading scorer with 2,091 points, the 42nd-most in Indiana history. He is averaging 26.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.8 steals.
G Brycen Graber, sr., Barr-Reeve
The 6-foot-3 Graber leads the state at eight assists per game. Graber, a Grace College commit, also is averaging 6.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals.
F Curt Hopf, sr., Barr-Reeve
A Bellarmine signee, the 6-foot-8 Hopf is averaging 18.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
Class 2A: Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian (27-3) vs. Parke Heritage (27-3)
G Zane Burke, sr., Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian
Burke is averaging 17.9 points and 6.3 assists for high-flying Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian. The 6-foot-3 senior point guard is committed to Division II St. Francis.
F Caleb Furst, sr., Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian
The Purdue-bound Furst is putting up an eye-popping 21.5 points and 14.3 rebounds per game. A 6-foot-9 senior forward, Furst is No. 54 nationally in the 247Sports composite rankings.
F Connor Davis, sr., Parke Heritage
The 6-foot-4 Davis leads Parke Heritage in rebounding (eight per game) while averaging 14.6 points, 1.9 steals, 1.2 assists and nearly one block.
G Christian Johnson, so., Parke Heritage
The 6-foot sophomore guard is averaging 16.3 points and 6.8 rebounds. Parke Heritage is trying to win the first state title in program history.
Class 3A: Leo (24-4) vs. Silver Creek (24-4)
F DJ Allen, jr., Leo
The 6-foot-7 Allen is shooting a team-best 60 percent from the field. Allen, a three-star football recruit, is averaging 13 points on the basketball court.
G Blake Davison, sr., Leo
An Indiana Tech signee, Davison helped Leo win the program’s first regional championship this season. The 6-foot-1 senior is averaging 16.7 points and 3.2 assists.
F Kooper Jacobi, sr., Silver Creek
A dominant two-way force, Jacobi is a three-star recruit who signed with Toledo in November. The 6-foot-7 senior is averaging 21.6 points per game.
F Trey Kaufman-Renn, sr., Silver Creek
Kaufman-Renn is the complete package for Silver Creek and a strong candidate to win Indiana Mr. Basketball. Rated No. 32 nationally in the 247Sports composite rankings for the Class of 2021, the 6-foot-9 future Purdue Boilermaker is averaging 25.5 points.
G Branden Northern, jr., Silver Creek
The 6-foot Northern is one of the state’s top junior guards. He is averaging 15.8 points and 6.9 assists on a team with two Division I big men.
Class 4A: Carmel (25-2) vs. Lawrence North (28-2)
G Pete Suder, jr., Carmel
The 6-foot-4 Suder is a three-star recruit with multiple Division I offers. He is averaging 11.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and three assists.
G/F Brian Waddell, sr., Carmel
A strong all-around player, Waddell is averaging a team-high 15.6 points. The 6-foot-7 senior recently picked up Division I offers from Indiana State and Miami (Ohio).
F Charlie Williams, jr., Carmel
An imposing 6-foot-10 junior forward, Williams holds multiple Division I offers. He is averaging 7.1 points and 4.2 rebounds for Carmel, a four-time state champion.
G Connor Gioia, sr., Carmel
The shortest player on Carmel’s roster, the 5-foot-8 Gioia scored a team-high 16 points — seven coming in overtime — in a 53-50 semistate victory over Gary West Side. Carmel, the 2019 state champion, is making its third consecutive final appearance.
F D.J. Hughes, sr., Lawrence North
The 6-foot-7 Hughes is a three-star recruit who is staying home to play college basketball for Butler. He is averaging 13.6 points for Lawrence North, which is trying to win its first state title since claiming three in a row in 2004-06 with future NBA players Greg Oden and Mike Conley.
G Shamar Avance, sr., Lawrence North
The Marion County player of the year, Avance is a talented 6-foot senior point guard who recently received Division I offers from Indiana State, Missouri-Kansas City and Texas Southern. He is averaging 18.6 points and four assists.
G CJ Gunn, jr., Lawrence North
Gunn, a four-star recruit, remains committed to Indiana and new head coach Mike Woodson. The 6-foot-5 junior is averaging 13.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists.
