With fields including defending IHSAA champions on both the girls’ and boys’ sides, another illustrious lineup is set for the 2022 Raymond James Hall of Fame Classic on Dec. 29 and Dec. 30 at the New Castle Fieldhouse.
The prestigious event, spotlighting the best in Indiana high school basketball, will be held for the 39th time for girls and 46th time for the boys.
On Dec. 29 in the girls tournament, Bedford North Lawrence will face Mishawaka Marian at 11 a.m. Noblesville takes on East Central in the second semifinal game.
The consolation game tips off at 6 p.m. with the championship game to follow.
Selecting from the best teams in the state, the girls’ tournament has included 19 teams that went on to win a state championship that season, including 12 class champions and eight class runner-up teams in the past 20 years.
Bedford North Lawrence finished 24-3 this past season and has a strong returning cast from their Class 4A regional finalist squad.
That roster will include Karsyn Norman, who has been named an Indiana Junior All-Star after averaging 15 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.0 steals per game.
This will be the Lady Stars’ fifth appearance in the event, tying Rushville for the most appearances. Bedford North Lawrence won the 1990 and 2013 events, one of four programs to have won two championships.
Led by a high-scoring duo from a 20-6 season, the Knights have high expectations for the 2022-2023 season.
Nevaeh Foster averaged 19.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 steals her junior season while Makaya Porter averaged 19 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks this past season. Porter was named an Indiana Junior All-Star.
This will be Mishawaka Marian’s first appearance in the Hall of Fame Classic.
Noblesville, the reigning Class 4A state champions, will likely enter the 2022-2023 season with its entire roster returning.
Led by Ashlynn Shade, a University of Connecticut recruit who averaged 20.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.7 steals and 4.1 assists per game, the Millers also will have Reagan Wilson (10 ppg, 4.4 apg), Meredith Tippner (9.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and Kaitlyn Shoemaker (9.1 ppg) back from a 25-4 squad.
Shade has been named an Indiana Junior All Star and will be a strong candidate for the Miss Basketball honor.
The Lady Millers will make their third appearance in the Hall of Fame Classic – finishing runner-up in 2015 and as consolation game winner in 2007.
With four straight 4A sectional titles and averaging over 20 wins in that span, East Central will make its first appearance in the event.
Indiana Junior All-Star Josie Trabel (17.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.5 spg) returns for a program that has won 199 games over the past 11 seasons.
Head coach Kevin Moore (221-88 in 13 seasons at East Central) has been named an assistant coach for the 2022 Indiana Girls All-Star Team.
The boys take center stage on Dec. 30 with defending Class A state champion North Daviess taking on NorthWood in the 11 a.m. semifinal contest.
Ben Davis will take on Penn in the second semifinal.
The consolation game will tipoff at 6 p.m. with the championship game to follow.
Head coach Brent Dalrymple loses just two seniors from North Daviess’ 27-3 squad that won its first Class A state title Saturday morning at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Led by Jaylen Mullen (16.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.0 apg), Lance Wilson (9.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg) and Logan Wilson (8.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg), the Cougars will represent Southern Indiana and small schools in the 2022 event.
NorthWood returns a majority of the squad that rattled off 13 consecutive late-season wins, reaching the No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press Class 3A poll. The Panthers finished the season 25-3 and a regional finalist.
NorthWood will feature Cade Brenner, who averaged 19.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 3.3 apg.
Both North Daviess and NorthWood will be making their first appearances in the Hall of Fame Classic.
Ben Davis expects to return its top five scorers from a 22-7 regional finalist squad.
The Giants were led this season in scoring by K.J. Windham at 12.7 ppg.
Ben Davis will make its third appearance at the Hall of Fame Classic after winning the event in 1984 and finishing runner-up in 1994.
Led by a dynamic scorer, Penn returns nearly 90% of its scoring and four starters from a 24-3 regional finalist team.
Markus Burton was among the state leaders in scoring at 26.9 ppg. He set the single-season Penn scoring record with 734 points and has compiled 1,364 career points in three seasons.
Head coach Al Rhodes, a 2010 Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, is the 11th winningest coach in Indiana boys high school basketball history. His career mark of 665-318, includes a 211-126 record in 14 season at his alma mater, Penn.
This will be the second appearance for the Kingsmen in the boys event. Penn won the consolation game in 2014.
Including entrants in the 2022 Hall of Fame Classic, 100 different IHSAA-member girls programs and 110 different IHSAA-member boys programs have been included in tournament history.
