HOOPS STARS
2023-24 South Bend Tribune All-Area Boys Basketball Team
This past boys basketball season for the South Bend area was historic. Brandywine won a MHSAA Division 3 state championship for the first time in program history while South Bend Saint Joseph reached the IHSAA Class 3A state title game for the first time ever.
The season also featured a lot of parity, which was most evident in the conference standings across the area.
On the Indiana side, South Bend Riley and Mishawaka Marian tied for the Northern Indiana title. Mishawaka, Northridge and Concord all shared the Northern Lakes championship. And in
Michigan, Brandywine and Benton Harbor split the Lakeland Conference crown. Several others came down to the wire, too, with four-way ties in play for some until the final week.
Through it all, two players stood above the rest to be named Co-South Bend Tribune Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
Riley senior Payton Baird and Saint Joseph junior Chase Konieczny will share the honor after tremendous 202324 campaigns. Baird was the best player on the best team in the regular season and Konieczny led the Huskies to the aforementioned 3A state championship game.
Baird was named the NIC’s Most Valuable Player after guiding the Wildcats
to a share of the conference title. He averages nearly 15 points and eight rebounds a game, but it was more than just his stats on the court that helped Riley finish with a 21-5 record. Baird was one of the senior leaders for the group, helping the Wildcats break through after back-to-back average seasons.
While Konieczny was a strong player all season, he elevated his game in the postseason for Saint Joseph. He had two big-time performances in the sectional, including 36 points and 14 rebounds in the title game against Clay. Konieczny came up clutch in the semistate championship contest as well, scoring all seven points in the third
overtime of a 44-41 win over Delta.
Konieczny averaged nearly a double-double, recording 20.3 points and 9.1 rebounds a contest.
Both Baird and Konieczny have received other recognitions for their play this season. Konieczny has been selected to be an Indiana Junior AllStar and was voted a “Supreme 15” underclassman by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. Meanwhile, Baird was selected to the Senior Large School All-State team by the IBCA.
Baird is committed to Bethel University to continue his basketball career at the next level. Konieczny is still undecided, having received offers from the likes of Toledo, Cal Poly and IUPUI.
Konieczny and Baird are joined by Mishawaka senior Brady Fisher, South Bend Clay sophomore Tyrese Jones and South Bend Washington sophomore Steven Reynolds III on the all-area first team. Ten other players compile the second and third teams, which are listed below.
2023-24 SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-AREA TEAM
Players listed in alphabetical order by school
1st team
Brady Fisher, senior, Mishawaka: 13.4ppg, 7.1rpg, 1.9apg, 2spg
Tyrese Jones, sophomore, SB Clay: 21.3ppg, 7.2rpg, 4.1apg, 3.0spg
Payton Baird, senior, SB Riley: 14.8ppg, 7.3rpg, 1.8apg, 1spg (Co-Player of the Year)
Chase Konieczny, junior, SB Saint Joseph: 20.3ppg, 9.1rpg, 2.3apg, 1.8spg (Co-Player of the Year)
Steven Reynolds III, sophomore, SB Washington: 20.5ppg, 8.5rpg, 3.6apg, 1.2spg, 3.2bpg
2nd team
Jaremiah Palmer, senior, Brandywine (Mich): 13.8ppg, 5.4rpg, 3.8apg
Zion Rhoades, senior, Mishawaka Marian: 13.4ppg, 7.6rpg, 1.4apg, 1.4spg, 2.1bpg
Mike Phillips Jr., senior, Niles (Mich): 21ppg, 4rpg, 4apg, 1.5spg
Jarvis Tolbert, sophomore, SB Adams: 18.8ppg, 6.2rpg, 1.5apg, 1.8spg
Jayce Lee, senior, SB Saint Joseph: 15.2ppg, 5rpg, 1.6apg, 3spg
3rd team
Aiden Hibbard, senior, ECA: 23.1ppg, 6.6rpg, 4.9apg, 3.9spg
Joe Chrapliwy, senior, John Glenn: 14.3ppg, 5.3rpg, 2.3apg, 1.9spg
Collin Czarnecki, junior, LaVille: 19.6ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.8apg, 1.8spg
Marvin Schindler, junior, SB Riley: 12.3ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.3apg
Da’Kori Parker, freshman, SB Washington: 15.2ppg, 4rpg, 5.3apg, 2.3spg