Prep Ball Stars Midwest Challenge to feature top players from four states
The Prep Ball Stars Midwest Challenge has been around long enough — six years now — that the alumni list includes several NBA players, notably Indiana Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton.
“Our alumni history is rich,” said event organizer Tony Leach. “We’ve had 40-plus top seniors participate in this event and it’s hard to believe that just six years ago, Tyrese was among them.”
Other players who competed in the event include Blake Wesley (San Antonio Spurs), Kobe Bufkin (Atlanta Hawks), Jake LaRavia (Memphis Grizzlies) and Markus Burton (last year’s Mr. Basketball and Notre Dame freshman). This year’s event, played Saturday at Tech, will feature five games:
Team Illinois vs. Team Wisconsin, 11 a.m.
Team Indiana vs. Team Michigan, 12:30 p.m.
Senior girls game, 2 p.m. Consolation game, 3:30 p.m. Championship game, 5 p.m. Tickets, starting at $10 for all five games, are available at PrepBallStars.com.
Team Indiana will be led by Mr. Basketball and Kansas recruit Flory Bidunga, along with Mr. Basketball finalists K.J. Windham (Ben Davis/Northwestern), Evan Haywood (Brebeuf Jesuit/Butler), Micah Davis (Franklin/Eastern Kentucky) and Keenan Garner (Fishers/IU Indianapolis).
The rest of the roster is Jaxon Pardon (Carroll/Bowling Green), Ron Rutland III (Crispus Attucks/IU Indianapolis), Isaac Andrews (Wapahani/Indiana Wesleyan), Jaxson Bell (North Central/Army), Josiah Gustin (Pendleton Heights/Marian), Nic Book (Westfield), D’Amare Hood (Delta/St. Francis) and Karson Rogers (Kokomo). 20% Thicker Aluminum
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There is plenty of talent on the other rosters, too. Team Michigan will be led by San Diego recruit Chas Lewless, Landon Williams (Niagara) and Tyler Spratt (Cleveland State). Team Illinois will feature Chris Riddle (DePaul), D.J. Bolden, C.J. Worsham and Dekwon Brown. Team Wisconsin has a loaded roster led by Amari McCottry (Saint Louis), JaQuan Johnson (Bradley), Michael McNabb (Northern Michigan), Mico Fletcher (Grambling State), Sekou Konneh (DePaul) and Stevie Clark (Colgate).
“Definitely the best (Wisconsin) roster they’ve brought since Haliburton came,” Leach said. “All the guards are tough.”
Included on the girls’ roster will be Kaiden Kreinhagen (North Central/Evansville) and Mt. Vernon’s Ellery Minch (Mt. Vernon/DePaul).
“These players compete hard,” Leach said. “There is not an event like this or the Indiana vs. Kentucky All-Stars in other states, so those players have their state across their chest and really battle.”
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649 .