New Palestine’s Julius Gizzi, shown here in the season-opener at Eastern Hancock, was named one of the IBCA’s players of the week.
Mike Brown | For The Daily Reporter
New Palestine junior boys basketball player Julius Gizzi was among the recipients of an Indiana Basketball Coaches Association/Franciscan Health Player of the Week for Week 9 of the high school basketball season.
The IBCA announced its recipients Tuesday.
Gizzi was the boys basketball honoree for District 2 for games played between Dec. 25-30.
He helped lead the Dragons to a 3-1 finish and fifth place finish in the Ray Furney Holiday Classic in Lawrenceburg. New Palestine is 7-2 overall.
On Friday, the Dragons defeated Jennings County, 83-59, then fell at the hands of eventual tournament champion Newport (KY), 72-66, playing them tighter than anyone else at the event.
On Saturday, New Palestine knocked off Bethesda Christian 69-49 in their consolation round game, then took care of
business against Pike Central in the fifth-place game, winning 91-48. Gizzi opened the tournament with a 30-point, 7-rebound effort against Jennings County, knocking down 12 of 16 shots from the field and 4 of 6 from deep.
He posted 35 points, nine rebounds, and three assists in the loss to Newport.
In Saturday’s games, the 6-2 wing began with a 24-point, six-rebound outing against Bethesda Christian, then finished off the event with another 30-point effort against Pike Central. He was 5 of 7 from 3-point range and added four rebounds and two assists against the Chargers.
This is the 16th season for the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Week program, and the fourth season it is being presented by Franciscan Health, a corporate sponsor of the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.
Player of the Week winners are chosen each week from each of the IHSAA’s three districts. Girls winners will be chosen through the Monday following the IHSAA Girls State Finals. Boys winners will be chosen through the Monday following the IHSAA Boys State Finals.
On the girls side, Noblesville senior Reagan Wilson and Twin Lakes senior Olivia Nickerson were co-winners for District 2.
District 1 winners were Maconaquah junior Josiah Ball and Columbia City junior Addison Baxter. District 3 recipients were Bloomfield sophomore Blake Neill and Jennings County senior Juliann Woodard.
It was the second time this season a Hancock County basketball player has earned IBCA honors. Greenfield-Central junior boys basketball player Braylon Mullins was selected for games played the week of Dec. 4-9.
