Boys basketball roundup: Purdue-bound Ertel wins Mr. Basketball

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Luke Ertel, a 6-2 guard from Mount Vernon High School in Fortville, was voted Indiana Mr. Basketball, according to the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.

The IBCA conducted online voting among media members and boys varsity coaches statewide. Voting ran from March 19 through April 2.

Ertel, a Purdue recruit, will wear the No. 1 jersey for the Indiana All-Stars in their annual series with Kentucky.

The Mr. Basketball and Miss Basketball awards are part of an all-star program dating back to 1939 for boys and 1976 for girls.

Ertel’s name was submitted in 207 of the 230 ballots cast, according to the IBCA. Runner-up Dikembe Shaw of Crown Point was named on six ballots. Northridge’s Brady Scholl was third with four votes, and Lawrence North’s Brennan Miller and Plainfield’s Noah Smith tied for fourth with three votes each. Seven players received one vote each.

Ertel is the first Mr. Basketball and the 12th Indiana All-Star from Mount Vernon, who won the Class 4A state championship with a 52-50 win over Crown Point March 28. Ertel finished with a school record 1,756 points.

He is the 14th Mr. Basketball to attend Purdue.

Ertel averaged 24.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.8 steals in 2025-26.

Indiana Mr. Basketball winners since 2017

2017 – Kris Wilkes (North Central (Indianapolis))

2018 – Romeo Langford (New Albany)

2019 – Trayce Jackson-Davis (Center Grove)

2020 – Anthony Leal (Bloomington South)

2021 – Caleb Furst (Fort Wayne Blackhawk)

2022 – Braden Smith (Westfield)

2023 – Markus Burton (Penn)

2024 – Flory Bidunga (Kokomo)

2025 – Braylon Mullins (Greenfield-Central)

2026 – Luke Ertel (Mount Vernon (Fortville))

Indiana All-Stars selected

In addition to Indiana Mr. Basketball Luke Ertel, the following players were voted Indiana All-Stars, according to All-Stars game director Mike Broughton Thursday.

INDIANA BOYS ALL-STARS

(name, high school, height, scoring average, college choice)

Luke Ertel, Mount Vernon (Fortville), 6-2, 24.5, Purdue

Dikembe Shaw, Crown Point, 6-7, 17.4, UIC

Noah Smith, Plainfield, 6-9, 19.2, DePaul

Baron Walker, Noblesville, 6-2, 18.3, Butler

Brennan Miller, Lawrence North, 6-7, 16.5, SIU-Edwardsville

Ja’Shawn Ladd, Ben Davis, 6-4, 15.2, College of Charleston

Cameron Webster, Lawrence North, 5-11, 15-2, Trevecca Nazarene

Anthony Fresh, Charlestown, 6-3, 21.0, Miami (OH)

Evan Harrell, Carmel, 6-8, 15.6, Bellarmine

Nick Shrewsberry, South Bend St. Joe, 6-5, 17.6, Notre Dame

Dane Caldwell, Silver Creek, 6-10, 17.3, Richmond

Kai McGrew, Fishers, 6-9, 15.4, Ball State

Brady Scholl, Northridge, 6-7, 24.6, Indiana Wesleyan

Coach: Todd Woelfle, Terre Haute North

Assistant coaches: Chad Ballenger, Hamilton Heights; Joe Bradburn (Mount Vernon (Fortville))

The Indiana All-Stars will play the Indiana Junior All-Stars at Mount Vernon (Fortville) High School June 3 and the Kentucky All-Stars June 5-6. The June 5 game will be at Lexington Catholic High School in Kentucky, and the June 6 game will be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Indiana Junior All-Stars selected

The following players were named Indiana Junior All-Stars earlier this month, according to All-Stars game director Mike Broughton.

Six players were named to the Core Group, six players were named to the Red Group, and six players were named to the Blue Group.

The Junior All-Stars will play the Kentucky Junior All-Stars at Charlestown May 31 and the Senior All-Stars at Mount Vernon (Fortville) June 3.

Core Group players will play in both games. The Red Group will play May 31, and the Blue Group will play June 3.

CORE GROUP

(Name, school, height, scoring average)

Harper Baker-Lands, Plainfield, 6-4, 17.6

Jason Gardner Jr., Fishers, 6-1, 20.3

Isaiah Hill, Pike, 7-0, 12.0

Jahari Miller, Pike, 6-3, 13.9

Max Vise, Mount Vernon (Fortville), 6-8, 14.3

Cooper Zachary, Fishers, 5-10, 14.8

RED GROUP (VS. KENTUCKY JUNIORS MAY 31)

Devin Bolden, Indianapolis Ritter, 6-8, 20.9

Duncan Combs, Bloomington South, 6-6, 15.0

Derrick Cross Jr., Bloomington North, 6-3, 18.5

Jake Grissom, Guerin Catholic, 6-3, 20.7

Brandon Hunter, Silver Creek, 6-3, 12.0

Tyler Renn, Terre Haute North, 6-6, 9.5

BLUE GROUP (VS. INDIANA SENIOR ALL-STARS JUNE 3)

Brody Baker, Harrison (West Lafayette), 6-0, 19.0

Cash Daniels, Carmel, 5-10, 13.7

Elijah King, South Bend St. Joe, 6-2, 19.2

Da’Kori Parker, South Bend Riley, 5-10, 13.3

Austin Schlabach, Westview, 6-2, 19.9

Mack Welker, Homestead, 6-6, 20.8

Coach: Scott McClelland, Noblesville

Assistant coach: Heath Howington, Barr-Reeve

All-Stars Futures Game rosters revealed

The following 24 boys players were selected for the Indiana All-Star Futures Games, according to All-Stars game director Mike Broughton.

This is the fourth year of the Futures Games as part of the All-Star program. The Futures games features teams of current Indiana freshmen and sophomores in a North-South format.

The Futures Games doubleheader – a girls game followed by a boys game – will take place at New Palestine High School June 1.

Retiring Plainfield coach and former Pioneer coach Andy Weaver will coach the South boys team.

Will Tonagel, the freshman point guard whose Oak Hill team beat Rochester in the Class 2A, Sectional 38 final, was among the players picked for the North team.

INDIANA NORTH BOYS

(Name, school, height, grade, scoring average)

Brady Basila, Chesterton, 6-8, sophomore, 13.1

Don Bowling III, Anderson, 6-5, sophomore, 20.1

Caleb Coolman, Penn, 6-5, sophomore, 21.0

Will Davison, New Palestine, 6-5, sophomore, 18.5

Quentavious Fly, Bowman Academy, 6-2, sophomore, 23.9

Charles Hardiman, Merrillville, 6-4, sophomore, 20.1

Bryce LaCross, Fort Wayne Blackhawk, 6-3, sophomore, 19.4

Mari Leggett, Blackford, 6-5, sophomore, 26.3

Josh McBride, Norwell, 6-1, sophomore, 18.0

D.J. Nash, Kokomo, 6-5, sophomore, 15.0

Will Tonagel, Oak Hill, 5-10, freshman, 14.4

Jaece Vogt, West Lafayette, 6-5, sophomore, 14.1

Coach: Scott Radeker, Northridge

Assistant coach: Chandler Prible, Westview

INDIANA SOUTH BOYS

(Name, school, height, grade, scoring average)

Braxton Bowman, Crawford County, 6-0, sophomore, 22.6

Cole Breeden, Evansville Mater Dei, 6-6, sophomore, 15.8

Romyiez Calvin, Evansville Harrison, 6-5, freshman, 14.6

Varschon Clark, Hamilton Southeastern, 6-4, sophomore, 13.3

Jaylin Foster, Indianapolis Scecina, 6-5, sophomore, 12.6

Chandon Gilbert, Lawrence North, 6-7, sophomore, 10.2

Ishmael Kiteka, Cloverdale, 6-10, sophomore, 20.3

Landon Lampley, Pike, 6-7, sophomore, 14.6

Micah Mohler, Austin, 6-4, freshman, 21.4

Karson Stoudemire, New Albany, 6-2, freshman, 12.7

Quintyn Volz, Princeton, 6-1, sophomore, 14.2

Noah Washington, 6-5, sophomore, 20.1

Coach: Andy Weaver, Plainfield

Assistant coach: Trent Moorhead, Hauser

Val’s ballot

RTC sports editor Val Tsoutsouris was among those who voted for Mr. Basketball and the Indiana All-Stars.

Here is his ballot:

• Luke Ertel (Mount Vernon (Fortville)) (Mr. Basketball)

• Blake Neill (Bloomfield) (Mr. Basketball No. 2)

• Kai McGrew (Fishers)

• Dikembe Shaw (Crown Point)

• Evan Harrell (Carmel)

• Treigh Schelsky (Parke Heritage)

• Bryce Wilcox (Southwood)

• Brady Scholl (Northridge)

• Terrence Hayes Jr. (Gary 21st Century)

• Keaton Aldridge (Indianapolis Cathedral)