The annual Indiana-Kentucky all-star series is coming up this weekend and with that comes the usual warm-ups for the senior team. The Seniors generally play a series of two or three exhibitions with the junior class at venues around the state. The junior team often has a core group of six players that play in every exhibition, while they are joined with six different teammates at each site. Making the core team of six is generally considered to be a lock for the Senior All-Star team the next year and it is often reserved for the true Mr. Basketball candidates.
This year Purdue has a player on each team. P.J.Thompson was selected as a senior all-star and Ryan Cline was selected as part of the junior team's Core Six along with Davon Dillard, Hyron Edwards, K.J. Walton, Josh Speidel, and Jordan Geist. Tahjai Teague, a Purdue target, is also on the North team that played the Seniors last night and Kentucky last Friday.
The juniors, for the first time, also played their own series with Kentucky this past weekend. That gives Cline a total of four summer games with Edwards, Dillard, and Walton, whom Purdue is recruiting as well.
The first game for the juniors was Friday night, as Indiana played Kentucky at Greenfield-Central High School just east of Indianapolis. Indiana ran away with the game 127-104 and the Purdue guys shines. Edwards was the star of the game with 20 points on 8 of 10 shooting from the field to go with six rebounds and four assists. He was also 4 of 5 from three-point land. Cline, the lone player already committed to Purdue, was 3 of 8 from long range and finished with 12 points and five assists.
Dillard was 6 of 8 from the field for 12 points and he added two assists. Walton was 7 of 11 from the field with 17 points, while Teague was also in this game and had 10 points on 4 of 11 shooting. Naturally, since this is an all-star game there is very little defense played, but the offensive totals are still impressive.
The next night the junior headed to Lexington and notched another win, 113-101 over Kentucky. It was a rough night for Edwards as he was scoreless, but had three assists. Dillard had 12 points and six rebounds while Walton had 17 points. Cline's numbers were also diminished with six points on a pair of three pointers. Teague did not play in this one, as the "South Six" played with the core six.
Last night was the third game for the juniors and their first shot at the seniors. Both teams faces off in Logansport and the seniors ran away with the game 140-91. Thompson did not play due to an injury:
That left the juniors to play, and there were still some good performances. Cline had eight points, six rebounds, and two assists, but was 3 of 12 from the field. Edwards was 6 of 9 from the field with 16 points, four rebounds, and two assists. Walton was 6 of 11 from the field with 15 points, four rebounds, and two assists. Dillard had nine points on 3 of 9 shooting along with four rebounds and two assists.
Finally, since this was a north game, Teague was back with the team. He took the most shots of any junior, going 5 of 13 with 11 points and four rebounds.
Some notable numbers for future opponents:
James Blackmon Jr. - Indiana - 9 of 20 FG, 22 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists
Bryant McIntosh - Northwestern - 6 of 9 FG, 13 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists
The juniors play the seniors one more time, with the Core Six teaming with the South Six, Wednesday night at Columbus North HS. The Seniors then play Kentucky Friday night in Lexington and Saturday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.