Anthony Leal and Sydney Parrish each have earned the top award in Indiana high school basketball.
Leal, a 6-foot-5 senior guard from Bloomington South, has been named IndyStar Indiana Mr. Basketball for 2020 in online voting of media and boys’ varsity coaches conducted by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association and All-Star game director Mike Broughton.
Parrish, a 6-2 senior guard from Hamilton Southeastern, has been selected IndyStar Indiana Miss Basketball for 2020 through voting of media and girls’ varsity coaches.
Leal earned the boys’ honor after being named on 103 ballots submitted. Tony Perkins of Lawrence North was runner-up in the voting with 37 votes. He was followed by Trey Galloway of Culver Academy with 33 votes, Johnell Davis of Gary 21st Century with 22 votes and Dre Davis of Lawrence Central with 15 votes.
Parrish received the girls’ accolade after receiving 102 votes in balloting that occurred in February. Madison Layden of Northwestern was second with 83 votes. Kendall Bostic, also of Northwestern, finished third with 22 votes.
Leal, an Indiana University recruit, averaged 18.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.2 steals in leading Bloomington South to a 26-0 record and a Class 4A No. 1 ranking. His Panthers won the Columbus North Sectional and were set to face Floyd Central in a Seymour Regional semifinal when the IHSAA state tournament series initially was suspended and ultimately canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the season, Leal hit 59 percent from the field (173-of-293), 37 percent from 3-point range (38-of-103) and 76 percent from the free-throw line (90-of-119). He completed his career as Bloomington South’s all-time leading scorer with 1,620 points while helping the Panthers to a 98-12 record during his four seasons.
Leal is the second player from Bloomington South to win Mr. Basketball, joining Jordan Hulls in 2009. Leal also is the third consecutive Mr. Basketball to be headed to IU. He follows 2018 Mr. Basketball Romeo Langford of New Albany and 2019 Mr. Basketball Trayce Jackson-Davis of Center Grove to decide to join the Hoosiers.
Parrish, who has signed to attend the University of Oregon, accomplished all she could while leading the Hamilton Southeastern girls to a four-year 84-18 ledger. Her career with the Royals’ was highlighted by a 27-1 record and a Class 4A state championship as a junior in 2018-19. She followed by leading HSE to a 22-3 mark as a senior.
Parrish completed her career with a school-record and Hamilton County-record 1,925 points, a 19.6 average in 98 career games. She also had career totals of 653 rebounds (6.7 average), 208 assists (2.1), 85 blocks (0.9) and 203 steals (2.1).
As a senior, Parrish posted averages of 24.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.4 steals while shooting 50 percent on field goals (201-of-401), 28 percent on 3-pointers (41-of-148) and 77 percent on free throws (176-of-229). That came after a junior season where she was named Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year with averages of 21.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals.
Parrish is her school’s first Miss Basketball award winner. However, Hamilton Southeastern boasts previous Mr. Basketball winners in Gary Harris in 2012 and Zak Irvin in 2013.
