HANCOCK COUNTY — Steele Brasfield would appear to enjoy Amhad Jarrard’s authoritative dunks much more in the summertime than he does in the winter.
In fact, at last weekend’s Indiana Class Basketball All-Star Classic held in Anderson University’s O.C. Lewis Gymnasium, Brasfield was able to get an assist on one of the Jarrard jams.
New Palestine’s Brasfield and Mt. Vernon’s Jarrard put their high school rivalry to the side and were teammates for one of two junior class all-star games played last Saturday.
The Classic, headed by former Indiana basketball great Kent Benson, featured four games each for boys and girls high school stars. There were games for graduated seniors, future stars (made up of freshmen and sophomores) and two games for juniors.
“Behind the rivalry, that’s my guy,” Jarrard said of his New Pal friend. “We’re good. We like playing with each other. We played on a (AAU) team before.”
Brasfield said Amhad, his rival’s twin brother Armon Jarrard and a few others joined his AAU team last summer for a tournament. They got to the championship game.
It’s always fun playing with Amhad,” Brasfield said. “I don’t think I’ve met anyone else that I can throw a fullcourt lob (pass) to.”
Brasfield said he would’ve liked to have led Amhad to a few more of his slams, but he was able to help create one of Jarrard’s throw down dunks.
“There was a play where I grabbed a rebound and looked up the floor and I hit him running and he got his dunk,” Brasfield said. “He would look up and look in the corner and I’d be ready to shoot. We know how each other play and we actually do play pretty well together.”
Playing with each other or against each other, the two know each other’s game.
“I know how he plays and I can create for him. I can give him shots and he can get me shots, also, because he knows what I can do,” Amhad said.
“I love watching Amhad play and I know a lot of other people do, too,” Brasfield added. “It’s real fun watching all the dunks, but he is more than that. He does a good job of getting his teammates involved, and that’s something you look for.”
In an all-star game, against each other or in their overall seasons, Brasfield and Jarrard fill up the stat sheet.
At the All-Star Classic, they played on Team White and were on the short end of a 110-106 decision against Team Red.
Jarrard, in 18 minutes, had 20 points, including 9 of 13 from the field. He had team-bests with nine rebounds and two blocked shots and added two steals and an assist.
Brasfield played 23 minutes, scored four points, and had five rebounds and two assists. He also was given the game’s mental attitude award.
Their strong junior seasons helped lead to the invitation to Saturday’s all-star game.
A 6-foot, 5-inch, shooting guard, Brasfield averaged 17.2 points per game to go with 6.1 rebounds. He had 51 3s for a Dragons team that went 14-9 and 5-2 in the Hoosier Heritage Conference.
Jarrard, a 6-4 point guard/combo guard, scored at a 12.9 clip and shot 55 percent from the field. He averaged 3.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 steals per contest.
The Marauders were Class 4A Sectional 9 champions. They went 17-7 and won the HHC with a 6-1 mark.
The pair are part of one of Hancock County’s and the area’s top rivalries.
In 2020, Mt. Vernon won the head-to-head regular season match-up against the Dragons, but New Palestine beat the Marauders in a sectional semifinal game on its way to a tournament championship.
This past season, New Palestine won 75-71, at NP, during the regular season, giving MV its only conference loss.
In the game, Brasfield scored 26 points on 11 of 19 shooting. He hit three three-pointers, had nine rebounds and four assists.
Jarrard scored 23, including a handful of thunderous dunks. He was 10 of 22 from the field with seven boards, five assists and two steals.
They didn’t meet in the post season, but it was the Marauders that came home with the sectional trophy and spot in the regional tournament.
Both are getting the attention of college scouts, too.
Jarrard has already received Division I offers from IUPUI, Illinois-Chicago, Coastal Carolina and Southeast Missouri State.
“I like (the recruiting process). It’s going well, I have to take it all as a blessing and remain humble,” Amhad said. “It’s always been a dream to play Division I basketball, so it felt really good (to get offered).”
Brasfield has not received an offer yet, but has received interest from Division I programs Army, Cornell, UC San Diego and VMI. He has also heard from in-state NAIA programs, Huntington and Bethel.
“I’m really just taking it all in,” Brasfield said of summer ball and the recruiting process. “It feels really good. This last week and a half really have been crazy, going from the all-star game to the Top 100 (Showcase), to a bunch of coaches reaching out, and now have the Charlie Hughes (High School Team Showcase) coming up. I’ve been looking to this moment for a while.”
