FORTVILLE — Mt. Vernon’s Ellery Minch has put herself in position to achieve one of her basketball goals.
The 6-foot, 2-inch Marauder forward was named to the Indiana Junior All-Star team Wednesday, part of the Indiana-Kentucky (Senior) All-Star series that takes place during the summer.
Last month, Minch was also named to play in the inaugural “The Futures Games,” another event coinciding with the longtime series between the rival states.
“It’s a really big honor for me,” Minch said. “I’ve been wanting to be an Indiana All-Star ever since I was really little and originally had interest in playing long term. Being able to be a part of the Indiana Junior All-Stars is really special for me. I’m really excited and honored to be a part of it.”
Since her freshman year at Mt. Vernon, Minch has been a big part of the Marauders girls’ basketball program. She was a part-time starter in her initial season and has been a starter and leading scorer each of the last two seasons.
In each of her three high school seasons, Mt. Vernon has won sectional titles. This year, Minch led the team with a 16.5 points per game scoring average. She averaged 5.3 rebounds per game.
Along with her all-star selections, Minch was named to the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Supreme 15 for underclassmen. She also earned All-Hoosier Heritage Conference honors.
The Junior All-Stars will have a core group of six players and two other groups of six that will play with the core in two all-star games.
Minch is part of the Red Group that will play the Kentucky Juniors on June 4 at Jeffersonville High School.
It will make for a busy summer in the gym. The inaugural Futures Games will be played June 10 in a girls-boys doubleheader at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. It will be Indiana-only squads of juniors, sophomores and freshmen in a North vs. South format.
“I always love the summer for playing basketball,” Minch said. “I love AAU ball and having these (all-star games) added on, it gives me a lot to look forward to.
“It means a lot (to play in the all-star games) because I feel like I’ve put a lot of work in to get to this point. To be able to continue to show the work I’ve put in to the sport in these types of situations is exciting.”
Even before she stepped on the floor as a Mt. Vernon freshman, Minch had an NCAA Division I offer from the University of Cincinnati. Since then, she has added offers from Toledo, Penn, Army West Point, Holy Cross and Buffalo, among others.
Minch said she’d like to make her college choice by this fall, sometime after the AAU and summer ball seasons have completed.
The 2023 Indiana girls’ Junior All-Star team was selected through a process that allows all IBCA-member head coaches to nominate players through the IBCA all-state process. The IBCA 20-member all-state committee reviewed and voted on players for the 2023 IBCA/Franciscan Health girls All-State teams that were released in February.
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2023 Indiana Girls Junior All-Stars
Girls Core Group (playing on June 4 and June 7)
Name;Ht.;Pos.;PPG;High School;College Choice
Alli Harness;5-8;G;23.6;Carroll (Flora);undecided
Jordyn Poole;5-6;G;16.7;Fort Wayne Snider;undecided
Chloe Spreen;5-9;G;19.0;Bedford North Lawrence;undecided
Reagan Wilson;5-7;G;16.9;Noblesville;Iowa State
Faith Wiseman;6-4;F;16.1;Indian Creek;Indiana
Juliann Woodard;6-0;F;22.8;Jennings County;undecided
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Girls Red Group (playing on June 4 vs. Kentucky Juniors)
Name;Ht.;Pos.;PPG;High School;College Choice
Lauren Foster;5-7;G;18.6;Indian Creek;undecided
Talia Harris;5-8;G;9.5;Fishers;undecided
Rachel Harshman;6-0;F;14.4;Mooresville;undecided
Ellie Kelleher;5-9;G;11.5;Westfield;undecided
Avery Kelley;5-5;G;15.4;Evansville Memorial;undecided
Ellery Minch;6-2;F;16.5;Mt. Vernon;undecided
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Girls Blue Group (playing on June 7 vs. Indiana Seniors)
Name;Ht.;Pos.;PPG;High School;College Choice
Aniyah Bishop;5-10;G/F;9.4;Lake Central;undecided
Joh’nea Donahue;5-8;G;11.9;Fort Wayne Snider;Bowling Green
Kennedy Fuelling;5-7;G;21.8;Norwell;undecided
Kyra Hill;6-2;F;15.8;Goshen;undecided
Camryn Runner;5-9;G;18.9;Hamilton Heights;undecided
Adrianne Tolen;5-10;G/F;16.4 West Lafayette;undecided
