Braylon Mullins
HANCOCK COUNTY – They’re so good they may all be back again next year.
Along with being talented, the Daily Reporter All-Hancock County boys basketball team is young.
All 10 members of the first and second team are either sophomores or juniors.
The best may still be yet to come, but 2023-24 was a very good year, too.
All four county teams had winning records and two had extraordinary seasons.
Greenfield-Central’s Luke Meredith and New Palestine’s Trent Whitaker are co-coaches of the year.
After having great years in 2023-24, both G-C and New Pal were hit hard by graduation.
Both teams lost six seniors. The Cougars graduated three starters, including their leading scorer (Dylan Moles). The Dragons lost four starters and their top two scorers (Blaine Nunnally and Ian Stephens), but under the tutelage of Meredith and Whitaker each had fantastic seasons again.
Meredith’s Cougars went undefeated on the regular season, won an outright Hoosier Heritage Conference title for the first time in 20 years and won a school-record amount of games in a 24-1 season.
Whitaker’s Dragons won a sectional title for the second straight year and finished 22-6. They avenged two of their losses in the postseason. Three other losses came to sectional and/or regional championship teams.
Here’s a look at the players that make up the 2023-24 All-Hancock County Boys Basketball Team:
First Team
Julius Gizzi, New Palestine
Gizzi, a 6-3 guard, was one of the state’s top scorers. His average of 28.9 points per game ranked second in the state. His total points of 810 was tops in Indiana and a school record.
In addition, Gizzi averaged 8.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists. He shot 50 percent from the field and made 55 3-point field goals. He was named to All-HHC, Indiana Basketball Coaches Association All-State “Supreme 15” underclassmen, and Indiana Junior All-Star teams.
He scored 2o or more points in all but three of 28 games and had 43 against Franklin Central and 44 later in the year against Whiteland, both Dragon victories.
Moses Haynes, New Palestine
The 5-11 junior was one of the top point guards in the state. He tied for fifth in the state in assists at 6.7 per game.
He also scored well, averaging 11.4 points. Haynes hit 70 3-pointers, which ranked him 19th in the state and he set single-season school records for assists (182) and steals (51).
He added 2.0 rebounds, 1.9 steals and shot 50 percent from the field and 46 percent from 3-point range.
Haynes scored over 20 points three times, including a season-high 24 in the regular-season finale against Greenwood. He hit 7-for-8 from 3-point range. He had double figures in assists four times, including 14 to go with 17 points and four steals in a win at Guerin Catholic.
His postseason honors included being named All-HHC, and IBCA underclass honorable mention all-state.
Braylon Mullins, Greenfield-Central
The Hancock County Player of the Year, who has college offers from Indiana, Notre Dame, Iowa, Michigan, Virginia Tech among others, led the Cougars with a 25-point per game average (sixth in the state).
He added 6.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 3.2 steals (tied for 17th in state), made 61 3s, and shot 56 percent from the field.
Selected to the Indiana Junior All-Star, All-HHC, and IBCA All-State “Supreme 15” underclassmen teams, Mullins scored 51 points and hit the game-winning shot in an HHC win over Pendleton Heights and had a 44-point game, where he played only three quarters, in a win over Eastern Hancock.
In a win over rival Mt. Vernon, he scored 39.
Ben Slagley, New Palestine
“Big-shot” Ben was the only returning starter for the Dragons this season.
The 6-4 junior post player is one of the county’s most versatile players. He averaged 9.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and shot 57 percent from the field. He was an All-HHC selection.
Slagley hit a buzzer-beater to defeat state-ranked Guerin Catholic on the road during the regular season, added the game-winning free throws in the final seconds of a first-round sectional victory over Mt. Vernon, and added another buzzer-beater in the sectional semifinals in a win over Pendleton Heights.
Julien Smith, Mt. Vernon
The only sophomore on the first team, Smith was the Marauders leading scorer for the second straight year.
The floor general averaged 14.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. He also made 33 3-pointers. Smith was named All-HHC, and IBCA underclass honorable mention all-state. He was selected to play in the upcoming Indiana All-Stars “Futures Game.”
Smith averaged 21.3 points per game in a holiday tournament against a strong field of competition at Kokomo, which included a 25-point game in an overtime victory against Plainfield. It was the first of three season-high, 25-point games on the year.
Second Team
Luke Ertel, Mt. Vernon
Like Smith, Ertel is one of the state’s top sophomores.
Unfortunately for him, and the Marauders, he missed much of the basketball season due to an injury suffered as Mt. Vernon’s football team’s quarterback.
He played in six games, but was extremely productive. They won the first five before losing to New Palestine in the sectional tournament.
Ertel averaged 12.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. He shot 95 percent (18-19) at the charity stripe. Ertel was named IBCA underclass honorable mention all-state, and was selected to play in the Indiana All-Stars “Futures Game.”
Dallas Freeman, Greenfield-Central
Another football quarterback, Freeman excelled during his first season of significant playing time on the hardwood.
A 6-4 junior, Freeman averaged 8.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 1.7 assists. He made 35 3-pointers and shot 50 percent from the field.
He played some of his best basketball down the stretch. He scored in double figures nine times, four came in the final five games of the season, including a 17-point game in the sectional semifinals against Muncie Central and 15 against New Palestine in the sectional final.
Kayden Ruble, Eastern Hancock
The 6-4 junior was the Royals’ lone returning starter. He averaged a double-double with 14.2 points and 11.1 rebounds.
His rebound average ranked eighth in the state. He was 10th in the state in double-doubles with 14.
Ruble was named All-Mid-Eastern Conference and IBCA underclass honorable mention all-state.
He had 17 points and 14 rebounds in a sectional semi-final upset win over Triton Central. He also had a 28-point, 11-rebound game in a regular season victory over Morristown.
Tanner Teschendorf, Mt. Vernon
A 6-2 junior, Teschendorf averaged 8.6 points, a team-high 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assist and 1.0 steals per game. He shot 55 percent from the field.
Two of his three highest scoring games came in HHC victories. He scored 18 points in a victory at New Castle and had 16 in win, at home, over Delta. He also scored 17 points against eventual state champion Fishers.
Boston Willard, Greenfield-Central
The second-leading scorer for the Cougars, the 5-10 junior guard averaged 10.8 points, 4.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. He shot 51 percent from 3-point range and made 57 from distance. He was selected All-HHC.
He recorded a double-double in a win over Martinsville with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Willard had a season-best seven 3-pointers and scored a season-high 23 points in a victory over Franklin County.
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2024 Daily Reporter All-Hancock County
Boys Basketball Team
First Team
Player, School;Ht.;Cl.
Julius Gizzi, New Palestine;6-3;11
Moses Haynes, New Palestine;5-11;11
Braylon Mullins, Greenfield-Central;6-5;11
Ben Slagley, New Palestine;6-4;11
Julien Smith, Mt. Vernon;6-0;10
Second Team
Player, School;Ht.;Cl.
Luke Ertel, Mt. Vernon;6-2;10
Dallas Freeman, Greenfield-Central;6-4;11
Kayden Ruble, Eastern Hancock;6-4;11
Tanner Teschendorf, Mt. Vernon;6-2;11
Boston Willard, Greenfield-Central;5-10;11
Player of the Year: Braylon Mullins, Greenfield-Central
C0-Coaches of the Year: Luke Meredith, Greenfield-Central and Trent Whitaker, New Palestine
Honorable mention: Eastern Hancock — Luke Morris, Caiden Willis. Greenfield-Central — Braden Robertson. Mt. Vernon — Elijah Parra, R’mani Wells
