Kokomo High School After that first workout, I figured he had a good chance to turn into a pretty good player.. Kokomo Tom Schwartz The 6-5 Schwartz starred in basketball, football, track and golf at Kokomo. I always envisioned going to state because my brother played in the state final game in 1989. Rayl averaged 12 points during the inaugural year, 1967-1968, and had a high game of 32 points. Kokomo defeats Fort Wayne Wayne 73-51 in the semistate semi-final at Michigan City High School on Saturday, March 18, 2023. Youre still playing basketball. Allen Iverson Kokomo High School - Wikipedia What did it mean to represent Kokomo to a larger audience? A standout at Kokomo High School (Ind. 4 prospect in the Class of 2023. Bidunga could probably help somebody tomorrow at the college level. But we were very confident the entire season, and we were nervous the way athletics are, but it wasnt to the point where it was going to affect our game. Thats big for me. You could see the raw, natural ability was there, Peckinpaugh says. And we still talk about those times and those days, what could have been different or what we could have done. Peckinpaugh batted down that notion I wouldnt listen to all the rumors, he cautions and added that while Bradley has done a good job recruiting Bidunga so far, Cincinnati, Georgetown, Purdue and Wake Forest were also aggressive out of the gate. High School, Heidi Gutwein has grown used to hearing students from foreign lands say they like to play sports. In the third quarter alone, he had 12 points, four rebounds and four blocked shots to bring Kokomo from a two-point halftime deficit to a 61-48 lead in front of a raucous crowd. After Rogers' block, Penn fouled Kokomo's Shayne Spear and he calmly knocked down two free throws for a 58-54 lead. Capital letters here are warranted and only one name is necessary. He stands a chiseled 6-foot-9 and 215 pounds, with long arms and unusual bounce for a player his size. It was just like another game to me. Brandon Wood (basketball Whatever I have to do, I do it., This is when you knew it was over tonight pic.twitter.com/nUceoCPkhE. The dunk-o-meter to track Florys dunks in the student section reached seven by the end of the game, though it felt like more. In 2011, its not too long ago, but its some time. Kelly Lafferty Gerber | Kokomo Tribune. High 82F. Kokomo Local news, sports and entertainment when you want it. This story has been cut from its original version due to space limitations. Dont think of it as anything else. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. Dont let the hype out rule the game. Balentine The 6-3 Balentine was an Indiana All-Star in 2012 after he averaged 18.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Once he started practicing with the Kokomo basketball team, Bidunga showed a remarkable capacity to improve quickly. 6. He led Kokomo to a 24-3 record and regional championship. I always have fond memories of the sports. Being a Wildkat was awesome. But I guarded him. And Bidunga, at the very least, has a good idea of what hes doing. I was a big Purdue fan growing up, so I had a chance to play on the Purdue basketball floor for our semi-state, so I loved that. Im not the lone ranger on that based on the college coaches Ive spoken to. Markus Burton Penn (Mishawaka, IN) PG. For me, my class at the time, Kokomo and Haworth were the two high schools, and they had consolidated. He led Kokomo to the state championship game and earned the Trester Mental Attitude Award. "I was reading him the whole game," he said. Take this in, because its something youll always remember, something youll never forget. Hardimon was one of the Kats' stars in the title game. Its great. Rayl and Pavy both went on to IU and became roommates their freshman year. I dont think it was nervous because we were confident. I have a lot of time to think about all of that, he says. Were very pleased to welcome John Peckinpaugh as our new Head Boys Basketball Coach at Kokomo High School, Mr. Sale noted.Coach Peckinpaughs experience within the NCC as a player and his coaching experience at the college and high school levels will serve our student athletes well. He had never heard of Bidunga when his name was floated a few days before the start of camp, but he could see right away that Bidunga was the real thing. The scuttlebutt among college coaches at the Adidas tournament last week held that Bidunga would either end up at Bradley, or that Adams would be hired away by another school and Bidunga would follow him there. 3 on Kokomos all-time scoring list with 1,280 career points. high school basketball That year, we had a couple taller players. Hughes averaged 17.9 points per game as a senior and finished his career with 1,147 points at Kokomo (still ranks seventh in school history). Duke basketball looking for added rim protection He is equally dominant on the defensive end. But we were up and coming and wanted to show everybody what we could do too. MICHIGAN CITY Kokomo's boys basketball team is state bound after a thrilling victory over Penn in the Class 4A North Semistate championship Saturday night in Michigan City's Wolves Den. Flory, it doesnt matter if hes getting hacked, hit, kicked, pushed hes smiling the whole time. 77, remembered as iconic Kokomo star Its just that community feel. Kokomo kept the lead throughout the final quarter, but Penn came within two points on three occasions in the final 2:06. Pos. WT. Photographer Raymond Nanko, M.D. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. I would say my best advice I could give is to be in the moment. I think it hit us when we got halfway to Tipton, and we had a police escort the entire way. Indiana basketball: Kokomo best players in history - IndyStar So work together as a team, and dont get caught up in all the hoopla. He scored more than 40 points in a game six times as a senior and was the runaway choice for Mr. Basketball in 1959 as Kokomo reached the state championship game, losing to Crispus Attucks. Schwartz was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995. High 82F. You just want to go out winning.. Those bonds are something that youll cherish for the rest of your life. Jimmy Rayl pictured here in his Indiana University uniform. The players on these teams, they will always remember one another and always have a fond memory of each other that will last a lifetime. ', A story about family, 3-pointers, underdogs and 'Hoosiers', Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. He was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Over five games, he averaged 10.4 points (on 75.8 percent shooting) to go along with 6.4 rebounds and two blocks, the second-highest average at the camp. Local news, breaking news, weather and traffic, Local sports from Kokomo and Howard County, Here's what to expect at the 2023 Haynes Apperson Festival, Delphi records unsealed, Allen reportedly admits to killing teens, Estate of man who died after hitting bump-out sues Kokomo, Kokomo Pride Festival draws larger crowd in second year, Howard County Judge Brant Parry to resign at year's end, Inaugural Sports Awards program set for Wednesday at IUK, Tuition hikes on the way for Indianas public colleges and universities, Kokomo native helps locate, save abducted boy, ALEXANDER, Jack Sep 28, 1937 - Jun 29, 2023, HINES, Madeline Mar 10, 1928 - Jun 27, 2023, RIDENOUR, Barbara Feb 14, 1929 - Jun 26, 2023. So what I teach the athletes I work with is that pressure just has to do with what youre focused on. He was a 6'2" and 175 lb guard . You step up to that line when youre 6 years old and said, Man, Im playing for the state championship in Indiana, and if I make this free throw, I win the game for us. Thats how we felt. With No. With Kokomo leading 52-50, the Kats had a possession where Bidunga grabbed three offensive rebounds, scoring on the last to make it 54-50 at 1:10. The Gatorade award recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court. Bidunga, ranked as a top-five player in the country in the junior class, carries a 3.41 grade-point average. He still holds the Kokomo career scoring record with 1,900 points. Rayl, Jace ( Sr.) Bellamy, Zavion ( Sr.) Green, Rondell ( Jr.) Love, Buddy ( So.) Burton quickly attacked the lane for a tough layup to bring Penn within 56-54at :28. I went to Kokomo games all my life, so the Kokomo spirits always been in me. Kokomo And it is not just about winning, either. I told him, Flory, you have to talk with me, so take a deep breath. The spectacle that you see now? 23 overall pick of the 1979 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz. Indiana basketball: Kokomo best players in history - IndyStar Its a goal, and it just came to fruition. His signature performance came against Richmond High School, a traditional rival and state powerhouse. Duke basketball looking for added rim protection basketball They have a great young team. Kokomo High School, Kokomo (IN Fortunately enough for us, I thought we did a good enough job making him take tough ones. In eight ABA seasons, Ligon averaged 12.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. Winning one is even better. That was pretty awesome. His career temporarily got a boost when Bob Leonard (now a beloved Pacers radio announcer) took over as coach. He played back with the Wildkats as well. Ive seen all the top players in that class, and hes a much better prospect than any of them, says Frank Burlison, a veteran recruiting scout who watched Bidunga in action last week as well as at the prestigious NBPA Top 100 camp in Orlando last month. I do a lot of comparison with Flory [Bidunga] and Goose Ligon back when I played with him. See more photos from his high school career. Flory Bidunga, a 5-star recruit from Kokomo, is one of the best basketball players in the Class of 2024. Peckinpaugh, 33, was about to start his first season as Kokomos basketball coach. Thats just what we did. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Jim Ligon Ive been watching the Kats last year, this year, many times. [10] Winter sports include boys' and girls' basketball, boys' and girls' swimming and diving, and co The community support was probably the top of my list of the whole entire experience of the 1961 team and the 1962 team. BOYS BB: Kokomo beats Penn for spot in State Finals. Ligon was also first-team all-state in football. Indiana high school boys basketball state championship scores (live & final), playoff bracket, computer rankings and stat leaders. So it was all just new to us and very exciting. Kokomo defeats Penn 58-57 to win the semistate championship at Michigan City High School on Saturday, March 18, 2023. Kokomo High School basketball legend Jimmy Rayl died Sunday. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Hes also a Goose, just like the legend of Goose Ligon. What is the best advice for the team this weekend? Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: You have permission to edit this article. The team I was a starter on, the 1962 team, I still stay in touch with many of them. WebKokomo has had two players named "Mr. Basketball" in the state of Indiana. basketball Indiana Player of the Year: Flory Bidunga. We hit a buzzer beater the next week in semistate. In Bidungas first game, he scored 16 points on 8 of 9 shooting. Once he cleared those markers, they set up the Zoom call. The Notre Dame recruit finished with 27 points, but Hardimon held him to 10 in the second half and got Burton to give up the ball on the play that ended with Rogers' blocked shot. Read the full story on our website at kokomotribune.com. No. On the other hand, why rush it? Bidungas English was passable but shaky, so an aunt helped with the translation. Peckinpaugh knows what that is like, too, starting on state finalist teams at Muncie Central. Im the same person I was before. But when youre preparing and playing, you need to focus on doing the things that got you there. BOYS BB: Kokomo beats Penn for spot in State Finals C IN 99.28 + 4 1 1 cycle 6 out of 5 strength 99 4 1 1 99 4 1 1 93 4 1 1 - 4 1 - Industry Comparison About Recruiting Prediction Machine Duke Blue Devils 48.8% Cincinnati Bearcats 41.4% Michigan Wolverines 2.4% Florida Gators 1.5% Predictions Unlocked All Predictions Its nice to see someone like him see the hard work pay off., The recent surge is just one more layer of unfamiliarity Bidunga has had to adjust to since coming to the States, but so far he is sounding all the right notes. He may be reached at bryan.gaskins@kokomotribune.com or 765-454-8567. He is also the author of five books, including the New York Times best seller, "Wooden: A Coach's Life." Im getting calls from people from college and asking whats going on in Kokomo. HT. "We have one of the best players in the nation in the lane. Peckinpaugh, 33, was about to start his first season as Kokomos basketball coach. More on Flory Bidunga:Kokomo star is 'an X-factor not many people have. By then, Rayl was beloved throughout Indiana, and he would fittingly go on to play one full season and one partial season with the Indiana Pacers, including the teams inaugural season in the American Basketball Association. What is your favorite memory of that magical state run? He has played eight seasons professionally overseas, most recently in Argentina. Basketball: MaxPreps POYs in all 50 states. Kokomo, which fell a game short of reaching state last season, is hungry for a shot at winning state. All-Time Roster - Kokomo Wildkats Basketball (Kokomo, IN) What do you remember most about the state tournament? In front of Michigan State coach Tom Izzo and Cincinnati assistant Mike Roberts on Friday, Bidunga finished with 25 points, 15 rebounds and 11 blocked shots for his second consecutive triple-double. It was the final regular-season game at Church Street Gym. New Castle won the game, 92-81, and Rayl won the scoring crown. The semistate title is the Kats' ninth all-time and first since 2011. Watch Highlights. Kokomo defeats Penn 58-57 to win the semistate championship at Michigan City High School on Saturday, March 18, 2023. Peckinpaugh connected Bidunga with Indiana Elite, and he started to make his mark on the spring circuit. Back when we were playing, I dont know, there were other teams that were good too. Try a week on us. But when Penn forward Dylan Fey took a pass and tried to score on the low block against Kokomo center Flory Bidunga at :10, Kokomo forward Karson Rogers blocked Fey's shot from behind and the Kats took possession. high school 7. What do you remember how you felt walking into the RCA Dome for the first time? Tribune sports editor Bryan Gaskins contributed. It was such an exciting game. He also was awarded the Gimbel prize for mental attitude. Justices went 28-0, captured Class 2 state title and notched big wins over Columbus and Wheeler. And the feeling that gave us, to this day, we still talk about it. Kokomo defeats Penn 58-57 to win the semistate championship at Michigan City High School on Saturday, March 18, 2023. Lawrence North was surprisingly dominant in all four games, defeating quality opponents Mt. Kokomo reached the regional final in 1974, losing to Anderson. They still text back and forth quite often. So that was really cool to be able to be a part of that and then finish it with a runner-up in the state tournament. Bryan Gaskins is the Tribune's sports editor. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. They play with high intensity, and it seems like they have great comradery with each other. It was a fun time obviously, but I dont really remember the extra stuff. Gutwein is used to getting such correspondence out of the blue. Wherever I went the last year, everyone is talking about Kokomo basketball, Lowry said. There was a problem saving your notification. WT. 4 in the 2024 class on the 247Sports composite, and his scholarship offer list includes schools like Arizona State, Auburn, Butler, Creighton, Florida, Georgetown, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan State and Purdue. Jimmy Rayl was one of the greatest players in the history of IU basketball and an icon in the state of Indiana, IU athletic director Fred Glass said in a story on IUs website. Shayne Spear puts up a shot. WebSee the Kokomo Wildkats's basketball schedule, roster, rankings, standings and more on MaxPreps.com This one came in later than usual, so she had to work quickly to reach out to Bidungas school, acquire his transcript (which showed mostly As and Bs) and have him take an English test. He played for Indiana University for four seasons between 1959 and 1963, where he still holds IUs single game scoring record with 56 points, which he did twice against Michigan State It was a good game.". Kokomo defeats Penn 58-57 to win the semistate championship at Michigan City High School on Saturday, March 18, 2023. Flory Bidunga is a big man whos rising fast in the Class of
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