CHARLESTOWN – There are a lot of smart coaches out there who will tell you it is faster to push the ball up the court via than the pass than the dribble.
But even the most successful, veteran coaches must question that philosophy after watching Jason Gardner Jr. zip through the defense on his way to the basket.
The Fishers’ standout, who missed most of his junior season with a broken bone in his left hand, looked intent on making up for lost time on Sunday. Gardner Jr. finished with a game-high 30 points and six assists to help the Indiana Junior All-Stars to a 109-99 win over the Kentucky Junior All-Stars on Sunday at Charlestown High School.
“I’ve been playing with a lot of these kids for a long time,” Gardner said of his Junior All-Stars’ teammates. “Me and Cooper (Zachary) have been playing together since like second grade and Harper (Baker-Lands) and Isaiah (Hill) since third or fourth grade … this team actually knows each other really well, so we were able to pull through.”
The Indiana Juniors jumped all over Kentucky early, running out to a 25-9 lead with its starting core of Gardner Jr. and Zachary from Fishers, Baker-Lands of Plainfield, Pike’s Hill and Mt. Vernon’s Max Vise. But Kentucky proved to be a resilient, feisty group, cutting into the lead and trailing just 60-53 at halftime. Kentucky took the lead briefly, 76-75, with 13 minutes left and was down just 91-90 with under 7 minutes remaining.
An 8-0 run by the Indiana All-Stars, which included four points from Gardner Jr., and a tough up-and-under by Zachary, created enough separation for Indiana to hold on and extend its winning streak to three games in the series and overall record to 10-5 against the Kentucky Juniors since the series started in 2012.
Baker-Lands added 19 points and four steals for Indiana. The 7-foot Purdue recruit Hill had 15 points, and seven rebounds and Vise added 17 points on 7-for-8 shooting. Zachary was also in double figures with 11 points and five assists.
For Gardner Jr. and Zachary, the game was a chance to get back on the court together for the first time in a game since the end of the high school season. Gardner Jr. returned from the hand injury he suffered in the fifth game of the season to play in the sectional, but the Class 4A top-ranked and undefeated Tigers were upset in the sectional championship by Carmel.
A lot has happened since then, including coach Garrett Winegar taking a new job at Iowa United Prep and Miles Wayer, previously an assistant at Fishers, coming back after one season at Greenfield-Central to coach.
“(Monday) we have our first June practice, so that will be good to start off,” Gardner Jr. said. “I was kind of expecting (Wayer) to get the job. He was there my freshman and sophomore year, so it’s not like a new coach you have to learn to get to know him. Me and Miles have a really good relationship from my freshman and sophomore year, so it’s nothing new.”
The relationship between Gardner Jr. and Zachary makes the duo a tough cover.
“There’s only so much you can do because we know each other so well,” Zachary said. “When I drive and I find him, it’s like nothing else. Just playing with him is the best feeling because we know each other so well.”
Other notes and takeaways from Sunday’s game
>>>Zachary said he expects Fishers to come into June plenty motivated after last year’s abrupt ending to the season. The Tigers will lose Indiana All-Star Kai McGrew and Ethan Hillman to graduation but have a strong core returning.
“Coach Wayer is going to come in there with chip on his shoulder because he had a sour taste in his mouth from losing to Mt. Vernon in the sectional final and we have a sour taste in our mouth from losing to Carmel,” Zachary said. “That added little bit of chip on our shoulder is going to make us even better and make for a great June and great fall and hopefully it carries over into the spring and we get the job done at the end of the year.”
>>>Montez Gay, a 6-6 junior from George Rogers Clark, led Kentucky with 20 points and five rebounds. Omari Jointer (Woodford County) added 17 points and 6-8 Matthew Langhi (Marshall County) added 17. Kentucky shot a sizzling 63% from inside the 3-point line and 8-for-25 from beyond the arc.
>>>The effort on both sides was outstanding. The referees had a step in during a free throw as something of a “chill out” warning. That was honestly refreshing to see in an all-star game.
>>>Devin Bolden was 4-for-4 from the field and finished with eight points and four rebounds. It was essentially the final appearance as a Cardinal Ritter Raider for the 6-8 Bolden, who will be going to Rocktop Academy in New Jersey, where former Ritter coach Derrick Williams is now coaching.
>>>Pike guard Jahari Miller, a core Junior All-Star, was in attendance prior to the game but gone by tipoff. His status for Wednesday’s game is unclear. Miller was not in the starting lineup for Sunday’s game, which a source said likely factored into the early departure.
>>>Indiana All-Star week continues with Monday’s Futures Games at New Palestine. The girls’ game begins at 6 p.m., with the boys to follow. The Junior All-Stars will play the senior Indiana All-Stars on Wednesday at Mt. Vernon.
>>>The Charlestown gym is a gem. It has old school sunken gym feel with the modern amenities. Last year’s game was my first visit. Just wish it was closer. Neat place.
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.Get IndyStar’s high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter. And be sure to subscribe to our new IndyStarTV: Preps YouTube channel.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana All-Stars: Jason Gardner Jr. scores 30 points in win over Kentucky
