By now you know Cody Zeller is Indiana’s Mr. Basketball.
Was there really any other choice?
Of course not. Zeller is everything you’d want a Mr. Basketball to be. He’s a great player, a great student (a 3.99 GPA after getting an A- in freshman English), and a great representative of his school and community (Washington). Heck, he probably rescues cats out of trees in his spare time.
Oh, yes. It sure didn’t hurt that he committed to play at Indiana, starting next season.
The fact he’s the third brother to win the honor, joining Luke (2005) and Tyler (2008) reflects the quality of his family and leads to one obvious question:
Why didn’t the Zellers, Steve and Lorri, have more kids?
Sorry. It is the first time three brothers have won Mr. Basketball, though.
Anyway, Cody got 198 of the 293 votes cast. Warsaw’s Nick Moore was second with 21 votes. Indianapolis Pike’s Marquis Teague and Bloomington South’s Dee Davis tied for third. Both had 16 votes.
Those players are all outstanding, but none of them could match Zeller’s accomplishments.
The 6-11 standout played on three state championship teams with Washington, including two straight. He had 20 points and 18 rebounds as the Hatchets beat Culver Academies 61-46 in the Class 3A title game.
Washington coach Gene Miiler told Kyle Neddenriep of the Indianapolis Star that Zeller was “the total package.” Zeller averaged 24.1 points and 13.4 rebounds this season.
Don’t expect him to put up those numbers at IU, but he certainly will make a big impact for the Hoosiers. Big enough to help them get their first winning season under coach Tom Crean?
You’d better believe it.
*****
If you like thrills, check out the Indiana baseball team. The Hoosiers have won nine games when either tied or behind in the eighth inning or later.
On Sunday, IU stunned visiting Ohio State by scoring four runs in the bottom of the ninth to win 10-9. T.C. Knipp’s bases-loaded triple in the ninth tied the score at nine. Then Michael Basil singled up the middle to drive in the winning run.
Pitcher Joey DeNato came through with six relief innings to get his third victory over the year. He retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced and allowed just three hits and one walk.
IU won the final two games of the season to improve to 20-11 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten.
How many Shepherd boys were there? I remember Dave and Billy. Good shooters.
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