March 10, 2017 at 5:44 p.m.
JC third graders make state
First game is 2 p.m. Saturday at Hamilton Southeastern
JC third graders make state
When Duane Monroe began coaching nine Jay County third graders, his goal was simple.
He wanted to see the kids improve from one day, and one game, to the next.
His intention was met, and the team earned a state berth in the process.
“I’ve already met my goals, to see the kids improve from the very beginning to where they are now,” he said.
Jay County’s third grade AAU boys basketball team will compete in the Indiana Boys Basketball state tournament on Saturday at Hamilton Southeastern in Fishers.
“I think I’m doing it more for the kids,” Monroe said. “To me, it’s just basically what it’s for, give the kids an opportunity they may not normally get.”
To reach state, Monroe’s squad had to finish in the top four at one of two regional tournaments. It played two games at Franklin Community High School on Feb. 25 and 26, beating Fishers and losing to Noblesville. That performance earned the team a berth in the six-team tournament.
He wanted to see the kids improve from one day, and one game, to the next.
His intention was met, and the team earned a state berth in the process.
“I’ve already met my goals, to see the kids improve from the very beginning to where they are now,” he said.
Jay County’s third grade AAU boys basketball team will compete in the Indiana Boys Basketball state tournament on Saturday at Hamilton Southeastern in Fishers.
“I think I’m doing it more for the kids,” Monroe said. “To me, it’s just basically what it’s for, give the kids an opportunity they may not normally get.”
To reach state, Monroe’s squad had to finish in the top four at one of two regional tournaments. It played two games at Franklin Community High School on Feb. 25 and 26, beating Fishers and losing to Noblesville. That performance earned the team a berth in the six-team tournament.
Jay County opens the double-elimination tournament against host Hamilton Southeastern at 2 p.m. Saturday. If it wins, it plays Carmel at 4:10 p.m. A loss would send the squad to a 3 p.m. game against either Noblesville or Zionsville.
Sure, Monroe would like his team to win, but that is not the main objective.
“If we don’t win I’d like to see us be competitive,” he said.
Team members are Jayden Comer, Drew Schemenaur, Carter Fugiett, Maddox Huffman, Kade Sommers, Jacob Monroe, Gradin Swoveland, Aiden Phillips and Cole Forthofer.
Since the season began in October, they’ve compiled a 41-7 record, with only two of those losses coming against teams of the same grade level. Jay County had beaten most teams its age by double digits. Its other five losses have come in tournaments during which it has moved up a grade level to play tougher competition.
“Duane (and assistant coaches) Zach Pryor and Wes Schemenaur do a great job with teaching fundamentals,” said AAU director Mitch Waters, who is also the director of operations at Jay Community Center. “They are very disciplined. For a third-grade team they are playing more of like a fourth or fifth grade level because they’ve had the instruction.”
Monroe said most of their practices are focused on fundamentals: dribbling, passing and shooting.
“At the third-grade level, if you can get a couple passes on a play, that is the goal,” he said. “Sometimes we have turnovers, that comes with that age. Just a couple passes to get to the bucket.”
The skills they’ve learned were on display Wednesday night at Jay County High School. They dribbled effectively, distributed the ball efficiently to one another and shot well enough to beat Randolph Southern.
Seeing these youngsters put their teaching to good use is rewarding to Monroe.
“I sit there and talk with Wes on the bench,” he said. “Stuff we’ve worked with, to see it happen on the floor, we’ll look at each other and say “Did you just see that?’
“It is awesome to see what you’ve been working on work out there.”
Jay County is the outlying school in terms of proximity to the tournament. Three teams — Carmel, Noblesville and Fishers — are Hamilton County schools, and Zionsville is in Boone County to the west. Monroe still feels as if his team belongs in a tournament with schools from the Indianapolis area.
“I talked to coaches at Fishers and Noblesville, they’ve played each other and they’ve both beat each other,” he said. “I know we deserve to be there because we’re all pretty much equal.
“It’s not like it’s a fluke thing. I feel like we deserve to be there.”
Sure, Monroe would like his team to win, but that is not the main objective.
“If we don’t win I’d like to see us be competitive,” he said.
Team members are Jayden Comer, Drew Schemenaur, Carter Fugiett, Maddox Huffman, Kade Sommers, Jacob Monroe, Gradin Swoveland, Aiden Phillips and Cole Forthofer.
Since the season began in October, they’ve compiled a 41-7 record, with only two of those losses coming against teams of the same grade level. Jay County had beaten most teams its age by double digits. Its other five losses have come in tournaments during which it has moved up a grade level to play tougher competition.
“Duane (and assistant coaches) Zach Pryor and Wes Schemenaur do a great job with teaching fundamentals,” said AAU director Mitch Waters, who is also the director of operations at Jay Community Center. “They are very disciplined. For a third-grade team they are playing more of like a fourth or fifth grade level because they’ve had the instruction.”
Monroe said most of their practices are focused on fundamentals: dribbling, passing and shooting.
“At the third-grade level, if you can get a couple passes on a play, that is the goal,” he said. “Sometimes we have turnovers, that comes with that age. Just a couple passes to get to the bucket.”
The skills they’ve learned were on display Wednesday night at Jay County High School. They dribbled effectively, distributed the ball efficiently to one another and shot well enough to beat Randolph Southern.
Seeing these youngsters put their teaching to good use is rewarding to Monroe.
“I sit there and talk with Wes on the bench,” he said. “Stuff we’ve worked with, to see it happen on the floor, we’ll look at each other and say “Did you just see that?’
“It is awesome to see what you’ve been working on work out there.”
Jay County is the outlying school in terms of proximity to the tournament. Three teams — Carmel, Noblesville and Fishers — are Hamilton County schools, and Zionsville is in Boone County to the west. Monroe still feels as if his team belongs in a tournament with schools from the Indianapolis area.
“I talked to coaches at Fishers and Noblesville, they’ve played each other and they’ve both beat each other,” he said. “I know we deserve to be there because we’re all pretty much equal.
“It’s not like it’s a fluke thing. I feel like we deserve to be there.”
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