Published: April 20, 2008 01:33 am            

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Braydon Hobbs named an Indiana All-Star

Braydon Hobbs had several goals entering his senior year at New Albany High School. One of them was to become an Indiana All-Star.

That goal has come to fruition.

The Indianapolis Star announced in today’s edition that Hobbs was one of 14 seniors to make this year’s Indiana All-Star team. He becomes the 13th Bulldog to make the illustrious squad and the first since Chad Hunter, New Albany’s all-time leading scorer, in 1997.

“It means a lot. It’s been a big goal since the start of my senior season. I knew it was in reach,” Hobbs said. “It’s pretty cool to be the first since Chad Hunter and the first for (New Albany head coach) Jim Shannon because he pretty much raised me. And it means a lot to my school.”

Shannon said there is no other player he would rather have as his first All-Star than Hobbs.

“Braydon is the first and I couldn’t be more proud,” Shannon said. “Words escape me. No question — he’s very deserving of being an Indiana All-Star. He’s a gentleman off the court and a great student-athlete. The community and the school are behind him 100 percent and are very proud.”

Hobbs has received several honors since the Bulldogs’ season ended with a 51-41 loss to eventual-state champion Brownsburg in the Class 4A Southport Semistate on March 15.

The 6-foot-5 guard was named The Evening News and Tribune Area Player of the Year after leading 26-1 New Albany in scoring (15.5 points per game), assists (174) and steals (108) last season.

Hobbs made the all-Hoosier Hills Conference team and was a second-team selection on The Associated Press All-State squad. He also participated in the Hoosier Basketball Magazine Top 60 workout last Sunday in Indianapolis.

While receiving those accolades, Hobbs felt fairly certain that he would wear one of the coveted Indiana All-Star jerseys.

“I wasn’t 100 percent confident, but I was fairly confident,” said Hobbs, who ended up as New Albany’s all-time assists leader. “After the Top 60 workout, I had a good feeling.”

This past season, the Bulldogs played several games against teams from Central and Southern Indiana, which included two contests in the Hall of Fame Classic in New Castle last December. Hobbs led the Bulldogs to the Classic title and made the all-tournament team.

Hobbs thinks the exposure to coaches and media throughout the state was a factor in becoming an All-Star.

“It got my name out there,” Hobbs said. “People that were naming the team got to watch me and it played a role. It helped a lot.”

Shannon shared Hobbs’ sentiments.

“That (exposure) gets coaches and people to come see our team, and I think winning the Hall of Fame helped him make the All-Star team,” Shannon said.

Hobbs is looking forward to playing with his All-Star teammates, especially Indiana Mr. Basketball Tyler Zeller. Hobbs and Zeller, a North Carolina recruit, were teammates on the Indiana Elite AAU team last summer.

“It makes me excited,” said Hobbs, who will play his college basketball at NCAA Division II Bellarmine University next season.

The first game of the Indiana-Kentucky All-Star series will be Friday, June 13 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The second and final game will take place two days later at the Louisville Gardens.



2008 INDIANA ALL-STAR TEAM

• Braydon Hobbs, New Albany

• Tyler Zeller, Washington, Mr. Basketball

• Garrett Butcher, Edgewood

• Randy Davis, Plymouth

• Gordon Hayward, Brownsburg

• Kyle Kuric, Ev. Memorial

• Julian Mavunga, Brownsburg

• Julius Mays, Marion

• Daniel Moore, Carmel

• Zack Novak, Chesterton

• Walter Offutt, Warren Central

• Chase Stigall, New Castle

• Larry Stone, Indianapolis Howe

• Alex Young, Indianapolis Northwest

• Coaching staff — head coach: Rick Baumgartner, Muncie South; assistant coaches: John Boyd, Gary West; Kevin Oxley, Tecumseh



NEW ALBANY ALL-STARS

• 1950: Bob Clayton

• 1951: Paul Poff

• 1952: Jim McLaughlin

• 1955: Jim Henry

• 1956: Harold Johnson

• 1973: Julius Norman

• 1974: Charles Mitchell

• 1980: Richie Johnson

• 1981: Dave Bennett

• 1994: Ladrell Whitehead

• 1996: Lamont Roland

• 1997: Chad Hunter

• 2008: Braydon Hobbs

        

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