Adversity. That was the word that Head Coach Jason Delaney used to describe what his team went through during the month of January. On paper it was a successful month, as the team finished 5-2 with losses to Guerin Catholic and Crispus Attucks, but, according to Delaney, that record could have — or should have — been 7-0.
The team’s second game of the month was a regular season matchup with Providence, a game the team expected to win handily. If you were to look at the box score, that’s exactly what you’d think happened: a 74-40 victory and three players scoring in double-figures. Four freshmen even got to play sparingly towards the end.
What doesn’t show up in the box score was the physical beating that a few players took against Providence. Junior point guard Lebron Gough was injured along with sophomore Keaton Aldridge, who sustained a knee injury. Gough and Aldridge are arguably the team’s two best defenders and rank fourth and second on the team in points, respectively.
These injuries, along with a previous injury to senior Emmett Hern, who has not played since Dec. 2, have left the team without three rotational players. Delaney said, “We’re trying to adjust, trying to find the silver lining, and that’s how other guys are getting the opportunity to step up and play minutes in bigger roles.”
Two such players have been junior Aidan Hughes and freshman Cash Daniels. Daniels stepped in for Gough at point guard against Guerin Catholic and scored seven points in what became the team’s first loss. Against Crispus Attucks in the City Championship, Daniels checked in in the fourth quarter and scored a clutch layup. Delaney said, “(Daniels) just provides energy, he provides some toughness. He plays with a passion and reminds me a lot of (junior) Deric Cannady the way he leads.”
Hughes has replaced Aldridge in the starting lineup and has become one of the team’s best players in the sophomore’s absence. Delaney called him the team’s “toughest player” over the last month, partly due to Hughes’ 21 charges taken so far this year. He also added 21 points in the team’s win on Jan. 27 over Don Bosco Prep.
Though Gough has returned to the lineup and is at full strength, there is no timetable yet for Aldridge’s return according to Delaney. He said, “The goal is to get him back before the end of the regular season, so that way he has more games under his belt (before the State Tournament).”
Having Aldridge back would be a massive boost for the team going into a challenging month of February. On Feb. 1 the team travels to Kokomo to face the WildKats and five-star Kansas commit Flory Bidunga. They will also face Fishers, Zionsville, Ben Davis and Trinity (Louisville) later this month.
Delaney believes that this gauntlet of opponents will prepare the team for Sectional play. He said, “We built February so it would be brutal and test everything, mentally, physically and spiritually, about us.
Joellen M Desautels • Jan 30, 2024 at 1:28 PM
Nice article! I would have loved to have seen an attached schedule to the article!