Senior boys open Class Basketball All-Star Weekend

Jun. 18—ANDERSON — A Father's Day gift of sorts came a couple days early for Frankton boys basketball coach Brent Brobston in the form of one last chance to coach his son in a high school basketball game.

The coach has always been proud of his son's hard work, and Ayden Brobston showed Friday in the Class Basketball All-Stars Seniors game those efforts have paid off.

Playing in O.C. Lewis Gymnasium on the campus he will call home next year, Ayden Brobston scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead an area contingent of four seniors who played in the first game of the 13th annual event.

His 19 points matched Sawyer Yoder from Central Noble for White team honors, but the Red squad prevailed 116-98 in the high-paced All-Star game.

Brobston's other area teammates were Kaden Howell of Madison-Grant, who finished with 11 points and three rebounds, and Andrew Bennett of Shenandoah who scored seven points and handed out four assists, mostly in the second half after turning an ankle and sitting out much of the first 20 minutes.

Howell's Madison-Grant teammate, Grant Brown, scored seven points with five rebounds and three assists for the winning side.

For the Brobstons, this game was about more than winning and losing. After four years, Coach Brobston will hand his son off to Owen Handy at AU to continue his career.

"It's always fun to watch to watch him play because he works so hard," Coach Brobston said. "The most proud I am of him is his work ethic. It's been unbelievable the last 10 years. When he was about 10 years old, that's when he decided he was going to outwork everyone."

"I'm definitely going to miss him getting after me every day," Ayden Brobston said. "The yelling at me and absolutely pounding me, that helped me become the hard worker that I am. I owe it all to him. Without him, I wouldn't be where I am today."

Ayden Brobston seemed very comfortable in his future home, garnering 13 points and six rebounds in the first half.

"The court was longer, so I'm not used to that," he said. "But it was fun. I played in an All-Star game here a few years ago, so I got a feel for the gym. I can't wait to start playing here and getting to work."

Helping Brobston lead the White team was M-G coach Kevin Cherry, who credited both Howell and Brown with what they did to lead the Argylls' program for the last four years.

"Really, I'll be speaking about all of our seniors when I say this, but Kaden and Grant being recognized here today would be the first to tell you their recognition and accomplishments come from the team and what we did as a group together," Cherry said. "Coaching these two specifically was a great honor coming in for my first year. They should be very proud of the legacy they leave behind at Madison-Grant."

This game represented the final game for Howell's career as the 1,000-point career scorer is heading to Indiana University this fall.

"We might have been on opposite teams, but that might have made it a little more fun because we got to go at each other," Howell said. "It's fun to get out here and play one last time, for me at least."

Brown, who also scored 1,000 points and is the career assist leader for the Argylls, is hoping to make an announcement about his basketball future in the coming days.

"I've got quite a few options. I have one more visit to Trinity Christian (on) Tuesday," he said. "Then, probably a week after that, I'll make a decision because it's getting to be that time."

A four-time sectional champion for the Raiders, Bennett will continue his career at Southwestern College in Kansas. He turned the ankle after an early basket but came back strong after intermission.

"I've been very blessed with good coaches, great teammates and good fans," Bennett said. "It's been a good run. I made the most out of everything. I enjoyed every second of it, and I know I'm going to miss high school basketball, but it was worth all the hard work."

Contact Rob Hunt at rob.hunt@heraldbulletin.com or 765-640-4886.