Whitko’s Nate Walpole received the IBCA Player of the Week award for his outstanding effort against Tippecanoe Valley last week. (Photo by Nick Goralczyk)

INDIANAPOLIS – For his role in one of the craziest games in recent local basketball memory, Nate Walpole was chosen to receive the IBCA Player of the Week.

The 6-0 Walpole scored 46 points with four rebounds, two assists and two steals for the Whitko boys basketball team, but the Wildcats nevertheless fell to Tippecanoe Valley 96-92 in four overtimes in their only game of the week. Walpole sank 14-of-27 field goals, 5-of-10 3-pointers and 13-of-17 free throws in his big game.

For the season through eight games, Walpole is averaging 27.9 points per game, netting 195 total points and averages per game totals of 5.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 3.1 steals.

Alec Craig was a nominee from Tippecanoe Valley, who poured in 28 points and 11 assists in the wild game.

Walpole becomes the second Whitko athlete to earn Player of the Week honors, Aly Reiff being the first, who took honors for the week of Nov. 14. Reiff was also a POW nominee for this week as Whitko continues to stay ranked No. 1 in Class 2-A.

Also winners of the Player of the Week awards for this week include Dana Evans of Gary West – who will play Reiff and Whitko in the Greenfield-Central tournament this week – Macee Williams of Fountain Central, Lucy Carrigan of Rising Sun, Stacy Payton of Northview, Zach Gunn of Hamilton Southeastern and Jack Nunge of Castle.