Indiana Mr. Basketball Candidate: Markus Burton
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We have almost made it, folks. The Indiana High School Basketball Season is officially just one week away as I write this one Monday, November 14th. Our team here at Prep Hoops Indiana has been getting you ready for the…
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Continue ReadingWe have almost made it, folks. The Indiana High School Basketball Season is officially just one week away as I write this one Monday, November 14th. Our team here at Prep Hoops Indiana has been getting you ready for the upcoming season for months now. Countless preview articles have highlighted all you need to know around the state while trips to 23 different high school open gyms gave you a more in-depth look at some of the top programs. Now, it is time to start pushing out some preseason all-state selections and Mr. Basketball candidates. This is always a contentious topic, but we do or best to cover our bases from every corner of the state. Our first two nominees were Logan Imes Logan Imes 6'4" | PG Zionsville | 2023 State #202 Nation IN and Myles Colvin Myles Colvin 6'5" | SG Heritage Christian | 2023 State #51 Nation IN . You can check out those articles HERE and HERE.
There are few players in the state of Indiana who can score the basketball like Markus Burton Markus Burton 5'11" | PG Penn | 2023 State #190 Nation IN . What he may lack in size, the 5’11” point guard makes up for with elite athleticism and shot-making ability. Last season, the Penn High School product averaged 26.9 points per game to go along with 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists. Most impressively, Burton displayed excellent efficiency even while maintaining extremely high volume. He finished the season shooting 55% from the field, 46% from beyond the arc, and 81% at the free throw line. That is extraordinarily impressive for a smaller guard who is asked to carry as much of the scoring load as Burton did for the Kingsmen.
The Indiana Junior All-Star “Core” member is the most dynamic guard in the state of Indiana. What he can do off of the dribble getting to the rim is special. Burton’s ball handling ability and explosiveness is what allows him to create separation as well for pull-up jumpers and three-pointers off of the bounce. He is super dangerous playing off of the ballscreen, can push the pace in transition, and has the ability to truly score it from all three levels on the floor. However, it is his passing ability that continues to fly under-the-radar. While Burton may be the best pure scorer in the state, you don’t just end up averaging five assists per game by accident. His court vision and willingness to find open teammates is likely what could translate to the next level as well or even better than his scoring prowess.
Path to Winning Mr. Basketball: It is very likely that Markus Burton Markus Burton 5'11" | PG Penn | 2023 State #190 Nation IN will have the best raw numbers of any of the top Indiana Mr. Basketball candidates. The Notre Dame signee is going to average somewhere in the ballpark of 25 points per game and do so in an efficient manner. Also, the Penn Kingsmen should be a very good team once again. Being the engine to a potential Top 5 team in the state certainly makes you a serious candidate for the state’s most prestigious award. Penn came up one game short of reaching semi-state last season, losing to state runner-up Chesterton in the regional final. If the Kingsmen can reach the Final Four, and Burton can be among the state’s scoring leaders again, it could be hard to deny voting for him.