By Mike Beas
Last season, Plainfield boys basketball player Ian Scott meshed his scoring and rebounding abilities for a total of three double-doubles.
As a senior, the 6-foot-7-inch center is making it look routine.
Scott produced five double-doubles in his first seven games this season, including 43 points and 16 boards — both career-bests — in a 66-56 victory over North Central in early December. He’s more than doubled his scoring norm of a year ago, currently averaging 21.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.1 steals.
Plainfield entered the new year with a record of 7-1.
Andy Weaver, now in his ninth season as the Quakers’ coach, has been impressed with the various ways in which Scott improved his overall basketball skillset. Despite being the tallest of Plainfield’s starters, Scott is capable of playing minutes in the backcourt and creating matchup problems for the opposing squad.
“It’s several areas where he’s improved,” said Weaver. “Ian has improved his strength and conditioning, for sure, and he’s improved his offensive confidence. He was a good rebounder for us last year, but this season he’s picked up his rebounding even more. For us, Ian is a post player. He scores a lot inside, but is a guy we feel confident with on the perimeter with his passing and ball-handling.”
Scott, who maintains a 4.1 grade point average, broke into Plainfield’s starting lineup late in the 2018-2019 season and has been there ever since. He had accounted for 445 career points going into the Quakers’ scheduled home game against Hamilton Southeastern on Jan. 12.
Scott did a Q&A with ICON:
Q: Are you surprised at the statistics you’re putting up so far this season?
A: I knew having experience at the varsity level the past two years that they would go up. I think it’s because of how much time I put in in the offseason. Focusing on more drills and working with different coaches was helpful.
Q: Where do you feel you improved the most from the end of last season to this season?
A: I would say my overall fundamentals. If I had to say where I’ve improved the most is attacking around the rim and shooting my mid-range jumper.
Q: Which men’s college basketball programs have reached out to you, and do you have a favorite at this point?
A: USI (Southern Indiana) and another Division II school out of state, Kentucky Wesleyan. In Indiana, Grace College has been in contact with me. I don’t really have a favorite at this point.
Q: Regardless of where you attend college, do you know what your major would be?
A: I know I want to go into the medical field, so I will major in biology. I want to someday be in the emergency medical profession.
Athlete of the Week