During the Indiana All-Star week, Luke Ertel, a standout from Mt. Vernon and a future guard for Purdue, made headlines with an electric performance that solidified his rising profile in high school basketball. On Wednesday night, he broke records by scoring 36 points, leading the juniors to a thrilling 117-114 victory over the seniors, a feat that etched his name in the Indiana Junior-Senior All-Star Game history.
Ertel’s impressive output eclipsed the previous record for junior players, which was set by basketball luminaries Eric Gordon and Greg Oden, who both tallied 29 points in their respective games in the 2000s. Both Gordon and Oden not only left their marks in high school hoops but also made significant impacts at the collegiate and professional levels.
In this game, the 6-foot-1 guard showcased his shooting prowess by hitting eight of his 13 attempts from the floor, including five of his seven tries from beyond the arc. He was flawless at the free-throw line as well, sinking all 15 of his attempts, and many of those were clutch shots that helped seal the game in the final moments. Ertel also came close to a double-double, pulling down nine rebounds and adding four assists to his stat line.
His performance in this game came on the heels of another strong showing just days earlier in the Indiana-Kentucky Junior All-Star Game, where he exploded for 36 points along with 13 assists, nine rebounds, and three steals, leading Indiana to a 119-108 win.
For anyone who’s been following Ertel’s journey, this All-Star showcase is just the latest in a string of achievements that have put him on the radar of college scouts. After a standout junior season at Mt. Vernon, where he averaged 22.7 points, 4.0 assists, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 51% from the field and an eye-popping 45% from three, it’s clear that he’s a versatile player with a scoring touch and playmaking ability.
Ertel helped lead his high school team to a commendable 21-6 record, advancing to the semi-state round of the IHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament. His recent efforts have also seen a jump in the recruiting rankings, with On3 naming him the No. 101 overall prospect for the 2026 class.
Luke Ertel’s performance is certainly one to watch as he continues to develop his skills leading into his collegiate career at Purdue, and it’ll be exciting to see how he builds on this momentum as he transitions to the next level of competition.
