Flory Bidunga has earned the top individual award in Indiana high school boys basketball.
Bidunga, a 6-9 forward from Kokomo, has been named IndyStar Indiana Mr. Basketball for 2024 in online voting of media and boys’ varsity coaches conducted by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association and All-Star game director Mike Broughton, it was announced Tuesday (April 23) as part of the IndyStar Indiana Sports Awards program at Butler University's Clowes Memorial Hall.
The Mr. Basketball result means Bidunga will wear the No. 1 jersey for the Indiana All-Stars in their annual series with Kentucky. The Mr. Basketball award goes to the top boys’ basketball senior in the state. The Mr. Basketball and Miss Basketball awards are part of the IndyStar Indiana All-Star program that dates to 1939. The Miss Basketball award, along with the girls All-Stars, was added to the All-Star program in 1976.
The complete of the 2024 boys' All-Star team was announced on April 11. The girls' All-Star team was announced March 11, and Chloe Spreen of Bedford North Lawrence was announced as the 2024 Miss Basketball on March 15.
Bidunga earned the boys top honor after being named on 198 ballots submitted to Broughton in voting that ran from March 13 to April 1. Jack Benter of Brownstown Central was runner-up with 122 votes. Keenan Garner of Fishers placed third with 15 votes followed by K.J. Windham of Ben Davis with 12 votes, Evan Haywood of Brebeuf Jesuit with five votes and Micah Davis of Franklin Community with three votes. There were 362 votes cast overall.
A Kansas University recruit, Bidunga averaged 19.0 points, 12.9 rebounds and 4.4 blocked shots while converting 81.4 percent of his field goals (236 of 290) and leading Kokomo to a 25-4 record that included North Central Conference and Lafayette Jefferson Sectional championships as a senior.
In a three-year high school career, the Democratic Republic of the Congo native totaled 1,609 points, 1,132 rebounds and 402 blocks as the Wildkats went 69-17 and captured three sectionals, two regionals, one semi-state and finished as the 2023 Class 4A state runner-up. He also shot a state-record 80.3 percent from the field (689 of 858) and 55.0 percent on free throws (230 of 418) while adding 158 assists, 85 steals and 322 dunks in his career.
A 2024 McDonald's All-American and 2024 Nike Hoop Summit participant, Bidunga averaged 17.5 points, 13.3 rebounds and 5.3 blocks as a sophomore as well as 20.2 points, 13.8 rebounds and 4.5 blocks as a junior. As a junior, from Dec. 29, 2022, to Jan. 7, 2023, he tied a state record with 32 consecutive field goals. He also is No. 2 in state annals with his 402 career blocks.
In 85 career games, Bidunga posted 72 double-doubles and six triple-doubles -- 32 points, 20 rebounds and 11 blocks against Richmond and 30 points, 14 rebounds and 10 blocks against Lafayette Jefferson as a sophomore; 22 points, 10 rebounds, 12 blocks against Lebanon and 25 points, 15 rebounds and 11 blocks against Marion as a junior; and 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 blocks against New Haven and 17 points, 24 rebounds and 10 blocks against Anderson as a senior.
His career single-game bests are 34 points against McCutcheon as a junior, 24 rebounds against Fort Wayne Northrop as a sophomore and Anderson as a senior, six assists against Westfield and Fishers as a senior, four steals against Carmel as a junior and 12 blocks against Lebanon as a junior.
Bidunga is the third Mr. Basketball from Kokomo, joining Tom Schwartz in 1945 and Jim Rayl in 1959. Bidunga and teammate Karson Rogers are the program's 18th and 19th boys' Indiana All-Stars as well as the school's 29th and 30th overall All-Stars.
Past Kokomo High boys selected to the All-Stars were Chet Gabriel (1940), Carl Campbell (1941), Jack Turner (1942), Gene Turner (1944), Schwartz, Maurice Conwell (1946), James "Junior" Phipps (1952), Jim Butcher (1955), Paul Conwell (1956), Rayl, Ron Hughes (1961), Rich Scott (1961), Jim "Goose" Ligon (1962), Brian Hogan (1988), Lee Coomler (1996), D.J. Balentine (2012) and Tayler Persons (2014).
Kokomo girls previously named All-Stars were Tiffany Longworth (1993), Cari Stover (1993), Mistina Oliver (1993), Debbie Benziger (1994), Tamie Stiner (1997), Heather Cusick (1999), Hillary Beck (2001), Anne Thatcher (2003), DeUnna Hendrix (2003), Audrey McDonald (2006) and Kayla Drake (2008).
John Peckinpaugh, the 2024 boys' All-Star head coach, is the third Kokomo coach to lead the All-Stars. He joins a list that includes Mike McCroskey, the girls' head coach in 1994, and Charlie Hall, the girls' head coach in 2003.
In going to Kansas, Bidunga is the second Mr. Basketball and sixth boys' All-Star to join the Jayhawks. The previous KU-bound Mr. Basketball was David Magley of South Bend LaSalle in 1978. The other previous All-Stars who played at Kansas were Bud Dunn of Gosport in 1940, Clyde Lovellette of Terre Haute Garfield in 1948, Ron Loneski of Hammond Bishop Noll in 1955 and Bob Hickman of Terre Haute Gerstmeyer in 1956.
While in high school, Bidunga has been a two-time Gatorade Indiana Player of the Year and a two-time MaxPreps Indiana Player of the Year. He also has been a 2023 Naismith third-team All-American, a three-time IBCA Supreme 15 honoree, a 2023 AP first-team All-State selection, a 2022 AP second-team All-State pick, a three-time team MVP, a three-time all-NCC pick and a three-time area MVP and All-Area honoree by the Kokomo Tribune.
Mr. Basketball and Miss Basketball traditionally wear No. 1 jerseys for the respective Indiana Boys All-Stars and Indiana Girls All-Stars in the annual series with Kentucky. The All-Stars will face the Indiana Junior All-Stars in an exhibition doubleheader on June 5 at Kokomo. The All-Stars follow with their home-and-home doubleheaders with Kentucky -- June 7 at Lexington Catholic High School and June 8 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
