Don’t let Austin Peterson’s size fool you.
The Chesterton junior isn’t one of those inside players who occasionally takes a 3-pointer. Or one coaches brag about having an outside game, when in reality they rarely shoot from 3-point range.
A burly 6-foot-6, 230-pound power forward, Peterson also is a certified sharpshooter with a quick release. The 3-point shot isn’t a bailout option — it’s part of his arsenal.
It’s what makes him the best pure inside-outside player in Northwest Indiana and a matchup nightmare for opponents.
“He shoots it really well,” Chesterton coach Marc Urban said of Peterson. “He has a nice release, soft hands and good range. With him being 6-6, it is that much harder to guard him.’
Peterson is the centerpiece of a team that has surprised. The Trojans (8-3) weren’t supposed to be this good with just two seniors returning. Peterson was a part-time varsity player last year, but was their leading returning scorer.
He’s averaging 19.7 points this season and shooting 43.5 percent (27-for-62) from 3-point range. He had a monster game against East Chicago Central, scoring 32 points in a 105-103 win in four overtimes. He also scored 29 points on Dec. 28 against Columbus North in a 65-54 victory.
Peterson, a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher who has committed to play baseball at Purdue, didn’t know what to expect this season with so many new faces and a new coach.
But he likes what he sees.
“I couldn’t have told you what was going to happen,” he said of his preseason thoughts. “I didn’t know how the younger guys were going to react once they got into a varsity game. All I knew is there was a good vibe from the offseason.”
Peterson’s offensive game has been helped by the presence of Jake Wadding, the best freshman in Northwest Indiana.
Wadding, a 6-3 forward, averages 12 points and five rebounds. Throw in point guard Ray Yagelski, a crafty senior who can score off the drive or from 3-point range, and the Trojans are a handful.
Urban called Peterson a high-IQ player who uses his teammates to help himself.
“He really understands the big picture,” Urban said. “He knows how to read defenses and he knows how to react to defenses.”
The challenge for teams guarding Peterson is that he’s good enough inside that it doesn’t pay to just overplay him outside. He can post up or muscle in and pick up fouls.
Peterson said his first instinct has always been to fire away. He lives across the street from the Chesterton YMCA and he has launched thousands of jumpers there in his spare time.
His father, Glenn, played for the Trojans. Austin said that shooting is in his genes. His two brothers, Jordan and Glenn Jr., dabbled in basketball but focused on baseball.
“All I did in sixth, seven and eighth grade was shoot jump shots,” Austin said.
Last year, before Tom Peller departed as the Trojans’ coach, he told Peterson he needed to work on scoring off the drive.
Peterson has spent serious time in the weight room. He said Urban has helped improve his first step.
“He’s one of those guys who is quicker than he looks,” Urban said of Peterson. “That’s why he’s so hard to defend. He has a quick first step and he knows how to use the shot fake.”
The emergence of Peterson and the players around him have the Trojans hopeful about the New Year. Chesteron plays Merrillville (8-3) on Friday, when they’ll find out just how much they’ve improved.
“They are a great team,” Peterson said. “The whole DAC is loaded. It’s one of the toughest conferences in the state.”
Twitter @MikeHuttonPT
TOP 10
Records through Wednesday. Last week’s rankings in parentheses.
1. Crown Point 9-1 (1)
2. Merrillville 8-3 (3)
3. Valparaiso 9-1 (2)
4. Chesterton 8-3 (4)
5. Andrean 7-1 (5)
6. Michigan City 8-3 (6)
7. Griffith 10-0 (7)
8. East Chicago Central 5-6 (8)
9. Lowell 9-3 (NR)
10. LaPorte 8-3 (9)
Player of the Week: East Chicago Central senior Jermaine Couisnard scored a career-high 45 points in an 82-79 win over Evansville Bosse. Couisnard also had 36 points in an 83-72 loss to Indianapolis North Central.
