Triton senior star Clay Yeo has been named to the Indiana All-Star team (Photos by Mike Deak)

BOURBON – It’s no surprise that Clay Yeo was headed to a basketball workout after school on Tuesday.

It’s that type of dedication that is a big reason why the Triton High School star is an Indiana All-Star.

Yeo, a 6-6 player who can do it all on the hardwood, was one of 13 seniors statewide honored on Tuesday as a member of the prestigious team chosen by the Indianapolis Star.

Yeo, who led the Trojans to a Class 1-A state runner-up finish last month, becomes the first male player from Triton to earn All-Star honors. The only other player in school history chosen for the squad was Lorea Feldman in 1984. Feldman went on to play at Michigan.

“I’m just very excited and very humbled by this,” said Yeo in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon. “This is what you work for as a basketball player in Indiana. There’s just a lot of prestige that goes with this and I’m very thankful.”

Yeo received a call from Charlie Hall, All-Star game director, Monday night with the news.

“Mr. Hall called me and asked me did I want to be part of the team and of course I said yes,” Yeo related. “I was very excited and also relieved too.”

“It just means a lot to me to be just the second ever All-Star from Triton and the first boy to make the team. It’s an honor for me to represent my school and my community.”

Yeo, who will play at Valparaiso University, left his mark on the Triton program. The Trojans went 85-19 during his brilliant prep career with four Northern State Conference titles, four sectional championships and two regional and semi state titles.

“I’m just thrilled for him,” said Triton coach Jason Groves by phone Tuesday afternoon. “It’s an amazing honor for Clay and one that he definitely deserves. It’s just so nice to see him rewarded for all of his hard work. He’s not only improved over the years as a player, but also as a person too.

“The thing is that Clay can do it all on a basketball court. He just does everything well. This is a remarkable achievement for him to be the first All-Star from a small school like Triton. All kids dream about this honor.

“You don’t replace a player like Clay.  But, he showed our younger guys what you can accomplish through your work ethic. He was a great leader for us and he will leave his mark in that way and that will be lasting for our program in the future.”

Triton’s Clay Yeo plays defense in the state title game in March. Yeo is the first boys player from Triton selected to the Indiana All-Star team.

Yeo averaged 26 points-per-game his senior season as the Trojans finished 20-6. He scored 26 points, including 19 in the fourth quarter, as Triton dropped a 55-50 final to Borden in the Class 1-A state title game. Yeo also averaged 7.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.9 blocked shots per game in his stellar senior season.

“I just want to credit all those people who have helped me along the way, my family, my parents, my teachers and all my coaches,” said Yeo. “Their support is very much appreciated.”

Yeo holds virtually every school record for the Trojans. He finished with 1,992 career points, the most ever in Marshall County boys basketball history. He also holds school standards for points in a game with 44 and in a season with 675 his junior year.

Yeo will be joined on the All-Star team by a close friend in Demetrius Jackson. The Mishawaka Marian star guard and Notre Dame recruit, who Yeo teamed with on an AAU team, is also on the squad.  Jackson was the lone player from Indiana selected as a McDonald’s All-American and he played in the annual game last week in Chicago.

“It means a lot to get to play a couple more game with Demetrius,” said Yeo, who was on his way to work out with Jackson on Tuesday. “He’s a great friend. He texted me Monday night when he found out that he had made it. I went up to the McDonald’s game with him last week.”

The All-Star team includes Mr. Basketball Zak Irvin of Hamilton Southeastern, a Michigan recruit. Also named to the squad were Bryson Scott (Fort Wayne Northrop), Devin Davis (Warren Central), Michael Volovic (Carmel), Collin Hartman (Cathedral), V.J. Beachem (New Haven), Basil Smotherman (Lawrence North), Blake Simmons (Castle), Mike Crawford (Tipton), Michael Schlotman (Munster) and Darius Latham (North Central).

Beachem, like Jackson, will play at Notre Dame. Davis and Hartman are bound for Indiana, while Scott and Smotherman are headed to Purdue.

Carmel’s Scott Heady is the head coach of the All-Star team. Heady has guided Carmel to back-to-back Class 4-A state championships the past two seasons.

The Indiana All-Star team will play Kentucky in the annual two-game series in June. The squads will meet June 14 in Louisville and then June 15 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The team is scheduled to play the Indiana Junior All-Stars in exhibition games on June 10 and 12 at sites to be announced.

Groves was asked to be assistant coach for the All-Star team, but will be unable to do so due to a prior commitment.

Yeo, the son of Russ and Jennifer Yeo, has a simple way he wants to be remembered for his brilliant prep career.

“I just want people to remember how I carried myself on and off the court,” said Yeo. “I want them to remember my approach and just how I handled everything.

“I also want them to know that things are possible if you work hard and want them bad enough.”

An All-Star jersey for Yeo is proof positive of that fact.