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Being a varsity basketball player in the state of Indiana requires hard work and dedication. This past season, no player on the boys side demonstrated that more than Warsaw guard Mydin Burgher, who has been named the Times Union’s 2025-26 Player of the Year for boys basketball.
Burgher’s tremendous leap from solid role player on last year’s Warsaw team to a star that carried the Tigers to a sectional championship game, as well as his leadership on and off the court were large factors in this decision. The senior was Warsaw’s best player all year long, guiding the Tigers past a 1-4 start to a 13-12 record that fell just short of the team’s third straight sectional title.
As a junior last season, Burgher averaged 7.7 points a game as a starter on a team loaded with senior talent. This past winter, Burgher upped that scoring total by double digits, averaging 17.7 a game and finishing as the only Tiger player to average 10+. He also finished top three on the team in field goal percentage (47%), rebounding (3.4), assists (2.3), steals (2.0) and blocks (0.2) Burgher cites the mental aspect of his game as a big reason for his jump.
“I think the biggest jump I’ve made has been with my mindset. I didn’t really have the most confidence my first two years of high school, but these last two years I really started to believe in myself more,” he said.
He also credits playing with last year’s senior class, a group that won 25 games last year as well as back-to-back sectional titles, as another component that has helped him improve his game.
“Last year’s senior class was great. They made me better by challenging me every day in practice and setting a high standard. It also helped me learn how to adapt because I had a different role from game to game,” Burgher said. “They were really good role models, so this year I tried to lead the same way for the younger guys.”
Burgher’s leadership extended far beyond picking his teammates up during tough game moments. As a junior, he had the idea to form a prayer circle at midcourt following games, allowing both teams to come together after a hard-fought contest. It has since become a mainstay for the program, and showcases just how important Burgher’s faith is to him.
“God put it in my heart to make an impact wherever I am. Faith is a big part of my everyday life so of course that carries into basketball too. It affects how I act, how I treat others, and my attitude,” he said. “I believe God has helped me get to where I am, so I give him all the glory.”
Since Burgher and Tiger basketball began the postgame prayer circle, other teams and schools have followed suit. According to Warsaw head coach Matt Moore, that is just one of the ways Burgher’s will continue to make an impact on future Tiger teams.
Senior Mydin Burgher makes a quick move to the basket against Merrillville...Nieter
“His impact on our program will be felt for years. You can already see it transcends to other teams and other sports praying together postgame,” he said. “That is Mydin leading through his convictions. He is someone that invested a lot into his own game and it showed this past year. Hopefully that will inspire others to make that same commitment to their development.”
Moore had nothing but good things to say about Burgher, citing his commitment to growing as a player and a person, as well as how crucial he was to the team this season and last. Most of all though, Moore stressed how much he loved the fact that no matter the time or score, Burgher was always giving his all.
“I just love his fight. I was so proud of the way he carried himself in his last game,” the Tiger head coach said. “His grit, his toughness and his pride were all things I appreciated about him as he evolved into the leader he became for us.”
Basketball is not the only sport that Burgher excels at. The senior has been a mainstay on the Warsaw soccer team during his four years, being a part of three sectional championships and a regional final appearance. Burgher was the team’s leading goal scorer in each of the past two seasons and says that his skills on the pitch have made him better on the court, and vice versa.
“I think soccer has definitely helped me in basketball, especially defensively. It has improved my foot quickness and movement a lot,” he said. “Basketball has helped me with my awareness and ability to read the game, which also carries over to soccer.”
Next season, Burgher will continue his career at Grace College, joining Manchester’s Gavin Betten and Lakeland Christian’s Seth Martin as former Player of the Year winners to put on the Lancer uniform. He’s excited for the opportunity to continue his growth, on and off the court. He will be studying nursing.
“I’m really excited about the teammates and coaches I’ll have, growing in my faith with a new community, and the overall basketball experience,” Burgher said. “I’m hoping to build strong relationships, grow closer to God and learn more about life.”
As for what he hopes the next generation of Tiger basketball players can learn from him, it’s no surprise that his faith is at the center of it.
“I hope my impact shows that your identity comes from Jesus, not what others say or the mistakes you make. For younger players, I’d say don’t give up if you’re not where you want to be yet. Keep working and doing what you love because you never know what God has planned for you,” he said.
2025-26 Times Union All-Area Boys Basketball Team
Mydin Burgher (Warsaw Sr. POTY)
Burgher’s rapid improvement and ability to step up when his teammates needed him most led to him being named this winter’s Player of the Year. Burgher constantly came up big in the moments that mattered most, scoring nearly 20 points a game (17.7) while finishing the season as the only Tiger to average double figures. Warsaw nearly won its third straight sectional championship this past March, thanks in large part to Burgher’s many heroics.
Stephen Akase (Wawasee Sr.)
Akase very nearly took home Player of the Year honors himself. The senior broke out at Wawasee this winter after spending the first three years of his career at Tippecanoe Valley. Whether Akase was using his length to score down low or pulling up from beyond the arc, Stephen was incredibly efficient this season, averaging 18 points a game on 60% shooting while grabbing just under eight rebounds a night. Akase was dominant on the defensive end as well, averaging over a block a game.
Nolan Holzwart (Wawasee Sr.)
The Warriors didn’t win 17 games this season because Akase was a one-man show. Holzwart served as the team’s secondary scoring option, though he led the way a fair share of the time. Averaging a touch over 10 points a game (10.8), Holzwart led the team in assists (3.1) and steals (1.1). The guard was another big reason why Wawasee had one of its best seasons in quite some time, and he gets a spot on this list because of it.
Gage Riffle (Triton Sr.)
The first Trojan to make the list, the sharpshooting Riffle hit two massive shots during Triton’s postseason run, one to win the regional, and the second to send his team to the state finals. The best shooter in the area, Riffle was a threat from deep all season long, and didn’t need much space at all to let it fly. While the Trojans were unable to finish the job in Indianapolis, the two big shots that Riffle hit during the run will live on forever.
Landon Patrick (Triton Sr.)
Speaking of plays that will live forever, Patrick’s steal that led to Riffle’s game-winning layup over Marquette Catholic during the regional saved his team’s season. The Triton point guard didn’t light up the scoreboard for a good chunk of the season, but was always there to come up with a bucket in a big shot. Combined with his incredible defensive tenacity and his ability to see the court extremely well, Patrick is a jack of all trades that was pivotal to his team’s success.
Julian Swanson (Triton Sr.)
Triton’s other guard, Swanson, was one of the top scorers for the team this season, able to beat his defenders in the paint or past the perimeter. Like Riffle, Swanson is extremely efficient shooting the ball from deep and doesn’t need a lot of space to make a defender pay. He led the team with 16 points in the state championship game against Barr-Reeve despite missing practice early in the week with an illness. It doesn’t take many interactions with Julian to tell that he loves the game of basketball.
Brady Wood (Triton Soph.)
One of two underclassmen on the list, Wood ended up leading a senior-heavy Triton team in scoring for a majority of the season. Finishing in double figures, Wood was a staple of the Trojan offense this season, and gained valuable postseason experience as just a sophomore. Being the only returning starter from last year’s team, Wood will certainly have an even bigger role next winter.
Owen Omondi (Tippecanoe Valley Jr.)
It was a rough year at times for the Valley program, but Omondi was a bright spot all season long. The junior led the team in scoring (12.7), shooting percentage (53%) and rebounding (5.5). With another year to improve, Omondi will look to take another leap next season and hopefully start turning those great individual numbers into more wins. Another year of growth under state-title winning coach Eli Henson won’t hurt either.
Wyatt Schroll (Manchester Soph.)
Schroll burst onto the scene in his sophomore year, averaging an eye-popping 18.2 points a game for Manchester. The guard is incredibly quick, able to take the ball the length of the court in the blink of an eye. He averaged 2.5 steals a game as well, using his defense to create some easy offense. If this is what the young man is capable of doing in his second year at the high school level, it’s scary to think about what the finished product might look like in a couple of years.
Aaron Reid (Manchester Sr.)
A part of last year’s Manchester team that won the state title, Reid came into his own this year as a senior. Averaging 13.4 points a game, while also leading his team in assists with two a night and steals with three, Reid evolved into a player that can do a little bit of everything this season. One of the team's senior leaders, Reid showed up on a consistent basis and set the foundation for the next group of Squire hoopers.
