MaxPreps Indiana Team of the Week: Liberty Christian boys basketball

Liberty Christian (Anderson) boys basketball coach Jason Chappell makes no bones about it.

"I think this team is capable of going far in the tournament, possibly all the way," he said. "I feel that this team could be the greatest group of athletes that our school could ever see. We want to make it count."

Big statement, but Chappell has been watching this group of players participate since elementary school.

Plus the big numbers warrant the big statement.

The Lions are averaging 88.2 points per game and giving up just 55.2 for a 33-points-per-game margin. They are off to a 5-0 start.

For the big start, Liberty Christian is the MaxPreps Indiana Team of the Week, presented by the Indiana Army National Guard.

The Lions came out roaring with a 105-44 win over Cowan and haven't slowed down much since, scoring 81, 77, 92 and 86.

"We are extremely blessed to have the players we have," Chappell said. "That is what we train our players to do. It is a fun way to play basketball and it is easy to get buy in. We really don't worry about the score, we just play our game and try to execute our game to the best of our ability. Our practices are short, but there is a lot of movement to build stamina, yet keep them healthy."

The team is led by the state's second-leading scorer in senior Chris Nunn, a 5-9 guard, (26.0 ppg) and followed by his cousin Franklin Nunn, a 6-3 junior, (19.3). Ronny Williams, a 5-6 sophomore, is third at 9.3 per game.

Chris Nunn has made 41 of 52 shots (79 percent) and the team is hitting 55 percent of shots. Chris Dunn also leads team in assists with 18.

"Chris is a very gifted athlete," Chappell said. "He has quickness and great body control. He is a great defender and scorer. He cares about his craft and does a good job of putting his teammates in a position to succeed. He and Franklin make for a powerful duo no matter what class."

Chappell said he's known this is a special group for years.

"We had a group of players that we have been grooming since elementary," he said. "Some players went to other schools, some left and came back, and some have stayed the course. The guys who are here and believe in what we do are reaping the benefits."

And there are a lot of them.

"I am extremely pleased with our depth," Chappell said. "I feel as if everyone is contributing. If we can get 100 percent buy in from everyone, we can accomplish some great things. Sophomore Ronny Williams and freshman Joshua Tufts have really stepped up and come out of their shell."