FORT WAYNE – For about as long as Scott Kohne has been playing basketball – and that dates back to his elementary school years – he has rarely been his team’s focal point.

At Bishop Dwenger, he didn’t even make the varsity squad until he was a senior.

Then there was life in the shadows in his first two years at Saint Francis. Last year, it was senior guard Qadr Owens who was the featured attraction.

“I wasn’t the go-to guy going into my senior year (at Dwenger),” Kohne said. “As the season went on I started becoming the go-to guy. That’s when (former Saint Francis) coach (Jeff Rekeweg) started to recruit me to come here. I hadn’t been the guy until midway through my senior year.”

Kohne has become more than the Cougars’ go-to guy the first half of the season. Averaging 19.3 points and 10.1 rebounds, he’s become one of the Crossroad League’s top threats.

It’s a role Kohne is growing into.

“We really needed to establish a post presence inside, and we thought this would be one of our better shooting teams that we’ve had here, especially if we establish Scott inside,” Saint Francis coach Chad LaCross said. “Teams would double down on him, and we felt we had some weapons on perimeter, but we’re just not shooting the ball well at all. Scott’s been there for us day in, day out, and has been a force for us there inside.”

Despite the Cougars shooting below a 30 percent clip from outside, Kohne is still averaging a double-double.

He opened the season with 18 points, 12 rebounds, four steals, two blocks and two assists. Then he scored 23, 18, 28, 33 and 29. That’s when the rest of the Crossroads League thought it might be good strategy to double down on the 6-foot-7 junior.

“In high school I never got double teamed,” Kohne said. “People in college are bigger, stronger, faster, so you’ve got to be strong with the ball and take care of it.”

Tech bowlers first

Senior Tony Henry (Bishop Dwenger) and sophomore Jenna Shaffer of Indiana Tech won individual honors in the recent WHAC bowling jamboree at Pro Bowl West. Henry averaged 222.5 over four games and Shaffer averaged 211.5.

Tech’s men’s and women’s teams finished second in the event.

Athletes of note

Indiana Tech’s Antonio

Cannon was named WHAC men’s basketball player of the week. The senior averaged 19 points and six rebounds to lead Tech to two victories. … Trine guard Ian

Jackson was named co-player of the week with Calvin’s Tom Snikkers in MIAA men’s basketball. Jackson averaged 34.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in a pair of Trine wins. … IPFW junior forward Amanda Hyde was recently named Summit League women’s basketball player of the week. It was the second honor this season for Hyde, who averaged 27.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and four steals per game as IPFW split two games.