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Indianapolis Star
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Indiana high school basketball player rankings: Top 20 in-state prospects in Class of 2027
The 2027 in-state basketball class is starting to take shape. Here are the top 20 prospects (and 25 more) — ranked primarily on college potential, along with production as a high school player — by Preps Insider Kyle Neddenriep (this does not include players who have left state for prep school): Good luck finding a player who can get coast-to-coast faster than the 6-1 Gardner Jr., the son of 1999 Mr. Basketball Jason Gardner of North Central. He led Fishers in scoring and assists as a sophomore, averaging 14.5 points, 5.3 assists and 3.0 rebounds for a team that nearly won a second consecutive state title, coming up one point short to Jeffersonville in the Class 4A championship to finish 30-1. Gardner's offer list includes Cincinnati, Creighton, DePaul, Indiana, IU Indy, Morehead State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Texas and UNLV. Gardner, ranked No. 25 in the country by 247Sports, already has 653 career points with two seasons to go. The 7-foot Hill is a tantalizing talent who shot up to No. 49 in the country in the latest 247Sports national rankings for the 2027 class. Hill, who averaged 10.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.6 blocked shots as a sophomore for Pike, has offers from Georgetown, Indiana, Louisville, Purdue, Syracuse and TCU. It will be interesting to see how long Hill keeps his recruitment open. The Boilermakers seem to have been ahead of the rest of the field up to this point. Top Indiana seniors: Top 25 in-state prospects in Class of 2026 The more I watch the 6-3 point guard play, the more I like his game. Miller led Pike in scoring as a sophomore, averaging 15.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.8 steals in 17 games. He shot from the perimeter at a high rate (42.2% from 3-point line) and connected on 80% from the free-throw line. Miller was offered in June by Appalachian State, Oklahoma State and Toledo. Before his sophomore year at Pike, he was offered by Alabama and Radford. The 6-3 combo guard was outstanding at the Charlie Hughes Shootout with his Plainfield team, going for 32, 31 and 27 points in games against South Bend St. Joseph, Silver Creek and Cathedral. Baker-Lands averaged 15.3 points and 3.0 rebounds as a sophomore, helping the Quakers to a 16-8 season. Baker-Lands has offers from Eastern Illinois, Morehead State and Tulane. I would expect plenty more for Baker-Lands if he continues to play like he did in June. If you don't like the way the 5-10 Zachary plays, I don't think we can be friends. His confidence and knowledge gives him an edge on opponents nearly every time he takes the court. Zachary averaged 11.2 points, 5.0 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game as a sophomore, shooting an outstanding 49.7% from the 3-point line (82-for-165). Zachary and Gardner are a combined 59-2 in two seasons at Fishers with a 4A state title and runner-up. Has offers from Ball State, Cal-State Bakersfield, Eastern Illinois, Kent State, Nevada and Toledo. The 6-7 Welker is a name to watch in the coming year. I liked how he played in the Futures Game, going for 13 points and 10 rebounds in 19 minutes. Welker averaged 16.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists as a sophomore for the 22-6 Class 4A regional champions. He shot 42% from the 3-point line. He has offers so far from Indiana Tech and Saint Francis. The 6-3 King was one of the standouts of the Charlie Hughes Shootout for defending Class 3A state champion South Bend St. Joseph, which will be moving up to 4A this season. King was second on the team in scoring as a sophomore, averaging 14.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He shot 34.8% from the 3-point line (57-for-164). King has Division I interest. The 6-3 Cross proved to be one of the state's top sophomores last season as he averaged 16.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game for the Class 4A Cougars, who finished 7-17. Cross shot 38.6% from the 3-point line (49-for-127). He picked up offers in June from Southeast Missouri State and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. Cross and Levi Lindeman will give the Cougars a tough 2027 combo. Elite passer. The 6-3 point guard is one of the best passers on this list — or any list. Hunter averaged 9.4 points, 7.5 assists and 6.1 rebounds as a sophomore for a Silver Creek team that finished 22-5 and should go into next season as one of the top contenders in Class 3A. Hunter did not shoot a lot from the perimeter but was beyond productive when he did, going 19-for-35 from the 3-point line. The 6-6 Lampley can make it look so easy. As a freshman at Tindley, he averaged 11.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists. He played in just a few games at Lawrence Central last year before leaving the team and eventually transferring to Pike. He picked up an offer from Rutgers prior to his sophomore season. Lampley definitely has the potential to have a breakout junior season. The 6-11 McKinney has a chance to be a breakout player in this class for the upcoming season. McKinney averaged 5.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots as a sophomore for Class 3A Brebeuf, which finished 14-9. McKinney played well at the Top 100 Underclass Showcase. The 6-7 Vise was one of the players who stepped his game up during Mt. Vernon's run to the Class 4A regional championship in a 21-6 season. Vise was 23-for-31 from the field during the tournament. He averaged 8.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists for the season and shot 65% from the field, including 8-for-18 from the 3-point line. The 6-3 guard averaged 5.1 points per game as a sophomore for Warren Central, shooting 38% from the 3-point line. Craig transferred to Lawrence Central in June. Craig is a long, physical guard who is capable of being a good defender for the Bears. He had 15 points and four assists in the Futures Game. The 6-7 Bolden had a big sophomore season as he averaged 18.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots for a Class 2A team that finished 18-7. He shot 77% from the field and improved his free-throw shooting to 67%. It will be interesting to see how Bolden continues to improve and expand his game. The 6-10 Vandegriff averaged 3.7 points and 2.4 rebounds in 20 games as a sophomore for the Shamrocks. Like a lot of interior players at this age, Vandegriff's best basketball is still ahead of him. Vandegriff can get up and down the floor and block shots and rebound. He has also a nice touch when he gets the ball around the basket. The 6-3 Grissom had one of the best sophomore seasons in Central Indiana, averaging 12.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals per game for the 23-5 Golden Eagles, a Class 3A sectional champion. Grissom is definitely capable of shooting better from the 3-point line (28.1% last season). He led his team with 18 points in the Futures Game (3-for-6 from 3-point line). The 6-2 Hogue is coming off a season that saw him average 11.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game. An area of improvement will be his outside shooting (27.5% last season). I really liked Hogue's game when I saw him at the Futures Game. He went for 14 points, four assists and four rebounds, tossing a nice alley-oop to Isaiah Hill of Pike. The 6-5 Lindeman had an outstanding performance at the Charlie Hughes Shootout. The son of former IU player Todd Lindeman and younger brother of Luke, a senior last year for Bloomington North, averaged 9.9 points and 4.2 rebounds as a sophomore. Lindeman shot 31% from the 3-point line last season. The 6-6 Miamba is definitely talented enough to go much higher on this list. He is long and athletic and has the potential to be an outstanding defender. Miamba transferred to the Class 3A state champions from Penn after a sophomore season that saw him average 8.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. He shot 29.6% (24-for-81) from the 3-point line. The 6-4 Bellamy transferred from North Central to Lawrence Central going into his junior season. The two-year varsity player averaged 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game last season for the Panthers, who won the Marion County tournament. In two seasons, he has shot 33.8% (23-for-68) from the 3-point line. ∎ Brody Baker, Harrison (West Lafayette): The 6-1 guard, a transfer from McCutcheon, was one of the top scoring guards in the state last season (20.2 ppg, 3.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists). Had 12 points in the Futures Game. ∎ Brandon Day, Brownsburg: The 6-4 Day played well at the Charlie Hughes Shootout and has a chance to be a difference-maker for the Bulldogs as a junior. He played mostly junior varsity as a sophomore. ∎ Chase Devine, Bremen: The 6-2 shooting guard tied Bremen's single-season scoring record as he averaged 22.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.0 steals as a sophomore. Shot 34.7% from the 3-point line for the Class 2A Lions. ∎ Kyle Edwards, Whiteland: The 6-4 Edwards is the younger brother of UIndy commit Ethan Edwards, a senior last season for the sectional champion Warriors. Kyle Edwards averaged 7.4 points and 3.2 rebounds as a sophomore, shooting 33.3% (23-for-69) from the 3-point line. ∎ Jackson Gordon, Brownsburg: The 6-9 Gordon, the younger brother of girls Indiana All-Star and Purdue commit Avery Gordon, will be a name to watch for Brownsburg. Played in 10 varsity games last season as a sophomore. Nice touch around the basket. ∎ Joshua Henderson, University: The 6-6 Henderson, the son of former IU player Alan Henderson, returned from injury to help the Trailblazers to the Class 2A state finals, averaging 7.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots in 16 games. ∎ A.J. Jones, Crispus Attucks: The 5-8 Jones is one of the quickest players in the class. He averaged 5.7 points, 2.1 assists and 1.5 rebounds as a sophomore. ∎ Kendrick Martin, Liberty Christian: The 6-3 Martin averaged 15.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game as a sophomore. Had 12 points and five rebounds in the Futures Game in June. ∎ Ryan Miller, Tri-West: The 6-1 Miller knows how to play. He averaged 13.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals as a sophomore, shooting 38.3% (54-for-141) from the 3-point line. ∎ Carter Murans, Guerin Catholic: The 6-7 Murans averaged 3.9 points and 1.8 rebounds as a sophomore, shooting 10-for-31 from the 3-point line. Older brother Dylan is going into his second season at Army. ∎ Vince Nover, Carmel: The 6-4 Nover looks like a good candidate for a breakout season after his performance at the Charlie Hughes Shootout. Nover played in 11 games last year for Carmel on the varsity team. ∎ Griffin Ott-Large, LaPorte: The 6-1 Ott-Large was one of the highest-scoring sophomores in the state, averaging 16.9 points, 4.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds. He shot 33.7% from the 3-point line. ∎ Trey Page, Sheridan: The 6-1 Page averaged 16.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.8 assists per game for the 16-6 Blackhawks. Page shot 38.6% from the 3-point line (71-for-184). ∎ DaKori Parker, South Bend Washington: The 5-10 Parker can really go. Strong and explosive player who averaged 14.4 points, 4.7 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.7 steals as a sophomore. Shot 36% from 3-point line. ∎ Kamdon Partenheimer, Forest Park: The 6-7 Partenheimer is a versatile player who averaged 11.4 points and 6.3 rebounds as a sophomore for a 19-7 team that won a Class 2A regional title. Shot 34% from the 3-point line. ∎ Ketron Paschall, Fort Wayne Snider: The 6-5 Paschall is a strong interior presence on both ends of the floor. Paschall was impressive at the Charlie Hughes Shootout. He was one of the top rebounding sophomores in the state, averaging 8.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots. He shot 64% from the field. ∎ Landon Reed, Floyd Central: The 6-3 Reed was one of the highest-scoring sophomores in the state, averaging 16.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game for the 5-19 Highlanders. Reed shot 34.4% from the 3-point line. ∎ Griffyn Robisch, Park Tudor: The 6-6 Robisch is definitely capable of making a jump into the top-20. Has a lot of upside. Averaged about 4 points and 4 rebounds per game as a sophomore, shooting 34% from 3. ∎ Austin Schlabach, Westview: I was really impressed with the 6-1 guard at the Charlie Hughes Shootout. Can shoot it from the perimeter and a good athlete. Averaged 15.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists for an 18-8 Class 2A team. ∎ Branden Sharpe, Brownsburg/Kaleb Elkins, Warren Central: I put these two here because both will be football players in college but are also dazzling talents in basketball. The 6-1 Sharpe, a wide receiver, averaged 4.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals as a sophomore. The 6-3 Elkins, a safety, averaged 9.5 points as a sophomore. ∎ Nash Sigmund, Decatur Central: The 6-1 Sigmund is one of the best shooters in the class. He averaged 9.8 points and 1.7 rebounds as a sophomore, shooting 36% (58-for-161) from the 3-point line. Sigmund lit it up at the Charlie Hughes Shootout. ∎ Klinton South, Center Grove: The 6-1 South is a physical guard who played a major role last year for the 11-12 Trojans, averaging 12.0 points and 4.0 rebounds on 40% shooting from the 3-point line. ∎ Bles'sed Thomas, Crispus Attucks: The 6-foot guard transferred from Tech to Crispus Attucks after a sophomore season that saw him average 13.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Thomas shot 38% (22-for-58) from the 3-point line. ∎ Jace Tonagel, Oak Hill: The 5-11 guard, the son of Indiana Wesleyan coach Greg Tonagel, averaged 19.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.6 steals per game as a sophomore for 17-7 Oak Hill. Tonagel already has 823 career points. ∎ Michael Woods, Hammond Morton: The 6-foot guard averaged 15.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game as a sophomore for a 7-17 team. Woods shot 38.8% (31-for-80) from the 3-point line.
Indianapolis Star
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
From hoop dreams to football recruit: Ben Davis senior makes pick, more local commitments
Like a lot of Indianapolis athletes who grow up with a basketball in their hands, Robert Reddick thought his future — possibly his college future — would be in that sport. Not that Reddick ever gave up the game. He is still playing hoops going into his senior year at Ben Davis. But around the end of his freshman year and going into his sophomore year, Reddick realized his size and talents might be better suited for a future in football. 'It got put in my brain first by (then Ben Davis coach) Jason Simmons,' Reddick said. 'He believed I'd have a good shot at being a Power 5 guy (in football). And when you're talking about 6-1 or 6-2 in basketball vs. football, it makes a big difference.' Reddick's football talent as a defensive back led to multiple scholarship offers. The three-star prospect committed to Kansas over his other finalists — Purdue, Illinois, Northern Illinois and Toledo. Reddick, who committed on his official visit last week, said he developed a strong connection to defensive backs coach Brandon Shelby, along with defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald. 'They are really transparent,' Reddick said. 'It was like talking to one of my high school coaches or an extended parent. Once I got on my visit, all of my questions were pretty much answered and some more.' Kansas recruited Reddick as a cornerback, though the door is left open to possibly playing elsewhere in the secondary. He is rated as the No. 29 in-state prospect in the 2026 class by 247Sports. Kansas has another in-state commitment in its high school recruiting class in Westfield offensive lineman Malachi Mills. The Jayhawks have 18 commitments in the recruiting class, which currently ranks No. 24 by 247Sports. Last season, Reddick had 34 tackles and caught one touchdown pass. He will likely play a role on both sides of the ball for the Giants as a senior. 'I'm going to be a big leader out there,' he said. 'I'll be a vocal leader playing both ways. We've been doing really well (in June), taking good steps toward the end of the summer.' Reddick, who played in the Charlie Hughes Shootout with the Ben Davis basketball team over the weekend, said he plans to play basketball as a senior. 'Playing basketball means a little bit more now since it's going to be my last year playing organized basketball,' he said. It is hot. It is June. And we are drinking from a fire hose of football commitments. Getting caught up on the most recent Central Indiana football commitments in the rising senior class: ∎ Kobe Cherry, Center Grove: The 6-5, 285-pound Cherry committed to Purdue on Monday night after taking an official visit over the weekend. Cherry, the brother of former Center Grove star quarterback Tyler Cherry, who is now at IU, missed his junior year with a knee injury. He picked the Boilermakers over IU and Wisconsin. Cherry is also a standout baseball player. ∎ Jerimy Finch Jr., Warren Central: The second-ranked in-state prospect in the 2026 class by 247Sports, Finch announced his commitment to Alabama on Sunday. The 6-3, 260-pound Finch picked the Crimson Tide over his other four finalists: Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Purdue and Tennessee. Finch took an official visit to Alabama at the end of May. He also took official visits to each of his other four finalists. ∎ Dominick Barry, Center Grove: Wake Forest swooped in and gained a commitment from one of the state's top prospects after an official visit. The 6-4, 225-pound Barry, a versatile tight end, caught 31 passes for 237 yards and five TDs last season. Barry, rated as the No. 18 in-state player by 247Sports, had been offered by Cincinnati, Duke, Indiana, Kansas, Pitt, Purdue, Washington and Wisconsin, among others. ∎ Muna Newman-Nwodika, Pike: The 6-5, 230-pound Newman-Nwodika committed to Western Michigan after picking up an offer earlier in the month. The defensive lineman also had an offer from Grand Valley State. He also plays on Pike's basketball team. ∎ Brady Weber, Center Grove: The 6-5, 275-pound offensive tackle committed to Ball State over offers from Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Middle Tennessee State and Western Michigan. ∎ Breck Mallory, Lawrence North: The 6-3, 215-pound linebacker was one of the standouts for Lawrence North's 11-1 team last season, making 130 tackles (28 for loss) with five sacks, two caused fumbles, two blocked punts and two defensive touchdowns. He picked Western Michigan over Bowling Green, Grand Valley State, Illinois State and Kent State. ∎ Zyon Hill, Cathedral: The 6-4, 200-pound Hill had four interceptions last season. He picked up an offer from Ball State and committed a few days later over offers from Butler, Sacramento State and Western Illinois. ∎ Gannon Knowles, Cathedral: The 6-1, 215-pound linebacker committed to Ball State after receiving an offer last month. Knowles was one of the leaders of Cathedral's defense last season, making 57 tackles, including 14 ½ for loss, with three sacks and three caused fumbles. His father Jeff is the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Ball State. ∎ Zion Haney, Bishop Chatard: The 6-4, 275-pound offensive lineman committed to Ball State over offers from Army, Eastern Kentucky, Illinois State, Western Illinois and Western Kentucky. Haney was a IFCA Junior All-State selection last year. ∎ Caleb Scott, Ben Davis: The 6-2, 215-pound Scott committed to Army over offers from Dartmouth, Duke, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Toledo, UMass and Western Michigan. Scott made 40 tackles last season, including 6 ½ for a loss. ∎ Abe Walling, New Palestine: The 6-3, 255-pound offensive lineman committed to Army over offers from Colgate and Navy. Walling also had 33 tackles on the defensive side last season for the Class 4A state champions.
Indianapolis Star
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Charlie Hughes Shootout standouts Part 1: 30 players who shined in high school basketball event
CARMEL – It was a jam-packed weekend of high school basketball at the Charlie Hughes Shootout (technically called the IBCA/IHSAA Boys Team Showcase in Memory of Charlie Hughes). The added bonus is that the annual June event now comes during an evaluation period for college coaches. I was not able to see every team or every player, obviously. There were 199 teams playing over the three days. I tried to watch full games, or at least most of full games and not bounce around so much. I'm splitting this into two parts. These is the first group of 30 players I saw in person who caught my eye this weekend (years listed are for upcoming season): ∎ Keaton Aldridge Jr, Cathedral: The 6-3 senior left-hander is a physical player with an old-school game. Aldridge had 21 points in an impressive 22-point win over Avon and 25 in a 77-71 loss to Plainfield. Plays hard on defense and is a willing rebounder. Has offers from Detroit Mercy and Kent State. ∎ Prince Anga, Ben Davis: The 6-7 senior does not have much basketball experience, but I liked how he played against Westfield on Sunday. Big and strong. Can clear space in the paint and go get a rebound. Ben Davis always does a good job developing big men. Will be interesting to see how Anga contributes this season. Charlie Hughes Day 1: Noah Smith shines, Luke Ertel sits and 10 more takeaways Charlie Hughes Day 2: Jason Gardner Jr. makes 'money' play, Crown Point finishes 4-0 ∎ Harper Baker-Lands, Plainfield: Clearly one of the biggest high-risers of the weekend was the Quakers' 6-3 junior guard. Baker-Lands had a team-high 27 points in a 77-71 win over Cathedral and a team-high 31 points in a 92-88 win over Silver Creek. He also had 32 points in a four-point loss to South Bend St. Joseph. Great weekend overall for Baker-Lands, who averaged 15.3 points and 3.0 rebounds last season. Plainfield went 3-1 with wins over Silver Creek, Mt. Vernon and Cathedral. Current offers are Eastern Illinois, Morehead State and Tulane. ∎ Malakai Bravard, Southport: Southport will create some matchup problems with James Kalala and Samuel Lloyd in the high post/low post game. The 6-1 Bravard can keep opponents honest with his outside shooting. The senior had 23 points in a seven-point loss to Crispus Attucks. Bravard was a 32% 3-point shooter last year but is capable of shooting at a higher rate. ∎ Ben Bremer, Carmel: Bremer, a 6-foot senior guard, will have a lot more on his plate this season as a ballhandler and scorer. He showed he can in a 4-0 weekend for Carmel, including a 21-point game in a win over South Bend St. Joseph. Bremer is the second-leading returning scorer (6.1 ppg) and top 3-point shooter (39%). ∎ Dane Caldwell, Silver Creek: The 6-9 senior continues to perform well for a Silver Creek team that will be one of the best teams in Class 3A. Caldwell had 26 points in a 92-88 loss to Plainfield on Friday. He is coming off a strong spring and has picked up offers in June from Bellarmine, Coastal Carolina, East Tennessee State and Miami of Ohio. Caldwell averaged 12.0 points and 7.0 rebounds as a junior. ∎ Caden Claxton, Shelbyville: Tough competitor. The senior guard had 20 points in a seven-point loss to Brownsburg and had to work hard for them. Claxton shot 37% from the 3-point line as a junior. He fills more roles than just a shooter, handing the ball and creating for others. Shelbyville is going to be a strong team in Class 3A again. Claxton averaged 15.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists last season. ∎ Derrick Cross Jr., Bloomington North: The 6-3 guard was really impressive with a 23-point game on Sunday in a win over Tri-West. He missed a couple minutes late with a turned ankle but seemed OK and came back in game. It was otherwise a weekend of close losses for the Cougars, who fell by one point to Cardinal Ritter and Fort Wayne Snider and by four points to North Central. Cross is a player. He averaged 16.2 points and 5.0 rebounds as a sophomore. Cross picked up an offer Sunday from Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and one earlier this month from Southeast Missouri State. ∎ Justin Curry, Noblesville: The 6-4 Curry recently picked up an offer from Nevada, adding to a list that already includes Northwestern, DePaul, Illinois-Chicago, Kent State, Indiana State and Toledo. Curry had a great weekend for the 3-1 Millers, who beat Gary 21st Century, Penn and Silver Creek before losing by four points to New Albany. Curry is clearly one of the best players in the class, coming off a season that saw him average 15.6 points and 5.6 rebounds. ∎ Kasen Daeger, Silver Creek: The 6-3 Daeger is coming off an ankle injury that is keeping him from his usual explosion, but he shot the ball well in the couple Silver Creek games I caught. Daeger shot 40% from the 3-point line as a junior, averaging 16.2 points per game. ∎ Mason Darrell, Crown Point: I watched quite a bit of Crown Point this weekend, which turned out to be a smart move as the Bulldogs went 4-0 with victories over Mt. Vernon, Parke Heritage, Lawrence North and Fishers. One of the big reasons was the play of the fiery Darrell, who averaged 14.1 points and shot 41% from the 3-point line as a junior. The 6-1 Darrell had 22 points in the win over Fishers and added 14 vs. LN. He makes things happen. ∎ Brock Detamore, Westfield: The 6-1 senior made some big plays down the stretch in Westfield's win on Sunday against Ben Davis. Detamore finished with 11 points. He might not be the most high-scoring player but has experience (8.0 ppg, 2.8 rebounds) and contributes in a lot of areas. ∎ Landon Gilliatt, Plainfield: The 6-foot Gilliatt had a great weekend, forming a tough trio with teammates Harper Baker-Lands and Noah Smith. He handles the ball well and can really shoot it, going for 22 points in a tough six-point win over Cathedral and 17 in a four-point loss to South Bend St. Joseph. Physical guard with good touch and great passing instincts. He averaged 9.5 points and 6.5 assists as a junior. ∎ Rylon Gore, Zionsville: Shot the lights out. I don't know his exact stats for weekend, but believe the junior guard was better than 50% from the 3-point line. I had him at 7-for-9 from the arc in a win over Mooresville on Sunday. Zionsville finished 4-0 with wins over Marion, South Bend Riley, Valparaiso and Mooresville. ∎ Drew Haffner, Westfield: The 6-4 Haffner called game against Ben Davis with a tough shot at the buzzer. Fun player. He has an outstanding offensive game and quickly picked up offers from Huntington and LeMoyne after the weekend (has previous offers from Indiana Wesleyan and Taylor). He averaged a team-high 12.4 points and 3.1 rebounds last year, shooing an eye-popping 48% from the 3-point line. ∎ Charles Hardiman, Merrillville: I had a chance to see the 6-4 sophomore in the Futures Game and really liked his offensive game. He had another good performance in a loss to Decatur Central, scoring 22 points. Hardiman averaged a team-high 15.5 points as a freshman, shooting 33% from the 3-point line. Merrillville went 1-3 with a win over Blackford and losses to Roncalli, Decatur Central and Gibson Southern. ∎ Evan Harrell, Carmel: Another one of the biggest standouts of the weekend. The 6-8 senior looked much more confident, athletic and efficient than he did at the end of his junior season. He put up 25 points in the last game of the day Sunday against Northridge and had a 20-point game on Saturday in a 13-point win over South Bend St. Joseph. I think we'll see Harrell have a big senior season. He averaged 10.1 points and 4.8 rebounds as a junior. ∎ Terrence Hayes Jr., Gary 21st Century: I really like this 6-1 left-handed point guard. Hayes ran the show against Terre Haute North in every way possible, hitting 3-pointers and leading the team in transition. Very impressive. Makes confident decisions and sees the floor. Long and rangy. Hayes averaged 20.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 3.4 steals as a junior. Has offers from Valparaiso, Northern Illinois, IU Indy, Youngstown State, Saint Louis, Nevada, Missouri State, Illinois-Chicago and Murray State. ∎ Brandon Hunter, Silver Creek: I have enjoyed watching the Dragons' 6-3 junior point guard play. Outstanding passer any player would love to have on his team. Has to be fun for him to have so much talent around him on this Silver Creek team. Hunter averaged 9.4 points, 7.5 assists and 6.1 rebounds last season. ∎ Dane Kunz, Whiteland: This is the one player on this list I did not see this weekend unfortunately. But the senior's 40-point game (on 8-for-10 shooting from 3) in a win over Andrean is worth including. Whiteland went 4-0 with wins over Andrean, Anderson, Lake Central and Taylor. ∎ Ja'Shawn Ladd, Ben Davis: To say the 6-4 Ladd has major upside is putting it mildly. He made a couple of moves against Westfield that showed where he can go as a player. Ladd finished with 14 points in that game and had 27 in a Saturday win over Gary 21st Century. Ben Davis also defeated Guerin Catholic and Fort Wayne South Side to finish 3-1. Ladd, who has an offer from Miami (Ohio), averaged 13.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists as a junior. ∎ Ryan Miller, Tri-West: I watched the junior guard score 13 points in Tri-West loss to Bloomington North on Sunday. He came back to put up 39 points later in the day in a 73-61 win over Mishawaka Marian. Miller averaged 13.5 points and 3.1 assists as a sophomore and shot 38% from the 3-point line. ∎ Sherman Moss-Wright, Ben Davis: The 6-4 Moss-Wright has great size at the guard sport and should benefit from his experience a season ago (7.0 ppg, 3.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists). Recently picked up offers from Marian and UIndy. Knocked down a couple late 3-pointers against Westfield, an area where he should be improved this season. ∎ Vincent Nover, Carmel: The 6-4 junior had good size at the guard spot. He can handle the ball and shoot. Nover played in only 11 games as a sophomore but looks like a player who can help the Greyhounds in a bigger role this year and really take off. ∎ Dikembe Shaw, Crown Point: The 6-7 Shaw was expected to be one of the top players to watch this weekend and he certainly did not disappoint. Shaw's best performance was probably his 31-point game in a win over Lawrence North but he also had 17 of his 24 in the first half of a 78-73 win over Fishers. He picked up a new offer from Murray State after the shootout, adding to Coastal Carolina, Illinois-Chicago, Indiana State, IU Indy, Miami of Ohio and Toledo. It will be interesting to see if a high-major program makes a move. ∎ Nash Sigmund, Decatur Central: The 6-1 junior guard can absolutely shoot the ball. He started 8-for-9 from the 3-point line in a 72-60 win over Merrillville and finished with 28 points. You don't always see teams face guarding opponents during June, but that happened to Sigmund, who averaged 9.8 points and shot 36% from the 3-point line as a sophomore. ∎ Baron Walker, Noblesville: If you have watched a lot of basketball in your life and can appreciate a player who plays hard, plays defense, makes the right play on offense and can score from multiple levels, I'm 99.9% certain you will like Walker's game. He has offers from Boston University and Indiana State. Averaged 15.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists last season for the Millers. ∎ Graham Wilson, Westfield: I don't make a habit of watching middle school games, so I had never seen this incoming freshman before. I was really impressed how he handled the ball and carried himself in a two-point win over Ben Davis, in addition to scoring seven points. The 5-11 Wilson looks like he's ready to contribute right away. ∎ Kayleb Young, Gary 21st Century: The 6-8 junior has a chance. Takes up space inside but he is light on his feet and has good touch. With good returning guards around him, Young should benefit. Like his game. ∎ Elyas Zapata, Decatur Central: The 6-3 senior had 17 points in Decatur Central's 12-point win over Merrillville, including a fastbreak two-hand dunk. Zapata is another nice piece for the young Hawks, coming off a season that saw him average 8.1 points and 5.3 rebounds.
Indianapolis Star
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Noah Smith shines, Luke Ertel sits and 10 more takeaways from Charlie Hughes Shootout Day 1
CARMEL – If Noah Smith can stack more days like Friday, the recruitment of the Plainfield basketball senior is bound to really take off. Playing in front of college coaches at the Charlie Hughes Shootout, the 6-8, 205-pound Smith went for 29 points in a 92-88 win over Silver Creek and 28 points in an 89-85 loss to South Bend St. Joseph. 'Noah has improved tremendously since the end of last season,' Plainfield coach Andy Weaver said. 'He put on some strength, some weight, and the thing is his game translates definitely to the next level with his skill set. I think people will see his game rise to another level.' Smith, a core Junior Indiana All-Star last season after averaging 16.8 points and 7.8 rebounds, has several scholarship offers already, including DePaul, East Carolina, Toledo and Xavier. Purdue assistant Brandon Brantley was one of the coaches keeping tabs on Smith on Friday. Virginia Tech is another school that has been in contact recently, along with Ball State, Indiana State and Belmont. 'I've been talking to DePaul a lot,' Smith said. 'Pretty soon I'm going to be taking an official visit. I've been talking to Purdue a lot. I went to the Purdue camp (last Friday) and I played pretty good. (The Purdue coaches) said they love my game. They were here at both my games today.' It is not difficult to see how Smith's game would translate to the next level. He shot 5-for-6 from the 3-point line in a game at the Purdue team camp and again shot it well from the perimeter on Friday. Smith was a 32% 3-point shooter during his junior season. 'I feel like I've been shooting a lot better,' Smith said. 'Obviously I'm the tallest guy on our team, so I'll be playing the 5 (as a senior) but I'll still be on the perimeter and taking it from there. (Colleges) see me as a 3 or 4. That's where I've been playing in AAU.' In the transfer portal era, it is more difficult for high school players to get recruited. Anyone watching Smith on Friday — and Indiana coach Darian DeVries was among them — had to be impressed. 'A couple of college coaches have told me they talk to fewer high school kids than they used to, obviously with what's been happening in college basketball,' Weaver said. 'But with Noah's skill, basketball IQ and size and length, his best basketball is in front of him. And he's playing good basketball currently, too. But without question, colleges should be all over him.' Mt. Vernon star guard Luke Ertel saw his Charlie Hughes Shootout last all of 88 seconds. The Purdue recruit, who sat out two days of games at last week's NBPA Top 100 camp after spraining his right ankle, rehabbed to get himself ready for the four games at this weekend's shootout. But Mt. Vernon's game against Crown Point had barely started when he turned it again and came out. 'I have to make sure I'm healthy,' said Ertel, who jumped more than 50 spots to No. 54 in the latest 247Sports recruiting rankings for the 2026 class. 'There's no point in trying to do something. This whole week has been a process of trying to rehab and get ready for this but after that happened (Friday) it's just kind of like, 'Let's get better for July.' It's a big bummer because it's my senior year and I didn't want to miss it.' With Ertel out, Mt. Vernon lost 59-53 to Crown Point and 51-42 to Gary 21st Century. 'The other teams brought great energy and we really didn't match it,' Ertel said. ∎ Lawrence North transfer Jamar Thomas is going to be a nice addition for Mt. Vernon. Thomas, a senior, had 17 points in the loss to Gary 21st Century. 'He's another playmaker who can drive to the hoop and create for others,' Ertel said. ∎ South Bend St. Joseph, last year's Class 3A state champion, is moving up to Class 4A via the tournament success factor. But do not sleep on St. Joseph as a legit title contender. Elijah King went for 26 points and Nick Shrewsberry added 22 in a 92-88 win over Plainfield. St. Joseph then knocked off Lawrence North 70-65. A couple more good tests coming on Saturday against Carmel and Fishers. ∎ Justin Curry went for 31 points in Noblesville's 63-45 win over Penn. The Millers also defeated Gary 21st Century 66-44. ∎ Good showing Friday for Crown Point, which got 22 points from 6-6 senior Dikembe Shaw and 18 from Mason Darrell in a 59-53 win over Mt. Vernon. Crown Point also knocked off Parke Heritage 53-44. The Bulldogs will play Lawrence North and Fishers on Saturday at Carmel. ∎ In addition to Noah Smith, Plainfield got a massive day from junior guard Harper Baker-Lands, who had 20 points in the first quarter (31 for the game) in a 92-88 win over Silver Creek. Baker-Lands had 32 points in an 89-85 loss to South Bend St. Joseph. Landon Gilliatt had 17 points in the loss to St. Joseph and drilled six 3-pointers against Silver Creek. ∎ Princeton rallied for a 57-54 win over Franklin Central, breaking a tie on two Edwin Holmes free throws with 4 seconds remaining. Holmes, a 6-7 senior, finished with 25 points. Quintyn Voltz, who averaged a team-high 12.0 points and 2.2 assists last year at Decatur Central, has transferred to Princeton. ∎ Brownsburg got a strong performance from junior guard Branden Sharpe in a 71-64 win over Shelbyville. Sharpe, a top prospect in football, finished with 16 points to hold off Shelbyville, which was led by 20 points from Caden Claxton. Brownsburg also defeated Kokomo 78-59. North Central transfer Chrishon Woodward should fit in nicely for the Bulldogs. Woodward had 16 points in the win over Kokomo. ∎ I did not see Westview play last year, but I like the look of junior guard Austin Schlabach. Bouncy athlete who can score. Westview is coming off an 18-8 sectional championship season. ∎ Tyler Crews of Gary West Side is a player to watch. Crews, a 6-10 senior, has an offer from Southern Utah and a lot of potential. His teammate, senior guard Reggie Hinton, had one of the most impressive dunks of the day in the win over Kokomo. ∎ Silver Creek is going to be a handful in Class 3A. Dane Caldwell had 26 points in the 92-88 loss to Plainfield and Brandon Hunter added 19. The Dragons also a lost a close one to Lawrence North, 67-62.
Indianapolis Star
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Noah Smith shines, Luke Ertel sits and 10 more takeaways from Charlie Hughes Shootout Day 1
CARMEL – If Noah Smith can stack more days like Friday, the recruitment of the Plainfield basketball senior is bound to really take off. Playing in front of college coaches at the Charlie Hughes Shootout, the 6-8, 205-pound Smith went for 29 points in a 92-88 win over Silver Creek and 28 points in an 89-85 loss to South Bend St. Joseph. 'Noah has improved tremendously since the end of last season,' Plainfield coach Andy Weaver said. 'He put on some strength, some weight, and the thing is his game translates definitely to the next level with his skill set. I think people will see his game rise to another level.' Smith, a core Junior Indiana All-Star last season after averaging 16.8 points and 7.8 rebounds, has several scholarship offers already, including DePaul, East Carolina, Toledo and Xavier. Purdue assistant Brandon Brantley was one of the coaches keeping tabs on Smith on Friday. Virginia Tech is another school that has been in contact recently, along with Ball State, Indiana State and Belmont. 'I've been talking to DePaul a lot,' Smith said. 'Pretty soon I'm going to be taking an official visit. I've been talking to Purdue a lot. I went to the Purdue camp (last Friday) and I played pretty good. (The Purdue coaches) said they love my game. They were here at both my games today.' It is not difficult to see how Smith's game would translate to the next level. He shot 5-for-6 from the 3-point line in a game at the Purdue team camp and again shot it well from the perimeter on Friday. Smith was a 32% 3-point shooter during his junior season. 'I feel like I've been shooting a lot better,' Smith said. 'Obviously I'm the tallest guy on our team, so I'll be playing the 5 (as a senior) but I'll still be on the perimeter and taking it from there. (Colleges) see me as a 3 or 4. That's where I've been playing in AAU.' In the transfer portal era, it is more difficult for high school players to get recruited. Anyone watching Smith on Friday — and Indiana coach Darian DeVries was among them — had to be impressed. 'A couple of college coaches have told me they talk to fewer high school kids than they used to, obviously with what's been happening in college basketball,' Weaver said. 'But with Noah's skill, basketball IQ and size and length, his best basketball is in front of him. And he's playing good basketball currently, too. But without question, colleges should be all over him.' Mt. Vernon star guard Luke Ertel saw his Charlie Hughes Shootout last all of 88 seconds. The Purdue recruit, who sat out two days of games at last week's NBPA Top 100 camp after spraining his right ankle, rehabbed to get himself ready for the four games at this weekend's shootout. But Mt. Vernon's game against Crown Point had barely started when he turned it again and came out. 'I have to make sure I'm healthy,' said Ertel, who jumped more than 50 spots to No. 54 in the latest 247Sports recruiting rankings for the 2026 class. 'There's no point in trying to do something. This whole week has been a process of trying to rehab and get ready for this but after that happened (Friday) it's just kind of like, 'Let's get better for July.' It's a big bummer because it's my senior year and I didn't want to miss it.' With Ertel out, Mt. Vernon lost 59-53 to Crown Point and 51-42 to Gary 21st Century. 'The other teams brought great energy and we really didn't match it,' Ertel said. ∎ Lawrence North transfer Jamar Thomas is going to be a nice addition for Mt. Vernon. Thomas, a senior, had 17 points in the loss to Gary 21st Century. 'He's another playmaker who can drive to the hoop and create for others,' Ertel said. ∎ South Bend St. Joseph, last year's Class 3A state champion, is moving up to Class 4A via the tournament success factor. But do not sleep on St. Joseph as a legit title contender. Elijah King went for 26 points and Nick Shrewsberry added 22 in a 92-88 win over Plainfield. St. Joseph then knocked off Lawrence North 70-65. A couple more good tests coming on Saturday against Carmel and Fishers. ∎ Justin Curry went for 31 points in Noblesville's 63-45 win over Penn. The Millers also defeated Gary 21st Century 66-44. ∎ Good showing Friday for Crown Point, which got 22 points from 6-6 senior Dikembe Shaw and 18 from Mason Darrell in a 59-53 win over Mt. Vernon. Crown Point also knocked off Parke Heritage 53-44. The Bulldogs will play Lawrence North and Fishers on Saturday at Carmel. ∎ In addition to Noah Smith, Plainfield got a massive day from junior guard Harper Baker-Lands, who had 20 points in the first quarter (31 for the game) in a 92-88 win over Silver Creek. Baker-Lands had 32 points in an 89-85 loss to South Bend St. Joseph. Landon Gilliatt had 17 points in the loss to St. Joseph and drilled six 3-pointers against Silver Creek. ∎ Princeton rallied for a 57-54 win over Franklin Central, breaking a tie on two Edwin Holmes free throws with 4 seconds remaining. Holmes, a 6-7 senior, finished with 25 points. Quintyn Voltz, who averaged a team-high 12.0 points and 2.2 assists last year at Decatur Central, has transferred to Princeton. ∎ Brownsburg got a strong performance from junior guard Branden Sharpe in a 71-64 win over Shelbyville. Sharpe, a top prospect in football, finished with 16 points to hold off Shelbyville, which was led by 20 points from Caden Claxton. Brownsburg also defeated Kokomo 78-59. North Central transfer Chrishon Woodward should fit in nicely for the Bulldogs. Woodward had 16 points in the win over Kokomo. ∎ I did not see Westview play last year, but I like the look of junior guard Austin Schlabach. Bouncy athlete who can score. Westview is coming off an 18-8 sectional championship season. ∎ Tyler Crews of Gary West Side is a player to watch. Crews, a 6-10 senior, has an offer from Southern Utah and a lot of potential. His teammate, senior guard Reggie Hinton, had one of the most impressive dunks of the day in the win over Kokomo. ∎ Silver Creek is going to be a handful in Class 3A. Dane Caldwell had 26 points in the 92-88 loss to Plainfield and Brandon Hunter added 19. The Dragons also a lost a close one to Lawrence North, 67-62.
