Latest news with #On3sports
Indianapolis Star
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Now that Braylon Mullins is 2025 Mr. Basketball, a look ahead to potential 2026 contenders
Now that Greenfield-Central senior Braylon Mullins has been named 2025 IndyStar Mr. Basketball, we can start thinking ahead to the 2026 race. Disclaimer: This is my opinion on how I see the landscape right now and how it could potentially play out next season. Disclaimer 2: The award is open only to seniors and is voted on by high school basketball coaches and media statewide (this year there were 344 votes total). Disclaimer 3: I am basing this on current information on where I expect players to be next season. Also, one of names who would have been listed here — Steven Reynolds III of South Bend Washington — will be spending his senior year in Texas, where his father will be an assistant for the Texas-Arlington women's program and sisters Amiyah, Kira and Mila will enroll. Reynolds III was the highest-ranked in-state prospect in the class (No. 82 by On3sports) with an offer list that includes Michigan State, Purdue, Notre Dame and several more. Again, this is just a starting point. We can revisit closer to the season … 10 potential favorites Luke Ertel, Mt. Vernon The point guard and Purdue recruit may have jumped from a favorite to the favorite after his postseason heater. Most memorable was a 36-point, 10-rebound, eight-assist performance in an 83-76 double overtime sectional championship comeback win over Mullins in the sectional championship game at Muncie Fieldhouse. He also went for 29 points in the semistate semifinal against Jeffersonville, though the Marauders came up short in a 63-59 loss. He averaged 22.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game for a 21-6 team. Despite missing most of his sophomore season, he will go into his senior with 998 career points. 'Always looking for a battle.' Luke Ertel plays with chip on shoulder Dikembe Shaw, Crown Point There are some similar vibes to the 6-7 Shaw as there was to this year's Mr. Basketball runner-up, Jeffersonville's Tre Singleton. Like the Northwestern recruit Singleton, Shaw will go into his senior season playing on a team that has a chance to compete for a Class 4A state championship (Singleton's Jeffersonville team won the title). As a junior, Shaw averaged 16.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals (and shot 37.9% from the 3-point line) to lead Crown Point to a 23-3 season and Class 4A semistate appearance for a second consecutive year. He has offers so far from Indiana State, IU Indy, Illinois-Chicago and Toledo. Shaw has 861 career points. Justin Curry, Noblesville Could the 6-3 Curry be Noblesville's first Mr. Basketball since Tom Coverdale in 1998? He is one of the top prospects in the state in the junior class and was one of six players named to the core Junior All-Stars. DePaul, Illinois-Chicago, Indiana State, Kent State, Northwestern and Toledo have offered Curry. His overall numbers — 15.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game — might not be as impressive as some but he played on a team that went 19-6 and has another top junior in Baron Walker. Curry has 723 career points. Blake Neill, Bloomfield The odds of a Class A winner is pretty low considering there has never been one since the start of class basketball in 1997-98. There are only 2A winners: DeShaun Thomas of Fort Wayne Luers in 2010 and Caleb Furst of Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian in 2021. But while the odds may be stacked against the 6-6 Neill, his production is off the charts. Neill, who already has 1,622 career points, averaged 27.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 blocked shots per game to lead the Cardinals to a 17-8 record. If Neill can lead Bloomfield to a deep tournament run, I think Neill could get some support. Noah Smith, Plainfield The 6-8 Smith was named as one of the six core members of the Junior All-Star team after a season that saw him average 16.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.5 blocked shots and 1.4 assists for a team that finished 16-8. There is no doubt about Smith being one of the top prospects in the 2026 class (ranked No. 130 in the country in the latest 2026 rankings by On3sports). He already has offers from DePaul, Indiana State, Toledo and Xavier. If Smith hits that next level with his game, he definitely jumps into serious consideration. Kai McGrew, Fishers The 6-9 McGrew is a transfer from Lawrence North who is on the core Junior All-Stars. He came on strong to average 14.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists this season to help the Wildcats to a 22-7 record and Class 4A semistate championship game appearance. McGrew, who played his freshman year in Colorado, has 911 career points. One thing worth noting here is there have not been a lot of transfer players win Mr. Basketball. The closest example in this case might be Lafayette Jeff's Mark Jewell, who won Mr. Basketball in 1986 after transferring from Terre Haute North following his junior year. E.J. Hazelett, Franklin Central The 6-7 Hazelett missed a good chunk of his junior season due to a foot injury but is certainly one of the most talented players in the class. He averaged 12.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game (shot 38.9% from the 3-point line) as a junior. Hazelett, who has 726 career points, picked up early offers from Indiana State and Kent State. Franklin Central would have to improve on its 8-15 record for Hazelett to jump into consideration. Brennan Miller, Lawrence North The 6-7 Miller averaged 13.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals as a junior to earn Junior All-Stars honors. Miller has offers from Akron, IU Indy, Kent State, Toledo, Valparaiso and Wright State. With Mr. Basketball finalist Azavier Robinson graduating and Kai McGrew transferring, Miller will have quite a bit more on his shoulders going into next season for a Lawrence North team that was 22-7 last year and played in the Class 4A semistate. Miller has 871 career points. Kasen Daeger, Silver Creek News flash: Silver Creek is going to be really good. The Dragons were 22-5 this season and played for a 3A sectional championship, losing by two points to Brownstown Central. Daeger, how has offers from Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri State, averaged 16.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists and shot 40% (57-for-144) from the 3-point line. He has 1,030 career points. Keriawn Berry, Avon The 6-5 transferred in from Louisville Trinity and earned Junior All-Stars honors as he averaged 13.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game on a balanced Avon team that finished 20-4. Berry, who has offers from Ball State, Coastal Carolina and IU Indy, will take on a bigger load for the Orioles next season with several seniors gone to graduation. Others to consider Anthony Fresh, Charlestown: Averaged 20.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.2 steals on a 3A team that finished 18-6. A 39% (45-for-115) 3-point shooter. Drew Haffner, Westfield: On a balanced 18-4 Westfield team, Haffner led the Shamrocks in scoring at 12.4 points per game and shot 48% (48-for-100) from the 3-point. Should have been a Junior All-Star in my opinion. Terrence Hayes Jr., Gary 21 st Century: The 6-1 Hayes averaged 20.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 3.4 steals for a 21-7 team that played in the semistate championship. Shot 40% (46-for-115) from the 3-point line. Has 1,340 career points. Edwin Holmes, Princeton: The 6-7 Holmes averaged 16.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.7 blocked shots on a 24-3 Class 3A regional title team. Has 1,033 career points. Tyrese Jones, South Bend Riley: The junior turned some heads with a 45-point performance in Riley's 77-71 double overtime win over Warsaw in the regional. Transferred from closed South Bend Clay. Averaged 14.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.2 steals. JaShawn Ladd, Ben Davis: The 6-5 guard averaged 13.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.6 steals to help the Giants to a 17-9 season. Shot 41% (41-for-99) from the 3-point line. Treigh Schelsky, Parke Heritage: Has 1,398 career points. Helped Parke Heritage to back-to-back Class 2A semistate championship game appearances. Averaged 13.4 points, 4.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals this season. Nick Shrewsberry, South Bend St. Joseph: The 6-4 Shrewsberry averaged 13.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game for the 27-3 Class 3A state champions. Shot 36.3% (78-for-215) from the 3-point line. Julien Smith, Cathedral: Mt. Vernon transfer averaged 13.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists as a junior. Shot 42.2% (62-for-147) from the 3-point line. Has 1,011 career points. Picked up an offer from Detroit Mercy during the season. Baron Walker, Noblesville: The 6-2 Walker averaged 15.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game to help the Millers to a 19-6 record. Shot 40.2% (37-for-92) from 3-point line.
Indianapolis Star
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
State's top-ranked football recruit picks Indiana: 'It just felt like home'
When Bo Polston talks about there being 'something different' about Kasmir Hicks, the Decatur Central quarterback can speak from experience. Polston and Hicks, both juniors, have been playing with and against each other going back to kindergarten in the Decatur Central youth program. In the championship game when they were in fourth grade, Polston's team played against Hicks' team. 'The score was like 56 to 55,' Polston said. 'It was me and him, just back and forth. But he ended up getting the ball last. So, he won. When he has the ball in his hands or he's guarding the best player, special things happen.' That was true of Hicks in grade school, middle school and high school. IU believes it can be in college, too. The 6-foot, 180-pound speedster, ranked as the No. 1 player in the state in the 2026 class by On3sports, announced his commitment to Indiana on Friday, picking the Hoosiers over Cincinnati, Louisville, Missouri and Vanderbilt. In addition to those schools, Hicks also had offers from Illinois, Michigan State, Northwestern, Purdue, Stanford and Wisconsin and several Mid-American Conference programs. 'Home was just IU,' Hicks said. 'It was just different. It wasn't really because it was close, it was just from being around campus and being around the coaching staff. They were different from every other school. I definitely like coach Cig (Curt Cignetti) and what he has going. I went there and it felt different from everywhere else. I love (cornerbacks coach Rod Ojong) too. It just felt like home.' Hicks was a major part of Decatur Central's run to its first state championship last year in Class 5A. He caught 54 passes for 877 yards and 13 touchdowns and ran for 479 yards and five touchdowns on offense. On defense, Hicks had 32 tackles, four interceptions, two fumble recoveries and one caused fumble. He also averaged 48.8 yards on eight kickoff returns for coach Kyle Enright's team. Hicks likely projects as a cornerback in college, at least initially. 'I was talking to coach (Cignetti) and I don't really know everything yet but because I do play both ways (in high school), he was talking about potentially down the road I could start playing both ways,' Hicks said. 'But coming in that first year I'm going to stick at corner. I don't really care (about position). I just love football.' Hicks, rated as a three-star prospect by On3 and 247Sports, is the fourth known high school commit in IU's 2026 recruiting class. Four-star athlete Henry Ohlinger of Columbus, Ohio, three-star offensive lineman Samuel Simpson of River Falls, Wisc., and three-star defensive lineman Rodney White of Towson, Md., are the others. Hicks is the third Decatur Central player in the 2026 class to commit to a Division I college, joining quarterback Polston (Toledo) and athlete Fa'Rel Carter, who committed to Eastern Michigan on Tuesday. The connection with Ojong, who coached All-American cornerback D'Angelo Ponds last season as IU made a run to the College Football Playoff, played a major role in Hicks' comfort level in Bloomington. 'The first time I talked to him about a year ago at a junior day and got coached up by him, it was good,' Hicks said. 'I was there a lot and every time I went there, it was home. And a big difference from the other schools was that I had great relationships with all the coaches. At one school, it was just a relationship with the position coach. With IU, I had relationships with all the coaches there on the defensive side mostly.' Hicks said the timing of his decision was him 'trusting my gut.' 'Coaches told me to trust my gut and I'd know when I know,' he said. There are bigger challenges ahead for Hicks and his teammates in coming months as Decatur Central makes the jump from Class 5A to 6A via the tournament success factor. But his college decision is now behind him. 'I was just ready,' Hicks said. When Hicks is ready, things tend to happen.
USA Today
18-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Nebraska walk-on transfers to South Dakota State
Former Nebraska walk-on transfers to South Dakota State Nebraska wide receiver Alex Bullock has entered the transfer portal, @On3sports has learned. Has posted 16 career catches for 233 yards and a touchdown. — Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) April 17, 2025 A former Nebraska walk-on has announced his new transfer destination. Wide receiver Alex Bullock has officially signed with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. In three seasons with Nebraska, Bullock appeared in 26 games and had 16 receptions for 233 yards and one touchdown. Before walking on at Nebraska, Bullock was a two-way player for Creighton Prep. As a senior, he caught 54 passes for 765 yards and eight touchdowns. On defense, he intercepted five passes and had eight pass breakups with 35 tackles. This marks the second wide receiver and third player to depart the program since the portal opened on Wednesday. Hardley Gilmore IV transferred back to Kentucky after being dismissed from the Nebraska football team earlier this month. The other former Husker to enter the transfer portal was punter Jack McCallister. McCallister made the announcement on social media and wrote that he was leaving due to 'a change in circumstances.' Those circumstances are the fact that Nebraska plans to use a rugby-style punter for the Cornhuskers in 2025 while McCallister is a traditional punter. Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
06-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Alabama lands transfer portal commitment from former 5-star, Top 10 recruit
Alabama lands transfer portal commitment from former 5-star, Top 10 recruit NEWS: Miami transfer guard Jalil Bethea, a former 5⭐️ recruit, has committed to Alabama, source told @On3sports. The 6-5 freshman had a career-high 21 points on Syracuse in February. — Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) April 6, 2025 The Alabama Crimson Tide continue to roll in the transfer portal, landing a commitment Sunday afternoon from one of their top targets in former Miami Hurricanes guard Jalil Bethea. Bethea is the third transfer portal commitment for Alabama so far this offseason, joined by Bucknell center Noah Williamson and Florida State forward Taylor Bol Bowen. The former Miami guard started 16-of-31 games for the Hurricanes during the 2024-25 season as a freshman in which he averaged 7.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. Bethea also shot 36.8% from the field during the season, as well as 32.6% from three and 82% at the free throw line. Prior to Miami, Bethea was considered one of the nation's top overall players in the 2024 recruiting class, ranking as the No. 7 overall prospect nationally according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. Considered as a five-star prospect, Bethea also ranked as the nation's No. 3 overall shooting guard, as well as the No. 1 player in the state of Pennsylvania where he attended Archbishop Wood High School. Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
