Well the Metro Indy Fall League has been completed. I thought the games were very competitive and hard fought for the most part. There is nothing to win except pride so at times effort will be less than desired. I saw a lot of people playing hard this year especially the "big name" players. When the best players are playing hard than the less talented guys see they must put their best effort out there.
I'm going to do a breakdown by class of the league. The junior class had the most representation so some good players might be left off that list.
2013
There were only 3 freshmen in the league. The one that stood out for me was Alex Etherington 6'1. Yes, he is Austin's younger brother. He's not quite where Austin was at the same age, but Alex can definitely play. He plays hard and can shoot it pretty well. I expect him to get quality minutes for a solid Hamilton Heights team.
2012
The sophomore class was well represented in the league and a few really stood out against the older competition. DJ Ballentine 6' of Kokomo was a big time player in the league. Ballentine can really score mainly through outside shooting, but also has a good mid-range game. Mitchell Paige 5'10 (Guerin) really impressed me. Paige can shoot it very well to about 22 feet consistently and when players closed out recklessly he drove to the rim creating plays for others. I would say his biggest knock is that he is probably only 5'8 although listed at 5'10. He is quick, but to play at the D1 level you have to be ultra quick to make up for that lack of size.
Brad Hartman 6'6 (Union County) had some very good performances. He showed that he was more than a post-up and rebound type of player. He shot very well from 3 when he got his feet set. He is getting a little more bounce in his legs with his strength training that should help his game. I would say he is a mid-major prospect at this point.
Eron Harris 6'1 (Lawrence North) caught my eye with his defensive ability. Aggressive, long, smart defensively. He, also, was very good getting to the rim and finishing. His shot needs work.
2011
The junior class is going to be hard to mention everyone I need to without making this go on for pages.
Surprises
Greg Dickey 5'10(Tipton), most are probably wondering how Dickey can be a surprise since most people who follow Indiana basketball know of him, well he surprised me with how well he shot it from distance and with his ability to beat guys off the dribble then most importantly finishing at the rim. He finished at the rim consistently when people came to contest. He was very good the whole time.
Robbie Howell 6'5 (Tri-Central) played very well in the mid-range game. I had watched him over the summer a few times, but he was also in the post and didn't do too much. When he was away from the basket he showed a nice shot and the ability to beat guys off the dribble at a strong 6'5. I would rank him as a low-major prospect at this point. For sure, NAIA/D2-type of prospect with his ability to play multiple positions.
Brandon Burtner 5'11 (Western Boone)played a solid game every time out. He doesn't pop out at you, but he takes care of the ball, plays good defense, knocks down the outside shot, and isn't afraid to get after the ball. Probably a small college prospect with a chance to be a low-major prospect if he continues to improve.
Seth Small 5'10 (Hamilton Heights) is best described by his last name. Small definitely can play though and is a great competitor. He shoots it very well and will pull-up from the mid-range. He was tough to guard throughout the league. He is definitely a small college prospect up to a low-major prospect. He is a leader and fighter that can shoot...I know coaches like those type of players.
All-Junior Team
Max Landis 6'1 (Perry Meridian)-Competitor, smart, shooting it better from long distance.
Greg Dick 5'11 (Tipton)-See above
Steven Jamison 6'5 (Broad Ripple)-I believe his only offer right now is from IUPUI. I think he would be great as a wing for any team that wants to get up and down the floor. He could be very good at the top of a 1-3-1.
Austin Etherington 6'6 (Hamilton Heights)-The IU committ hit 2 game winning 3's and really crushed the boards hard. An extreme competitor doing whatever it took to win games...in a fall league.
Tyler Greathouse 6'9 (Columbus North)-The big man that can really stroke it from 3 also showed that he has a solid post game. Aggressiveness is his key to what level he can play at in college.
Demetrius Lawson 6'1 (Zionsville)-A strong guard that has a nice looking shot. To be a solid mid-major guy I think he needs to be able to handle the ball at a point guard level and be a little more consistent from the outside.
2010
There weren't a ton of seniors in the league so I will just put my All-Senior team up.
All-Senior Team
Chrishawn Hopkins 6'1 (Manual)-Butler commit dazzled fans and players with his dunks and play making abilities.
Cody Rohrer 6'1 (Arlington)-A surprise...strong, power guard that was unstoppable at times. He would just put his head down and get to the rim.
Khristian Smith 6'5 (Pike)-More athletic than I had previously given him credit for. I think he is a very good prospect for mid-majors and lower.
Ethan Jacobs 7'0 (Tipton)-The big man played on the perimeter most of the league and did a good job. He can run the floor really well. He has a good shot from the outside, but his post game still needs to be developed.
Neal Beshears 6'6 (Winchester)-The Junior All-Star shined at times. If he was more consistent from the outside he would be a bigger prospect. I love his length...with added muscle he would be able to finish at the rim better against contact.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Hopkins Back to Manual
Chrishawn Hopkins said tonight he would be transferring back to Manual High School from Herron High School after the IHSAA ruled him ineligible for this basketball season. The Butler recruit transferred to Herron to work on his academics, but the IHSAA ruled otherwise. Hopkins said the IHSAA told him he would be eligible immediately when he transferred back to Manual. He added that he was confident he could qualify academically for college at Manual.
Although there were other factors that made his transfer look scretchy, I believe the IHSAA made a mistake ruling him ineligible. That being said...I hope everything works out for Chrishawn and he is able to go on to a good career at Butler University.
Although there were other factors that made his transfer look scretchy, I believe the IHSAA made a mistake ruling him ineligible. That being said...I hope everything works out for Chrishawn and he is able to go on to a good career at Butler University.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Fall League Impressions
I did not do a week 3 wrap-up from the Metro Fall League this past week. So, I decided to give my overall impressions of what I have seen so far in league play. I think the energy and effort as been good for an informal league. It can die off when they don't have anything to play for in theory. Most have realized that it is a good time to get better though and have used the time wisely.
Austin Etherington 6'6 Hamilton Heights has impressed me with his effort. He is one of the big names in the league, but he is also playing the just as hard as anyone. He is crushing the boards, playing defense, and taking every possession seriously on offense. He did a good job containing Chrishawn Hopkins last week which is a very hard task.
Chrishawn Hopkins 6'1 Herron has probably been the most impressive. He has done a little bit of everything. He plays defense, rebounds extremely well, is a leader on the court, a play maker on offense while being pretty unselfish. He is a competitor that puts winning first.
Point Guard play has been very good. Greg Dickey (Tipton) and Max Landis (Perry Meridian) have been two that have really stood out. Dickey is a competitor that gets after it while creating opportunities for his teammates. Landis is a little bigger and stronger than Dickey but plays the same way. Landis uses a lot of change of pace to exploit defenses. Seth Small (Hamilton Heights)was super impressive last week. Small is a heady point guard that is usually pass first, but he is really good shooting from distance. His name describes him well, but he is a player to watch for D2+.
The league is wing dominated. Most of the scorers in the league play the 2/3 positions. Khristian Smith (Pike) has had a good showing. I have been impressed with his athleticism. He is more of an athlete than I had previously given him credit for. Smith also has a good stroke from 3. Steven Jamison (Broad Ripple) is a similar player. He wants to finish at the rim or above it first, but also can hit the outside shot if left open. I would be curious how much Jamison's game could grow with some added muscle. Neal Beshears (Winchester) is another solid wing in the league. When Beshears is shooting it well he is hard to stop because he can finish at the rim. He is streaky from the outside though. I think all 3 of those guys will be D1 players.
Ethan Jacobs 7'0 Tipton committed to Ohio could very well be a pro one day. He runs the floor extremely well and becoming more coordinated everyday. He already shoots it well from 19 feet, but probably shoots it a little too much instead of polishing up his inside game. He is impressive to watch run and handle the ball on a fast break though.
That certainly isn't everyone that has played well, but those are the people that have really stood out in my eyes when I have been watching games.
Austin Etherington 6'6 Hamilton Heights has impressed me with his effort. He is one of the big names in the league, but he is also playing the just as hard as anyone. He is crushing the boards, playing defense, and taking every possession seriously on offense. He did a good job containing Chrishawn Hopkins last week which is a very hard task.
Chrishawn Hopkins 6'1 Herron has probably been the most impressive. He has done a little bit of everything. He plays defense, rebounds extremely well, is a leader on the court, a play maker on offense while being pretty unselfish. He is a competitor that puts winning first.
Point Guard play has been very good. Greg Dickey (Tipton) and Max Landis (Perry Meridian) have been two that have really stood out. Dickey is a competitor that gets after it while creating opportunities for his teammates. Landis is a little bigger and stronger than Dickey but plays the same way. Landis uses a lot of change of pace to exploit defenses. Seth Small (Hamilton Heights)was super impressive last week. Small is a heady point guard that is usually pass first, but he is really good shooting from distance. His name describes him well, but he is a player to watch for D2+.
The league is wing dominated. Most of the scorers in the league play the 2/3 positions. Khristian Smith (Pike) has had a good showing. I have been impressed with his athleticism. He is more of an athlete than I had previously given him credit for. Smith also has a good stroke from 3. Steven Jamison (Broad Ripple) is a similar player. He wants to finish at the rim or above it first, but also can hit the outside shot if left open. I would be curious how much Jamison's game could grow with some added muscle. Neal Beshears (Winchester) is another solid wing in the league. When Beshears is shooting it well he is hard to stop because he can finish at the rim. He is streaky from the outside though. I think all 3 of those guys will be D1 players.
Ethan Jacobs 7'0 Tipton committed to Ohio could very well be a pro one day. He runs the floor extremely well and becoming more coordinated everyday. He already shoots it well from 19 feet, but probably shoots it a little too much instead of polishing up his inside game. He is impressive to watch run and handle the ball on a fast break though.
That certainly isn't everyone that has played well, but those are the people that have really stood out in my eyes when I have been watching games.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Fall League-Week 2
This week, I got a chance to play against the two teams I didn't see play much last week and there were a few impressive performances.
Greg Dickey 5'11 Tipton finished in the lane possession after possession and also hit a few shots from 3pt. land. He is a solid playmaker that can finish when he needs to like he did all night tonight.
Ethan Jacobs 7'0 Tipton continues to "wow" people with his range. He hit multiple 3's on the night and also ran the floor really well for a man his size.
Alexander Hutson 6'1 Tipton is streaky but he can go from cold to hot in a matter of a couple possessions and when he is on he is one of the better shooters I have ever seen.
Robbie Howell 6'5 Tri-Central might be the surprise of the team. A good spot-up shooter to about 17 feet and the ability to put it on the floor and go by a defender.
DJ Ballentine 6'0 Kokomo can really shoot the basketball. The sophomore is also good at getting into the lane and creating shots although he did not do much of that tonight.
Evan Dodd 6'5 Columbus North is similar to Howell in build and style. Dodd is probably a little bit better shooting off the dribble right now than Howell is. Dodd hit multiple pull up jumpers from about 15 feet.
Tyler Greathouse 6'8 Columbus North struggled shooting a little bit tonight, but they all looked like they were going in on the release. He also posted up well a few times. He has good post moves, but he rarely displays them.
Michael Onuorah 6'2 Brebeuf is a strong wing from Indianapolis. He rebounded well and also penetrated into the lane for a few lay-ups. I will plan to watch him more closely in the next few weeks.
Eric Harris 6'1 Lawrence North had the challenge of guarding Chrishawn Hopkins most of the game and did a good job overall. What surprised me was Harris' ability to score on Hopkins on the other end.
Eron Harris 6'0 Lawrence North hit a number of floaters and pull-up jumpers off the glass. He consistently beat defenders to the lane. It appears the sophomore needs to tighten up his range from 17 feet out.
Mark Fennerty 5'11 Carmel is known for his shooting ability and rightly so, but he uses his body really well to get defenders off of him in the lane and also has good vision to find teammates spotting up. Hopefully, he gets some good minutes for Carmel this year.
Jeff Sustarcic 6'1 Union County showed his ability to knock down open 3's in the second game of the night. Sustarcic is also a solid defender from the guard spot. He is probably an NAIA-type recruit.
Steve Malone 6'1 Arlington has played well for me the first two weeks. Malone pressures opposing point guards and is a good shooter. He takes some undesired shots at points but overall he is a good, tough player.
Cody Rohrer 6'2 Arlington is a bull/running back getting to the rim. He got to the rim and finished consistently tonight especially when baskets were needed. He is also a good spot-up shooter.
Brandon Burtner 5'11 Western Boone is a junior point guard and hit some big 3's tonight off of kick outs from Chrishawn Hopkins. Probably another D2/NAIA type of prospect.
Wade Thomas 6'8 Western Boone is a fast developing post. That being said, he still has a lot of weight to gain and a lot of skills to refine. He has a good looking 15 foot jumper, but it gets flat at times right now. He works hard and should continue to keep growing as a player. D2+ by the time he is done, he is a junior right now.
Greg Dickey 5'11 Tipton finished in the lane possession after possession and also hit a few shots from 3pt. land. He is a solid playmaker that can finish when he needs to like he did all night tonight.
Ethan Jacobs 7'0 Tipton continues to "wow" people with his range. He hit multiple 3's on the night and also ran the floor really well for a man his size.
Alexander Hutson 6'1 Tipton is streaky but he can go from cold to hot in a matter of a couple possessions and when he is on he is one of the better shooters I have ever seen.
Robbie Howell 6'5 Tri-Central might be the surprise of the team. A good spot-up shooter to about 17 feet and the ability to put it on the floor and go by a defender.
DJ Ballentine 6'0 Kokomo can really shoot the basketball. The sophomore is also good at getting into the lane and creating shots although he did not do much of that tonight.
Evan Dodd 6'5 Columbus North is similar to Howell in build and style. Dodd is probably a little bit better shooting off the dribble right now than Howell is. Dodd hit multiple pull up jumpers from about 15 feet.
Tyler Greathouse 6'8 Columbus North struggled shooting a little bit tonight, but they all looked like they were going in on the release. He also posted up well a few times. He has good post moves, but he rarely displays them.
Michael Onuorah 6'2 Brebeuf is a strong wing from Indianapolis. He rebounded well and also penetrated into the lane for a few lay-ups. I will plan to watch him more closely in the next few weeks.
Eric Harris 6'1 Lawrence North had the challenge of guarding Chrishawn Hopkins most of the game and did a good job overall. What surprised me was Harris' ability to score on Hopkins on the other end.
Eron Harris 6'0 Lawrence North hit a number of floaters and pull-up jumpers off the glass. He consistently beat defenders to the lane. It appears the sophomore needs to tighten up his range from 17 feet out.
Mark Fennerty 5'11 Carmel is known for his shooting ability and rightly so, but he uses his body really well to get defenders off of him in the lane and also has good vision to find teammates spotting up. Hopefully, he gets some good minutes for Carmel this year.
Jeff Sustarcic 6'1 Union County showed his ability to knock down open 3's in the second game of the night. Sustarcic is also a solid defender from the guard spot. He is probably an NAIA-type recruit.
Steve Malone 6'1 Arlington has played well for me the first two weeks. Malone pressures opposing point guards and is a good shooter. He takes some undesired shots at points but overall he is a good, tough player.
Cody Rohrer 6'2 Arlington is a bull/running back getting to the rim. He got to the rim and finished consistently tonight especially when baskets were needed. He is also a good spot-up shooter.
Brandon Burtner 5'11 Western Boone is a junior point guard and hit some big 3's tonight off of kick outs from Chrishawn Hopkins. Probably another D2/NAIA type of prospect.
Wade Thomas 6'8 Western Boone is a fast developing post. That being said, he still has a lot of weight to gain and a lot of skills to refine. He has a good looking 15 foot jumper, but it gets flat at times right now. He works hard and should continue to keep growing as a player. D2+ by the time he is done, he is a junior right now.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Metro Fall League
Metro Fall League started Sunday night at Arlington High School and will run through the first weekend of November. There is a solid line-up of D1 commits and D1 prospects including Chrishawn Hopkins (Butler), Austin Etherington (Indiana University), Ethan Jacobs (Ohio University)along with prospects Khristian Smith (Pike), Neal Beshears (Winchester), Brad Hartman (Union County), Tyler Greathouse (Columbus North), Max Landis (Perry Meridian), Steven Jamison (Broad Ripple), and Demetrius Lawson (Zionsville).
Steven Jamison 6'5 Broad Ripple showed a full offensive game. He converted a few jump hooks over smaller defenders and also showed range to about 21 or 22 feet. Definitely a mid-major type of wing and maybe higher depending on the program.
Max Landis 6'0 Perry Meridian is vastly underrated right now. He is good with hesitation moves and was getting into the lane at will Sunday and finishing which is just important. There isn't a lack of 6'0 point guards though. I think he would be great at a low major school although he can probably play higher depending on his development.
Khristian Smith 6'5 Pike showed a little more athleticism than I thought he had on an alley-opp that was thrown too high and he went up and got it with 2 hands. It was very impressive. He, also, came over from the weak side to block some shots high off the glass. He has a good outside stroke when he is spotted up.
Austin Etherington 6'6 Hamilton Heights hit some big shots down the stretch in one of his games to lead his team to a win. It looks like he has added some muscle which will be key for his collegiate career. He can do everything on the court.
Chrishawn Hopkins 6'2 Herron blows my mind at how unselfish he is even in games like this fall league. He does take a lot of shots but he could shoot every time down the court and it would rarely be a bad shot because he can elevate over a defender for a shot, he can beat most defenders to the rim and then finish the play way above the rim. He is always screening and setting up teammates for easy baskets. Butler definitely has a good one with Hopkins.
Demetrius Lawson 6'2 Zionsville had a good night showing that he can finish at the rim and shoot the ball from the outside. I would like him to develop into more of a point guard, but he is good enough to play the 2/3 at most colleges. He uses his strength to get by people a lot right now which he probably won't be able to do at the next level.
Neal Beshears 6'6 Winchester looked really good playing against Austin Etherington. He did a good job defending him and really bothered Etherington with his length. I really think if he can add some muscle that his game will grow immediately.
Christian Ford 5'10 Ritter had a good first night. He is a solid spot up shooter that can create shots for people but struggles with shot selection. He is probably a D2 prospect right now heading into his junior year.
I didn't get a chance to see much of 2 teams. The team with Ethan Jacobs and DJ Ballentine was impressive but I did not get to see them play very much. I did not get to see much of Coach Stang's team play either which has Greathouse, Dodd, and Eric Harris. I hope to see them more this weekend.
Steven Jamison 6'5 Broad Ripple showed a full offensive game. He converted a few jump hooks over smaller defenders and also showed range to about 21 or 22 feet. Definitely a mid-major type of wing and maybe higher depending on the program.
Max Landis 6'0 Perry Meridian is vastly underrated right now. He is good with hesitation moves and was getting into the lane at will Sunday and finishing which is just important. There isn't a lack of 6'0 point guards though. I think he would be great at a low major school although he can probably play higher depending on his development.
Khristian Smith 6'5 Pike showed a little more athleticism than I thought he had on an alley-opp that was thrown too high and he went up and got it with 2 hands. It was very impressive. He, also, came over from the weak side to block some shots high off the glass. He has a good outside stroke when he is spotted up.
Austin Etherington 6'6 Hamilton Heights hit some big shots down the stretch in one of his games to lead his team to a win. It looks like he has added some muscle which will be key for his collegiate career. He can do everything on the court.
Chrishawn Hopkins 6'2 Herron blows my mind at how unselfish he is even in games like this fall league. He does take a lot of shots but he could shoot every time down the court and it would rarely be a bad shot because he can elevate over a defender for a shot, he can beat most defenders to the rim and then finish the play way above the rim. He is always screening and setting up teammates for easy baskets. Butler definitely has a good one with Hopkins.
Demetrius Lawson 6'2 Zionsville had a good night showing that he can finish at the rim and shoot the ball from the outside. I would like him to develop into more of a point guard, but he is good enough to play the 2/3 at most colleges. He uses his strength to get by people a lot right now which he probably won't be able to do at the next level.
Neal Beshears 6'6 Winchester looked really good playing against Austin Etherington. He did a good job defending him and really bothered Etherington with his length. I really think if he can add some muscle that his game will grow immediately.
Christian Ford 5'10 Ritter had a good first night. He is a solid spot up shooter that can create shots for people but struggles with shot selection. He is probably a D2 prospect right now heading into his junior year.
I didn't get a chance to see much of 2 teams. The team with Ethan Jacobs and DJ Ballentine was impressive but I did not get to see them play very much. I did not get to see much of Coach Stang's team play either which has Greathouse, Dodd, and Eric Harris. I hope to see them more this weekend.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Zionsville Open Gym
I've had a chance to see a couple of Zionsville open gyms this week as I will be coaching in their program this year. Here are some of the observations that I had during the open gyms.
Chris Welker 6'5 has great footwork in all parts of the offensive game. Welker is really strong, can shoot it well to 22 feet, is a great leader, and has a very good basketball IQ. He verbally committed to Army over the summer and is planning on sticking with that. If he decides to change after the coaching change is determined, I would get on him if I was a mid-major or lower.
Demetrius Lawson 6'1 is a strong, combo guard at this point but I think he can make the transition to point guard in the future. He has great form on his outside shot and is a good athlete. He plays the game very unselfishly. Lawson is a sleeper at this point, but will probably have a big year for a very good team.
Reed McLaughlin 6'5 is an inside/outside threat from the 3/4 spot. He is really good from 3 when he gets his feet set. He is a a good small college prospect. Right now, his favorite is Williams College on the east coast for their high academics.
Will Dixon 6'1 freshmen is long for his height, good shooter from the outside, handles it and creates well for others, good defensively for his age. A very smart player for a frosh.
Andrew Dakich 5'11 freshmen is a heady, crafty, smart player. He can shoot it a little bit but in a program of good shooters he can make them look good by creating for them at this point. I think he will be more of a scorer once he grows a little bit more.
Zionsville has a very good looking freshmen class. It will be interesting how they develop over the next few years.
Jack Isenbarger (mid-major recruit), Chris Roberts, Blake Luers (football recruit) all play fall sports.
Chris Welker 6'5 has great footwork in all parts of the offensive game. Welker is really strong, can shoot it well to 22 feet, is a great leader, and has a very good basketball IQ. He verbally committed to Army over the summer and is planning on sticking with that. If he decides to change after the coaching change is determined, I would get on him if I was a mid-major or lower.
Demetrius Lawson 6'1 is a strong, combo guard at this point but I think he can make the transition to point guard in the future. He has great form on his outside shot and is a good athlete. He plays the game very unselfishly. Lawson is a sleeper at this point, but will probably have a big year for a very good team.
Reed McLaughlin 6'5 is an inside/outside threat from the 3/4 spot. He is really good from 3 when he gets his feet set. He is a a good small college prospect. Right now, his favorite is Williams College on the east coast for their high academics.
Will Dixon 6'1 freshmen is long for his height, good shooter from the outside, handles it and creates well for others, good defensively for his age. A very smart player for a frosh.
Andrew Dakich 5'11 freshmen is a heady, crafty, smart player. He can shoot it a little bit but in a program of good shooters he can make them look good by creating for them at this point. I think he will be more of a scorer once he grows a little bit more.
Zionsville has a very good looking freshmen class. It will be interesting how they develop over the next few years.
Jack Isenbarger (mid-major recruit), Chris Roberts, Blake Luers (football recruit) all play fall sports.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Crews Out at Army
Jeff Goodman of Fox Sports is reporting that Jim Crews will part from Army. Crews played under Bob Knight at Indiana and also was the head man at Evansville for many years. Crews always used his Indiana ties to recruit Indiana. This summer he picked up a verbal commitment from Zionsville's Chris Welker. So, Welker's recruiting might re-open depending on the outcome of this situation.
Another player has transferred out of Indiana from the class of 2010. Power guard Kennis White from South Bend Washington has moved out of state. The 2010 class has been depleted from transfers and people moving out of state. Hopefully, this trend does not continue with future classes.
Another player has transferred out of Indiana from the class of 2010. Power guard Kennis White from South Bend Washington has moved out of state. The 2010 class has been depleted from transfers and people moving out of state. Hopefully, this trend does not continue with future classes.
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