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2013 Overall Rankings

Here is my top 16 for the class of 2013 so far. Once again, it is a combination of college potential and current skill level.

H=High major H- = High major Stretch

M+ = Mid-major, higher possibly, M=Mid-major, M- =Mid-major stretch

L+ = Low major, higher possibly, L= Low-major, L- = Low-major stretch

1. Collin Hartman 6’5 Cathedral H Good without the ball, very good shooter, always looking to attack, average athlete for a high major prospect. Best when he is coming off screens and either shooting or attacking when the defender is out of position.
2. Basil Smotherman 6’5 SF Heritage Christian H Long arms, quick, good athlete, good basketball IQ like a coach’s son should have, great shooter. Purdue and Xavier have offered so far.
3. Darryl Baker 6’2 Jeffersonville H Power guard, good shooter with great range, penetrates to create for others just as much as he drives to score, still recovering from knee injury but looked healthy April 11.
4. Bryson Scott 6’1 Fort Wayne Northrop H- Change of pace and crafty moves with the ball makes him really hard to guard at this level. He is also strong for his age and finishes well right below the rim. If you play off to stop his penetration, he can knock down jumpers from the outside. The twins play full speed the whole game. He is fun to watch.
5. Devin Davis Jr. 6’6 F Warren Central H- Long, active rebounder, finishes well. Looks like he could grow more and has the fundamentals to improve as a perimeter player. Has been showing more and more of an outside skill set lately.
6. V.J. Beachem 6’5 Fort Wayne Harding SG Big time potential, ultra long arms, ability to handle the ball, good shooter. He hasn’t been too aggressive looking to score when I have seen him.
7. Richard Freeman 6’7 Lawrence Central PF H Good looking lefty stroke to about 17’, athletic, great looking frame. It seems like he will be really good this time next year. Potential is ahead of his skill level by a good margin right now.
8. Brenton Scott 6’0 Fort Wayne Northrop M+ Much like his brother and I can’t really tell them apart, but I believe Bryson is slightly better in terms of scoring ability and play making ability.
9. Phillip Owens 5’11 PG Heritage Christian Ultra quick, good handles, can shoot it from the outside, will go for the flashy play at inopportune times. Very similar to Zavier Turner, but I think Owens is a better shooter and scorer at this point although Turner is more controlled and won’t take some of the bad shots that Owens will.
10. Milos Kostic 6’8 Bishop Noll M+ Solid complete skill set that you would expect from a European-type big man. Kostic picked up an early offer from Northwestern as he fits their mold perfectly.
11. Demetrius Jackson 6’1 Mishawaka M Solid body for a freshmen point guard, good athlete although he doesn’t seem ultra-quick, very good handles.
12. Zavier Turner 5’8 PG Pike Played a pure point guard role for Pike his freshmen year. He displayed great court vision and very tough on ball defense.
13. Zak Irvin 6’3 SF Hamilton Southeastern M Good looking shooting form, can handle the ball, very long. Lots of potential at this point. Similar build as Basil Smotherman, but he doesn’t have the skill set that Smotherman has at this point.
14. Franco House 6’5 Concord PF M Strong, finishes well, dominates inside at this age, but might be done growing. He does move well though. House showed more of a perimeter game this weekend with a full array of dribble moves while driving.
15. Clay Yeo 6’4 Triton SG M More athletic than he looks, good shooter, unsure of his handles at this point. I like his length for a shooter.
16. Nick Davidson 6’3 SG Andrean Had a great year for Andrean starting most of the season if not all for their varsity team. Definitely need to see him more, he might be ranked too low for right now.

Complete 2013 Overall rankings http://inbasketballsource.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=59&Itemid=81

Add Me on Twitter!

The title says it all. I post a lot of updates during tournaments through twitter. Follow me on twitter.

New 2012 Rankings This Week

1. AJ Hammons 6’10 Carmel H Love his touch and footwork around the basket also passes well against double teams. I wish Carmel would give him more touches because he makes so many good things happen.
2. Jeremy Hollowell 6’7 Lawrence Central H Extremely long, good shooter from distance, drives the ball well. Lots of upside but inconsistent. He should be a pro one day if he hits the weight room hard and continues to develop his game extremely hard. All the natural ability anyone could ever ask for.
3. Gary Harris 6’4 Hamilton Southeastern H Good length, good set shooter, solid with the ball. Harris and Hollowell have the most upside in the class. Both are nowhere near their potential yet. Harris seems like a kid who wants to become better and might have a slight chip on his shoulder because he didn’t get the early attention that other 2012’s got from schools. Might be more of a 2 right now, but can also play point…I would like him to be more aggressive with the ball
4. Ron Patterson 6’3 Broad Ripple H Athletic as you can get for this age, good shooter…set and off the dribble, solid defender. Weakness-would like him to tighten up his handles. Probably is going to be a SG in college as I don’t see him making the switch to PG. His athleticism will allow him to guard most HM guards.
5. D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera 6’3 North Central H- Crafty, strong as a bull, smart with the ball. He is a great defender because of his strength and great will to win. If you haven’t seen him play, think Byron Eaton the former Oklahoma State PG.
6. Yogi Ferrell 5’11 Park Tudor H- Quick, very good with the ball i.e. change of pace, decision making. Outside shot has improved greatly but still inconsistent. When he has the outside shot going he is unstoppable.
7. Austin Burgett 6’8 Avon M+ Can shoot, can put the ball on the floor, passes well, also rebounds. Added strength and aggressiveness could take his game to the next level, which is a very elite level. Burgett did not have the high school season most expected. He will have to be more assertive in the spring to keep his stock this high.

8. Glenn Robinson, Jr. 6’5 Lake Central M+ Slasher that doesn’t force things, solid athlete, decent handles, good shooting form although he doesn’t look for his shot much. He would rather drive. Finished well at the rim against good size.
9. Dejuan Marrero 6’5 Bowman M+ Solid athlete but not a freak, good rebounder, good motor. I definitely like his toughness and how he gets after on the court.I’m unsure what position he will play at the next level. It looks like he could end up being an undersized PF. He has a lot of work to do to become a perimeter player. Improving shooter, but still a lot to work on and I don’t think he has any ball handling skills whatsoever.
10. Rhett Smith 6’6 Sullivan M True inside/outside player, good post moves, drives the ball well. Rhett has added some weight over the last year. I don’t know if it is mostly muscle or what but he is noticeably bigger than last summer. Weakness-not super athletic although he has a good first step.
11. Rafeal Davis 6’5 Fort Wayne South M Shooter, good length, strong for age. Not a great athlete, he is long so he can dunk but he isn’t jumping out of the gym by any stretch. Weakness-early maturation and could be done growing.
12. Nick Osborne 6’7 Muncie Central M Moves well, strong body for a sophomore. Rebounds out of his area. Right now, he gets most of his baskets off rebounds and when penetrators draw people and he is left with an easy lay-up. He has shown some post moves, but you aren’t going to throw it to him in the post and let him go to work.Decent leaper although he isn’t going to have many highlight dunks..
13. Edward Seay 6’8 Merrillville M+ Long, active in the post. A high potential guy. Needs a lot of refinement, but could definitely get there in two years.
14. Kellen Dunham 6’3 Pendleton Heights M Shooter, can create off the bounce, takes care of the ball. Is not very explosive. Lateral quickness worries me.
15. Ronnie Johnson 5’10 North Central M Very quick, good lefty shooter, small right now. Brother is Terone Johnson.
16. D.J. Ballentine 5’11 Kokomo M Crafty with the ball, good shooter but would like him to look to get to the rim more often.
17. Dylan Langkabel 6’3 Morristown M Very good shooter, good elevation on his jumper, uses screens well, not going to go 1 on 1 to get his shot very often, competitor, decent handles. Athleticism/who he can guard will determine how high he can play at the next level.
18. Brent Calhoun 6’8 Warren Central M Lefty (I love lefty post players), good shot blocker, developing jump hook. Slimmer than last summer. Improving athleticism. Potential is much higher than his current skill level.
19. Tyler Corley 5’10 Lawrence Central M Quick, good handles, good shooter from the outside
20. Kellon Thomas 5’10 Southport M- Leader, good decision maker, improving shooter, strong, finishes well in the lane. Weakness- shooting ability
21. Patrick Ingram 6’3 North Central M Strong body, more of a mid-range shooter than 3pt shooter, likes to get to the rim.
22. Mike Ramey 6’5 Southport M Quick, solid strength for his age, good with the ball, very good shooter.
23. Harry Willis 6’1 Ben Davis M- Quick first step, great defender, will create easy baskets for other with his quickness, can finish inside against bigger players.
24. Kendall Waters 5’11 Pendelton Heights M- Solid shooter, quick, good defensively, looks to make plays for teammates more than himself, very hard-nosed
25. Tyler Alderman 6’9 Fishers M+ Probably will be moved to the Power Forward section. When I saw him, he was facing a zone defense that featured 2 6'10 players. He did show great athleticism...jumps really well, moves well, and can run
26. Jared Drew 6’6 Lawrence Central M- Solid athlete, long, gets to the rim easily. Weakness-shot selection
27. Jordan Burton 6’7 Edinburgh M Posts well, good post moves, good rotation on shot although flat, runs well, not explosive off the floor.
28. Logan Irwin 5’11 L Whitko L+ Strong, leader, slasher, creator. Needs to improve shooting.
29. R.J. Hunter 6’2 Pike M- Shooter, long, smart. Weakness-rail thin
30. Brad Hartman 6’5 Union County L+ Good shooting form, gets after the boards, good basketball IQ
31. Daniel Purvlicis 6’6 Noblesville M- Good looking shot, solid footwork in the lane, wingspan looks much bigger than his 6’6 height, needs strength work. Has to be more aggressive to make that next step in his development.
32. Aaron Payne 6’2 Broad Ripple L Plays more of a pg position but struggles with decision making at times.
33. Adam Botts 6’0 Muncie Central M- Good shooter, steady with the ball, leader
34. Travis Britt 6’3 Culver Academy M- Strong, gets to the rim very well (Old for his grade I believe)
35. Jodan Price 6’6 Lawrence Central L+ A true 6’6, potential guy right now, tentative at times
36. Joel Smith 6’5 Heritage Christian L+ Strong, smart, good motor, solid mid-range set jumper. Might be done growing.
37. Rashad Richardson 6’4 Lafayette Jeff L+ Long, handles the ball but is loose with it right now, unusual shoot from the outside but is consistent with it. Length is his major strength to his game.
38. Da Veon Balls 6’0 Lawrence North L+ Quick, good handles, solid outside shot
39. Kyle Wuest 6’2 Edinburgh L Athletic slasher with a good mid-range pull-up game.
40. D.J. Neal 5’11 Fort Wayne North L+
41. Riley Rapp 6’0 Guerin Catholic L+ Mostly a shooter right now, but has the ability and quickness to get to the rim off the dribble.
42. Ben Gardner 5’11 Carmel L+ Lefty, great with the ball, quick enough to penetrate and finishes well at the rim. Looks to pass more than to shoot
43. Jordan VanTreese 6’8 Lawrence North L+ Stephen’s brother, developing, plays hard, rebounds well
44. Keith Cochran 6’9 Bluffton L+ Good touch, still catching up to his body.
45. Nathan Cox 6’7 Morristown L- Solid post moves, good motor, unathletic, doesn’t move too well.
46. Aloyis Gray 6’5 Brebeuf L+ Extremely long, active rebounder
47. Mitch Yeagy 5’10 L Alexandria L Smart player, good shooter
48. Shawn Heffern 6’5 Carmel L Strong with solid post moves
49. Thomas Treadway 6’4 Zionsville Lanky, good set shooter
50. Mike Lenz 6’1 Brebeuf Slasher, tough, good mid-range game

Final 2010 Overall Rankings

Here are the final rankings for the class of 2010 in the state of Indiana.

H=High major H- = High major Stretch

M+ = Mid-major, higher possibly, M=Mid-major, M- =Mid-major stretch

L+ = Low major, higher possibly, L= Low-major, L- = Low-major stretch

1. Deshaun Thomas 6’7 Bishop Luers H
2. Terone Johnson 6’3 North Central H-
3. Chrishawn Hopkins 6’2 Manual H-
4. Jesse Berry 6’1 Lafayette Jeff H-
5. Erik Fromm 6’8 Bloomington South M+
6. Donnie Hale 6’7 New Albany M+
7. Ethan Jacobs 7’0 Tipton H-
8. Russell Byrd 6’7 Blackhawk Christian M+
9. Khristian Smith 6’3 Pike M
10. Travis Carrol 6’8 Danville M
11. Tyrae Robinson 6’1 Bowman Academy M
12. Jordan Manual 6’8 Howe M+
13. Daniel Turner 6’6 Mount Vernon M
14. Jack Isenbarger 6’3 Zionsville M
15. P.J. Hubbert 6’5 Mount Vernon M
16. Jake Kitchell 6’8 South Central M-
17. LaTroy Taylor 6’2 Gary Wallace M-
18. Michael Harris 6’1 East Chicago L+
19. Christopher Bond 6’4 Bowman L
20. Julian Boatner 6’3 Bloomington North L+
21. Kegan Clark 6’4 Jeffersonville L+
22. Neal Beshears 6’6 Winchester L-
23. DeArmond Davis 6’6 Mount Vernon L
24. Brandon Demmings 6’2 Washington L+
25. Chris Welker 6’4 Zionsville L
26. Andre Hampton 6’1 Howe L
27. Greg Miller 6’6 North Miami L-
28. Mitchell Patton 6’9 South Knox
29. Mike Kibiloski 6’7 Elkhart Memorial L-
30. Colin Maltsberger 6’3 North Montgomery L-
31. Robert Kitzinger 6’6 Carmel L-
32. Thomas Anderson 6’7 Terre Haute North D2
33. Andrew Rudakas 6’5 Wheeler L-
34. Jeff Howard 6’8 Westfield L-
35. John Michael Jarvis - Terre Haute South L-
36. Roddy Richardson 6’2 Lafayette Jeff L-
37. Leland Brown 6’4 Noblesville L-
38. Brad Elam 5’10 Ben Davis L-
39. Jordan Weidner 6’1 Danville L-
40. Willie Rhodes 6’2 Warren Central D2
41. KeVan Ford 5’11 Bowman D2
42. Cyllk Joesph 5’11 Bowman D2
43. Brad Karp 6’4 Valparaiso D2
44. Parker Staufer 6’6 Southridge D2
45. Justin Gill 6’6 Munster D2
46. Kyle Ritz 6’0 Munster D2
47. Zach Starr 6’1 Hamilton Southeastern D2
48. Trip McFall 6’3 North Central D2
49. Jeff Sustarcic 6’1 Union County D2
50. Aaron Bluitt 6’1 North Central D2
51. Jake Browne 6’6 Hamilton Southeastern D2

For all other rankings go to inbasketballsource.com and register an account in order to see the rankings.

2010 Final Rankings Posted

My final rankings for 2010 have been posted on inbasketballsource.com. Make sure to check them out and leave some feedback!!!

IndyBall.com Impressions (2013)

The 2013 class might not quite be as good as the 2012 group, but it looks to be very good. Again, Eric Gordon All-Stars have a great group of prospects.

Basil Smotherman, Jr. 6'5 Heritage Christian is long, baby-faced, quick, athletic, and is a great shooter from the outside. He plays smart and within himself. He has reportedly been offered by Purdue already. I was really impressed with his game in the first couple times I have seen him.

Zak Irvin 6'4 Hamilton Southeastern is built like Smootherman with his long, wirey frame. He played JV this year for HSE and should be a nice second option to Gary Harris next year for them.

Devin Davis, Jr. 6'6 Warren Central was really active, plays hard, he looked comfortable on the perimeter although he did most of his scoring damage inside. He had a nice dunk driving from the arc in a half-court set. I see him being a wing in college.

RJ Currington, who is from Schererville but attends Oak Hill Academy in Virgina, was not at the tournament this weekend.

Darryl Baker 6'3 Jeffersonville (Team Southern Indiana 2012 Red) was playing after being out the high school season with a knee injury. Baker is strong, good court vision, and can shoot it really well from distance. Hopefully, he will be 100% soon and I will get to see how he really measures up with the other top 2013 players.

IndyBall.com Impressions (2012)

2012 is a loaded class in Indiana. There is enough talent in the 2011, 2012, and 2013 classes in Indiana for college coaches across the nation to all get a piece of the action.

The Eric Gordon All-Stars 2012 team is just absolutely loaded. All the next players are on the EG10 team.

Jeremy Hollowell 6'6 Lawrence Central has added some muscle since last summer. Hollowell didn't have the high school season most people thought he would. It wasn't a bad year, but he was inconsistent and people questioned his motor. Today, he was back in his AAU form. He buried a couple of 3's sandwiched together with a couple of powerful dunks. His length, athleticism, and skill set is unmatched in the 2012 class.

Rhett Smith 6'6 Sullivan has also added some weight to his frame. I'm not sure if that has affected his quickness. His pump fake and drive game was very good last year. His 3pt form looks more smooth than it did last year.

Nick Osborne 6'7 Muncie Central is really strong for his age. Osborne dominated the glass in the game I saw. He is really active and tough inside. He even showed some lateral quickness by containing a guard on the perimeter.

Brent Calhoun 6'8 Warren Central has improved around the basket. He is finishing much more consistently now. He has always been able to block shots and rebound, but now he is a threat on the offensive end.

Dylan Langkabel 6'4 Morristown was not as athletic as he looked when I saw him during the high school year. He did knock down a couple of 3's though. His skill set will not be questioned when determining what level he can play in college. The deciding factor will be his athleticism and who he can guard.

There are other very good players that I have not listed. Ronnie Johnson (North Central), Kendall Waters (Pendleton Heights), Patrick Ingram (North Central).

Grant Meyer 5'11 Silver Creek (Team Southern Indiana) impressed me with his shooting ability. Quick release and always in control, I will be watching him this spring.

Sam Hunt 6'7 Jennings County (Team Southern Indiana) is a big man prospect I haven't seen before today. He did some good things and moved pretty well. I will be keeping an eye on him this spring.

I didn't get a chance to see the Indiana Elite One team featuring Ron Patteron, Kellen Dunham, and Kellon Thomas. I should get a chance to see them Sunday.

IndyBall.com Impressions (2011)

The club has started and it is great to be back. There is a lot of Indiana talent in the tournament. There aren't many out of state teams, but it is a good first tournament for most teams.

2011

Alex Pritchett 6'7 Bedford North Lawrence (Spiece Select) had a dominating performance Friday night. Pritchett is very active, great motor, tough, physical and finishes well around the rim. He has the ability to shoot from the outside, but is still improving. He can play at the MM level, but probably not higher.

Justin Gant 6'8 Terre Haute North (Spiece Select) was much more aggressive on the boards and in the post than I have seen him in the past. If he continues to play aggressive, he will have a great summer.

Austin Richie 6'1 Lowell (CAPS All-Stars) had a huge first half in a game tonight. When Richie gets into an offensive rhythm, he is tough to stop. His whole game improves when he is knocking down shots. He gets into the lane more and finds teammates better when things are going well for him. I'm not sold on his quickness yet or his ability to play PG at a level higher than LM. I hope to see him more this spring.

Brandon Dunaway 6'1 Corydon (Southern Indiana) always plays within himself, finds a way to get into the paint, and is a good shooter. He looks like a good D2/NAIA prospect.

Chandler Guion 6'2 Lapel (Spiece Indy Stars) was in foul trouble in the game I saw, but I was impressed with his athleticism and quickness. He is a point guard, but is usually creating his own shot rather than looking to create for others.

Nate Gross (sp?) 6'5 Madison-Grant (Spiece Indy Stars) is a very good offensive rebounder, good motor, and a pretty good athlete. LM would be a stretch, but I think he could be a really good player at the D2/NAIA level.

Isiah Hill 6'9 Howe Academy (Eric Gordon All-Stars) still impresses me with how much weight he has lost. That being said, he still needs a lot of work. He still needs to get into better shape and his offensive game needs a lot of work. He could be a project for a LM or MM school willing to take a chance.

Ryan Taylor 6'5 Lawrence North (Eric Gordon All-Stars) hit three 3's to start a game this afternoon. He also went coast to coast splitting a couple of defenders on his way to a lay-up. He needs to be a wing at Louisville and it looks like he making strides towards achieving that.

Chris Page 6'4 Plainfield (Eric Gordon All-Stars) puts up big numbers for Plainfield, but he was basically their only scoring option this year for a bad team. Page can shoot it from the outside and is good off the dribble. Who he can guard is a question for me.

I have not seen many of the 2011 teams play yet. I hope to see Indiana Elite Team Indiana Sunday along with a few of the other 2011 teams.

AAU Begins!

Friday marks the start of the AAU season. I will be attending the Indyball.com tournament held at North Central High School in Indianapolis. The national tournament going on this weekend is the Boo Williams Invitational in Virginia.

I'm trying to compile a database of all the teams from Indiana. If you are a coach, player, or parent and would be willing to send me a roster for the team you are associated with it, I would greatly appreciate it. Please include grade level of the team, high schools, and height.

This is like Christmas in April for basketball fans!

Indiana Kids

Here is a list of Indiana kids in the NCAA tournament playing on non-Indiana teams.

Todd Hanni G 6-4 215 Sophomore Danville, IN UNLV
Armon Bassett G 6-2 180 Junior Terre Haute, IN Ohio
Tommy Freeman F 6-5 190 Junior Muncie, IN Ohio
Mark Titus G 6-4 215 Senior Brownsburg, IN Ohio State
Gary McGhee C 6-10 250 Junior Anderson, IN Pittsburgh
Jeff Robinson F 6-9 200 Freshman Indianapolis, IN Xavier
Joe Hughes F 6-6 205 Junior Indianapolis, IN Xavier
Dallas Green F 6-8 210 Senior Indianapolis, IN Robert Morris
Zak Estes G-F 6-4 200 Sophomore Indianapolis, IN Richmond
Kyle Kuric G 6-4 190 Sophomore Evansville, IN Louisville
Stephan Van Treese F 6-9 230 Freshman Indianapolis, IN Lousivlle
Dominic Moore F 6-10 195 Junior Fort Wayne, IN Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Mason Plumlee F 6-10 230 Freshman Warsaw, IN Duke
Miles Plumlee F 6-10 240 Sophomore Warsaw, IN Duke
Jonah Baize F 6-6 205 Junior Evansville, IN Clemson
Dairese Gary G 6-1 205 Junior Elkhart, IN New Mexico
Errick Peck F 6-6 215 Freshman Indianapolis, IN Cornell

I believe that is the complete list. If I missed someone, please let me know!

Next Level Translation

One thing that most parents, fans, and players themselves struggle with, at the high school level, is how a player's game will translate to the college level. Most fans seen a kid who scores 20 points per game and automatically think he will be a good college player. That player might very well be a good collegiate player, but some characteristics make it more or less likely. Most casual fans can tell how skilled a certain player is, but will he be able to do those skills at a faster pace against smarter, quicker, stronger opponents?

One example of being a great player at one level and not having it translate to the next level is former Oklahoma All-American Hollis Price. Price was generously listed at 6'1". He was probably closer to 5'10" than he was to 6'1". So, his height would be a major factor in the NBA. Height alone won't disqualify you from playing at any level (middle school all the way to the NBA). A player will have to be able to offset the disadvantage with a great strength though. Usually if a player is shorter than the average he will have to be unbelievably quick in order to create separation. Hollis was very quick for the college game, but probably average or slightly below average for an NBA point guard.

The next level is always made up of better athletes and more skilled players. The NBA is disliked by many people because of the lack of effort. That is true, but they are the best in the world. NBA benches are filled with college All-Americans. Guys that might have been the best player their college ever produced might struggle to get off the bench in the NBA. Hollis Price was a consensus second team All-American and never even made an NBA roster.

Every college team is made up of guys who led their team in scoring in high school. That is true for every college level as well D2, D3, NAIA...not just D1. That is hard for most people to understand. People see someone struggle to play well in the Big Ten and assume he isn't very good. If he was in a smaller conference though, he would probably be the leading scorer for a lot of teams. It can be very deceiving to the eye at times.

One player that has started a lot of arguments between fans of Indiana high school basketball is Nic Moore. The junior point guard from Warsaw is a great high school player. Not good, he's been great since he stepped on the floor as a freshmen. There is no doubt he is very skilled, hard nosed, and a smart player. He has a few things that will likely hold him back from playing in a major conference (Big Ten, ACC, Big East, etc.)and those things include his height and his lack of ultra quickness. He is very quick for the high school game, but he has average or below average quickness for those major conferences.

A lot of people think I'm just "hating" on Nic Moore. For one, I hate the phrase "hating on" someone. I respect his game very much. I just think he has some things that would make it very hard for him to play well in a major conference. He could even play for some of the weaker teams in the major conferences, but he would likely struggle against the good teams. His toughness and competitiveness definitely help offset his height disadvantage. I don't believe it is quite enough though.

I hope this helps parents, fans, and players to be more realistic about what level they think someone can play.

Road Trip: Eastern Illinois

My first trip to Eastern Illinois was a success. EIU ended up winning by 10, I believe. They were down most of the first half but closed it out on a nice little run. The officiating was not very good but it was half way consistent for how bad it was. EIU battled in the second half and started getting to the rim more for easy looks. The "bigs" for EIU played well especially in the second half. Indianapolis native James Hollowell had a very good game and hit some big shots down the stretch.

Overall, I liked the gym although it probably only seats 5,000 (pure guess)but has a good atmosphere. The band was rocking all night and the crowd was into the game which isn't always the guess at smaller conference schools. The only thing missing was a few more Indiana kids on the Eastern Illinois roster.

All Rankings Updated

All rankings have been completely updated at inbasketballsource.com and all you have to do is sign-up for a free account.

Rankings will be kept up to date at that site. I will try to change the rankings anytime I change my database rankings.

Winter Plans Revisited

Before the high school season started I listed the high school teams I wanted to see. I will put an "X" by the teams I have seen.

Avon
Ben Davis
Bishop Chatard
Bloomington North
Bloomington South [x]
Bowman Academy [x]
Broad Ripple [x]
Carmel [x]
Centerville [x]
Chesterton [x]
Danville [x]
Hamilton Southeastern [x]
Howe [x]
Lake Central
Lawrence Central [x]
Lawrence North [x]
Luers [x]
Merrillville [x]
Michigan City
Muncie Central [x]
Munster [x]
New Castle [x]
North Central [x]
Park Tudor
Rushville
Southport [x]
Tech [x]
Valparaiso [x]
Warsaw
Winchester [x]
Whitko
Zionsville [x]

Not too bad plus I still have a couple weeks left and the postseason to see more teams. I think I am on a good pace though.

Danville at North Central

This game featured two Purdue commits (North Central’s Terone Johnson and Danville’s Travis Carroll) and two highly ranked teams (North Central #2 in 4A and Danville #1 in 3A). It did lose a little bit of its hype with North Central losing to Center Grove last night. Danville entered the game a perfect 17-0.

The first quarter was up and down just like North Central likes to play. Terone Johnson got off to a fast start. Johnson had 10 points in the quarter. Travis Carroll had a couple of impressive post moves to start the game. Carroll had 6 points and 5 boards in the quarter. North Central substituted very liberally early in an obvious attempt to wear down Danville with their superior depth. Danville held a slim 18-17 lead after the first.

North Central picked up the pace even more in the second quarter if that is possible. They extended their pressure up the court more into a full-court press and it started to wear down Danville. Aaron Bluitt had a strong second quarter…busting out for 7 points. Carroll had to help alleviate the North Central full-court pressure. He used up a lot of energy doing that. North Central did a great job of pushing Carroll away from the block. Carroll did a good job of facing up and making big time moves against the physical play of North Central. Carroll had 16 points and 8 rebounds in the first half on 8-10 shooting. Not to be out done, Johnson had 16 points himself.

Read the rest of the article at Danville at North Central

Feb. 19th and 20th

It looks like I am going to go to the Indianapolis Tech/Broad Ripple game tonight (Feb. 19th) and the Danville/North Central game tomorrow night (Feb. 20th).

I haven't seen Danville play yet this year. I would like to see how Tyler Hall can handle the pressure the North Central guards will apply. Danville's big man Travis Carroll should be able to have a good game as North Central lacks size down low. Fellow Purdue commit Terone Johnson will probably get his usual 30.

I've only seen Tech once this year and they didn't play well. Mo Cross was in foul trouble the whole game...I think he ended up fouling out in the 3rd quarter if I remember correctly. So, I would like to get a better look at Tech against the athletes that Broad Ripple has. We all know what the Broad Ripple guys can do...Ron Patterson, Steven Jamison, and Aaron Payne.

If anyone has suggestions for upcoming games I should go to please let me know. They have to feature really good teams or kids that have D1 potential for me to go in all likelihood.

Chesterton at Merrillville

I was excited for this game because of the big men featured by each team. Chesterton has 6′10″ junior Mitch McGary and Merrillville has 6′8″ sophomore Edward Seay. I had seen both in action last week and both had disappointing showings. I was hoping to see both play at a higher level against each other tonight. Those hopes were dashed though as we walked into the gym with news of Mitch McGary having mono and being out until sectional play.

Merrillville controlled this game early by going into Seay on the first possession and getting a basket. Seay dominated the boards in the first quarter by getting to four rebounds. Jeremiah Jones had a solid first quarter getting to the rim on a couple of easy drives. Chesterton ended the quarter with a few straight baskets and it was 12-12 going to the second period.

In the second quarter, Chesterton’s offense looked a lot better. They had more ball movement and were a lot more aggressive looking to drive. Junior shooter Scott Homner connected on 3 three point field goals and senior guard Remy Lewis had 8 points in the quarter including 2 three’s. Merrillville struggled against Chesterton’s 2-3 zone. The Pirates were trying to force passes inside and Chesterton was anticipating the passes. Chesterton led 27-23 at halftime.

Read the rest of the article at Chesterton at Merrillville

Newer 2012 Rankings

I have posted more updated 2012 rankings at inbasketballsource.com. You will need to create a free account to see them. The ranking will be updated regularly there especially when we see new 2012 prospects and 2013 kids we have yet to see.

Merrillville at Munster

Merrillville and Munster entered Saturday night’s meeting with two losses each. Munster’s coaching staff is filled with Merrillville alumi. Coach Mike Hackett coached under Merrillville’s Jim East for many years and Munster’s JV coach Jake Argenta was on a semi-state team at Merrillville. So, there is a lot of familiarity on the coaching staffs.

The first quarter featured both teams playing zone defense and both offenses shooting over the top of the zones effectively. Jeremiah Jones, 6′3″ junior guard, hit 3 three pointers in the quarter while Munster hit three of their own. Merrillville had a 16-15 lead going to the second quarter.

Munster switched their defenses in the second quarter. They played man to man for the first portion and then went back to their 2-1-2. The man to man defense helped slow down Jones. Offensively, Munster rode 6′4″ junior Brian Stolarz. Stolarz had 16 points in the first half on 6-7 shooting. He hit a couple of 3’s and was really good finding gaps in the Merrillville zone which he exploited to get to the rim. Munster took a 29-28 lead into the locker room.

Read the rest of the report at Merrillville at Munster

Chesterton vs Valpo

Valparaiso is having a great year with only a close loss to Carmel on their record. Chesterton has been up and down especially because Mitch McGary has been fighting injuries all season. In the first match-up, Valparaiso jumped on Chesterton opening up a huge lead in the first quarter and they never looked back. That was without McGary in the line-up for Chesterton.

This game was very different. Chesterton played with a lot of energy especially early behind the play of senior guard Remy Lewis. Lewis hit a couple of three’s and had a couple of assists in the first quarter. McGary looked like he was going to get off to a fast start. He converted a basket inside and on the next defensive possession McGary got into the passing lane for a breakaway, but he was never able to control the ball and they missed an opportunity. Valparaiso led 17-13 with Jerrick Suiter doing a lot for the Vikings. Suiter is a competitor to sum it up. He had the duty of guarding the much bigger McGary in the post (with a lot of help obviously). Suiter really attacks rebounds with great intensity.

The second quarter was controlled by Chesterton. Senior point guard Freddy Price was able to break down the Viking defense one on one to get to the rim. Valpo struggled to convert many shots although that was partly because Chesterton was playing pretty good defense. Valparaiso still held a 24-23 lead at halftime though.

Read more at Chesterton vs Valpo

Winchester @ Centerville

A rivalry game and the intensity showed it. The game was played at a frenzy pace early. After the first quarter, the game was tied at 14. Centerville created a bit of separation in the second quarter behind the shooting of Zac Sandlin. Sandlin hit 3 three's in the first half and had 11 points for the half. Centerville led at halftime 27-21.

Winchester came out in the second half and quickly wiped away the lead. The game was tied a minute into the third quarter. Centerville took a time-out and regained their composure. Winchester did take a 39-38 lead to the fourth quarter though.

Matt Schauss had a great second half for Centerville. He scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half. Many of them were tough shots off the dribble and pressure free-throws down the stretch.

Centerville made a few more plays late than Winchester did and pulled off the 56-48 victory.

Matt Schauss, 6'4 junior point guard Centerville, is a true 6'4 and plays the point for Centerville. He is naturally more of a shooting guard, but can handle the ball against pressure. It looks like he has worked on scoring off the dribble more. Schauss hit some tough shots off the dribble against pressure. He was also 7-8 from the line. I think he can be a low-major combo guard. His defensive ability is a question mark, but it is improving.

Neal Beshears, 6'6 senior wing Winchester, had a quiet game. Centerville played a zone the whole game and really concentrated on taking Beshears out of the game. Neal did a good job of not forcing shots although Winchester relies on him a lot. Beshears finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds. I liked that it looked like he had more arc on his shot and he elevates well on his shot. It also appears that he has added some muscle. If he can continue to add muscle, I think he would be a very good 3/4 man at the low-major level. He could be really good at the D2/NAIA level immediately.

Pendelton Heights vs. Lapel

I was excited for this game. All the sites and paper said this game started at 6:30pm. I got there at 6:25 and the game was half way through the second quarter! Yes, second quarter.

I wasn't quite as mad when I learned that Lapel had 5 guys out including Chandler Guion due to team rules violations. I saw Guion a few years ago and liked his game then but I have not seen him play since. He has been putting up good numbers and I hope to see him this spring!

Pendelton Heights has a couple of sophomores that have been making a lot of noise this year. Kellen Dunham is a 6'4 shooting guard that has had a few really big games this year. The other sophomore is Kendall Waters. Waters is a 5'10 point guard who also has had a good year.

Kellen Dunham, 6'4 sophomore shooting guard, was super quiet against Lapel. He had a handful of points on even less shots. From what I saw, he is a catch and shoot...shooter. He didn't do much off the bounce. Hard to tell what he can do when he wasn't "hunting" for his shot much. I will see him plenty over the spring/summer though.

Kendall Waters, 5'11 sophomore point guard,was much better than what I had given him credit for last spring/summer. I thought he was mainly just a point guard that could handle the ball. He showed a very good jumper off the catch and off the bounce. He looked very good defensively, guarding the Lapel point guard full court one on one most of the game. Waters is quick and always seemed under control. Probably a M- (mid-major stretch) prospect right now, but possibly higher.

Nathan Hendershot, 6'1 junior shooting guard, did not miss in the first half. He went 3-3 from three point range for a total of 15 points in the first half. Unfortunately, I missed most of those points. He showed above average speed in the open court on a couple of fastbreaks. He's more of a 2 or a 3 for PH and at 6'1 it will be hard to play at any college level at that height. I'm unsure how he would be at the point, but that is probably a position he would need to play even at the NAIA level.

Gary Harris vs. Jeremy Hollowell

The game pitted Hamilton Southeastern against Lawrence Central in Hinkle Fieldhouse. Most were there to see the two super sophomores (channeling my inner Dick Vitale)Gary Harris and Jeremy Hollowell. Both have question marks about their games, but both have amazingly high potential.

Gary Harris, the 6'4 point guard, has had questions posed about his intensity, his competitiveness, and his overall aggressiveness. Against Lawrence Central, Harris showed how good he could be one day. He was aggressive looking to drive especially in the first half. He was looking to be a scoring threat everytime he touched the ball (something that he doesn't always do). He showed his 3point range, he showed his anticipation skills on defense, he showed his athleticism. He looked great but now he has to do it every time he steps onto the court!

Jeremy Hollowell, the 6'6 wing from Lawrence Central,has been inconsistent this season just like Harris. Hollowell is long, athletic, a good but streaky outside shooter. In the first half, Hollowell was missing in action. He had 2 points on 3 shot attempts. Showing all the flaws that have been plaguing him all season. In the third quarter, Hollowell seemed to have a light click on. He was more aggressive, hit some outside shots, and was more active defensively. The fourth quarter was more of the old Hollowell. If he becomes as strong as his older brother James than his upside is the largest in the class for 2012 in Indiana. He has a lot of work to do to fulfill his potential though.

Edinburgh @ Morristown

I ventured away from the Indianapolis area for this one. Well, it isn't that far but still. This game was filled with underclassmen. Morristown starts two sophomores and a freshmen. Edinburgh started two impressive sophomores themselves.

It was a close game throughout until Morristown pulled away in the fourth quarter. Morristown led by 2 at the half behind a three from Dylan Langkabel with 5 seconds left. Morristown increased the lead to 3 going to the fourth. Morristown ended up beating Edinburgh 72-61.

The trip's objective was to see how good Dylan Langkabel is and he did not disappoint. He uses screens well and is unselfish enough to set a lot of screens for his teammates. I like how he elevates on his jump shot as it allows him to shoot over people. He isn't going to kill people off the dribble too much, but he will drive if people try to pressure him too much. Langkabel posted up a few times and showed some nice post moves for a guard. I was impressed with his game. He rebounded pretty well although he was always one of the biggest people on the court. Langkabel finished with 34 points and 10 rebounds by my unofficial scoring. My first impression is that he is a solid M (mid-major) prospect.

The second most impressive player in the game to me was Jordan Burton, the 6'6" sophomore from Edinburgh. He is listed at 6'8" but I think he is more like 6'6 and possibly 6'7. Burton showed some good post moves and he seals pretty well although he bends over a little too much while trying to get position. He has good rotation on his shot, but he doesn't have much arc on it. I had him 3-9 from the line and most were on target just rimmed out due to no arc. Burton runs the floor well and is an okay overall athlete. He doesn't jump out of the gym by any stretch though. My first impression is that he is a M to M- prospect.

Kyle Wuest 6'2 sophomore from Edinburgh impressed me with his athleticism...mainly his lateral quickness, but also is a good jumper. He is a slasher with a good looking mid-range jumper. Wuest seems like he is in-between being a point guard and a shooting guard right now. He needs to improve his ball handling to be a D1 point guard prospect or improve his shooting to be a D1 shooting guard prospect. Off of my first impression, I would grade him as a L+ prospect at this point.

Nathan Cox 6'7 sophomore from Morristown was plaqued by foul trouble all game. While he was in he showed some solid post moves and rebounded aggressively. He is not athletic, but he does run the floor and puts in a great amount of effort. He is probably a D2/NAIA prospect unless he grows or really works on his shooting.

Kyler Brewer 6'1 freshmen from Morristown showed a good amount of athleticism for a freshmen. He has a good looking shot although he took a few unwarranted shots especially late in the game, but a lot of freshmen do. He showed okay handles at times, but will need to improve them greatly to be a college point guard.

Warren Central @ Southport

This was not a pretty game to watch. Southport really struggled to get good shots and to get them to fall. Warren Central didn't light it up either. WC doesn't shoot it well from distance and they weren't finishing inside consistently.

That being said, it was a close game throughout. Warren Central led the whole way but could never blow it open. WC ended up winning 60-51.

Devin Davis 6'6 freshmen Warren Central was the main reason why I went to the game. Davis has been starting from day one for Warren Central. He is a long 6'6. He looks like he might have a couple more inches in him as well. I had him for 10 points and 7 rebounds. He was 4-4 from the line showing nice form. I assume he will be mostly a post player in high school, but I believe he will develop into a small forward at the next level.

Brent Calhoun 6'8 sophomore Warren Central didn't play a ton of minutes, but he has really slimmed down. He has a great ability to block shots. His athleticism has increased and is a true 6'8 now.

Wille Rhodes 6'3 senior Warren Central is a really good defender, rebounds well for his height, can attack the rim off the dribble, and can handle the ball a little bit. He really struggled from the line going 3-10.

Nickalus Turner 6'3 senior Warren Central started the game off quickly by getting to the rim often. He didn't do much in the second half. He is an athletic slasher though.

Michael Ramey 6'4 sophomore Southport struggled shooting in the first half, but rebounded in the second half. He ended the game with 15 points on 4-9 shooting from 2pt shots and 2-5 from 3. He is a shooter with good size. Decent quickness and can handle the ball alright.

Kellon Thomas 5'11 sophomore Southport struggled the whole game. Warren Central really pressured him and double teamed him then denied him the ball when he gave it up. I had him as 2-12 from 2 and 1-3 from 3pt range.

Shane Young 6'5 sophomore Southport really battled on the boards and down low. He was really active and had some nice finishes inside. Young is not super athletic, but he is strong.

Muncie Central @ Noblesville

I went to this game to see Muncie Central. I have already seen Noblesville twice this year so I knew what to expect from them. I have only seen Munice Central sophomore Nick Osborne once and I wanted to see him play in a full game. I wanted to see how Jeremiah Davis was doing as well.

Noblesville played zone pretty much the whole game and Muncie Central just could never get anything going. They had to work very hard to get anything to fall and couldn't string consecutive possessions together.

Noblesville ended up winning in a low scoring affair 49-41. Muncie Central was always in the game, but could never make a run to take the lead.

Jeremiah Davis 6'3 junior Muncie Central did not start the game and played limited minutes throughout. He is up to 195 pounds and looks good physically. He didn't do much of the ball handling for MC as Adam Botts handled that. Overall, not much to report because he didn't play many minutes.

Nick Osborne 6'8 sophomore Muncie Central struggled to get open shots inside against Noblesville's zone defense. I liked how he moved offensively and he is strong for a 6'8 (probably closer to 6'7) sophomore. He didn't have many one on one opportunities in the post to show his post moves. I'm not sure how good of jumper he is. He never skyed well above the rim at any point. Osborne did go down with an injury in the 3rd quarter and didn't return so I got a limited viewing of him as well. Definitely D1 potential...how high is the question.

Adam Botts 6'0 sophomore Muncie Central is a solid point guard that is going to take care of the ball, lead his team, and hit open shots from the outside. He is quick, but not lightning quick. Probably a low D1 prospect, but I will need to see him more.

North Montgomery @ Westfield

North Montgomery dominated the whole game. They played a 2-3 zone to collapse on Westfield big man Jeff Howard. North Montgomery looked very good offensively but that is easy to do when you make shots. They had a lot of ball movement and set a lot of flare screens. Westfield struggled to get around screens.

Westfield made it a game late by picking up the defensive pressure. North Montgomery did not handle it well. Freshman Ajay Lawton keyed the defensive pressure while Austin Brengle hit some big 3's in the fourth quarter.

In the end, Westfield's run came up just short and they lost by 3 points.

Colin Maltsberger 6'3 senior North Montgomery hit 6 3's on the night. He has good elevation on his jumper. He's strong with the ball...looking to drive when defenders close-out too aggressively. He was very active defensively helping to double team Jeff Howard most of the game. He looks like a very good D2/NAIA player and possibly a low D1 prospect.

Jeff Howard 6'8 senior Westfield was the main reason I went to watch this game. He struggled with North Montgomery collapsing on him and even double teaming him away from the ball. He does post aggressively and really gets after rebounds. He is also pretty good laterally for a 6'8 kid, but he does not jump very well. His shooting form was pretty good except he didn't have any arc on his shot. He ended up going 4-12 from the line and 4-11 from the field. I think he would be a stretch for a low D1 to take him, but I think he could be very valuable for a D2/NAIA school.

Maurice Fuller 6'3 junior Westfield showed a solid knack of getting to the basket. Decent athlete, good first step. Shot seemed above average although he struggled from the outside.

Ajay Lawton 5'10 freshmen Westfield showed great quickness and was very good defensively. He got after the North Montgomery guards pressuring them full court one on one. He missed all of his 3pt. shots, but was able to get to the basket a few times. It seems like he has some potential with his quickness.

2012 Overall Rankings (TOP 39)

The class of 2012 is loaded in Indiana. Lots of guys are old news to the people following high school basketball in Indiana although they are only sophomores. Multiple guys have offers from a bunch of Big Ten schools. Rafeal Davis has already committed to Purdue.

The class is loaded with potential, but it is not a given that all of them will develop properly. I have not seen a ton of 2012 class outside of the top 20 or 30 guys. This spring/summer I will get a chance to see a wider range of players.

Most of the rankings are based off of potential (indicated by the H,M,L) but some have been ranked because of their current skill level. That is why some of the projected level ratings don't go in order (H then H- the M+ etc).

1. AJ Hammons 6’10 Carmel H Love his touch and footwork around the basket also passes well against double teams.
2. Austin Burgett 6’7 Avon H Good shooter, ample ball handling skills, solid athlete, good basketball IQ. Weakness-Assertiveness…he is aggressive when he gets the ball but doesn’t demand the ball when he needs to sometimes.
3. Jeremy Hollowell 6’6 Lawrence Central H Extremely long, good shooter from distance, drives the ball well. Lots of upside...possibly the most potential in the class.
4. Ron Patterson 6’3 Broad Ripple H Athletic as you can get for this age, good shooter…set and off the dribble, solid defender. Weakness-would like him to tighten up his handles.
5. D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera 6’3 North Central H- Crafty, strong as a bull, smart with the ball. Weakness-used to be perimeter shooting, but that has improved greatly over this offseason. I think it is a question of lateral quickness if he is done growing for what level he will end up at. He seems like a great competitor that will work on any weakness. If you haven’t seen him play, think Byron Eaton the former Oklahoma State PG.
6. Yogi Ferrell 5’11 Park Tudor M+ Quick, very good with the ball i.e. change of pace, decision making. Outside shot has improved greatly but still inconsistent. When he has the outside shot going he is unstoppable.
7. Gary Harris 6’4 Hamilton Southeastern H Good length, good set shooter, solid with the ball. Might be more of a 2 right now, but can also play point…I would like him to be more aggressive with the ball
8. Dejuan Marrero 6’5 Bowman M+ Solid athlete but not a freak, good rebounder, good motor. I’m unsure what position he will play at the next level. He has a lot of work to do to become a perimeter player. Improving shooter, but still a lot to work on.
9. Rafeal Davis 6’5 Fort Wayne South M Shooter, good length, strong for age. Weakness-early maturation and could be done growing.
10. Nick Osborne 6’6 Muncie Central M
11. Rhett Smith 6’6 Sullivan M True inside/outside player, good post moves, drives the ball well. Weakness-not super athletic although he has a good first step.
12. Harry Willis 6’1 Ben Davis M Quick first step, good defender. Unsure of his outside shooting.
13. Edward Seay 6’8 Merrillville M+ Long, active in the post. A high potential guy. Needs a lot of refinement, but could definitely get there in two years.
14. Kellon Thomas 5’10 Southport M- Leader, good decision maker, improving shooter, strong, finishes well in the lane. Weakness- height and could be done growing.
15. Brent Calhoun 6’7 Warren Central M Lefty (I love lefty post players), good shot blocker, developing jump hook. Weakness- very raw.
16. Jared Drew 6’4 Lawrence Central M- Solid athlete, long, gets to the rim easily. Weakness-shot selection
17. Logan Irwin 5’11 Whitko L+ Strong, leader, slasher, creator. Needs to improve shooting.
18. R.J. Hunter 6’2 Pike M- Shooter, long, smart. Weakness-rail thin
19. Mike Ramey 6’2 Southport M- Quick, solid strength for his age, good with the ball, very good shooter.
20. D.J. Ballentine 5’10 M- Kokomo Crafty with the ball, good shooter. Baby faced…could still grow which would help his game.
21. Brad Hartman 6’5 Union County M Good shooting form, gets after the boards, good basketball IQ
22. Tyler Corley 5’10 Lawrence Central M Quick, good handles, good shooter from the outside
23. Daniel Purvlicis 6’6 Noblesville M- Good looking shot, solid footwork in the lane, wingspan looks much bigger than his 6’6 height, needs strength work. Has to be more aggressive to make that next step in his development.
24. Patrick Ingram 6’2 North Central M- Strong body, more of a mid-range shooter than 3pt shooter, likes to get to the rim.
25. Ronnie Johnson 5’10 North Central L+ Very quick, good lefty shooter, small right now. Brother is Terone Johnson.
26. Travis Britt 6’3 Culver Academy M- Strong, gets to the rim very well (Old for his grade I believe)
27. Joel Smith 6’5 Heritage Christian L+ Strong, smart, good motor, solid mid-range set jumper. Might be done growing.
28. Rashad Richardson 6’4 Lafayette Jeff L+ Long, handles the ball but is loose with it right now, unusual shoot from the outside but is consistent with it. Length is his major strength to his game.
29. D.J. Neal 5’11 Fort Wayne North L+
30. Riley Rapp 6’0 Guerin Catholic L+ Mostly a shooter right now, but has the ability and quickness to get to the rim off the dribble.
31. Ben Gardner 5’11 Carmel L+ Lefty, great with the ball, quick enough to penetrate and finishes well at the rim. Looks to pass more than to shoot
32. Jordan VanTreese 6’7 Lawrence North L+ Stephen’s brother, developing, plays hard, rebounds well
33. Keith Cochran 6’9 Bluffton L+ Good touch, still catching up to his body.
34. Aloyis Gray 6’5 Brebeuf L+ Extremely long, active rebounder
35. Aaron Payne 6’2 Broad Ripple L
36. Mitch Yeagy 5’10 L Alexandria L Smart player, good shooter
37. Shawn Heffern 6’5 Carmel L Strong with solid post moves
38. Thomas Treadway 6’4 Zionsville Lanky, good set shooter
39. Isaac Mack 6’1 Indianapolis Tech L Lefty shooter

2011 Overall Rankings (TOP 43)

I would like to start off by saying I hate overall rankings. They are rarely relevant. I prefer to compare players of the same position or at least guards vs. guards and post guys vs. post guys.

I would also like to remind people my rankings are mainly based on college potential and not current skill level. They are connected in some situations, but college potential is my main objective.

H=High major H- = High major Stretch
M+ = Mid-major, higher possibly, M=Mid-major, M- =Mid-major stretch
L+ = Low major, higher possibly, L= Low-major, L- = Low-major stretch/D2/NAIA
D3=D3

1. Marquis Teague 6’2 Pike H One of the top players in the country for his class. Explosive, solid shooter, good handles. Can question his focus at times.
2. Branden Dawson 6’7 Gary Wallace H Athletic, good motor, okay shooter. Would like him to improve shooting
3. Cody Zeller 6’9 Washington H A Zeller nuff said. Runs well, shoots well, passes well. If he adds a dribble game to his offense he will go high major
4. Michael Chandler 6’11 Lawrence North H Big man with solid hands, runs pretty well, aggressive for a young big man. Will he continue to work on his game or be happy for what he has got?
5. Mitch McGary 6’9 Chesterton H Great touch around the basket, good shooting form to 18 feet, quick/good feet. Decent handles for 6’9.
6. Jeremiah Davis 6’3 Muncie Central H Power guard, athletic, solid set shot from the perimeter. Needs to improve his decision making.
7. Austin Etherington 6’6 Hamilton Heights M+ Shooter, long wingspan, still trying to get back to where he was before surgery. Lateral quickness is a question for the high majors.
8. Dee Davis 5’10 Bloomington South M+ Great decision maker, good handles, good outside shooter, quick but not lightning quick. Height might hold him back from being an elite PG.
9. Matt Carlino 6’2 Bloomington South H- quick, smart, strong, slasher that is looking to pass first. Not a great shooter, but has time to improve that. Committed to IU
10. Ryan Taylor 6’5 Lawrence North H- Strong and athletic right now. Needs to be more consistent from the outside.
11. Justin Gant 6’8 Terre Haute North M+ Solid set shooter from outside, good length, skilled. Needs to be more aggressive and improve handles.
12. Steven Jamison 6’4 Broad Ripple M+ Long, streaky shooter, okay handles, good motor. More consistency from perimeter shooting would make him a great mid-major prospect.
13. Spencer Turner 6’2 Bloomington South M Best shooter in the class, strong, smart player. Would like him to develop into more of a PG unless he grows.
14. Zac VanDeWater 6’5 Whitko M Good shooter, solid handles, good defender although not super quick. Some muscle might improve his game greatly.
15. Rontray Chavis 6’4 Princeton M Skilled tweener, quick, athletic, solid body. Gets a bit out of control at times.
16. Jalen Packer 6’2 Princeton M Slashing point guard, long, leads well. Needs to get a little tighter with the ball and add a mid-range to long-range shooting game.
17. Nic Moore 5’10 Warsaw M- Solid shooter, strong although small, finishes well in the lane. Needs to be a knock down shooter so he can run an offense and knock down 3’s if he is left open.
18. Kendal Griffin 6’4 Avon M Good shooter, rebounds well from a SG/SF. Would like him to handle it better and make better decisions at times.
19. Isiah Hill 6’10 Howe M- Huge kid, doesn’t run too well. Has been out most of the spring
20. Tyler Greathouse 6’8 Columbus North M- Good outside shooter, good post moves. Needs to be more aggressive offensively and rebounding.
21. Greg Dickey 5’11 Tipton M- Feisty, good worker, solid with the ball. Good spot up shooter with great range.
22. Alexander Hutson 6’1 Tipton M- Shooter, deceptively athletic, solid vision. Would like better ball handling and better defense without so much unwarranted gambling
23. Demtrius Lawson 6’1 Zionsville M- Strong, athletic, good looking jumper to 20 feet, solid handles, unselfish. Very similar body to Jeremiah Davis.
24. Jonny Marlin 5’11 Center Grove L+ Smart, solid shooter, good ball handler. Would like him to be more aggressive offensively but he runs a team well,would like him to add some muscle.
25. Tyler Hall 6’2 Danville M- Smart, pass first, good defender. More consistency from the outside is needed.
26. Chandler Thomas 6’5 Cathedral L+ Very good post player, good athlete, strong. Needs to become a wing.
27. Ken Mullen 5'11 Fort Wayne Luers L+ Strong, good defender. Can get to the rim on most guards and finishes well when he does. Outside shot is questionable
28. P.J. Boutte 5’10 Howe L+ Quick, flashy, decent shooter. Needs to make better decisions
29. Brian Stolarz 6’4 Munster L+ Strong, good jumper, good set shooter, good rebounder. Not great with the ball…needs to improve ball-handling and overall perimeter skills.
30. Joe Crisman 6’4 Munster L+ Shooter, strong, tough, good defender. Needs to tighten up handles
31. Jordan Hahn 5’10 New Castle L+ Leader, good decision maker,good defender at this level, improving shooter. Needs to handle intense ball pressure better
32. Matt Schauss 6’2 Centerville L+ Lights out shooter, long, okay handles. Probably not big enough to be a pure shooting guard at the D-1 level and probably not quick enough to be a pure point guard. Lacks great intensity at most times.
33. Chandler Guion 6’1 Lapel L+
34. Spencer Comer 6’3 Rushville L+ Great lateral quickness, strong, good motor, works very hard, good leader. Needs better handles and consistency from the outside.
35. Jon Trawick 6’2 Richmond L Strong, athletic, good set shooter. Needs to improve ball handling and defense
36. Kenny Enoch 6’3 Howe M- Solid athlete, pretty long, good motor.
37. Alex Prichett 6’6 Bedford North L Finishes well, solid body. Needs to improve post moves and expand range. He recently picked up an offer from Wright State
38. Austin Richie 6’2 Lowell L+ Shooter, skinny as a rail, decent handles but more of an undersized shooting guard right now. Reportedly offered by Valpo recently…also scored 50 points against Hammond recently.
39. Brandon Muncie 6'4 Lawrence North L+ Athletic, long windspan. If he can build his game around his great athleticism he could be very good.
40. Andy Smeathers 6’5 Center Grove L+ Shooter with good length
41. Conner Rich 6’3 Tipton L+ Pure shooter with legit range to 24 feet. Lacks great lateral quickness, but has good length. I’d put him as the 2nd best shooter behind Spencer Turner.
42. Robbie Howell 6’5 Tri-Central L Versatile small forward that has a very good mid-range game although with good strength
43. Brandon Ledford 5'11 Decatur Central L- Slashing pass first point guard or looking to finish in the lane.

2011 Small Forward Rankings

There are a lot of good talent in the small forward position in the 2011 class. Plenty of high, mid, and low major talent to go around in this position.

H=High major H- = High major Stretch
M+ = Mid-major, higher possibly, M=Mid-major, M- =Mid-major stretch
L+ = Low major, higher possibly, L= Low-major, L- = Low-major stretch/D2/NAIA


1. Branden Dawson 6’7 Gary Wallace H Athletic, good motor, finishes well in traffic against contact, okay shooter. Would like him to improve shooting.
2. Austin Etherington 6’6 Hamilton Heights H- Shooter, long wingspan. Good ball handler and court vision. I love his competitiveness. Committed to Indiana University
3. Ryan Taylor 6’5 Lawrence North H- Strong and athletic right now. Needs to be more consistent from the outside and has been so far this summer. His game is expanding from a PF to a SF but he still has some work to do. Committed to Louisville
4. Steven Jamison 6’6 Broad Ripple M+ Long, streaky shooter, okay handles, Runs very well, good motor. More consistency from perimeter shooting would make him a great mid-major or higher prospect.
5. Rontray Chavis 6’4 Princeton M+ Skilled tweener(small forwad and power forward), quick, athletic, solid body, has some range to his jumper. Gets a bit out of control at times.
6. Chandler Thomas 6’5 Cathedral L+ Very good post player, good athlete, strong. Needs to become a wing.
7. Brian Stolarz 6’4 Munster L+ Strong, good jumper, good set shooter, good rebounder. Not great with the ball…needs to improve ball-handling and overall perimeter skills.
8. Jon Trawick 6’2 Richmond L Strong, athletic, good set shooter. Needs to improve ball handling and defense
9. Brandon Muncie 6'4 Lawrence North L+ Athletic, long windspan. If he can build his game around his great athleticism he could be very good.
10. Andy Smeathers 6’5 Center Grove L+ Shooter with good length
11. Robbie Howell 6’5 Tri-Central L Versatile small forward that has a very good mid-range game although with good strength
12. Josh Gentry 6’5 Pike L+ Mega long, weird looking shot, good energy. Will force shots
13. Jackson Renshaw 6'4 Columbus East L+ Strong, solid athlete, decent ball-handling skills. Needs to improve consistency on jumper and decision making.
14. Evan Dodd 6’5 Hauser L Solid inside outside threat. Will force shots up.
15. Levi Garner 6'4 Edgewood L Strong, good penetrating skills. Lacks a consistent jumper..
16. Dwight Cliff 6’3 Ben Davis L Strong, good set shooter, solid rebounder. Needs to improve ball handling on drives and shooting off the dribble.
17. Jerrick Suiter 6’3 Valparaiso D2 Fighter competitor. Does whatever it takes to win games.
18. George Zhang 6’3 West Lafayette
19. Brock Tew 6’4 Tri-Central

2011 Shooting Guard Rankings

H=High major H- = High major Stretch
M+ = Mid-major, higher possibly, M=Mid-major, M- =Mid-major stretch
L+ = Low major, higher possibly, L= Low-major, L- = Low-major stretch/D2/NAIA


1. Zac VanDeWater 6’5 Whitko M+ Good shooter, solid handles, good defender although not super quick. Had a great July, shot very well and showed his complete game. Some muscle might improve his game greatly.
2. Spencer Turner 6’2 Bloomington South M Best shooter in the class, strong, smart player. Would like him to develop into more of a PG unless he grows. He might still grow and he is a gym rat so I expect him to expand his game.
3. Kendal Griffin 6’4 Avon M Good shooter, rebounds well from a SG/SF, very fast up and down the floor, solid athlete. Would like him to handle it better and make better decisions at times
4. Joe Crisman 6’4 Munster M- Shooter, strong, tough, good defender. Needs to tighten up handles
5. Kenny Enoch 6’3 Howe L+ Solid athlete, pretty long, good motor, good set shooter.
6. Rick Thomas 6’1 Lawrence North L+
7. Conner Rich 6’3 Tipton L+ Pure shooter with legit range to 24 feet. Lacks great lateral quickness, but has good length. I’d put him as the 2nd best shooter behind Spencer Turner.
8. Chris Page 6’3 Plainfield L Solid length, good finisher inside, good shooter. Needs to improve ball handling
9. Trent Lancaster 6’3 Northview L Shooter
10. Micah Smith 6’0 North Central D2
11. Colin Lynch 6’3 Roncali D2 Slasher, good set shooter, okay athlete. Needs to tighten up handles and passing a bit.
12. Trent Crabtree Crawfordsville

2011 Power Forward Rankings

The power forward position in the 2011 class is loaded. McGary, Zeller, Gant, and Greathouse are all over 6'8 and are all very versatile players. I'm probably higher on McGary than most. I'm not quite sold on Zeller, but judging by how quickly he has improved over the last 3 years he should be the best player of the Zeller family. I am probably lower on Gant than a lot of people mainly because I wish he was more aggressive. If he picks up his aggressiveness on defense and rebounding than his game would go to a new level. Greathouse has all the necessary skills to be a perimeter 4 man. He doesn't always show his skills though.

1. Mitch McGary 6’9 Chesterton H Great touch around the basket, good shooting form to 18 feet, quick/good feet. Solid handles at a true 6’9.
2. Cody Zeller 6’10 Washington H- A Zeller nuff said. Runs well, shoots well, passes well. Developing quickly, but still ranked mainly off of potential. He has made huge strides since last summer and I expect him to continue that type of development.
3. Justin Gant 6’8 Terre Haute North M+ Solid set shooter from outside, good length, skilled. Aggressive/toughness on the defensive end and while rebounding will decide what level he plays.
4. Tyler Greathouse 6’8 Columbus North M Great outside shooter, good post moves but would rather be on the outside. Very similar to Justin Gant, Greathouse needs to be more aggressive offensively and rebounding.
5. Alex Prichett 6’6 Bedford North L Finishes well, solid body. Needs to improve post moves and expand range. He recently picked up an offer from Wright State
6. Ricky Carbajal 6’6 Munster L Tough rebounder, physical, decent touch around the rim. Decent jumping ability. Can handle the ball a little bit..
7. Dontray Chavis 6’4 Princeton L+ Skilled tweener, quick, athletic, solid body. Can put the ball on the floor from the perimeter to get to the basket. Gets a bit out of control at times and more of a power forward than his brother. It appears that Dontray has rejoined the Princeton team after he went a few weeks ago.
8. Dedric Griffin 6’4 North Central L Finishes well against bigger guys
9. Tim Simmons 6’6 Pike L+ Good post moves, decent shooter, best thing going for him is his body...looks like a grown man
10. Robert Pittman 6’7 Washington L Athletic, can put it on the floor a little bit. Needs to improve all around game.
11. Beecher Ward 6’4 Indianapolis Tech D2 Athletic post, can guard a 3 or 4 at D2 level
12. Brandon Herbert 6’6 Rushville D2 Good rebounder, good motor. Needs to improve shooting range and become more of a PF instead of pure center.
13. Colin Bowles 6’7 Franklin Central D2 Good motor, great timing for shot blocking. Needs to improve offensive game.
14. Armond Patterson 6’5 Broad Ripple D2
15. Dakota Slaughter 6’6 Fishers L
16. Jeremy Reed 6’6 Lapel L
17. Matt Howard 6’5 Carmel D2 Good pick and pop shooter, decent athlete. Good small college prospect if he gets playing time at Carmel.
18. Randy Gregory 6’5 Hamilton Southeastern D2
19. Jon Thompson 6’3 Rushville D3 Insanely effective in high school and even in AAU due to his shot fakes and the way he uses his body. He does have a good set shot to 20 feet, but I think D3 is the highest he can play in college.
20. Kevin Fisher 6’5 Huntington D3 Strong, good worker, decent mid-range jumper

2011 Point Guard Rankings

The point guard class in 2011 is very deep especially for the mid-major or low-major prospects. The class has a lot of good leaders and floor generals. It should be fun to see how the point guards in this class turn out in college.

H=High major H- = High major Stretch
M+ = Mid-major, higher possibly, M=Mid-major, M- =Mid-major stretch
L+ = Low major, higher possibly, L= Low-major, L- = Low-major stretch/D2/NAIA


1. Marquis Teague 6’2 Pike H One of the top players in the country for his class. Explosive, solid shooter, good handles. Can question his focus at times
2. Dee Davis 5’10 Bloomington South M+ Great decision maker, good handles, good outside shooter, quick. Height might hold him back from being an elite PG at the next level. Committed to Xavier
3. Matt Carlino 6’2 Bloomington South H- quick, smart, strong, slasher that is looking to pass first. Not a great shooter, but has time to improve that. Committed to IU
4. Jalen Packer 6’2 Princeton M- Slashing point guard, long, leads well. Reminds me of Verdell Jones of IU…long, good creator, but gets loose with the ball at times.
5. Max Landis 6’0 Perry Meridian M Good shooter, finishes well in the lane, good handles. Not a great defender, would like him to add some muscle.
6. Nic Moore 5’10 Warsaw M Solid shooter, strong although small, finishes well in the lane. Needs to be a knock down shooter so he can run an offense and knock down 3’s if he is left open
7. Greg Dickey 5’11 Tipton M- Feisty, good worker, solid with the ball. Good spot up shooter with great range.
8. Jonny Marlin 5’11 Center Grove L+ Smart, solid shooter, good ball handler. Would like him to be more aggressive offensively but he runs a team well,would like him to add some muscle.
9. Ken Mullen 5'11 Fort Wayne Luers L+ Strong, good defender. Can get to the rim on most guards and finishes well when he does. Outside shot is questionable.
10. P.J. Boutee 5’9 Howe L+ Quick, flashy, decent shooter. I would like him to cut down on his spin dribbles…asking to be trapped at higher levels. Right now, he gets away with it. Committed to Detroit
11. Chandler Guion 6’1 Lapel L+
12. Jordan Hahn 5’10 New Castle L+ Leader, good decision maker,good defender at this level, improving shooter. Needs to handle intense ball pressure better
13. Tyler Hall 6’2 Danville L Smart, pass first, good defender. More consistency from the outside is needed.
14. Austin Richie 5’11 Lowell L+ Shooter, skinny as a rail, decent handles but more of an undersized shooting guard right now. Reportedly offered by Valpo recently… scored 50 points with 7 3's recently.
15. Brandon Ledford 5'11 Decatur Central L- Slashing pass first point guard or looking to finish in the lane.
16. Seth Small 5’9 Hamilton Heights L- Smart, great shooter, good pull up game in the mid-range. Just like his name says…he is small though.
17. Evan Blackmon 6’0 Fort Wayne Luers L- Explosive athlete, streaky shooter. Needs to be better with the ball i.e. limit turnovers and run an offense more often to become a point guard.
18. Phil Miller 5’10 Fishers D2 Good slasher, quick, finishes pretty well when he gets into the lane. Not a great shooter.
19. JaJuan Sarver 5’11 Avon D2
20. Christian Ford 5’10 Cardinal Ritter D2 Score first PG, very good penetrator. Will get out of control and force bad shots
21. Brandon Burtner 5’11 Western Boone D2 Solid defender, knocks down the open 3 consistently, steady ball handler
22. Mark Fenerty 5’11 Carmel D2 Very good shooter, gets his feet set coming around screens well, overall very good with the ball.
23. Kyle James 6’0 Franklin Central
24. Brody Sowers 5’10 Fountain Central