The One Where We Talked For 2.5 Hours
Nick Baumgart joins Jim Reamer to discuss the weekend of hoops for the Charlie Hughes Shootout held at Carmel and Westfield schools.
Topics discussed: Moratorium week Top player performances with deeper dives on a few (see notable list below) What 4A should look like this year as a whole Nick adds his picks for top 3A, 2A and 1A teams just at the event The secret sauce of Carmel
A lot of players discussed, but there were deeper dives on these players:
Myles Colvin Jake Davis Jaxson Edwards Aaron Humphrey Fletcher Loyer Logan McIntyre Peter Suder
Other players discussed:
Jermaine Coleman, Micah Davis, DJ Hamilton, Joey Hart, Logan Imes, Brandon Walters, Logan Webb
There were others...
Jim Reamer is joined by Chris Spillman to talk about their views on the Charlie Hughes Shootout
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We'll have an additional 35+ evaluations from Sunday's action, but below are five uncommitted players who stood out:
Cade Brenner, 6'1" point guard; Nappanee (Northwood) - class of 2023
Scores in a lot of ways, including excellent 3pt range. He’s deadly going to his left, and as he slows down a bit in the paint, he finishes off the glass. Gambles a little on defense, but he’s an able defender.
Tayshawn Comer, 6'0" point guard; Indianapolis (Cathedral) - class of 2022
Absorbs contact in the paint as he elevates to finish. Played off the ball some, effective at changing the gravity of the defense. Was able to warp the floor, catch and drive. He looks like he's in control of each possession without dominating the ball.
Jake Davis, 6'6" power forward; Indianapolis (Cathedral) - class of 2023
Doesn’t get burned guarding wings. Uses strength well, smart. Floor spacer on offense, almost automatic on catch/shoot, good in ball screen action and DHO. Putting the ball on the floor more. Attacking off the dribble is definitely a new development.
Trent Sisley, 6'7" power forward; Lincoln City (Heritage Hills) - class of 2025
Lived up to early expectations. Didn't shoot from range, but everything else was varsity level. He initiated the offense, scored out of isolation, hit the offensive glass and scored coming off screens. Rebounded on the defensive glass too, rip and run. Handled the ball in transition and finished in traffic.
Jalen Washington, 6'10" power forward; Gary (West Side) - class of 2022
So much of his game was as advertised, fluid shot with definite 3pt range, active on defense, early help, recovered quickly, rotated to block a dunk attempt. Had a couple of times he could’ve drove but settled for a jump shot. As he starts to figure out how to get downhill more, he will be a load to stop.
We'll have 67 evaluations for Saturdays session for the Charlie Hughes Shootout, but here are five who really stood out on Saturday...
DJ Hamilton, 6'5" small forward; Fishers (Hamilton Southeastern) - class of 2024
One of the bigger surprises on the day was Hamilton, not just in terms of his talents, but his willingness to make plays in the heat of the game. Fluid with the ball and has a change of pace to him. Quick release, smooth shot. Work in progress on defense, but just loses focus. He’s an able defender. One of the better 2024 wings.
Aiden Lambert, 6'2" point guard; Fort Wayne (Snider) - class of 2022
So we didn't see the huge outing he had vs. Lawrence, but even in a more normal game, he impacts it. Great energy on the court. The more he is a point guard, the higher he can go. Good size for the position, certainly athletic enough. Gets to spots he wants and can finish. Good shooter off the catch, set shot.
AJ Lux, 6'4" shooting guard; Crown Point - class of 2023
Whenever Crown Point needed a big basket, they turned to Lux, mixing up ways for him to get catches. Lux elevates into his jump shot, quick release. Cuts hard without the ball, and gets into his shot quickly after ball fakes. Struggled a bit with quicker/stronger players on both ends, but that’ll improve as he gets stronger.
Jayden Pinkston, 6'5" small forward; Indianapolis (Tindley) - class of 2023
Just a monster effort on both ends. Physical on defense, active on the glass. Finished spectacularly in transition. One of his better games. His motor is never in question, but there are times when he can be stationary on offense and ball hawking on defense. Locked in this game.
Charlie Williams, 6'10" center; Carmel - class of 2023
With Peter Suder out this June, Williams is getting some serious "goto" reps. Showing more footwork in the low post, scoring on pivot outs. Dribbled into a post up, quick from gather to shot. A little sky hook. In a blow out win, Williams was using the time to get looks behind the 3pt line. A direction his game is going, and he connected. The stroke looks good. He was effective in the low, strong with the ball through contact.
We have 26 evaluations of uncommitted players (more to come) from Friday's action at the Charlie Hughes Shootout. Here are five who stood out and some general team notes:
Aaron Humphrey, 6'6" power forward; Indianapolis (Tindley) - class of 2022
Humphrey continues to show improvement in his perimeter skill set. Hitting a couple of 3pters in a tight game, Humphrey was still at his best driving and hitting the offensive glass. He rebounded well on both ends. He was a tough cover for Tech. Aside from improved handle, Humphrey has also improved his body control as he gathers to finish. And while his ability to score off the bounce will likely always be his strongest asset, his improved shot from 3pt will only enhance that.
Javan Buchanon, 6'7" power forward; Lafayette (Jefferson) - class of 2022
Back in Indiana after a year in Kansas, Buchanon is very skilled for a kid his size. Scored off the dribble on pull ups and finished through contact around the basket. Moved well without the ball as well. Showed 3pt range, just not enough sample to how consistent yet, but his mechanics were smooth.
Defensive was an issue at this point. He wasn't truly engaged on that end. Again, not a large enough sample, but he was outplayed on that end.
Jahsiah Kirk-Williams, 6'2" shooting guard; Lafayette (Jefferson) - class of 2022
He may have been the best player on the floor. Scored on all three levels, competed on the defensive end and was communicating the whole time. Admittedly, I don't remember him at all last season, and he didn't do much in their Regional games. His play today suggests a great deal of improvement from last year, matching what appears to be an expanded role.
Logan McIntyre, 6'2" shooting guard; Ramsey (North Harrison) - class of 2022
Active with and without the ball, McIntyre scored on all three levels and created shots for others off the bounce. His release is quick, and he elevates well on his jump shot. He's excellent with the ball in transition, always looking ahead and finding teammates. Rebounded well on the defensive end, he also snagged a couple of long rebounds on the offensive end.
Jermaine Coleman, 6'7" small forward; Indianapolis (Park Tudor) - class of 2023
Extremely impressive first half, as Coleman scored in every way imaginable, highlighted by three 3pters and a dunk in traffic. Coleman also scored in the post, duck-ins after initiating the offense. He looked to drive more in the second half, when the game was effectively decided, and his strength is still an are that needs improvement.
Tindley, which looks to be among the favorites in 1A this upcoming season, will need to find a consistent 3pt threat to create the space allowing Humphrey and Jayden Pinkston, 6'5" junior guard, to thrive. They got it in bits and pieces from those two, Arlando Tucker and Jeffrey Pinkston, but they had other guards misfiring early and often in several possessions. Wins over 4A teams, Tech and Pike, made for a great night.
North Harrison looked good in their win over Northview. Aside from McIntyre, they got excellent play from Ethan Oakley, 6'8" senior center, who is finally fully healthy. They surprisingly run a lot of offense through Oakley, and he's good with the ball in his hands as a mid-range driver and someone who will pass out of post-ups.
Fort Wayne Snider with wins over Southport and a beat down of Lawrence North, as Aiden Lambert and Karsen Jenkins continue their high scoring ways from last year.
Surprised how bad Pike and Lawrence North looked.
Each year the Indiana Basketball Coaches' Association (IBCA) holds one of the top events of the year, the Top 100 Workout. (OK, it's closer to 120 players...but still.) It's been given more juice since the NCAA opened up two evaluation periods for D1 coaches in 2019. A change for the better, as this event has moved around in year's past trying to squeeze into April and July evaluation periods.
Courtside Indiana has 94 evaluations from the Top 100, but here are ten performances which stood out, starting with the top two uncommitted performances on the day:
Billy Smith, 6'6" small forward; Indianapolis (Brebeuf) - class of 2022
Fresh off his first D1 offer, Miami (OH), Smith was outstanding on the day. The normally sure shot from 3pt range and high IQ passer has had a floater in his bag of tricks for awhile. Other shot making off the dribble had not been consistently seen up to this point. Smith had always been a reliable finisher at the rim, but there were times when he appeared rushed or hesitant vs. legitimate rim protectors.
Let's be blunt, those two aspects describes a lot good players at all levels of play.
So what has changed? His mid-range jump shot, as well as how he got into those shots, at least based on what he did at the Top 100. His footwork on stops and pivots into shots added a lot of variety to his ability to finish in or around the paint. The main one is the ability to pivot out, track the rim and get enough separation to hit an otherwise contested shot. This is a positive step in scoring over quicker and/or bigger defenders.
A willing defender, Smith can guard his position at the D1 level, and it was his performance at Miami's team camp that earned him the offer. As he continues to get direct exposure from D1 coaches, it's certain his offer list will grow. - jr
Ryan Conwell, 6'2" shooting guard; Indianapolis (Pike) - class of 2022
The question on Conwell, is he a tweener guard or a combo guard? There is often a fine line between tweener and combo, but it's one that often needs an answer before recruiting settles in. Conwell, up to this point has earned a handful of NAIA offers, four from the Crossroads League (Bethel, Huntington, Indiana Wesleyan and Marian), the top NAIA league in the country.
At the NAIA level, Conwell is a no brainer combo guard, likely able to guard three or four positions, due to his length and strength. Maybe one aspect holding him back was his shot. Good to consistent off the catch, he's rarely in a position where he's getting catches off screens. He hadn't been consistent off the dribble from the 3pt line either, much of that due to a slower release. So anything not stationary was a question mark.
Conwell has done a decent amount changing that view. He showed a quicker release Saturday, or at least showed the ability to get his shot off accurately off the dribble. With his strength, he's able to step back into a 3pter as well, and that was on display a few times. Stepping back into stop and drive was also on display, as he toyed with his defender. From there, Conwell has a variety of finishes in the paint, including a floater.
As a playmaking guard, he's probably best suited as a secondary ball handler with the ability to wedge in vs. his defender, keep him on his hip then make the next read. That's likely his best path to D1 offers, and at the D1 level he would still be able to effectively guard either wing spot. He's shot first off the dribble, but he's still unselfish with excellent vision. - jr
Steele Brasfield, 6'5" small forward; New Palestine - class of 2022
Steele really showed his shooting in this one. Great size and feel like he could be an oversized 2 or a 3 who can shoot it. Put the ball on the floor a couple times to get into the paint and finished. Got out in transition where he found his spots on the perimeter for knockdown 3s. Need to see more of him and his rebounded ability. Prospect I like moving forward. - zt
Richard Brooks - small forward; Mishawaka Marian - class of 2022
Another player who is starting to answer more what position he plays is Brooks. Displaying a quicker and smoother release, Brooks off the dribble has mostly relied on getting near the rim and finding a way to finish over bigger defenders. It's evolved into more finishing moves, and today Brooks showed a mid-range jump shot, as well as catching off the move beyond the 3pt line. Tighter closeouts lead to more opportunities off the dribble, which leads more ways to score. - jr
Myles Colvin, 6'4" shooting guard; Indianapolis (Heritage Christian) - class of 2023
First chance getting to see the forward and he put on display some of why he now holds offers from Purdue and IU. He was almost unstoppable when he got out in space with the ball. Showed his athleticism well. Consistently attacked the basket, and when he didn’t have the ball he made hard cuts and slashed to the basket well. Sprinkled in some nice outside shooting to compliment the rest of his game. Need to see more of him as a defender and rebounder. - zt
Brandon Northern, 5'11" point guard; Sellersburg (Silver Creek) - class of 2022
After a tweet stating he was among the top playmakers at the Top 100, someone said of Northern, "It's easy to find others when the others are (Trey) Kaufman and (Kooper) Jacobi." Very true, but they weren't at the Top 100, and Northern was still of the mind to get downhill, draw help and make the right play...time after time after time. He will have to score more this year for the Creek, but he's never shied away from it, especially late in games, big games. Watching him make high level reads in a camp environment was refreshing. - jr
Sam Orme, 6'7" small forward; Carmel - class of 2023
Served mostly as a catch/shoot threat this past season, Orme show a full array of scoring threats, which he has shown the last two summers. His biggest asset other than his shot, is his ability to move without the ball. His length, ability to read his defender and willingness to cut into and through traffic put him in great scoring positions, a couple of which were capitalized on. He drives well and has good feel around the basket. - jr
Nick Richart, 6'8" center; Zionsville - class of 2023
Nick already has good size and strength, that will only improve. He has good hands, and gets himself in positrons to score around the rim. Lefty who lives getting to that hand to finish. Passes well out of the post. Showed glimpses of being a good rebounder but need to see some more. Did not take any shot that really showed if he has a game outside of the paint. Did run well in transition and capable defender. - zt
JaQualon Roberts, 6'7" small forward; Bloomington (North) - class of 2023
His transition from post to perimeter is coming along nicely. During the school season he was able to score off straight line drive, and today he was able to change in tight spaces and finish through traffic. His shot to the 3pt line is still a work in progress, but his mechanics are getting smoother and quicker. Super active in transition as a rim runner, and he has a nose for the ball, getting the occasional tip in. - jr
Josh Whack, 6'2" point guard; Carmel - class of 2022
Josh is known as a really good defender at the guard spot. He is strong and moves his feet really well with very active hands. He is also able to handle the ball which helps translate into baskets in transition, or getting himself to the rim in the half court. Josh also has really solid court vision, and moves well without the ball. Need to see if he is capable of scoring from the perimeter. - zt
Zak Tyler and Jim Reamer update a big week in recruiting -- numerous offers -- on the heels of the IBCA Top 100 Workout.
Zak Tyler and Jim Reamer breakdown the transfers which have happened this June period. This after Zak gets us up to date on recruiting news.
Zak Tyler and Jim Reamer talk about the last two weeks of recruiting news after a week off.
Zak Tyler and Jim Reamer get us updated on recruiting news. Chris Spillman joins in, as Zak and he report back on top players they saw over the weekend.