Other Top Performers from Pitt Jam Fest

Many other hoop stars from the state of Indiana also had great weekends. Some have already had their star rise and helped to improve their perception with their play, while other budding talents made a name for themselves with some eye-catching, had-turning performances. Here's a few of note. Unfortunately with a full docket of coaching responsibilities, I can only see so many other games (or partial games), so this list is not as comprehensive as I would like. Anyways, here are some other top performers outside of the 15U age group!

Michael Chandler - Spiece Indy Fast Break 2011 - Chandler, a current Louisville commit, may have had his most solid weekend ever in AAU play. Despite being nearly 6'11 and despite being on one of the best teams for producing big men in the country in Lawrence North, Chandler still has plenty of haters and doubters. He did play on the junior varsity for a portion of last season, but when your varsity roster includes around seven upperclassmen who are 6'7 and bigger, minutes are tough to come by. Chandler picked up the slack this weekend for Fast Break as his high school teammate Ryan Taylor, another UL commit, did not play his best. Big Mike had a double-double in their quarterfinal game, scoring 20 and pulling down about a dozen o so boards. He had around ten blocks too, so it may have in fact been a triple double. Great hater-silencing performance by Chandler.

Travis Carroll - Spiece Indy Heat 2010 - The Danville product has to have Boiler fans salivating at the thought of his arrival in West Lafayette. The 6'10 big boy is just what Purdue needs: a dominating inside presence to go along with their fantastic wing and guard play. Carroll is a beast on the blocks with a bevy of moves, and he plays solid post defense, giving up nothing easy. He also has improving range out to the three point line, but fear not Boiler nation, he's no Calasan part two.

Donnie Hale - Spiece Indy Heat 2010 - Hale, from New Albany, continues to prove critics wrong. The man who has no position continues to stuff the stat sheet despite being an undersized 6'7 four man. His seven-foot reach makes him a nightmare on defense, blocking and altering shots and getting plenty of tips. He also has an improving midrange game and can face up on plodding post players. Being a lefty helps him too, as some of his moves are not as predictable.

PJ Boutte - Spiece Indy Fast Break 2011 - Boutte is the 2011 point guard from Indiana who gets the least love compared to guys like Marquis Teague, Dee Davis, and Jalen Packer, but the Howe Hornet is just as productive as the names mentioned. Boutte is quick as lightning with the ball in his hands, he rarely turns it over, is suffocating on D, and is now consistently hitting from deep. Oh, and he continues to set up teammates for easy buckets, his greatest asset.

Tony Springmann - Spiece Select 2011 - Looking for someone to clean the glass? Need a garbage guy who will do all the dirty work it takes to win close games? Look no further than Springmann, a 6'6 or 6'7 bullish forward from Ft. Wayne Bishop Dwenger. His game is not the prettiest to look at, but the red head man-child will do whatever it takes to control the paint on both ends and make his teammates' lives easier in doing so. Love how hard this kid plays - non-stop motor.

Indiana Elite teams were at the Grassroots this week, but I look forward to seeing them again in a few weeks at the Adidas May Classic in Bloomington.

Pitt Jam Fest Report

A few notes on players of interest from Indiana playing in the Pitt Jam Fest.

Ron Patterson - Spiece Indy Stars 15U - Bus continues to impress. He can do so much defensively with his length when he chooses to get after it. He told me his main focus right now is working on his handle, which is exactly what he should be doing. As his shot continues to improve (as it has), his dribbling skills are the next thing that need to come. He had multiple games of double digit points.

Kellon Thomas - Spiece Indy Stars 15U - The Southport freshman is another one who caught my eye for the second week in a row. He is able to push the ball in transition so effectively and so under control. Tom Crean has been to see him work out as of late. Whoever their new head coach ends up being, Southport can surely build around Kellon.

Austin Burgett - Spiece Indy Stars 15U - Burgett is so versatile for a 6'8 guy. He can put it on the deck and attack with the best of them, and his size gives him a huge advantage. He needs to be more physical and attack the glass better, but the young Avon Oriole is a stud.

Jeremy Hollowell - Spiece Indy Stars 15U - The Lawrence Central frosh is silky. He needs to get more urgency to his game, but he can flat out score the ball from deep, off the bounce, and on the break.

Joel Smith - Eric Gordon Central Stars 15U - Smith played for the first time this week after sitting out with plantar issues. The 6'6 wing does it all. His shot needs to improve an he needs to work on getting stronger and more explosive, but he simply stuffs the stat sheet. He also can handle well for a big guy and pushes very effectively in transition with the ball in his hands.

Patrick Ingram - Eric Gordon Central Stars 15U - The combo guard from North Central is explosive. He can score in many ways and he crashes hard for a guard. He needs to work on his deep shot and handle, but he will team up well with Terone and Ronnie Johnson for the Panthers next season.

Mo Cross - Eric Gordon Indy Stars 15U - Mo Mo had a second big weekend in a row. He is an ultra-athletic, bouncy, active guard. He scores best in straight lines and is effective from deep. His handle needs work, and he will work hard on it. Once he does, the Tech Titan will be unstoppable. Cross had games of nearly ten rebounds, impressive for a kid a shade under 6'4. He scored over 12 a game this weekend.

Paul Bayt - Eric Gordon Indy Stars 15U - The Cathedral product can flat out shoot it. Bayt averaged 11 points a game this weekend and was clearly the vocal leader for the Indy Stars. He needs to add strength and improve his defense, but the heady player will help immediately on the Irish next year as they lose several seniors.

Check back for more later this week...

Apologies from P-Hoops

Dear readers,

I am so sorry I am just finally getting back to the blog. This weekend, my family's computer got a virus which not only resulted in its' being incapacitated, but an attempted identity theft as well! All is well, after jumping through a ton of hoops (pun intended), and the computer is back up and running. Unfortunately, I only have a quick minute to update this before packing for the Pitt Jam Fest, crashing out early to get up refreshed for old man open gym at six in the morning, teaching a full day of school, and then caravaning to Steel Town with my AAU boys (who are great kids and a blast to coach). So....here's a few quick notes on who really impressed me at Indyball.

D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera- Indiana Elite Team Indiana 2012 - It's tough to get a gauge on how really good he is, since he plays on a team that doesn't get to practice since their players live all over the nation. He struggled some against teams who packed it in and were physical against the Team Indiana big kids, and it's clear he needs to fine tune his outside shot. But kid is a WARRIOR. He takes over in big games, and with his speed, strength, and athleticism at the one-spot, he is near-unstoppable. I love this kid and pray he stays in state.

Hanner Perea - Indiana Elite Team Indiana 2012 - The big kid looked pretty impressive at times. He's 6'9 and has arms that go on forever, and he has some crazy dunks on the break and alley-oops. The rest of his offensive game is still coming along, but you can't teach what he already has.

Ron Patterson - Spiece Indy Stars 2012 - His all around game is catching up with his superior athleticism and potential. He hit some deep treys and even a few off the bounce in the games I saw. Needs to not gamble on D to stay out of foul trouble. He's a monster in transition. I he can tighten up his handle and keep his shot coming along, sky's the limit, youngster!

Kellon Thoms - Spiece Indy Stars 2012 - He didn't score a ton, but he handled all the pressure every team threw at him, scored enough to be a threat, pressured the ball, and set up teammates like Jeremy Hollowell and Austin Burgett for clean looks. He's as fast with the ball as most kids are in a dead sprint. I like his game.

Patrick Ingram -Eric Gordon Central Stars 2012 - The other North Central frosh was really impressive, going hard to the rack, finishing at the rim, hitting a few pull ups and threes as well. He struggled a bit against tough ball pressure, but they were playing up an age group.

Nick Osborne - Eric Gordon Central Stars 2012 - The 6'7ish post from Muncie Central has a non-stop motor, gritty toughness, a nice post game, and a pretty good J from midrange. He will team up with Jeremiah Davis to make the Bearcats tough in 2009-2010.

Marshall Plumlee - Indiana Elite 2011 - He's nearly seven feet right now and while still slight of frame and a little unsure in his movements, he's clearly gonna be a good one. He has nice back to the basket moves and a good face-up game with a sweet stroke. If he played at Warsaw still, he and Nic Moore would be a force.

Cody Zeller - Indiana Elite 2011 - I was mostly happy to see Cody's legit height. I was worried he wasn't as tall as listed, but he's definitely 6'8 and growing. He did well running the floor in transition, scoring easy buckets that way and on offensive rebounds. Needs to become a tougher defender, but that will come with added strength.

Dylan Langkabel - Eric Gordon Indy Stars 2012 - The Morristown product from the tiny 1A school was very impressive this past weekend. He made great plays off the pick and roll, scoring on and-ones and setting up teammates for easy shots. He drives hard without fear, finishes at the rim, and can hit from deep. He shoots almost a set shot from three, so that will have to change, and he is more of a combo guard than a true one, so his handle will need to tighten a bit if he wants to stay at the point.

Mo Cross - Eric Gordon Indy Stars 2012 - The IPS product from Arsenal Tech has a revelation of a weekend, playing spectacularly in stretches. He had one of the sweetest play of the whole weekend that I witnessed, getting a steal, pushing it in transition, not over-penetrating, elevating and pulling up for a sweet 15-footer from the elbow. Truly, a D1 pull up. At 6'3 and long at the 2 or 3 spot, he blocked a ton of shots and rebounded really well from the perimeter when he chose to. He had a high of 20. If his attitude stays in check, he has a bright future.

Tyler Alderman - Eric Gordon Indy Stars 2012 - The 6'8 big kid from Fishers had a nice weekend with a high game of 18 against Spiece. He blocked several shots when he didn't go for ball fakes and has a sweet face up and fade away game. Needs to improve on scoring while going to the basket and rebounding more physically.

I didn't get to see quite as much as I'd hoped this weekend as I had to man the concession stand from time to time, but I hope to watch plenty of the Indiana kids in Pittsburgh this weekend. Oh, and let's try to keep it civil on the posts, especially between Spiece fans and Indiana Elite fans. Let me just say this: BOTH groups should be proud as heck of their teams and their players. You both have squads to die for. Hoop it up this weekend, and represent the Hoosier state well!

Indyball Starts Tonight!

Most of the top AAU teams in the state tip off their summer season this weekend at the Indyball.com Tournament. Notable players include Cody Zeller, Marshall Plumlee, D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Marquis Teague, Ron Patterson (pictured), and many, many more. The games take place at North Central High School as well as the school system's middle schools. P-Hoops will be in attendance all weekend, watching and coaching. If you're in the area, try to come out and see some great hoops action, or check back this weekend for periodic updates on the play and who is standing out.

P-Hoops 2012 Class Rankings

Another great class seems to be coming together with this years' crop of freshmen. The 2012 class has plenty of national-level talent, including players who have already garnered high-major D1 scholarship offers as ninth graders. The player that holds the top spot has recently been ranked the 13th best freshman in America by ESPN.com and Scouts, Inc. P-Hoops will provide a top 25 list followed by a 2012 Watch List.

P-Hoops 2012 Class Rankings

1. D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera - 6'3 G - North Central
2. Ron Patterson - 6'3 G - Broad Ripple
3. DeJuan Marrero - 6'6 F - Bowman Academy
4. Raphael Davis - 6'4 G - Ft. Wayne South Side
5. AJ Hammons - 6'10 C - Carmel
6. Austin Burgett - 6'7 F - Avon
7. Kellon Thomas - 6'0 G - Southport
8. Nick Osborne - 6'6 F - Muncie Central
9. Kevin Ferrell - 5'10 G - Park Tudor
10. Michael Ramey - 6'4 G - Perry Meridian
11. Brad Hartman - 6'7 F - Union County
12. Logan Irwin - 6'0 G - Whitko
13. Gary Harris - 6'3 F - Hamilton Southeastern
14. Brett Calhoun - 6'8 F - Warren Central
15. Jeremy Hollowell - 6'4 G - Lawrence Central
16. Joel Smith - 6'6 G - Heritage Christian
17. DJ Ballentine - 5'10 G - Kokomo
18. Edward Seay - 6'8 C - Merrillville
19. Terrance Winfrey - 6'6 F - Ben Davis
20. Mitch Yeagy - 5'10 G - Alexandria
21. Dylan Langkabel - 6'3 G - Morristown
22. (tie) Ronnie Johnson - 5'10 G -North Central
22. (tie) Patrick Ingram - 6'1 G - North Central
23. Aaron Payne - 6'1 G - Arsenal Tech
24. RJ Hunter - 6'1 G - Pike
25. Rhett Smith - 6'7 F - Sullivan

2012 Watch List

Tyler Alderman - 6'7 F - Fishers
Paul Bayt - 6'3 G - Cathedral
Adam Botts - 5'10 G - Muncie Central
Keith Cochran - 6'10 C - Bluffton
Mo Cross - 6'3 G - Arsenal Tech
Nathan Cox - 6'8 C - Morristown
Jared Drew - 6'3 G - Lawrence Central
Kylan Dubbels - 5'8 G - Northwestern
Kellen Dunham - 6'3 G - Pendleton Heights
Jake Dye - 6'1 G - Tipton
John Eckert - 6'6 F - North Judson
Devin Futch - 6'0 G - Arsenal Tech
Jordan Hauser - 5'9 G - West Vigo
Trey Hendrix - 5'9 G - Lebanon
Nick Hutcheson - 6'5 F - Greencastle
Isiah Jackson - 6'4 F - Arsenal Tech
Adam Kranda - 6'5 F - New Castle
James Knapke - 6'3 G - Bishop Luers
Brandon Langford - 5'7 G - Decatur Central
Carlos McCormack - 6'0 G - Michigan City
Tom McKay - 6'4 F - North Central
Jimmy Miller - 6'3 F - North Central
DJ Neal - 6'0 G - Ft. Wayne Wayne
Patrick Obras - 6'2 G - Pendleton Heights
Jordan Price - 6'5 F - Lawrence Central
Daniel Purvlicus - 6'7 C - Noblesville
JB Rapp - 6'2 G - Park Tudor
Riley Rapp - 5'10 G - Guerin Catholic
Brandon Tannenbaum - 6'4 F - Park Tudor
Zach Terrell - 6'2 G - Homestead
Thomas Treadway - 6'4 G - Zionsville
Kendall Waters - 6'2 G - Pendleton Heights
Jordan Williams - 6'2 G - North Central
Harry Willis - 6'2 G Ben Davis

Again, let me know if you feel I've omitted someone who is deserving.

P-Hoops 2011 Class Rankings

The current sophomore class in Indiana has the potential to bring a revival to the state in terms of depth of talent. There are many kids who are already fully on the national scene, while there are many others with the talent to end up as big time prospects. Again, we'll list the top 25 in the class followed by a position by position watch list.

P-Hoops 2011 Class Rankings

1. Marquis Teague - 6'1 G - Pike
2. Michael Chandler - 6'10 C - Lawrence North (Louisville)
3. Ryan Taylor - 6'5 F - Lawrence North (Louisville)
4. Brandon Dawson - 6'5 F - Gary Lew Wallace
5. Darwin "Dee" Davis - 5'10 G - Bloomington South
6. Cody Zeller - 6'8 F - Washington
7. Mitch McGary - 6'8 F - Chesterton
8. Jeremiah Davis - 6'3 G - Muncie Central
9. Justin Gant - 6'8 F - Terre Haute North
10. Jalen Packer - 6'2 G - Princeton
11. Nic Moore - 5'10 G - Warsaw
12. Steven Jamison - 6'5 G - Broad Ripple
13. Austin Etherington - 6'6 F - Hamilton Heights
14. Spencer Turner - 6'3 G - Bloomington South
15. Rontray Chavis - 6'4 F - Princeton
16. Kendall Griffin- 6'5 G - Avon
17. Levi Garner - 6'6 F - Edgewood
18. Johnny Marlin - 6'1 G - Center Grove
19. Greg Dickey - 5'10 G - Tipton
20. Alexander Hutson - 6'0 G - Seeger
21. Tony Springmann - 6'7 F - Ft. Wayne Bishop Dwenger
22. Alex Pritchett - 6'6 F - Bedford North Lawrence
23. Evan Maschmeyer - 6'1 G - Jeffersonville
24. Torrey Nibbs - 6'2 G - Brownsburg
25. Isaiah Hill - 6'11 C - Howe Academy

Watch List

Point Guard

Alvin "PJ" Boutte - Howe Academy
Andrew Clark - Austin
Jordan Hahn - New Castle
Eric Harris - Lawrence North
Garrett Krieg - Jay County
Max Landis - Perry Meridian
Phil Miller - Fishers
Kyle Spencer - Cascade

Shooting Guard

Evan Blackmon - Bishop Luers
Nathan Bromm - Forest Park
Griffyn Carpenter - Triton
Demetrius Lawson - Zionsville
Kenny Mullen - Bishop Luers
Zach Rush - Hanover Central
Rick Thomas - Lawrence North
Zac Van De Water - Whitko

Small Forward

Dontray Chavis - Princeton
Dwight Cliff - Ben Davis
Robbie Dickison - Avon
Kenny Enoch - Howe Academy
Chandler Guion - Lapel
Michael Nesbitt - Evansville Memorial
Kevin Rose - Howe Academy
Brian Stolarz - Munster
Chandler Thomas - Howe Academy (?)

Power Forward

Colin Bowles - Franklin Central
Tyler Greathouse - Columbus North
Matt Howard - Carmel

Players will inevitably be moved onto the list and up the rankings. Again, feel free to comment if I've missed out on someone.

P-Hoops 2010 Class Rankings

As promised, P-Hoops will now turn to the class of 2010 in Indiana, a class with a lot of high end talent, but with seemingly not as much quality depth as the previous class. These hoopsters who are about to be seniors still have a lot to prove, but clearly have a lot going for them as well. These rankings are based on their junior seasons in high school and will definitely shift some after the summer AAU circuit. I have ranked the top 25 kids in the class and have also included a watch list, which is in positional order. Also, note that the class rankings are now included in the "Links" section to the right of the page for easy access anytime you want to browse. Without further ado, here is the P-Hoops 2010 Class Rankings!


P-Hoops 2010 Rankings


1. Deshaun Thomas - 6'7 F - Bishop Luers (Ohio State)
2. Dominique Ferguson - 6'9 F - Lawrence North
3. Terone Johnson - 6'3 G - North Central (Purdue)
4. Travis Carroll - 6'9 C - Danville (Purdue)
5. Justin Martin - 6'7 F - Lawrence North (Louisville)
6. Donnie Hale - 6'7 F - New Albany
7. Russell Byrd - 6'6 G - Blackhawk Christian (Michigan State)
8. Xavier Jones - 6'3 G - Gary West
9. Jake Kitchell - 6'9 F - South Central/Union Mills
10. Jesse Berry - 6'3 G - Lafayette Jeff
11. Eric Fromm - 6'8 F - Bloomington South
12. Jordan Manuel - 6'9 F - Howe Academy
13. Michael Harris - 6'3 G - East Chicago Central
14. Julian Boatner - 6'2 G - Bloomington North
15. Roddy Richardson - 6'1 G - Lafayette Jeff
16. Brandon Demmings - 6'2 G - Indianapolis Washington
17. Kennis White - 6'2 G - South Bend Washington
18. Jack Isenbarger - 6'5 G - Zionsville
19. John Michael Jarvis - 6'2 G - Terre Haute South
20. Thomas Anderson - 6'6 F - Terre Haute North
21. Khristian Smith - 6'4 F - Pike
22. Jan Maehlen - 7'0 C - Lawrence North
23. Chris Welker - 6'5 F - Zionsville
24. Jordan Didier - 6'7 F - Ft. Wayne Bishop Dwenger
25. Ethan Jacobs - 7'0 C - Tipton

Players to Watch

Point Guard

Chris Birky - Mississinewa
Aaron Bluitt - Bishop Chatard
Nate Champion - Logansport
Andy Cochrane - Bloomfield
Cortez Lee - Mishawaka
Christian Nicodemus - Franklin
James Stamper - Columbus North
La'Mondre Warren - Ft. Wayne Harding
Billy Wilson - New Albany
Zach Yeagy - Alexandria

Shooting Guard

Ryan Benner - Mishawaka
Cody Cochran - Bluffton
Bryant Conder - Lanesville
Andre Hampton - Howe Academy
Nathan Hendershot - Pendleton Heights
PJ Hubert - Mt. Vernon
Trey Hughes - Barr-Reeve
Elliot Kampen - Yorktown
Hank LaRue - Evansville Mater Dei
Randall Lowe - Tri-West
Trip McFall - North Central
Eric Mitchell - Elmhurst
Zach Starr - Hamiton Southeastern
Petar Todorovic - Wheeler
Matt Trimnell - Seymour
Taylor Wayer - Bishop Chatard
Wes Zimmerman - Peru

Forward

Steve Brooks - Fort Wayne North
Leland Brown - Noblesville
Kegan Clark - Jeffersonville
Dustin DeMuth - Laporte
Logan Ingle - Lapel
Robert Kitzinger - Carmel
Scott Laskowski - Carmel
Dylan McDaniel - New Albany
Greg Miller - North Miami
Ari Porkal - Bloomington North
Ronald Ross - Indianapolis Northwest
Andrew Rudakas - Wheeler
Roderick Smith - Ft. Wayne Harding
Darius Stevens - Merrillville
Daniel Turner - Mt. Vernon
DavRon Williams - Marion
Taylor Wischmeier - Brownstown Central

Center

Jake Browne - Heritage Christian
Enique Mason - Brownsburg
Michael Patton - South Knox

Feel free to comment or leave a post about someone I've potentially overlooked. I am not opposed to adding worthy candidates to the watch list if I've simply blanked mentally. Check back later this week for the P-Hoops 2011 and 2012 Class Rankings.

P-Hoops 2009 Class Rankings

P-Hoops 2009 Class Rankings

1. Jordan Hulls - 6'2 G - Bloomington South (Indiana)
2. Derek Elston - 6'9 F - Tipton (Indiana)
3. DJ Byrd - 6'5 G - North Montgomery (Purdue)
4. Stephan Van Treese - 6'9 F - Lawrence North (Louisville)
5. Patrick Bade -6'8 F - Franklin Central (Purdue)
6. Scott Wood - 6'6 F - Marion (NC State)
7. Andrew Smith - 6'10 C - Covenant Christian (Butler)
8. Colt Ryan - 6'4 G - Batesville (Evansville)
9. Jake Odum -6'3 G - Terre Haute South (Indiana State)
10. Tyler Koch - 6'6 F - Winchester (Wright State)
11. Bruce Grimm, Jr. - 6'0 G - Rochester (East Tennessee State)
12. Justin Jordan - 6'2 G - Ft. Wayne North (undecided)
13. Matt Kenney - 6'3 G - Mooresville (Valparaiso)
14. RJ Mahurin - 6'8 F - Rockville (Indiana State)
15. Stevie Loveless - 6'6 F - Frankfort (undecided)
16. Errick Peck - 6'6 F - Cathedral (Cornell)
17. JaRob McCallum - 6'1 G - Marion (Wisconsin Milwaukee)
18. Kelsey Barlow - 6'6 F - Cathedral (Purdue)
19. Morgan Newton - 6'5 F - Carmel (Kentucky football)
20. Justin Reid - 6'8 F - North Central (undecided)
21. Jordan Myers - 6'8 F - Forest Park (Southern Illinois)
22. Jauwan Scaife - 6'2 G - Muncie Central (Ball State)
23. Kendal Brown - 5'9 G - Evansville Harrison (Southern Illinois)
24. Blake Metcalf - 6'9 C - Plainfield (Albany)
25. Jonathan Sims - 6'3 G - Ft. Wayne Snider (undecided)
26. Jeff Robinson - 6'9 F - Lawrence North (Purdue)
27. Troy Taylor - 6'1 G - Anderson (Evansville)
28. Dru Anthrop - 6'0 G - Lafayette Central Catholic
29. Patrick Hopkins - 6'7 F - Kokomo (Indiana Wesleyan)
30. Blake Beasley - 6'5 F - Decatur Central
31. Aaron Evans - 6'2 G - Roncalli
32. Matt Gehl - 6'4 G - Jac-Cen-Del
33. Aaron Martin - 6'3 G - Rossville (Indiana Wesleyan)
34. Bradley Sneary - 6'6 F - Ft. Wayne Snider (St. Francis)
35. Sandi Marcius - 6'10 C - LaPorte LaLumiere (undecided)
36. Ethan Knepp - 5'10 G - Barr-Reeve
37. Tommy Kurth - 6'0 G - Penn (Valparaiso)
38. Damon Ellison - 6'4 F - North Central (undecided)
39. Greg Rice - 5'10 G - Ben Davis (IUPUI)
40. George Jones - 6'3 G - South Bend Clay (Indiana Wesleyan)
41. Brock Woodward - 6'7 F - Bluffton (Taylor)
42. Tommy Eggleston - 6'5 G - Heritage Christian (Penn)
43. Damion McGee - 6'7 F - Gary Lew Wallace
44. Karvel Anderson - 6'0 G - Elkhart Memorial
45. Reggie Hearn - 6'5 F - Ft. Wayne Snider
46. Jarrett Hamilton - 5'9 G - Cathedral (undecided)
47. Hayden Humes - 6'7 F - Valparaiso (Toledo)
48. DeShawn Clay - 6'5 F - Gary West
49. Casey Coons - 5'10 G - Franklin Central (Taylor)
50. Trevor George - 6'3 F - Princeton
51. Colton Keel - 6'4 F - Triton (Bethel)
52. Jonathan Nwannunu - 6'8 C - Merrillville
53. TeNale Roland - 6'2 G - New Albany
54. Eric Summers - 6'8 C - Lake Central
55. Jay Mohr - 6'0 G - Anderson Highland
56. Jourdan Vann - 5'7 G - South Bend Washington
57. Ryne Robinson - 6'3 G - Warsaw
58. Trev Wilgus - 5'11 G - Evansville Memorial
59. Tyler Eifert - 6'6 F - Bishop Dwenger (Notre Dame football)
60. Charlie Duffy - 6'7 F - Hamilton Southeastern
61. Ed Hazelett - 6'9 C - Warren Central (Western Kentucky football and basketball)
62. LaTroi Wright - 6'3 G - Greensburg
63. Corey Clemens - 6'3 G - New Castle (Morehead State)
64. Phillip Freeman - 6'1 G - Arlington
65. Jordan Bowerman - 6'7 F - Leo
66. Thomas Nugent - 6'4 F - North Daviess
67. Kevin Bloom - 6'4 F - East Noble (St. Francis)
68. Tommy Peller - 6'0 G - Chesterton (Taylor)
69. Kreig Oxley - 6'2 G - Tecumseh
70. Drew Schauss - 6'4 F - Centerville (Brevard)
71. Skyler Titus - 6'3 G - NorthWood
72. Larry Smith - 6'4 G - Lawrence North
73. Tommy Strine - 6'5 F - Lakewood Park Christian
74. Lawrence Barnett - 5'11 G - Bishop Luers (Indiana football)
75. Chris Read - 6'6 F - Lawrence North
76. Kyle Bradley - 5'11 G - Indian Creek
77. Ryan Nowicki - 6'3 G - Guerin Catholic
78. Michael Barton - 6'9 C - Brebeuf Jesuit (Marian)
79. Blaze Ayers - 6'6 F - Brownstown Central
80. Mikel Brigham - 6'5 F - Marion
81. Austin Whitted - 6'4 F - Columbus East
82. Skyler Case - 6'1 G - Delta
83. Brian Mucho - 6'3 G - Plainfield
84. Marcus Jackson - 6'5 F - Lawrence Central (Kankakee Valley CC)
85. Connor Blasi - 6'8 F - Carroll
86. Krste Ruiz - 6'1 G - Munster
87. Shane Wyant - 6'3 F - Lafayette Jeff
88. Jon Gardner - 6'6 F - Frankton
89. John Arak - 6'4 G - Park Tudor
90. Chaz Cooper - 6'5 F - Bloomington South
90. David Blackwell - 6'3 F - Bloomington South

Obviously, many of these kids have college destinations that I am not aware of. Feel free to post a message or email me with any information on their futures, or and disagreements or names you think I've wrongfully left out.

P-Hoops 2009 Rankings: Top 25

Here is what you've been waiting for; the final 25 players who comprise the best of the best in the state of Indiana. These seniors played so well this season and over the course of their career and have earned the right to be viewed as the kings of the hill. Not only are these the best the Hoosier state has to offer, they are also some of the best players in the entire nation. All of these youngsters will be playing college ball somewhere. Their college destinations will be listed with their rankings. So here you have it, the P-Hoops 2009 Top 25!

P-Hoops 2009 Rankings (1-25)


25. Jonathan Sims - 6'2 G - Ft. Wayne Snider (undecided)
24. Kendal Brown - 5'9 G - Evansville Harrison (Southern Illinois)
23. Blake Metcalf - 6'9 C - Plainfield (Albany)
22. Jauwan Scaife - 6'3 G - Muncie Central (Ball State)
21. Jordan Myers - 6'8 F - Forest Park (Southern Illinois)
20. Justin Reid - 6'8 F - North Central (JUCO?)
19. Morgan Newton - 6'5 F - Carmel (Kentucky football)
18. Kelsey Barlow -6'6 F - Cathedral (Purdue)
17. JaRob McCallum - 6'1 G - Marion (Wisconsin Milwaukee)
16. Errick Peck - 6'6 F - Cathedral (Colgate)
15. Stevie Loveless - 6'6 F - Frankfort (undecided)
14. RJ Mahurin - 6'8 F - Rockville (Indiana State)
13. Matt Kenney - 6'3 G - Mooresville (Valparaiso)
12. Justin Jordan - 6'2 G - Ft. Wayne North (undecided)
11. Bruce Grimm, Jr. - 6'0 G - Rochester (East Tennessee State)
10. Tyler Koch - 6'6 F - Winchester (Wright State)
9. Jake Odum - 6'3 G - Terre Haute South (Indiana State)
8. Colt Ryan -6'4 G - Batesville (Evansville)
7. Andrew Smith - 6'10 C - Covenant Christian (Butler)
6. Scott Wood - 6'6 F - Marion (North Carolina State)
5. Patrick Bade - 6'8 F - Franklin Central (Purdue)
4. Stephan Van Treese - 6'9 F - Lawrence North (Louisville)
3. DJ Byrd - 6'5 G - North Montgomery (Purdue)
2. Derek Elston - 6'9 F - Tipton (Indiana)
1. Jordan Hulls - 6'2 G - Bloomington South (Indiana)

After hours of watching games live and on film and evaluating players and comments from coaches, reporters, and fans, this is the P-Hoops 2009 Top 75. I will release it again in numerical order, and I may add a few more to the end of the list to get closer to a top 100. This weekend I will also begin ranking the current junior class, which features such high caliber players as Travis Carroll, Terone Johnson, Dominique Ferguson, and Deshaun Thomas. Check back later on to see the release of that list.

P-Hoops 2009 Rankings Continued

Yesterday, we delved into the post-season rankings for the senior class in the state of Indiana. P-Hoops unveiled the first twenty-five student-athletes who comprise the 2009 Top 75. Today we will look at the next best group, numbers fifty through twenty-six. Let's take a look.


P-Hoops 2009 Rankings (26-50)

50. TeNale Roland - 6'3 G - New Albany
49. Jonathan Nwannunu - 6'8 F - Merrillville
48. Colton Keel - 6'5 F - Triton
47. Casey Coons - 5'9 G - Franklin Central
46. DeShawn Clay - 6'5 F - Gary West
45. Hayden Humes - 6'7 F - Valparaiso
44. Reggie Hearn - 6'5 F - Ft. Wayne Snider
43. (tie) Karvel Anderson - 6'0 G - Elkhart Memorial -- Jarrett Hamiton - 5'9 G - Cathedral
42. Damion McGee - 6'7 F - Gary Lew Wallace
41. Tommy Eggleston - 6'5 G - Heritage Christian
40. Brock Woodward - 6'7 F - Bluffton
39. George Jones - 6'3 G - South Bend Clay
38. Greg Rice - 5'10 G - Ben Davis
37. Damon Ellison - 6'4 F - North Central
36. Tommy Kurth - 6'0 G - Penn
35. Ethan Knepp - 5'10 G - Barr-Reeve
34. (tie) Bradley Sneary - 6'6 F - Ft. Wayne Snider -- Sandi Marcius - 6'10 C - Laporte LaLumiere
33. Aaron Martin - 6'4 G - Rossville
32. Matt Gehl - 6'4 G - Jac-Cen-Del
31. Aaron Evans - 6'0 G - Roncalli
30. Blake Beasley - 6'5 F - Decatur Central
29. Patrick Hopkins - 6'7 F - Kokomo
28. Troy Taylor - 6'1 G - Anderson
27. Jeff Robinson - 6'9 F - Lawrence North
26. Dru Anthrop - 6'0 G - Lafayette Central Catholic

Later on, I'll unveil the top 25 of the 2009 class. There is still time to vote on who you think should hold the top spot for this fine crop of seniors!

Troy Taylor Commits!

One of the best unsigned seniors in the state is Troy Taylor of Anderson High School. The Indians standout averaged over 21 points and nearly ten rebounds a game. The 6'1 guard made his choice known today, as he committed to the University of Evansville, staying in his home state. Congrats to Troy, who will find himself somewhere in the top fifty of the new 2009 P-Hoops Rankings. Click the link below to read more on Taylor's commit.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/apr/02/aces-add-recruit/

2009 Player Rankings: 51-75

As promised, P-Hoops has reevaluated the 2009 class now that the high school basketball season has ended. These seniors have seen their high school careers come to an end, and most of them will take their talents to the college level. Tonight we'll begin by ranking the third grouping of players, rated numbers 51 through 75.

P-Hoops 2009 Rankings (51-75)

75. Blaze Ayers - 6'6 F - Brownstown Central
74. Michael Barton - 6'9 C - Brebeuf Jesuit
73. Kyle Bradley - 5'10 G - Indian Creek
72. Chris Read - 6'7 F - Lawrence North
71. Lawrence Barnett - 5'11 G - Bishop Luers
70. Tommy Strine - 6'5 - Lakewood Park Christian
69. Larry Smith - 6'4 G - Lawrence North
68. Skyler Titus - 6'3 G - NorthWood
67. Drew Schauss - 6'4 F - Centerville
66. Kreig Oxley - 6'2 G -Tecumseh
65. Tommy Peller - 6'0 G - Chesterton
64. Kevin Bloom - 6'4 F - East Noble
63. Thomas Nugent - 6'4 F - North Daviess
62. Trevor George - 6'3 F - Princeton
61. Jordan Bowerman - 6'7 F - Leo
60. Phillip Freeman - 6'1 G - Arlington
59. Corey Clemens - 6'3 G - New Castle
58. Ed Hazelett - 6'9 C - Warren Central
57. Tyler Eifert - 6'6 F - Bishop Dwenger
56. Ryne Robinson - 6'3 G - Warsaw
55. Trev Wilgus - 5'11 G - Evansville Memorial
54. Charlie Duffy - 6'7 F - Hamilton Southeastern
53. Jourdan Vann - 5'7 G - South Bend Washington
52. Jay Mohr - 6'0 G - Anderson Highland
51. Eric Summers -6'8 C - Lake Central

The first twenty-five have been revealed. Who will find their way into the top ten? Be sure to check back in the coming days for the final fifty.

P-Hoops Class Rankings

With the high school season over and AAU season about to kick off, I just wanted to say a quick "thanks" to those of you who have become loyal readers. It has been fun so far and I hope to continue to provide noteworthy updates, evaluations, and information that concerns everything about the greatest high school sport in the world, Indiana high school hoops. Also, I apologize for the lack of content over the past few weeks. I will try to get more stuff up in the coming days and weeks as time allows. I will be coaching an AAU squad this summer and will therefore get a firsthand look at all kinds of kids, many of whom I will no doubt write about.

Also, in the interim before AAU, I will be working to update my player rankings from each class. Many of you have requested that, so look for the first batch of updates this weekend, as I will be free to work on Spring Break.

Austin Etherington Update

Due to an unfortunate microfracture injury, one of the Indianapolis-areas best sophomores got very little attention during the high school season. Six-six wing Austin Etherington of Hamilton Heights missed almost all of the season, but returned for the end of the regular season and sectional play and averaged almost 16 points and seven boards a game. With his size and skill set at such a young age, it's no wonder he is turning heads of coaches like Brad Stevens of Butler and Sean Miller of Xavier. Add IU's Tom Crean to that list too, as the Hoosier head man was recently on hand at a Heights open gym to see the junior-to-be go to work. Check out the attached link for more details!

http://blogs.indystar.com/preps/archives/2009/04/crean_visits_ha.html

AP Picks for All-State Teams

The votes are in! The media has tallied their picks and has selected the first, second, and third teams, plus high honorable and honorable mention for the 2009 Indiana All-State Team. The first team is listed below, and then a link is provided for all the other selections.

AP Indiana All-Star First Team

Jordan Hulls - G - Bloomington South - Senior
DJ Byrd - G - North Montgomery -Senior
Scott Wood - F - Marion - Senior
Deshaun Thomas - F - Bishop Luers - Junior
Derek Elston - F - Tipton - Senior

Check out the link to see the rest of the picks!

http://www.examiner.com/a-1937284~2009_AP_Ind__All_State_Boys_Basketball_Teams.html

A Lawrence North Movie?

Indiana hoops legend and writer of the book "Uncaged" Dave Krieder has big plans. BIG plans. The book, which details the three-year run of Lawrence North headed by former Wildcats and current NBA players Greg Oden and Mike Conley, has been made into a screenplay and according to Krieder, will be made into a movie. During the telecast of the IHSAA State Finals, Krieder claimed that, when made into a movie, "Uncaged" will be bigger than all-time great classic "Hoosiers." His plans include acquiring the help and talent of Jim Caviezel, and it will take a Christ-like effort to make his premonition come true. I could see it rivaling "Blue Chips," but "Hoosiers"? Come on now. That's almost blasphemy! And who would play the starring roles? I can't imagine who would play Oden. I don't know any 7'1 actors who could pull it off, but maybe some trick photography could do it. Conley? Maybe Nick Cannon. Or a hilarious one would be Corbin Bleu from "High School Musical," since he is so awful at basketball, despite portraying a hoops loving jock in those God-awful movies. And how about playing Jack Keefer? Here is a link that discusses the movie plans, as well as some other information, including some tidbits on the North/South game.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20090331/SPORTS0203/903310342/1160/SPORTS0203

Indiana All-Stars

The voting for the honor of being on the Indiana All-Star team ended today. While there are several deserving candidates, only twelve seniors will have the honor of representing the state. Here are my picks, and beneath them, are linked picks of Kyle Neddenriep of the Indianapolis Star.

P-Hoops Picks for Indiana All-Star (in alphabetical order)

Patrick Bade -PF - Franklin Central
DJ Byrd - SF - North Montgomery
Derek Elston - F - Tipton
Bruce Grimm, Jr. - G - Rochester
Jordan Hulls - PG - Bloomington South
Justin Jordan - SG - Ft. Wayne North
Tyler Koch - SF - Winchester
Jake Odum - PG - Terre Haute South
Colt Ryan - SG - Batesville
Andrew Smith - C - Covenant Christian
Stephan Van Treese - PF - Lawrence North
Scott Wood - SF - Marion

P-Hoops Next 12 Best

Dru Anthrop - G - Lafayette Central Catholic
Matt Kenney - PG - Mooresville
Stevie Loveless - F - Frankfort
RJ Mahurin - F - Rockville
JaRob McCallum - G - Marion
Blake Metcalf - C - Plainfield
Jordan Myers - F - Forest Park
Morgan Newton - F - Carmel
Errick Peck - F - Cathedral
Justin Reid - C - North Central
Jauwan Scaife - G - Muncie Central
Jonathan Sims - G - Ft. Wayne Snider

P-Hoops Third 12 Best

Kelsey Barlow - SF - Cathedral
Blake Beasley - F - Decatur Central
Kendal Brown - G - Evansville Harrison
Tommy Eggleston - SF - Heritage Christian
Matt Gehl - G - Jac-Cen-Del
Patrick Hopkins - C - Kokomo
George Jones - G - South Bend Clay
Ethan Knepp - Barr-Reeve
Aaron Martin - G - Rossville
Jeff Robinson - PF - Lawrence North
Bradley Sneary - F - Ft. Wayne Snider
Troy Taylor - G - Anderson

P-Hoops Mr. Basketball

Jordan Hulls

Here is the link to the Star's picks.

http://blogs.indystar.com/preps/archives/2009/03/indiana_allstar.html