Introducing From the Locker Room, a weekly rundown of IU football and basketball news & notes. We'll keep this updated today, but to start off we've got info on under-the-radar in-state basketball players from Jim Reamer and recruiting updates from Sam Beishuizen, Jordan Wells and Jacey Zembal.
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HS Hoops Column/Update from Jim Reamer:
The 2017 class in Indiana has been well written about, but of late four players are soaking up most of the headlines: 6-9 Indianapolis power forward Jaren Jackson (Rivals’ No. 20 player nationally), 6-3 Indianapolis point guard Paul Scruggs (No. 33), 6-7 Indianapolis small forward Kris Wilkes (No. 17), and 6-10 Fort Wayne power forward Malik Williams (No. 35).
However, it is an extremely deep in-state class, and here are four from Indiana and one from Illinois that may use more exposure to bump them up a level in their recruiting:
Jalen Adaway, 6-4, small forward; Logansport (Logansport H.S.) — Among the most athletic kids the state has seen in a decade … Along with his strength, he often punctuates jaw-dropping plays at the rim … Has improved his jump shot a great deal the last two seasons … More of a catch-and-shoot guy — it is a big part of his game now … Needs to improve his game off the dribble and in the mid-range. When he can get at or near the rim — look out!! … If he can prove he can cover shooting guards, he will become more attractive to high majors, because he still has an upside to his skill set.
Jaylen Butz, 6-9, power forward; Fort Wayne (North H.S.) — Is not the most heralded player on his own high school team, which features rising sophomore standout Keion Brooks … Most noticeable trait is his length, and he has the kind of frame where putting more weight on seems inevitably easy … What stands out next is his athleticism. While he can improve laterally (it’s mostly a footwork issue), vertically he can play above the rim … Big men develop at different rates, and that is often code for “coaches are willing to be more patient with them.” …His motor has improved each year, and as his game extends beyond the paint, it’s easy to see his potential.
Michael Ertel, 6-1, point guard; Fortville (Mt. Vernon H.S.) — Not many are tougher … More of a point guard, but he has improved his outside shot to where he plays off the ball as much as he does with it … His quickness has improved … Is certainly a willing defender, who also brings great footwork, understanding of angles and a lot of length to the court … He fights for every possession and is the kind of player a coach never regrets having on his team.
Tyler Smith, 6-1, point guard; Fountain City (Northeastern H.S.) — One of the top playmakers in the 2017 class … Excels in the open court and is extremely disruptive on the defensive end of the floor … There are times when he gets going too fast on offense … He really starts to shine when he’s setting up his teammates in the summer, and with his ability to get to the rim, he’s a double threat off the dribble … His outside shot is improving, and forcing his defender to close out on him is a tough assignment.
Josiah Wallace, 6-3, point guard; Marshall, Ill. (Marshall H.S.) — Crafty and extremely long, he understands how to change speeds as well as anyone … Body control, large hands and ball control aid in his ability to finish in traffic. He can take contact with the ball in the one hand, and he often sneaks the ball to the rim well ahead of his body taking contact … Recently de-committed from Southern Indiana … The more he can guard mid-major caliber point guards the more he projects to that level … Offensively, he is a better shooter off the dribble than off the pass, but it is a part of his game that has improved since the winter.
Notes
• A Special Bonus:The nephew of @warpy, a member of TheHoosier.com’s community — Nate Walpole, a 6-0 point guard from South Whitley, Ind. (Whitko H.S.) — is having a great career. As a junior, he averaged 26.7 points, 6.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game.
• Adaway’s (Indy Hoosiers) and Wallace’s (Grassroots Indiana Blue) teams are playing this week in Fishers at the Adidas Invitational. Check out the USA Youth Hoops app for your phone.
• Speaking of under-the-radar kids who will be playing in the Adidas Invitational this weekend, two class of 2018 players that should be on your short list to watch:
Jamal Harris, 6-1, shooting guard; Indianapolis (Crispus Attucks H.S.) — He might be a better athlete than Adaway. (Nothing like following a superlative with a contradictory piece of evidence.) … Harris is thinner, but like Adaway, he makes spectacular plays at the rim … Is better offensively off the drive than off the catch, but as his outside improves, he will become extremely difficult to guard in space … He’s a little undersized for a shooting guard, and it would be good to see him being able to set up his teammates more.
Caleb Middlesworth, 6-8, power forward; Converse (Oak Hill Academy) — No big in the 2018 class (or many classes) possesses his touch and consistency from behind the three-point line … He’s also accomplished with his back to the basket with the requisite touch and understanding of how to use the glass … The physical aspects of the game are what he needs to improve the most … Needs to be able to score off the dribble … He rebounds his position well, but there are times when he gets out-muscled near the paint … He is a work in progress on defense and just not used to guarding out on the floor.
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Football Recruiting/Sam Beishuizen
• The football dead period that started June 27 is set to lift July 10 and will followed by a quiet period that runs through the rest of the month. The quiet period allows for players to take visits to colleges, unlike the dead period, so I’d imagine quite a few of Indiana’s targets will journey to Bloomington soon.
Among them could be three-star defensive end/hybrid linebacker Alfred Bryant, who committed to Indiana earlier this month. When he and I last spoke, he said he and his parents were working on trying to travel up from their Texas home to Indiana, a trip that is still in the works.
That’s a particularly interesting visit to follow considering head coach Kevin Wilson still hasn’t confirmed Bryant’s commitment with his typical “BOOM” Tweet.
• With recruits able to visit campus, football recruiting can be expected to heat up over the next few weeks. Indiana seems to be in really good standing with two-star tight/defensive end Michael Ziemba, out of Lake Mary, Fla., and three-star offensive linemen Howard Watkins from Cincinnati.
If I had to put money on it today, I’d say both of those two end up joining the class before too long.
Ziemba is actually being recruited at tight end by Wilson, while a few of the defensive coaches would like him a defensive end.
• Another player to note for now is Juan Harris from Janesville, Wis., who’s flying under the radar after a wild last couple of years. At one point projecting to be among the four-star players in the country, Harris has dropped to a Rivals three-star defensive tackle (he’s rated No. 34 nationally at the position).
Part of that stems from a series of events that included his father getting shot and killed in Chicago, moving in with his mother in Janesville and putting on too much weight while trying to keep things straight at home.
He has Indiana in his top-five schools after decommitting from Iowa for a third time, and is also considering Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota and Penn State. He really likes defensive coordinator Mark Hagen and wants to play in the Big Ten.
Harris is a kid who’s gone through a lot lately and seems to be really on the upswing. He’s a talented player who’s probably underrated right now. Indiana already has a solid class on the D-line coming in, but he would put it over the top.
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Basketball Recruiting / Jacey Zembal
• Senior small forward Brian Bowen of La Porte (Ind.) La Lumierre (Rivals five-player and No. 18 prospect nationally) said IU coach Tom Crean reached out to him and hopes to get him down to campus in the future.
Bowen loves the passion for basketball in the state of Indiana, since he knows the difference after growing up in Saginaw, Mich.
• Senior combo guard Nick Weatherspoon (Rivals four-star and No. 32 player in country) was blunt in saying Mississippi State, Ohio State, Louisville, North Carolina and NC State, were the current favorites to get an official visit. The Camden, Miss., product added that Indiana, Memphis and Iowa State,= are working him hard and will need to continue to do so.
• Senior small forward Jordan Tucker (four-star, No. 38 player in the land, who is from north of New York City, has continued to play well at the Nike Peach Jam in North Augusta, S.C.
He unofficially visited Indiana this past April, and thinks the Hoosiers, Syracuse and Maryland are ensured official visits. He also added he hopes to take a swing through North Carolina to see UNC and Duke.
• Duke continues to get mentioned with senior point guard Tremont Waters from South Kent, Conn. (four-star, No. 39 in country), but Indiana is trying to make it a race, along with other schools. Waters hasn't been all that concerned with the recruiting process yet, but knows that will change in August.
He plays with senior center Nick Richards (five-star, No. 21 prospect in the nation) of Elizabeth, N.J., on the Expressions Elite traveling team, and the two have some overlap in colleges, including Indiana.
• Sophomore wing Keion Brooks of Fort Wayne, Ind., mentioned Indiana, Michigan State, Michigan and Purdue. It appears the Spartans have been on him since the seventh grade, and he has been up to East Lansing, Mich., a few times already.
He has a chance to be one of the top players nationally in what appears to be a loaded class of 2019.
Basketball Recruiting / Jordan Wells
• For both of Romeo Langford’s games, John Calipari sneakily - or not so sneakily - positioned himself standing up right near the end of Langford’s team bench. Seemed intentional so that he was right in Romeo’s range of vision following each of his games.
• At least one prep school was asking around about Nick Weatherspoon. Not saying he ends up at one, but folks are at least checking him out.
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HS Hoops Column/Update from Jim Reamer:
The 2017 class in Indiana has been well written about, but of late four players are soaking up most of the headlines: 6-9 Indianapolis power forward Jaren Jackson (Rivals’ No. 20 player nationally), 6-3 Indianapolis point guard Paul Scruggs (No. 33), 6-7 Indianapolis small forward Kris Wilkes (No. 17), and 6-10 Fort Wayne power forward Malik Williams (No. 35).
However, it is an extremely deep in-state class, and here are four from Indiana and one from Illinois that may use more exposure to bump them up a level in their recruiting:
Jalen Adaway, 6-4, small forward; Logansport (Logansport H.S.) — Among the most athletic kids the state has seen in a decade … Along with his strength, he often punctuates jaw-dropping plays at the rim … Has improved his jump shot a great deal the last two seasons … More of a catch-and-shoot guy — it is a big part of his game now … Needs to improve his game off the dribble and in the mid-range. When he can get at or near the rim — look out!! … If he can prove he can cover shooting guards, he will become more attractive to high majors, because he still has an upside to his skill set.
Jaylen Butz, 6-9, power forward; Fort Wayne (North H.S.) — Is not the most heralded player on his own high school team, which features rising sophomore standout Keion Brooks … Most noticeable trait is his length, and he has the kind of frame where putting more weight on seems inevitably easy … What stands out next is his athleticism. While he can improve laterally (it’s mostly a footwork issue), vertically he can play above the rim … Big men develop at different rates, and that is often code for “coaches are willing to be more patient with them.” …His motor has improved each year, and as his game extends beyond the paint, it’s easy to see his potential.
Michael Ertel, 6-1, point guard; Fortville (Mt. Vernon H.S.) — Not many are tougher … More of a point guard, but he has improved his outside shot to where he plays off the ball as much as he does with it … His quickness has improved … Is certainly a willing defender, who also brings great footwork, understanding of angles and a lot of length to the court … He fights for every possession and is the kind of player a coach never regrets having on his team.
Tyler Smith, 6-1, point guard; Fountain City (Northeastern H.S.) — One of the top playmakers in the 2017 class … Excels in the open court and is extremely disruptive on the defensive end of the floor … There are times when he gets going too fast on offense … He really starts to shine when he’s setting up his teammates in the summer, and with his ability to get to the rim, he’s a double threat off the dribble … His outside shot is improving, and forcing his defender to close out on him is a tough assignment.
Josiah Wallace, 6-3, point guard; Marshall, Ill. (Marshall H.S.) — Crafty and extremely long, he understands how to change speeds as well as anyone … Body control, large hands and ball control aid in his ability to finish in traffic. He can take contact with the ball in the one hand, and he often sneaks the ball to the rim well ahead of his body taking contact … Recently de-committed from Southern Indiana … The more he can guard mid-major caliber point guards the more he projects to that level … Offensively, he is a better shooter off the dribble than off the pass, but it is a part of his game that has improved since the winter.
Notes
• A Special Bonus:The nephew of @warpy, a member of TheHoosier.com’s community — Nate Walpole, a 6-0 point guard from South Whitley, Ind. (Whitko H.S.) — is having a great career. As a junior, he averaged 26.7 points, 6.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game.
• Adaway’s (Indy Hoosiers) and Wallace’s (Grassroots Indiana Blue) teams are playing this week in Fishers at the Adidas Invitational. Check out the USA Youth Hoops app for your phone.
• Speaking of under-the-radar kids who will be playing in the Adidas Invitational this weekend, two class of 2018 players that should be on your short list to watch:
Jamal Harris, 6-1, shooting guard; Indianapolis (Crispus Attucks H.S.) — He might be a better athlete than Adaway. (Nothing like following a superlative with a contradictory piece of evidence.) … Harris is thinner, but like Adaway, he makes spectacular plays at the rim … Is better offensively off the drive than off the catch, but as his outside improves, he will become extremely difficult to guard in space … He’s a little undersized for a shooting guard, and it would be good to see him being able to set up his teammates more.
Caleb Middlesworth, 6-8, power forward; Converse (Oak Hill Academy) — No big in the 2018 class (or many classes) possesses his touch and consistency from behind the three-point line … He’s also accomplished with his back to the basket with the requisite touch and understanding of how to use the glass … The physical aspects of the game are what he needs to improve the most … Needs to be able to score off the dribble … He rebounds his position well, but there are times when he gets out-muscled near the paint … He is a work in progress on defense and just not used to guarding out on the floor.
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Football Recruiting/Sam Beishuizen
• The football dead period that started June 27 is set to lift July 10 and will followed by a quiet period that runs through the rest of the month. The quiet period allows for players to take visits to colleges, unlike the dead period, so I’d imagine quite a few of Indiana’s targets will journey to Bloomington soon.
Among them could be three-star defensive end/hybrid linebacker Alfred Bryant, who committed to Indiana earlier this month. When he and I last spoke, he said he and his parents were working on trying to travel up from their Texas home to Indiana, a trip that is still in the works.
That’s a particularly interesting visit to follow considering head coach Kevin Wilson still hasn’t confirmed Bryant’s commitment with his typical “BOOM” Tweet.
• With recruits able to visit campus, football recruiting can be expected to heat up over the next few weeks. Indiana seems to be in really good standing with two-star tight/defensive end Michael Ziemba, out of Lake Mary, Fla., and three-star offensive linemen Howard Watkins from Cincinnati.
If I had to put money on it today, I’d say both of those two end up joining the class before too long.
Ziemba is actually being recruited at tight end by Wilson, while a few of the defensive coaches would like him a defensive end.
• Another player to note for now is Juan Harris from Janesville, Wis., who’s flying under the radar after a wild last couple of years. At one point projecting to be among the four-star players in the country, Harris has dropped to a Rivals three-star defensive tackle (he’s rated No. 34 nationally at the position).
Part of that stems from a series of events that included his father getting shot and killed in Chicago, moving in with his mother in Janesville and putting on too much weight while trying to keep things straight at home.
He has Indiana in his top-five schools after decommitting from Iowa for a third time, and is also considering Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota and Penn State. He really likes defensive coordinator Mark Hagen and wants to play in the Big Ten.
Harris is a kid who’s gone through a lot lately and seems to be really on the upswing. He’s a talented player who’s probably underrated right now. Indiana already has a solid class on the D-line coming in, but he would put it over the top.
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Basketball Recruiting / Jacey Zembal
• Senior small forward Brian Bowen of La Porte (Ind.) La Lumierre (Rivals five-player and No. 18 prospect nationally) said IU coach Tom Crean reached out to him and hopes to get him down to campus in the future.
Bowen loves the passion for basketball in the state of Indiana, since he knows the difference after growing up in Saginaw, Mich.
• Senior combo guard Nick Weatherspoon (Rivals four-star and No. 32 player in country) was blunt in saying Mississippi State, Ohio State, Louisville, North Carolina and NC State, were the current favorites to get an official visit. The Camden, Miss., product added that Indiana, Memphis and Iowa State,= are working him hard and will need to continue to do so.
• Senior small forward Jordan Tucker (four-star, No. 38 player in the land, who is from north of New York City, has continued to play well at the Nike Peach Jam in North Augusta, S.C.
He unofficially visited Indiana this past April, and thinks the Hoosiers, Syracuse and Maryland are ensured official visits. He also added he hopes to take a swing through North Carolina to see UNC and Duke.
• Duke continues to get mentioned with senior point guard Tremont Waters from South Kent, Conn. (four-star, No. 39 in country), but Indiana is trying to make it a race, along with other schools. Waters hasn't been all that concerned with the recruiting process yet, but knows that will change in August.
He plays with senior center Nick Richards (five-star, No. 21 prospect in the nation) of Elizabeth, N.J., on the Expressions Elite traveling team, and the two have some overlap in colleges, including Indiana.
• Sophomore wing Keion Brooks of Fort Wayne, Ind., mentioned Indiana, Michigan State, Michigan and Purdue. It appears the Spartans have been on him since the seventh grade, and he has been up to East Lansing, Mich., a few times already.
He has a chance to be one of the top players nationally in what appears to be a loaded class of 2019.
Basketball Recruiting / Jordan Wells
• For both of Romeo Langford’s games, John Calipari sneakily - or not so sneakily - positioned himself standing up right near the end of Langford’s team bench. Seemed intentional so that he was right in Romeo’s range of vision following each of his games.
• At least one prep school was asking around about Nick Weatherspoon. Not saying he ends up at one, but folks are at least checking him out.
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