The Hoosier.com was in attendance for the 2019 Charlie Hughes Shootout during the last weekend of June. We've compiled notes and observations on IU targets who took part in the action.
2021:
Evansville (Ind.) F.J. Reitz four-star guard Khristian Lander played through a pulled hip flexor this weekend, but it didn't slow his game down. He was hitting shots from all over the floor, including three-point range, and was able to get wherever he wanted.
I've had questions before about Lander's game, but every time I see him play, he proves me wrong. His feet are still more offset than you'd like to see, but it doesn't affect his shot or his ability to get it off.
The biggest concern now with his shooting is the lack of lift and the low release point. However, his release is so quick, and he's able to create so much space with his handle and quickness that it doesn't affect him much at this point.
Defensively, Lander is a little thin and will likely be limited to guarding the smallest opponent on the floor. He can make plays on that end of the floor with his ability to jump passing lanes and pick his man's pocket.
Indiana has done incredibly well with Lander's recruitment. A commitment isn't coming any time soon, but the Hoosiers are in front in this one.
Fort Wayne (Ind.) Blackhawk Christian four-star forward Caleb Furst also played well this weekend. He's an elite passing big with the potential to score from all three levels.
Furst has struggled with contact this spring but looked much better over the weekend. He finished around, over, and through contact when I saw him play and looked much more comfortable doing it.
His shot is flatter than you'd like to see but it's workable and he gets enough touch around the rim to show it's in his repertoire. Furst plays hard on both ends of the floor and excels in transition. He can play as a rim runner or even initiate on the move. He has an above average handle, and a very good one for someone his size.
Furst's passing continues to shine every time he plays. Blackhawk Christian puts him in the middle of the floor and lets him go to work, with teammates constantly on the move around him.
This recruitment is still too early to name a leader, but several schools have done well, including Indiana and Purdue.
Sellersburg (Ind.) Silver Creek four-star forward Trey Kaufman plays like a guard in a big's body. He can score at all three levels and excels with the ball in his hands. He has a great handle and can create space with it, even with average quickness.
Kaufman can shoot from deep, although he takes some time to get to his release point on his shot. If that gets quicker, he'll be an elite threat from 3-point range. Kaufman, like Furst, is an elite passer who sees the floor incredibly well.
His biggest offensive concern at this point is his willingness, and ability, to score in the post. I'm not overly concerned about it, however, because he can score inside off the bounce.
The four-star forward will have to transform his body, but I expect him to. He's bottom-heavy right now and runs with heavy feet, but improving his strength and quickness will change that.
Kaufman has offers from Indiana and Purdue who have both done a good job in his recruitment. Louisville could also get involved down the line, if they decide to offer.
Marion (Ind.) three-star guard Jalen Blackmon is an elite scorer at all three levels who has very good court vision. He can over-dribble at times, but it didn't seem like a major issue when I saw him this weekend, or in the past.
Blackmon can make splash plays defensively, but his size will always limit him on that end of the floor. It will be interesting to see where his recruitment goes as he continues to fill it up from all three levels.
Brownsburg (Ind.) unranked wing Pierce Thomas played through a rolled ankle this weekend that he suffered before the IBCA Top 100 Showcase. The injury didn't seem to affect him on the court, however, because he looked as explosive as he always does.
Thomas is an elite athlete in every sense of the word. He's Brownsburg's primary ball handler which should help him develop in the areas he needs to most. Thomas showed a good handle, but didn't do much with it, often over-dribbling before backing out to reset the offense.
I'd like to see him use that handle to get by his opponents more often. He needs to use that and his athleticism to get to the rim and finish more often than he does now. He's a very good passer with the vision and skill to make most passes on the court.
That passing also leads to more deferment than you'd like to see when he's attacking. It should be a part of his game, but right now it's his go-to when he's attacking the rim instead of finishing.
Thomas' shot needs work, but is already much better than it was when I first saw him in December. His right elbow is still tucked in too far, but he gets good touch on the ball and doesn't miss left or right very often.
At this point, it's more about his ability to gauge distance than anything else. He showed the ability to shoot off the dribble this weekend, but needs to take more shots off the catch when they're available.
Thomas is an elite defender thanks to his athleticism and instincts. He's disruptive on and off the ball and shut Culver (Ind.) Academies three-star 2020 guard Trey Galloway down when they played.
I expect Thomas to stay relatively close to home when he goes to college. Right now, Butler is out front.
Avon (Ind.) unranked wing Jayden Brewer is an explosive athlete, but his game is strictly around the rim right now. He can't shoot at all and it causes him other problems on that end. Teams can afford to back away and allow him to shoot, which makes it harder for him to get to the rim and finish.
Brewer is a good perimeter defender because of his athleticism and length, but is so thin that he may not hold up at the next level. He'll have to do a lot of work on his shot, and add a lot of weight in order to be a high-major prospect.
2021:
Evansville (Ind.) F.J. Reitz four-star guard Khristian Lander played through a pulled hip flexor this weekend, but it didn't slow his game down. He was hitting shots from all over the floor, including three-point range, and was able to get wherever he wanted.
I've had questions before about Lander's game, but every time I see him play, he proves me wrong. His feet are still more offset than you'd like to see, but it doesn't affect his shot or his ability to get it off.
The biggest concern now with his shooting is the lack of lift and the low release point. However, his release is so quick, and he's able to create so much space with his handle and quickness that it doesn't affect him much at this point.
Defensively, Lander is a little thin and will likely be limited to guarding the smallest opponent on the floor. He can make plays on that end of the floor with his ability to jump passing lanes and pick his man's pocket.
Indiana has done incredibly well with Lander's recruitment. A commitment isn't coming any time soon, but the Hoosiers are in front in this one.
Fort Wayne (Ind.) Blackhawk Christian four-star forward Caleb Furst also played well this weekend. He's an elite passing big with the potential to score from all three levels.
Furst has struggled with contact this spring but looked much better over the weekend. He finished around, over, and through contact when I saw him play and looked much more comfortable doing it.
His shot is flatter than you'd like to see but it's workable and he gets enough touch around the rim to show it's in his repertoire. Furst plays hard on both ends of the floor and excels in transition. He can play as a rim runner or even initiate on the move. He has an above average handle, and a very good one for someone his size.
Furst's passing continues to shine every time he plays. Blackhawk Christian puts him in the middle of the floor and lets him go to work, with teammates constantly on the move around him.
This recruitment is still too early to name a leader, but several schools have done well, including Indiana and Purdue.
Sellersburg (Ind.) Silver Creek four-star forward Trey Kaufman plays like a guard in a big's body. He can score at all three levels and excels with the ball in his hands. He has a great handle and can create space with it, even with average quickness.
Kaufman can shoot from deep, although he takes some time to get to his release point on his shot. If that gets quicker, he'll be an elite threat from 3-point range. Kaufman, like Furst, is an elite passer who sees the floor incredibly well.
His biggest offensive concern at this point is his willingness, and ability, to score in the post. I'm not overly concerned about it, however, because he can score inside off the bounce.
The four-star forward will have to transform his body, but I expect him to. He's bottom-heavy right now and runs with heavy feet, but improving his strength and quickness will change that.
Kaufman has offers from Indiana and Purdue who have both done a good job in his recruitment. Louisville could also get involved down the line, if they decide to offer.
Marion (Ind.) three-star guard Jalen Blackmon is an elite scorer at all three levels who has very good court vision. He can over-dribble at times, but it didn't seem like a major issue when I saw him this weekend, or in the past.
Blackmon can make splash plays defensively, but his size will always limit him on that end of the floor. It will be interesting to see where his recruitment goes as he continues to fill it up from all three levels.
Brownsburg (Ind.) unranked wing Pierce Thomas played through a rolled ankle this weekend that he suffered before the IBCA Top 100 Showcase. The injury didn't seem to affect him on the court, however, because he looked as explosive as he always does.
Thomas is an elite athlete in every sense of the word. He's Brownsburg's primary ball handler which should help him develop in the areas he needs to most. Thomas showed a good handle, but didn't do much with it, often over-dribbling before backing out to reset the offense.
I'd like to see him use that handle to get by his opponents more often. He needs to use that and his athleticism to get to the rim and finish more often than he does now. He's a very good passer with the vision and skill to make most passes on the court.
That passing also leads to more deferment than you'd like to see when he's attacking. It should be a part of his game, but right now it's his go-to when he's attacking the rim instead of finishing.
Thomas' shot needs work, but is already much better than it was when I first saw him in December. His right elbow is still tucked in too far, but he gets good touch on the ball and doesn't miss left or right very often.
At this point, it's more about his ability to gauge distance than anything else. He showed the ability to shoot off the dribble this weekend, but needs to take more shots off the catch when they're available.
Thomas is an elite defender thanks to his athleticism and instincts. He's disruptive on and off the ball and shut Culver (Ind.) Academies three-star 2020 guard Trey Galloway down when they played.
I expect Thomas to stay relatively close to home when he goes to college. Right now, Butler is out front.
Avon (Ind.) unranked wing Jayden Brewer is an explosive athlete, but his game is strictly around the rim right now. He can't shoot at all and it causes him other problems on that end. Teams can afford to back away and allow him to shoot, which makes it harder for him to get to the rim and finish.
Brewer is a good perimeter defender because of his athleticism and length, but is so thin that he may not hold up at the next level. He'll have to do a lot of work on his shot, and add a lot of weight in order to be a high-major prospect.
