2016 IndyBall Shootout: Saturday
INDIANAPOLIS, IN | The first big weekend of the spring gave us a preview of what to look for with the top Indiana Elite and EG10 teams getting their season started. There were a few surprises on the day including…
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Continue ReadingINDIANAPOLIS, IN | The first big weekend of the spring gave us a preview of what to look for with the top Indiana Elite and EG10 teams getting their season started. There were a few surprises on the day including big games from Sam Colbert (Indiana Legends 2017) and Isaac Hibbard (Indiana Elite Central 2017), Grant Smith’s athleticism, and Indiana Dawgz 2017 Dan tough loss to EG10 2017.
Colbert, Hibbard Trade Buckets In Close Game
If you haven’t seen him play by now, you probably weren’t paying attention to New Albany’s run to a 4A State Championship, and no we are not talking about Romeo Langford. We are talking about his teammate Isaac Hibbard. He continued his standout spring with a big performance for his Indiana Elite Central 2017 squad in a win over Indiana Legends 2017. He’s really taken hold of his shooting ability and made that his calling card and you got a little bit of that today. He also showed his basketball IQ down the stretch making some key plays and passes as the game drew tight. However, IE Central had a tough time containing Broad Ripple guard Sam Colbert.
Colbert, a 5’10 point guard for Indiana Legends, had a big game as well dropping 17 points in the loss but showing a good scoring ability with the ball in his hands. He has a lot of shiftiness in his game and a quick first step that helps to keep space off his defender. Showed a good mid-range pull up and floater. Sam kept Legends in the game early as he had 12 points before the break but it was Hibbard’s 9 points in the second half that really sealed this win for Indiana Elite Central. Isaac finished with 19 points for the game.
Name To Watch: Grant Smith
Having seen Grant Smith play quite a few times, I thought I had seen about everything he had in his skillset. The 6’3 wing had a great season playing at Connersville and we got to see him have a great game in the Bob Wetting Tournament as he showed his scoring ability hitting from deep, the mid-range, and at the rim. However, today we saw him show off his athleticism with a couple big dunks right down the middle of the lane, something that I had yet to see. Clearly, Smith doesn’t strike you as a guy that is going to throw it down on you but he definitely has that added to the scouting report.
Smith is a guy that can be a big get for a small school program but based on the small sample size of today’s games, he might be a little more sought after than initially thought. Keep your eye on him as he runs with Indiana Elite Magic 2017 this summer. Could be a guy on the rise playing with and against better competition.
Indiana Dawgz 2017-Dan Has Guys To Track
Especially early in the AAU season, I like to find a team that has a bunch of unknowns that can be an underrated team. Last year, it was Grassroots Indiana 2017 Blue. This year, I think I might have found it in Indiana Dawgz 2017-Dan. They took EG10 2017 to the end but just came up short. In the process, however, there were quite a few guys that stood out that will get second looks soon.
I liked the length and shot blocking ability of Nate Carnegie (Culver Community), the shooting and athleticism of Matthew Westman (Michigan City), the scoring touch of C.J. Hampton (Griffith), and the body and upside of a Dwayne McClendon (Hammond). Now, they did have a hidden weapon in Caleb Coleman of Hammond/SYF Players 2017 that was joining them for just the weekend but still, this group should be one to watch with multiple guys that can play at the next level.
Top Performers:
Player | Team | Stat Line |
Cam Chadd | Indiana Elite Central 2018 | 15 points |
Jordan Webb | Indiana Faith 2018 | 19 points |
Dylan Chaudion | Indy EBC 15U | 18 points |
Zack Johnson | Indiana Faith 2018 White | 24 points |
Norell Smith | Indiana Elite Region 2017 | 21 points |
Ken Decker | Indiana Elite Region 2017 | 18 points |
Derek Hawthorne | Indiana Elite Blazers | 19 points |
Eric Hunter | Team Harris 2018 | 17 points |
Sam Colbert | Indiana Legends 2017 | 17 points |
Isaac Hibbard | Indiana Elite Central 2017 | 19 points |
C.J. Hampton | Indiana Dawgz 2017 Dan | 15 points |
Sasha Stefanovic | EG10 2017 | 17 points, 14 points |
Jaylen Minnett | EG10 2017 | 19 points |
Nike Sibande | G3 Rising Stars 2017 | 18 points |
Courvosier McCauley | G3 Rising Stars 2017 | 21 points |
Niah Williamson | Indiana Elite East 2018 | 17 points |
Dawand Jones | Hoosier Hoops 2019 | 16 points |
Trevor Lakes | Grassroots Indiana 2017 Blue | 16 points |