Notebook: Commitment List Growing, DIIs Picking Up Steam
The class of 2019 is picking up steam here with the recent run of commitments. The class as it stands today, has 27 players off the boards. We give a look at those players and thoughts to this point.
COMPLETE LIST:
Ali Ali |
6’7 |
PF |
East Noble |
IN |
Indy Heat 2019 Red |
Akron |
Bradley Nalley |
6’6 |
SF |
Corydon Central |
IN |
Louisville Legends 2019 |
American |
Matt Dove |
6’8 |
PF |
Princeton |
IN |
DistinXion 2019 Red |
Army |
Zach Kuhn |
6’4 |
SG |
Shelbyville |
IN |
UA Grind 2019 |
Army |
Sam Devault |
6’8 |
PF |
Evansville Memorial |
IN |
UA Grind 2019 |
Austin Peay |
Lucas Kroft |
6’5 |
SF |
Fort Wayne North |
IN |
1Nation 2019 |
Ball State |
Luke Bumbalough |
6’1 |
PG |
New Castle |
IN |
UA Grind 2019 |
Ball State |
Drew Lutz |
6’0 |
PG |
Penn |
IN |
MBA Select 2019 |
Bethel College |
Maxwell Newman |
6’7 |
PF |
Monrovia |
IN |
EG10 2019 |
Bethel College |
Nathan Aerts |
6’5 |
SF |
Valparaiso |
IN |
Indiana GAME 2019-Patton |
Bethel College |
John-Michael Mulloy |
6’9 |
PF |
Carmel |
IN |
Indy Heat EYBL 2019 |
Butler |
Ryan Segall |
6’10 |
C |
Indy Northwest Warriors |
IN |
UA Grind 2019 |
Ferris State |
Andrew Owens |
6’5 |
SF |
Carmel |
IN |
Indy Heat 2019 Red |
Findlay |
Colin Kenney |
6’1 |
PG |
Marquette Catholic |
IN |
SYF Players 2018 |
Furman |
Jalen Windham |
6’5 |
SF |
Ben Davis |
IN |
Indy Heat EYBL 2019 |
Georgia State |
Noah Applegate |
6’6 |
PF |
Penn |
IN |
Indiana GAME 2019-Patton |
Hillsdale |
Hank Pulver |
6’6 |
PF |
Huntington North |
IN |
Indy Heat 2019 Red |
Huntington |
Armaan Franklin |
6’5 |
SG |
Cathedral |
IN |
Meanstreets EYBL 2019 |
Indiana |
Cobie Barnes |
6’7 |
PF |
Floyd Central |
IN |
Indiana Elite 2019 |
Indiana State |
Jared Hankins |
6’4 |
SG |
Lawrence North |
IN |
Indiana Elite Fastbreak 2019 |
Indiana State |
Noah Smith |
6’1 |
PG |
Hamilton Southeastern |
IN |
EG10 2019 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
Spencer Piercefield |
6’0 |
PG |
Center Grove |
IN |
Indiana Elite Metro 2019 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
Jesse Bingham |
6’5 |
SF |
Warren Central |
IN |
IE Fastbreak 2019 |
Indianapolis |
Wendell DeMyers |
6’4 |
SG |
Traders Point Christian |
IN |
IE Fastbreak 2019 |
McKendree |
Isaiah Thompson |
6’0 |
PG |
Zionsville |
IN |
Indy Heat EYBL 2019 |
Purdue |
Mason Gillis |
6’7 |
PF |
New Castle |
IN |
Indiana Elite 2019 |
Purdue |
Aaron Etherington |
6’6 |
SF |
Hamilton Southeastern |
IN |
UA Grind 2019 |
Toledo |
Breakdown: The class sits with 27 guys off the board, 30 if you count two-sport athletes. This 2019 group is really strong and part of that is the depth. Each level of talent from DI to DII to DIII, there is depth and options for each college looking to recruit Indiana kids.
As of right now, 16 players have committed to DI programs with many more still available. We could potentially see as many as 13-15 more guys heading for that level as well. Getting 30 or more DI prospects in a class is outstanding especially when we didn’t even hit 20 last class.
But the depth that we talked about stems from already having five players having committed to DII programs when there are only 3 DII schools in the state. There will be plenty more at that level. There were 16 last class and we should see it reach that level again and might get even into the 20’s.
Now, DIII and NAIA schools aren’t really landing recruits at this point but they will in bulk in the next month as we lead up to the high school season. Many of those level of prospects will commit not only during the season but into March and even April.
However, Bethel College is already on a run with a trio of commits from Drew Lutz, Maxwell Newman, and Nathan Aerts. Indiana Wesleyan also has a pair in Spencer Piercefield and Noah Smith.
Also, of those 27 committed players, 15 are committed to in-state programs. About an average number at this point, maybe even a little high with Purdue, Indiana, and Butler combining for 4 of them on their own even though they recruit nationally more now than ever.