The Platform: 2024 Indiana Standouts
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As the month of July gets into full swing, the Prep Hoops Circuit heads to Birmingham, Alabama. This is the first of several Prep Hoops events in the Midwest as we converge onto the Grit Region Finals in Indianapolis at…
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Continue ReadingAs the month of July gets into full swing, the Prep Hoops Circuit heads to Birmingham, Alabama. This is the first of several Prep Hoops events in the Midwest as we converge onto the Grit Region Finals in Indianapolis at the end of the month. There were a ton of very intriguing games over the weekend, and now, let’s take a look at some of the 2024 Standouts from the state of Indiana.
Lamontae Cross Lamontae Cross 5'10" | PG Bowman Academy | 2024 IN – 2024 PG – Gary 21st Century (94 Feet Elite 2024)
Cross is a smaller, quick point guard who did many things well this past weekend in Birmingham. He is a good ball-handler, and he has good court vision which allows him to find his spots on the floor. He also has good touch around the rim although he struggled to finish a couple of opportunities inside. Cross does have very good hands on the defensive end of the floor, and he came up with several steals over the entire weekend. As Cross continues to develop, he needs to make sure that he slows down and stays patient with his game. He has a tendency to get very rushed which results in a string of turnovers. If Cross can avoid these turnover runs, he will improve his stock in a major way.
Micah Davis – 2024 SG – Franklin Community (EG10 2024)
Davis is becoming one of the top players in the 2024 class because of his breakout summer. He has amazing ball-handling skills, and he knows how to get to his spots on the floor. He is also a top-notch scorer of the basketball. The southpaw has a smooth shooting stroke and can knock it down from both the outside and the mid-range. He also has top-notch body control and touch around the rim. Davis was able to get pretty much whatever he wanted in this game, and even when the defense made it tough on him, he was still able to finish inside. He is the second player in the 2024 class to receive a scholarship offer (IUPUI), and I fully expect that he will see so many offers come his way in a year from now. Look for Davis to continue to improve and fine-tune his skills during his sophomore campaign.
Jaelyn Johnson – 2024 PF – Portage (94 Feet Elite 2024)
Johnson is a big, physical forward who dominated in the paint on both ends of the floor this weekend. He attacks both the offensive and defensive glass, and he got several easy scoring chances off of working on the offensive glass. Johnson also was an outstanding rim protector on the defensive end of the floor, and he came up with a couple of big blocked shots. On the offensive end, Johnson didn’t show as much, but he did run the pick and roll consistently with Lamontae Cross Lamontae Cross 5'10" | PG Bowman Academy | 2024 IN . They have a connection that allowed them to get a couple of easy opportunities. Look for Johnson to continue to develop his offensive game in the coming year.
Devon Roudolph – 2024 SG – Brebeuf Jesuit (EG10 2024)
Roudolph is a bigger shooting guard who can absolutely shoot the lights out of the ball. He has a smooth shooting stroke and showed off pretty much parking lot range. Roudolph also hit the majority of his shots off of the catch and shoot. I would like to see him create some more by driving to keep the defense off guard. He should develop this over the next couple of years which will make him a more dynamic player.
Carmello Taylor – 2024 PG – Indianapolis Riverside (94 Feet Elite 2024)
Taylor is a smaller guard who is going to work hard for every second that he is on the court. He seemed to always be hustling, and he never once hesitated to dive on the floor for a loose ball. Taylor also has a great court vision and had several nice passes in this game. Carmello is still incredibly young, and he is going to continue to improve a lot in the coming years. If he can develop his scoring ability, he will really take his game to the next level.
Jerron Taylor Jerron Taylor 6'1" | SG Yorktown | 2024 IN – 2024 SF – Rushville (EG10 2024)
Taylor is a long and lanky forward who is still going to continue to grow in the coming years. He knows how to create his own shot, and he is always looking to attack the rim. Then, he can stop on a dime and pull it from the mid-range, or continue downhill and get to the rim. He is still a young player with tons of room to grow, but he showed several bright spots which makes him a definite prospect for the future.