July Live Period – UAA/UA Rise Session III Preview
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If it feels like we just finished up the scholastic period of the recruiting calendar it is because we did. June is barely in the rearview mirror with a live period just wrapping up June 24-26th which featured the IHSAA/IBCA…
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Continue ReadingIf it feels like we just finished up the scholastic period of the recruiting calendar it is because we did. June is barely in the rearview mirror with a live period just wrapping up June 24-26th which featured the IHSAA/IBCA Charlie Hughes Showcase here in Indiana. However, basketball and recruiting never stop. Another live period will begin on July 7th and run through July 10th as teams from the Hoosier state primarily travel to Atlanta, Kansas City, and South Carolina for various events. We at Prep Hoops Indiana will provide wall-to-wall coverage of everything including having boots on the ground in Atlanta bringing in-person updates from UAA/UA Rise Session III, NY2LA Best of the South, and, of course, our own Prep Hoops Live Atlanta. We will begin by previewing the Under Amour event which will tip-off on Wednesday afternoon.
Grand Park Premier 15u-17u
Grand Park Premier, which runs on the UAA Circuit, will be competing at Session III down in Atlanta over the next several days. The 17u squad has a 1:30 p.m. game scheduled for Wednesday afternoon and two matchups on Thursday before bracket play begins. There has been some roster changes on the oldest GPP team, but they will still be led by 6’5″ guard Joey Hart Joey Hart 6'5" | SG Linton-Stockton | 2023 State #214 Nation IN (Linton-Stockton H.S. 2023). The sharp-shooting guard has been one of the top scorers on the circuit earning himself a ton of mid-major offers with high-major interest still swirling. This month will likely determine whether his recruitment takes one more bounce.
Alongside Hart, recent Oakland City commit Jaylen Mullen Jaylen Mullen 6'0" | PG North Daviess | 2023 State IN (North Daviess H.S. 2023) will still man the point guard duties. Forwards Caleb Washington Caleb Washington 6'5" | PF Floyd Central | 2023 State IN (Floyd Central H.S. 2023) and Braden Walters Braden Walters 6'6" | PF Terre Haute North | 2024 State IN (Linton-Stockton H.S. 2024) are still with the team as well. New faces for GPP include 6’6″ forward Alex Romack Alex Romack 6'6" | PF Westfield | 2023 State IN (Westfield H.S. 2023) and 6’7″ forward Reph Stevenson Reph Stevenson 6'7" | PF Hamilton Southeastern | 2023 State IN (Hamilton Southeastern H.S. 2023). Romack was excellent through the spring with Grand Park Premier Black and gained a lot of small college interest with his strong play with the Shamrocks in the June. Stevenson comes over from the UA Rise Circuit where he was playing with D1 Indiana and will provide additional depth in the front court. However, the most notable addition will be Bellarmine commit A.J. Lux A.J. Lux 6'3" | SG Crown Point | 2023 State IN (Crown Point H.S. 2023). The 6’5″ guard will provide an elite-shooting one-two punch next to Hart on the wing. They could be the best shooting tandem on the UAA Circuit.
At the 16u level the primary prospect people will be following is 6’4″ guard Jack Benter Jack Benter 6'4" | SG Brownstown Central | 2024 State #121 Nation IN (Brownstown Central H.S. 2024). Benter recently was offered by Purdue and will have several other high-major programs following him closely in Atlanta. Other backcourt prospects like Isaac Andrews Isaac Andrews 6'1" | SG Wapahani | 2024 State IN (Wapahani H.S. 2024) and Donovan Hamilton Donovan Hamilton 6'3" | SG Hamilton Southeastern | 2024 State IN (Hamilton Southeastern H.S. 2024) are coming off a great month of June as well. A new name on this team that came over from Indy Heat Red is Sabien Cain (University H.S. 2024). Cain is a physical 6’3″ guard that is one of the better under-the-radar prospects in the class.
For the 15u squad the hottest name right now is Alex Couto Alex Couto 6'0" | PG Carmel | 2025 State IN (Carmel H.S. 2025). The small sharp-shooting guard was great while taking on an expanded role in the Carmel backcourt at the Charlie Hughes Showcase and even earned an offer from Huntington for his strong play. Definitely a prospect worth following in July. Grady Carpenter Grady Carpenter 6'5" | PG Tipton | 2025 State IN (Tipton), Anthony DeFur Anthony DeFur 6'4" | SF Mooresville | 2025 State IN (Mooresville H.S. 2025), and brothers Brode Judge Brode Judge 6'5" | SG Lapel | 2025 State IN (Lapel H.S. 2025) and Bode Judge (Lapel H.S. 2025) are other names to know.
D1 Indiana 15u-17u
D1 Indiana will descend on Atlanta for Session III of the UA Rise Circuit beginning Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. when the 17u team gets underway. Leading the way in their backcourt will be DaJohn Craig DaJohn Craig 6'1" | PG Lawrence Central | 2023 State IN (Lawrence Central H.S. 2023) and Kamari Jones Kamari Jones 6'4" | SG Lawrence Centra (IN) / Hilcrest Prep (AZ) | 2023 IN (Lawrence Central H.S. 2023). These two high school teammates can really score the basketball and are excellent shot creators. Jones, a 6’4″ athletic wing, has started to receive a good amount of low-major Division I interest and will likely start to see some offers at various levels come in the month of July. 6’7″ forward Jesse Faires Jesse Faires 6'6" | PF Ben Davis | 2023 State IN (Ben Davis H.S. 2023) joins D1 Indiana coming over from Kyle Guy Elite Black. Clay Butler Clay Butler 6'1" | PG Ben Davis | 2023 State IN (Ben Davis H.S. 2023) is back for D1 Indiana 17u running the point guard position. He has had a great spring and summer.
The D1 Indiana 16u squad has a number of high potential prospects including Ron Rutland III Ron Rutland III 6'1" | SG Crispus Attucks | 2024 State IN (Crispus Attucks H.S. 2024) who recently picked up his first Division I offer from IUPUI. 6’5″ wing Dominique Murphy Jr. (East Chicago Central H.S. 2025) had a great spring on the UA Rise Circuit playing up with the 16u team. His length, athleticism, and ball skill at his size and age are very impressive. Other prospects to keep an eye on include Seth LaRavia Seth LaRavia 6'6" | PF Pendelton Heights | 2024 State IN (Westfield H.S. 2024), Dorien Beatty Dorien Beatty 5'10" | PG Lake Central | 2024 IN (Lake Central H.S. 2024), and Mark White Mark White 6'3" | SF Ben Davis | 2024 State IN (Ben Davis H.S. 2024). Talented point guard Dhani Flannigan Dhani Flannigan 5'10" | PG Ben Davis | 2024 State IN (Franklin Central H.S. 2024) has played with both the 17u and 16u teams at different points and will be one to watch for whichever team has him this week in Atlanta.
For the D1 Indiana 15u team that competed on the UA Rise Circuit in the spring, the two top players were consistently a pair of guards in Papi Rivera Papi Rivera 6'1" | PG North Central | 2025 State IN (North Central H.S. 2025) and Jace Jenkins Jace Jenkins 5'11" | SG Princeton | 2025 State IN (Princeton H.S. 2025). “Papi” Rivera is one of the most dynamic guards in the rising sophomore class in Indiana. He can really create for himself off of the dribble, score it from any level on the floor, and is a good passer as well. Jenkins is one of the better catch-and-shoot threats in the class and helps to space the floor for their team.