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BB RECRUITING

Indiana basketball set to receive visit from VCU transfer Jalen Deloach

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Mar 11, 2023; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Virginia Commonwealth Rams forward Jalen DeLoach (4) and Saint Louis Billikens guard Javonte Perkins (3) at Barclays Center. (Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports)

VCU transfer forward Jalen Deloach is set to visit the Indiana basketball program, he confirmed to HoosierIllustrated.com. Deloach is set to visit April 14-15.

247Sports.com had the initial report.

On Tuesday, Jalen Deloach announced a top six of Indiana, Florida State, Miami, Penn State, San Diego State and VCU. Deloach entered the transfer portal after VCU head coach Mike Rhoades accepted the Penn State head coaching offer.

The 6-foot-9 forward has two years of eligibility remaining. He averaged 9.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.1 steals per game this season. He started 32 of 34 games and shot 56.2 percent from the field. He scored 10+ points in 19 games.

As a freshman, Deloach averaged 4.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game in 13.5 minutes a game.

Indiana was one of the first schools to contact Deloach and the relationships he has with the program are why he’s headed to Bloomington first.

“Coach Woodson and coach Yasir (Rosemond), they were one of the first people to contact me and my pops. They were on me hard. It’s Indiana,” Deloach told HoosierIllustrated. “Trayce is leaving. Race is leaving. I talked to Race a bit, Al Durham (too). I’m cool with Al Durham, me and him are buddies so I talked to them about Indiana. So they put me on to Indiana. I’m cool with Indiana, that’s why it’s my first visit.”

Conversations with Race Thompson centered not just around basketball, but the atmosphere on campus and school.

“I asked about everything. The school. Coach Woodson. He kept it real with me. He said he loves coach Woodson and wouldn’t have wanted to play for anyone else. He said the school is great … the fan base is real — said the fans show out for every game.”

Deloach is originally from Savannah, Georgia and is also well aware of Yasir Rosemond — from Atlanta.

“He’s from Georgia. Everyone knows coach Yasir and we had that connection through AAU. But everyone (in Georgia) knows coach Yasir.”

Indiana’s message is clear to Deloach. Come in and be a signifiant member of the front court to replace 29.3 points, 16.0 rebounds in a combined 57.7 minutes in 61 starts this past season.

Deloach is a terrific rebounder. He ranked second in the A-10 this season in offensive rebound percentage (13.3) and was third in total rebound percent (17.0). He also led the A-10 in defensive rating (88.7).

“They are going to use me as a 4 there,” Deloach said. “I have a high motor. The motor is always going to be there and I’m always going to rebound but I feel like I got better dribbling the ball and definitely better as a leader as well.”

The recruiting process this time around will be much different. His first recruitment out of high school was during Covid, when visits were not allowed.

“When I was getting recruiting (in high school) it was during Covid so all of my visits were over Zoom. So I’m going to try to want to take my visits,” Deloach said. “What I’m looking for though is culture and a family atmosphere. Somewhere where I can have brothers and a fan base.”

The Indiana basketball program is definitely one that has already made an impact on Deloach.

“Indiana is like the Mecca of basketball. I’ve been asking around.”

Deloach says he is looking to make a decision by the end of April.

The Indiana basketball program currently has five available scholarships for the 2023-24 season. It is currently awaiting news on the medical hardship waiver for senior point guard Xavier Johnson.

Indiana has added one player thus far in the transfer portal with the addition of Ball State 6-foot-9 forward Payton Sparks.

SEE ALSOExamining Jamison Battle’s potential fit with Indiana: ‘Upgraded personnel could help Battle’s efficiency skyrocket.’

Follow Hoosier Illustrated on Twitter @Indiana_FRN to stay up to date on all of the news, updates and coverage of Indiana University athletics. 

BB RECRUITING

2024 top-25 wing Tyler Betsey sets Indiana basketball visit

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2024 top-25 wing Tyler Betsey has set an official visit date with the Indiana basketball program. (@EliteHSscouting / Twitter)

Top-25 wing in the 2024 class Tyler Betsey of St. Thomas More (CT) has set an official visit with the Indiana basketball program.

Betsey will be on campus from June 14-16, he confirms with HoosierIllustrated.com. 247Sports had the initial report. Betsey will be on campus alongside 2024 five-star guard Boogie Fland, who has officially set his Indiana basketball visit for June 13-15.

Betsey is a 6-foot-8 wing who is ranked No. 22 in the 247Sports composite rankings for the 2024 class. He is rated as the No. 8 small forward.

At 6-foot-8, Betsey is a versatile wing who is known as a shooter. He is a high-volume shooter who is very good off of the catch. He’s improving off of the dribble as well and has shown more of an ability to create plays for himself.

Playing for NY Rens on the Nike EYBL circuit and is averaging 11.6 points this summer in 16 games. He’s shooting 35.1 percent from three on 2.5 made 3s per game. He’s 40-of-114 this summer from three. He’s had four games with at least four made 3s. Betsey plays alongside current Indiana basketball target and five-star guard Dylan Harper on NY Rens as well. Harper visited Indiana in the fall.

247Sports National Recruiting Director Eric Bossi broke down Betsey’s game from earlier this summer.

“At nearly 6-foot-8 with smooth athleticism and a good-looking jumper, it was pretty clear that he has all of the tools to make a move towards the top of the class and he’s one of those kids who seems like he could end up ranked as high as he decides he wants to be.”

Currently, Betsey has offers from Indiana, Duke, Alabama, Kansas, UConn, Cincinnati, Auburn, Rutgers, Michigan State, Providence and others.

SEE ALSO: Indiana basketball recruiting beginning to click on all cylinders: ‘I wanted to be able to sit at the table with the best players’

Make sure to follow Hoosier Illustrated on Twitter @Indiana_FRN and YouTube to stay up to date on all of the news, updates and coverage of Indiana University athletics. 

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Indiana basketball extends offer to 2025 top-30 prospect Jasper Johnson

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National top-30 2025 guard Jasper Johnson received a scholarship offer from the Indiana basketball program. (Jasper Johnson - @BruhJasperJ / Twitter)

The Indiana basketball program has extended a scholarship offer to 2025 top-30 guard Jasper Johnson of Woodford County (Ky).

Johnson is ranked No. 23 in the 247Sports composite rankings for the class of 2025. He is also the No. 3 combo guard in the class.

Part of Team Thad on the Nike EYBL circuit, Johnson is playing two divisions up in the 17U division. Through 16 games this spring and summer, Johnson is averaging 12.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He is shooting 51 percent from the floor and 40.3 percent from three (27-of-67).

Johnson had his best game of the summer last weekend in Memphis — scoring 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 5-of-6 from three. He was 12-of-21 from three in four games last weekend.

Travis Branham of 247Sports broke down Johnson’s performance.

“In a three-minute span, Johnson scored a dozen points including three triples and a dunk in transition that took a three-or-four point lead and stretching it to double figures.,” Branham wrote. “Johnson has continued to grow as a player this spring. His confidence and aggressiveness are continuing to elevate along with his improving handle and jumper to create offense for himself and others.”

Johnson and the Indiana basketball program had a relationship prior to this offer. Johnson has mentioned to HoosierIllustrated.com that the NBA pedigree of head coach Mike Woodson is appealing.

He visited Indiana twice during this past season. He was in Bloomington when Trayce Jackson-Davis had a triple-double. Johnson has also visited Kentucky, Louisville, Cincinnati, Ohio State, Tennessee and Xavier in addition to others.

The 6-foot-2 guard has offers from Kentucky, Arizona State, Cal, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Louisville, Ohio State, Memphis, Xavier and others.

SEE ALSO: 2024 five-star point guard Boogie Fland eyeing Indiana basketball visit

Make sure to follow Hoosier Illustrated on Twitter @Indiana_FRN and YouTube to stay up to date on all of the news, updates and coverage of Indiana University athletics. 

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IU basketball recruiting beginning to click on all cylinders: ‘I wanted to be able to sit at the table with the best players’

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Mike Woodson won't 'accept no for an answer' when it comes to recruiting and building his IU basketball roster. (Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times-USA TODAY NETWORK)

When Mike Woodson took the job as the head coach of the IU basketball program two years ago — his message was clear. He wanted to get Indiana back into the national conversation by competing for Big Ten and National Championships.

The only way to do that was to bring in high-level talent. Not just local, but from around the country.

The message has always been that Indiana has the best talent in the country — but recently, that hasn’t been the case. The previous staff did a good job of recruiting the state but failed to land top talent from outside of Indiana — or even the midwest — on a regular basis. That resulted in IU basketball failing to make an NCAA Tournament for six years.

So, when Woodson stepped back on campus on day one, it was about getting the best talent in the country — no matter where — to come to Bloomington.

“When I took the job, I made it clear to my coaches that we deserved to sit at the table with the best players,” Woodson told reporters on Wednesday. “We kind of squabbled a little bit early on because they didn’t think we were in that position to be able to do that.

“Well, back in the day, it was always that way.”

Last year saw four scholarship players from Indiana. The year before was five.

Next season will be quite different. There will only be two players from the state of Indiana on scholarship.

A main reason for that is because of what Woodson stressed — and knowing what he wanted for his roster.

“I thought we were based on Indiana basketball and the history of it,” Woodson said. “So, I didn’t accept no for an answer and I told ’em (my staff) that I wanted to be able to sit at the table with the best players and compete with the Kentucky’s, the Kansas’, the Duke’s, teams like that.”

While Woodson just wanted a seat at the table, he’s done more than just sit there.

In the last two years, Woodson has landed four five-star prospects either from high school or through the transfer portal. It resulted in having two McDonald’s All-American’s on the roster this upcoming season for the first time since 2016.

In addition to the two five-star commitments in the past two months, the IU basketball program has also seen a one-and-done five-star prospect move his way into a projected lottery-pick in the upcoming NBA Draft in Jalen Hood-Schifino. That is notable to recruits — and Woodson knows it.

“It’s done a lot, you know,” Woodson said on Hood-Schifino’s development. ” … Not to say he was a one-and-done, but he put himself in that position and was able to do a lot of nice things for our ball club and you know, our program benefited from it.”

A large reason for the (recent) uptick in the national relevancy for IU basketball in the recruiting world is because of Woodson and his NBA pedigree — yes. But, it’s the entire staff that he’s put together that has built their reputations on relationships and honesty — something hard to come by in today’s recruiting world.

“I got a wonderful staff and, you know, we are beating the phones down and when guys come available, we are trying to get in front of their parents and whoever’s their representative and we are doing all the necessary things to get ’em to campus and close the deal,” Woodson said. “And this has been a great, great summer for us in terms of recruiting and, again, I give a lot of credit to my staff and them getting me in front of the people that we’re trying to recruit, the player and we’re starting to pay off. It’s starting to pay off for us.”

And in recruiting, in order to get a yes, you’re going to get a lot of no’s. But, that’s okay and what’s needed in order to reach the next level as a program.

“All they (recruits) can do is tell us no, but we gotta get there and we’ve been able to get there some, so it’s kind of nice.”

SEE ALSO: IU basketball senior guard Xavier Johnson gives update on his health: ‘I’m 100 (percent)’

ake sure to follow Hoosier Illustrated on Twitter @Indiana_FRN and YouTube to stay up to date on all of the news, updates and coverage of Indiana University athletics. 

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