The second live evaluation period has come and gone and the storylines continue to build as you would imagine they would. For the Indiana basketball program, the staff was once again out and about watching their huge list of targets.
Indiana Basketball associate head coach Kenya Hunter was in Rock Hill, South Carolina for UAA while fellow associate head coach Yasir Rosemond was in Bryan, Texas for 3SSB. Assistant coach Brian Walsh was in Phoenix, Arizona for EYBL.
HoosierIllustrated.com was in Phoenix and spent most of the weekend watching numerous prospects on the EYBL circuit.
Here are the takeaways and notes from the second weekend.
2024 guard Curtis Givens is about as smooth as they come: The 2024 four-star guard for MoKan Elite is one of the latest players to earn an offer from Indiana and it is very easy to see why the Hoosiers have interest in him. Givens was the first player I watched this past weekend and I was immediately impressed with his style of play, size, and court vision. Givens has an athletic build and also has one of the smoothest, composed styles of play I have seen in a high school prospect. He is also a legit playmaker around the wing both on and off the ball and can also really put up points in a multitude of ways. In four games over the weekend, he averaged 15.5 points.
No new offers at this time from this past weekend: After extending multiple offers after the first live period, Indiana Basketball has yet to extend anymore. In my opinion, it is a little suspiring that Indiana did not extend any more offers after the second live period because the staff has been known hand out many at a time. Instead, it felt as though the staff put the majority of their focus on watching the players they have already offered especially the guys they have already built relationships with. Mike Woodson and staff already have a ton of offers extended in the 2024 and 2025 class so only time will tell who Indiana offers next.
2024 guard Boogie Fland back on Indiana’s radar: Since being offered by the Hoosiers back in June of last year, Fland’s recruitment from Indiana has been sort of a quiet one. Mike Woodson and Kenya Hunter did go watch him in the Hoop Hall Classic back in January of this year, but ever since there has not been much known about the relationship between both Fland and Indiana. During the last game of the Friday session in Phoenix, Indiana assistant coach Brian Walsh was seen watching Fland during PSA Cardinals’ game vs Team Durant where he had 8 points and 4 assists. This is rather significant to see Indiana Basketball is back involved with Fland because the New York native is one of the best guards in the entire country and would make an instant impact on any team he choses. Fland would go onto average 18.3 points in four games this past weekend.
2024 wing Liam McNeeley misses entire weekend: One of the more noteworthy items that came to be on the EYBL circuit during the second live evaluation period was the absence of 2024 five-star wing Liam McNeeley, who has been playing on Florida Rebels 17u. Per sources, it was said that McNeeley missed this weekend due to a sickness he obtained which is why he did not travel to Phoenix. While it was a bummer to not be able to see McNeeley play over the weekend in the last evaluation period for awhile, him missing this weekend should have no impact or decrease in his stock as a player. Yes he may have had a chance to gain more offers but where things stand right now McNeeley he is already well-known as one of the top players in the 2024 class.
2025 forward Caleb Wilson has tons of potential: When it comes to upside and potential out of all of the 2025 targets that are currently on Indiana’s list, Wilson might be at the top. Right off the bat when watching Wilson, his elite athleticism and ball-handling for his size is what will impress you the most. He is a bigger forward that has a real solid jumper, can create his own look, and protect the rim on the defensive end. From my prospective, his motor is still an area that needs improved, but his overall skillset paired with his elite athletic ability is hard to come by in a high school prospect. With him playing for Georgia Stars and being from the state of Georgia, with Indiana’s ties there, the Hoosiers have a really good shot at landing him as of right now. He averaged 11.3 points in four games over the weekend.
Indy Heat 17U continues to be one of the more disappointing teams on EYBL: On paper, Indy Heat 17U is one of the more talented teams on the entire EYBL circuit with 2024 forwards Jesse McCulloch (Michigan State commit) and Kanon Catchings (Purude commit) and elite 2025 prospects and Indiana targets Jalen Haralson and Trent Sisley being a part of that roster. However, through 8 games and two live period weekends, Indy Heat stands at just 1-7 in the standings and are currently on track to not qualify for Peach Jam in July. When watching them play, there is no secret that the talent is there, but the entire team chemistry looks off with too much 1v1 going on. They really need to get on the same page quick because there is too much talent on this Indy Heat team for them to miss Peach Jam.
2025 guard Jasper Johnson is one to watch for: The 2025 four-star guard out of Kentucky might have been the player that impressed me the most. At 6-foot-2, Johnson is a long lead guard that has really good court vision and great handles for his length. He is a true playmaking guard that can light it up from deep and also cause problems on the defensive end especially in the passing lanes. Not overly quick but can be real explosive at times. He is a name to keep on Indiana’s recruiting radar. He averaged 13.5 points in four games this past weekend.
2024 center Flory Bidunga getting an in-home visit from Auburn this week: When it comes to visit news over the weekend, one of the more significant updates revolves around top Indiana target, 2024 five-star center Flory Bidunga. According to MADE Hoops basketball insider Travis Graf, Auburn is having an in-home visit with Flory Bidunga on Tuesday. If you have been following along with Bidunga’s recruitment, Bruce Pearl and Auburn have been one of the schools to recruit Bidunga the hardest. Bidunga took an official visit to Auburn back in November of 2022. While there is still a ways to go in his recruitment, Auburn is a team to monitor moving forward.
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