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BB RECRUITING

Multiple Indiana basketball targets make Peach Jam All-Circuit teams

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Tyran Stokes stands on the court during an AAU basketball game on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam in North Augusta, S.C. A Louisville native, Stokes transferred to California's Prolific Prep for high school and is considered one of the top recruits in the Class of 2026.

The annual Nike EYBL Peach Jam officially wrapped up this past week and featured many Indiana basketball targets at all age groups. The Indiana basketball staff, including head coach Mike Woodson, was out in full force over the weekend to watch the multiple targets that were participating.

Notable Indiana basketball targets in action last week on the EYBL circuit included Liam McNeeley, Jaeden Mustaf, Boogie Fland, Patrick Ngongba, Austin Swartz, Trey McKinney, Darius Acuff, Jalen Haralson, Trent Sisley, Meleek Thomas and much more.

While there were many Indiana basketball targets in action, nine of them were able to break away from the pack and make Peach Jam All-Circuit teams.

Below is the full list of the Indiana targets and the Peach Jam All-Circuit team they made.

First Team

Dylan Harper: (6-foot-4; Combo Guard)

Team: New York Lightening 17U

Year: 2024

Points: 21.2

Rebounds: 5.7

Assists: 3.3

Scouting Notes: “Dylan Harper is a 6-foot-4 combo guard with a terrific blend of size, skill and feel for the game,” said 247Sports Basketball Analyst Travis Branham. “The southpaw doesn’t boast the most outstanding length or the most explosive athleticism but he is highly functional with his changes of speed, direction, his body control and his instincts on how to create separation and get to his spots. On the offensive end, Harper does a great job of balancing his scoring and his facilitating who takes what the defense gives him, playing the “right way” but will impose his will as a scorer when necessary. As a scorer, he can create space and make shots from mid-range and from three but his biggest strong suit is his ability to finish with touch and finesse at the rim. Aside from scoring and playmaking, Harper also impacts the game as a positional rebounder and a versatile defender. Given his consistent impact and production on both ends of the floor and factoring in his premier pedigree, Harper makes for arguably the best player in his class and a future first-round pick.” 

Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Duke, Rutgers, Kansas, and Auburn

Second Team

Tyran Stokes: (6-foot-7: Power Forward)

Team: Vegas Elite 17U

Year: 2026

Points: 11.5

Rebounds: 5.3

Assists: 4.5

Scouting Notes: “The 6-foot-7 power forward may be the youngest player on this list (2026), but he has been one of the bigger stock risers this AAU season. He is an explosive, athletic player that is most dangerous when he is attacking. He makes a big impact on the boards and is one of the more efficient scoring bigs on Indiana basketball’s target list.”

Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Texas, LSU, Texas A&M, Alabama, Louisville, Xavier, and others

Third Team

Liam McNeeley: (6-foot-8; Small Forward)

Team: Florida Rebels 17U

Year: 2024

Points: 15.8

Rebounds: 6.4

Assists: 2.2

Scouting Notes: McNeeley entered into this AAU season as arguably the top Indiana basketball target in the 2024 class. After spending last year playing for Drive Nation, then transferring to the prestigious Montverde Academy in Florida for his high school season, he will now play for the Florida Rebels 17U squad. What makes McNeeley so special of a player is that he is a true hybrid forward that has the ability to play both on and off the ball consistently. His motor and aggressiveness on both ends is at a high level and when he has the opportunity to attack the basket, he does it without hesitation being one of the better players in the 2024 class at getting to the line. The 6-foot-8 wing is great playmaker that creates so much offense around him, as well. He recently included in Indiana in his top 6.”

Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Michigan and Alabama

All-Underclass

Meleek Thomas: (6-3; Shooting Guard)

Team: NH Lightening 17U

Year: 2025

Points: 14.4

Rebounds: 5.0

Assists: 3.2

Scouting Notes: “According to a lot of rankings, 6-3 shooting guard Meleek Thomas might be the highest rated player when it comes to the 2025 target list for Indiana basketball. Thomas is a long guard that gets to his spots so well on the floor while also being an extremely talented scorer. Both on and off the ball, he is a true playmaker whether that be for himself or for his teammates. He typically has played the role as the guy you go to when you need a bucket. He is easily at his best when he has the chance to make a play at the rim. He is the type of playmaking guard that would excel in Mike Woodson’s system.”

Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Xavier, Villanova, Pittsburgh, Kansas State, Michigan, and others

Trey McKenney: (6-5; Shooting Guard)

Team: The Family 17U

Year: 2025

Points: 15.6

Rebounds: 4.8

Assists: 2.0

Scouting Notes: “McKenney is a 6’5 shooting guard that is so physical and is not afraid to play through contact to get a chance to finish in the paint. While he is not the quickest player on the floor, he loves to use his strong, big frame to get past his defender and be such a load to handle once he is out in transition. He is real aggressive on the defensive end and is a very good on-ball defender. Jumper still needs some work as far as consistency, but as far as physicality, McKenney is one of the more advanced in this class. He has already been on Indiana’s campus so he will likely still be a high target for Mike Woodson and the Indiana basketball staff.”

Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, LSU, Miami (FL), Stanford, Oregon, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas State, Missouri, Alabama, and others

Darius Acuff: (6-foot-2; Point Guard)

Team: Team Takeover 17U

Year: 2025

Points: 15.2

Rebounds: 3.6

Assists: 5.2

Scouting Notes: “Acuff is a top-20 player in the class and has offers from elite programs such as Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas, Houston, and numerous other programs. Acuff is a tremendous scoring threat from any spot on the floor. He’s an aggressive driver whose game goes to an entirely different level when he’s hitting 3s, although he is inconsistent at times from behind the arc. Acuff has played at an extremely high level all summer” 

Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas, LSU, Houston, and others

(Tyran Stokes also made the All-Underclass Team)

Honorable Mention

Boogie Fland: (6-foot-4; Point Guard)

Team: PSA Cardinals 17U

Year: 2024

Points: 11.5

Rebounds: 2.8

Assists: 2.5

Scouting Notes: “Because Fland can play both with and without the ball in his hands, going to a place where he can do both is ideal. Fland is a terrific scoring guard who has great explosiveness. Fland is always in attack mode and can score at all three levels on the floor. He is best with the ball in his hands and making plays for himself or teammates. Fland has a very good mid-range game and utilizes a lot of different moves in the paint to create separation and get his shot up. With good size as well, at 6-foot-4, he’s a long and rangy guard who is a very talented defender. He has the tools to be a lockdown on ball defender as well as talented off the ball defensive player. He recently finished his Indiana visit.

Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Kentucky, UConn, Alabama, St. John’s, Auburn, Miami and others.

Tyler Betsey: (6-7; Small Forward)

Team: NY Renaissance 17u

Year: 2024

Points: 12.0

Rebounds: 5.0

Assists: 1.4

Scouting Notes: “Betsey comes into this AAU season as arguably the biggest stock-riser in the entire 2024 class. The reason in such the rise in a lot of the 2024 rankings is because of the improvements he has made both as a defender and ability to create his own shot. At his position, he has the elite combination of size and length which makes him a very hard player to defend especially once he finds his rhythm in a game. As Mike Woodson and Indiana look to improve at the wing each year, Betsey is a great option when recruiting that area. With a wide-open recruitment as of right now, expect Mike Woodson and Indiana basketball to be active here.”

Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Iowa, Duke, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Rhode Island, Nebraska, Providence, UCONN, Seton Hall, Xavier, Notre Dame, Alabama, Michigan State, Memphis, LSU, St. John’s, and others

Rakease Passmore: (6-foot-5; Small Forward)

Team: Team Thad 17U

Year: 2024

Points: 13.6

Rebounds: 4.2

Assists: 1.4

Scouting Notes: “After playing the majority of the season on the Adidas 3SSB circuit, Passmore joined Team Thad a few weeks ago. He’s an absolute blur in transition and shows off tremendous athletic ability attacking the rim. He has such a strong frame and has good size at 6-foot-5. He’s so difficult to slow down when he gets a defender on his hip and turns the corner to the rim.”

Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Kansas, Auburn, Tennessee, NC State, Oregon, Houston, Virginia, Illinois, Miami (FL), and others

SEE ALSO: Peach Jam Notebook: Indiana basketball targets continue to standout midway through week

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. 

BB RECRUITING

Indiana Basketball: Mike Woodson spends Tuesday at OTE Pro day as one recruiting target stands out

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Tyler Jackson, Indiana basketball
2025 Indiana basketball target Tyler Jackson was among the standouts at the OTE Pro Day on Tuesday as Mike Woodson watched on.

With the open recruiting calendar, the Indiana basketball staff has been on the road for the majority of the last week. That continued on Tuesday as Mike Woodson and his staff were at a signifiant recruiting event, according to reports.

Overtime Elite hosted its Pro Day on Tuesday, containing scouts from nearly every NBA team as well as a handful of high-major college coaches. 27 players were part of the event and took place in drills and scrimmages.

Among the Indiana basketball targets who play for Overtime Elite are 2025 five-star prospects Tyler Jackson, Mikel Brown Jr and Bryson Tiller.

Jackson and Brown are entering their first season with OTE.

Among the standouts by numerous recruiting analysts was Jackson. The five-star guard has emerged as one of the best playmakers in the 2025 class over the last few months.

Jackson played for Team Thrill in the 16U division and helped lead the program to a title on the Under Armor Circuit. He was terrific down the stretch, scoring 39, 36 and 31 points in that order en route to the championship. He averaged 24.0 points per game in the final session (seven games) and shot 42 percent from the floor. He played one event up with the 17U level, playing alongside current 2024 Indiana basketball target, five-star Derik Queen.

In his one session on the Nike EYBL circuit, Jackson averaged 30.0 points per game and shot 50.6 percent from the field and 50 percent (17-of-34) from three. He scored 30+ points in three of his four games, having scoring totals of 30, 36 and 39 points.

Jackson received an offer from the Indiana basketball program last week. He is ranked the No. 16 overall prospect in the 2025 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Jackson continued that playmaking and scoring ability on Tuesday as numerous national scouts came away impressed with his performance.

Here’s what a few of them had to say:

ESPN National Recruiting Analyst Paul Biancardi: “Best playmaker. Pushes the pace. Knows how to create and find others. Passes well in open floor or tight spaces.”

On3.com National Analyst Jamie Shaw: “There is a flair that comes with Jackson’s game. He plays with a lot of confidence, able to get to any spot on the floor and rise up for a jumper. When he is at his best, he can be a true three-level scorer.”

The Athletic Analyst Tobias Bass: “Very poised and can get anywhere on the floor when he wants. He was the most consistent player in the gym.”

SEE ALSO: Down to Indiana basketball & Kansas, five-star Liam McNeeley goes into decision mode

Make sure to follow Hoosier Illustrated on Twitter @Indiana_FRN, Facebook and YouTube to stay up to date on all of the news, updates and coverage of Indiana University athletics. You can also listen to the Talking’ Bout the Hoosiers podcast on Spotify.

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Down to Indiana & Kansas, five-star Liam McNeeley goes into decision mode

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Liam McNeeley, Indiana basketball
2024 five-star and top Indiana basketball target Liam McNeeley is into decision mode as he will pick between IU and Kansas. (Liam McNeeley / Twitter)

The Indiana basketball program is one step closer to potential landing its first commitment in the 2024 class — and it would be a big one.

Montverde Academy (Fla.) five-star wing Liam McNeeley is now in decision-making mode after cancelling his Texas official visit on Monday. His visit to Texas was set for this weekend, now he’s focused on just two programs; Indiana and Kansas.

“No more visits,” McNeeley told HoosierIllustrated.com “I will make a decision before the early signing period. (It’s between) Kansas and Indiana.”

The early signing period takes place from November 8 – November 15.

McNeeley has taken official visits to both programs in September. His visit to Indiana was his second — taking both a junior and senior year official visit. He had a key reason for his second visit with Indiana basketball, something that he came away able to check off.

“I wanted to interact with the players and see the coaches in a more private setting,” McNeeley said. “Just continuing to build relationships with the coaches and player is what I was looking for.”

Mike Woodson and the rest of the Indiana basketball staff have prioritized McNeeley for the entirety of his recruitment. He has been the top target for Indiana for over the last 12 months.

Their need for him was shown even more on Monday when Indiana went four-deep, sending its entire staff to Montverde to see McNeeley, along with teammates five-star Derik Queen and four-star guard Curtis Givens — all coming off of official visits two weekends ago.

“Their consistency has never wavered for the time that they have been recruiting me,” McNeeley said. “I have formed good relationships with all of (the coaches).”

McNeeley, originally from Texas, transferred to Montverde last season and emerged as one of the top prospects in the country. This past season he averaged 13.7 points and was second in the NIBC averaging 2.2 made 3s per game.

Playing for Florida Rebels on the Nike EYBL Circuit this summer, McNeeley averaged 16.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game across 17 games. He shot 37 percent from three (30-of-81).

McNeeley proved even more this summer his ability to play both on or off of the ball. He is a tremendous and proven shooter who is highly efficient on the floor. His best tool may be his playmaking ability, however. At 6-foot-7, he can play on the ball and orchestrate the offense. He has good court vision and great feel for the game and the speed of each possession.

Related: 2024 Indiana basketball target Liam McNeeley has proved himself as ‘one of the ten best players in high school basketball’

The consistent message that the Indiana staff has sent him has been come in and make winning plays right away — all while fitting the mold of the longer, athletic and versatile wing that Woodson has prioritized since he joined the program.

“They emphasized me being a bigger guard and being versatile. Coming off ball screens or posting up smaller defenders and moving the ball in transition,” McNeeley previously told HoosierIllustrated. ” … I see myself coming in and making winning plays to help the team in as many ways as possible.

“I try and take things from Luka’s game. He is a big guard and my favorite player.”

With McNeeley in decision-making mode, he could be just the first of multiple five-star players to join Indiana’s 2024 class. While the Hoosiers are heavily involved with numerous other top prospects around the country, one player that is immediately impacted by a potential McNeeley commitment is his teammate Derik Queen.

Sources have indicated to HoosierIllustrated that it could ultimately play somewhat of a role in Queen’s recruitment. While it will be a basketball decision at the end of the day, the friendship between the two holds a lot of weight. The programs that are recruiting both Queen and McNeeley are Indiana and Kansas. They took back-to-back visits to Kansas and Indiana the first two weekends of September.

“We have a great relationship. We’re brothers,” McNeeley said of his relationship with Queen.

As for McNeeley’s visit to Kansas, it went very well as well.

“They have had many wing players that have been successful at Kansas such as Gradey Dick, Jalen Wilson, and Christian Braun,” McNeeley added. “I had a great time on the Kansas visit. Getting to meet and spend time with the players was a lot of fun.”

Liam McNeeley is ranked the No. 13 overall prospect in the 2024 247Sports composite rankings.

SEE ALSO: Indiana basketball going ‘head-to-head’ with Kentucky for five-star guard

Make sure to follow Hoosier Illustrated on Twitter @Indiana_FRN, Facebook and YouTube to stay up to date on all of the news, updates and coverage of Indiana University athletics. You can also listen to the Talking’ Bout the Hoosiers podcast on Spotify.

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BB RECRUITING

Top Indiana basketball target and top-15 prospect Liam McNeeley cancels Texas visit

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Liam McNeeley, Indiana basketball
There is a key update in the recruitment of five-star Liam McNeeley, the top target for the Indiana basketball program. (Liam McNeeley / Twitter)

The Indiana basketball program could be closing in on its first commitment of the 2024 class.

Sources confirmed to HoosierIllustrated.com that top-15 prospect and Montverde Academy (Fla.) wing Liam McNeeley has cancelled his official visit to Texas that was scheduled for the weekend of September 22-24. McNeeley also later confirmed the news to HoosierIllustrated.

National recruiting analyst Andrew Slater was the first to indicate the news, followed by 247Sports.

As of this point, there are no other visits scheduled. It appears that the Indiana basketball program received the final visit in McNeeley’s recruitment. He took one other visit in September to Kansas.

McNeeley has been the top target for Indiana for much of the past 12 months, receiving both a junior and senior year official visit. The entire Indiana basketball staff also visited Montverde Academy on Monday.

“Indiana is obviously a historic basketball state, and the fans in Indiana almost worship basketball,” McNeeley previously told HoosierIllustrated.com. “Love from the fans make me feel wanted.”

Indiana, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Michigan and Alabama have been the key programs involved with McNeeley. It looks to be down between Kansas and Indiana going forward.

McNeeley, originally from Texas, transferred to Montverde Academy (Fla.) last season and emerged as one of the top prospects in the country. This past season he averaged 13.7 points and was second in the NIBC averaging 2.2 made 3s per game.

Playing for Florida Rebels on the Nike EYBL Circuit this summer, McNeeley averaged 16.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game across 17 games. He shot 37 percent from three (30-of-81).

“I think he’s proven himself to be one of the ten best players in high school basketball today…” 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein recently said. “There also aren’t ten other players that I would rather have as freshman in college basketball next year.”

If McNeeley pulls the trigger for Indiana that is a critical step in another target’s recruitment as well. Fellow five-star and Montverde teammate Derik Queen is good friends with McNeeley and sources have indicated to HoosierIllustrated.comthat it could ultimately play somewhat of a role in his recruitment. The programs that are recruiting both Queen and McNeeley are Indiana and Kansas. They took back-to-back visits to Kansas and Indiana the first two weekends of September.

McNeeley is ranked the No. 13 overall prospect in the 2024 247Sports composite rankings.

SEE ALSO: Indiana basketball going ‘head-to-head’ with Kentucky for five-star guard

Make sure to follow Hoosier Illustrated on Twitter @Indiana_FRN, Facebook and YouTube to stay up to date on all of the news, updates and coverage of Indiana University athletics. You can also listen to the Talking’ Bout the Hoosiers podcast on Spotify.

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