With a little bit of Spring AAU action underway, I wanted to do a quick ranking of the top players in the state of Indiana for 2012. I'm keeping player potential and production in mind when doing these.
1.
Jeremy Hollowell 6'7 Guard/Forward- Lawrence Central High School (Offers from Xavier, Indiana, Iowa, Cincinnati, Illinois, and Tennessee)
Hollowell is a player loaded with upside. He is still growing, allowing him to be a multi-positional player and defender. Hollowell has elite athleticism, a good stroke, and the handles to take opponents to the rim. Hollowell's game is improving, as he continues to grow into his body and get a feel for the game. His great length (6'11 Wingspan) allows him to be an affective defender, rebounder, and shot blocker. Hollowell can also mix it up inside, showing good touch in the post occasionally. As Hollowell continues to improve his game, he has the chance to be a very special player at the next level.
2.
Gary Harris 6'4 Guard- Hamilton Southeastern High School (Offers from Iowa, Indiana, Cincinnati, Xavier, Minnesota, Illinois, and Vanderbilt)
A skilled combo guard with explosive athleticism, Harris is rapidly improving his game. Harris only averaged 14 points per game this season, but his potential is undeniable. He has the bounce and athleticism to take opponents off the dribble and score above the rim. Combine that with an improving jump shot and a high level motor, and Harris has the total package needed to be a backcourt star. Although his college offers are rather modest, I expect Harris to begin stockpiling offers as the summer rolls on.
3.
D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera 6'4 Guard- North Central High School (Offers from Indiana, Purdue, Tennessee, Louisville, Cincinnati, and Xavier)
A powerful guard with a good handle, Smith-Rivera helped lead his high school team to a state championship this season. Smith-Rivera averaged 19.5 points per game, teaming up with Purdue-bound guard Terone Johnson. Smith-Rivera excels with the ball going to the rim, where he can draw the foul and score from the line. His jumper is improving, making him a threat to score from all over the court. Smith-Rivera isn't the most explosive vertical athlete, but he has the quickness to be a disruptive defender on the perimeter. He possesses the skills to play the point guard or shooting guard position at the next level.
4.
A.J. Hammons 6'11 Center- Carmel High School (Offers from Indiana, Xavier, and Illinois)
Hammons is an imposing force in the paint, weighing in at close to 260 pounds. Hammons, who once weighed in at close to 290 pounds has made conditioning a priority, keeping himself in shape to help his conditioning and athleticism. The first thing that stands out about Hammons is his ability to change and alter shots in the paint, as he averaged over 5 blocks per game this season. Hammons has strong hands and nice touch around the basket, giving him the potential to develop as a low-post scorer. His strong hands and wide body make him a good rebounder, a category in which he recorded 8 per game this past season. Hammons has all the physical tools to be a difference maker in high school and college, the key for him is to put it all together and match potential with assertiveness.
5.
Ron Patterson 6'3 Guard- Broad Ripple High School (Offers from Indiana, Purdue, Cincinnati, Xavier, Tennessee, Ohio State, Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan)
Patterson is an explosive athlete with a good outside shot. Patterson does have the potential to go on streaks when shooting, but recently has been shooting at a more consistent level. Another great quality about Patterson is his ability to rebound well for his position. Patterson has a 6'10 wingspan, a trait that also allows him to be a disruptive wing defender, and formidable shot blocker for his position. He needs to improve his ball-handling, but does a great job cutting to the rim without the ball. Patterson has the athleticism to finish above the rim and create highlight reel dunks. Patterson averaged 17 points per game this season while playing for Broad Ripple High School.
6.
Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell 5'10 Guard- Park Tudor High School (Offers from Butler, Illinois, Indiana, Notre Dame, Virginia, and Washington)
A speedy floor general, Ferrell plays with a mature game for a 16 year old point guard. He has the speed, handles, and quickness to get to the rim, push the break, and be an elite passer. Ferrell is a good but not great shooter, keeping defenders honest from behind the arc. He averaged 23 points per game as he led his team to a runner-up finish in the state finals. Defensively Ferrell has the speed and quickness to pressure the ball, but may struggle going up against stronger, more physical guards. Although he is undersized for your ideal point guard, Ferrell makes up for it with his smarts and playmaking ability.
7.
Rapheal Davis 6'5 Guard/Forward- Fort Wayne South Side High School (Committed to Purdue)
Davis committed to Purdue as a high school freshman, a testament to his ability as a basketball player. Davis is a good 3-point shooter with the ability to get hot and really stroke the ball. His strength and ball-handling allow him to get to the rim and finish after contact. Although he's not as explosive as some of the other guards in his class, Davis is a capable athlete, able to finish plays above the rim in transition. Defensively, Davis has the quickness to be a solid defender. Davis' could play the 2 or 3 position in college, adding that versatile player that Matt Painter likes.
8.
Austin Burgett 6'7 Forward- Avon High School (Offers from Butler, Cincinnati, Iowa, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio, and Xavier)
A skilled 4 man, Burgett impresses with his shooting and ball-handling ability. He is still pretty raw as a back to the basket player, but his face up skills make him a good scoring threat. Burgett can take opponents off the dribble and score at the rim, or hit the 3-point shot if given space. He averaged 15 points per game this season playing for Avon. Burgett has the skills to allow him to be a multi-positional player on offense, although his best work on defense would be done guarding the 4 spot. Austin is a good rebounder and can block shots, but adding strength to his frame will help his play in the paint.
9.
Dejuan Marrero 6'5 Forward- Thea Bowman Academy (Offers from Indiana, Ohio State, Purdue, Illinois, and Cincinnati)
Marrero, who plays with an extremely high motor is a power forward in a small forward's body. Marrero has great athleticism, and when you combine that with his motor, he is a great rebounder even at 6'5. Marrero scores a lot of points on put backs and offensive rebounds, but continues to work on his perimeter game. His shot is improving, but could still use some work if he is going to play small forward at the collegiate level. Marrero also needs to work on his ball-handling to help him transition to the college game. He helped led his high school team to a state championship while averaging 14 points and 12 rebounds per contest.
10.
T.J. Bell 6'7 Forward- Bloomington South High School (Offers from Virginia, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington, Washington State, and Indiana)
Bell, originally from Illinois is an ultra-athletic forward. He has good shooting touch for his size, and will knock down the jumper when left open. Consistency is the main issue with Bell, as he'll make a few plays and then disappear for entire quarters. He played JV most of the year at South because of eligibility issues, and at times struggled to produce at that level. Other than being more aggressive, Bell could really benefit from improving ball-handling and strength. One thing is for sure about Bell, he has all the physical tools to be a great player, but he needs to put it all together.
