Wabash Valley Classic: Evaluations
The Wabash Valley Classic is one of the better annual events bringing together the Terre Haute area teams from Indiana and Illinois for a few days of action. 16 teams and a ton of players to watch. Here is our…
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Continue ReadingThe Wabash Valley Classic is one of the better annual events bringing together the Terre Haute area teams from Indiana and Illinois for a few days of action. 16 teams and a ton of players to watch. Here is our breakdowns and evaluations of the top players at the event.
#24 Coy Gilbert – 5’11 PG 2022 – Shakamak (IN)
**15 points against Marshall (IL)**
Gilbert is a small guard with a good perimeter jumper and a thin build. Might have a little bit more size and he gets older but is pretty good as a scorer on the perimeter. Hit three catch-and-shoot triples and showed some toughness with the ball in his hands. Could play on or off the ball long term. Actually has some solid length, with the hope he gets some more height, could be a very interesting prospect
#30 Levi Webb – 6’1 SG 2019 – Shakamak (IN)
**17 points against Marshall (IL)**
Webb is a wing player with some handles and an aggressive mentality. Loved to drive to his right hand and draw a lot of contact, racking up free throws. Was a good rebounder for his size and seemed to do well in transition getting the ball up the floor. Not an on-ball guard but passes the ball well at times and seemed to be a solid shooter hitting a three off the catch and a really good mid-range pull-up fading to his left. Could be a small school guard to look at.
#11 Ben Ross – 6’1 PG 2021 – Marshall (IL)
**8 points against Shakamak (IN)**
Ross is a slight guard with good size and could play on the ball long term. Good height and some length with the ability to drive and shoot. Jumper looked a little inconsistent at times but hit a three off the catch and a few drives that resulted in and-one opportunities. Solid passer and should be able to develop into a creative, but still offensive lead guard.
#15 Jadon Wallace – 6’1 SG 2020 – Marshall (IL)
**13 points against Shakamak (IN)**
Jadon is a big guard with some size, strength that can play well on the perimeter and physical inside. Hit a pair of catch-and-shoot threes, looking good on the release and sustainable. But also he was looking to drive a bit, finishing well with his left hand. Not fast but quick enough with his dribble to get to the rim in the open floor. Also has the body to be physical at the rim and finish through some contact. More about picking his spots that using athleticism to score.
#23 Jesse Burdick – 6’7 PF 2020 – Marshall (IL)
**6 points against Shakamak (IN)**
Not the best game from Burdick but he showed a little bit of his skill. Was good getting out in transition and playing more with agility and athleticism. Definitely a faced up player who could add some more shots on the perimeter. Stretches well and has shown that in the past. Can rebound well on the offensive boards at times with his mobility. Needs to begin to breakout, eventually.
#11 Kip Fougerousse – 6’3 SG 2020 – Linton-Stockton (IN)
**16 points, 7 rebounds against Casey-Westfield (IL)**
Kip is a big guard with some handles and a frame that is built so well for his age. Has a little speed with the ball and drives really well to the rim, using his body quite a bit but always finishes with his right hand even coming from the left side. Had a really nice right-hand drive in the middle of the lane into a spin move layup that looked really high level. Rebounds the ball really well and seems to be able to start transition plays. Will play off the ball but could develop into a really solid 2/3 wing.
#12 Tucker Hayes – 6’0 SG 2019 – Linton-Stockton (IN)
**10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks against Casey-Westfield (IL)**
Hayes is a solid guard who looks like he has added some strength and looks a little taller. Best as a shooter off the catch and would play as an off-guard at the next level, although his ball handling is decent. Good defender on the ball and made a couple plays including a steal for a layup. Also had a huge rebound putback off his own three-point miss late in the game. Not overly productive all the time but always consistent with effort and a guy that doesn’t always need the ball in his hands to make a play.
#15 Lincoln Hale – 6’4 SG 2021 – Linton-Stockton (IN)
**22 points, 4 rebounds against Casey-Westfield (IL)**
Lincoln is an emerging guard who looked great all game long. Really talented shooter who can hit off the catch or the pull-up. Feels more comfortable for him handling the ball and creating off the bounce. Had most of his shots off the pull-up. He looks more physical and strong, able to contend with any player he comes up against because at 6’4, he’s going to get mismatches. Likes to rebound and push the ball out in transition and go coast-to-coast.
#33 Sammy Robbins – 6’5 PF 2019 – Linton-Stockton (IN)
**10 points, 3 rebounds, 3 blocks against Casey-Westfield (IL)**
Sammy is a big, strong forward who is a little undersized but really interesting as a scorer. Showed off a floater and some low post scores at the right block finishing well with his right hand. Plays more faced up in the post and backed down. Had a couple big offensive rebounds and got some points off of rebound put-backs.
#44 Luke Richards – 6’6 C 2019 – Casey-Westfield (IL)
**22 points, 10 rebounds against Linton-Stockton (IN)**
Luke is a massive post player with great size and footwork. Will need to trim up the frame if he plays basketball at the next level but is so, so strong and carves out space well. Did most of his work on the block but was able to play faced up from 10+ feet out and was able to get to the rim a few times and using a spin move on one of them. Can rebound pretty well and will do it on the offensive boards and likely get fouled on the second chance. Really sneaky senior post that could be an instant impact guy at the next level.
#23 Noah Livingston – 6’0 SG 2021 – Casey-Westfield (IL)
**12 points, 4 rebounds against Linton-Stockton (IN)**
Noah is a well built off-guard who can really shoot the ball. Good size and might grow a bit but already has quite a bit of strength and looks ready to play. Shot the ball really well off the catch from distance. Was also quite good making plays in the mid-range hitting one off the pull-up that was pretty solid and another off the catch. Has enough ball handling ability to make those plays. Think he likely plays better as an off guard but hard to tell right now because he’s skilled enough.
#10 Ethan Gilbert – 6’1 PG 2019 – Casey-Westfield (IL)
**5 points, 5 steals against Linton-Stockton (IN)**
Ethan is a tall guard who could likely stick at the point in college. Has good size and skill with the ball and was pretty solid defensively as well. Has some length and good footwork and can keep players in front of him a bit. He’s tough and physically set for the next level. Had a ton of floaters in the lane but none seemed to land. The left hander is a lead guard that can provide some offense and defensive versatility.
#2 Brice Gilman – 5’9 PG 2020 – South Vermillion (IN)
**21 points, 8 rebounds against Cloverdale (IN)**
Brice is a small guard who can really shoot the ball. Does a pretty good job of rebounding the ball as well as he can track it off the rim and run it down. However, he’s a pretty lights out shooter based on this game, hitting five threes off the catch and doing it with a some elevation and a quick release. Needs weight and strength pretty badly but does have some toughness in him. Didn’t do a lot on the ball that wasn’t shooting but did makes some solid passes to set guys up.
#5 Conner VanLannen – 6’0 PG 2020 – South Vermillion (IN)
**9 points, 2 rebounds against Cloverdale (IN)**
Conner is a guard that has good size and can really play well in halfcourt. Has the handles to play on the ball and thought he did well getting in the lane and creating some offense. Really good speed in the full court and will make a turnover into a fast break really quick. Scored from all three levels but wasn’t as on as he could probably be better with more aggressiveness in searching for shots. Overall, really good point guard that has the ability to go to a new level with his offense.
#22 Bryce McLeish – 5’10 PG 2019 – South Vermillion (IN)
**6 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists against Cloverdale (IN)**
McLeish is a stocky guard who can play on the ball and has a ton of strength and toughness. Didn’t score the ball a ton but was able to slash and score on the catch. He drove a bit in the lane and did more dishing out than looking to score. Good rebounder because of his strength and aggressiveness, willing to beat up defenders if possible.
#10 Nolan Kelley – 6’0 SG 2021 – Cloverdale (IN)
**15 points against South Vermillion (IN)**
Kelley is a solid guard who should get taller and fill out a bit in the coming years. Did a lot in the lane, driving a ton and finishing at a pretty good clip. Was able to mix it up a little bit as he went three straight times late in the game and had a straight finish to the right side, a little runner over a defender, and a physical finish. Has enough handles to be able to create long term but likely going to play off the ball. Could see the jumper become a bigger piece.
#24 Jake Wilkes – 6’3 SG 2019 – Cloverdale (IN)
**8 points, 4 rebounds against South Vermillion (IN)**
Jake is a tall guard with some handles and scoring ability. An off guard who is tough to defend at times and tough on the boards. He’s not the best rebounder but was the most active player in the paint this game. Drive to his right a few times and scored but this wasn’t his best game. Struggled to try and finish off plays in the later part of the game. If he could show a more consistent perimeter jumper , that would go a long way to help him for college.
#32 Kyle Thomas – 6’3 SG 2022 – Cloverdale (IN)
**17 points, 3 rebounds against South Vermillion (IN)**
Kyle is a long, tall guard with handles and scoring ability to really be a high-end prospect. Was really good in the lane, drawing a ton of contact and fouls. However, needs that strength and toughness to finish the shots to get more and-ones. Only had one in the game. Jumper looked a little flat at times but overall he should be a good shooter and big producer. Is a mismatch right now because he gets either bigger forwards or small guards and he’s better than both at this point with his handles and skill.
#35 Kevin Figg – 6’3 PF 2020 – Sullivan (IN)
**17 points, 3 rebounds against Riverton Parke (IN)**
Kevin is an undersized forward but played very, very well. Was really aggressive all game and made play after play inside of 10’. Can handle the ball really well for his position and was not only able to drive from 10’ but was also pretty good from the arc. Needs height but if he can at least get to 6’5, he’s so skilled with a 10’ fadeaway, and a 12’ turnaround jumper. Plays physical and outmuscled everyone on this day. Even showed he could play with his back-to-the-basket. A little more time to grow would do him wonders.
#20 Christian Simpson – 6’4 SF 2020 – Sullivan (IN)
**6 points, 3 rebounds against Riverton Parke (IN)**
Simpson is a long, rangy wing with good size and could still have some room in the frame. Handles the ball well but was best as a shooter on the perimeter. The righty is adept at posting in the middle of the paint, flashing to either side and with more touches has the handles to really develop that part of his game. Hit a pair of catch-and-shoot threes in the earlier part of the game. Later on, he was doing a ton on the boards, using his length to go get the ball and able to track it down with his speed. Potential 3-man at the next level.
#12 Randy Kelley – 5’10 PG 2022 – Sullivan (IN)
**12 points against Riverton Parke (IN)**
Kelley is a smaller guard with handles and creation ability off the bounce. Wasn’t able to get a huge amount of his drives to fall but the plays were still impressive. Good lateral quickness and he can side-step and move around defenders easily in the lane. Wasn’t able to hit a jumper in this game but the shot looks solid and shouldn’t be an issue. Also looks a bit taller than we saw this past fall.
#3 Rocco Roshel – 5’10 SG 2022 – Sullivan (IN)
**13 points against Riverton Parke (IN)**
Rocco is a solid guard with good size and strength already. Was really good as a perimeter shooter and able to make plays in the lane later in the game. Not a big rebounder yet but was plenty capable of getting to the ball, just not winning it yet. However, was really good as a catch-and-shoot guy and did it with some quick release and high release. If he can grow a little bit, which it looks like he will do, he has a chance to turn into a player in the next few years.
#13 Kody Deckard – 6’5 PF 2019 – Terre Haute South (IN)
**4 points, 4 rebounds, 4 blocks against West Vigo (IN)**
Deckard is a big, bruising forward with a ton of mobility and a knack for being in the right place at the right time. He’s not as mobile as he has been in the past but a little work could really help in that regard. However, he was active in the paint, mostly faced up and was looking to really be a force on the boards when Sholty wasn’t getting things done. Could use some time to develop in college, maybe a redshirt year but really could be a impact guy with time.
#22 Kenyon Sholty – 6’6 PF 2019 – Terre Haute South (IN)
**29 points, 18 rebounds against West Vigo (IN)**
Although he’s going to play football in college, most likely, Sholty put not he likely performance of the day as he went for a 29 point, 18 rebound. He was really aggressive and tough on the boards, doing so much of his offense from rebounds. He’s a little more mobile and skilled as a post scorer, carving out space well. If he went to play basketball at the next level, I think he has solidified his level as an NAIA prospect that has plenty of room to grow if he can find a little more quickness up and down the floor to impact the transition game.
#1 Kade Lassen – 5’9 PG 2020 – Robinson (IL)
**19 points against Owen Valley (IN)**
Kade is a small but strong lead guard who seemed to make plays all game long, He was doing a lot of his work in the lane and drawing a ton of fouls. He’s got some speed to him, not a ton, but was able to slip into the lane quite a bit. Can play on the ball and should stick well as a good balanced scorer. Was probably the most consistent player all game long.
#15 Chance Black – 6’1 SG 2019 – Robinson (IL)
**13 points, 9 rebounds against Owen Valley (IN)**
Chance is a big guard with a great frame and quite a bit of strength that seemed to shine through. Was really aggressive on the boards and had the ability to get it up and out of the defender’s end. Should stick pretty well as a shooting guard who can draw a lot of fouls and mix it up all over the floor as a balanced scorer.
#23 Brayden Childress – 6’3 SF 2020 – Robinson (IL)
**19 points, 6 rebounds against Owen Valley (IN)**
Childress is an undersized forward that does most of his work in the post than on the perimeter, although, he can play well in transition. Was solid in the later parts of the game, posting up and finishing strong through contact and drawing fouls. Also, seemed to pick up his rebounding too and was able to kind of reel in some big ones. He’s a inside-out guy that will need to develop that perimeter game more. If he can, that would help balance out the predominantly interior game he has now.
#12 Ty Roudebush – 6’0 SG 2019 – Owen Valley (IN)
**13 points against Robinson (IL)**
Ty is a solid guard who did a lot of his work early in the game as a guy that could slash and play tough at the rim. Has a good frame with strength and handles the ball well enough that he could play on it at the next level. Fairly athletic and made some solid plays with a block and steal that led to an easy transition opportunity. He was really good making mid-range pull-ups. Has a good feel for his jumper and it was a pretty tough 13 points to get on the night.
#22 Keaton Richardson – 6’1 SG 2019 – Owen Valley (IN)
**11 points against Robinson (IL)**
Keaton is a big guard who is very active and really tough at the rim. He showed his perimeter jumper hitting a few threes off the catch and showed solid form. He’s plenty capable as a scorer and was really good handling the ball in transition and capable as a drive. He does so many things, and while nothing is high-level, he kind of has no skill that is below average. Could be a pocket knife guard for a college program.
#50 Stephen Atkinson – 6’4 PF 2021 – Owen Valley (IN)
**12 points, 9 rebounds against Robinson (IL)**
Atkinson is a growing forward with some versatility and skill. He’s really adept at playing all over the floor and can be a guy that gets out in transition or on the low block. His handles are good enough that in space he’s able to really help to get the ball up the floor. Rebounds the ball well and does most of his scoring faced up inside but showed off a pair of really nice floaters in the mid-post. Is also pretty quick in the flow of the game with or without the ball. Could see him growing a few more inches but improving the skill to play more of a wing down the road.
#1 Trevor Taylor – 6’3 SG 2021 – Edgewood (IN)
**14 points, 6 rebounds against Parke Heritage (IN)**
Taylor is a big guard who has grown a bit and looks more improved as a mid-range shooter. Was really good in this one with a pair of mid-range pull-ups and a couple threes off the catch. He’s shooting the ball pretty well and with some efficiency. His rebounding also looks like it took a jump forward as he’s using his size and athleticism much more. Plenty active on the defensive end of the floor now. Ball handling is still developing and while good, should probably take another jump forward sooner rather than later.
#2 Joe Kido – 5’7 PG 2019 – Edgewood (IN)
**4 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists against Parke Heritage (IN)**
Joe is a really small guard but such a floor leader and play maker. One of the better passers in the state and has a ton of speed. Showed off an improved jumper tonight as well. While he will play baseball in college, he could still make it as a point guard at the next level. He’s a guy that while he doesn’t have a lot of height, will just eat defenders up in the lane as he’s very agile and capable or making plays in the toughest way.
#4 Tate Balcam – 6’1 SG 2019 – Edgewood (IN)
**12 points, 4 rebounds against Parke Heritage (IN)**
Tate is a big guard with tons of energy and some skill on the ball. Pretty athletic and plays a lot quicker than most others. Will get out in transition and make plays with that speed. Has the handles to be an off-guard and will end up producing in multiple areas as he showed a solid jump shot hitting from distance off the catch and on a few drives to the rim. Has the physical tools to develop well in college.
#5 Coleman Sater – 6’4 SF 2021 – Edgewood (IN)
**11 points, 9 rebounds against Parke Heritage (IN)**
Coleman is a big wing that seemed to play well even though he was out of position most of the game. He played more of a post forward but showed that his rebounding and toughness are going to get him minutes. Good strength and seemed to win nearly every 50/50 ball he went for. Has a solid and capable jumper but isn’t big on using it yet.
#21 Landon Newnum – 5’11 SG 2019 – Parke Heritage (IN)
**7 points, 2 rebounds against Edgewood (IN)**
Newnum is a solid guard who derives a lot of his offense from his jump shot. However, he didn’t really have it working in this one as much as he wanted. Part of that is likely because he has a lot of pressure on him to not only score but handle the ball. He’s probably best served with a complimentary guard beside him that would allow him to play off the ball and go searching for shots rather than setting them up. Could be quite a different player once in college.
#32 Connor Davis – 6’4 PF 2021 – Parke Heritage (IN)
**14 points, 13 rebounds against Edgewood (IN)**
Davis is a big forward that could still grow but showed a ton of post instincts and agility that will let his game progress. He’s got great footwork and hands and pretty much reeled in any board that came near him. He also found quite a bit of offense off of those. But still, he’s very agile and had a really nice up-and-under and a couple drives from the middle of the paint. Gets up and down the floor well and has all the raw tools to expand his game. If he gets to 6’6, he could be a very, very good prospect.
#20 Braden Edington – 5’11 PG 2019 – Terre Haute North (IN)
**33 points, 9 steals against Northview (IN)**
Edington is a small guard with some strength and a really good defensive mindset. Made his hay getting out in transition after landing some steals. He’s a solid shooter but didn’t take a ton of jumpers in this one. He has the toughness you want from a point guard and seemed to make the really big plays in the game. He took over late in the game and really pushed the game wide open, scoring the majority of his points in the second half.
#10 Carson Gettle – 6’1 SG 2020 – Northview (IN)
**12 points, 3 rebounds against Terre Haute North (IN)**
Carson is a solid shooting guard that plays with some energy. He got hot and hit some big shots early in the game. Had a couple bad shots later in the first half and he will need to find a little consistency but is obviously a skilled shooter. He isn’t a big threat as a dribble-drive guy yet, partly because of his ability to shoot, but looks like he has the handles to go in that direction at some point.
#22 Caleb Swearingen – 6’3 SG 2021 – Northview (IN)
**11 points against Terre Haute North (IN)**
Caleb is a solid guard with great size and solid handles. Has a little speed, some security, and patience. He’s not a break-you-down guard but a guy that is pretty secure with the ball and doesn’t do things that cost his team. He was a bit more aggressive getting into the lane and ended up drawing some free throws. Would like to see him take a bigger offensive approach and expand his game because he isn’t likely to stay on the ball and the offense will really need to develop to keep his level up.
#35 Cade Bryan – 6’3 SF 2020 – Northview (IN)
**16 points, 4 rebounds against Terre Haute North (IN)**
Cade is a big wing with a lot of skill and an improving jumper. He was good early on as he hit a pair of triples off the catch and even had a nice mid-range pull-up. He’s skilled and has the handles to create well for a wing. Plays bigger than 6’3 and has good length that should progress in the next year. He’s got some length and does play pretty strong although he will need to add some strength and become a bit tougher on the interior.