Grassroots Season Preview: D1 Indiana 2021

With hope and anticipation of the start of the AAU season, we begin our look at some of the top AAU teams in the state. Over the next few weeks, we will spotlight teams and some of the top players to watch. Today, we are looking at D1 Indiana 2021. <table class="tablepress" dir="ltr" style="width: 100.101%; height: 415px;" border="1" cellspacing="10" cellpadding="10"> <colgroup> <col width="100" /> <col width="100" /> <col width="100" /> <col width="100" /> <col width="100" /></colgroup> <tbody> <tr style="height: 40px;"> <td style="height: 40px; width: 27.8226%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Name"}">Name</td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"HT"}">HT</td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"POS"}">POS</td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 14.0498%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Class"}">Class</td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 22.2405%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"HS"}">HS</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 40px;"> <td style="height: 40px; width: 27.8226%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"[player_tooltip player_id=">[player_tooltip player_id="647199" first="Luke" last="Brown"]</td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"6’0"}">6’0</td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"PG"}">PG</td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 14.0498%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":2021}">2021</td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 22.2405%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Hamilton Heights"}">Blackford</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 64px;"> <td style="height: 39px; width: 27.8226%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"[player_tooltip player_id=">[player_tooltip player_id="874111" first="Michael" last="Eley"]</td> <td style="height: 39px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"6’0"}">6’5</td> <td style="height: 39px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"PG"}">SG</td> <td style="height: 39px; width: 14.0498%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":2021}">2021</td> <td style="height: 39px; width: 22.2405%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Park Tudor"}">Elevation Prep</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 64px;"> <td style="height: 35px; width: 27.8226%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"[player_tooltip player_id=">[player_tooltip player_id="569321" first="Kooper" last="Jacobi"]</td> <td style="height: 35px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"6’0"}">6’6</td> <td style="height: 35px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"PG"}">SF</td> <td style="height: 35px; width: 14.0498%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":2021}">2021</td> <td style="height: 35px; width: 22.2405%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Warren Central"}">Silver Creek</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 64px;"> <td style="height: 32px; width: 27.8226%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"[player_tooltip player_id=">Darrius Washington</td> <td style="height: 32px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"6’2"}">6’8</td> <td style="height: 32px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"PG"}">PF</td> <td style="height: 32px; width: 14.0498%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":2021}">2021</td> <td style="height: 32px; width: 22.2405%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Columbus North"}">Fern Creek (KY)</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 64px;"> <td style="height: 33px; width: 27.8226%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"[player_tooltip player_id=">[player_tooltip player_id="783204" first="Andrew" last="Bennett"]</td> <td style="height: 33px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"6’4"}">6’1</td> <td style="height: 33px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"SF"}">SG</td> <td style="height: 33px; width: 14.0498%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":2021}">2021</td> <td style="height: 33px; width: 22.2405%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Mississinewa"}">Shenandoah</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 64px;"> <td style="height: 36px; width: 27.8226%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"D.J. Hughes"}">[player_tooltip player_id="874113" first="Lane" last="Sparks"]</td> <td style="height: 36px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"6’7"}">6’3</td> <td style="height: 36px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"PF"}">SG</td> <td style="height: 36px; width: 14.0498%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":2021}">2021</td> <td style="height: 36px; width: 22.2405%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Lawrence North"}">Greensburg</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 40px;"> <td style="height: 40px; width: 27.8226%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"K.J. Debrick"}">[player_tooltip player_id="783147" first="Lincoln" last="Hale"]</td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"6’8"}">6’4</td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"PF"}">SG</td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 14.0498%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":2021}">2021</td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 22.2405%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Lanphier (IL)"}">Linton-Stockton</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 40px;"> <td style="height: 40px; width: 27.8226%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"K.J. Debrick"}">Jaden Rogers</td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"6’8"}">6’0</td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"PF"}">PG</td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 14.0498%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":2021}">2021</td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 22.2405%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Avon"}">Fern Creek (KY)</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 40px;"> <td style="height: 40px; width: 27.8226%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"K.J. Debrick"}"> </td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"6’8"}"> </td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"PF"}"> </td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 14.0498%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":2021}"> </td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 22.2405%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Lanphier (IL)"}"> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 40px;"> <td style="height: 40px; width: 27.8226%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"K.J. Debrick"}"> </td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"6’8"}"> </td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 17.9435%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"PF"}"> </td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 14.0498%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":3,"3":2021}"> </td> <td style="height: 40px; width: 22.2405%;" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Avon"}"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> One Player To Watch: [player_tooltip player_id="569321" first="Kooper" last="Jacobi"] [player_tooltip player_id="569321" first="Kooper" last="Jacobi"] is a taller forward with a lot of length and skill. He is the definition of an inside-outside threat as he has a tremendous amount of range from the outside and he can also finish at the rim with the best of them. He doesn’t have the ability to take someone off the dribble, but when he gets the ball in the post position, he is almost always a sure bucket. I would like to see him improve his handling and mobility to allow him to get to the rim off of the dribble, but he has so many other strengths that he has the potential for a big game every time that he walks on the court. One Player We Need To See More: [player_tooltip player_id="874113" first="Lane" last="Sparks"] [player_tooltip player_id="874113" first="Lane" last="Sparks"] is a solid guard who has bulked up quite a bit over the last year. He is a really good shooter, and unlike most kids his age, he prefers the mid-range jumper over the three-ball. He plays very aggressively and he can get to the rim and finish through contact thanks to his strength with the ball. He plays with good pace and loves to push the ball up and down the floor. I would like to see him improve his ball-handling a little more, but overall, he is a little fine-tuning of his skills away from being a top-level player. One Player That Should Surprise: [player_tooltip player_id="874111" first="Michael" last="Eley"] [player_tooltip player_id="874111" first="Michael" last="Eley"] is a tall guard with lots of length and even more upside. He is long and athletic and knows how to uses these things to make plays. He has a low release on his jumper, so he could definitely improve on that, but he has enough other skills in his arsenal to make up for it. As a slasher, he is able to use that athleticism to his advantage, so if we see him in this role this summer, I think he will surprise some people with his playmaking ability and with just how athletic he really is.