Kyler’s Evaluations: Sneakers for Santa – Part 2
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The fourth annual Sneakers For Santa Shootout at Brownsburg High School took place over the weekend which saw 12 of the top teams in the state showcase some of the top talent. In each game, there were tons of high…
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Continue ReadingThe fourth annual Sneakers For Santa Shootout at Brownsburg High School took place over the weekend which saw 12 of the top teams in the state showcase some of the top talent. In each game, there were tons of high profile prospects that we have in the state and Prep Hoops Indiana was in attendance all day to take in the action. Let’s not waste anymore time with this intro and get right into what I saw on the day. Here part two of my player evaluations from Sneakers for Santa.
Fort Wayne Wayne: vs Ben Davis
Barnes was extremely impressive here and brought so much energy to Fort Wayne Wayne. Used his eleite athletic ability to make plays around the rim and once he exploded toward the rim, there was no stopping him. He is also an extremely hard worker on the defensive end as well. He finished with 13 points.
While the guard duo of Lewis and Barnes get most of the attention, Dillard is also a very important piece for the Generals when it comes to the front court. Has a lot of size at 6’6, strong, physical, and runs the floor well. Like what he brings on the defensive end and how consistent he can be scoring around the rim. Should see his production continue to improve throughout the year.
Ben Davis: vs Fort Wayne Wayne
Williams was the most surprising standout on the day at Sneakers for Santa. Super long and lanky forward that scored super well around the basket and was protecting the rim at a high level with his elite athletic ability. The potential is all the way there for Williams and with guys needing to step up around Windham and Zackery, he looks like he is going to be that guy. He finished with a game-high 17 points.
Zackery continues to be so fun to watch. There is nobody that was in the gym on Saturday that was as athletic as Zackery and he came off the bench and brought so much electricity. He split the defense the defense very well and the way him and Windham played off each other was extremely fun to watch. It is so hard to stop Zackery when he finds his groove in a game as he can make plays happen all over the floor. He may be an elite football player, bit he is also a force on the basketball end.
Brownstown: vs Lawrence North
There were a couple of guys that needed to step up in Benter’s absence and Colby Hall Colby Hall 6’6″ | PF Brownstown Central | 2025 State IN was one of those guys. He battled the talented front court of Lawrence North about as well as he could and showed a lot of hard work on both ends. Scored most of his points within 15 ft but loved watching his smoothness and footwork be a factor. He finished with 12 points and is continuing to have a great junior year.
If you want to talk about guy’s that stepped up in absence of Benter, Heman was that guy. He led all scorers with 24 points and scored pretty much anyway you could imagine. He is an excellent defender that will make plays happen on the floor whether that be distributing or scoring.
Lawrence North: vs Brownstown
The sophomore power forward continues to be an extremely impressive prospect. Has a ton of skill already for his age and the motor on both ends is just outstanding. For his size and position, thought he handled the ball well and there were even a few times his initiated the offense. With Indiana assistant coach Brian Walsh in attendance, Miller showed and proved to be one of our rising 2026s. He finished with 11 points.
While it took him a little bit to get going, Robinson quickly reminded people why he is one of the top players in the state. Robinson has an extremely unique style of play I have come to notice. He is not going to ‘wow’ you with high scoring outing every night but he will make an impact on the floor due to his skill, length, and athleticism. He is one of the more highly sought after players in the state. He finished with 12 points.
Center Grove: vs Crispus Attucks
Byrd is such an interesting prospect that catches you eye almost instantly with his length and versatility. Long and lanky 6’7 wing that can score are nearly every level and is tough player to guard. With the additions of Ephraim in the front court, it has allowed Byrd to stretch the floor while also continuing to make plays out of the high post. Just a mismatch nightmare at times.
Highlights
Spellman was my top player on Center Grove at Sneakers for Santa on Saturday. The main reason was how much trouble he gave Briscoe on the defensive end not allowing him hardly any easy buckets. He even had multiple blocks on him as well. He played extremely hard this game.
While he is not the tallest guard on the floor, Bundy can really make plays happens. Like how he battled through contact while containing his on-ball skills. Thought he had a few tough finishes as well as some crafty looking shots as well. He finished with 12 points in the Center Grove loss.
Michael Ephraim – 6’10 2025 C
Ephraim is the newest addition to this experienced Center Grove team and looks to be a factor already for them. He has legit size and strength at 6’10 and battled for boards. His passing for his size was a standout for me as well. He is still very raw but with the talent that Center Grove has this year, he can stick to doing his job at a high level.
Crispus Attucks: vs Center Grove
This was one of the best games Lewis has had since transferring to Crispus Attucks. He led all scorers with 16 points and did so in many ways on the ball. His leadership as a senior guard was shown many times throughout the game with his pacing and playmaking ability. Center Grove had a hard time keeping him out of the paint and that is mostly due to his strong first step and ability to create on the ball. Great game for the senior guard.
Briscoe really stuffed the stat sheet here in the Tigers’ win over Center Grove with his 8pts, 7rebs, 3blks outing. He was very aggressive going up around the rim and thought he did a solid job of demanding the balls at times. While he was aggressive around the rim on the offense, thought he struggled a little bit scoring through the contact that Center Grove was giving him. The pick-and-roll game for him was money nearly every time.