Havoc in the Heartland: Gilbert’s Friday Night Notebook

The second Indianapolis stop of the Prep Hoops Circuit commenced on Friday night with the Havoc in the Heartland event. From the Mitten to the Bluegrass state it was a competitive night in the three sessions I attended. Following are a handful of my observations.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Shorthanded Soil Survives </h2>   Tucked away in the Southwest corner of Michigan. Team Soil sometimes gets lost in the shuffle of Mitten AAU squads. Coming off an undefeated weekend at the Rumble in the Rapids. They stepped up in competition against a local Grand Park Premier squad. Complicating matters was the absence of three 6-7 pieces along their frontline.   With absence of ghe bigs. The city of Niles showed out in a major way. After two appearances at the Breslin Center and 2024 state championship. A lack of size isn't going to faze a player like Niles Brandywine's [player_tooltip player_id='2427556' first='Nylen' last='Goins'] (pictured) Goins turned in the performance of the night. Not the biggest point guard, but makes up for it with extreme quickness, toughness, and improved bounce.   Showed it off with a highlight reel drive through the teeth of the defense for a strong contested dunk. Sounds like the type of player you could sag off of— not quite. Shot the ball extremely well from beyond the arc. Finishing with five threes. Has been a next level ball handler his entire career with excellent court vision. Really has the full point guard package. I might be in the minority on this one. But I would put the game and winning resume up against anyone in Michigan. I believe he is that good.   This was much more than a one man show though. Just across the city limits into Niles proper. [player_tooltip player_id='2410383' first='Brayden' last='Favors'] moved his versatile game down into the post and put up 22 points. Favors has a wide frame and used it well to create space on the block. However he also the foot speed, shooting, and ball handling to create looks on the perimeter. I was impressed with how he handled pressure late in the close contest. As Grand Park Premier chose to foul him late after some early struggles at the line. He didn't shy away from the ball or the moment.   About that missing frontline. Stevensville Lakeshore's 6-4 [player_tooltip player_id='2409092' first='Brayden' last='Holok'] took his slender frame down low and filled that void. The lefty who just earned an offer from Grace Christian showed his versatility. Being able to play positions 2-5 at the high school level (maybe even the 1 in a pinch) is a rare skillset. He also showed improved elevation and the ability to play above the rim.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">An Impressive Bluegrass Squad </h2>   It's been a minute since I've seen Kentucky's [program_tooltip program_id='2317254' first='Cave' last='Gym Elite']. Their 2028 squad was very impressive in a victory over Chicago area M14 Hoops. Martin County's 6-2 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2748362' first='Bryson' last='Dials'] led the way with 23 points in limited time. A smooth and effortless scorer with good size. Nothing in his game said 9th grader.   Wasn't just an unconscious pump. Looked for his teammates and showed playmaking ability. Additionally showed the ability to play above the rim. Martin County has a nice future duo as Chase Hinkle has a similar game and frame. Hinkle finished with eight points. Martin County's Charles Allen is a heady and competitive 5-10 point guard who fills out the perimeter attack.   Looking forward to catching more of this Eastern Kentucky group as the weekend continues.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[program_tooltip program_id='2539820' first='The' last='Academy']'s Big Night </h2>   Out of the Ann Arbor area, [program_tooltip program_id='2539820' first='The' last='Academy']'s 2028 had a dominant weekend on their last run through Indianapolis. Stepping up to take on a Indy Under Armour squad in Progeny. The pulled out a tight one with the clutch play of their backcourt. Ann Arbor Pioneer's [player_tooltip player_id='2823601' first='Gian' last='Dula-ogon'] led the way with 17 points. The lefty bounced back from missing two late free throws and took his squad home. Not very big but keep defenses honest with a pure outside stroke. He had to step up late after Saline's [player_tooltip player_id='2539683' first='Noah' last='Kronberg'] left with an illness/injury. Before leaving played an efficient and effective floor game. Setting up 6-7 regular season teammate [player_tooltip player_id='2539710' first='Becker' last='Samaha'] with some open looks.   With their prior performance, the 2028's winning was not surprising. I was pleasantly surprised with the improvement shown by their 2026 unit. Orchard Lake St Mary's [player_tooltip player_id='2860019' first='Bela' last='Matyus'] doesn't get a ton of run with his regular season team yet. However at elite camps he has shown talent for the past few years. He is deceptively athletic and explosive in the open the court. He also has a tight handle and plays well in two man situations.   With Matyus on the ball. Onsted's [player_tooltip player_id='2824821' first='Rylan' last='Henagan'] made plays from the wing. At 6-2 Henagan can also play the point. A four year contributor who began his career playing with Wright State post Ayden Davis. He could earn some postseason plaudits as Onsted's should slide down a division this year.

The second Indianapolis stop of the Prep Hoops Circuit commenced on Friday night with the Havoc in the Heartland event. From the Mitten to the Bluegrass state it was a competitive night in the three sessions I attended. Following are a handful of my observations.