3SSB Palmetto Road Championship - Thursday's Indiana Standouts

Our coverage on Thursday was the perfect example of what sets Prep Hoops, and specifically Prep Hoops Indiana, apart from the competition. Not only do we rub elbows with high-major coaches and watch the five-star prospects in the main gym at the Rock Hill Sports and Event Center, but we also hit the road to the area high schools and spend time in the back gyms watching Adidas Gold play. We want to give equal shine to ALL of the Indiana-based teams and prospects that made the trip out to South Carolina. Let's dive on in and highlight the in-state prospects who shined on Thursday.    You never have to worry about effort when Akase is on the court. The 6'6" big man always plays hard, is a physical presence around the basket, and is a very willing rebounder. On Thursday afternoon we watched him dominate the interior as Indiana Select 17u pulled away for a 25-point victory. Akase finished with 14 points and 7 rebounds in the game. He finished at a high percentage and was relentless on the glass going to get the ball with two hands outside of his area.     In terms of pure three-point shot-making, it is hard to find someone better than [player_tooltip player_id='1560961' first='Grady' last='Gardner'] in Indiana's Class of 2026. The leading three-point shooter on the Adidas Gold Circuit, Gardner poured in six more triples in Indiana Select 17u's blowout victory on Thursday afternoon finishing with a game-high 20 points. He was making them in transition, off of flare screens, and with his feet set. It was yet another very impressive shooting performance for the prospect out of Martinsville High School.     Nobody plays harder more consistently than this Southport High School big man. The 6'7" left-handed center dominated the paint for [program_tooltip program_id='2076451' first='D1' last='Indiana'] in what turned into a runaway 76-54 victory. Kalala put up an impressive double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds with 9 of those coming on the offensive end. His athleticism at the center position really stands out as well. The big man current holds offers from Marian and Saint Francis.     Hoopmatics 17u made a roaring second half comeback, even briefly taking a lead, before ultimately falling 81-68 to Indiana Basketball Club. However, it was an impressive performance for Karnes as he put up 20 points in the loss. The 6'2" guard from Lawrence North High School scored it from all three levels in the game and stood out defensively for the second straight day. We really like the two-way ability he has shown against high-level competition here in Rock Hill.     Miami (OH) was the first to pull the trigger back in the spring. Since then, Akron, Ball State, Kent State, Indiana State, and IU-Indy have joined the party. Head Coaches from Akron and Ball State, along with 15-20 assistant coaches from various low and mid-major programs were in attendance to watch Ladd on Thursday morning. The 6'4" Ben Davis High School guard put on a great show finishing with a game-high 23 points. Don't be surprised if he finishes the weekend with a growing offer list.     This was the second straight game, against high-level competition, that Lake stood out to us. He played well on Wednesday against a very good Power 5 team and then put up 13 points and looked good around the basket on Thursday for Hoopmatics 17u. The 6'6" big man from Bishop Chatard is a physical scorer inside, a capable face-up threat out to the mid-range, and does a good job of rebounding his area. Definitely an under-the-radar big man to keep an eye on in the rising senior class.     We are already well aware of the fact that Sigmund is one of the best catch-and-shoot threats in Indiana's rising junior class. On Thursday, playing with [program_tooltip program_id='2076924' first='EG10' last=''] 16u in the Adidas Gold bracket, Sigmund proved himself yet again by making it rain from beyond the arc. He hit several three-point shots in a comfortable victory while leading his team in scoring. Sigmund, a prospect from Decatur Central High School, is one of the those shooters where you think it is going in every time he launches an attempt.

Our coverage on Thursday was the perfect example of what sets Prep Hoops, and specifically Prep Hoops Indiana, apart from the competition. Not only do we rub elbows with high-major coaches and watch the five-star prospects in the main gym at the Rock Hill Sports and Event Center, but we also hit the road to the area high schools and spend time in the back gyms watching Adidas Gold play. We want to give equal shine to ALL of the Indiana-based teams and prospects that made the trip out to South Carolina. Let's dive on in and highlight the in-state prospects who shined on Thursday.