Summer Stock-Risers: Eight Rising Junior Prospects to Follow

The summer is not yet over. Prep Hoops Indiana will have boots on the ground coverage from the annual GRBA National Championship in Fort Wayne this weekend to cap off a great run of event coverage. However, there are a lot of programs that have gone ahead and shut things down for the summer. With the slate starting to become a little lighter we wanted to go ahead and start looking big picture at the summer and highlighting some stock-risers beginning here with eight names in the rising junior class that clearly deserve some special recognition.    A talented rising junior guard at Tipton High School, Auler has had a very strong summer with [program_tooltip program_id='2471005' first='Legacy' last='Ice Elite'] 16u. He is coming off of a great weekend at the Prep Hoops Open National Championship averaging 16.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Auler is a fluid athlete with some positional size in the backcourt. He creates off of the bounce for himself, scores it well in the mid-range, and has enough of an athletic pop to finish at the end of his drives. Look for him to step into a larger, go-to role for the Blue Devils as a junior. Definitely a name to keep an eye on over the next couple of years.     Under-the-radar big men always increase in value as they get older. Clem has started to showcase his abilities throughout this summer with [program_tooltip program_id='2076166' first='Grand' last='Park Premier'] White. The 6'7" center is a consistent finisher out of the dunker's spot, plays with physicality on the block, and is a good rim protector on the defensive end of the floor. Given his size he moves around well for a rising junior big man. Clem is poised for a big junior season at Logansport and is a front court name that college programs should start to get to know. He is also a three-sport athlete and high academic prospect.     We always talk about college programs circling back late in the process asking for the names of big men to add to their list. Here is one that you should go ahead and start to get acquainted with earlier in the process. The 6'8"-6'9" center played well this spring and summer on the UA Rise Circuit for the Indiana Jammers. Dougherty has some intriguing interior skill with a soft touch and solid footwork. He can score with his right hand over his left shoulder in the post and even has flashed some face-up shooting ability. Look for Dougherty to have a breakout junior season at West Vigo High School and start to garner some name recognition around the state.     We had the opportunity to see Garner for the first time this spring and summer at a couple of Prep Hoops Circuit events. The versatile 6'2" guard was consistently one of the top performers for Indiana Reign Supreme. Garner, a rising junior at South Putnam High School, is a very good catch-and-shoot threat from the perimeter, but also displayed the skill level to create his own shot off of the dribble and the athleticism to finish at the end of his drives. That well-rounded offensive ability will eventually make him an intriguing college prospect to follow. He is definitely an under-the-radar name to keep an eye on over in western Indiana.     We first started buying stock in this talented scoring guard when attending Franklin Central High School practice in the fall of 2024. At the time, Hayes was a small sophomore who was shooting the cover off of the ball from deep and looked like someone who could command some varsity minutes. He ended up being their second leading scorer averaging 10.1 points per game. Now, having grown to 5'10" or so, Hayes is continuing to become even more of a threat. He was very good over the summer with the Flashes and should step into a go-to role as a junior.     There is a whole lot returning for Warren Central this coming season, but based on what we saw from this talented guard this spring and summer he will be ready to shoulder a much larger role. Lawson was good on the UA Rise Circuit for Progeny 16u displaying some creative ball handling and finishing ability as a smaller guard while also shooting it well from beyond the arc. HIs crafty playmaking, and perimeter shot making, will be crucial for a Warren Central team that will need an offensive punch. Lawson is an under-the-radar guard in the Class of 2027 to watch over the next couple of years.     There is obviously no shortage of talent on the Silver Creek roster right now. The Dragons will enter the season as one of the favorites in Class 3A and a potential Top 5-10 team regardless of class in the state. Headlined by three Division I caliber prospects, Silver Creek also features several other noteworthy players that deserve recognition. McLaughlin is one of those role players who had a great summer. The 6'4" wing has impressive size and strength on the perimeter while also being a real catch-and-shoot threat. His smooth left-handed stroke was a consistent weapon for a very successful [program_tooltip program_id='2400000' first='Indiana' last='Elite Team Indiana'] squad throughout the spring and summer. They will suit up one more time this coming weekend at the GRBA National Championship.     Schmitt is such a versatile offensive threat. Now standing closer to 6'6", the hybrid wing/forward has had some excellent shooting performances throughout the spring and summer. He was outstanding at the Charlie Hughes Showcase posting some big scoring outputs for Gibson Southern High School and has been a consistent top performer for a very good Indiana Elite - Wetzel 16u team. This long, skilled wing/forward has shown himself to be a scholarship-worthy player that could begin to garner college interest sooner rather than later. He will be in action this weekend in Fort Wayne at the GRBA National Championship.

The summer is not yet over. Prep Hoops Indiana will have boots on the ground coverage from the annual GRBA National Championship in Fort Wayne this weekend to cap off a great run of event coverage. However, there are a lot of programs that have gone ahead and shut things down for the summer. With the slate starting to become a little lighter we wanted to go ahead and start looking big picture at the summer and highlighting some stock-risers beginning here with eight names in the rising junior class that clearly deserve some special recognition.