Underclassmen Standouts - Part One

Over the last week, thanks to all of the holiday tournaments and classics, we were able to attend 22 Indiana High School Basketball games. Throughout the week we covered each event we attended, highlighted top performers, and released a lot of additional content. Now that we are back home with some time to empty out the notebook we wanted to give a little additional shine to some of the freshmen and sophomores who made their names known during the holiday break. Here are some of the top underclassmen that we were able to see over the course of the past week.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />    Scecina Memorial plays a trio of talented sophomores with [player_tooltip player_id='2954490' first='Ian' last='Collins'] being a starting guard for the Top 10 Class 2A program. We watched the Crusaders in a tough 58-46 semifinal loss to undefeated Fort Wayne South at the Delta Holiday Tournament. Collins popped with his strength and athleticism out of the backcourt that was able to match that of Fort Wayne South. He scored 8 points in the game and is having a very good season for 6-2 Scecina.     This was a new name for us which is always one of the best parts about getting out to these holiday tournaments. We had the opportunity to catch Seeger in the fifth place game at the Delta Holiday Tournament where they held on to defeat Bellmont 67-66. Dispennett, a 6'1" freshman guard, was very impressive off of the bench for the Patriots. He was comfortable off of the dribble, used his length to finish at the rim, and was a very good/willing passer. The freshman playmaker finished with 10 points and 4 assists in the win.     Fort Wayne Wayne has had an up-and-down season so far, but their raw talent is undeniable. We had the opportunity to watch them beat Mishawaka Marian 72-65 back on Monday at the Huntington North Holiday Classic. Eldridge was a key part of the Generals massive comeback after falling behind 17-4 in the opening quarter. His elite athleticism and physical tools allowed him to really impact the game on the defensive end and in transition. The 6'4" sophomore wing/forward finished with 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots in the game.     One of the top freshmen in the state of Indiana, Hopkins is making an impact in the front court for one of the best teams in the Midwest. The 6'8" forward has carved out a spot in the Fishers Tigers' rotation and had one of his best performances on Saturday night scoring 7 points while grabbing 4 rebounds in a win over New Albany. His size, strength, and agility as a freshman is very impressive.     Known as "Tree" Johnson, this extremely physical sophomore forward did an excellent job defensively against Northridge's best player in the championship game of the Phil Cox Memorial Tournament. Despite a significant height disadvantage, Johnson battled with the 6'7" Scholl and held him to just 9 points on the night. South Bend Riley lost the game 43-38, but the way he battled really stood out. Johnson had 5 points and 5 rebounds in the game. He is a consistent interior difference-maker for the 7-1 Wildcats.     Delta plays a very methodical style that leads to some low-scoring affairs. If you just look at box scores and statistics it could be hard for their players to really pop. However, Lynch really impressed us during the Eagles' win over Jennings County in their Holiday Tournament semifinals. The 5'9" sophomore guard posted 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists in their 60-41 victory. His ability to space the floor as a catch-and-shoot threat while also serving as an effective secondary playmaker makes him one to watch in east central Indiana in the Class of 2028.     There are two sophomore guards at Merrillville that get a lot of attention, and rightfully so, but this sophomore forward has a lot of upside as well. We first identified Norey when attending their open gym in the fall and saw him again at the Phil Cox Memorial Holiday Tournament. The Pirates fell to Charlestown 62-55 in overtime, but this 6'5" sophomore forward flashed his upside once again. He finished with 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. Norey is a good passer with excellent hands and feet for a young big man. As he continues to grow into his body his game will really take off.     The depth of Silver Creek is what makes them one of the best teams in the state of Indiana regardless of class. Yes, they have three Division I prospects and countless future college players, but their ability to just keep bringing in talented players is impressive. Renn came off of the bench in the fourth quarter of the Dragons' 74-45 blowout win over Shortridge on Friday morning at Lawrenceburg and quickly nailed three three-point shots. The 6'4" wing's shooting ability is very impressive. Silver Creek won the Ray Furney Classic to move to 12-1 on the season after handing Plainfield their first loss in the championship game.     Unfortunately we just happened to attend Columbia City's only loss of the season as they fell at the buzzer to undefeated South Bend Adams at the Huntington North Holiday Classic. However, we still came away impressed with this sophomore point guard who helps to run the show for a Top 10 team in Class 3A. St. John is a fearless 5'8" playmaker who finished with 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals in that loss to Adams. His ability to create his own shot off of the bounce while also drawing help and creating for others is a big part of why the Eagles are 8-1 on the season.

Over the last week, thanks to all of the holiday tournaments and classics, we were able to attend 22 Indiana High School Basketball games. Throughout the week we covered each event we attended, highlighted top performers, and released a lot of additional content. Now that we are back home with some time to empty out the notebook we wanted to give a little additional shine to some of the freshmen and sophomores who made their names known during the holiday break. Here are some of the top underclassmen that we were able to see over the course of the past week.