Havoc in the Heartland - 2023 Indiana Other Standouts

In a weekend full of talent and good games, some players stood out over the rest. I saw games from players in 7 different states throughout the weekend, so in the first article of my new series, we look at the 2023 other standouts from the state of Indiana for the Havoc in the Heartland in Indianapolis. Let's get started.   Alec Bunselmeier - 6'3" PF - Indiana Red Storm (Batesville) Bunselmeier is a physical player inside. Also, he is at a size disadvantage to most post players, he did not let this stop him this past weekend. When he got the ball in the post, he faced up every single time. He doesn't quite have the finishing ability around the rim, but he attacks the offensive glass hard every time. This gave him a couple of easy buckets off of putbacks. He also was a great rim protector on the other end of the floor. Look for Bunselmeier to have a breakout year for Batesville, especially if he can put in some more work on his post moves inside this summer. [player_tooltip player_id="868253" first="Keaton" last="Buuck"] - 6'5" PF - Indiana Game Premier (Portage) Buuck is a big power forward who absolutely dominates on the inside. He dominated the offensive glass in this one, and it seems like he gets into perfect post position nearly every time. Buuck is also very agile despite his size, and this allows him to run the pick and roll very well. He could be a very good NAIA or Division 2 forward in the future. Dominique Cooper - 6'5" PF - Indiana Red Storm (Whiteland) Cooper is a big man inside who isn't very agile, but he can score inside. He absolutely dominated the paint on both ends of the floor as he was finishing on his post-ups inside, grabbing offensive and defensive rebounds, and blocking a couple of shots on D as well. I hadn't seen Cooper before, but this was a very impressive performance from the big man. His game is still developing, so Cooper has a chance to improve in a major way this upcoming season. [player_tooltip player_id="1158047" first="Jaelon" last="Hollies"] - 5'9" PG - Indiana Game Premier (Crown Point) Hollies is a quick point guard who has the ability to get in the paint with ease. He is a strong finisher and doesn't shy away from contact. Jaelon also sees the court very well and looks to find the open man. As a smaller point guard who is always hustling, he is the type of player who can get his team extra possessions in a game. He makes the plays that are needed to win. [player_tooltip player_id="1049183" first="Mason" last="Larkin"] - 6'8" PF - Indiana Attack (Fountain Central) Larkin is a big forward who is incredibly long and lanky. He is aggressive and can handle the ball enough to drive through contact and finish around the rim. He also knocked down three triples in the game. A player with that kind of size and shooting combo is going to be a big target for college coaches. Watch this kid develop over the coming year. Bauer Maple - 5'9" PG - Miami Basketball Club (Maconaquah) Maple is a smaller point guard who made some very impressive plays in this one. He has good court vision, and this allowed him to run the break extremely well. Bauer setting up his teammates was the best thing about his game for sure. He did knock down one of his high-arching threes, but this was his only bucket. I would love to see him improve his scoring, but he has the makings to be a solid player. [player_tooltip player_id="868232" first="Marcus" last="Northern"] - 6'2" PG - Indiana Game Premier (South Bend Washington) Northern is a bigger point guard who is extremely aggressive, but he plays more of a pass-first style of game. He is quick with the ball and loves to get his teammates involved in the game. He has a nice mid-range jumper and loves to hit the two dribble pull-ups. Northern is the type of guy who will do whatever it takes for his team as he is the true team player. [player_tooltip player_id="1169167" first="Jeremiah" last="Roberts"] - 5'8" PG - Indiana Game Blue (Merrillville) Roberts is a smaller point guard who has very good court vision with the ball in his hands. He did have the tendency to get out of control at times though, but this will improve as he gains experience. Roberts also showed that he can do the little things as he boxed out well. I didn't see much in terms of scoring, but it was a decent performance from Jeremiah this weekend. [player_tooltip player_id="1049190" first="Zeke" last="Van Essen"] - 6'2" SF - Indiana Game Blue (Illiana Christian) Van Essen is a smaller wing who plays hard every single second. He didn't really show an outside shot, but he looked very good on the inside. He has good post moves and takes it hard to the hole. He is also extremely aggressive on the glass, and he had a couple of nice blocked shots as well. Van Essen is going to continue to improve and should be a Division three target for sure. Darren Weaver - 5'8" PG - Indiana Game Blue (Merrillville) Weaver is a smaller guard who scored the ball incredibly well on Saturday. He has a nice little floater in the paint and can knock down the mid-range jumper. He is incredibly quick with the ball and can finish through contact and with either hand. Weaver also came up with several steals by reading the passing lanes well. He will be an interesting player to watch develop in the coming year. Brady Yoder - 5'9" PG - Indiana Attack (Westview) Yoder is a smaller guard who plays hard for every second that he is on the court. He takes it strong to the hole every time, and he can finish in many different ways. He had a nice finish with his left hand, and he showed off a smooth euro as well. Brady also has a fairly quick release on his jumper which allows him to get his shot up despite his size. It was an overall decent game for Yoder on Saturday morning.