Open Gym Report: Tindley Tigers

<p>Here at Prep Hoops Indiana we take great pride in covering the Hoosier state with a breadth and depth unlike anyone else. We often say “nobody does content and event coverage like Prep Hoops.” That is certainly true, but our team here Indiana prefer to go even further than that. On top of wall-to-wall, border-to-border coverage during the grassroots and high school seasons we also hit the ground running in the fall. This is a great time to hit high school open gyms and get a behind the curtain preview of some of the top teams around the state. These trips also help strength our relationships with the high school coaches and prospects that we cover. On Wednesday, October 4th I had the privilege of attending a workout at Tindley High School. Let's dive in to what the Tigers have this season.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Program Profile</h2>   <p>The Tindley High School Tigers have established themselves as one of the premier programs in Class 1A over the last 15 or so years. Their rise to prominence in Indianapolis culminated in a Class 1A State Championship in 2017 led by one of Indiana's all-time leading scorers, Eric Hunter, who went on to play at Purdue and Butler. Now, Coach Omar Dillard enters his fifth season at Tindley with one primary goal in mind. That is to continue building Tindley in a way that removes the "Class 1A" moniker and establishes them as a premier program in the area regardless of size. Coach Dillard is 58-44 through four seasons and led the Tigers to a Semi-State appearance in 2021. Last season, Tindley finished 11-14 and lost to Greenwood Christian in the Sectional.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top 5 Freshman Brings High-Level Talent</h2>   <p>There is some returning talent and other veteran players on the Tindley roster this season, but admittedly the most exciting piece is incoming freshman [player_tooltip player_id='2266897' first='Kenneth' last='Lampley'] III. The 6'6" wing is not only one of the best freshmen in the state of Indiana, but will likely find himself in the national rankings when it comes time to start projecting the Class of 2027. He is highly skilled with the ball for his size, has the ability to shoot it some out to three-point range, and has a very projectable frame that has plenty of room grow physically. There are always going to be growing pains as a freshman when you are thrown to the fire against Indianapolis-area talent, but Lampley III looks to be up for the test. Just how good he can be for the Tigers this season will likely determine the ceiling of what they can be as a team.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">More Size Gives Tindley a Very Big Front Court</h2>   <p>There won't be many, if any, Class 1A programs that will start 6'6" and 6'7" in the front court. That is what Coach Dillard will have this season though as 6'7" junior [player_tooltip player_id='1297031' first='Henri' last='Maye'] will be slotted next to Lampley III. Maye was a contributor last season for Tindley, but really improved over the summer and should experience a breakout season. His size and physical tools are obvious and will continue to carry him as his skill development progresses. Offensively, he is strong around the basket, can attack a closeout in a straight line to his right hand, and should be a dominant force on the offensive glass. However, defensively is where Maye can really make an impact. With his mixture of agility, strength, and size he can switch out to smaller ball handlers on the perimeter while also banging around with opposing big men on the block. There is a lot to like about his long-term potential as a two-way threat around the basket.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2079504' first='Deon' last='Richmond'] + Other Senior Names to Know</h2>   <p>We've already gone too far without mentioning Tindley's top returning player, senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2079504' first='Deon' last='Richmond']. The 6'4" left-handed scorer averaged 6.1 points per game a year ago, but had an excellent summer with Kyle Guy Elite Black which ended with a Prep Hoops Circuit Grit Region Championship. Richmond will provide even more size for the Tigers while also stretching the floor with his shooting ability beyond the arc. He is certainly the most proven commodity the Tigers have and will help to establish some stability as Lampley III and Maye find their footing in their respective roles.</p>   <p>In the backcourt, senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2282421' first='Damon' last='Van Horn'] will be relied on heavily this season for Tindley. He is very quick and shifty with the ball and has showcased some real playmaking ability. The 6'0" playmaker will help initiate offense for his teammates while also packing a scoring punch of his own out on the perimeter. It will be very interesting to see how all of these pieces mesh and come together in very new roles this season after the Tigers graduated/lost via transfer their top four scorers including two start guards that combined for over 35 points per game.</p>

Here at Prep Hoops Indiana we take great pride in covering the Hoosier state with a breadth and depth unlike anyone else. We often say “nobody does content and event coverage like Prep Hoops.” That is certainly true, but our team here Indiana prefer to go even further than that. On top of wall-to-wall, border-to-border coverage during the grassroots and high school seasons we also hit the ground running in the fall. This is a great time to hit high school open gyms and get a behind the curtain preview of some of the top teams around the state. These trips also help strength our relationships with the high school coaches and prospects that we cover. On Wednesday, October 4th I had the privilege of attending a workout at Tindley High School. Let's dive in to what the Tigers have this season.