Metro Indy Fall League - Week 1 Notebook

<p>Prep Hoops Indiana had boots on the ground coverage on Sunday afternoon and evening at the annual Metro Indy Basketball Fall League. This league is the premier event of the fall featuring hundreds of talented prospects not just from the greater Indianapolis area but from all around the state as well. We will specifically highlight some of the individual top performers in a separate article, but for now we will empty out the notebook with some big picture thoughts from week one at the Noblesville Boys & Girls Club.</p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sophomores Shine Early On</h2>   <p>It isn't perfectly split up this way, but typically the first few rounds of games at the Metro Indy Fall League feature freshmen and sophomores while the evening brings in more juniors and seniors. Some of the early stars on Sunday afternoon were a trio of Guerin Catholic sophomores along with [player_tooltip player_id='2140369' first='Griffyn' last='Robisch'] (Park Tudor 2027). Robisch's versatility was on display as he first grabbed our attention with several strong rebounds before getting some downhill drives to the rim where he finished with fluid athleticism and length. Meanwhile, [player_tooltip player_id='2140383' first='Jake' last='Grissom'] (Guerin Catholic 2027) was the star of the team showcasing his offensive aggressiveness. He had 26 points in their second contest of the afternoon. [player_tooltip player_id='2140371' first='Hayden' last='Rogers'] (Guerin Catholic 2027) ran the show in the backcourt while 6'6" [player_tooltip player_id='2137375' first='Carter' last='Murans'] (Guerin Catholic 2027) shot the ball very well from beyond the arc. He is really becoming a confident catch-and-shoot threat.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">New Names Emerge</h2>   <p>One of the great things about covering an event like the Metro Indy Fall League is getting the opportunity to see so many different prospects in a relatively short period of time. With that comes the ability to discover some new names that pop onto our radar here at Prep Hoops Indiana. Here are some of the guys who we either saw for the first time or played as well as we've ever seen them play on Sunday.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1989375' first='Conner' last='Kesler'] (Roncalli H.S. 2026) - We actually just wrote about Kesler recently coming out of "The Expo" where he played very well. However, the 6'3" wing continued his strong play on Sunday. He is a good jump shooter with the size, strength, and athleticism necessary to create his own shot. Look for him to potentially have a breakout junior season for Roncalli.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2414873' first='Corde' last='White'] (Crispus Attucks H.S. 2027) - White poured in 24 points in his first game on Sunday at the Metro Indy Fall League. He is a dynamic playmaker coming off of a good freshman campaign at Tindley and should now compete to factor into the rotation at Crispus Attucks as a sophomore.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2272233' first='Chris' last='Brandon'] (Brownsburg H.S. 2026) - We have been aware of Brandon having seen him play some throughout the summer with [program_tooltip program_id='2076924' first='EG10' last=''] 16u, but he was a breakout performer on Sunday at the Metro Indy Fall League. Two different people in the gym came up to me to ask who he was as his play caught the attention of many in attendance. The 6'7" forward moves so well for his size and has really grown into a strong interior presence.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2622023' first='Delacy' last='Fant'] (Carmel H.S. 2027) - There is never a shortage of talent going through Carmel High School. Fant is a guard that we weren't really familiar with before Sunday, but he played very well alongside some talented teammates. His athleticism in the backcourt made him a good on-ball defender while offensively he showcased the ability to attack the paint and consistently made high IQ plays.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Under-the-Radar Prospects to Know</h2>   <p>One of the most impressive players on Sunday was [player_tooltip player_id='2141040' first='Brody' last='Baker'] (McCutcheon H.S. 2027). The 6'0" guard is highly skilled and scored it from all over the floor in both games at the Metro Indy Fall League. He can create his own shot with a tight handle and quick elevation, operates well off of screening action when away from the ball, and has some sneaky downhill quickness. Baker is a name to get to know in the sophomore class.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1561113' first='Cameron' last='Fennell'] (Terre Haute North H.S. 2026) had a very good showing in his two games on Sunday. The 6'3" guard was a key contributor last season for Terre Haute North, but looks poised to step into a larger role as a junior. He shot the ball well at the Metro Indy Fall League, looked very comfortable as a playmaker with the ball in his hands, and showcased the athleticism to guard multiple positions on the perimeter. His best basketball is still ahead of him.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1297056' first='Jaylen' last='Barbara'] (South Bend Riley H.S. 2025) scored 21 points in his first game on Sunday evening showing off his quickness, athleticism, and ability to elevate and finish at the rim. His playmaking ability allowed him to find success against some of the best players in the gym in one-on-one situations. Look for Barbara to have a strong year a very talented and deep backcourt at South Bend Riley.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Two Freshmen Standouts</h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2297505' first='Jaece' last='Vogt'] (West Lafayette H.S. 2028) played with and against the best of the best on Sunday evening and more than held his own. The 6'4" freshman wing scored 16 points in his first contest shooting the ball very well from three-point range and then hit a couple of more outside shots in his second game. He has a quick release, fluid footwork, and the positional size to step in right away at the varsity level. Vogt, who was also a standout at the Prep Hoops Indiana Freshman Showcase, looks to be one of the best Class of 2028 prospects in the state.</p>   <p>Another top performing freshman on the day was [player_tooltip player_id='2538906' first='Daniel' last='Thomas'] (Tri-West H.S. 2028). One of several very talented freshmen at Tri-West, Thomas scored a team-high 18 points in a game on Sunday. He is super quick end-to-end with the ball in his hands and is a very willing passer on top of his obvious scoring talent.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Other Notes</h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1561004' first='Ronald' last='Mosley'] (Gary 21st Century H.S. 2026) scored 22 points in his first game on Sunday afternoon. The talented shot-maker was a standout recently at the Prep Hoops Indiana "The Expo" and was once again a standout at the Metro Indy Fall League. His pure scoring ability will pair nicely in 21st Century's talented backcourt. Big things are coming this season more Mosley.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1297043' first='Jack' last='Turner'] (Southport H.S. 2025) put up 26 points in the nightcap on Sunday. The 6'4" wing stretches the floor well as a catch-and-shoot threat while having the requisite size to attack closeouts and finishing the paint. Someone for small college programs to monitor through his senior season.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1525680' first='Paxan' last='Sullivan'] (Mishawaka Marian H.S. 2025) was in the middle of one of the most exciting games of week one at the Metro Indy Fall League. He went toe-to-toe against some of the best players in the gym before falling in the final seconds. Sullivan is an excellent ball handler with downhill quickness and good pace in ballscreen situations. The left-handed floor general did a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor to nearly lead his team to an upset victory.</p>   <p><br></p>

Prep Hoops Indiana had boots on the ground coverage on Sunday afternoon and evening at the annual Metro Indy Basketball Fall League. This league is the premier event of the fall featuring hundreds of talented prospects not just from the greater Indianapolis area but from all around the state as well. We will specifically highlight some of the individual top performers in a separate article, but for now we will empty out the notebook with some big picture thoughts from week one at the Noblesville Boys & Girls Club.