Southport suffered a tough loss on Thursday night vs Bloomington South, but the guy that stood out to me for the Cardinals was senior forward Samuel Lloyd. A guy that has always been a nice complimentary piece in the frontcourt alongside James Kalala James Kalala 6'7" | C/PF Southport | 2026 State IN . In this game, it felt like Lloyd was the go-to option most of the time when Southport needed a bucket. He showed some strong play around the basket with solid skill and just pure strength. Did a really good job at getting to the free-throw 

It isn’t easy to find guys that have the type of athletic and physical tools as this 6’6″ wing from Southport High School. Lloyd is a guy who can truly guard all five positions on a given possession. Then, offensively, he is tough in transition, drives it right from the perimeter, and can be an offensive rebounding threat. He had a strong showing at the Charlie Hughes Showcase which helped solidify his move up the rankings from #87 to #60 overall.

Lloyd was turning some heads amongst college coaches in attendance on Saturday. The 6’5″-6’6″ forward is part of, arguably, the most physically gifted and athletic front court in the state playing next to Kalala. His defensive versatility stands out immediately along with his ability to rebound, but he also looked good attacking closeouts and playing off of the throw ahead in transition. Those athletic tools will carry him to the next level. Definitely one to watch.

An athletic rim runner and shot blocker, Lloyd added a different dynamic to his Bates Fundamentals and impacted the game with his physicality. I would imagine Lloyd gets scholarship interest with his size, rebounding and rim protection. Lloyd helped Bates Fundamentals to a 2-2 record for a second straight session.

An incredibly athletic front court piece with strong all-around physical tools, Lloyd really stood out this summer during the Tuesday night PAC League in the month of June. He was a key piece of what Southport did on both ends of the floor showcasing his ability to face-up and drive it right, cause havoc on the glass at both ends of the floor, and guard multiple possessions defensively. Really intriguing upside as a two-way forward with serious defensive versatility. Lloyd moved up from the Watch List to #79 in the Class of 2026.

Admittedly, we were not super familiar with this prospect here at Prep Hoops Indiana. In fact, I went over at halftime of Southport’s game against Warren Central to confirm who it was that was impressing me so much. Lloyd is a 6’6″ athletic forward that was arguably the most impressive defender I saw this week. He was consistently switching ballscreens and guarding 1-5 effectively for the Cardinals. Lloyd also rebounded at a high-level and finished above the rim several times. Under-the-radar prospect that appears ready to burst onto the scene.