Boys Basketball Coordinator
INDIANAPOLIS â??? Washington big man Tyler Zeller continued
his ascent up recruiting rankings with his performance April 28 in the IBCA-IHSAA
Boys Basketball Showcase at Ben Davis.
Zeller, one of more
than 100 participants in the fifth annual event, showed himself well in front
of an accumulating crowd of college coaches hoping to reel in the 6â??11â?
210-pound player.
Showing what makes
him dangerous and so coveted by colleges, Zeller manned the paint, rebounded,
stepped out to shoot, altered shots, and even ran the floor leading fast
breaks. Big-time coaches such as Purdueâ??s Matt Painter, Notre Dameâ??s Mike Brey,
and IU assistant Jeff Meyer tracked his every move, following him to each of
his three games on the day.
The younger brother
of 2005 Indiana Mr. Basketball Luke Zeller, Tyler has already solidified
himself among the stateâ??s top talents in the class of 2008.
A reserve on Washingtonâ??s â??05 Class 3A
state championship team as a freshman, Zeller has developed into a formidable
player in helping lead the Hatchets to 65 wins over the past three seasons.
Already named to this
summerâ??s Indiana Junior All-Star core team, Zeller has blossomed into a player
that programs across the country are eager to get. He averaged 18.6 points and
9.9 rebounds this season along a front line that included another Division I
player and Indiana All-Star, Bryan Bouchie.
Zeller, who had
already seen interest from all major programs in the Midwest, has continued to
wow with his performances this spring in AAU events in Arkansas
and Pittsburgh.
Zellerâ??s college offers now stand somewhere around 15, including Purdue,
Indiana, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Kentucky, and he has said that Kansas and
North Carolina are also recruiting him.
Itâ??s also expected
that he will rise in Rivals.comâ??s rankings and could become a five-star recruit
later this summer.
Similar to older
brother Luke in that he is an effective outside player â??? Tyler knocked down
multiple 18-footers early on at Ben Davis â??? he also seems comfortable working
into the paint. Tyler
isnâ??t a punishing bruiser inside, but he does draw double teams and has an
ability to score in the paint in addition to his shooting touch.
Taking into account
that Zeller has a nearly 4.0 grade point average, itâ??s hard to find something
not to like about the humble young man.
As Zeller outshined
opponents, a few others also stood out on the day.
North
Montgomeryâ??s
D.J. Byrd was a sharpshooter
throughout the event.
The 6â??5â? 205-pound
swingman was on target early and continued through the day to show why he has
received so much interest after just two years of high school. The
junior-to-be, considered one of the top in the class of 2009, is drawing
attention from schools like IU, Purdue, and Ohio State.
Byrd averaged 20
points and seven rebounds in 2006-07 and gave coaches a look at his chiseled
frame as he drained shots from outside. He is listed as a guard/forward and has
plenty of muscle, but he has the height of a college shooting guard. Byrd is
talented but seems like a â??needyâ? player â??? he needs the ball as often as
possible.
The most electrifying
player on the day â??? and quite possibly the most electrifying in the state â??? was
Indianapolis Howe Academy
point guard Larry Stone. Stone, who
maintains he is all of 5â??8â?, was all over the floor in pushing the ball,
driving to pass, and frequently stripping opponents clean. Although his shot is
less than perfect and he is less than ideal in height, Stone is a phenomenal
speedster who is outhustled by no one.
Stone knifed through
defenders all day (although a tightened hamstring pulled him off the floor a
few minutes before the conclusion) and made his teammates better. After
averaging 26.8 points and 8.5 assists in his junior year, the Junior All-Star has
even bigger plans for 2007-08. Absolutely an upper-Division I talent, his
height will likely turn off some coaches who could use him.
With six games going
on at the same time, it was impossible to observe every player to the desired
extent. With that in mind, here are the others I caught who merited mention:
Randy Davis, Plymouth â??? Coming off a 3A state championship,
Plymouthâ??s best
player impressed at Ben Davis. Davis
is a fantastic shooter â??? his follow-through is exaggerated and he has a
textbook display â??? but this hustler also picked up some steals and played
superbly overall. Davis
can pass, shoot, and defend, but his 5â??11â? size makes him a question mark for
bigger colleges.
Garrett Butcher, Edgewood â??? The recent Butler commit looked solid and smooth during
the day. Edgewoodâ??s 6â??7â? senior-to-be is a guy
who can play all five positions for the Mustangs, and he lived up to
expectations with future coach Brad Stevens on hand to watch. He can step
outside to shoot, and he hit a few 3-pointers in front of defenders.
Jarrod Jones, Michigan City â??? A
player likely to gain exposure throughout the summer and next season, Jones is
a long body with big potential. At 6â??8â? and 210 pounds, Jones averaged 18
points and seven rebounds in 2006-07. Although he doesnâ??t know who his high
school coach will be next season, he knows heâ??ll be followed by recruiters. IU
and Purdue are among those believed to be interested, and both watched at the
showcase. Jones seemed to find rebounds easily when watching him early in the
day.
Robert Goff, Indianapolis
Broad Ripple â???
Somewhat under the statewide radar, the 6â??8â? 210-pounder could be among Indyâ??s
better players next year. He averaged 12 points and nearly nine rebounds per
game in his junior season and will give the Rockets a big building block to
work around. Goff showed an ability to rebound and dunk Saturday and was
unselfish with his teammates, but stepping out to shoot wasnâ??t among his best
decisions.
Walter Offutt, Warren Central â??? The Ohio State
commit has been battling back from past injuries but looked strong at the
workout. In what many consider a weak D-I class from Indiana, Offutt is one of the top backcourt
players. At 6â??3â? and 180 pounds, Offutt will lead a tough Warren Central team
next year that looks to improve on a 17-7 season in which he averaged 17.6
points and nearly five rebounds.
Gordon Hayward, Brownsburg â??? While Brownsburg teammate Julian
Mavunga has received most of the attention, Hayward is a two-sport star that is
continually improving in basketball. The 6â??7â? 180-pounder is long and used his
length to become first team All-State in tennis. On the hardwood, Hayward has shown an
adept shooting touch. Playing with Mavunga, Hayward averaged 13.6 points and 5.4 rebounds
in his junior season.
Anthony Young, Indianapolis
Tech â??? The 6â??6â?,
230-pounder catches the eye if for no other reason than his size. Young was a
man for Tech, averaging a double-double (17.4 points and 11 rebounds). At this
event, he did a good job meshing with teammates. Heâ??ll be one of the better
posts in Indianapolis
next season.
Kyle Kuric, Evansville
Memorial â??? The
6â??4â? senior-to-be averaged 23 points for Memorial this past year and played
well on this day. The kid can shoot, but heâ??s probably closer to a mid-major
than a major college conference player.
So what do you think? Share your thoughts
in our Boys Basketball forum.
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