FORT WAYNE — Just one set of games tonight here in Fort Wayne.
A few quick notes to go along with the Jaden Ivey from the front page.
• Kiyron Powell was very good in Indy Heat's opener, too, scoring 13 points, with a variety of shot-clock-level dunks — I'm exaggerating of course — plus some blocks and a gorgeous long baseline jumper from just inside the arc, very JaJuan Johnson-ish.
As someone who covered JaJuan Johnson long before he was the JaJuan Johnson you know, I can say that that comparison holds, and Powell even has some things Johnson didn't at the same age, in that while he's still narrow, he's more physically developed at this stage, and I'd think at least a bit stronger.
Powell says he hears that comp a lot, which he calls an "honor."
"I really like his game, and I really try to model my game after his," said Powell, who said he enjoyed watching Johnson at Purdue, even though he was like 12 at the time. "He could score in the post, but also he could stretch (the floor). I loved watching him, and loved how he improved his game every year."
Houston just offered Powell. Creighton and Cincinnati are two that have jumped into his recruitment, also, after last weekend's evaluation period.
• Purdue hasn't offered Ohio 2021 Kalen Etzler yet, but has been watching him closely, and Steve Lutz was just at his school the other day.
Etzler is going to be a high-major player, probably hotly pursued by the Big Ten powers-that-be in the area, and fits well it seems what Purdue likes in terms of skill at the 4.
Purdue has some ins. For one thing, Etzler is very good friends with incoming freshman Brandon Newman. How? Well, Newman was an AAU teammate on Indy Heat for a while of his older brother, Jaevin, who's headed to Miami (Ohio) to play for Jack Owens. When Newman and Jaevin Etzler were teammates, they became close and Newman sometimes stayed at their house, and obviously Kalen lived in said house, too.
Also, when Jaevin was coming up and Purdue was recruiting him early, I remember the family saying they knew Dakota Mathias and his family, being from the same part of Ohio.
Purdue's in a scholarship crunch in 2021 and in on some great players, but if any new offers go out any time soon, Etzler may top that list. Luke Goode is up there, too, of course.
• Tough break for Nijel Pack, who's out this weekend with a minor (it's hoped) injury. It's thought that he'll be back for next weekend's EYBL session in Westfield.
• Trey Galloway scored 27 tonight in Indiana Elite's pool-play opener.
A few quick notes to go along with the Jaden Ivey from the front page.
• Kiyron Powell was very good in Indy Heat's opener, too, scoring 13 points, with a variety of shot-clock-level dunks — I'm exaggerating of course — plus some blocks and a gorgeous long baseline jumper from just inside the arc, very JaJuan Johnson-ish.
As someone who covered JaJuan Johnson long before he was the JaJuan Johnson you know, I can say that that comparison holds, and Powell even has some things Johnson didn't at the same age, in that while he's still narrow, he's more physically developed at this stage, and I'd think at least a bit stronger.
Powell says he hears that comp a lot, which he calls an "honor."
"I really like his game, and I really try to model my game after his," said Powell, who said he enjoyed watching Johnson at Purdue, even though he was like 12 at the time. "He could score in the post, but also he could stretch (the floor). I loved watching him, and loved how he improved his game every year."
Houston just offered Powell. Creighton and Cincinnati are two that have jumped into his recruitment, also, after last weekend's evaluation period.
• Purdue hasn't offered Ohio 2021 Kalen Etzler yet, but has been watching him closely, and Steve Lutz was just at his school the other day.
Etzler is going to be a high-major player, probably hotly pursued by the Big Ten powers-that-be in the area, and fits well it seems what Purdue likes in terms of skill at the 4.
Purdue has some ins. For one thing, Etzler is very good friends with incoming freshman Brandon Newman. How? Well, Newman was an AAU teammate on Indy Heat for a while of his older brother, Jaevin, who's headed to Miami (Ohio) to play for Jack Owens. When Newman and Jaevin Etzler were teammates, they became close and Newman sometimes stayed at their house, and obviously Kalen lived in said house, too.
Also, when Jaevin was coming up and Purdue was recruiting him early, I remember the family saying they knew Dakota Mathias and his family, being from the same part of Ohio.
Purdue's in a scholarship crunch in 2021 and in on some great players, but if any new offers go out any time soon, Etzler may top that list. Luke Goode is up there, too, of course.
• Tough break for Nijel Pack, who's out this weekend with a minor (it's hoped) injury. It's thought that he'll be back for next weekend's EYBL session in Westfield.
• Trey Galloway scored 27 tonight in Indiana Elite's pool-play opener.
