Week 2 of the Metro Indy Fall League brought some roster changes to accommodate a few high school coaches requests. There was also a minor incident between Kentucky commit Marquis Teague and Indiana commit Ron Patterson. Nothing major, but it shows that both bring their intensity even in a fall league game.
Kellen Dunham 6'6 SF 2012 joined my team this week. I was really impressed with his defensive ability. He guarded Marquis Teague and Josh Gentry at different parts of the game and overall did a pretty good job. Both are really good athletes with great first steps. Dunham did a good job of containing both. Dunham also shared some of the ball handling duties as we were playing without Kendall Waters and Max Landis this week. He struggled against the full court pressure at times, but it is an area that will probably improve over the next year or so. Kellen has to have the quickest release in the state of Indiana. From the time he catches the ball to the time it is gone from his hands is a split second and he rarely has a bad miss.
DJ Balentine 6'2 PG 2012 put on a shooting show with 4 or 5 pull up 3's in transition. He also did something that I didn't know he could...dunk. It was a pretty good dunk too, not a rim scraper. The question about Balentine is whether he will be able to guard at the D1 level. I think it will be a challenge, but something that he will be able to do. Of course, it would probably be best if he went somewhere that plays some zone.
Daniel Purvlicis 6'7 C 2012 has added a good amount of muscle since the summer. That is something that he will need to continue to work on. His overall skill set is pretty good and he finishes consistently inside. In the past, his major weaknesses were his passiveness and his strength. With added strength, he should become more aggressive as well.
Jared Drew 6'6 SF 2012 has improved at a very high rate in the past year. Last year around this time, Drew was mainly an athlete that played out of control at times. Now, he has an all-around game that stretched well passed the 3-point line. Drew is also a lot more under control and just takes what the defense gives him. He has eliminated a lot of the shots and drives that he used to force. His eligibility is still unclear since he transferred from Lawrence Central to Cathedral this fall.
Alec Peterson 6'10 C 2011 might be closer to 7'0 than the 6'10 that he is listed at currently. Peterson did a lot of good things Sunday. He is active around the rim, getting a hand on a lot tip ins and blocking shots. Right now, he takes a little bit too long to complete his post moves which allows extra defenders to come help. When he plays with energy and emotion, he is a mid-major type of player...he doesn't always do that though.
Nyree Robinson 6'3 SG 2011 is a transfer from Fort Wayne Elmhurst to Carmel. Robinson is a very good athlete that can lock down most offensive players. He is best when he is getting to the rim and finishing over defenders. He is at his worst when he is taking tough shots over defenders from 15 feet out or more. He will force shots which makes him look bad. I think he could be good in the right low major system and an absolute steal for a D2 program.
John Roberts 5'11 PG 2014 is one of the few freshmen in the league. You wouldn't know he is a freshmen though. He is tough and is ultra quick that can get into the lane whenever he wants. Roberts also showed the ability to knock down mid-range jumpers in transition. He is still adjusting to the higher level competition, but he should be a good one for Coach Kendrick at Tech.
Nate Gross 6'6 PF 2011 has a great motor, good athleticism, runs the floor well, and finishes well in the lane. Gross would be a good addition to most D2/NAIA teams. He will do anything that will help the team win. I have never seen him take a play off.
Robbie Howell 6'6 PF 2011 is more of a 3 on offense and 4 on defense. He has the strength and size to bang against post players. Offensively, he is a really good shooter in the mid-range especially off the catch. Howell gets in trouble at times when he tries to do too much off the dribble. Howell should be really good at the D2/NAIA levels.
Michael Onuorah 6'2 SG 2011 dominated one game by getting to the basket every other possession.Onuorah is a very good athlete that is an explosive leaper. He is also well built so he is a tough matchup for most guards. D2/NAIA prospect
Michael Lenz 6'0 PG 2012 is a tough kid. Crafty with the ball, gets into the lane a lot and has the ability to finish or set someone else up for an easy basket. D2/NAIA prospect right now with the possibility of improving to the low major level.
Ben Gardner 5'11 PG 2012 is a lot like Lenz. Gardner might be a little bit quicker. Both are left handed, quick, and good with the ball. Gardner is a really good shooter from the outside as well. D2/NAIA prospect.