In the last installment of our top spring performers series, we take a deep look into the 2012 class. For the 2013 and 2014 classes we just looked at the surprises and high-level performers. This time we are going to look at the players that impressed and the ones that did not live up to our expectations.
Breakout Players of the Spring
Ryan Weber 6’6” SF Roncalli Sidelined by mono in May. Weber played well in April especially against top players. He showed a lot more versatility to his game this spring. He has been putting the ball on the floor a lot more often while also posting up smaller defenders. If he performs in July like he did in April, he will be flooded with offers. He currently has offers from Drake, IPFW and Gardner-Webb.
D.J. Balentine 6’2” CG Kokomo D.J. has almost grown into a shooting guard. He’s a true 6’2” now. Decision making as a point guard has been a question mark for mid-majors in the past along with his lateral quickness. He has been playing off the ball most of the spring and scoring at will in a variety of ways. If he can play off the ball at least part-time, his value would go up a lot. He has offers from Missouri State and IPFW right now.
Glenn Robinson III 6’6” SF Lake Central The Michigan-bound Robinson is now a true 6’6” after being 6’4” last summer. That has really taken his game to the next level. He was always good at getting to the rim and a very good mid-range shooter. Now, he is more of a force on the boards as well. Outside shooting is still his weakest part of his game but he is steadily improving that area as well. Robinson has been the most consistent scorer for SYF that features Mitch McGary, Adonis Filer, Jeremiah Jones and Markus Crider.
Ronnie Johnson 5’10 PG North Central Johnson has gone from a highly sought after mid-major prospect to a high-major commit (Purdue). His end to end quickness might be tops in the 2012 class although Yogi Ferrell might give him a run for his money. Johnson has been a streaky outside shooter in the past but now seems to be getting much more consistent from deep.
Under the Radar Prospects
Petey Balls 6’0” PG Lawrence North Balls is a player that has slid under the radar because of his inconsistency. He has had some big games against elite players but he will also be non-existent in other games. He is a good athlete that has the quickness to get into the lane against top-level athletes. He’s an above average shooter from the outside and has nice size (true 6’0) for a point guard. His biggest game of the spring that I saw was against D3 pride where Jacobby Bledsoe and Gary Harris couldn’t stop him from getting to the rim. I believe he finished with 25 points.
J.T. Yoho 6’4” SG Eastern Greene Yoho plays for a lower-tier AAU team in Indiana Select. He is surrounded by D2/NAIA players instead of D1 prospects. He does a bit of everything for them. He handles the ball, he has to rebound, he is their main scorer, and usually has a tough defensive match-up. I’ve seen him at least 10 times this spring and he has played well in each game. Yoho has a Bowling Green offer right now.
Underwhelming Prospects
I was going to label this disappointing springs but they aren’t true disappointments. They just haven’t made the progress that I would like to see. All have great talents, but haven’t performed to the highest level that I think they have the potential to reach.
Harry Wills 6’1” SG Ben Davis I’ve always been on the Harry Wills bandwagon. He’s a super freak athlete and gets after it on the defensive end. His shooting has always been a weakness and even though it has improved a touch, it hasn't gotten to the level it needs to be. He hasn’t developed his point guard skills well enough either. He is more of a shooting guard that can’t shoot than a point guard. If he would develop into a decent point guard then he would be MM/MM+ prospect. Right now, he will need to go somewhere that he will be able to play off the ball at 6’1” or 6’2”. The thing that could save Wills is if he listens and learns from new Ben Davis head coach Mark James (formerly of Franklin Central).
Tyler Alderman 6’9” C Fishers Alderman has a pretty good skill set. He is a pretty good shooter from the outside, he has shown some solid post moves, and he is an excellent passer. His weaknesses have been exploited in a big way this spring. In one game, I saw an opposing big man take two dribbles towards the rim and score with ease on three straight possessions. It was like Alderman wasn’t even guarding him and the opposing player was not a big time player. The lack of toughness/aggressiveness makes him a below average player. If he was willing to bang inside and use his body while being aggressive, he could be a MM+ prospect. Right now, I wouldn’t recommend him to any Division I program.
Mike Ford 6’4” SG Bowman Academy Ford is a guy that has seemed to be playing without a sense of urgency. He came off the bench for most of the high school season, I believe, and this might have been the reason. Ford has great talent…he is a good athlete that can really shoot the ball from the outside. He has the quickness to get to the rim against very good athletes when he is focused. I’m hoping that he gets everything figured out and has a much better July for SYF.
Edward Seay 6’8” C Merrillville Seay received some hype early in his high school career, but he has not improved at a high level. He’s not a great athlete and his skill set is underdeveloped. He has struggled mightily in the games that I have seen him this spring.
Jared Drew 6’5” SF Cathedral Drew has definitely had some big games during the spring. He just has struggled against top-level guys. That is why his spring was disappointing to me. He started off slow during the high school season then ended it on an upswing. I was hoping he would make that next step in proving that he is going to be a big-time college player. He hasn’t proven that he will be able to do that this spring. He has all the tools but he hasn’t put it all together against top competition. Drew has a handful of offers from mid-majors.