It’s hard to say much definitive about the recruitment of players with three years of high school left.
But when it comes to class of 2025 in-state prospects Trent Sisley and Jalen Haralson, Indiana’s actions this week made it clear both players are high priorities to the program despite their young ages.
It’s also safe to say the interest runs both ways.
August 1 is the first day class of 2025 players can take on campus visits, and on that day Haralson will take an unofficial to Bloomington, followed by Sisley the next day.
During recruiting live periods, which only last three to five days with events spread out across the country, colleges can only send four staff members out on the road to watch prospects. Resources and time are precious, and allocated with a clear plan in mind.
So it made a major statement on the first day of the final live period of the summer when IU sent all four coaches — Mike Woodson and all three assistants — to watch Sisley and Haralson, at a high school in Augusta, Ga., away from the main action of the Peach Jam, and away from IU’s older prospects.
On the next day (Thursday), all four IU coaches showed up again for the two young in-state prospects, and Indiana had someone at all of their games during the live period, including their successful Peach Invitational championship game on Sunday.
“I think it’s just cool that they’re showing that much interest when we’re this young,” Sisley told the The Daily Hoosier in Augusta on Friday. “They definitely are prioritizing us.”
“They are very interested in me and Trent, and what we can do at our age,” Haralson said of Indiana’s involvement. “It’s cool that the whole coaching staff was here, including Coach Woodson for two games.”
Indiana offered both players before their first high games last fall. The 6-foot-7 Sisley, a hybrid forward, attends Heritage Hills H.S. on the southern edge of the state, while the 6-foot-6 Haralson is a point guard at Fisher H.S. in the northeast Indianapolis suburbs.
Both have received multiple high major offers over the last year, and both played up a year this spring and summer and fit right in with the Nike-sponsored 2024 Indy Heat program on the prestigious EYBL circuit.
While they are reciprocating the interest with IU, Sisley and Haralson will both have plenty of high-end options if they stay on their current trajectories.
If Indiana is eventually able to land either player, they will have earned it with a commitment to their recruitments like we saw this past week.
The next step will be to make a strong impression at their first formal college visits. What will the pair be looking for when they arrive on the IU campus next week?
“Just really talking to the coaches and getting to see in-depth what IU has to offer, and just getting on campus and seeing everything,” Haralson told The Daily Hoosier.
“Just looking at their culture, looking at what kind of family they are,” Sisley said. “Seeing what kind of system they’re in, and how interested their coaches are, and just checking everything out on the campus.”
For high school freshman season highlights go here: Trent Sisley | Jalen Haralson
For a more in-depth look at both players from The Daily Hoosier:
IU basketball recruiting: Jalen Haralson is the next big in-state phenom, and he’s ready for it
The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”
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