We’ll often let you know in this space and/or on social media when a member of the IU basketball coaching staff is watching a recruiting prospect.
And when Indiana sends the full staff to watch or meet with a player it seems particularly notable.
But on Saturday the Hoosiers capitalized on their home court advantage — and they just kept filing in to watch.
Class of 2025 high priority in-state recruiting targets Trent Sisley and Braylon Mullins headlined Mike Woodson’s team camp over the weekend at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall and Cook Hall.
And the marquee matchup of the day featured Sisley’s Heritage Hills team against his AAU teammate Mullins and Greenfield Central at Assembly Hall.
That game seemed to be strategically slotted for a convenient time — at high noon — so everyone who needed to be there could be.
Heritage Hills and Greenfield each played two additional games on Saturday at IU, and those games were staggered so the IU coaching staff could have a presence each time Sisley and Mullins took the floor.
But at noon when the pair went head-to-head, it was far more than just Woodson and his assistant coaches who made an appearance.
As Woodson sat at the southeast corner of the Branch McCracken Court, out they came to make a statement.
At least 11 of IU’s 12 scholarship players sat in the west bleachers directly behind the team benches of Sisley and Mullins. Walk-ons and managers were there too. The assistant coaches were there, along with several members of the support staff, including strength coach Clif Marshall, trainer Tim Garl and Dr. Larry Rink.
Even Director of Athletics Scott Dolson and his deputy Stephen Harper were there to watch Sisley and Mullins.
You name just about anyone associated with IU basketball, and they were there. One player told The Daily Hoosier after the game that some of the veterans on the team made it a point to make sure everyone who could be there was there.
Woodson, Dolson, and some of the players could be seen talking with Sisley and Mullins, and their parents, which is contact that is allowed in such settings. There were other meetings behind closed doors.
It was a rare opportunity to have two high priority recruiting targets and their families on campus all day, with no competition from other schools, and IU seemed well prepared to take full advantage.
As for the game, Greenfield Central won it, and both players had the strong games you would expect with Mullins scoring 24 points and adding 5 assists according to our unofficial stats, while Sisley scored 20 and added 7 rebounds.
Both players would have multiple solid performances throughout the day, including a 48-point outburst from Sisley to help Heritage Hills surprise Crispus Attucks.
But from an IU perspective the games were an afterthought. Days like this are about relationship building, and this day was all about making a loud and clear statement — Trent Sisley and Braylon Mullins are high priority targets who Indiana really wants to land.
Message sent.
For complete coverage of IU basketball recruiting, GO HERE.
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