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    IU basketball recruiting notebook as critical month of June nears

    Mike SchumannBy IU Basketball Recruiting 3 Comments

    AAU basketball is about to move to the backburner for a month as school ball and visits take precedence for IU’s recruiting targets.

    But the final spring weekend of major AAU events brought more tidbits on several players IU is focused on.

    Here are some of the more significant news items and notes

    Further below is the latest list of known visits scheduled by recruiting targets to Indiana in June, with a few updates since last weekend.

    FILIPOWSKI SET TO EMBARK ON BUSY MONTH

    6-foot-10 4-star Kyle Filipowski is one of Indiana’s top targets in the class, but in order to land him the Hoosiers will have to take out a long list of competitors.  A top-60 national prospect, he told national analyst Dushawn London of 247Sports he is visiting seven schools in June — five officials (including Duke) and two unofficials.

    There doesn’t seem to be a clear leader with Filipowski, and Indiana seems to be in as good of a position as anyone right now.  With the class of 2022, who hasn’t made visits in well over a year, this month of long-awaited in-person meetings is going to be critical.  Here is a small part of what Filipowski said to London about Indiana.

    “Indiana basketball so obviously we know the reputation they’ve had in the past and what they can be in the future,” he said.  “They got some things going now with the coaching switch and the players so they are really starting to make turns in the program.”

    JUSTIN TAYLOR HOPING FOR SUMMER DECISION

    Virginia based wing Justin Taylor is one of IU’s most coveted targets too.  He’ll be on the IU campus at the same time as Filipowski, and Hoosier fans may not have to wait long for a decision after the visit.

    “I’m hoping toward mid-to-late summer is when I’m finally going to make a decision,” Taylor told the North Carolina Rivals site.

    The 6-foot-6 top-90 prospect continues to draw rave reviews this spring.  Here is one example of his athleticism and physicality.

    Taylor has visits set for IU, North Carolina and Syracuse, and could add others including possibly UConn and Villanova according to this report by London earlier in the week.

    KARABAN TAKING HIS TIME

    Long-time IU class of 2022 prospect Alex Karaban isn’t planning to take official visits until the fall.  Thus far the 6-foot-8 top-75 Karaban has unofficial visits set next month for nearby UConn and Providence, and he told Rivals’ national analyst Jamie Shaw, and that may be it for a while.

    “I will most likely take my official visits in the fall, after AAU season and everything.” Karaban said,

    The Daily Hoosier caught up with Karaban in late April.  His primary contact at IU was former assistant coach Mike Roberts, who has moved on to Cincinnati.  The Bearcats offered Karaban recently, but IU remains in contact.

    WARD WANTS TO VISIT INDIANA, BUT NOT IN JUNE

    Maryland based wing Tyrell Ward recently cut his list down to eight, and he has since named four schools he wants to visit.

    The 6-foot-6 top-55 prospect talked with Shaw.

    “I wanted to cut my recruitment down, let people know I am looking to make a decision soon.” Ward said, “I don’t have any set yet, but I am looking to visit Maryland, LSU, Xavier and Indiana.”

    But Ward went on to say that he is hearing from other schools and wants to give them a chance to see him during the July live period before locking in his five official visits.

    PHILLIPS CONTINUES TO HEAR FROM IU

    6-foot-11 class of 2022 center Shawn Phillips included IU in his top-seven in March prior to the coaching staff overhaul.  He told London he has been hearing from new IU assistant Yasir Rosemond

    “I haven’t been able to speak with coach Woodson yet but coach Rosemond is recruiting me and his message has been the same as what coach Archie was saying in that they want to recruit me and that I would be great at their school,” Phillips told London.

    A top-85 national prospect, Phillips told London he has visits set to Florida and N.C. State thus far, and he wants to be finished with his decision in the fall.

    JEREMY FEARS MAKING BIG IMPRESSION

    Class of 2023 point guard Jeremy Fears is playing up a year with Nike EYBL squad Brad Beal Elite.  With Fears leading the way against fellow Nike EYBL talent, Brad Beal ran the table at a high profile event in Georgia over the weekend.

    Fears will be on the IU campus next week for a visit.

    To read our conversation with Fears’ father about Indiana, GO HERE.

    THE CIRCUITS RETURN IN JULY

    The pandemic completely disrupted the major shoe circuits in 2020 and the spring of 2021.  All three announced plans for significant events in July which could, such as in the case of Ward, cause some players to extend their timelines.  Here are the planned events:

    UPDATED INDIANA JUNE VISIT LIST

    Here is an updated list of visitors coming to Indiana in June as reported by The Daily Hoosier or other outlets.

    • Cyr Malonga (2023) – Early June
    • Jeremy Fears (2023) – June 9
    • Kaleb Banks (2022) – June 10
    • Justin Taylor (2022) – June 15-16
    • Kyle Filipowski (2022) – June 15-16
    • Xavier Booker (2023) – June 23
    • Jalen Hood-Schifino – June 29
    • Jalen Hooks (2023) — Late June

    Other potential June visits:  Jalen Washington (2022), Favour Aire (2022), Noah Clowney (2022), Seth Trimble (2022), Vince Iwuchukwu (2022), Kaleb Glenn (2023).

    Note: The Daily Hoosier will have a class of 2022 hot board later this week where we rank IU’s targets in the order of likelihood of a commitment.

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