Purdue Basketball Recruiting: Aaron Brennan

Since I am on a kick of updating about different potential basketball recruits of late I wanted to write about another player I have recently seen in person. This is a 2014 prospect, which is the class that currently has three slots available due to Terone Johnson, Sandi Marcius, and Travis Carroll leaving after that season.

Aaron Brennan is a rising player that helped lead Guerin Catholic to a surprise Class 3A state championship last season. Guerin played its first full season at the IHSAA level in 2006-07, so reaching the state finals in just their sixth full season is quite impressive. They were 16-9 in 2010-11 with Brennan as a freshman and 24-5 last year. This season the Golden Eagles are already 4-0 with a No. 5 ranking this week.

Guerin plays a difficult schedule for a #A team and Pete Smith, who has been the coach since the program started, is not afraid to push the tempo. This season Guerin has already beaten NCC program Muncie Central and Anderson and they have games scheduled against Lawrence North (and Basil Smotherman), Hamilton Heights (with Alex Etherington and Grant Weatrherford), and the impressive Bob Wettig Tournament in Richmond. That tournament is a tough 16-team affair with Jeffersonville, Columbus North, Tipton, Chatard, Portage, and Richmond as possible opponents.

The Indiana recruiting guide rates Brennan as the No. 10 prospect in the state in the class of 2014. Last season Brennan averaged a team high 17.5 points and 7.2 rebounds for the Class 3A state champion. Along the way he showed he was a very good shooter. He hit 55.7% of his shots from the field and 34.9% from three-point range. His numbers at the line were a bit questionable at 64.7%.

Some of Guerin's better wins last season were over Lawrence North, Anderson, Noblesville, and Evansville Bosse in the semi-state. The state title game itself, which is when I saw Brennan, was a very balanced performance for the then-sophomore. He had 14 points and 12 rebounds in the 64-48 victory over Norwell. He also blocked a pair of shots, but was 0 for 2 from three-point range.

Brennan is list at 6'6" currently and plays mostly power forward, but I could see him become a small forward if he can show that he can consistently hit the three-pointer. That would be his biggest asset because I don't think he'll be big enough to be a power forward in college, but he has the potential to be a very good three with the right lineup around him.

Coach painter has already offered guard Jaquan Lyle and forwards Trevon Bluiett and Tyler Wideman in the class off 2014 from Indiana alone. If he could land Lyle and Wideman Brennan would be a solid addition for that third spot as a shooter/rebounder at the three position. Remember, we're looking at the makeup of the 2014-15 team where the current freshmen would be very experienced juniors and next year's freshmen are sophomores. It is going to be a very deep, talented team that could use a shooter as a role player. Brennan might be that option. Your top options for the three spot on that team would likely be Rapheal Davis and Smotherman. If Brennan can continue developing an inside-out game it will aid him greatly.

By the time he would get to Purdue there would already be deep, experience bigs in Jay Simpson, A.J. Hammons, and Jacob Lawson as well as depth in the backcourt. A 6'6" guard/forward that can shoot would be the perfect place to put Brennan.

I am doing my part. I play basketball with one of his assistant coaches on Tuesday nights and he usually updates me on Brennan each week. I try to put a pro-Purdue bug in his ear. I wouldn't mind seeing Aaron end up in Black and Gold if the mix is right.