Purdue Basketball Recruiting Update

It has been awhile since we have talked about the basketball recruits here, so let's rectify that situation right now. Purdue has three players committed, two for 2015 that are already signed, and a 2016 commitment in C.J. Walker. All three are players that are playing here in Indiana this winter. I plan on seeing all three of them play at least once and I hope to get an interview with all three.

I have already spoken with Ryan Cline this year, and this Friday I will be heading to Hamilton Heights to see Grant Weatherford play against Western. With that in mind, here is what the three have been up to:

Ryan Cline - Carmel (IN) HS - Carmel started the season as the No. 1 ranked team in Indiana, but fell this past weekend to conference rival North Central 66-59. That followed three straight wins over Zionsville, Lawrence Central, and Avon. I haven't found stats for those games, but Cline generally has played well. He had 17 points in the loss to North Central. This season he is shooting more off the dribble and has not exclusively been a three-point shooter, which is good. The loss to North Central is ominous since the Panther play in the same sectional as Carmel. The Noblesville sectional is regarded as the toughest in the state with seven very good teams.

Grant Weatherford - Hamilton Heights (IN) HS - Heights is currently ranked fifth in class 3A and they are 4-2. Their losses have come against No. 1 ranked Guerin Catholic and the same North Central team that also beat Carmel. North Central is No. 2 this week in class 4A. Hamilton Heights has some busy games coming up with a tough trip to Noblesville followed by the 16-team Bob Wettig Tournament over the holidays. Weatherford is averaging 12.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 3.0 steals per game. Even though the schools are very close, Guerin Catholic and Hamilton Heights do not share a sectional.

C.J. Walker - Indianapolis Tech HS - Tech, the defending class 4A state champs, are 4-2 with losses to Warren Central (80-77) and West Virginia's Huntington Prep (88-59). They are playing a more national and state-wide schedule this season and are averaging 72.7 points per game. Walker is playing extremely well in a larger role. He is averaging 23.5 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.7 steals per game for the high octane offense. He does most of his scoring by getting to the basket with his dribbling ability.

Recruiting Targets:

2015

Caleb Swanigan - Homestead HS - Swanigan and company came within a game of the state finals last season. So far they are 6-1 with a loss to Chicago Curie in a neutral site tournament. I couldn't find any states for him, but Homestead is ranked third in class 4A. In the Southport tipoff classic he had 28 points and 15 rebounds against Lawrence Central. He is generally laying waste to the competition.

2016

Purdue currently has two open scholarships for 2016, and that includes Walker as noted in the chart above. Here are some of the offers that are outstanding in Indiana.

Eron Gordon - Cathedral HS - Gordon is in limbo currently, as he transferred from north Cetnral to Cathedral and the IHSAA ruled him ineligible for 365 days after his last game with North Central because they judged the transfer to be for athletic reasons. He is currently ineligible until March 7, 2015, so in theory the earliest he could play is the sectional championship game if Cathedral reaches it. His family is appealing.

Joey Brunk - Southport HS - Brunk is leading a resurgence at Southport. The Cardinals have not won a sectional since 2000 and haven't been beyond the regional since 1990. They are currently ranked No. 1 in Class 4A and are 4-0. Brunk is averaging 14 points and 8.3 rebounds as a 6'10" center.

2017

Paul Scruggs - Southport HS - Scruggs is a teammate we have offered a year behind Brunk and he is playing extremely well as one of the top sophomores in the state. He is scoring 15.7 points per game with 5.0 assists, 11.7 rebounds, and 3.0 steals. Those numbers make him one of the leading players in all of Indiana for 2017.

Kris Wilkes - North Central HS - Remember North Central from above? Imagine how good they would be if Gordon had stayed. There are no 2014-15 stats for Wilkes, but last season as a freshman he averaged 9.4 points per game. North Central is 5-0 and ranked No. 2 in Class 4A.