Indiana

Indiana high school basketball player rankings: Top 30 in-state prospects in Class of 2026

Published

2 months ago

November 11, 2025

Indiana high school basketball player rankings: Top 30 in-state prospects in Class of 2026

The high school basketball season is here. Practices started Monday and the games will begin (for some) in two weeks. The 2026 senior class is a solid group with established talent and others looking for a breakthrough season. Here are the top 30 prospects – ranked primarily on college potential, along with production as a high school player – by IndyStar Preps Insider Kyle Neddenriep (this does not include players who have left state for prep school):

1. Luke Ertel, Mt. Vernon

You probably will not find much debate about the top spot after the Purdue recruit put on a show during his junior season, leading the Marauders to a 21-6 season and a Class 4A semistate championship appearance. The 6-2 lefty point guard averaged 22.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game as a junior, shooting 44.8% (73-for-163) from the 3-point line. Ertel committed to Purdue almost a year-and-a-half ago over offers from Butler, UAB and Wake Forest. The four-star prospect is ranked No. 41 in the national rankings by 247sports.

2. Noah Smith, Plainfield

The 6-8 Smith, a DePaul commit, averaged 16.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots per game for a 16-8 team as a junior. He should improve on his 3-point shooting as a senior (20-for-62 last season). Smith, who is ranked No. 89 in the class nationally by 247sports, picked the Blue Demons over offers from Ball State, Belmont, Indiana State, New Mexico, Oklahoma State, Xavier and several others. He and his team should be poised for a big season.

3. Kai McGrew, Fishers

There was some question if the 6-9 McGrew would be eligible after he was initially ruled to have limited eligibility by the IHSAA after his transfer from Lawrence North. But he was cleared by the case review panel and will be an impact player for Fishers after averaging 14.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists last season to help the Wildcats to a 22-7 record and Class 4A semistate championship game appearance. He shot 17-for-42 from the 3-point line. McGrew, who is uncommitted, has offers from Kent State, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, San Francisco, Southeast Missouri State, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and UT-Arlington.

4. Justin Curry, Noblesville

The 6-4 Curry, a Valparaiso commit, averaged 15.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.7 assists as a junior on a 19-6 team that lost to state finalist Fishers in the sectional championship. He shot 32.6% from the 3-point line last season but is certainly capable of hitting at a higher rate this season. After his junior season, Curry picked up offers from Iona, Murray State, Nevada, Purdue Fort Wayne, UT-Martin and UT-Rio Grande Valley. He can get hot and light it up in a hurry.

5. Dikembe Shaw, Crown Point

The 6-6 Shaw, an Illinois-Chicago commit, is one of the best all-round players on this list. He averaged 16.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists as a junior to earn core Junior All-Star honors. Shaw shot 50% from the field overall, including 37.9% from the 3-point line and 78.8% from the free-throw line as a junior. Crown Point should be one of the best teams in Class 4A last year after going 23-3 and playing in the semistate championship last year.

6. Baron Walker, Noblesville

The 6-3 Walker did not have a Division I offer until May but it quickly ramped up from there and he committed to Butler in late July. He averaged 15.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game as a junior, helping the Millers to a 19-6 record. Walker shot 50% from the field, including 40.2% from the 3-point line (37-for-92) and 82% from the free-throw line. He also typically guards the best player on the other team.

7. Terrence Hayes Jr., Gary 21st Century

The 6-1 lefty guard, a Missouri State commit, is an athletic point guard who runs the show for Gary 21^st Century, which is coming off a 21-7 season and Class 2A semistate championship game appearance. Hayes averaged 20.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 3.4 steals per game to earn Junior All-Star honors last season and shot 40% (46-for-115) from the 3-point line. He picked Missouri State over Murray State, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma State, Saint Louis and others.

8. Jashawn Ladd, Ben Davis

The 6-4 Ladd picked Akron over offers from Ball State, Indiana State, IU Indy, Kent State, Miami (Ohio) and Robert Morris in August after an official visit. He averaged a team-high 13.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.6 steals as a junior for a 17-9 team. Ladd is one of the best outside shooters in the class, connecting at 41.4% from the 3-point line last season, and also one of the best athletes.

9. Brennan Miller, Lawrence North

The 6-7 Miller, a Southern Illinois-Edwardsville commit, averaged 13.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game as a junior. He shot 58% from the field, including 12-for-34 (35.3%) from the 3-point line, and 69% from the free-throw line. Miller will have a bigger role for the Wildcats this year after Azavier Robinson graduated and transfers Kai McGrew and Jamar Thomas.

10. Dane Caldwell, Silver Creek

The 6-9 Caldwell, a Richmond commit, saw his stock rise in the spring after a junior year averaging 9.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocked shots and 1.0 steals per game for a team that finished 22-5 and played for a 3A sectional title. Caldwell shot 59% from the field, including 12-for-30 from the 3-point line. The Dragons will be among the best teams in 3A this season. Caldwell picked Richmond over Akron, Ball State, Bellarmine, Bradley, Buffalo, Coastal Carolina, East Tennessee State and Miami (Ohio).

11. Drew Haffner, Westfield

The 6-4 Haffner, an Abilene Christian commit, led Westfield in scoring last year as he averaged 12.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists and shot an outstanding 48% (48-for-100) from the 3-point line. Haffner will lead a Westfield team that was 18-4 last year and played Fishers to a seven-point game in the first round of the sectional. Haffner’s older brother, Cam, is playing at Western Kentucky.

12. Evan Harrell, Carmel

The 6-8 Harrell, a Bellarmine recruit, averaged 10.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists as a junior, though he was limited to 16 games due to injury. He shot 47% from the field, including 12-for-34 (35.3%) from the 3-point line, and 75% from the free-throw line. Everything looks to be in place for Harrell to have a big senior season.

13. Nick Shrewsberry, South Bend St. Joseph

The 6-4 Shrewsberry, who committed to Notre Dame to play for his father, Micah, averaged 13.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game as a junior, shooting 36.3% (78-for-215) from the 3-point line for the Class 3A state champions. His brother Braeden averaged 14.0 points and shot 37% from the 3-point line last season for Notre Dame.

14. Anthony Fresh, Charlestown

The 6-4 Fresh, a Miami (Ohio) recruit, averaged 20.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.2 steals per game as a junior for Charlestown, a Class 3A program that finished 18-6. He shot 54% from the field, including 39.1% from the 3-point line (45-for-115). Fresh also had a Division I offer from Bellarmine.

15. Kasen Daeger, Silver Creek

The 6-3 Daeger, a Stony Brook commit, averaged 16.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game as a junior, shooting 39.6% (57-for-144) from the 3-point line for the 22-5 Dragons last season. Daeger will be a big part of a Silver Creek team that should be among the best in Class 3A this season.

16. Julien Smith, Cathedral

The 6-foot Smith, a Mount St. Mary’s recruit, was highly productive in his junior season at Cathedral, averaging 13.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and shooting 42.2% (62-for-147) from the 3-point line. Smith played his first two seasons at Mt. Vernon, averaging 14.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists as a sophomore.

17. Sherman Moss-Wright, Ben Davis

The 6-4 Moss-Wright, a University of Indianapolis recruit, averaged 7.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists last season as a junior for the 17-9 Giants. Moss-Wright is a big, physical point guard. He should be able to improve on his outside shooting from last year (18-for-62) for a team that should be among the best in 4A.

18. Keaton Aldridge Jr., Cathedral

The 6-4 Aldridge, a Detroit Mercy recruit, is a physical player on both ends of the floor. He averaged 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.9 steals to fill the stat sheet for the 20-5 Fighting Irish as a junior. He shot 50% from the field and improved as an outside shooter, going 15-for-42 from the 3-point line.

19. Mason Darrell, Crown Point

The 6-2 guard, a Bellarmine commit, is a fiery competitor who averaged 14.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.1 steals as a junior for the Bulldogs, who went 23-3 and played in the Class 4A semistate championship. Darrell is also one of the better 3-point shooters on this list, hitting 41% from the 3-point line as a junior (55-for-134).

20. Dorion Bowen, Evansville Bosse

The 6-5 guard, a transfer from Memphis Whitehaven, is an exciting addition for Bosse. After playing on a 32-4 team that reached the Class 4A semifinals in Tennessee, Bowen will join a Bosse team that was 9-15 last season. Bowen has picked up offers from Georgia Southern, Southern Indiana and Southern Miss.

21. Korbyn Hammel, Kokomo

The 6-3 Hammel averaged 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game for a Kokomo team that finished 17-8. He was offered by Eastern Michigan last June. Hammel will look to improve his 3-point shooting (28.4%) as a senior. He averaged 6.9 points, 2.6 assists and 2.2 rebounds as a sophomore.

22. Reggie Hinton III, Gary West Side

The 5-11 Hinton is a quick, explosive point guard who can dictate the pace with his offense and defense. He helped Gary West to a 17-7 season and Class 3A sectional championship appearance last season. Hinton has offers from Northern Illinois and Johnson C. Smith University.

23: Brady Klopfenstein, Terre Haute North

The 6-7 Klopfenstein, a Bellarmine commit, averaged 11.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists as a junior for a 21-6 team that won a Class 4A regional championship last season. He can stretch the floor as a 3-point shooter, hitting 42.9% (54-for-126) as a junior.

The 6-7 Kalala averaged 10.4 points and 8.1 rebounds as a junior last season, shooting 56% from the field and 71% from the free-throw line for a Southport team that finished 12-12. Kalala, who has 699 career points, has offers from Indiana Tech, Marian, Saint Francis and Spring Arbor.

25: Edwin Holmes, Princeton

The 6-7 Holmes averaged 16.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.7 blocked shots and 1.9 steals per game for the 24-3 Class 3A regional champs. Holmes, who has already reached 1,000 career points, is uncommitted for college.

26: Brady Scholl, Northridge

The 6-7 Scholl averaged 16.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 blocked shots per game as a junior, shooting 40% from the 3-point line. The Indiana Wesleyan commit leads a team coming off a 21-4 season.

27: Tyrese Jones, South Bend Riley

The 5-11 Jones, a transfer from closed South Bend Clay last season, opened eyes with a 45-point game in the Class 4A regional. Averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists as a junior.

28: Treigh Schelsky, Parke Heritage

The 6-foot guard, a Huntington commit, averaged 13.4 points, 4.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals as a junior for a 25-5 team that played in the Class 2A semistate championship. He has 1,398 career points.

29: Jedidiah Minnett, Avon

The 6-foot Minnett is one of the best outside shooters in the class. He averaged 14.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game as a junior, shooting 36.4% from the 3-point line. Has an offer from Saint Francis.

30: Ethan Roseman, South Bend St. Joseph

The 6-1 point guard made a nice adjustment from his previous school of Bishop Chatard in his first year at St. Joseph, helping the Huskies to a 27-3 season and Class 3A state title. Roseman averaged 10.6 points, 7.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals. Has offers from DePauw, Holy Cross College and Marian.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649. Get IndyStar’s high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter. And be sure to subscribe to our new IndyStarTV: Preps YouTube channel.

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Indiana

Live updates: Indiana vs. Oregon in the College Football Playoff semifinal

Published

9 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Live updates: Indiana vs. Oregon in the College Football Playoff semifinal

Atlanta will host a top-five Big Ten rematch in the Peach Bowl on Friday. No. 1 Indiana will take on No. 5 Oregon in a semifinal of the College Football Playoff for a chance to compete for a national championship. The Hoosiers won the regular-season matchup 30-20. This is the fifth all-time meeting between the teams, with the series tied 2-2.

Both defenses have proved stout, making the offenses the biggest determining factor in this game. Indiana is second in scoring defense, while Oregon is close behind at sixth. The Hoosiers have the advantage on the line, giving up the third-fewest rushing yards in the nation. Oregon, however, has the edge in the air, allowing the ninth-fewest passing yards. The Ducks also pitched a shutout in the Orange Bowl against Texas Tech.

The Hoosiers didn’t skip a beat on offense, handing Alabama its first 30-point loss this side of the new millennium. Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza was highly efficient, going 14-of-16 with three touchdowns and no interceptions. That efficiency has helped Indiana earn the top seed; the Hoosiers have committed the fewest penalties of any CFP team and have the fourth-fewest penalty yards in the nation.

Oregon, meanwhile, struggled to score for most of its quarterfinal matchup against Texas Tech. The Ducks didn’t reach the end zone until 11:20 remained in the third quarter and rushed for just 64 yards. Dante Moore threw for 234 yards but had no touchdowns, an interception and minus-12 rushing yards due to constant pressure.

Indiana is the favorite, but Oregon has been one of the strongest units in the country, with its lone loss coming against the Hoosiers. Will the Ducks learn from their earlier mistakes, or will Indiana continue one of the most dominant runs of the CFP era?

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Indiana

Rematch history in CFP and BCS favors Oregon vs. Indiana in Peach Bowl

Published

21 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Rematch history in CFP and BCS favors Oregon vs. Indiana in Peach Bowl

The College Football Playoff national semifinal at the Peach Bowl marks a rematch of No. 1 seed Indiana’s 30-20 win against No. 5 Oregon in October, the first of several results this year that have left the Hoosiers knocking on the door of a historic and unbeaten season.

With two more wins, Indiana would become the first 16-0 national champion since Yale in 1894. But in order to make history, the Hoosiers will need to reverse some recent history.

Since the 1996 season, there have been seven regular-season rematches in the College Football Playoff and in national championship games played under the two previous postseason formats, the Bowl Championship Series and the Bowl Alliance. Four of these pairings have occurred since the playoff expanded last season.

Surprisingly, all but one of these games have seen the loser from the regular season rebound to win the rematch. This could be a coincidence. At a minimum, though, this trend shows the difficulties in defeating an elite opponent twice in under a four-month span.

The Hoosiers look to buck that recent history. Here’s a look back at these rematches and what they might suggest about the Peach Bowl:

Ole Miss vs. Georgia, 2025

Results: Georgia 43-35, Ole Miss 39-34.

Ole Miss led Georgia in the second half when the two met in October but coughed up a lead for its one and only loss on the year. The two SEC rivals met again in the Sugar Bowl earlier this month, with the Rebels pulling out the win on a late field goal. Unlike during the regular season, Ole Miss landed a big game from Trinidad Chambliss and did much better running the ball, indicating how teams can strategize by looking back and evaluating the previous matchup.

Ole Miss vs. Tulane, 2025

Results: Ole Miss 45-10, Ole Miss 41-10.

Here’s the one outlier. The Rebels stampeded over Tulane at home in September and then did the same in the opening round. The one difference: Lane Kiffin was the head coach for the first game and Pete Golding for the second. In this case, a significant edge in talent was the biggest factor in helping Ole Miss defy recent history.

Oklahoma vs. Alabama, 2025

Results: Oklahoma 23-21, Alabama 34-24.

Again, an SEC rematch that reversed the regular-season result. Oklahoma’s win in November sparked its run to the playoff. That seemed to carry over to the opening round, when the Sooners stormed out to a 17-0 lead. But the Tide crawled back to tie for the biggest comeback in playoff history.

Oregon vs. Ohio State, 2024

Results: Oregon 32-31, Ohio State 41-21.

Oregon narrowly pulled out the win in Autzen Stadium and then went on to post a perfect regular season, earning the top seed in the debut of the expanded playoff. But in the Rose Bowl the Ducks ran into a buzzsaw in the Buckeyes, who stormed out to a 34-0 late in the second quarter and won going away. A year later, Oregon hopes to follow Ohio State’s blueprint and score the upset against the unbeaten Big Ten champs.

Alabama vs. Georgia, 2021

Results: Alabama 42-24, Georgia 33-18.

The Tide knocked off then-unbeaten Georgia in the SEC championship game behind 421 yards and three touchdowns from quarterback Bryce Young. That landed Alabama in the four-team playoff as the No. 1 seed, while Georgia slotted in at No. 3. The pair met in the championship game after beating Cincinnati and Michigan, respectively, and the Bulldogs would hold Young to 6.5 yards per throw and make two picks to take the first of back-to-back titles.

LSU vs. Alabama, 2011

Results: LSU 9-6, Alabama 21-0

The Tigers’ overtime win during the regular season was about as ugly as the score suggests with five field goals being the only scores. The rematch in the title game about two months later wasn’t any better. Alabama’s defense barely allowed LSU to cross midfield in this second meeting to win the second of Nick Saban’s six titles in Tuscaloosa.

Results: Florida State 24-21, Florida 52-20.

No other rematch has come within such a short time frame. FSU topped Florida on Nov. 30 to end the regular season and drew the immediate rematch in the Sugar Bowl, which was designated as the championship game in the Bowl Alliance format, because then-No. 2 Arizona State was obligated to face No. 4 Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. This time, Steve Spurrier’s Gators bombarded the Seminoles to capture the first national title in program history with the Sun Devils falling to the Buckeyes.

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Indiana

Peach Bowl Ticket Prices Skyrocket Ahead of Oregon and Indiana Rematch

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Peach Bowl Ticket Prices Skyrocket Ahead of Oregon and Indiana Rematch

As the No. 5 Oregon Ducks prepare to face off against the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers with a bid to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on the line, ticket prices for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Mercedez-Benz Stadium have increased.

Though Duck fans were outnumbered in the previous playoff quarterfinal against Texas Tech at the Orange Bowl in Miami, a Big Ten rematch might drum up more fans wearing green at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

That increase in visiting fans, plus the importance of this game, can be seen through the surging prices for tickets on event websites.

The field is set during a media day as the Oregon Ducks arrive on Jan. 7, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia ahead of the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Current Prices for Peach Bowl Tickets

The cheapest tickets to get into the Peach Bowl start at standing room only, with a $166.50 price from Ticketmaster and a $178 price on StubHub.

This total for standing room has decreased since allotment tickets sold out on Monday, with Oregon Ducks on Sports Illustrated reporting $184 for standing-room only on StubHub.

Seats behind both teams’ benches have almost the same amount of seats still open, with the cheapest ticket behind the Ducks’ bench sit around the club 130 section in row 34 for $628.32 on StubHub. Ticketmaster has a $638 price tag per ticket in the same section a few rows up, which the website states is discounted from an over $1,000 original resale listing.

The most affordable sections according to both websites is the upper decks with sections 342 through 350 on the Oregon bench side selling in the $250-$300 range a piece. The highest-priced ticket, according to Ticketmaster, sits on the side of the Indiana bench in section 110 in the club, with a price of $4,760. However, there are several club level tickets with price tags well over a grand.

The Peach Bowl trophy is seen Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, during media day ahead of the College football play off Peach Bowl game against the Oregon Ducks at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon’s Ticket Allotment Sold Out Early

At the beginning of the week, the allotted tickets for Oregon fans to the Peach Bowl had officially sold out through the Oregon Athletic Department. According to the Peach Bowl, this is the 26th time the game has sold out of initial ticket inventory in it’s last 29 kickoffs.

MORE: Oregon Fans Won’t Like Dante Moore’s New Projected NFL Team

MORE: Oregon Ducks’ Peach Bowl Uniforms Make History

MORE: Oregon Ducks Get Jay Harris Update From New Injury Report

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The Oregon end zone is painted during a media day as the Oregon Ducks arrive on Jan. 7, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia ahead of the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Comparing Peach Bowl Tickets to Oregon’s Other Playoff Games

In terms of ticket prices, the Peach Bowl turnout likely will become the most expensive postseason game for Oregon this season. For the Orange Bowl in Miami, Vivid Seats reported that the get-in price dropped to $39 a ticket.

The Oregon crowd for that showdown was roughly 25 percent compared to 75 percent Texas Tech fans, with many empty seats seen throughout Hard Rock Stadium. Furthermore, the lowest cost for tickets in terms of Oregon’s first round playoff game against James Madison at Autzen Stadium also reached around $50 with only a few hours before kickoff.

The Hoosiers and the Ducks will kickoff at 4:30 p.m. PT from Mercedenz-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.