- Indiana
STATE CHAMPS! SCOUT TEAM: Future looks bright in Michigan City, after Jamie Hodges Jr.’s breakout frosh campaign
Michigan City’s freshman combo guard Jamie Hodges Jr. just finished a breakout season hooping his way into the hearts of Northwest Indiana cage fans and basketball aficionados. He wowed on a regular in “Da Region” and was quick to make a name for himself as a name to watch in the state’s Class of 2023. On the year, he averaged 21 points and five assists per night on a 17-7 Michigan City squad.
He finished with 335 points on the season, which, according to the team’s fan page on Facebook, fell just 39 points short of the all-time freshman scoring record for any player Michigan City player — Michigan City, Elston or Rogers high schools — set by Rogers’ Mr. Basketball, Delray Brooks. Hodges more than doubled the existing Michigan City freshman scoring record, set last year by Omarion Hatch.
The 6-foot-2 primetime playmaker was selected La Porte County Player of the Year and first-team All-DAC, the only ninth-grader on the squad other than Portage’s Kamari Slaughter (15 PPG). He also received an invite to the Indiana Basketball Coaches Associations’ Top 100 underclassmen showcase.
Whispers of Hodges’ prowess with the rock in his hand and the game on the line grew to a loud war this past winter, drawing comparisons to Michigan City hardwood icon Brooks (1984 Mr. Basketball), who went on to play in college at Indiana and Providence and is the head coach at South Bend Clay these days. Hodges should be getting big-time interest from college programs by this this summer.
Changes afoot in Scottsburg
The Scottsburg Warriors decided to part ways with coach Brent Jameson earlier this month at a Scottsburg School Board meeting on March 18. The board voted not to renew Jameson’s contract for the 2020-2021 campaign. Jameson manned the Warriors bench for the past four seasons and went 14-11 this year.
Offers of note
South Bend Washington senior swingman Jylen Petty bagged an offer mid-month from IU-South Bend, and added one from Holy Cross College. Petty poured in 19 points per game in 2020, up six points from his junior season. In the summers, he plays with the Indiana Elite Central program which competes in the NY2LA, the country’s top grassroots AAU circuit.
North Harrison’s junior big man Langdon Hatton pocketed William & Mary and Western Kentucky offers recently. He posted 20 points and 10 boards per night on an 18-6 club in the 2020 campaign. His sister plays at Wofford and he received on offer from the small DI program in South Carolina after a visit back in December.
— SCOTT M. BURNSTEIN
(Photo courtesy @MCHSHoops Facebook page)
