STATE CHAMPS! SCOUT TEAM: Lawrence Central’s Dre Davis, Lawrence North’s Tony Perkins commit
Two of the Indianapolis area’s best boys hoopsters, Lawrence North senior guard Tony Perkins and Lawrence Central senior small forward D’Andre (Dre) Davis, ended their college recruitments this past weekend, as Perkins committed to Iowa and Davis committed to Louisville. Davis is a four-star wing and an early 2020 Mr. Basketball candidate. Perkins had one of the most productive summers of any player in the state and could easily slip into the Mr. Basketball race as a dark horse contender.
Davis (6-foot-6) de-committed from Nebraska earlier this month. He was on campus last week with his brother and Lawrence Central teammate D’Ante, a four-star sophomore combo guard, who also holds an offer from coach, Chris Mack and the Cardinals. Dre Davis pumped in 18 points and grabbed six boards per night last season on a Central club that won a sectional crown. He’s a natural scorer, but unselfish and eager to attack the glass.
Perkins (6-5) is a prototypical slashing two-guard with elite finishing skills and a deadly stroke — mid-range and long range — to keep defenders honest. He broke out last winter to a tune of 17 points per game and showed flashes of dominance, just like he did in an expanded way in the offseason. Iowa offered less than two weeks ago.
The early frontrunners for Mr. Basketball at this moment appear to be Davis, his Central teammate and Kansas State-bound point guard Nijel Pack, Mishawaka Marian combo guard Jaden Ivy (Purdue) Bloomington South shooting guard Anthony Leal (Indiana) and Culver Academies sniper Trey Galloway (Indiana). Sleepers like Perkins, Evansville Bosse center Kiyron Powell (Houston) and Jeffersonville wing Tre Coleman (uncommitted) will try their hardest to push their way into what looks to be a wide open race.
— SCOTT M. BURNSTEIN
