- Indiana
Indy Area Basketball Recruiting Notebook — Booker Bolts Hoosierland For MSU, Lisenbee Grabs Late DI Scholarship
The Circle City’s All-American hoopster has people talking and the buzz is barreling towards East Lansing.
Indianapolis Cathedral’s Xavier Booker might be the top prep hoop recruit in America for the Class of 2023. Rivals ranks him No. 1, 24/7 Sports slots him in at No. 3.
Either way, the rangy and rugged 6-foot-11 Booker is the most coveted player in the state of Indiana and is headed to play his college hoops at Michigan State University. Booker committed to Tom Izzo and the Spartans Saturday afternoon on his social media accounts. He visited MSU’s East Lansing campus back in the spring. MSU offered him last September.
As a junior, the southpaw Booker logged 12 points and 8 rebounds per game for a 26-6 Cathedral squad that won a 4A state championship. Standing just a shade under 7-foot, he unfurls a vicious 7-foot-5 wingspan on the hardwood and runs the floor like a gazelle. His recruiting exploded this offseason, seeing him going from unranked nationally to arguably the most wanted prospect on the market.
Booker chose MSU over Duke, Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, Auburn, Gonzaga and Cincinatti. The Top 10 was announced last week, trimmed down from more than 30 bids spawning from every major conference around the country.
“Coach Izzo and his staff has been there recruiting me since Day 1, they were consistent through all the peaks and valleys in my progress,” he said. “I heard from them just as much after losses than after wins.”
Black Bear Baller
Highlight-reel fast break finishes were his signature. Arsenal Tech ’22 6-foot-7 forward Antonio Lisenbee committed to Maine last week, snatching a last-second Division I scholarship after a stellar senior campaign. Arenal advanced into the Indianapolis City Championship Game in 2022, losing to eventual state champion Cathedral.
Lisenbee averaged 14 points and 7 rebounds per night in his first year playing for Tech, having transferred from North Central in 2021. He has mad hops and a great deal of upside at the next level. The Maine Black Bears play in the American East Conference.
X marks the spot
Brownsburg junior wing guard Kanon Catchings just scooped an offer from Xavier. Catchings is 6-foot-5 and a fearless competitor and master of finesse. Purdue offered in June.
