- Indiana
MIDWEST RECRUITING: Two of Indiana’s best juniors, Sydney Parrish and RaShaya Kyle, make college choices
Arguably the top two female college basketball prospects in the state’s junior class, Hamilton Southeastern gunslinger Sydney Parrish and Marion paint menace RaShaya Kyle, found homes at the next level this week, with Parrish committing to Oregon and Kyle deciding to stay in-state, committing to Purdue.
The early favorite for next year’s Miss Basketball award, Parrish (6-foot-2, 5-star prospect) is tabbed the No. 1 junior guard in the nation by ESPN and was recently named the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Indiana. She lit up opponents for 22 points and seven rebounds per game back in the winter, leading her Royals squad to a Class 4A state championship. In the state finals versus Lawrence North, she dropped a 30-spot to go along with 10 boards and made a very strong case for herself as the best overall lady hoopster in Hoosierland right now.
Kyle is a 6-foot-6 powerhouse in the post. She averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds a night on a Marion club that made a run to semi-state in Class 3A. With Kyle on board now, Purdue has itself a mighty nice inside-outside combo for its 2020 recruiting class with her and Northwestern guard Madison Layden. Parrish, Kyle, Layden and Layden’s Northwestern teammate, forward-center Kendall Bostic (Michigan State) should be the ones battling it out for Miss Basketball next winter.
The Terre Haute Two Step
Lawrence Central senior boys basketball star Jake LaRavia has signed with Indiana State, just weeks after de-committing from SIU-Edwardsville in late March. The 6-foot-8 LaRavia is the definition of a diamond-in-the-ruff “stretch 4,” an absolute savage in the frontcourt. On a LC Bears team that balled out to the program’s first sectional crown in seven years and snapped Warren Central’s 46-game win streak this season, LaRavia sheeted 17 points and seven boards a game, shooting it better than 40 percent from 3-point distance. He joins Lawrence North guard Jared Hankins and Floyd Central swingman Cobie Barnes in ISU’s in-state recruiting haul for the Class of 2019.
Finalizing his plans
Having helped his Ben Davis cage crew surprise the prognosticators by advancing into the Class 4A state championship game a few weeks ago, Giants’ senior forward Jeff Clayton was ready to get his college plans in order. This week, the 6-foot-6 scrapper committed to Taylor University in the NAIA. Clayton’s disruptive play on the wing and efficiency around the rim were pivotal factors in his Ben Davis club’s march to the finals. He booked eight points and six rebounds per outing and shot a tidy 65 percent from the field.
