Recruiting Roundup: The recruitment of Thomas Bryant comes into focus

News, notes, and any other tidbits that deal with Hoosier targets

(Note: With the high school seasons coming to a close and AAU seasons a ways off, the Recruiting Roundup will be posted with a bit less frequency, as there are no new statistics to pass along. In the mean time, the Roundup's focus will be on news relating to how the 2015 class rounds into shape and its impact on the current IUBB roster.)

- Scholarship numbers have always been a hot topic for any Tom Crean-led Indiana team, and this year is no different. With the departures of Max Hoetzel and Stan Robinson, the necessary room for 2015 recruits O.G. Anunoby and Juwan Morgan has been cleared. Still, as I'm sure we all could agree, the 2015-2016 roster is most likely far from being settled.

- If you're into reading the tea leaves regarding Thomas Bryant's recruitment as much as I am, then you may be interested in these two articles coming from relatively prominent news sources out of Syracuse and Kentucky. As the 4-star big man out of New York nears a college decision, Indiana would seem to be in as good a position as any, especially after seeing these tweets posted after Bryant spoke at length on his recruitment during practice for the McDonald's All-American game..

Thomas Bryant says he has not heard from Syracuse since January

— Steve Jones (@SteveJones_CJ) March 30, 2015

Thomas Bryant says he also hasn't heard from UK since January. Says IU recruiting him hardest now. "They send me a ton of damn letters"

— Steve Jones (@SteveJones_CJ) March 30, 2015

KEEP SENDING THOSE DAMN LETTERS, TOM. And maybe take my advice and personalize 'em a little bit.

- Thon Maker finished up his season at the Bluegrass Series National Championship this past week. In front of Tom Crean on Monday, Maker had 17 points and 5 rebounds as his Orangeville Prep squad fell to Prolific Prep by a score of 66-62 in the semifinals. After the game, Maker was overly vague and non-committal about his future in an interview with Peegs.com, as seen below. #PAYTHONMAKER

What coaches are you hearing from the most?
Thon Maker: You'd have to ask Coach Smith.

Obviously Indiana, Kansas and Kentucky are the ones he says, maybe he's doing the communicating, but what do you like about those programs?
Thon Maker: They're both great schools, both academically and in terms of athletics. Both of them, you've got great coaches. Everybody's trying to win the title.

They attack the game differently. Kentucky is more of straight down, just play, unless you need to run sets. Indiana is more like sets every time, but also just play every now and then.

Both of them, they are two top programs. If a player goes there, you leave a mark. If you go there, you're name stays.

What do you like better?
Thon Maker: Both can't hurt.

Tom Crean was here tonight. What do you hear from him.
Thon Maker: When I visited that's when I saw him, but not recently any time before that in terms of interacting.

So you want to play college basketball?
Thon Maker: I really want to finish (my academics) first.

Finish but play college basketball at some point?
Thon Maker: Yeah, after I finish.

- Jaren Jackson, the sophomore out of Indianapolis, helped lead Park Tudor to their 4th 2A title in 5 years. Jackson had 35 blocked shots over the course of 6 games in the state tournament, and capped it off with an 11 point, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocked shots in the title game victory over Frankton.

- Vijay Blackmon, Eron Gordon, and Joey Brunk were all named to the Indiana Junior All-Star Team for the 2014-15 season. All were named to the "Core Group", which recognizes the top 6 juniors in the state.

- A new name to keep on the radar for the class of 2017 is Austin Wiley. The 6'9" PF out of Birmingham, Alabama is ranked #10 overall in the class of 2017, and his father recently confirmed that Indiana has shown strong interest in his son's services.

- As always, keep up to date with our ever-changing recruiting board.