New Albany star Donnie Hale’s recent oral commitment to Purdue has been the talk of the area basketball scene. But with this weekend marking the end of IHSAA-allowed high school team play until later next month, the attention again returns to AAU for the July circuit of camps and tournament.

The July evaluation period is a month-long window of opportunity for high school basketball players from across the country to be evaluated at events by colleges coaches from all levels, including those at NCAA Division I schools.

Team Southern Indiana’s 2010 Red, 2010 White, 2011 and 2012 teams will play a hectic schedule to open the month. Beginning July 6, each TSI group will play 10 straight days — at the Hoosier Shootout in Indianapolis (July 6-9), the Kentucky HoopFest in Louisville (July 9-12) and the Best of the Midwest back in Indianapolis (July 13-15).

Hoosier Hills Hoops — located on the Internet at www.hoosierhillshoops.com — will provide in-depth coverage throughout the month of Southern Indiana teams and players.



Jeffersonville’s Adams a player to watch

After a productive spring on the AAU circuit, Jeffersonville star A.J. Adams has seen his stock rise and his college recruitment increase.

Now, the 6-foot-4 forward is focused on July.

“I’m excited about July,” Adams said. “I want to help my team (Team Southern Indiana Red) do well, and I’d like to get more Division I schools looking at me. Basically, I just hope to get more exposure.”

At this point, Eastern Illinois and Eastern Kentucky are Adams’ primary college suitors. Many Division II and small-college programs also have been in contact, he said.



New Albany has mixed results at Ft. Wayne, Purdue camps

Jim Shannon and his Bulldog team have been had quite a tour of the Hoosier State.

New Albany, which won a tournament earlier this month at Marion, also made recent trips to Fort Wayne and West Lafayette.

At the D-One High School Team Camp in Fort Wayne, the Bulldogs completed the week with a 13-1 record, and beat Chesterton on a last-second shot to win the camp’s tournament.

Shannon’s team this past week attended a session of Purdue’s team camp, where they mustered a 1-3 record and were eliminated by Mt. Vernon in tournament play.

“Getting out (in the summer) gives you the chance to get out around the state and play a bunch of other teams,” Shannon said. “June gives us a chance to get to know the kids on a more informal level. Later in July, we’ll go back and practice things we saw that we need to work on. “

The Bulldogs are competing this weekend at the USSFA school-team shootout.



Red Devils have success at Derek Smith event

Jeffersonville was paired in pool play against some of Kentucky’s top high school teams last weekend at the Derek Smith Shootout, a popular summer event held in Louisville.

The Red Devils lost 66-62 to Warren Central (Ky.) and 67-50 to Louisville (Ky.) Ballard, but rebounded in their final pool contest to route Louisville (Ky.) Butler 78-63.

Jeffersonville ramped up in the tournament round, advancing to the quarterfinals before losing 66-55 to Louisville (Ky.) Eastern. The Red Devils shellacked Elliott County (Ky.) 81-56 in first-round play and knocked off a strong Henry County (Tenn.) group 79-74 in the second round.



TSI 2014 scores second-place finish

Team Southern Indiana 2014 fell in overtime 61-57 to the Focus, a Louisville-based 14 and under team, in this weekend’s Xtra Mile Fitness Classic at the Basketball Academy in Louisville, Ky.

In the loss, Madison’s Landon Perry scored a game-high 27 points. Brooks Howell, of Silver Creek, chipped in nine.

TSI 2014, coached by Justin Vollstedt, totaled a 3-1 record for the weekend.



Quick hitters

• Silver Creek’s junior-varsity squad won the junior varsity division at last weekend’s Salem high school team tournament, beating Indianapolis Roncalli in the championship game.

• Bloomington South next season will have another new face. The reigning 4-A state champions added move-in T.J. Bell, a 6-foot-8 forward and noted prospect from Charleston, Ill.

• Bloomington North senior-to-be Julian Boatner made his college choice, committing to William and Mary, a NCAA Division I school in Williamsburg, Va.

• Darwin Davis, a highly-touted junior-to-be from Bloomington South, gave an early pledge to Xavier.

Contact Matt Denison at mattdenison@gmail.com.