Indiana State basketball fans will always remember the 2023-24 season. But that’s all that’s left — memories. The coach and team that rejuvenated the Hulman Center are gone.
Josh Schertz left for Saint Louis. Robbie Avila and Isaiah Swope followed. Jayson Kent and Julian Larry transferred to Texas. Ryan Conwell landed at Xavier. Masen Miller picked North Dakota State. Augustinas Kiudulas chose VMI. Jake Wolfe and Xavier Bledson graduated.
Only Aaron Gray, Jayden Daughtry, Derek Vorst and Cooper Bean remain from last year’s NIT runner-up team. Bean redshirted and the other three combined for 6.1 points per game last season.
New coach Matthew Graves has been busy on his root-and-branch rebuild adding eight new players so far. Here’s a look at who Sycamores fans will need to get to know ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Merritt Alderink, F, Zeeland, Mich.
Zeeland West’s Merrit Alderink passes against North Farmington in the Division 1 state semifinals on Friday, March 15, 2024, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.
Alderink committed to the Sycamores when Schertz was in charge and stuck with the Sycamores after Schertz left for SLU. Ranked the No. 3 player in Michigan in the 2024 class, per 247Sports, the 6-6 Alderink checks in as a three-star prospect and No. 64 power forward in the class. He led Zeeland West to the best season in program history, with district and regional titles, and earned Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Best of the Best and Detroit Free Press all-state honors this season.
Picked ISU over offers from Kent State, Toledo, Miami (Ohio) and others.
Bobby Cannon, F, Lewisville, N.C.
Cannon originally signed with New Orleans to play for Mark Slessinger. After 13 years at UNO, Slessinger decided to return home to Indiana and joined Graves’ staff as associate head coach. Cannon followed the coach to Terre Haute.
“Bobby is a dynamic player with a dynamic personality,” Slessinger said when Cannon signed with UNO. “He plays with great energy and passion. With his…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/indiana-state-basketball-complete-rebuild-080236697.html
Author : IndyStar | The Indianapolis Star
Publish date : 2024-05-15 08:02:36
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