Trying to put together some sort of list for recruits who will be attending Hoosier Hysteria and I've picked up some other tidbits along the way.
First, Hanner Perea, a 6-foot-8 power sophomore forward currently attending school in North Carolina will be there, according to his AAU coach.
***
Second, got a hold of 2011 IU commit Austin Etherington, who not only will be there, but just left Assembly Hall minutes ago after playing in an open gym. Etherington said he is excited for Hoosier Hysteria, as it will be one of his "first times being there with all the fans being there and just being with the whole program with everyone there at one time."
"It will be a pretty cool experience," he said.
Tonight, Etherington said he played with the entire team during the open gym, as did fellow 2011 commit Matt Carlino and 2011 recruit Cody Zeller. Etherington, Zeller and Carlino were among the open gym participants 10 days ago prior to the Ohio State football game.
"It was one of my first times playing with Jeremiah Rivers and he's really good," Etherington said. "He can get to the basket when ever he wants. Maurice Creek, he can shoot really well. Every player did something well. Everyone's good."
As for Cody Zeller and the million dollar question regarding whether he will make it to Hoosier Hysteria, Etherington said he didn't think the big man will be there, saying "I think he's got other stuff going on." The rumor has been that if Zeller doesn't make it to Hoosier Hysteria, he won't be at any other college event on Friday.
***
Third, Indianapolis Lawrence Central's Jeremy Hollowell also confirmed he will be in town on Friday. The guard/forward said his AAU coach is coordinating the trip in for Hoosier Hysteria and it has long been in the works.
Hollowell said fellow 2012 recruits Ron Patterson and Kellon Thomas will be joining him.
Though listed as a 6-foot-5, 185-lb. shooting guard, Hollowell said he just had a physical on Monday and is 6-foot-7, 190 lbs.
Hollowell added that he holds scholarship offers from Tennessee, Ohio State, Illinois, Xavier, Cincinnati, Iowa, IU and Indiana State.
"I like Indiana, I like the fans," he said. "Everybody really likes basketball there in Bloomington."
***
Last (for now), Kenny Kaminski, a 6-foot-7 sophomore from Medina, Ohio (up near Cleveland and Akron) will also be there, he told me around 9:45 p.m. tonight.
The Kaminskis will make the drive over to IU on Friday and stay for the Illinois football game on Saturday night.
The forward, who says he can play with his back to the basket and can also step outside and shoot 3s, has scholarship offers IU ("about a month ago") and Michigan State, while he added that Ohio State is "very interested" in him as well.
"I choose IU this weekend because I haven't really seen Indiana coaches for a while and I've been down to Ohio State, up to Michigan State and I really like the (IU) coaches," he said. "I wanted to come down and see how it goes."
IU's interest in Kaminski picked up over the summer, as Tom Crean and assistant Tim Buckley followed him throughout AAU season.
"I've tried to talk to the coaches about once every week," Kaminski said. "Coach Buckley and Coach Crean are both great guys. I try to keep in touch with them as much as I can."
As for Friday's Hoosier Hysteria, the Medina High School sophomore said he is "really looking forward to seeing how Coach Crean coaches."
While he divided his time this summer on the AAU circuit with Team Pride and Indiana Elite, Kaminski said he is "95 percent sure" he will be playing on Indiana Elite alongside D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Peter Jurkin and Obij Aget. Hanner Perea also played for that team last year.
