Archie Miller and the Indiana staff have extended an offer out to an athletic shooting guard in the 2021 class. Recent scouting looks on South Bend Riley’s Blake Wesley impressed coaches enough to earn Wesley an offer from the Indiana basketball program. The head coach of the Hoosiers was at the NCAA-sanctioned team camp hosted at the University of Illinois this past weekend, where Wesley played and competed under a new format. Indiana saw enough potential and athleticism to extend Wesley an offer this afternoon.

Blake Wesley most recently visited Bloomington last month and becomes the most recent addition to Indiana’s 2021 recruiting board. In-state recruiting is clearly a major objective as the Hoosiers have now offered the top four players in the 2021 class: Khristian Lander, Caleb Furst, Trey Kaufman, and now Blake Wesley.

For recent Riley Wildcats in Bloomington, you don’t have to look far. Current Indiana sophomore Damezi Anderson is the most recent Riley alum to play at Indiana.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4-Star Shooting Guard, 6-4, 170 pounds

Teams: South Bend Riley (South Bend, Indiana) / G3 Grind (Indiana)

South Bend Riley (South Bend, Indiana) / G3 Grind (Indiana) Composite Rating: 0.9629

0.9629 Composite Ranking: 102nd Overall, 21st Shooting Guard, 4th in the state of Indiana

102nd Overall, 21st Shooting Guard, 4th in the state of Indiana Other Schools Offered: Butler, Ball State, Purdue, DePaul, Cincinnati, Notre Dame

Blessed to receive a D1 offer from Indiana University. Thanks to coach Miller and the rest of the coaching staff. 🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/25DrPHAHf4 — Blakewesley3 (@blakewes8) July 29, 2019

Also noteworthy, high major schools have recently offered Blake Wesley. His list that started with the likes of Butler and Ball State has now increased to include Butler, DePaul, Notre Dame. The 6-foot-4 incoming junior was also offered by Purdue earlier today as well.

Blessed to receive a D1 offer from Purdue University. Thanks to coach Painter and the rest of the coaching staff. 🚂🚂 pic.twitter.com/jecNtV00QD — Blakewesley3 (@blakewes8) July 29, 2019

Breaking down Blake Wesley’s game

Blake Wesley is an athletic shooting guard that has likely outgrown his listed biometrics of being 6-foot-4 and 170 pounds. His length enables the “dribble penetration” portion of his offensive game. With a minimal number of steps and the extended reach of his wingspan, he can get from outside the arc to scoring at the rim in a flash. As a result, defenders have a very tough time guarding him straight up without help-defense that clog the paint.

As the ball handler, Wesley has good use and control when the ball is either hand, but he is more successful on finishes using his right hand. Paint appearances for Wesley are characterized by athletic and often times contorted shots – perhaps a couple notches more controlled than former Indiana Hoosier Troy Williams, but also a couple of notches less athletic.

Also part of his arsenal is his court vision and ability to find open players on the break. The highlights of his assists come from transition offense where he can get the ball to rim-runners after a defensive rebound.

He is clearly a comfortable shooter, which makes him a dangerous guard given his bi-dimensionality – ability to put the ball on the floor and drive and ability to shoot the three. His shooting motion is smooth with a quick and high release above his head. The only knock on his shooting for is his pronounced “dip” where he has developed a tendency to dip the ball below his waist to initiate his shooting motion. The combination of his fast and high release has allowed him to compensate against blocked shots or steals.

Defensively his length and ability to gap close as an athlete make him an intriguing prospect for Archie Miller’s system. As we have seen with recent Indiana recruiting, the Hoosiers seemingly cannot get enough lengthy wings and guards. Blake Wesley is another athlete that fits that archetype and can be a nuisance in passing lanes of the packline.

Featured Photo: Nora Hicks