Indiana University Men’s Basketball signee Jalen Hood-Schifino wins GEICO Nationals with Montverde
Indiana Men’s Basketball Signee Jalen Hood-Schifino finished his high school career Saturday with a second straight GIECO National Championship Title and 6th in event history winning it all in 2013, 2014 2015, 2018 and 2021. Montverde Academy beat Link Academy from Branson Missouri 60-49 at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Ft. Myers, Florida. Hood-Schifino suffered a finger injury and did not look to shoot the ball in the championship game. He only had two attempts from the field in 29 minutes, while anchoring the defense and adding 5 assists, 2 steals and 2 rebounds. 2022 recruiting target Malik Reneau scored 14 points, and the 6-foot-8 power forward added a team-high 12 rebounds, while 2023 6-foot-10 target K.J. Evans had 11 points including three 3-pointers. 2024 forward target Derik Queen saw two minutes of action. Montverde held Link to 32 percent shooting from the field. The Eagles never trailed in their championship game triumph, jumping to an 18-10 lead after the first quarter, 30-25 lead at the half and 47-40 advantage after three quarters. Reneau was named the most valuable player of the GEICO Nationals. He recently decommitted from Florida after a coaching change, and Indiana is working to get him on campus for an official visit later this month.
Montverde beat IMG Academy in the Semifinals 62-57. Hood-Schifinio played all 32 minutes and scored 8 points. He dished out 8 assists, pulled down 6 rebounds and had 2 steals. Hood-Schifinio hit two big free throws late in the game to seal the win. Montverde’s Girls Basketball team beat New Hope from Maryland 61-57 to win the Girls Championship. Its marks the first time that same schools win both the Girls and Boys Basketball in the same year. The event was started in 2009 and features 8 boy’s teams and 5 girl’s teams who play national schedules and do not play for state championships.
Indiana Football Lands Florida Native William Larkins for 2023
Indiana Football got a verbal commitment from Hollywood Florida native William Larkins. The Hoosiers land Larkins even though he held an offer from Jim Harbaugh and Michigan. He also had an offer from Florida Atlantic. Larkins attends Chaminade Madonna High School in Florida. The 6-foot-4, 298 LB prospect will help give the Indiana offensive line some youth. The IU Football coaching staff hopes to see Larkins join a very good offensive line that will eventually feature Bray Lynch and DJ Moore in a few years to come.
Larkins joins four-star DB Deah McCullogh from Bloomington South and and three-star TE Sam West From Greensburg Indiana as Indiana’s three commitments in the class of 2023.
Indiana University Women’s Soccer adds Tommy Berry to staff
IU Head Coach Erwin van Bennekom has announced the addition of Tommy Berry as the Director of Operations. Berry played collegiate soccer at Indiana and has strong connections in the Bloomington community as the Director of Coaching and Player Development for the Cutters Soccer Club.
“We are thrilled to welcome Tommy to the Indiana women’s soccer program,” van Bennekom said in Press Release. “Tommy has deep soccer roots in Bloomington and as a former player for the cream and crimson he has deep pride for IU and a strong passion for the game. Tommy has a wealth of soccer experience as well as excellent management and organizational skills and will be an asset to our program in multiple aspects.”
Since 2005 Berry has served in the role of Director of Coaching and Player Development for the Cutters Soccer Club. In his role he hired, developed and maintained a coaching staff of 20-25 coaches to work with youth travel soccer players. He also implemented a training curriculum and created yearly training and competition schedules.
“Soccer has been a huge part of my life as a player, coach and administrator,” Berry said in Press Release. “Joining my alma mater as the Director of Operations for IU women’s soccer is an exciting next step in that journey. I look forward to joining Erwin and his staff and do my best to make positive contributions to their great environment.”
Butler fires LaVall Jordan and names Thad Matta Men’s Basketball Coach
Two Days after Butler Fired Men’s Basketball Head Coach LaVall Jordan the Bulldogs named Thad Matta its new Men’s Basketball Coach. Matta Returns to Butler he coached there in 2000-01 leading the Bulldogs to the Round of 32 with a 24-8 record. Matta has coached 17 years at Butler, Xavier and Ohio State.Matta possesses a record of 439-154 (.740). Matta’s teams won 20 or more games in 16 of those 17 seasons, advancing to the NCAA Tournament 13 times. His 2007 and 2012 Ohio State teams reached the Final Four. He spent the 2021-22 season as the Associate Athletic Director for Basketball Administration at Indiana working under AD Scott Dolson. Matta graduated from Butler in 1990 after playing for the Bulldogs for three seasons after transferring from Southern Illinois. Matta was an assistant at Butler from 1991-1994.
Butler went 14-19 during the 2021-2022 season, including a disappointing 6-14 record in the Big East that put them in a ninth-place tie. Jordan had a pair of 20-win seasons at Butler (2017-2018 and 2019-2020) but finished with a winning conference record only once (10-8 in 2019-2020). Butler hired Jordan in 2017 as its 24th head coach, marking Jordan’s return to his alma mater. He played for the Butler Bulldogs from 1998 to 2001 and spent four years as an assistant coach for the program. Overall, he guided the program to an 83-74 record. Butler was 40-54 in conference play during his tenure. The Bulldogs made a single NCAA Tournament appearance under Jordan, although the team was widely expected to make the 2020 field before the NCAA canceled the tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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