IU recruits participate in NBA Top 100 camp

The IU men’s basketball team is targeting the right kind of talent to restore the program’s prestige. One currently committed player and another recruiting target will be attending one of the nation’s premier camps.

Austin Etherington of Hamilton Heights High School in Arcadia, Ind., and Jeremiah Davis of Muncie Central High School are currently participating in the NBA Players Association Top 100 Camp in Charlottesville, Va., this week.

Both high school seniors expressed excitement at the opportunity to participate in the camp.

“It’s an honor because only the top 100 players go,” Etherington said. “I’m proud of myself for being able to make that, and I’m just going to go out, play and have fun.”

Davis, Etherington’s AAU     teammate, said he was looking forward to participating with his fellow Indiana player.

“It’s a great honor,” Davis said. “My buddy Austin’s going too, so that will help make it even better.”

Mark Adams, Etherington and Davis’s AAU coach, called the camp “a great opportunity” for his players.

“They go against some of the top competition across the country and see where they measure up,” Adams said. “Any time you get that kind of experience, you’re only going to get better from it.

“It’s good for them to get that recognition, to be invited to it, and then to be able to play against other kids that are that quality of basketball players across the country.”
Like other prospects attending the camp, Etherington and Davis have college careers in mind.

Etherington, who committed to play for IU, sees the camp as a way to prepare him for a collegiate career in Bloomington.

“Those players there are going to be playing at the same level that I’m going to be playing at,” he said. “It’ll make everyone work hard and just show each other what we’ve got to do to be able to play at (the collegiate) level.” 

Davis, on the other hand, has yet to decide on a school. He lists the Hoosiers among options that include in-state competitors Purdue and Ball State as well as Cincinnati, Dayton, Xavier and Big Ten rival Michigan State.

“I haven’t really thought into it that much,” he said.

Adams said the camp could be beneficial to Davis, depending on his performance.
“If he plays well, it will do well for him,” Adams said. “He’s had a broad spectrum of offers already, so I think if he plays well, maybe he’ll get more offers, but ... I think it’s just more him being able to play against the competition and try to get better and improve in specific areas.”

Those areas, Etherington said, are likely to be more fundamental areas such as ball-handling and movement.

“There’s really not much they can teach you shooting-wise,” Etherington said. “I’ve just got to go out and get better fundamentally.”

Davis said his desire coming out of the camp was simple.

“Just get better.”