5/13/2022 basketball Edit

Indiana's 2022 class to set backbone for future of program

Alec Lasley • TheHoosier

Senior Writer

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The Indiana basketball program has approached this offseason quite different than a year ago. Mike Woodson has had a full season under his belt and is now beginning to build the roster he envisions.

The class of 2022 will play a large role in the immediate success of the program, but also the next few seasons. It will be the foundation that helps Indiana build on the first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2022 since 2016.

The four-man recruiting class brings talent, versatility and more important, a winning mentality.

While Indiana returns Race Thompson, Xavier Johnson, Jordan Geronimo and Miller Kopp as key players in the rotation last year, one position still stays up in the air. The expectation during the season was that forward Trayce Jackson-Davis would not return to Indiana. Despite getting good news from Thompson, Jackson-Davis has until June 1 to announce his intentions.

For Mike Woodson, getting someone who could compete immediately and make an impact -- regardless of what Jackson-Davis did -- was key. He got that in five-star forward Malik Reneau, the final piece to the 2022 class.

"He's an outstanding offensive player who continues to expand his game. He has great touch and tremendous footwork and he uses his quickness to his advantage. He has a great Basketball IQ and is an unselfish teammate who has benefitted from working with and against some very talented players on a daily basis," Woodson said. "Defensively, he is well suited to today's game. He keeps his man in front of him and can step out in pick and roll situations and hold his own."

Reneau is a 6-foot-8 forward who averaged 11.9 points and 6.6 rebounds this past season, including 14.3 points and 8.3 rebounds at the GEICO High School Nationals. He had 14 points and 12 rebounds in the championship game in a win for Montverde (Fla) Academy.

Playing at that high of a level and being a key part in back-to-back national championships is the winning mentality Woodson is looking for.

"Malik has enjoyed success at the highest level in high school and brings a competitive and winning presence to our program," Woodson added. "We are excited to welcome him and his family to Hoosier Nation."

He's not the only player from Montverde who is expected to make an immediate impact, however. Indiana's next five-star recruit comes in the backcourt in Jalen Hood-Schifino. Not only was he a key target for Woodson, he was a tremendous help in landing his teammate Malik Reneau.

Hood-Schifino can play either guard position and is someone that Woodson will look to lean on immediately. His ability to create off of the dribble is a skill the Hoosiers lacked last season and now, he adds another true playmaker on the offensive side of the floor.

"Jalen has a presence about himself that makes you take notice," Woodson said. "As a staff we loved watching him play. He displays great maturity and is a team-first guy who makes others around him better, a pure winner. He has great size for his position and is a powerful guard that plays with force."

Pairing Hood--Schifino with Xavier Johnson in the backcourt now gives Woodson a pair of guards who are extremely aggressive on both ends of the floor and play with a chip on their shoulder.

"Jalen will be able to help our ball club in a variety of ways," Woodson added. "He's a guard that can score on all 3 levels, rebound the basketball, and has tremendous defensive awareness."

While Indiana's class is headlined by that duo, two underrated signees include Kaleb Banks and CJ Gunn.

Banks is a 6-foot-8 forward who has a lot of versatility in his game and shows good ability to play on the perimeter as more of a hybrid forward. While he isn't someone who will be spending a lot of time banging in the post during Big Ten play, he has a good face up game that adds to Indiana's offensive system.

"He is a very versatile player both offensively and defensively. His ability to score the basketball and create for him and his teammates is something that was very attractive to our staff," Woodson said of Banks.

Banks took his play to the next level this season. He averaged 23 points per game and 10 rebounds while on his way to the Georgia Class 4A Player of the Year.

"He is a tough-minded player who plays with great confidence and will be an impactful part of our program," Woodson continued. "I love the way he carries himself and shows his love for what he does."

The lone in-state signee comes through Lawrence North wing CJ Gunn. His best asset -- shooting and creating off of the dribble. Indiana lacked in both areas last season and Gunn possess the confidence and skillset as a tough wing.

Gunn spent most of his career as a third or less option for his team. This season, however, he was the go-to player and showcased his ability as a main scoring option. He averaged 23.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 37.4 percent from three.

"C.J. is a local kid who has tremendous love for Indiana University. He's loyal and dedicated and will bring size and athleticism to the wing position," Woodson said. "He comes from a very respected and winning high school program in Indiana and will be able to help us with his ability to play multiple positions."

While Banks and Gunn may not play huge roles this upcoming season, their impact as upperclassmen could be tremendous.

Indiana finished the 2021-22 season 21-14 and won one game in the NCAA Tournament.

The Hoosiers have a large expectation to repeat the success from last season and exceed the results. This core will not only help in that matter, but also be a huge part of what happens to the program over the next few seasons.