Southeastern Indiana stars earn spots in IBCA showcase events

Southeastern Indiana is sending more than names to Indianapolis this June. It is sending evidence that the region is becoming a steady pipeline for high-level underclass talent, led by Batesville guard-forward James Hughes and Greensburg standout Claire Larrison, two players whose numbers already match the spotlight.

Hughes, listed as a 2027-class guard/forward, earned a boys invitation to the 24th annual IBCA/IHSAA Top 100 Underclass Showcase, set for Friday, June 12, at Ben Davis High School. MaxPreps lists Hughes at 19.5 points per game in the 2025-26 varsity season, production that makes the invite more than a ceremonial nod. It places him in front of college coaches during one of Indiana basketball’s most visible summer evaluation windows, a stage that can push a local name into statewide recruiting conversations before the next high school season even begins.

Larrison’s selection carries the same weight on the girls side. The Greensburg junior, listed at 5-foot-11 and already averaging 21.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game in late February, was one of five southeastern Indiana girls invited to the June 18 showcase at Ben Davis. WRBI Radio reported that Larrison also was named IBCA District 3 Girls Basketball Player of the Week after averaging 24.0 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists over five games, the kind of all-around line that can turn a good season into an award race and a recruiting jump.

The girls group shows how broad the region’s reach has become. Along with Larrison, the invite list included Gina Grote of Oldenburg Academy, Lilly Maple and Natalie Stenger of East Central, and Etta Young of Jennings County. Grote is listed by recruiting services as a 2027 point guard-shooting guard, while the East Central and Jennings County selections show that the showcase is not just rewarding one school or one class. It is highlighting a cluster of programs that are producing underclass players good enough to draw statewide attention.

South Ripley’s Drew Volz also received a boys invitation, though he will not be able to participate. Volz, a 2027 point guard, gave a glimpse of his ceiling in a 28-point game against Southwestern, a reminder that the showcase list is built around players already carrying real offensive loads. That matters in a year when the IBCA says the event will include 252 prospects, 120 boys and 132 girls, in single-session showcases open to the public for $5 per spectator per day, with IBCA-member coaches admitted free with a current membership card.

The boys showcase is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to about 4:55 p.m. June 12; the girls event runs the same hours June 18. Both will be held at Ben Davis High School, 1200 N. Girls School Rd., Indianapolis, during the NCAA scholastic viewing period, when Division I coaches may attend in person. With 67 coaches from 58 colleges at the boys event and 59 coaches from 50 colleges at the girls event in 2025, the invitation list is as much about what comes next as what has already been earned.