Darian DeVries in danger of losing one of Indiana’s top recruiting targets

Darian DeVries will soon find out if he was able to keep one of the top high school players in Indiana in the Hoosier State. DeVries and the Hoosiers have been heavily involved in the recruitment of 4-star point guard Jason Gardner Jr, and his decision date is looming.

Indiana among final contenders for Top-70 prospect Jason Gardner Jr.

Hailing from Fishers High School, Gardner is ranked as the No. 5 overall player in the state of Indiana and the No. 67 prospect in the country for the 2027 recruiting class according to 247Sports. Furthermore, he is heralded as the No. 15 point guard in the nation.

Gardner recently trimmed his list of finalists to five schools, and to the delight of Hoosier basketball fans, Indiana is in the mix. His list of contenders includes Indiana, Auburn, DePaul, Florida, and Stanford. Now, the highly-touted prospect is set to make his decision.

According to Dushawn London of 247Sports, Gardner will announce his commitment decision on Monday, September 28 at 4:30 p.m. ET. It will take place live on the CBS Sports YouTube Channel.

While it would be nice to keep Gardner home in Indiana, On3 is giving the Hoosiers less than a 5% chance of landing his services. It could be coming down between Auburn and Ohio State, as they are the top teams in On3's predictions. Gardner is coming off an official visit to Auburn this past weekend, and the timing of his commitment announcement makes that an intriguing dynamic.

Owning a 6'1" 185-pound frame, Gardner is described by 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein as a strong and athletic guard with an attacking style. "He's quick, has real burst in his first-step, plays low to the ground, can get downhill to either side, and absorb contact," says Finkelstein of Gardner. "Then, he's a big-time athlete at the rim who can rise up explosively but also hang in the air to pass or finish with body control. In short, he's capable of getting a piece of paint on demand and simultaneously make the type of exciting plays that can change the momentum of a game."

Indiana's 2027 recruiting class currently features 2 players

So far, DeVries has secured commitments from a pair of 2027 prospects. The first came in the form of 4-star combo guard Chase Branham, who committed to the Hoosiers last fall on September 20. Branham continues to climb in the national recruiting rankings. Last fall, the 6'4" IU commit was ranked as the No. 42 overall player in the nation by 247Sports. Now he is a Top-25 prospect sitting in the No. 24 spot. Initially hailing from Rogersville, MO, Branham transferred to La Lumiere School in La Porte, IN for his senior season.

Indiana's most recent 2027 commit came last week when DeVries landed a commitment from international center Felix Kiehlneker on September 15. Kiehlneker is a 7'1" prospect from Germany, and is one of the top players in his age group. According to Peegs.com, he is heralded as the No. 5 overall prospect in Germany aged 19 or younger.

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