Trayce Jackson-Davis won't sign this week, but sees finish line in recruitment

The early signing period for college basketball begins on Wednesday, but the day will come and go without the state’s biggest catch putting pen to paper.

Center Grove senior Trayce Jackson-Davis, the frontrunner for IndyStar Mr. Basketball, does not plan to sign during the early period, which runs through Nov. 21. Fans of his three finalists — Indiana, Michigan State and UCLA — will have to wait a little longer.

The next signing period begins on April 17, which has led some to believe the five-star recruit will make his decision then. That is not the case, Jackson-Davis said.

“People are blowing it out of proportion, thinking that I’m going to wait until April to decide,” he said Monday. “I’m not really waiting until April. What I meant about not signing early is that I’m not committing here in the next week.”

When will Jackson-Davis commit? It won’t be long.

“I’ll probably make a decision here in the next month or so,” Jackson-Davis said.

In the meantime, the nation’s No. 15-ranked prospect is preparing for his season (Center Grove opens the season next week with games on Tuesday against Franklin and Saturday against Franklin Central) and watching his three finalists play. Seven of the 14 prospects ranked ahead of him by 247sports are also uncommitted going into signing day. Fort Wayne native Keion Brooks Jr., who is attending La Lumiere for his senior season, is ranked No. 21 and also uncommitted. Brooks has Indiana, Purdue, Kentucky, Michigan State, North Carolina and UCLA in his final six.

More:Representing Indiana has special appeal for 5-star IU target Keion Brooks

Jackson-Davis has taken official visits to his three finalists already this fall. He said he could make additional visits before his decision, though another visit to UCLA might be difficult during the season. But he will watch all three teams play on television.

“I want to see some more games and see how the teams do,” Jackson-Davis said. “I felt a little pressured, not by any of the schools, but just in general. I wanted to take some more time and make sure I don’t make the wrong decision.”

Jackson-Davis averaged 22.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.7 blocked shots as a junior and has led Center Grove to back-to-back sectional titles. Each of the last two years, the Trojans have lost to New Albany and Romeo Langford in the regional.

The finish line of the recruiting process is in sight, even if it does not come in the next week.

“It’s been stressful, but not a bad stress,” he said. “I think that it’s one of those things that you get lucky to have this opportunity so you might as well take advantage of it and make sure you make the right decision because not a lot of people get to do this.”

Signing day

Here is a look at other expected boys and girls basketball signings during the early period:

Boys basketball

Ali Ali, East Noble, Akron
Cobie Barnes, Floyd Central, Indiana State
Jesse Bingham, Warren Central, UIndy
Ethan Brittain-Watts, Culver Academy, Boston University
Luke Bumbalough, New Castle, Ball State
Nate Childress, Zionsville, Bethel
Sydney Curry, Fort Wayne Northrop, Miami of Ohio
Frankie Davidson, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian, UIndy
Wendell DeMyers, Avon, McKendree (Ill.)
Sam DeVault, Evansville Memorial, Austin Peay
Shamar Dillard, South Bend Riley (Spire Institute, Ohio), Eastern Michigan
Matt Dove, Princeton, Army
Aaron Etherington, Hamilton Southeastern, Toledo
Armaan Franklin, Cathedral, Indiana
Mason Gillis, New Castle, Purdue
Jared Hankins, Lawrence North, Indiana State
Alex Hemenway, Castle, Clemson
Chaz Hinds, Southport, Pikeville (Ky.)
Colin Kenney, Michigan City Marquette, Furman
Lucas Kroft, Richmond, Ball State
Zach Kuhn, Shelbyville, Army
Richard Lang, Brownsburg, Central State
Jake LaRavia, Lawrence Central, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
John-Michael Mulloy, Carmel, Butler
Brandon Newman, Valparaiso, Purdue
Max Newman, Monrovia, Bethel
Ben Nicoson, Center Grove, UIndy
Hogan Orbaugh, Zionsville, DePauw
Andrew Owens, Carmel, Findlay (Ohio)
Spencer Piercefield, Center Grove, Indiana Wesleyan
Noah Smith, Hamilton Southeastern, Indiana Wesleyan
Isaiah Thompson, Zionsville, Purdue
Jalen Windham, Ben Davis, Georgia State

Girls basketball

Jorie Allen, Bedford North Lawrence, Indiana
Jordyn Barga, Monroe Central, Kentucky Wesleyan
Shaila Beeler, Warren Central, Indiana
Trinity Brady, Hamilton Heights Christian (formerly Lawrence North), Nebraska
Taylor Boruff, Taylor, High Point
Savaya Brockington, North Central, Purdue-Northwest
Taylor Browning, Rushville, Taylor
Sophie Bussard, Tippecanoe Valley, Southeast Missouri State
Shelby Case, Heritage Christian, Illinois-Chicago
Logan Cox, East Central, IU-Kokomo
Cassidy Crawford, Tipton, St. Francis
Ariel Dale, Northfield, Taylor
Cydni Dodd, Warren Central, Michigan State
Olivia Dowden, McCutcheon, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Dazia Drake, Owen Valley, Huntington
Makenna Fee, Seymour, Illinois-Springfield
Amani Freeman, Avon, Miami of Ohio
Sydney Freeman, Central Noble, Ball State
Carissa Garcia, Fort Wayne Concordia, Northern Kentucky
Grace Hale, Floyd Central, Bellarmine
Amaya Hamilton, Hamilton Southeastern, Duquesne
Victoria Handley, Jeffersonville, SIU-Edwardsville
Megan Harlow, Whiteland, IU-East
Rikki Harris, North Central, Ohio State
Haley Harrison, New Palestine, Taylor
Lilly Hatton, North Harrison, Wofford
Jossie Hudson, Evansville Mater Dei, Evansville
Grace Hunter, Bellmont, Northern Illinois
Tayah Irvin, Hamilton Southeastern, Northern Kentucky
Malea Jackson, Hamilton Southeastern, Illinois-Springfield
Tai-Yanna Jackson, East Chicago Central, Mississippi
Gracie Johnson, Martinsville, Cumberland (Tenn.)
Mallory Johnson, Noblesville, IU-Kokomo
Brianna Jones, Ben Davis, Lakeland (Wis.)
Madison Jones, Western Boone, Davenport (Mich.)
Taylor Klenner, Whiteland, IU-South Bend
Maddie Knight, Noblesville, IU-Southeast
Maleah Leatherman, Central Noble, St. Francis
Jasmine Lilly, Jeffersonville, IU-Kokomo
Morgan Litwiller, Northridge, Eastern Illinois
Bethany Macklin, Martinsville, Shawnee State (Ohio)
Emma Nolan, Michigan City Marquette, St. John’s
Sophia Nolan, Michigan City Marquette, St. John’s
Maddie Nolan, Zionsville, Miami of Ohio
Hannah Noveroske, Michigan City, Xavier
Riley Ott, LaPorte, Purdue-Fort Wayne
Cambie Poole, Morristown, Earlham
Delaney Richason, Zionsville, Vermont
Alyssa Robben, East Central, Indiana State
Veronika Roberts, Brownsburg, Bradley
Elise Scaggs, Mooresville, Davenport (Mich.)
Sylare Starks, Homestead, Detroit
Haley Swing, Homestead, Grand Valley State
Cameron Tabor, New Castle, Davidson
Ajulu Thatha, Decatur Central, SIU-Edwardsville
Ella Thompson, Center Grove, Bentley (Mass.)
Lexi Thompson, Lafayette Central Catholic, Southern Indiana
Adrianna Trexler, Oak Hill, Indiana Wesleyan
Emma Utterback, Center Grove, Vermont
Grace Waggoner, Vincennes Rivet, Evansville
Hattie Westerfeld, Batesville, Indiana State
Mackenzie Wood, Carmel, Penn

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.