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June Evaluation Period Day 1: Purdue recruit Luke Ertel sidelined, prospect Noah Smith shines and more

On3 imageby:Brian Neubert•06/21/25•

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Purdue recruit Luke Ertel
Purdue recruit Luke Ertel (left)

CARMEL —  Purdue commitment Luke Ertel, in the midst of an excellent spring and summer season, will be a spectator the rest of the weekend at the Charlie Hughes Showcase, as the Mount Vernon guard aggravated an existing ankle sprain in the opening minutes of Game 1 Friday afternoon, ending his June evaluation period weekend before it had really begun.

Ertel originally sprained the ankle at the NBA Top-100 Camp in Rock Hill, S.C., last week. After two big games to open that event, he sat out the final two. The injury is not thought to be anything serious, but did cost Mount Vernon Friday in losses to Crown Point and Gary 21st Century. Ertel will look on from the bench Saturday as his team plays out its four-game Charlie Hughes slate with games against Plainfield and Terre Haute North.

Put on by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, the Charlie Hughes event includes virtually every high school team in Indiana, aligning with the NCAA’s open weekend for college coaches to attend “scholastic” events.

More: Noah Washington’s Purdue offer was ‘surreal moment.’

NOAH SMITH PUTS UP BIG NUMBERS

After an excellent showing last week at Purdue’s team camp, Plainfield forward Noah Smith displayed more of the same in his team’s first two Charlie Hughes games, scoring 28 points in a narrow loss to a very good South Bend St. Joseph team, then 29 points in a win over a strong Silver Creek team.

The 6-foot-9 Class of 2026 forward is an excellent multi-level shooter, with a distinctly pure stroke on three-pointers and mid-range shots alike and a real knack for making one-handers in the lane and around the rim. Friday, he was productive posting up smaller players and making hook shots over them. He finished In transition well and while he doesn’t necessarily overwhelm people physically, he did rebound with real ferocity at times Friday. Smith is likely to project as a stretch forward at the next level, but is ostensibly Plainfield’s center, so coaches evaluating him have to view him in that context.

Purdue has maintained interest in Smith since he was a freshman, and will undoubtedly keeping watching him closely this weekend and into July as it rounds up new forward targets for what should be a robust 2026 signing class.

SATURDAY IN CARMEL AND WESTFIELD

The Charlie Hughes schedule staggers team’s schedules, so while Mount Vernon and Plainfield finish up Saturday, Pike — with Purdue 2027 priority Isaiah Hill — will play its first two games, a glimpse of what name-brand programs will make the effort to come to Indy for Hill.

Also tipping off Saturday: Fishers, with 2027 guards Jason Gardner Jr. and Cooper Zachary. Avon has 2026 prospect Keriawn Berry as well; he’s been watched by Purdue for months now.

PURDUE’S WHEREABOUTS

Assistant coach Brandon Brantley was at Charlie Hughes Friday, watching both of Smith’s first two games and the two minutes Ertel played.

Matt Painter spent Friday in Tennessee for 2026 forward target Trey Thompson. Assistant Paul Lusk was in Boston, presumably for newly offered forward Quinn Costello.

Stay tuned to GoldandBlack.com throughout the weekend for much more from Charlie Hughes and other evaluation period happenings.

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