A strong performance by Hassan Diarra in the Hoosier state caught the attention of the Indiana coaching staff.
And the traits that Diarra brings to the court might be just what the doctor ordered for IU.
After averaging 10.2 points, 7.5 assists, and 5.5 rebounds at the Nike EYBL Session II in Westfield, Ind. two weeks ago, Indiana reportedly made contact with the 6-foot-2, 180 pound point guard.
Perhaps more than numbers, it might have been intangibles that specifically caught the attention of Archie Miller.
DeAnte’ Mitchell, staff writer for NYCHoops wrote this ($) about Diarra after his solid weekend in Westfield:
“You can look at a box score and see his contributions but the real joy is watching him defensively. He plays with such passion and with so much to prove. He plays through the flow of the offense and reaps the benefits of the system put in place by coach Williams.
He’s an unselfish player, plays with a lot of grit and plays with that signature New York toughness that makes him standout.”
Diarra spoke about his toughness with 247Sports this week.
“It runs in my family,” Diarra said. “We’re all tough, we don’t back down from anything. We just love the game so much that we just show it on the court with our toughness.”
The Queens, New York native is the younger brother of UConn’s Mamadou Diarra. Hassan now attends Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut.
Overall through eight games on the Nike EYBL circuit, Diarra is averaging 12.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.4 steals a game.
Diarra leads a PSA Cardinals EYBL team that is 7-1 on the circuit. He is shooting 33.3 percent on 12 three point attempts and 66.7 percent on 27 free throw attempts.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Diarra is the No. 99 player in the country and the No. 16 point guard in the 2020 class.
Diarra has several other high major offers including Georgia, Texas Tech, Dayton and Rhode Island.
Playing w/ a gash over his right eye that will require a handful of stitches tonight and @PSAhoops down 4pts in OT, Hassan Diarra (@hassan_diarra11) WILLED HIMSELF to score the 9 of his team’s final 13 points and led PSA to a stunning 85-82 comeback win over Sunrise… pic.twitter.com/srWpjbE9gx
— The Hustle (@TheHoopHustle) November 17, 2018
