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Top 2014 prospect Trey Lyles taking his time with the recruiting process

treylyles

The Indianapolis Star

FORT WAYNE, In. -- The Bill Hensley Memorial Run-N-Slam is always one of the most well-attended high school basketball events of the spring and this past Friday there was even more of a local buzz then usual as some of the best travel teams from the Midwest took the floor at the Spiece Fieldhouse. For host Spiece Indy Heat, that buzz was centered around the return of power forward Trey Lyles, who made his 2013 debut on the grassroots circuit on Friday night as he returned to action for the first time since injuring his left knee in sectional play of the Indiana state tournament.

Lyles is regarded as the No. 4 player in the country according to Rivals and although his Spiece Indy Heat team is loaded with talent, none of his teammates have the package of skill, size and upside that the 6-10, 245-pound Lyles possesses.

For Trey, it just felt good to return to the hardwood and get back to playing in games with his teammates.

“My return has been good so far. I’m missing some shots that I usually wouldn’t miss but that’s to be expected after missing so long and I’m not really worried about it. But it feels good to be back out there,” Lyles told NBC Sports. “Health-wise, I’m 100 percent, but conditioning I’m probably at 95 percent. Workout conditioning is different from game condition, so I just have to get back in game condition.”

It also doesn’t hurt that Lyles is surrounded by a very talented supporting cast. Teammates Jaquan Lyle (No. 17), Trevon Bluiett (No. 46) and Indiana commit James Blackmon (No. 47) all rate as top-50 prospects in Rivals’ 2014 national rankings and have helped ease Lyles back into the flow of the game. Throughout the weekend, local fans often packed all four sidelines in standing-room only fashion to get a glimpse of Spiece Indy Heat when they took the floor.

“I feel no pressure at all, we’re just coming out here and trying to have fun and trying to win games,” Lyles said. “It’s definitely fun (playing with this team). Everybody can score, everybody can play, everybody can do everything. You’re playing with the best guys and hanging with them. It’s like you’re with family so it’s a great time.”

Now that Lyles has rehabilitated his knee and returned to action, recruiting has naturally become a topic of discussion when Trey speaks to the media. Trey maintains a list of six schools that he’s actively considering.

“I have six top schools: UCLA, Butler, Florida, Kentucky, Duke and Louisville and all of those schools are ones that I’m really looking at,” Lyles said. “They’re all kind of (recruiting me) the same; I hear from every school every week.”

With a list of schools that includes perennial Final Four candidates, Lyles is taking his time with the process and hasn’t set any official deadlines.

“I’ll probably make a decision after the next high school season. I’m undecided on visits, but I’ll probably take some this summer,” Lyles said.

Scott also writes for NY2LA Sports and can be followed on Twitter @sphillipshoops