Indiana Commit Chase Branham Is Giving Hoosiers Fans Real Reason To Dream

Indiana's future star, Chase Branham, dazzles at the Under Armour Next City Classic, showcasing his MVP skills with impressive stats and dynamic play.

Chase Branham keeps stacking big performances, and his latest one came with hardware.

The Indiana 2027 commit was named MVP of the Under Armour Next City Classic at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore after helping Team Fox beat Team Queen 97-93. Branham logged 23 points in 22 minutes, added eight rebounds and four assists, and stuffed the stat sheet in the kind of outing that keeps his name moving up national boards.

The 6-foot-4 guard was efficient all over the floor. He went 4-for-10 from 3-point range, 4-for-7 on 2-pointers and a perfect 3-for-3 at the line.

He also chipped in two steals and committed just one turnover while giving Team Fox a major lift on the glass with four offensive rebounds and four defensive rebounds. Branham finished as his team’s second-leading rebounder with eight.

The game was coached by former Under Armour circuit standouts De’Aaron Fox and Derik Queen.

For Branham, who is spending his senior season at La Lumiere in La Porte, Ind., this was just the latest stop in a summer that has been full of production. Earlier this month, he took part in the Nike Skills Academy and the Mamba Games in Los Angeles. According to sources there, he was strong at the Nike event, and his shot-making from deep stood out again at the Mamba Games.

That long-range touch has become a calling card. Branham’s range is legitimately deep, and he showed it again in Baltimore.

The national rankings already reflect the buzz. Branham sits at No. 21 in the 2027 class, and Synergy’s numbers back up the reputation: he was the most efficient scorer on the Under Armour circuit over the spring and summer, averaging 1.17 points per possession for KC Run GMC.

La Lumiere’s schedule is expected to be finalized in the next few weeks, which should give IU fans several chances to see Branham in action in La Porte.

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