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Montverde Forward Malik Reneau, Teammate of Jalen Hood-Schifino, Commits to Indiana

Indiana signee Jalen Hood-Schifino wore a different hat this weekend, as chief recruiter for Montverde Academy teammate Malik Reneau, who was on his official visit to Bloomington. It worked. Reneau committed to Indiana Monday afternoon.

Tom Brew

Montverde Forward Malik Reneau, Teammate of Jalen Hood-Schifino, Commits to Indiana
Montverde Forward Malik Reneau, Teammate of Jalen Hood-Schifino, Commits to Indiana /

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Jalen Hood-Schifino is a five-star point guard and the centerpiece of Indiana's very good 2022 recruit class. He also gets five stars for being a chief recruiter this weekend.

Hood-Schifino spent the weekend in Bloomington while his Montverde Academy teammate Malik Reneau was on his official visit to Indiana. Indiana coach Mike Woodson and his staff rolled out the red carpet for Reneau and his parents, and Hood-Schifino and his mother, who is close to Reneau's parents, all lent a hand as well.

It worked. Reneau committed to Indiana on Monday afternoon.

This weekend, Hood-Schifino and Reneau played in the Jordan Brand Classic all-star game game on Friday in Chicago, and then spent the weekend in Bloomington, where there Hoosiers entertained them for two days as part of his official visit.

Reneau was a Florida commit originally, but backed out after coach Mike White was forced out. Since re-opening his commitment, Indiana has been right in the thick of things — with Hood-Schifino in his ear often.

forward Malik Reneau (14) drives the ball around Link Academy Lions center Felix Okpara (24) during the second half at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. (Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)
forward Malik Reneau (14) drives the ball around Link Academy Lions center Felix Okpara (24) during the second half at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. (Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)

Reneau is ranked No. 27 in the Sports Illustrated SI99 national rankings, and Hood-Schifino is a spot behind at No. 28. Here are the complete rankings: CLICK HERE

Indiana coach Mike Woodson and all three assistants — Kenya Hunter, Yasir Rosemond and Brian Walsh — were actively involved in the weekend recruiting, according to sources. Strength and conditioning coach Clif Marshall also was a big part of Indiana's presentation. Hunter is the lead recruiter on Reneau.

Hood-Schifino has talked often recently about wanting to continue to play with Reneau after he de-committed from Florida. He even posted video on Instagram this weekend during the visit.

“That's my guy, obviously, we're brothers,” Hood-Schifino told Peegs.com a few weeks ago. “We’re very close. I just talk to him from time to time. I don't want to bug him too much with what he's going through in the recruiting process. But we talk a lot and hopefully I can get him to come with me.”

Reneau was scheduled to follow his Indiana visit with visits to Maryland and Virginia, according to reports, but those are out now as he is ''110 percent committed,'' according to his post on social media. 

There were also discussions that he would visit Tennessee and Georgia. White, the former Florida coach who recruited Reneau to Gainesville, is now the head coach at Georgia. 

Reneau averaged 14.3 points and 8.3 rebounds during Montverde's run to the Geico Nationals national title. It was their second consecutive title.

Also in Indiana's 2022 recruiting class are Kaleb Banks, a 6-foot-8 forward from Lawrenceville, Ga., and C.J. Gunn, a 6-foot-5 guard from Lawrence North in Indianapolis. Indiana's class is currently ranked No. 18 on the 247Sports.com list for 2022 prior to Reneau's commitment.

The class is ranked No. 5 in the country now after Reneau's commitment.

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Tom Brew
TOM BREW

Tom Brew is an award-winning journalist who has worked at some of America's finest newspapers as a reporter and editor, including the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times, the Indianapolis Star and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has covered college sports in the digital platform for the past six years, including the last five years as publisher of HoosiersNow on the FanNation/Sports Illustrated network.

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