High School Basketball Bulletin Archives

Recruit 10: Fullcourt forwards

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:19:10 UTC

Keeping with the theme of good players who likely won't have to figure out how to use a fax machine next week, here are 10 uncommitted senior forwards. Detroit Consortium senior DuJuan Adams plays above his height, and he'd better as a 6-4 forward. He has good ups though, and can dig in and defend the post against tall,...

Keeping with the theme of good players who likely won't have to figure out how to use a fax machine next week, here are 10 uncommitted senior forwards.

Detroit Consortium senior DuJuan Adams plays above his height, and he'd better as a 6-4 forward. He has good ups though, and can dig in and defend the post against tall, skinny high school bigss. Makes hustle plays. A very simliar player is Mike Tyson, a 6-4 senior from Ypsilanti Lincoln.

Pick up 6-5 Okemos senior Mitch Asmus for your fantasy league team. With the arrival of soph point guard Chris Harrison-Docks, he'd have to try to not score 20 points a game. Asmus has a lot going for him as a finisher, he can get up and has body control around the hoop. He doesn't shy from tough play in the lane.

Hockey transplant Austin Barnes may be off the ice, but he's found a fast track. Are he and Waverly the 2010 version of East Lansing and Charlie Woods? Barnes is smooth, long, bouncy and finishes with toughness at 6-6. Quick off his feet, a great baseline player.

All you need to know about 6-6 Western Michigan Christian senior Evan Bruinsma is he'll be playing for his third state title. He's a do-it-all forward perfect for the Warriors' 1-3-1. He can physically dominate Class D with his Brent Barry physique.

6-4 senior Angelo Lewis plays like a smart vet. He's unselfish, timely and tough. While strong with some spring, he's not smooth and natural. Can just play.

Not so long ago, it was rare that Southfield-Lathrup's Roy Marble Jr. and Bryan Coleman weren't mentioned together. But Marble went off and forged his own identy with the Family, and is headed to Iowa. When Coleman is hitting at a smart rate, he's an effective player because at 6-6 he can easily shoot over a lot of high school players.

Like Evan Bruinsma, 6-5 Traverse City West senior Aaron Olsen does some of everything for a team. So sometimes he's a mismatch, sometimes a 'tweener. A tough defender and rebounder who gets three-point plays and dunks off of a big first step. When you're the best senior in the Big North Conference, you're not screwing around.

6-6 Sparta senior Jacob Plite is a prototypical inside/outside forward -- a strong first step and can finish with either hand. His combination of a frame for college ball, skills, fundamentals have GLIAC and some East Coast D1s interested.

Traverse City St. Francis linebacker/power forward Max Bullough is heading out early to pursue football at Michigan State. If there's a player capable of getting those vacated rebounds, it's 6-5 senior Ian Sheldon. The only player in Class C that could really check him is Detroit Loyola's Jevon Harden, maybe Justin Edmonds at Albion. The Lake Michigan Conference? No chance.

Another horrorshow of a matchup for Class C kids is 6-7 Dundee senior CJ Wolfenbarger. He runs the floor and is a good three-point shooter. Showed his all-around game in AAU for Next Generation.

Packed with PFs

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:56:00 UTC

This is where the unsigned brigade gets deep and interesting with prospects. The non DI schools -- and maybe big schools if someone really blows up -- can wait to see how some of these guys play out as seniors. There's a lot of potential in these 10. 6-7 Warren Mott senior Joey Asbury sets up matchup problems because he can...

6-7 Warren Mott senior Joey Asbury sets up matchup problems because he can take more athletic forwards inside, and step out to shoot three-pointers on big men. This past string had a terrific performance for TEAM Basketball against the Grand Rapids Storm big and talented D1 frontcourt.

During the spring AAU season, 6-7 St. Clair Shores South Lake senior Will Bowles had to rank in the top 5 in the state for rebounds, blocked shots and dunks. Terrific defender with athleticism and anticipation.

Hudsonville looks like one of the best teams in West Michigan, with senior guards, one of the state's best sophomores, new coach, and a gifted big man in 6-7 senior Austin Elling. This lefty is smooth, long and active. He's smart in space and can hit shots with a high release.

When ACB picked up 6-8 Grandville Calvin Christian senior Tyler Kruis for the Hoosier Shootout, it was a better team. Kruis, a star for Calvin's Class C quarterfinalist, is a legit post player who scores with a soft touch from either hand.

Muskegon Heights in 2009 had terrific guards and wing athletes. Holding it down inside and doing all of the blue-collar post work was 6-6 senior Julian Plummer. At U-M's elite camp, I was impressed with Plummer's overall skill and athleticism.

He's raw and lacks strength, but 6-7 Detroit Douglass senior Kamar Richardson has some bounce and plays hard. Fights in the post, blocks shots and can finish above the rim.

For a grinder, no-nonsese post, one could do a lot worse than 6-7 Lansing Sexton senior James Suttles. He's strong, has a good wingspan, and doesn't have any delusions that he's Regige Miller.

Anyone who saw 6-6 Holland senior Josh Weatherspoon play against the state's no. 2 power forward, Colin Voss, either in the high school or AAU seasons, knows how good he is. Not a great athlete, but big and strong and productive, like Justin Keenan (Ferris State/Ottawa Hills).

6-7 Flint Northern senior Darrell Williams is a shot blocker who can finish easy shots inside and shoot from the high post. Good at going to get the ball, offensively and defensively.

He doesn't have a lot of punch, but 6-7 Cass Tech senior Shannon Williams rebounds, blocks shots and can catch and finish. Needs more of a face-up and all-around game, and could be D1.

Still some size out there

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:44:02 UTC

The Division I early signing period starts Wednesday, Nov. 11. That's for the lucky few, but two of the state's best are skipping it, Mount Pleasant's Trey Zeigler and Country Day's Ray McCallum. But that's by choice. For most other prospects, they'll be playing through their senior seasons trying to prove themselves college worthy. And they may supply a...

The Division I early signing period starts Wednesday, Nov. 11. That's for the lucky few, but two of the state's best are skipping it, Mount Pleasant's Trey Zeigler and Country Day's Ray McCallum. But that's by choice. For most other prospects, they'll be playing through their senior seasons trying to prove themselves college worthy. And they may supply a hidden bounty.

Smaller college rosters in Michigan are as short as they've been in generations. Look no further than Hope College, once home of 6-foot-9 D3 All-Americans, now playing 6-4 posts. There is "leftover" size in the 2010, class, though, to help schools outside the D1 ranks. We'll look at some of the uncommitted, and sometimes sleeper, seniors at all the positions, five per, starting with the post.

The West Michigan Lakers were likely the state's best AAU team. They just seemed to have all the right pieces. One of those was Shane Tiemeyer, a 6-10 senior from Zeeland West. Can you be a 6-10 'tweener? Tiemeyer is. He's long and mobile, but doesn't play above the rim. He doesn't block shots, but takes charges. At around 200 pounds, not a banger.

Jarrell Pratt was once considered one of the top prospects in the state. Now the 6-9 Detroit Cody senior remains one of the biggest, at least. He lacks athleticism, but is pretty well-schooled, has good hands, and can screen and score on set plays.

Once considered a better water polo prospect, 6-9 Grandville senior Collin DeHaan has become a legit basketball player as well. He's well-built, moves with some agility, and can run and turn ends.

6-8 Detroit City senior Christian Beecham is similar to Detroit Loyla's Jevon Harden, a Central Michigan commitment, with his build and on-court enthusiasm. He can run, but coordination can improve.

Thestate's tallest center is 7-0 Midland senior Brandon Crane, who with his size and grades will be a DI player. He's a good high-post player who is improving on the blocks.

MSU snags first 2011 commitment

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:34:56 UTC

Michigan State received a verbal commitment from one of the state's most versatile prospects today, Tuesday, when Detroit Southeastern junior Brandan Kearney announced he'll play for the Spartans. At 6-foot-6 and able to play three perimeter positions, Kearney is Bankhoops.com's No. 2 ranked wing for 2011 and brings to mind former big MSU wings like Alan Anderson and David Thomas....

Michigan State received a verbal commitment from one of the state's most versatile prospects today, Tuesday, when Detroit Southeastern junior Brandan Kearney announced he'll play for the Spartans. At 6-foot-6 and able to play three perimeter positions, Kearney is Bankhoops.com's No. 2 ranked wing for 2011 and brings to mind former big MSU wings like Alan Anderson and David Thomas. The flexibility of the Team Detroit star and Team USA member would still allow MSU to add another wing and pure point guard in 2011, to complement all the frontcourt talent from the 2009 and 2010 groups.

At one time considered a Michigan lean, Kearney chose the Spartans over the likes of Minnesota, Kentucky and Ohio State.

Two more big men commit

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:25:08 UTC

A month ago, they were two seniors at the Bank Hoops All-State Minicamp looking towards the future. Today, that future has solidified a bit for both 6-foot-8 Jevon Harden from Detroit Loyola and 6-10 Luke Sorenson from Clio, who have committed to Central Michigan and Davenport, respectively. Harden, a transfer from River Rouge, is a Ben Wallace type rebounding...

A month ago, they were two seniors at the Bank Hoops All-State Minicamp looking towards the future. Today, that future has solidified a bit for both 6-foot-8 Jevon Harden from Detroit Loyola and 6-10 Luke Sorenson from Clio, who have committed to Central Michigan and Davenport, respectively.

Harden, a transfer from River Rouge, is a Ben Wallace type rebounding and defensive presence. But he's also a gym rat, and as a result his touch, and physique, have really improved since just the summer. He's CMU's third frontcourt recruit for 2010, along with 6-8 Colin Voss from East Grand Rapids and 6-10 Nate VanArendonk from Grand Haven. Harden is Bank Hoop's No. 4 ranked power forward.

Sorenson is the No. 6 ranked center. There aren't many 6-10 kids who can move and shoot in the WHAC, so he has a lot of potential for Davenport. Sorenson has a great wingspan and may not yet be done growing. He'll be even better as he gets stronger and tougher around the basket.

CMU gets center

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:07:25 UTC

Maybe Central Michigan will want to run a high-low play from the Grand Rapids Storm? After receiving a commitment from East Grand Rapids power forward Colin Voss, the Chippewas have added one of his AAU teammates, 6-foot-10 Nate VanArendonk of Grand Haven. VanArendonk, Bankhoops.com's No. 3 senior center, is a natural athlete who moves well and is comfortable with...

Maybe Central Michigan will want to run a high-low play from the Grand Rapids Storm? After receiving a commitment from East Grand Rapids power forward Colin Voss, the Chippewas have added one of his AAU teammates, 6-foot-10 Nate VanArendonk of Grand Haven.

VanArendonk, Bankhoops.com's No. 3 senior center, is a natural athlete who moves well and is comfortable with the ball, his post game is devoloping, he plays smart defense, and has the frame to add some weight to his already 225 pounds. The big thing will be developing a mean streak, in which case VanArendonk can be as good as he wants to be.

Kazoo all-stater to Dayton

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:55:01 UTC

While Doug Anderson was the Youtube dunking sensation for last season's Kalamazoo Central Class A runner-up team, it was 6-foot-6 junior Devin Oliver who developed into the Maroon Giants' best all-around player. And, one with good grades, which is why he'll be good to go to sign early with Dayton, the school to which he committed today, Sunday. With his...

While Doug Anderson was the Youtube dunking sensation for last season's Kalamazoo Central Class A runner-up team, it was 6-foot-6 junior Devin Oliver who developed into the Maroon Giants' best all-around player. And, one with good grades, which is why he'll be good to go to sign early with Dayton, the school to which he committed today, Sunday.

With his size and range on the wing, Oliver will be no worse than a solid A-10 player. With physical maturity to finish drives and some dog in him, he could be much more.

CMU gets its hoss

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:41:59 UTC

The ethos that head coach Ernie Zeigler has tried to instill in his Central Michigan teams centers on toughness -- physical and mental. Some have thrived under that approach, like senior point guard Robbie Harman who has gone from a walk-on to one of the MAC's best guards, while some "name" players have wilted under the expectations.

Now CMU has received a commitment that might be its best of Zeigler's tenure, when considering not just talent but style of play -- 6-foot-8, 225-pound senior Colin Voss from East Grand Rapids. Voss is a hoss in the paint, not just big but with good hands and feet and a mean streak. He's a good athlete who can play a fullcourt or halfcourt game and is comfortable handling the ball away from the basket.

Voss, Bankhoops.com's No. 2 power forward in 2010, also had offers from Ball State, Drake, Pacific, Toledo and Wisconsin-Green Bay, as well as some mid-major offers for football (and conceivably could have gone high-major on the gridiron had that been his first choice).

Lake State adds three from the LP

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:13:19 UTC

The spring trips downstate to scout AAU tournaments and two big recruiting weekends have paid off big for Lake Superior State, which will now have three seniors sign early -- 6-foot-10 Lucas Holt from Spring Lake, 6--7 Cameron Metz from Grand Rapids Northpointe Christian and 6-2 William Sams from Grand Blanc. Holt, Bankhoops.com's No. 8 ranked senior6center, is a project big man...

The spring trips downstate to scout AAU tournaments and two big recruiting weekends have paid off big for Lake Superior State, which will now have three seniors sign early -- 6-foot-10 Lucas Holt from Spring Lake, 6--7 Cameron Metz from Grand Rapids Northpointe Christian and 6-2 William Sams from Grand Blanc.

Holt, Bankhoops.com's No. 8 ranked senior6center, is a project big man whose best basketball is ahead of him. Metz, the state's No. 5 power forward, is built like an NFL rush end, and had a DI offer from Idaho State. Sams could very well be the highest ranked player to end up at a GLIAC school in 2010, he's No. 4 at point guard. His physicaly and athletic play will provide a good counterpunch to the point guard the Lakers brought in from the 2009 class, Marquette's Tyler Geary.

Lake State could add two more perimeter players to this class.

More camp breakdowns: Frontcourt

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:16:51 UTC

Here are some frontcourt standouts from the fifth-annual Bankhoops.com All-State Minicamp. Some of the players have previously been discussed, but these capsules include new evaluations from coaches.

Will Bowles 6-7 Sr St. Clair Shores South Lake
There were some glimpses of that spring AAU magic, when he got ahead for dunks. Terrific interior defender. Really needs to work on his offensive footwork so as to best utilize his athletic advantages. "Crashed the boards," said one coach. "Great athlete that gets off the ground quicker on his second attempt than other players on their first. He’s got this “Birdman” thing going because you’re not quite sure of his skill set other than his natural instincts to go to the rim and be a presence on the floor for all the small things. Could be an interesting project for someone given his athletic ability and motor."

Caleb Byers 6-5 Sr Allegan
Mohawked power dunker. "Can shoot the ball from the corners and wings and draw opposing bigs out from under the basket," said one coach.

Connor Clark 6-6 Sr Jackson Western
Pleasant surprise. Hadn't heard of this kid before, but he was an inside outside scoring threat, and dunked easily. Will need some beef as a college forward.

Austin Getz 6-4 So West Ottawa
Playing mostly inside with the younger group in games, like he did in AAU, but long and skinny body project him as a wing ultimately.

Nic Greenwood 6-6 Jr Clinton
One of the most improved players since the spring camp -- playing with a lot more toughness and some defensive focus. Fought for balls land rebounded in traffic. Was a creative scorer when facing up and finished with some bounce around the rim.

Jevon Harden 6-8 Sr Detroit Loyola
"Has the potential to be a dominating presence on the defensive end," said one coach. "Impressive body and build that perhaps can comfortably hold another 20-25 pounds. Athletic and rangy big that can cover a lot of ground. Best rebounding big at the camp but he sometimes tends to wait for the ball to come to him rather than go get given his size and range. Moves well on the other end but lack the overall skills to make plays at the basket other than put-backs. Great attitude and upside. Shot blocker as well "

Brent Henry 6-7 Sr Rockford
He won't wow you athletically, but when Henry touches the ball more often than not good things ensue. He's smart in the high post, and game on the block is improved.

Tim Jensen 6-5 Sr Manistee
Versatile and skilled, with a game you don't expect. "Big burly body that is more mobile than you think," a coach said. " Very smart player that can work his way inside or step out and knock down the 3 and is a solid 6-5/6-6."

Lucas Landis 6-3 So Mason County Eastern
"Space -that has good post instincts," one coach said. "Understands post play and the rigors of it, i.e. being physical, boxing out and positioning. Decent kick-out shooter which will allow him to pull bigger frontcourt players from the basket because he can make shots from about 15-17 feet."

Trent Messer 6-6 Jr Gull Lake
Cue Nine Inch Nails puns. Tough matchup, and one of the reasons ACB will have one of the state's best travel teams next year. "This guy just flat out went to work," one coach said. "Hit the boards and finished as well as anyone all day. Quietly without fanfare just got it done time and again." "Big kid that initiated the break off the glass either on the outlet or off the dribble which can be a luxury," said another coach. "He also seemed to get up the court pretty well and filled the lanes. Might be more of a running big than a traditional back to the basket big."

Jason Morrall 6-6 Jr Grand Ledge
Skilled forward who looked good as an inside-outside scorer. Will need additional strength, explosiveness, to take the next step.

Aaron Olsen 6-5 Sr Traverse City West
College coaches like his versatility. Would be a good fantasy league player because he fills the whole stat line. Not a lot of 6-5 high school kids are going to dribble through fullcourt pressure like Olsen does. One of the more well-schooled defenders here as well, with the help-side and double-downs. Dug out loose balls and tough rebounds. Outstanding first step ended in some and-1s. Three-point shot wasn't there.

Jason Pretzer 6-10 Jr Jenison
"Nice touch around the basket," said one coach. "Moves well for big his size. A lot of upside but needs a mean streak."

Luke Sorenson 6-10 Sr Clio
Intrigues because of his size and mobility. Extended so easily for dunks in drills, he hardly had to jump. Sorenson is comfortable facing the basket and shooting, but needs some aggressive moves when someone with size closes out on him. "Needs to get stronger and tougher," one coach said. "Has range from 17 feet which is good given his size. Stamina might be an issue as he seemed to struggle a bit with a faster pace of play. Some deficiencies but he has real upside.”

Cory Starkey 6-7 Jr Petoskey
"A much different (and better) player due to his added height," said a coach who first saw Starkey play as an eighth-grader. "Moves well in the open court for a big or perimeter player. Reliable shooter with range out to the three-point line. Nice touch and handle on the blocks/space and in transition. Can finish around the rim and is not afraid to mix up. Has a certain toughness and physical presence to him. Tremendous upside and an intriguing young big who can play on the blocks and on the perimeter."

Scott Versluis 6-6 So Kenowa Hills
Scored around the basket pretty easily, using both hands well for a player his age. Upon further review, probably should have made the top underclassmen list. "Big kid that really ran the floor well," said one coach. "Tough and gritty."

Hoskins signing today

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:00:30 UTC

In the first real coup of the recruiting season, Kalamazoo Loy-Norrix senior Jeff Hoskins will sign with Indiana Wesleyan. It's a rarity -- a kid mature enough to see past the D1 lights and do what's best for himself. The BCAM academic all-stater chose the NAIA school over D1 offers from Morehead State and SIU-Edwardsville. Hoskins a 6-0 guard, is...

In the first real coup of the recruiting season, Kalamazoo Loy-Norrix senior Jeff Hoskins will sign with Indiana Wesleyan. It's a rarity -- a kid mature enough to see past the D1 lights and do what's best for himself. The BCAM academic all-stater chose the NAIA school over D1 offers from Morehead State and SIU-Edwardsville.

Hoskins a 6-0 guard, is one of the most dangerous one-on-one, streak scorers in Michigan. He almost single-handedly beat a number of teams in the AAU season for Camp Darryl, most notably the Grand Rapids Storm (with some help from Mike Walker).

Kudos to a kid who overcame a lot and did things the right way.

Bank Hoops Camp: Ten DI upperclassmen

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:44:23 UTC

Here are 10 juniors and seniors from the fifth-annual Bankhoops.com All-State minicamp who looked headed for that coveted Division I scholarship -- and some perhaps stardom at that level. Dwaun Anderson 6-3 Jr Suttons Bay Had another impressive showdown with Trey Zeigler, with Zeigler getting the slight edge thanks to size and experience. Still, Anderson drained lefty jumpers over...

Here are 10 juniors and seniors from the fifth-annual Bankhoops.com All-State minicamp who looked headed for that coveted Division I scholarship -- and some perhaps stardom at that level.

Dwaun Anderson 6-3 Jr Suttons Bay
Had another impressive showdown with Trey Zeigler, with Zeigler getting the slight edge thanks to size and experience. Still, Anderson drained lefty jumpers over him and had a couple strong takes to the hole. In drills, he had the dunk of the camp. Smooth, strong and explosive. There's a reason coaches from all over the country have been going to Anderson's small hometown on the Leelanau Peninsula to take in open gyms -- he can play with anyone, anywhere. The argument could be made that Anderson is the most inherently taletned player in the state. "Not far behind Zeigler," one coach said. "Athletic, aggressive and can shoot."

Kody Chandler 6-0 Jr Schoolcraft
Reminds one of Brad Redford with his three-point shooting accuracy and range. Chandler handled the ball a lot in games, and made all the correct passes. Nothing specatular, but given that he always has to be accounted for, there were subsequent openings and he seemed to always find the open man. When he starts driving consistently as well, watch out.

Jevon Harden 6-8 Sr Detroit Loyola
When he had to handle the ball in drills, hide the kids. But if you want a damn rebound and outlet pass, and for the the big to run the floor afterwards, he's your man. Big, physical with a motor.

Patrick Lucas-Perry 5-11 Jr Flint Powers
Not big, but it doesn't matter because he's so fast, quick and smart. Recently took a trip to Notre Dame, and could certainly see PLP succeeding another Michigander, Tory Jackson. His shot still comes and goes, but it was mostly on here, and he got fat on pull-ups in the lane. It's not always easy in this kind of environment, but he was able to run a team. Doesn't necessarily project as a star at the next level, but he can be a positive contributor at the highest rank of college ball. "PLP toys with other guards," one camp coach said. "He has the ball on a string at all times."

A.J. Mathew 6-3 Jr Ann Arbor Huron
Won't wow you like some of the guys on this list, but if you just watch him really appreciate his game. Doesn't have the athletic pop you expect from a prospect of his caliber, but earns his rep through sheer production. Mathew just does everything solidly at the guard positions, on both ends of the floor. Very smart and heads up. Strong body and uses it assertively, on offense and defense. Smooth with the ball, as a creator or scorer.

Jorddan Myrick 5-11 Jr West Ottawa
Loved the combination of how this Central Michigan commitment played so relaxed, but also tough. Such a great motor and competitor, kept coming at kids and they couldn't keep up. One of those rare pass-first point guards, and I don't think his teammates are complaining, but will now keep you honest by looking for his shot. "He looked like a college player playing against boys," one coach said. "Best shooter by far at the camp. CMU got a steal."

Jason Pretzer 6-10 Jr Jenison
Absolutely huge, but not in the Derrick Nix way. More like Matt Balkema without the attitude, or a wider Chris Grimm (but hopefully without injuries in the future). When the guards got him the ball, showed good touch inside. Needs to find the right system, because he's not a runner. But can't question the effort.

Cory Starkey 6-7 Jr Petoskey
One of the state's fastest rising plalyers in the state, as scouts love a coach's son who also happens to be long, strong and athletic (on course to be a four-time league high jump champ). In one came had successive offensive plays of spin move for layup off of full fastbreak speed, then he drained a three-pointer. Showed a nice step through move on the blocks. Not a lot of kids his size and age catch on the move as easily as Starkey does, runs which often end in dunks. Needs to get more comfortable handling the ball and attacking away from the hoop. "The best junior by far that I saw right behind PLP," said one camp coach. "There isn't anything he can't do. If he gets consistent from the three-point line I believe he has Big Ten talent. Reminds me of Matt Steigenga."

Darren Washington 6-10 Jr Ann Arbor Richard
Raw, in fact one coach said he looks like Mutombo. More defense than offense at this point. To his credit, Washington did work hard on the blocks to get the ball, even when the chances of him seeing it were rare.

Trey Zeigler 6-5 Sr Mount Pleasant
I probably shouldn't have tried to have a conversation with the Case-Western coach near the basket when Trey was at that station -- the dunks were too loud to concentrate. Looked like a legit McDonald's All-American candidate. With some tweaking, not far-fetched to imagine him a pro. "Power athleticism, yet graceful finishes," one camp coach said. "Great kid with a great game and only needs a little more lift on his shot to be the quintessential all-around player."

A dozen standout underclassmen

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:24:07 UTC

Not counting the three high-major soph point guards mentioned previously, here are a dozen good underclassman prospects from the Bankhoops.com All-State Minicamp. Jacob Daniels 5-5 7th Grand Blanc A way underclassman, whom the older kids in his group took under their wing. Grading on a curve here, but he is on course to be really good. At one shooting station,...

Not counting the three high-major soph point guards mentioned previously, here are a dozen good underclassman prospects from the Bankhoops.com All-State Minicamp.

Jacob Daniels 5-5 7th Grand Blanc
A way underclassman, whom the older kids in his group took under their wing. Grading on a curve here, but he is on course to be really good. At one shooting station, he didn't miss five shots in 20 minutes. Good athlete too, not a lot of middle schoolers can jump and get hangtime like that.

Christopher Dewberry 6-0 So Waterford Mott
Played with a Rip Hamilton mask because of a busted eye socket, but didn't seem hesitant at all to make the hustle and blue-collar plays. Probably led the younger contingent in floor burns. Showed a soft three-point touch. He rebounded beyond his height, blocked shots and controlled the ball, made on-the-money bounce passes from half-court and was just in perpetual motion. Athletic, tough and versatile. You don't expect a D1 player out of Waterford Mott, but he could be.

Mory Diane 6-1 8th Birmingham Country Day
Did a double-take with the roster, because he didn't look like an eighth-grader, more like a legit player. But he's not one of those junior high phenoms who overwhelms because he's physically mature. And he's not one of those prima donna guards who do well on the AAU circuit when they're young and their game ends up oozing style over substance -- he rebounded, defended, and worked hard off the ball. Diane plays and sees the game like a vet.

H'Ian Hale 5-9 So Kalamazoo Central
This transfer from Kazoo Christian is an athletic lefty who was really tough getting into the lane. "Quick, tough, smart and super coachable," said a camp coach. "This kid looked you in the eye and just flat out got done what I asked him to do. Might have been the most attentive player of the day. Great personality and head on his shoulders. I loved him as a pure point. He's going to be a very good player -- he's already good now!"

Dylan & Ryan Hickoff 6-4 So Fenton
Sorry fellas, I imagine you don't like being thrown together. Over the next three seasons, I'm sure I'll be able to distinguish your games more. Have a K'len Morris look to them, big, versatile, athletic wings, but probably with more physical toughness. Ryan had a terrific blocked shot in one game I saw. Dylan showed sweet baseline moves with body control of an older player, and even threw an alleyoop pass that was right on the money.

J.R. James 6-4 So Pentwater
Has a big body and used it to score off the blocks, but his rep is as a shooter and buried a bunch of shots from long range as well.

Austin Koltonowski 6-2 So Battle Creek Lakeview
Hasn't grown much since the last camp, but his perimeter skills are coming along. But when a guard of equal or smaller size was on him, Koltonowski would take him low and score from the blocks. Touch all-around player. Played defense. "Even if he was the only guy back on a three-on-one, he'd try to stop it," one coach said. "He's like A.J. Mathew, they seemed to enjoy and get the most out of every minute they were on the court."

Keegan LaBlance 5-5 So Charlevoix
Hard to choose beteen LaBlance, Rochester's Paris Peirera and Troy's Evan Mahone, all very similar little guards with great handles and good shots. Mahone might be the most talented, but when he sits on the ball for And1 stuff it takes away from his game. LaBlance rarely missed if left open. He showed his floor game and clutch play when he made a steal then game-winning behind-the-back assist as time expired in one contest.

Sean Sheldon 6-8 So Traverse City St. Francis
Isn't far behind Matt Costello as the best big forward in 2012. Combination of size, length, motor and basketball IQ made Sheldon a very tough matchup, even for the older players. In drill work, whereas a lot of the big guys would just get rid of the ball when shooting around the hoop, he actually had a legit and soft shooting touch. "He battled Jason Pretzer and Darren Washington, and I thought he out-played them both," a camp coach said. "He ran the court hard every time, even when he didn't get the ball. He was real active against those bigger players, facing up, drop steps, just working hard."

Nick Stoll 6-6 So Holly
Comes to Holly from a small charter middle school, but has a big future -- literally, as his dad is pushing 6-9. But Stoll plays with a smoothness, quickness and coordination of a player much younger. He can get out on the floor and defend.

Dewrell Tisdale 6-1 Fr Flint Northern
He showed real potential at the spring camp as an eighth-grader, and his game has evolved since then, as one would hope at that age. Much better guard skills. Finished with hangtime and was a tough cover because he was willing to pass as well as attack the rim. "He's the best freshman from our area that I have seen since Charlie Bell and Mateen Cleaves," one camp coach said. "I think Dewrell can be as good as he wants to be. I'm not exagerating when I say I think he will be able to name his school of choice in three years -- he is that talented and has so much more potential."

Denzel Watts 6-0 Fr Carman-Ainsworth
Came in with a big rep, and was solid if not spectacular, which is a good place to start when one hasn't even played his first high school game. Good build for his age, a tough Flint kid. "I think he will be one of the many greats that have come from CA," said a coach, "He is not afraid to bang with the bigger older kids at the camp and can play pretty much any position on the floor. I loved coaching him."

High-major 2012 guards steal the show

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:43:52 UTC

Chris Harrison-Docks, the transfer from Louisville to Okemos, was the sophomore point guard many were anticipating seeing at the Bankhoops.com All-State Minicamp. But with the performances from the Westside Kleins, Jared from Otsego and Justin from Rockford, Harrison-Docks was one of three high-major 2012 point guards at The Cage in Swartz Creek. CHD may not pass the look test, a...

Chris Harrison-Docks, the transfer from Louisville to Okemos, was the sophomore point guard many were anticipating seeing at the Bankhoops.com All-State Minicamp. But with the performances from the Westside Kleins, Jared from Otsego and Justin from Rockford, Harrison-Docks was one of three high-major 2012 point guards at The Cage in Swartz Creek.

CHD may not pass the look test, a pretty small kid at about 5-10. But give him the rock and he doesn't just pass the basketball test, but makes the honor roll. The directness, rotation, location of his passes were college caliber. When he went up against Patrick Lucas-Perry, he showed no fear. When PLP was going at full speed in the open court againt a lot of guards, they'd be looking around in a panic hoping another defender was there to help them. But Harrison-Docks was up to the task all by himself, and even took a charge. Overall, showed good defensive fundamentals on or off the ball. While able to get into the lane easilty, sometimes struggled to finish, but that's just a size issue.

The two fan favorites of the camp were Dwaun Anderson from Suttons Bay and Rockford's Justin Klein, who is 6-0. Maybe it's the plume of curly hair, or the perpetual energy, or the White Chocolate passes, or the two-handed dunks in traffic, but it's hard not to love the kid (or, probably, have the very opposite emotion if playing against him). He's a force of nature with an infectious love of the game. Forget everything you thought you knew about Rockford basketball.

"He's a skater kid gone hoops crazy," said one of the camp coaches. "Never ever in my entire life have I seen a character/player like him. Nice talent level, with athleticism and hops. He can play defense too, very tenacious and quick hands. He dribbles standing too straight up, needs to get lower, and his shot needs work, but he's a great young talent with vision and flare."

"I've never seen a sophomore pass like that," said one of the college coaches. "If I were Oakland or a MAC school, I'd offer him right now, they won't be able to get him later"

There was a similar sentiment about Jared Klein, also 6-0.

"Unbelievable that he is a soph!," one of the camp coaches said. "He was in complete control of the game, a phenomenal ball handler and passer. Needs to work on his shooting but other than that he was one of the best guards I saw at the camp. If I was a mid-major I would offer him now."

The Otsego Klein doesn't have the flash, but if you want a point guard who can move the ball from A to B and make the right reads time and again, he's your guy. Thought and moved a step ahead of everyone, and has the speed to make that happen. A one-man fast break. Strong enough to operate in the lane. His brother Derek is a senior who played well at the camp. He's 6-6. If Jared approaches that size, he's the next Nick Calathes. As for the shooting mentioned by the coach, Klein tends to aim it, instead of just letting it flow.

Kamieniecki headed out of state

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:38:17 UTC

It came down to Western Michigan and Ball State, but a week after pulling in Juwan Howard Jr. he Broncos couldn't repeat with a Detroit area star, as Clarkston's 6-foot-7 senior Matt Kamieniecki committed to Ball State Monday night. Kamieniecki was the inside force for the Clarkston team that made the Class A semifinals, and was a productive role player...

It came down to Western Michigan and Ball State, but a week after pulling in Juwan Howard Jr. he Broncos couldn't repeat with a Detroit area star, as Clarkston's 6-foot-7 senior Matt Kamieniecki committed to Ball State Monday night. Kamieniecki was the inside force for the Clarkston team that made the Class A semifinals, and was a productive role player for the Mustangs in the summer. He's long, versatile, athletic, and will be the best Michigan forward to play in Muncie, Ind. since Detroit Cooley's Paris McCurdy two decades ago.