Earl's Team

[Taj79]

Over on www.earlaustinjr.com he has posted his Inaugural STL Prep All-Stars. Some of the names I know, most I do not. But I was curious where these kids are going, if anywhere, to play their college ball. I am sure Vtime (may he always rest in peace) woul dhave been on here yelling for SLU to offer all, but what is up with some of these kids and did SLU look at them or what? Just curious. And, for anyone who has followed my discussion line on this is th epast, thne you know I don't consider STL talent to be all that impressive.

Brad Beal we all know inked with Florida. Earl says Roosevelt Jone si ssigning with Butler. One that got away? Again? Scheer signed with Mo State. I think I remember hi sname being bantered about on here. Eric Clark? Ben McLemore? Bueleer? Bueller/ Any one?

Second team has Shaq Boga. I remember that name. Derick Dilworth (Webster Groves). Ryan Pierson (CBC). Garret Reeg (Oakville). And Will Triggs (Edwardsville).

Third team has seniors Michael Messer (Lafayette), David Wiegmann (Breese Central) and Brier West (Soldan).

Fourth team seniors include Cortez Conners (Webster Grovesr, Toraino Hellems (Oakville), Julian Johnson (Whitfield) and Jarrion Norris (Cahokia).

I also saw where hgis All-Freshmen Team included the next Swopeshire. Target for foen the road?

[Quality Is Job 1]

Over on www.earlaustinjr.com he has posted his Inaugural STL Prep All-Stars. Some of the names I know, most I do not. But I was curious where these kids are going, if anywhere, to play their college ball. I am sure Vtime (may he always rest in peace) woul dhave been on here yelling for SLU to offer all, but what is up with some of these kids and did SLU look at them or what? Just curious. And, for anyone who has followed my discussion line on this is th epast, thne you know I don't consider STL talent to be all that impressive.

Brad Beal we all know inked with Florida. Earl says Roosevelt Jone si ssigning with Butler. One that got away? Again? Scheer signed with Mo State. I think I remember hi sname being bantered about on here. Eric Clark? Ben McLemore? Bueleer? Bueller/ Any one?

Second team has Shaq Boga. I remember that name. Derick Dilworth (Webster Groves). Ryan Pierson (CBC). Garret Reeg (Oakville). And Will Triggs (Edwardsville).

Third team has seniors Michael Messer (Lafayette), David Wiegmann (Breese Central) and Brier West (Soldan).

Fourth team seniors include Cortez Conners (Webster Grovesr, Toraino Hellems (Oakville), Julian Johnson (Whitfield) and Jarrion Norris (Cahokia).

I also saw where hgis All-Freshmen Team included the next Swopeshire. Target for foen the road?

Typing while driving is dangerous; I don't recommend it.

[Cushirishbill]

Typing while driving is dangerous; I don't recommend it.

It doesn't matter now if local talent gets away. It did with a previous coach who was the Dean of the "Recruit Local" philosophy. Look where that got us...

"Nowhere," to quote "Boondock Saints."

Best recruiting class in years on their way to St. Louis...from all corners. If they don't want to give us a look, Majerus won't even watch them play.

[Hawk]

It doesn't matter now if local talent gets away. It did with a previous coach who was the Dean of the "Recruit Local" philosophy. Look where that got us...

"Nowhere," to quote "Boondock Saints."

Best recruiting class in years on their way to St. Louis...from all corners. If they don't want to give us a look, Majerus won't even watch them play.

Who cares where they come from? I'm gonna root for the guys in white and blue all the same whether they come from St. Louis or Bongo Bongo.

[Box and Won]

"Nowhere," to quote "Boondock Saints."

Awful movie.

I was impressed to see that the kid from O'Fallon is headed to Butler next year. Lord knows we'll have plenty of opportunities to see him play on TV.

[brianstl]

It doesn't matter now if local talent gets away. It did with a previous coach who was the Dean of the "Recruit Local" philosophy. Look where that got us...

"Nowhere," to quote "Boondock Saints."

Best recruiting class in years on their way to St. Louis...from all corners. If they don't want to give us a look, Majerus won't even watch them play.

Recruiting locally has as many problems as it does pluses. If it doesn't work out for the kid it leaves a bad taste in a lot of peoples mouths. You have to be selective when you recruit locally.

We all wanted to land Tyler Griffey a couple years ago and it would have been nice to land him. Fast forward to today and Tyler might now be the third option at the 4 after Loe and Ellis. How do you think that would play with people in St Louis?

[Zink]

Anthony Virdure, on the all-frosh team is a legit player. I've seen him ranked as high as top-40 by some sites in his class. My younger brother has been playing against him since 6th grade, and this kid could hit pull-up 3's even at that age. He looks like he'll get taller too (big hands, feet & long arms), is a tremendous athlete and a very nice person. Not necessarily saying we need to recruit him, but he'll play D-I ball and probably at a high level. Wouldn't mind seeing him in Billiken Blue if he continues to develop as expected.

[STL Hoops Insider]

Over on www.earlaustinjr.com he has posted his Inaugural STL Prep All-Stars. Some of the names I know, most I do not. But I was curious where these kids are going, if anywhere, to play their college ball. I am sure Vtime (may he always rest in peace) woul dhave been on here yelling for SLU to offer all, but what is up with some of these kids and did SLU look at them or what? Just curious. And, for anyone who has followed my discussion line on this is th epast, thne you know I don't consider STL talent to be all that impressive.

Brad Beal we all know inked with Florida. Earl says Roosevelt Jone si ssigning with Butler. One that got away? Again? Scheer signed with Mo State. I think I remember hi sname being bantered about on here. Eric Clark? Ben McLemore? Bueleer? Bueller/ Any one?

Second team has Shaq Boga. I remember that name. Derick Dilworth (Webster Groves). Ryan Pierson (CBC). Garret Reeg (Oakville). And Will Triggs (Edwardsville).

Third team has seniors Michael Messer (Lafayette), David Wiegmann (Breese Central) and Brier West (Soldan).

Fourth team seniors include Cortez Conners (Webster Grovesr, Toraino Hellems (Oakville), Julian Johnson (Whitfield) and Jarrion Norris (Cahokia).

I also saw where hgis All-Freshmen Team included the next Swopeshire. Target for foen the road?

McLemore is going to Oak Hill Academy next year. Could end up a lot of places, but Kansas is the favorite. Shaquille Boga is a legit D1 ball player. Derrick Dilworth is going to Moberly CC, Ryan Pierson to Northeastern, Garrett Reed has some D2 and NAIA offers, Will Triggs to Austin Peay, Michael Messer to SIUE, Brier West to Mineral Area CC, Cortez Conners to Moberly CC, Jarion Norris to Kaskaskia CC

[doowop]

Taj79, Beal did not sign with Florida. He committed to Florida.

[Taj79]

Thanbks to all of you who responded. I guess doowop, you are saying Beal is still a question mark. Is that attributable to less-than-solid verbal as opposed to a signature?

I have to admire a St. Louis kid like Jones going to Butler. I don't know that I consider that a "major" just yet. I think the question is will Butler now fall back to tha pack ala George Mason, Indiana State, Penn, Davidson and someother one-hit wonders or will they maintain the Gonzaga-Xavier level of high mid-majors. I am banking on them maintaining.

But again, not a lot to sho won here for the dozen or so seniors. One guy to Oak Hill for grade seasoning I assume. Lots of the typicsal community college fodder we have seen in the past. If Boga is legit, as a senior, he is still unsigned. Grades? Test scores? Just seems odd.

But a better than normal year for STL Hoops. Florida. Butler. Northeastern. Austin peay. Sorry --- I don't count SIU-E, not just yet. Maybe when they achieve NJ Tech or Savannah State status.

[doowop]

Taj79, Beal cannot sign before the Fall signing period of this year. There is a rumor that he is considering other options. However, as of now it is only a rumor.

[STL Hoops Insider]

"In getting my first live look at Ben McLemore, it quickly became clear what he loves best – dunking. It doesn’t matter if he’s in the open court or facing a lane of opponents and teammates, McLemore is looking to bring down the house.

After opening the afternoon game with a corner trey, McLemore got in the open court seconds later and threw down the dunk of the day – a monster one-handed windmill dunk off two feet. Moments later, McLemore was the recipient of an inbounds pass above the rim, only to be fouled on the dunk attempt. He would only attempt one other three in the lopsided win, but he spent the rest of his brief time on the court looking to jam on anyone – on either team. His final line looked like this:

20pts off 6-8 FG, 1-2 3FG, 1 REB, and 5-7 FT

An impressive scoring line, especially you consider that he probably only logged 10 minutes of actual game time on the floor.

The scouting report on McLemore doesn’t end with the leaping and the dunks. He already shows confidence in his jumper, which looks smooth and consistent both inside and outside of the arc. His free throw release is identical to his jumpshot release, which is a good indicator of his fundamental mechanics (it doesn’t hurt that he looks like a natural shooter when at the line). Aside from his scoring, McLemore also looks to make passes and shows very nice vision for a big guard. He can make flashy passes and the easy ones, and generally looks like a player that will consistently get his teammates involved. Given more time with his current AAU group (I believe it’s only his 3rd event with the Eagles), it won’t be surprising if McLemore and teammate Brad Beal slowly begin to get a stranglehold on the AAU circuit this summer.

Defensively, however, McLemore is a work in progress. While he certainly won’t be confused with Brandon Rush on the defensive end, it’s clear that he has the lateral quickness and length to be a disruptive force as a collegiate defender. If anything, it simply looks like McLemore just needs more quality time with coaches looking to teach him how to defend and there is no reason to believe he won’t end up as a high quality perimeter defender. The tools are certainly all there.

At the end of the day, McLemore is a no-brainer as a prospect given his abundant athleticism and absurd leaping ability. He already shoots and handles the ball well too, which should eventually make him an excellent fit as a guard in almost any system."

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"It might not have been the way the St. Louis Eagles wanted to win the 2010 Jayhawk Invitational, but Bradley Beal and Ben McLemore led their team to just that, albeit a forfeited final game for the championship scheduled to be between St. Louis and the Compton Magic. Beal, currently committed to Florida, was named MVP of the tournament and looked like the top ten player that he is.

Local favorite KC Pump N Run fell short in the semi finals, falling to the eventual champs while several elite prospects lived up to to the hype during their time in Lawrence, Kan.

Bradley Beal, Ben McLemore

Some of the best talent the Jayhawk Invitational has ever had completed a great weekend of basketball around Lawrence, Kan.

Bradley Beal, the MVP of the tournament, led his team to an undefeated championship, living up to his No. 7 ranking in the class of 2011.

Teammate Ben McLemore, currently had a solid weekend and was as athletic as anyone in the tournament.

Beal is a fluid guard who is almost automatic when he has his mind focused on the task at hand. Offensively, he is as smooth as they come. He can take his man off the bounce and finish in traffic, as well as knock down the outside jumper.

Maybe one of his best offensive moves is pulling up for a mid-range jumper while driving the ball. He gets plenty of rise on his shot and has enough body control to get the ball off with a soft touch. In terms of his mechanics, he is virtually flawless from any angle.

The only downside to Beal's game is the occasional lack of focus. He almost seems disinterested, and if he has a tougher time finding his offense or geting touches, he seems to get frustrated. During one of Saturday's games, Beal was 0-1 from the field and never really seemed interested in what was happening on the court.

McLemore is expected to eventually sign with Kansas, but many of the top programs in the country are pushing hard to compete with the Jayhawks for his services. He is an incredible athlete who also possesses a good outside shot, which makes him a very dangerous player.

He is a long and physically imposing against the average defender. It seems, in some cases, that McLemore may not know how good is truly is. He can dominate a game at any time."

[Taj79]

Again, thnaks. I understnd the verbal and signing parts doowop. Thanks again.

As to STLHoops Insider, appreciate it. But let me say this ---- pulling quotes from stories does not impress me. Authors have biases, who are they writing about, do they know, them, is it an objective review, who's the audience, who are they trying to impress. A byline from a Juliet Eilperin tell sme more about the story before I even open it.

And again, I defer to the just-because-its-in-the-paper-means-it-true disagreement. Sure --- Carmelo Anthomny and Derek Rose and Tyreke Evans and John Wall all lived up to theo rbilling. But I've seen manymore crash-and-burn then register even a modicum of success. Now, granted I watch the St. Louis boys more than most but I'm still waiting for guys like Scott Suggs, Tyler Griffey, Sean Kowal, John Brandenburg, UJosh Harrelson, Kramer Soderberg, Bobby Hill, Jimmy McKinney and many others to register even a blip on the college scene. Here's hoping (and expecting) some still will.

[STL Hoops Insider]

Again, thnaks. I understnd the verbal and signing parts doowop. Thanks again.

As to STLHoops Insider, appreciate it. But let me say this ---- pulling quotes from stories does not impress me. Authors have biases, who are they writing about, do they know, them, is it an objective review, who's the audience, who are they trying to impress. A byline from a Juliet Eilperin tell sme more about the story before I even open it.

And again, I defer to the just-because-its-in-the-paper-means-it-true disagreement. Sure --- Carmelo Anthomny and Derek Rose and Tyreke Evans and John Wall all lived up to theo rbilling. But I've seen manymore crash-and-burn then register even a modicum of success. Now, granted I watch the St. Louis boys more than most but I'm still waiting for guys like Scott Suggs, Tyler Griffey, Sean Kowal, John Brandenburg, UJosh Harrelson, Kramer Soderberg, Bobby Hill, Jimmy McKinney and many others to register even a blip on the college scene. Here's hoping (and expecting) some still will.

None of those guys were as highly regarded as Beal. He's a 5 star prospect and McLemore from all accounts will soon be a 5 star prospect. I think of the guys you mentioned, possibly Griffey may have been close, but I dont even think he was a highly thought of as these kids are right now. None of those guys were McDonald's All-Americans. Beal is a near lock to be in that game, McLemore still has some work to do as he is just scratching the surface and just now being seen on the national level. This might be just his 3rd or 4th real AAU tournament ever.

[Pistol]

None of those guys were as highly regarded as Beal. He's a 5 star prospect and McLemore from all accounts will soon be a 5 star prospect. I think of the guys you mentioned, possibly Griffey may have been close, but I dont even think he was a highly thought of as these kids are right now. None of those guys were McDonald's All-Americans. Beal is a near lock to be in that game, McLemore still has some work to do as he is just scratching the surface and just now being seen on the national level. This might be just his 3rd or 4th real AAU tournament ever.

If McLemore is even close to as good as Beal, then he's downright awesome. I know they're different style players, but Beal is the best high school player I've seen in St. Louis in a long time. With a second scholarship opening up from John, maybe these guys could be our goals (if Beal decommits, that is- I strongly believe that it's wrong to contact a committed player).

Hey, someone has to be an optimist right now, right?

[Cushirishbill]

If McLemore is even close to as good as Beal, then he's downright awesome. I know they're different style players, but Beal is the best high school player I've seen in St. Louis in a long time. With a second scholarship opening up from John, maybe these guys could be our goals (if Beal decommits, that is- I strongly believe that it's wrong to contact a committed player).

Hey, someone has to be an optimist right now, right?

Is there any video out there of McLemore? I have been away from the STL prep scene and don't know much about his style. Any comparisons??

[NH]

If McLemore is even close to as good as Beal, then he's downright awesome. I know they're different style players, but Beal is the best high school player I've seen in St. Louis in a long time. With a second scholarship opening up from John, maybe these guys could be our goals (if Beal decommits, that is- I strongly believe that it's wrong to contact a committed player).

Hey, someone has to be an optimist right now, right?

I wish, but theres no way that even if they decommited they would consider SLU at this point.

MY friend played in the Jayhawk Invitational this weekend (in Mclemores first game he scored 20 pts including four dunks) and he says McLemore is better.

I dont know about that but he is certainly more athletic, once he develops some of the feel for how to dominate that BEal has, I think he will be just as good.

[NH]

Is there any video out there of McLemore? I have been away from the STL prep scene and don't know much about his style. Any comparisons??

[Cushirishbill]

Thanks, NH!!

[courtside]

I wish, but theres no way that even if they decommited they would consider SLU at this point.

MY friend played in the Jayhawk Invitational this weekend (in Mclemores first game he scored 20 pts including four dunks) and he says McLemore is better.

I dont know about that but he is certainly more athletic, once he develops some of the feel for how to dominate that BEal has, I think he will be just as good.

The St. Louis Eagles won the U17 tourney at the Jayhawk Invitational and Brad Beal was named MVP. Roosevelt Jones joined him on the first team all tourney.

[STL Hoops Insider]

Thanks, NH!!

Yeah thanks NH. I know some people dont like to take much from video, but the things you see in the videos are absurd.

[NH]

Yeah thanks NH. I know some people dont like to take much from video, but the things you see in the videos are absurd.

In a lot of ways that first video that came out got him on the map. anyone with that range and that athleticism is immediately a prospect.

[STL Hoops Insider]

Yeah the first video made by STL HOOPS INSIDER really put him on the map. Opened eyes of college coaches, scouts, and fans alike. Bigger schools started calling immediately once they received emails with the youtube link from the STLHI staff.