Camp Darryl AAU Update

I do all this talk about pro and college sports, but I also coach AAU basketball and follow it, so why not also put it here, since this is my blog. Here is what I wrote about the camp Darryl/bankhoops.com classic on chippewacountry.com. The cmu rivals site.

This weekend over 70 teams were in the worst city in the world for the Camp Darryl/bankhoops classic. Darryl Matthews the fonder of Camp Darryl and Steve Bell from Bankhopps do a great job in putting this event together and making it a 1st class event for players, coaches, media, and D2/D3 coaches. (d1 coaches are in a dead period right now, as far as events) In the U17 age group the West Michigan Lakers won for the second week in a row. They are just fun to watch. They play great team basketball, and not one guy has to be the star.. very rare to see in AAU, they are a joy to watch play right now. In the U16 division Legion won a title behind one of the best players in 2011 Patrick Lucas-Perry, the 5'9 speedy PG from Class B state champs Flint Powers. Now, a little more about some of the players who played well many of whom are as BA would say "cmu intrest"

In no order: 2010 guys

Cole Darling- 6'7 Holt, Roadrunners- continues to play well. They got waxed by the Lakers in the semi's but he played well this weekend. He is long, and can step out and shoot the 3. Can also post. He handles the ball well for his size.

Chris Anderson 6'5 Reefs Puffer, Storm- Showed how strong he is with posting up, and scoring at will down low. He is a great athlete, and though he does need work on his shot, his ability to post guards up, makes him very nice to have on your team. The Storm got upset by Darryl by 1 in the semi's mainly because they didn't play hard to start the game, and got in a big hole, and then they went away from posting up. They had a big advantage down low, with first Voss, more on him in a sec, and then Anderson posting smaller guards from Darryl and they went away from it, and their guards shot too many 3s.

Colin Voss- 6'7 EGR, Storm- To say that me and Colin have a bromance going at this point would not be too far off. I just love watching, except when he steps out and goes 0-4 from 3 in the second half of their semi loss, when no one can stop him down low. He is a beast, he is all over the glass, and if he catches in the paint, it is either a bucket, a foul, or both. He is also a good ft shooter. He does have 3 range, but that isn't his game, it is nice every so often, but he should not shoot 4 or 5 a game, especially when no one can stop him down low. Part of this is also their PGs need to get him the ball. He does need to stay on his feet on defense, he jumps a little too much, on pump fakes, but he is a great player, and words can not express how happy I would be if he came here.

Jeff Hoskins-6'0 K Loy-Norrix, Camp Darryl-Quick combo garud who can push the ball, handle well, and get to the basket, as well as lite it up. He is a bit of a streaky shooter, but when he is on, like vs the Storm in the semi's, watch out, he put on a show. In the finals vs WM Lakers he was hardly noticeable. Very good player though, small, but strong, would have to play pg in college, IMO.

Jake Plite- 6'7 Sparta, WM Lakers- Just solid, went to cmu's camp last year, and told me he is planing on coming back again this summer. Long and just playes well. He doesn't really do anything that wows you, he just is a good basketball player.

Austin Simple- 6'6 Zeeland West, WM Lakers- Just like Plite in the fact that he just plays hard. Is long and strong, and plays taller then he is. Again, doesn't really wow you, just a solid basketball player.

Shane Tiemeyer- 6'10 Zeeland West, WM Lakers- I do have a special place in my heart for Shane since I had him at cmu's post camp back when he was a incoming freshmen, and already about 6'6. Well now he's a JR and 6'10, and though he is limited offensively, that can be worked on. He isn't really strong, but he is not weak, and he plays hard. He plays good defense and rebounds well and sets good screens. he is a team player, and not a guy you will have to worry about with off the court problems, or being a problem in the lockeroom wanting more touches or playing time. Still a d2 player IMO, but who knows. Someone is going to take a chance on him.

Nate Vanarendonk- 6'10 Grand Heaven, Storm- Big man, with nice feet, who moves very well for a guy his size. He can step out and stay in front of smaller guys. Has a nice touch, and is a good rebounder. Needs to work on keeping the ball high when he catches and not bringing it down. But I have not yet meet a 16 or 17 year old post player who doesn't need some work. Getting a good deal of Big 12 type looks.


In no order: 2011

Patrick Lucas-Perry- 5'9 Flint Powers, Legion- Lets keep this short, stud, fast, can shoot, get to the basket, he is a leader on and off the court, talks to him teammates, just a job to watch.

Dan Chilcote-6'7 Jackson Lumen Christi, Legion- A big man with a nice touch, can step out with ease. Plays hard and rebounds well, needs to get a little stronger to add some post moves and bang down low, but considering his coach of the team Legion is 6'10 ex NBA player Tim McCormick, who does a great job with this team, I am sure he will be fine.

Jorddan Myrick- 5'10 West Ottawa, Storm- This is how good PLP is, Jorddan is a very good pg in the class of 2011, top 10 for sure, maybe close to the top 5, and Lucas-Perry made he look bad. In saying that, he is a very good pg, and I do like him a lot, he was also at cmu's camp last summer, he is quick and good with the ball, and a good shooter. One thing he needs to work on is being a leader. The Storm's U16 team has a lot of talent and they lost to Triple Threat in the Quarters, this is after getting to the finals last weekend. They have lots of guys who can shoot and score, for them to be as good as they can be, Jorddan needs to be that leader, get yours when needed, but run the show and distribute, make your teammates better.

Ryan Majerle- 6'3 Rockford, Storm- I basically saw the same things from Ryan this weekend as I always do. He can handle, he can shoot, he can post, he rebounds, just a good young player.

Dwuan Anderson- 6'3 Sutton's Bay, Perrell 45- I got to see way too much of him as he basically single handily eliminated my team that I coach. Everything we tried didn't work. He can shoot, he can post, he can get up, plays hard, rebounds, handles. He is a flat out stud, in the U16 division he looks like a man playing with boys. CMU has a lot of intrest in him, so you will hear a lot more about him in the next few years.

Quickly a few 2012 kids:

Justin Klein- 5'11 Rockford, Storm- If he didn't get hurt during the semi final game the Storm U15 would have been in the finals, I think. He is a very good pg. His problem is between the ears, watch what happens with him the next few years, if he matures, he will be a very good player.

Jared Klein- 6'0 Plainwell, ACB Gold U16- Plays up as a freshmen on their U16 team and does a great job. We played them last weekend in Holland and he killed us. Good shooter, as is his teammate Kody Chandler, and runs the point well. May be one of the best pg in his class, if not the best right now.

Kellen McCormick- 6'5 ND Prep, Legion U16, Plays up with the Legion U16 team coached by his dad. Has a very nice touch, good shooting big man. No question he is going to get taller. He is someone to watch in the next few years.

The state has so many talented players right now, John Simmons continues to play well, as does local Beal City kid Stone Beckwith, both for the Storm's U 15 team.

Quickly Team Detroit made it to the semi's this weekend in their tournament in IU against a national field. big Corey continues to play well, from what Trey told me, Trey also played very well and he is starting to get some of the national attention he deserves.


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