The Free Game Blog

A King's Legacy

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 00:05:55 GMT

The Legacy of NBA Great LeBron James doesn't begin or end on the hardwood...

"The Battle" is my favorite event series because it consistently allows me to identify new prospects, see different attributes from young men I’ve previously evaluated, and gain a better perspective on the next generation of elite basketball players. "The Battle LA" provided that same experience I’ve grown to know, love, and expect but also gave me a deeper insight into one of the most evaluated, scrutinized, and critiqued athletes in modern history. As LeBron James entered the gym to watch his son play, I got an opportunity to see the 4x NBA Champion and 18x NBA All-Star in a different light. LeBron James is the only player in NBA history to record at least 30,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 10,000 assists but of all his "on the court" accolades & accomplishments in his 19 seasons as an NBA Superstar, I found myself with a court-side view of his most important attribute, fatherhood...

Most people can recount occasions when they met "Stars" and refer to their aura & mystique. Without a doubt, the thing that stood out the most about the man affectionately referred to as "King James" was his focus, attention, and support of his children. As he assumed his court-side seat; the first thing LeBron did was set his phones down on the broadcast table and intently watch each possession of his son's game. As Bronny made his way up and down the court, you could hear words of encouragement directed his way from his dad loud enough for him to hear but not so loud that it could be a distraction or the focus of onlookers. He positively encouraged Bronny to be aggressive and to attack the defense and with each sentence, you saw Bronny's level of play elevate. Bronny James played with a level of confidence that matched his capabilities as he poured in 28 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. His entire game was on display from his scoring, playmaking/basketball I.Q. & shooting touch to his defensive and leadership abilities. I'd been saying all weekend that Bronny is one of the best players in the country when he is aggressive and during this game, he was proving me right. I wondered how much of his success could be attributed to having one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball sitting court-side providing encouragement, and that question was answered at half-time when Bronny & LeBron shared a few words. The eye contact between the two never wavered. At that moment, I knew his influence had less to do with him as a superstar future "Hall of Famer", and more to do with him as a loving father and head of the house. It was then that I paused with introspection and realized how amazing that moment truly was.

As a father, I can't tell you the number of times I'm not fully present in my children's lives (even when I'm physically present.) There's no shortage of emails that require an immediate response, phone calls/texts that need to be answered, or other miscellaneous tasks that need to be completed. Here I sat witnessing one of the busiest and most accomplished people on the planet being present and I realized two very important things. 1) I'm never too busy to be present and there for my children no matter what is going on and moving forward I'm going to be more intentional about that. And, 2) While everyone spends time debating the greatness of LeBron James, constantly comparing him to other players in NBA History; the most important part of his legacy has nothing to do with the 94 x 50-foot stage that he competes on nightly. I watched LeBron cheer with the same enthusiasm for his daughter excitedly landing a cartwheel as he did when Bronny knocked down a step-back 3 pointer. I watched him beam with joy as she grabbed a ball and performed a between the legs dribble with the same approving nature as he did when Bronny attacked the basket and finished a drive, through contact, collecting the hoop and the harm. This level of love and support is the type of magical fuel in the hearts of children that allows them to fearlessly pursue their dreams. It's subjective and easily argued whether or not LeBron James is the greatest player in NBA History but in watching him interact with his children one thing is not up for debate; he is a Hall of Fame Father!

I've witnessed multiple game-winning shots, emphatic dunks, and other incredible plays from LeBron but moving forward this is the first thing that will come to mind when I hear his name or think about his impact.

Photo by Clutch Visuals https://www.instagram.com/clutchvisualss/

Photo from LeBron James instagram story

Photo by Shotsbychubbs https://www.instagram.com/shotsbychubbs/

THE BATTLE LA "THE WARMUP" DAY 1 STANDOUTS

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Sat, 02 Apr 2022 15:38:07 GMT

THE BATTLE SERIES CAME TO THE CITY OF ANGELS AND THESE PLAYERS STOOD OUT IN DAY 1...

Compton Magic vs. Strive For Greatness

16u Strive For Greatness won 70-68
17u Compton Magic won 67-59

As expected there was no shortage of talent on the floor in “The Battle LA” Day 1! The star power showed up and shined bright, but none brighter than Andrej Stojakovic (Compton Magic 17u- 6’6 2023 SF Jesuit High School (CA), the son of NBA All-Star Pedrag Stojakovic .

Andrej earned my Day 1 MVP finishing with 27 points & 15 rebounds while putting on an absolute showcase of fundamental mastery, pure shooting touch, aggressive defense and tenacious rebounding. In my first time seeing him play live I was blown away. Andrej scored at all 3 levels showing a soft touch and ability to finish off the glass in traffic, knock down mid-range jumpers and of course, knock down the outside shot the way his dad's famously known for. On the first possession of the game I heard “Shooter” echo through the gym as Andrej crossed the timeline and walked into a rhythm NBA range jumper. The defense wasn’t able to close-out in time and points were being added to the board. Andrej looked over to his bench and smiled and it was clear he was about to have a big night. I knew to expect big things from him when during a pre-game conversation with Etop Udo-Ema (Compton Magic Founder) he told me; “That kid is SPECIAL!” Coming from Etop that means a lot if you know the history of his program and the players who’ve donned the Compton Magic Gold uniform.

There’s always at least one name that emerges into the National spotlight on the heels of The Battle events, here are my other Day 1 Standouts that you need to keep your eyes on moving forward.

Pharaoh Compton (Strive For Greatness 16u) - 6’6+ 2024 F Spring Valley High School (NV)

17 points & 12 rebounds

Pharaoh Compton is a name I immediately circled when watching the teams warmup. He gets off the floor extremely quickly, is athletic and has great size. Pharaoh is a superb mixture of Size, Speed, Power and Explosiveness with soft hands, a wide catch radius and elite finishing ability. He runs the floor with a purpose and often finds himself in the right places at the right times. It’s no coincidence that the final bucket of the game was an alley-oop he finished over a Compton Magic defender to give Strive For Greatness the win. Listed at 6’6, Pharaoh is one of the rare players that you see and think, “he may be taller than what’s in the program.” I expect to see his name BLOW UP next weekend at the EYBL live period in Orlando.

Vyctorius Miller (Strive For Greatness 16u) - 6’5 2024 G Crean Lutheran High School (CA) ESPN #15

23 points, 9 rebounds & 7 assists

VJ Miller is a smooth young crafty guard with an ability to get to the basket and finish through contact. He gets to the free throw line at will and routinely converts those opportunities. Last night he was an un-characteristic 7-11 from the line (at The Battle Ohio last summer he went 9-10 and 5-5 on game 2) and also showed off his mid-range abilities. One the defensive side of the ball he demonstrated relentless ball pressure and caused numerous turnovers to help SFG battle back from a double digit deficit in the 4th period.

Solo Bailey (Compton Magic 16u) - 6’1 2025 G Crossroads High School (CA)

22 points

The first time I saw Solo was in North Carolina at the CP3 Rising Stars Camp and when I saw the entire gym gather around for a chance to see him dunk I knew he had something special. He won that dunk contest going between the legs and dunking over a CP3 banner with hundreds of on-lookers gasping in amazement. I included him in my pre-season “Freshman 10” ( https://www.thebrantleymethod.com/the-freshman-10 )and he has continued to grow and develop from that first impression.

As the teams warmed up, my broadcast partner Mark Edwards looked over to me and said; “Why is he jumping like that?” As he googled in disbelief that the young man was a 2025 prospect. I knew coming into this game that he could play above the rim, but what he displayed last night was impressive. The defense wasn’t able to stop him from going left and for that they paid heavily! He got to the basket at will and finished on both sides of the basket. Through, around and above contact… it didn’t matter what they did, there was no stopping Solo Bailey. He was 5-6 from the Free-Throw line so I was shocked the ball wasn’t in his hands more down the stretch. I’m looking forward to seeing Solo’s continued maturation and development.

Darius Carr (Compton Magic 17u) - 6’3 2023 G St. Bernard (CA)

18 points

Darius Carr is a high motor, downhill scorer who gets out in transition and finishes above the rim early and often for Compton Magic. I’ve seen his athletic ability and offensive finishing capabilities but what stood out the most to me last night was his perimeter defense. He made it very clear that he is one of California’s elite guards and it was evident this game meant a lot to him. Often when evaluating players I will hear guys say that a player in High Major because of their scoring prowess and I walk away wondering; “But can he defend at that level?” That is not a question you have to ask about Darius Carr. He joins a long line of aggressive defenders from the Compton Magic program and we’ve had the ability to see how that trait translates to collegiate success.

Javonte “JJ” Taylor (Strive For Greatness 17u) - 6’7+ 2023 SF Donda Academy (CA) ESPN #11

16 points & 7 rebounds

JJ Taylor is the player in the field that I’ve seen the most live. Each time I see him he shows a different dynamic of his game. He’s been working hard with Coach Frank Robinson & Mark Edwards and the growth/maturation is noticeable. On multiple times in the game you saw JJ grab a rebound on the defensive end and push the break 94 feet and finish at the other end. He showcased his range knocking down a pair of deep threes, his defensive ability to guard every position on the floor and willingness to go and get a rebound. At his size and ability Taylor is a special prospect who’s game certainly translates to the next level.

Kalib Lacount (Compton Magic 17u) - 5’9 2022 PG King/Drew High School (CA)

10 points, 8 rebounds & 5 assists

ENERGY!!! That’s the only way to describe Kalib Lacount. He was the straw that stirred the drink for the Compton Magic. One of the best unsigned guards in California, Lacount was auditioning for collegiate opportunities last night. The Coliseum League POY, CIF LA City Co-POY, and LA Times All-Star Basketball Team member plays with a certain level of grit, passion and intensity that can’t be fabricated, manufactured or taught. He has a passion for the game and even greater passion for winning. He made the right plays at the right times and competed from the opening tip to the final whistle. Mark Edwards made a point during the broadcast that a lot of evaluators and casual basketball fans often look for superlatives when watching basketball but it’s the winning plays that translate to success at the next level and Kalib Lacount makes those plays.

Andrew Meadows (Strive For Greatness 17u) - 6’7 2023 SF West Ranch High School (CA)

13 points

Every team needs complimentary guys that are going to make the most of their minutes and opportunities. Often it’s tough to have a cohesive effort from your bench in grassroots basketball because a lot of guys are playing in roles that they aren’t necessary used to in their high school systems. Andrew Meadows is one of those guys that just shows up and get the job done. He does the dirty work, and provides a much needed spark off the bench for Strive For Greatness. Meadows showcased his outside shot, mid-range shot and an ability to finish at the Tim. He made timely rebounds and his effort kept SFG in the game.

Brayden Burries (Strive For Greatness 16u) - 6’4 2025 G Polytechnic High School (CA)

18 points

Burries was the spark that ignited the fire. Each time it appeared the window of opportunity was closing for Strive For Greatness, Brayden Burries would knock down a timely shot or get a steal and convert it into a transition opportunity. When they went to the full court press late in the game, he was the one who appeared to always find his way to the passing lanes or knocking the ball away from a ball handler. His outside shooting ability stretched the floor and kept the defense from collapsing on VJ Miller and the SFG looked more complete and cohesive with him on the floor.

Day 1 of action from The Battle LA did not disappoint, you do not want to miss Day 2 & DAY 3. We have a full slate of games starting at 9:30AM PST/12:30PM EST on the SUVtv network!

BLACK MONDAY

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 02:33:57 GMT

Highlighting Current Collegiate Standounts Poised to Fill 2022's Coaching Vacancies!

“Black Monday” refers to specific Mondays when undesirable or turbulent events have occurred. It has been used to designate massacres, military battles, stock market crashes, and the Monday after the conclusion of a sport's season where underperforming coaches are relieved of their duties. It's the day that every coach on the proverbial "bubble" or imaginary "Hot Seat" dreads. I’d like to chip away at the negative connotation associated with “Black Monday” and use it as an opportunity to highlight the Black men within the industry who have worked hard and are deserving of an opportunity at one of these coveted job openings. In the spring of 2021, we saw a groundbreaking NCAA Division 1 Head Coach hiring cycle in which 34 of the 61 openings were filled by Black Men including 7 of 13 in Power 6 Conferences. Progress was made, but the work is not finished. We must continue to highlight, spotlight, and celebrate those who are changing the narratives/perceptions within the industry.

As another season ends; and inevitably, a new coaching carousel begins, Athletic Director’s across the nation made decisions to look in new directions for the future. There was no shortage of social media banter/speculation from pundits, media members, fans, and even anonymous “insider” groups of who should fill these openings. I’ve selected 10 current “Non-Power 6” Head Coaches who are having a "High-Major" impact on College Basketball & 8 Assistant Coaches who have excelled in their current assignments and shown themselves worthy of recognition, advancement, and consideration for promotion to the highest levels. These 18 coaches have compiled track records of continued/sustained success while demonstrating that they’re sufficiently prepared and adequately qualified for an increase. These are men who ADs & Search firms should be researching, evaluating, and contacting as they begin their quest to fill openings this off-season.

For Athletic Directors whose "wish/check-list" of qualifying criteria for their next Head Coach includes current success as the face of a program, look no further than the following 10 men!

Anthony Grant (Dayton)

People's attention span rarely exceeds the current news cycle, so gone are the days when Coach Anthony Grant's miracle season of 2019-2020 are at the tip of everyone's t ongues. I don’t know if you could write a better movie script than the one that played out on court for the Flyers. 29 wins, 2 losses, and both of those occurred in overtime. They were 8 points away from a perfect season. The Dayton Men’s Basketball team was DOMINANT that year! They ranked #1 in the Nation in FG% (52.5), #2 in the Nation in Scoring Margin (15), #3 in the Nation in Assists per game (17.6), #8 in the Nation in Assist to Turnover ratio (1.42), #12 in the Nation in Points per game (80) and finished the season ranked the #3 team in the Nation. These are the type of results Dayton fans hoped and prayed for when Coach Anthony Grant returned to his collegiate home to replace Archie Miller who was departing for Indiana. At the conclusion of the season, for all of his hard work, dedication, and success, Coach Grant was named Atlantic 10, Sporting News, CBS Sports Coach of The Year & Basketball Times National Coach of the Year.

The 2020 season was not an anomaly, it was indicative of the standards set by Coach Grant for his program. A standard of excellence is what we have grown to expect from those that represent his teams. In his time as a Head Coach, he has tallied nine 20+ win seasons, taken 3 different teams to the NCAA tournament (VCU in 2007 & 2009, Alabama in 2012 and Dayton was poised to make a run in the aforementioned 2020 season had the tournament not been canceled due to Covid-19. One of the primary reasons Coach Grant's name hasn't been brought up in many "coaching carousel" conversations is the fact that it would be incredibly difficult to convince him to leave his alma mater, which bodes well for Dayton Flyers fans, but based on performance alone his name should sit at the top of any list denoting qualified candidates for "Power Six" openings.

*Click here for my interview with Coach Grant following the 2020 season where we discussed his path, journey, and desire to give back to his Alma Mater(s). The power of relationships, culture of Dayton Basketball, importance of not only having the right people on the bus but also making sure they are in the right seats, what Dayton Basketball means to the community, educating the next generation, and more*

https://youtu.be/YSoWfciucbQ

Robert Jones (Norfolk State)

Coach Jones has been at the helm of the NSU Spartans basketball program since 2013 and he's made the program a perennial powerhouse in that time. He's had only one below .500 season in those 9 years and has accumulated a 104-34 record in conference play which is nearly unfathomable. He's tallied three 20+ win seasons and all of this has taken place while playing (and winning) multiple "buy games" each year. The 2019 & 2022 MEAC Coach of the year has led the Spartans to three MEAC Regular Season Championships (2019, 2021 & 2022), two MEAC Tournament Championships (2021 & 2022), and has demonstrated an ability to lead young men to a standard of excellence. Robert Jones is a winner who should be at the top of the list of any program looking for a new Head Coach. While many are making excuses of why you can't succeed at HBCUs; Robert Jones is showing and proving that with the right culture, mindset, and approach you can win anywhere. As an HBCU/MEAC Alumni myself, I don't want to see Norfolk State lose a great man like Coach Jones but as a fan of the game/supporter of the advancement of Black coaches, I would love to see what he can accomplish at a larger school. Coach Jones has never finished below 2nd place in his conference which should be enticing for an Athletic Director looking to rebuild their program to prominence.

Lamont Paris (UT Chattanooga)

One of the hot names of the 2022 Coaching Hiring Cycle is Lamont Paris. Is it possible that he could replace another former Chattanooga Mocs coach at either UMass or LSU? That's mere speculation at this point but one thing that's for certain is the culture/program building Coach Paris brought to Chattanooga is replicable and sustainable. Lamont Paris took over the UT Chattanooga program in 2017 and competed with a team that featured 9 Freshmen and 1 Senior. The adversities they faced were the building blocks necessary to reach the place they're at now, Southern Conference Regular Season & Conference Champions. The steady growth over the past 5 years has allowed them to amass two 20 win seasons and now his first trip to the NCAA Tournament as a Head Coach. Is it too soon for Coach Paris to leave Chattanooga after 5 years? Keep in mind WIll Wade was only in his 2nd season at the helm of the Mocs program (his first opportunity as a Head Coach) prior to heading to VCU and in those 2 years, he was not able to get them to the NCAA tourney. Matt McCall, who left for UMass, spent the same amount of time on the UT Chattanooga campus but similar to Paris was able to take the Mocs dancing. With that being said; experience and lack of tenure as a Head Coach should not be a barrier to entry for Lamont Paris. He's had success in the Big Ten as an assistant on Bo Ryan & Greg Gard's staff including 7 NCAA Tournament appearances, 6 Sweet 16's, 2 Final Fours, and 2015 NCAA Tournament Runner Up. Lamont Paris is ready!

Dennis Gates (Cleveland State)

Coach Gates is another hot name in this hiring cycle. Honestly, his name has been hot since he first arrived in "The Land". He took over a Vikings team that had become a mainstay at the bottom of the Horizon League and quickly rejuvenated and reignited the winning ways that Cleveland State fans remembered from the golden years with Gary Waters leading the program. Dennis Gates was named Back to Back Horizon League Coach of The Year in his first two seasons and led the Vikings to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2009. This year Cleveland State missed the tournament but continued to build and show improvement under Gates's leadership as they reached 20 wins for the 11th time in school history.

Coach Gates has demonstrated the ability to orchestrate monumental turnarounds which will be key for programs going through transitions. He had success at Florida State under the tutelage of the legendary Leonard Hamilton where he was able to help take the program to new heights. During his time on staff, the Seminoles had six 20+ win seasons and 4 trips to the NCAA tournament including the 2018/2019 year in which they finished 29-8 and set the school record for most wins in a season prior to falling to Gonzaga in the Sweet 16. Dennis Gates is a winner who will be successful with whatever program he's responsible for building. Fans in Cleveland, Ohio hope that program is the one that he's currently employed by.

*Click here for my interview with Coach Gates following the 2021 season where we discussed his journey, passion for the game of basketball, mission of uplifting and assisting young men through their journey and why he loves his assignment at Cleveland State *

https://youtu.be/UEjTj3X03qc

Rob Lanier (Georgia State)

Coach Lanier is leading the Georgia State Panthers to the NCAA Tournament for the first time under his leadership and the 4th trip for the program in 8 years. Expectations were high as he replaced Ron Hunter who left for Tulane and he's done a phenomenal job reaching and often exceeding those benchmarks. Most notably; in his 2nd year, Lanier led the Panthers to one of the biggest victories in program history by defeating Georgia Tech 123-120 in the Downtown vs. Midtown series. In a game that included overtime periods, multiple program records were broken, including a first win over an ACC opponent, most points scored in a game, first triple-overtime game, first four-overtime game, and first time four or more players have scored 20 or more points. This is Coach Lanier's second stint as a Head Coach. He previously led the Sienna Saints program and was able to navigate them to the NCAA tournament in his first season. In 7 seasons as a Head Coach, Lanier has recorded 5 winning seasons and demonstrated an ability to get the most out of the players on his roster. Some would call it "overachieving" but he believes they are capable of greatness and this confidence creates an uncanny "buy-in" from his players.

Prior to his time leading the Panthers, Coach Lanier spent time on the staff of Rick Barnes at Tennessee & Texas leading to multiple NCAA tournament appearances and "Coach of The Year Awards." He has experience at the High Major level to accompany his first-hand knowledge of what it takes to run a program. Could this year's NCAA Tournament be an audition of sorts for Rob Lanier? Georgia State fans will be cheering for them to survive and advance but the irony of the situation is; the further the Panthers make it, the lesser the likelihood that he will be around for the long haul. Keep in mind Georgia State has been to the NCAA Tournament 6 time and has an overall record of 2-5.

James Jones (Yale University)

Winning in the Ivy League is TOUGH and consistently winning is even tougher. James Jones is one of the best to ever do it and deserves an immense amount of credit for the work he's been able to do. Coach Jones is the all-time winningest men’s basketball coach at Yale and one of the most successful coaches in Ivy League history. This year the Bulldogs will head to the NCAA tournament for the sixth time in program history (3 of which occurred under Jones' leadership and the other 3 occurred prior to his birth). He has over 350 wins, 5 Twenty win seasons, and 8 straight winning seasons. Coach Jones is not only a developer of Student-Athletes, he has a track record of preparing his assistant coaches for success in their journeys as well. Five of Jones' assistants have gone on to become head coaches. In 2019 James Jones was the recipient of the Ben Jobe Award as the top minority coach in Division I men's basketball and should definitely be on the shortlist of candidates for Athletic Directors and Search Firms looking for a winner, especially in the Northeast!

Richie Riley (University of South Alabama)

Culture is built either by default or by design and Richie Riley is an intentional culture sculptor. He challenges his players to completely "Buy-In" and the results have followed. In 6 seasons as a Head Coach, Riley's teams have finished at .500 or above in all but one. He is a winner who sets the standard high and doesn't accept mediocrity or excuses.

Coach Riley inherited a program that had experienced 5 consecutive losing seasons and he's finished .500 or above each of his 4 years at the helm. 20 wins in his second season on the job was a strong indicator that the program was in good hands. Prior to his time in Mobile, Coach Riley quickly transformed a struggling Nicholls State squad from near the bottom of the Southland conference to the regular-season co-championship with a 15-3 record in league play and an overall mark of 21-11 in his second season; it was the program’s first winning season since 2008-09. The campaign was the program's third all-time 20 win season and a sign that the young coach had the makings of being great! Richie Riley is a rising star in the business who has an opportunity to be one of the next "Household Names." Although I don't expect Riley to make a move this off-season he is definitely a "Coach on The Rise" and somebody to keep an eye on. When a guy has 5 winning seasons, two 20 win seasons, and a Conference "Coach of The Year" title under his belt all before the age of 40, you better take notice!

Bashir Mason (Wagner College)

Another "40 & Under" standout, Bashir Mason has demonstrated a track record of success since Wagner made him the youngest Head Coach in Division 1 Basketball in 2012. He was 28 at the time and has excelled beyond his years. In his 10 seasons leading the Seahawks, he has amassed 3 NEC Regular Season Championships and has been named "Coach of The Year" 3 times. Wagner is now one of the NEC's perennial powerhouses. I posed the question earlier when speaking about Lamont Paris at UT Chattanooga and the possibility of him taking a familiar path of former UTC coaches. This could be the same situation... Bashir Mason replaced Dan Hurley who left Wagner to become the Head Coach at the University of Rhode Island (who is now open as well). Hurley was able to get the Rams to the NCAA Tournament twice before leaving for UConn, could the URI administration double back to Wagner in hopes of lightning striking twice? To anyone interjecting age or experience as a potential obstacle I would like to remind you that Hurley had only been a Head Coach for those two years at Wagner before making the leap and was 39 years old (one year older than Bashir Mason is right now). Dan Hurley also had not won a conference championship at Wagner or been voted Coach of the Year. Coach Mason knows the Northeast and has demonstrated an ability to win at a high level, I wouldn't be surprised to see him move up this spring.

Joe Jones (Boston University)

Coach Joe Jones just completed his third 20 win season as the leader of the Boston University program. Like his brother, he has demonstrated success in High Academic situations that previously struggled to win. In his first stint as a Head Coach, he was tasked with taking over a Columbia program that had just went 0-14 in the Ivy League and 2-25 overall. The Lions saw rapid improvement under his leadership and in his fourth year, they experienced their first winning season in 14 years. Often these are the things overlooked with just glancing at "Win/Loss" records.

After his stint at Columbia, Jones served as the Associate Head Coach for Steve Donahue at Boston College. They went 21-13 and finished 4th in the ACC (up 4 spots from the year before). After the season Coach Jones was named the Head Coach at Boston College replacing Pat Chambers who left for Penn State. Coach Joe Jones has done a phenomenal job growing the Boston University program and will take them to the CBI this off-season. For programs looking to bring in a coach who can navigate through rebuilding while maintaining high academic standards, look no further than Joe Jones.

Dana Ford (Missouri State University)

I love Dana Ford's story/journey. Often in this business, you hear cautionary tales of talented young Black coaches taking jobs at HBCUs and never getting another opportunity to be a Head Coach. That narrative is flawed and it is people like Coach Ford who are working to dispel it. In 2014, After 6 years of being an Assistant Coach, Dana Ford took over a Tennessee State University program that had 2 winning seasons since 1995-96. They has just gone 5-25 the previous year and in his first year, they went 5-26. Coach Ford orchestrated the largest NCAA turnaround from 2014–15 to 2015–16 with a 15-win difference and posted a 20-11 overall record. That massive improvement resulted in him being named Ohio Valley Conference "Coach of The Year" and he proved that he could win at Tennessee State and that success translated to him earning the opportunity to lead Missouri State University. Tasked with returning the Bears to the glory that hadn't been seen since Cuonzo Martin left for Missouri in 2011, this season Dana Ford led them to 23 wins which is the highest in the 11 years since Coach Martin has been gone.

Dana Ford is a proven winner who isn't afraid to take on a tough assignment. He has the ability to recruit, develop and lead players towards their goals. For Search Firms and Athletic Directors in the midwest that would prefer a successful current Head Coach, look no further than Dana Ford.

There's no shortage of Assistant Coaches prepared to take on the responsibility of running their own program, but these 8 men are in a league of their own! The success that each has had is astounding and the fact that I'm not hearing more about them on this "Black Monday" is mind-blowing!

Anthony Solomon (Associate Head Coach- Notre Dame)

I was speaking to a colleague the other day and he asked me about this year's hiring cycle. We discussed a few names and he stopped me when I got to Anthony Solomon's. He hadn't realized how strong of a candidate Coach Solomon was and appeared shocked that with his track record his name isn't discussed more when openings come available. Anthony Solomon, or "Slo" as he's affectionally referred to by those who know and love him, has been around some of the best coaches College Basketball has seen. He's been on the staff of Jim Larranaga, Fran Fraschilla, Bill Dooley, Mike Brey, and Anthony Grant to name a few. During his time on those staffs, 3 of his Head Coaches have been named "Conference Coach of The Year" while Mike Brey & Anthony Grant both received Associate Press National "Coach of The Year" Honors. He's been active since 1988, won conference titles at Manhattan, Virginia & Dayton as well as a Big East Tournament Championship at Notre Dame. He's qualified for the NCAA Tournament 15 times with 4 different schools (the 2020 Tournament was canceled due to Covid-19). As Associate Head Coach of Dayton University, he saw the Flyers reach an altitude previously unseen when they finished unbeaten in A10 play (18-0) and set a school record for wins in a season with 29 (29-3 overall record). For the 2021-22 season, Coach Solomon rejoined Mike Brey at Notre Dame as Associate Head Coach. During his previous stint(s) there he helped lead them to 9 NCAA Tournaments including a Sweet 16 run in 2003 and Back to Back Elite 8's in 2015 & 16. He's been a major component in the resurgence of the Fighting Irish who was 11-15 last year finishing 11th in the ACC. They are headed to their first NCAA Tournament since 2016-17 and finished the season 22-10 (15-5 in ACC play) tied for 2nd in the ACC Conference with North Carolina.

Earlier I spoke about "Win/Loss Records" and how they often don't tell the whole story. Well, when you look at Coach Solomon's Head Coaching record, it doesn't tell any of the story. via Wikipedia "In 2003, St. Bonaventure was reeling from an academic fraud scandal and resulting NCAA sanctions. In searching for a replacement for fired coach Jan van Breda Kolff , Solomon was hired based on his honest reputation and ideas for bringing the program back. ^[2] While Solomon achieved the goal of restoring a clean program, his teams had a 24–88 record over his four seasons and he was fired after a 7–22 campaign in 2006–07 . ^[3] " The sanctions included reducing the number of men's basketball scholarships by two in 2004 and one in 2005, and cutting the number of on-campus recruiting visits as well as post-season bans. In my opinion, what Coach Solomon accomplished was a win, and the "on the court record" is the last thing an Athletic Director or Search Firm should be looking at while evaluating his fitness to run their program.

Steve Robinson (Associate Head Coach- Arizona)

The entire college basketball world is buzzing about Tommy Lloyd's accomplishments at Arizona this year (as they should be) but you rarely hear about an integral part of that success which is Steve Robinson! Coach Robinson is one of, if not the most accomplished Assistant Coach in all of collegiate basketball. He's been active and excellent since 1983. Steve Robinson is a March Madness staple, making 28 trips to the NCAA Tournament including 3 as a Head Coach (Tulsa in 1996 & 1997 and Florida State in 1998.) Coach Robinson has won 3 National Championships (2005, 2009, and 2017), 9 ACC Regular Season Championships, 4 Big Eight Regular Season Championships, and been to 9 Final Fours. As a Head Coach, Steve Robinson had massive success at Tulsa finishing 23-8 & 23-10 in his first two seasons respectively. Tulsa is one of those special places that the "Elites" of College Basketball often call home. Nolan Richardson, Tubby Smith, Bill Self, and Danny Manning all spent time at the helm of the Golden Hurricane's program and, like Steve Robinson, they were able to take them to the NCAA tournament. In 1997 Coach Robinson took over the Florida State Seminoles program and took them to their first NCAA tournament in 5 years in his first season. They were ranked as high as 13 in the AP Poll. FSU was unable to get back to the tournament in his next 4 years and he was relieved of his duties in 2002. Leonard Hamilton took over in 2002 and 7 years later the Seminoles returned to the NCAA Tournament.

Steve Robinson is a WINNER! I saw a tweet the other day asking; "Who is this year's Tommy Lloyd" and my answer is very direct, "Take a look at the man next to him!"

Karl Hobbs (Associate Head Coach- Rutgers)

Former A10 Coach of The Year; Coach Karl Hobbs has been to the college basketball mountain-top! Twice in his career, Coach Hobbs finished the season cutting down the nets as a National Champion. Over his 3 decades of coaching experience, he has demonstrated an ability to consistently win and has produced success in multiple high major settings. Coach Hobbs has been an integral part of the turnaround in New Jersey. He joined Rutgers Basketball Head Coach Pikiell as he took over a program in 2016 that was navigating a move to the Big Ten and hadn't experienced a winning season since 2006. They've had 3 winning seasons in their 6 years there along with 2 NCAA Tournament births (the program's first since 1991.) Coach Hobbs has 3 NCAA Tournament appearances as a Head Coach to go along with his 12 as an assistant. He won 2 NCAA Championships as a member of Jim Calhoun's UConn staff and is one of the brightest basketball minds in the business.

During his stint as the Head Coach at George Washington University, he accomplished something that has only been achieved by 3 other coaches in history - an undefeated A10 season! He has demonstrated that he can lead a program and generate the type of results that most can only dream about. Coach Hobbs’ success is not limited to the coaching side of the business. As a player, he was a four-year starting point guard and All-Big East selection as a senior at UConn (1980-84). He led the team in assists all four years and ranks sixth all-time with 534. He’s known for his exceptional recruiting, scouting, and player development and has worked with several pros including, Hall of Famer, Ray Allen. Coach Hobbs has been, not only a great mentor for the young men he coached, but also for the assistant coaches he has worked with. 5 of the coaches on his staff at George Washington went on to become head coaches as well. Coach Karl Hobbs would be an excellent choice to build a program and not only develop players but also develop young coaching talent.

Jerome Tang (Associate Head Coach- Baylor)

Coach Tang is a LEADER! Although it’s hard to imagine him not on the sidelines for the Bears, (all 18 of his years in collegiate coaching have been at Baylor University.) Jerome Tang is the stabilizing figure that rebuilding programs will want and need. In 2021, Coach Tang helped Baylor reach their first ever Big 12 Championship and National Championship. This year they repeated as Big 12 Champions and completed their 13th 20-win season since 2008. Prior to his arrival in Waco, Texas, the Bears had only been to the NCAA tournament 4 times in their 97-year history. 300 plus wins later, Coach Tang is still on the Baylor sidelines preparing his young men for success and requiring nothing less than the best that they have to give. Winning is a part of his DNA! Nearly two decades of coaching experience in the Big 12 have certainly prepared Coach Tang to take the helm of any program in need of a new direction! Now that he's captured the elusive Big 12 & National Titles it will be interesting to see if he's interested in taking on the challenge of running his own program, if so there will surely be no shortage of suitors.

Jeff Battle (Associate Head Coach- Providence College)

Coach Battle is another coach who has been active in collegiate basketball for over 30 years. He was mentored by the late Skip Prosser who is widely regarded as one of the best coaches ever. Coach Battle has been to 15 total NCAA Tournaments with 4 different schools (Loyola Maryland, Xavier, Wake Forest & Providence.) Battle spent 13 seasons on the Wake Forest basketball staff, serving as associate head coach under Skip Prosser, Dino Gaudio, and Jeff Bzdelik. He was instrumental in Wake Forest's success as the Deacons reached a No. 1 national ranking in 2005 and again in 2009, won a school-record 27 games in 2005, advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in 2004, and won the 2003 ACC regular season title. Wake Forest averaged almost 20 wins per season and made six NCAA Tournament appearances during Battle's tenure. During his assignment at Wake Forest, Battle played a key role in the development of former NBA All-Stars Chris Paul and Jeff Teague.

At Providence Coach Battle has helped the Friars reach the NCAA Tournament 4 times averaging 20 wins per season. This year they won 25 games (their most since 1987), are the Regular Season Big East Champions and Head Coach Ed Cooley was named Sporting News' College Basketball Coach of The Year. They enter the Tournament with unfinished business on their mind but with a track record of consistent success, there's no reason Jeff Battle shouldn't sit atop the list of Search Firms & Athletic Directors looking for High-Level Experience & Success!

Kimani Young (Associate Head Coach- UConn)

One of the fastest rising up and coming coaches in the Country, Kimani Young's name is ringing bells right now! In his fourth season on Dan Hurley’s coaching staff at UConn he's been tasked with recruiting responsibilities, practice planning, and game strategy. Coach Young is also responsible for the growth & development of the Huskies’ perimeter players and has also helped UConn land three consecutive Top 20 recruiting classes. In 4 years at UConn this will make the second time the Huskies have appeared in the NCAA Tournament (Coach Young also made it to the dance with Minnesota in 2017 under Richard Pitino). I often highlight the need to be noticed as "More Than Just A Recruiter" and have to give Coach Hurley lots of credit for not only giving Kimani Young the ability to grow and take on multiple responsibilities but also giving him the public praise and adoration for doing such. It's important to have the support of your Head Coach as you grow in your career and that's something I've seen expressed for Kimani Young. Dan Hurley is grooming Kimani to be a Head Coach in the future, the question isn't "Will he get an opportunity to run his own program?" but more so "When?"

Roger Powell Jr. (Assistant Coach- Gonzaga)

Roger Powell is in his third season as an assistant coach on Mark Few’s staff. The Zags have compiled an astonishing 88-6 record in his first three seasons as a member of the staff. Gonzaga fell short in the 2021 national championship game, after winning its first 31 games of the season but is poised to make a run this year. Coach Powell has leadership experience as he was the associate head coach at Vanderbilt prior to arriving in Spokane. Powell joined the Vanderbilt staff as associate head coach in April of 2016. In his first season at Vanderbilt, he helped guide the Commodores to the NCAA Tournament. Vanderbilt notched five top-25 wins, six top-50 victories, and 11 top-100 RPI wins, played the toughest overall strength of schedule and toughest non-conference schedule in the nation. Prior to Vanderbilt, Powell helped lead Valparaiso to 122 wins in his five seasons as a member of the Crusader coaching staff, including 28 victories in 2014-2015 and a school-record 30 wins in 2015-16. Valpo captured the Horizon League regular season title in four of his first five seasons, while the Crusaders' 2012-2013 and 2014-2015 squads also won the Horizon League tournament championship. Coach Powell is one of those names I'm not hearing discussed nearly enough when referencing "Up & Coming" Head Coaching candidates. Whether it be a Head Coach looking for an Associate Head Coach to assist him in turning around a High Major program or an Athletic Director/Search Firm looking for Head Coaching Candidates, Roger Powell is intriguing.

Ira Bowman (Assistant Coach- Auburn)

Auburn is one of the hottest teams in the country and part of the reason for that success is their elite staff. Coach Ira Bowman is one of the members that stands out to me as "Coach on The Rise" and a person to keep an eye on. I've had multiple candid conversations where he's been credited with the recruitment, growth, development, and maturation of multiple future NBA stars. To be successful you need to be able to do 3 things; 1) Identify the guys who have a chance to be special in the long run. 2) Convince them that your program is the right place for them to reach their potential. And 3) Develop them and make sure that they reach and sometimes exceed those goals/expectations. Coach Ira Bowman has mastered all 3 of those things and the Auburn Tigers are benefiting because of it! The Tigers are averaging 24 wins per season with him on staff and that's not surprising to me at all. Bowman began his coaching career at NJIT who had suffered through a 0-29 season the year before his arrival. They quickly turned the tides and before leaving for Penn, the Highlanders had back to back 15 win seasons. While at Penn he helped guide the Quakers to 24 wins and their first NCAA tournament in 10 years in 2017-18. Ira Bowman is another one of those guys to keep an eye on whether it be as a member of a new staff looking to turn the program around or running his own.

The Battle Chicago/Donda Homecoming Recap

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 17:23:14 GMT

EVENT RECAP, IMAGES, STANDOUTS & BOX SCORES!

The most un-original and overused phrase describing events today is, “… it was a movie!” But there’s no better way to depict what occurred at “The Donda Homecoming” in Chicago this past weekend! The event showcased the synergies between Sports, Music/Entertainment, Fashion & Culture bringing out the best and brightest donned in all black per request of Ye West.

Elite High School Basketball with Ye West, Lonzo Ball, Demar Derozan, Danny Green, Antonio Bryant, Da Baby, Justin LaBoy, Vic Mensa, G Herbo, Malik Yusef, The Cast of "The Chi", Larry Hoover Jr. and others sitting court-side sounds like a well-scripted fictitious storyline, but UIC’s Credit Union 1 Arena played host to a truly “One of A Kind” event. All-Star Weekend may be in Cleveland this year, but Darren Duncan and the Gold Level Sports & Entertainment team brought the stars out to Chicago a few weeks early. Pre-game I ventured into the Kenwood Academy locker room to discuss the cultural significance of the event with Head Coach Mike Irvin and you could tell it was more than just a game to him. We spoke about the history of Grassroots/High School Basketball in Chicago and the influence his city’s had on the landscape as a whole. As we shook hands and I wished him luck he shot me a smile and we mutually acknowledged each-others footwear selections of the evening. In that moment, reminiscent of my Howard Homecoming experiences, I knew what kind of night it was going to be!

Game 1: Kenwood Academy (IL) vs. Hillcrest High School (IL)

Kenwood 78 - Hillcrest 61

Kenwood shot 54.7% from the field and 48.1% from beyond the arc and scored 22 points off of turnovers. They set the tone early with a 23-4 first quarter and never looked back. Pre-Game Coach Mike Irvin spoke about their familiarity with the opponent (They faced Hillcrest 3 times over the summer and came up victorious in all 3) and their key to victory would be playing tough and knocking down shots. The Kenwood Academy Broncos executed that game plan to near perfection.

Darius Robinson put on a shooting clinic. Every time he touched the ball you knew were going up points were going up on the board. Darius displayed an ability to move without the ball, a quick/confident release, and the capability to put the ball on the floor and score off the bounce. He finished with 25 Points (8-11 FG) (7-9 3PT) and none of his shots were forced.

Darrin "Dai-Dai" Ames was the primary impact player I spotlighted pre-game. In talking to Coach Mike Irvin he spoke about Darrin's ability to create off the dribbled and labeled him as a light out shooter. I've had the opportunity to evaluate him in the past and knew he was more than capable of taking over a game of this magnitude. I was extremely impressed by his pace, feel and awareness. Darius Robinson got going early and Darrin unselfishly fed the hot hand and continuously put him and other in positions to be successful. A lot of players who are known as the "star of the team" will try to shine in atmospheres such as this, but Darrin knew it was about winning and doing whatever it took to do that which made me even more a fan of his game. That was definitely a testament of the culture Coach Irvin has built at Kenwood. He had 14 Points (5-9 FG) (3-6 3PT) & 4 Assists.

Trey Pettigrew was electrifying and showed flashes of why he's considered one of the best guards in the Class of 2022. (Trey was recently named as a selection in The Iverson Classic 24k Game). He played great defensively, scored in transition and facilitated as well. A lot like Darrin Ames, Trey recognized early on that Darius was having a hot shooting night and unselfishly fed the hot hand. There's a basketball phrase "KYP" (Know Your Personnel) and it was clear this team knew once Darius' shots started to fall they needed to just get him the ball. He finished with 12 Points (5-8 FG) & 3 Assists. Trey will fit right in with Steve Alford's Nevada Wolfpack in the fall.

I've often talked about the depth of the 2025 class and Bryce Heard is one of those names to watch. The 6'5 Freshman Guard really impressed me. He has positional size, is an active and willing defender who demonstrated 3 level scoring capabilities. He had 9 Points on (3-5 FG) (1-2 3PT), 2 Rebounds, 1 Assist, 1 Steal & 1 Blocked shot in 13 minutes of play.

Bryce Tillery was impressive for Hillcrest. Pre-Game his coaches raved about his leadership abilities and felt the team was in good hands with him running the point. He is a 3rd year varsity player with a high basketball I.Q. who showcased his competitiveness from start to finish. He tallied 16 Points, 3 Rebounds, 5 Assists & 2 Steals.

Isaiah Green had a stretch of big shots in the 3rd Quarter which nearly sparked a run for the Hawks but they weren't able to overcome the balanced offensive attack of Kenwood. He added 14 Points & 5 Assists. With him and Bryce Tillery both returning next year, Hillcrest has a solid nucleus to work with (47 of their points were scored by underclassmen).

Game 2: Coronado (NV) vs. Simeon (IL)

Coronado 64 - Simeon 60

Simeon had a game plan of taking Richard “Pop-Pop” Isaacs out of the game and they assigned that monumental task to Aviyon Morris. He face guarded and denied him the ball 94 for feet forcing someone else to step up for Coronado and that man was Isaac Peralta! He delivered in a major way and always appeared to be in the right place at the right time! Coronado led for 2:11 in the game and they were able to take the lead for good with 30 seconds remaining as they put together a 23-15 4 ^th quarter to pick up the well deserved road victory. It was a back and forth battle of great coaching between Simeon Head Coach Robert Smith and Coronado Head Coach Jeff Kaufman. A chess match of sorts with two poker faced veterans of the sideline. It was interesting seeing Coach Kaufman's reactions, or lack thereof, to some questionable calls. His team definitely fed off of his unflappable demeanor and even when they trailed late in the game you never got the sense that Coronado felt they weren't going to head back to Sin City with a win.

Isaac Peralta was the definition of a "Glue Guy" for Coronado. He played nearly 30 minutes and impacted the game in multiple ways. Most impressive was his knack for coming up with offensive rebounds and ability to turn them into points on the board for the Cougars. He contributed 20 Points (6-10 FG), 8 Rebounds (6 Offensive) & 4 Assists.

Simeon clearly read the scouting report and watched plenty of film on Richard "Pop Pop" Isaacs. From the opening tip he had a man assigned to follow him everywhere he went. I wouldn't be surprised if Aviyon Morris followed him into the locker-room at half time. But as with all great scorers; it's hard to stop Pop-Pop, you can only hope to contain him. In the Second half he was able to find his way and scored 12 points. The Texas Tech signee finished with 17 Points.

Jaylen Drane was a bright spot for Simeon, he had 8 Points in the 1st Half and was one of their scoring leaders. He got in the lane and finished through contact. The 6'3 senior guard finished with 14 Points & 3 Assists.

Miles Rubin was a force in the paint. Foul trouble limited his minutes but he had a great first half (4-4) with 8 Points and Simeon holding on to a 6 Point lead. In the 2nd half he remained perfect from the field finishing with 14 points (7-7 FG) and 3 Rebounds. In his absence his brother Wesley Rubin filled in nicely, he had 9 Points (3-5 FG), 5 Rebounds and 1 Assist. They will definitely be a front-court tandem to be reckoned with moving forward.

I cannot say enough great things about Aviyon Morris. He had a very tough assignment of slowing Isaacs down and not only was he up to the task, he also added a strong offensive output in the first half; 9 Points (3-3 3PT) and 3 Assists with only 1 Turnover, but it appeared as though shadowing "Pop-Pop" for 94 feet took a toll long term as he only attempted one shot in the second half and finished with 11 Points (4-4 FG) (3-3 3PT) & 4 Assists.

DONDA HOMECOMING: DONDA ACADEMY vs. CHICAGO PREP

Not enough credit has been given to what's been accomplished by Ye West and his entire staff in putting together this Donda Academy Experience. I say "experience" because this is much bigger than basketball. Coupling Elite gameplay with one of a kind events has created a world-wide buzz rarely seen in the high school/grassroots basketball landscape. Coach Frank Robinson has done a phenomenal job getting multiple High Major prospects to "buy-in" and play together as a unit while navigating through an atmosphere of judgement, media criticism and often unrealistic externally set expectations. You can tell the players respect him and trust his leadership. Watching this team play you can see they are genuinely happy (for themselves and each other) and having fun on the court. It seems as though the entire High School Basketball world wanted to see Donda Academy fail, so it's great to see the success of the players individually and the program as a whole.

Donda Academy won in dominant fashion 85-62 in front of a near completely sold out crowd. State association rules required the event to be split into two separate events due to Donda's being a non "State Affiliated" prep school. The entire building had to be cleared between games but as the teams began to warm-up fans started to pour into the arena and you could feel the excitement in the air. Some of the biggest stars in the world from Sports, Music, Art & Cinema began to make it to their court side seats and the electric atmosphere was ready for tip off. Head Coach Frank Robinson spoke pre-game about getting out in transition and running as well as using their size advantage and they executed the game-plan masterfully. 37-14 fast break points, 58-18 points in the paint. 63.6% FG vs. 31.1% FG from Chicago Prep.

Donda was led by "Hometown Hero" Javonte “JJ” Taylor who had 23 Points, 5 Rebounds, 3 Assists & 4 Steals. He had multiple highlight worthy plays and he showcased why he's one of the top players in the country in the Class of 2023.

Robert Dillingham contributed 11 Points & 6 Assists while consistently bringing the crowd to their feet with his playmaking abilities. At one point he went up for a contested 360 layup which he made look as easy as a pre-game layup line attempt.

Zion Cruz finished with 13 Points (6-7 FG) and had his explosiveness on display all night long. The Jersey City, NJ native showcased an ability to finish above the rim no matter who decides to contest and had fun while doing it.

Brandon White added 10 Points & 7 Rebounds. The 6'10 2023 big man has a college ready build and should see his recruitment pick up substantially into the spring and summer.

Julio Montes led Chi Prep with 25 Points, 4 Rebounds, 5 Assists & 4 Steals and Chinedum Okpuukpara-Hanson added 12 Points & 8 Rebounds.

*ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMANDA BRANTLEY FROM AMANDA NICOLE PHOTOS LLC MAKE SURE TO CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO CHECK OUT HER WORK AND FOLLOW HER PHOTO PAGE ON INSTAGRAM!*

The 2022 Iverson Classic Rosters

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 00:54:49 GMT

This week, rosters were announced for the 2022 Iverson Classic which will take place in Memphis, Tennessee. The week-long event will run April 26-30th 2022. Here's a breakdown of the history & motivation for the creation of the classic, the players chosen for this years event, as well as an update of the impact last year's alumni are having on their collegiate, and PRO, rosters. The 24 players are split into two teams; Team Loyalty & Team Honor. As I'm sure you've noticed, there's an open spot on Team Loyalty which will be filled by the MVP of the 24k Showcase which will take place during Iverson Classic week and will feature ELITE players in the class of 2022.

Allen Iverson is the most culturally impactful athlete since Muhammad Ali and it's only right that his All-Star Game would represent so much more than basketball. Dating back to the first game in 2017, The Iverson Classic has consistently put together the most competitive rosters in grassroots basketball. The event features the most explosive, electrifying and talented players in the country competing all week long in practices while NBA scouts and talent evaluators have the opportunity to see their full capabilities. Off the court; the players bond over team meals, learn significant historical lessons and gain advice/preparation for what life will be like at the next level from Allen Iverson, Stephen Jackson and others. The Iverson Classic website describes the event as "Independent. Disruptive. Revolutionary. More than an All American game, this is a cultural shift."

"We built the Iverson Classic to be something unique and totally independent of anything that was ever in this space before. We saw something that was missing in this space. And we wanted it to truly be the players game. To be more than basketball. To have an impact both on and off the court. The Iverson Classic mirrors who Allen Iverson, myself, Jai Manselle, and these players truly are.. This event is about the culture and having an impact on the future generations of stars that will carry this game into the future. It's about elite level competition, playing hard, learning from the past and present greats that are involved with Iverson Classic. It's about creating opportunity for young men, women, and children to be involved in something that is bigger than any one of us individually. The Iverson Classic is about family.. Once you become a part of Iverson Classic your forever family.

It's about sparking a fire in our youth to give them something to strive towards attaining in life. It's about doing this our way and not having to apologize for doing it our way. The Iverson Classic embodies being different. It's a shifting in the culture and the way things have been done. It's Authentic to the core. It's about celebrating and honoring these young men and women and at the same time honoring an icon in Allen Iverson for everything he has meant to the game of basketball and the culture both on and off the court. We want our impact to be felt in our communities all across the world. As Allen often says, this is that feeling that Championship Feeling that feeling of being a part of something special that is truly hard to put into words. This gives us an opportunity to pour back into the youth from our life's lessons that we've learned along the way. In the end it's never been done this way and is so much more than just another "All-American" game... The Iverson Classic is a brand that we built that is the center of a cultural shift that will outlive all of us... Again Authentic to the core that is for us by us that we get to do our way."

Bobby Bates (Co-Owner/Founder Iverson Manselle Bates Enterprises. ALLEN IVERSON ROUNDBALL CLASSIC)

TEAM LOYALTY ROSTER

Amari Bailey - Sierra Canyon (CA) ESPN #2 : UCLA

Dior Johnson - Southern California Academy (CA) ESPN #28 : OREGON

Keyonte George - IMG Academy (FL) ESPN #3 : BAYLOR

Brandon Miller - Cane Ridge High School (TN) ESPN #18 : ALABAMA

Marquise "MJ" Rice - Prolific Prep (CA) ESPN #19 : KANSAS

Julian Phillips - Link Academy (MO) ESPN #11 : LSU

Chris Livingston - Oak Hill Academy (VA) ESPN #12 : KENTUCKY

Tarris Reed Jr - Link Academy (MO) ESPN #33 : MICHIGAN

Yohan Traore - Dream City Christian (AZ) ESPN #36 : LSU

Mark Mitchell - Sunrise Christian Academy (KS) ESPN #31 : DUKE

Jayden Epps - Combine Academy (NC) ESPN #90 : ILLINOIS

24k Showcase MVP

TEAM HONOR ROSTER

Cason Wallace – Richardson High School (TX) ESPN #14 : KENTUCKY

Arterio Morris – Kimball High School (TX) ESPN #22 : TEXAS

Nick Smith Jr- North Little Rock High School (AR) ESPN #6 : ARKANSAS

Dariq Whitehead- Montverde Academy (FL) ESPN #4 : DUKE

Cameron Whitmore – Archbishop Spalding High School (MD) ESPN #29 : VILLANOVA

Anthony Black – Duncanville High School (TX) ESPN #20 : UNDECIDED

Jarace Walker – IMG Academy (FL) ESPN #9 : HOUSTON

Jaxon Kohler – Southern California Academy (CA) ESPN #40 : MICHIGAN STATE

Kel'el Ware – North Little Rock High School (AR) ESPN #16 : OREGON

Kamari Lands – Hillcrest Prep (AZ) ESPN #39 : LOUISVILLE

Brian "BJ" Edwards – Knoxville Catholic : TENNESSEE

Jett Howard – IMG Academy (FL) ESPN #41 : MICHIGAN

2021 Iverson Classic Standouts Performing at The Next Level! (As of 02/01/2022)

MICHAEL FOSTER (NBA G-LEAGUE)

14.8 PTS, 8.8 REB, 2.0 AST; NBA G-League Ignite Co-Leader in scoring, Leader in Rebounds & Leader in Blocks.

PAOLO BANCHERO (DUKE)

17.8 PTS, 8.3 REB, 2.6 AST, 49.6% FG- 5 double-doubles this season, 28 PTS vs. Citadel 11/22, 15 REB vs Louisville 1/29, 7 AST vs. Florida State 1/18.

CHET HOLMGREN (GONZAGA)

13.9 PTS, 8.7 REB, 1.9 AST, 63.3% FG- 5 double-doubles this season, 22 PTS vs. San Francisco 01/20, 15 REB vs. Merrimack 12/09, 7 Blocks vs. Dixie State 11/09

Naismith Defensive Player of The Year Watchlist

BRYCE MCGOWENS (NEBRASKA)

16.7 PTS, 5.5 REB, 1.6 AS, 40.1% FG- 29 PTS vs. Rutgers (1/29), 11 REB vs. Southern (11/21)

TYTY WASHINGTON (KENTUCKY)

13.1 PTS, 3.9 REB, 4.4 AST, 48.9% FG- 28 PTS vs. Tennessee (1/15), 17 PTS & 17 AST vs. Georgia. (Kentucky single game assist recorder holder passing John Wall with 16 in 2009-10)

DAESHUN RUFFIN (OLE MISS)

12.2 PTS, 1.5 REB, 3.5 AST, 37.3% FG- 21 PTS vs. Florida (1/24), 8 AST vs. Mississippi State (1/22)

TREVOR KEELS (DUKE)

11.4 PTS, 3.5 REB, 3.2 AST, 38.7% FG- 25 PTS vs. Kentucky (11/9), 9 AST vs. NC State (1/15), 7 REB vs. Garner Webb (11/16)

TYRESE HUNTER (IOWA STATE)

10.6 PTS, 3.0 REB, 4.7 AST, 38.5% FG- career high 20 PTS vs. Oklahoma 01/08

Naismith Defensive Player of The Year Watchlist

MATTHEW CLEVELAND (FLORIDA STATE)

10.4 PTS, 4.9 REB, 1.3 AST, 46.7% FG- 21 PTS & 10 REB vs. North Florida (1/20)

KENDALL BROWN (BAYLOR)

10.0 PTS, 4.7 REB, 1.9 AST, 64.5% FG- 19 PTS vs. Central Arkansas (11/17), 10 REB vs. Nicholls (11/15)

AJ GRIFFIN (DUKE)

9.0 PTS, 3.5 REB, 1.0 AST, 52.3% FG- 22 PTS vs. Wake Forest (1/12) & Louisville (1/29)

JD DAVISON (ALABAMA)

8.6 PTS, 4.4 REB, 4.1 AST, 49.2 FG% - 20 PTS vs. Gonzaga (12/4), 10 AST vs. Memphis (12/14)

NOLAN HICKMAN (GONZAGA)

7.2 PTS, 1.7 REB, 1.7 AST, 47.7% FG- 16 PTS vs. Central Michigan (11/22)

JOSHUA MINOTT (MEMPHIS)

7.2 PTS, 4.5 REB, 1.3 AST, 51% FG- 18 PTS vs. Tulsa (1/23), 12 REB vs. ECU (1/27)

KOWACIE REEVES (FLORIDA)

5.3 PTS, 1.3 REB, 0.4 AST, 36.2% FG- 14 PTS in back to back games vs. South Carolina (1/15) & vs. Mississippi State (1/19)

Can't wait until April for The Iverson Classic? Here's a link to the 2021 game https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HacP4Wg2STs

Visit the archives at www.thesuvtv.com for an abundance of ELITE High School & Grassroots Basketball both past, present and upcoming Live-Streams!

Donda Homecoming

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 20:02:12 GMT

“And you say Chi City, Chi City, Chi City. I’m comin’ home again!” Ye

Over his 20+ year career, Ye West has been vocal about his love and adoration for the city he was born and raised in, so much so that he named his daughter Chicago West. It’s only right with this level of affinity for the “Windy City” the creative genius would bring his High-School team; Donda Academy, to Chicago for what is slated to be much bigger than a normal basketball game. The Donda Homecoming Event is what Chicago, and the culture as a whole, needs. This is about Chicago, and it's significant contribution to Basketball, Entertainment & Culture. The Donda Homecoming will feature 4 local powers (Kenwood, Simeon, Hillcrest & Chicago Prep), one of Nevada's top programs Coronado High School and the star studded Donda Academy team.

Saturday February 5th, 2022 @ Credit Union 1 Arena at UIC

Kenwood (IL) vs. Hillcrest (IL)

Simeon (IL) vs. Coronado (NV)

Donda Academy (CA) vs. Chicago Prep (IL)

*All games will be televised on NBC Sports Chicago ( @NBCSChicago ) and streamed on Peacock ( @peacockTV )*

To some who are unfamiliar with the landscape of Grassroots Basketball and its often-exploitive inner workings; student athletes are the commodity in the billion-dollar business of sport. Shoe companies, Event Operators, and even the NCAA have long stripped Inner-Cities like Chicago of these “natural resources” with little to no return investment into the community or culture that they’re benefiting from. Enter the disruptors, the creators and revolutionaries who understand there’s a way to do business where it’s a win/win for everyone involved. The main-stream media attacks, demeans and tries as hard as possible to discredit the free thinkers who threaten the status-quo of people getting rich off the backs of “Amateur” Athletes. The un-measured/under-regulated marketplace where people dangle the ranking, all-star game and scholarship carrot in the face of young athletes willing to do anything to reach their goals and dreams needs to change and it starts with the reinvestment into the culture.

Enter Darren Duncan, CEO of Gold Level Sports & Entertainment and creator of The Battle Series @TheBattleUs (Where competition and culture collide). Since founded, Gold Level Sports & Entertainment has utilized "The Battle” Basketball Showcase as a vehicle to highlight some of the top teams and players in the country. All showcases are nationally televised giving players and coaches the national attention their talents warrant. The most impressive part of this process has been seeing some of the players who were relatively unknown nationally prior to competing in a "The Battle" event gain a level of notoriety and ultimately receive opportunities to continue the pursuit of their academic & athletic goals/dreams. That’s what the “Donda Homecoming” will do for all involved. Nationally, people will recognize the talent that exists in Chicago and impact “Chi-Town” has on the past, present and future of basketball!

Speaking of the past.. Chicago is one of basketball’s “meccas!” It’s credited with producing some of the greatest players in NBA history; (Isiah Thomas, Dwayne Wade, George Mikan, Derrick Rose, Tim Hardaway, Maurice Cheeks, Anthony Davis, Terry Cummings, Mark Aguire, Tony Allen, Michael Finley, Nick Anderson, Juwan Howard and Eddie Johnson to name a few.) Chicago is also birthplace to coaching legends Mike Kryzewski and Doc Rivers. The imprint and impact Chicago’s had on the history, and the future, of basketball is undeniable. As we enjoy Donda’s Homecoming we will ultimately celebrate Chicago’s contributions to the sport we all love while trying to identify the next player to carry the torch for the Windy City.

Basketball needs Chicago!

Top Players

o Jaylen Drane- Simeon

o Miles Rubin- Simeon

o Trey Pettigrew- Kenwood (Signed with Nevada)

o Darrin Ames- Kenwood (ESPN #48 in 2023)

o Robert DIllingham- Donda Academy (ESPN #6 in 2023: Committed to NC State)

o Zion Cruz- Donda Academy (ESPN #72 in 2022)

o Jakhi Howard- Donda Academy (ESPN #14 in 2024)

o Javonte “J.J.” Taylor- Donda Academy (ESPN #11 in 2023)

o Richard “Pop Pop” Isaacs- Coronado (ESPN #77 in 2022: Signed with Texas Tech

o Bryce Tillery- Hillcrest

o Julio Montes- Chi Prep

“Every interview I'm representin' you, makin' you proud. Reach for the stars, so if you fall, you land on a cloud. Jump in the crowd, spark your lighters, wave 'em around. If you don't know by now, I'm talkin' 'bout Chi-Town!” Ye

Flyin' to The Hoop 2022 Standouts

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 05:09:03 GMT

The #2 Nationally-Ranked High School Basketball Invitational Returned to Dayton and These Players Left Their Mark!

After a year layoff due to Covid, the 19 ^th Annual Premier Health “Flyin’ To The Hoop” tipped off at Trent Arena on January 14 ^th 2022. 4 Days and 19 Games later, the fans walked away saying; “I can’t wait for next year!” The heavily anticipated event lived up to (and exceeded) expectations while showcasing some of the top teams/players in the country. Here are the players who stood out the most…

Rich Rolf (Centerville): Unsigned

29 Points (11/15 FG) (7/10 3PT), 12 Rebounds (7 Offensive) & 4 Assists

In a performance that will be remembered for years to come; Rich Rolf continuously brought the heavily “Pro-Centerville” crowd to their feet. With big shot after big shot and timely play after timely play, Rolf put the Elk’s on his back en-route to a 62-52 victory over "Top 10 Nationally Ranked" Southern California Academy in front of the sold-out crowd at Trent Arena. Rich Rolf did a phenomenal job of moving without the basketball and finding the holes within the SCA defense. The 6’7 Forward showed that he is not only an elite shooter, but also rebounds at a high level, can defend multiple positions and has a high basketball I.Q. Prior to the game we had him highlighted as a potential “X-factor”, but we never could’ve imagined he would perform this way.

Jordan Walsh (Link Academy) ESPN #10 in 2022: Signed with Arkansas

18.5 PPG- 61% FG

Elite Effort & Intensity is the trademark of Jordan Walsh. Watching him play you can’t help but notice that he’s in on every 50/50 ball, he’s the first person to dive on the floor for a loose ball and one of the main players crashing the boards after a miss on either end of the court. I’ve often argued that playing hard (having a motor) is more pre-requisite than skill if you want to be an elite player and when watching Walsh play it’s definitely the first thing that you notice. Jordan Walsh is unselfish, makes the right plays on the offensive end and is a tenacious defender. The depth and ability of Link Academy’s team doesn’t require him to score a bunch of points but it’s no secret that he has can score at will against anybody in the country.

Vs. ISA: 19 Points (8/13 FG), 6 Rebounds, 2 Assists & 3 Steals

Vs. Huntington Prep 18 Points (6/10 FG), 4 Rebounds, 4 Assists & 2 Steals

Rayvon Griffith (Taft) ESPN #59 in 2023: Top 10 (Alabama, Arizona St. Cincinnati, Kansas, Louisville, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, South Carolina, UCLA)

28 Points (10/22 FG) (4/10 3PT) & 7 Rebounds

Rayvon Griffith put Taft on his back in their matchup against Flyght Academy. He showcased himself as a 3-level scorer who competed on every play. With elite size & skillset it was tough for anyone to stay in front of him. It’s easy to see why he is regarded as one of the top prospects in the country. Multiple members of the coaching staff for University of Cincinnati were in attendance to watch the state’s highest ranked prospect in the 2023 class and he didn’t disappoint.

Josh Reed (Pace Academy) Signed with Cincinnati

27 Points (13/21 FG), 5 Rebounds, 4 Assists & 3 Blocks in 21 minutes

University of Cincinnati basketball fans in attendance were surely excited about the future of their program after watching Josh Reed play at Flyin’ to The Hoop. Reed would have certainly been our leading scorer for the year if Coach Sharman White played him in the 4 ^th quarter, but there was no need as they were ahead by 30 in the 3 ^rd Period. Josh Reed got to the basket at will, finished at the rim through contact and played with tons of effort & energy while he was on the floor. The future Bearcat was an efficient and effective leader for the young Pace Academy squad.

Sencire Harris (St. Vincent-St. Mary’s) Signed with Illinois

25 Points (11/21 FG) and 8 Rebounds

Illinois has a strong recruiting class coming into Champaign next year between Sencire Harris, Jayden Epps & Ty Rodgers. Harris put on a show for St. Vincent-St. Mary’s in their win over Fairfield. He started off "on fire" with 15 Points (7/11 shooting), 6 rebounds and one block in the first half. Sencire is one of the most electrifying players in the country and provided highlight after highlight for the crowd in attendance. Sencire has a smooth game, finishes shots that should only work in video games and can score with the best of them.

Isaiah Collier (Wheeler) ESPN #15 in 2023: Top 7 (Auburn, Cincinnati, Florida State, Alabama, Georgia, UCLA, University of Southern California)

23 Points (8/16 FG), 6 Rebounds, 3 Assists & 2 Steals

I have gone on record as saying; “Isaiah Collier is the best TRUE Point Guard in the Class of 2023!” He added to my confidence in that statement with his performance at Flyin’ to The Hoop. If you look at the box score you will see that he had a very good game, but that piece of paper doesn’t tell the full story. There’s a metric that I track which doesn’t show up on the official stats, “SBA” or “Should've Been an Assist!” Collier registered 6 “SBA’s” on beautiful passes that left everyone in the arena asking two questions; 1) How did he see that? And 2) How did he make that pass? Isaiah Collier’s court vision, basketball I.Q. and facilitating ability would make him a top prospect in and of itself; but when you add in the fact that he can give you 20+ points any time he wants and plays lock down defense on the opposing teams best player, he transcends into that ELITE conversation.

Mike Sharavjamts (International Sports Academy) ESPN #100 in 2022: Signed with Dayton

Vs. Link Academy 16 Points & 4 Rebounds

Vs. Shaker Heights 19 Points (8/11 FG), 4 Rebounds, 3 Assists & 2 Blocks

Affectionally known as “Mongolian Mike”; Sharavjamts gave the Dayton area crowd a preview of what he will bring to UD Arena next season. In his game against the powerful Link Academy he was hampered with foul trouble but it was clearly evident ISA is a different team with him on the floor. He was able to compete against the “5 star” talent of Link and showed he is without a doubt a high-level college prospect. Against Shaker Heights he demonstrated his ability to positively impact the game in many different ways. He is a competitor who makes great decisions with the ball in his hands and has a high basketball I.Q. It’s tough to defend Sharavjamts because he scores at 3 levels, has great court vision, scores off the bounce, plays the “right way” and consistently gives elite effort. He has a chance to be a special player in Anthony Grant’s system over the next few years.

Jaxon Kohler (Southern California Academy) ESPN #40 in 2022: Signed with Michigan State

Vs. Centerville 13 Points & 5 Rebounds

Vs. Massillon Jackson 20 Points & 14 Rebounds

Jaxon Kohler is the most skilled big man in the country. He has a diverse skillset that allows him to be a matchup problem for opposing defenders. His footwork is textbook and truly a work of art. One of the things that often goes under-reported is his defensive ability. Kohler has superb quickness & lateral agility which allows him to switch and stay in front of perimeter players. He can also defend other teams “Bigs” and utilizes his athleticism/timing to block or redirect shots. Post Play, Rebounding, Three Level Scoring, Defending… Jaxon Kohler checks all of the “Elite Big-Man Boxes.” Watching him play, you have to appreciate his game and I know the Spartan fans in East Lansing are patiently awaiting his arrival.

Dailyn Swain (Columbus Africentric)

16 Points (6/13 FG) 9 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 2 Blocks & 1 Steal

Dailyn Swain is an intriguing prospect. At 6’6+ he has the ability to defend multiple positions, runs the floor and can push the point/run the show when needed. He gets to the basket and finishes above the rim at will. Against Oakwood he had a rough shooting outing which is an area of opportunity for growth but what stood out to me was his ability to lock in and get to free-throw line vs. settling for jumpers in an effort to get going. Swain is regarded as one of the top 2023 prospects in Ohio and he clearly has the tools to back it up.

Rylee Sagester (Tri-Village) Committed to Marshall

18 Points, 5 Assists, 2 Rebounds & 2 Steals

Rylee Sagester is one of the best shooters in the country who’s in range the second she checks into the game. Sagester demonstrated elite ball-handling skills as she ran the show for Tri-Village. Her high basketball I.Q. was consistently on display as she made the right reads, put her teammates in positions for success and orchestrated the offense to near perfection. Her offensive impact was paired with a defensive tenacity and energy that made it tough for Bellbrook’s guards. She was instrumental in a 30-point win over the previously undefeated Bellbrook Golden Eagles, the #4 team in Ohio’s Division 1. After the game she told me she has been going to Flyin’ to The Hoop for years and dreamt of the opportunity to play here as a kid. Dreams come true and she made the most of her opportunity. Coach Tony Kemper and Marshall fans are getting an elite ball player in the fall of 2023.

Devin Royal (Pickerington Central)

27 Points (7/13 FG), 6 Rebounds & 2 Assists

Devin Royal is a special basketball player. When watching him play, the first thing that comes to my mind is “Swiss Army Knife!” The 6’6+ Forward can battle on the block on both ends of the floor, stretches the floor with shooting capabilities and scores efficiently off the bounce. Royal’s ability to defend 1-5 at the High School level gives Pickerington Central a unique advantage. Devin Royal is one of the top recruits in Ohio’s loaded 2023 class and I suspect he will start to climb in the national rankings/conversation in the next few months.

Christian Harmon (Akron Buchtel)

25 Points (10/11 FG) (5/5 3PT) & 7 Rebounds

The 6’5 2023 Forward made a name for himself at Flyin’ to The Hoop 2022! There were multiple great shooting performances, but none statistically measured up to Christian Harmon’s vs. Dayton Dunbar. It didn’t matter if Harmon was closely guarded or not, he was in a zone and his heroic effort sealed the victory for Buchtel. There's no shortage of Division 1 prospects in Ohio's 2023 class and Christian Harmon is making a strong case for inclusion in the collective.

Will Maxwell (Oakwood)

19 Points (8/15 FG), 6 Rebounds & 2 Assists

“The game within the game!” It was great to see All-Ohio Red teammates; Will Maxwell & Dailyn Swain, battle it out at Flyin’ to The Hoop. The 2023 Class in Ohio is extremely talented and one player who isn’t mentioned enough is Will Maxwell. He’s athletic, plays with a high motor and scores efficiently. He has positional size, is a capable defender and continues to improve his jump shot. Maxwell is a strong finisher who attacks the rim and finishes with both hands at, around and above the rim. If you’re not careful, he will dunk on you! I’m looking forward to seeing him continue to grow and develop, he’s definitely a player to watch moving forward.

Honorable Mention:

Omaha Biliew (Link Academy) Trey Greene (Link Academy) Julian Phillips (Link Academy) Felix Okpara (Link Academy) Tarris Reed Jr. (Link Academy) Cruz Davis (Huntington Prep) Gabe Cupps (Centerville) Tom House (Centerville) Amaree Abram (Southern California Academy) Vincent Iwuchukwu (Southern California Academy) Dok Muordar (Huntington Prep) Maki Johnson (Huntington Prep) Abdulla Amzil (Omnia) Magnus Entenmann (ISA) Grgur Brcic (ISA) Daniel Young (Shaker Heights) Jerry Saunders (Pickerington North) Lawrent Rice (Wayne) Carter Jackson (St. Ignatius) Calvin Little (St. Ignatius) CJ Yarian (St. Ignatius) Jon Effertz (St. Ignatius) Klarius Amir (Wheeler) Brandon Hatcher Jr (Dunbar) Antuane Allen (Dunbar) Darian Leslie (Dunbar) Marcel Boyce Jr. (Buchtel) Khoi Thurman (Buchtel) Rasheem Biles (Pickerington Central) Alex Styles (Pickerington Central) Jyles Bandoin (Garfield Heights) Jacob Pleiman (Botkins) Carter Pleiman (Botkins) Jameson Meyer (Botkins) Justin Finkbine (Tri-Village) Sean Jones (Gahanna Lincoln) Elmore James (Brush) Ramar Pryor (St. Vincent-St. Mary’s) Logan Woods (Fairfield) Kollin Tolbert (Fairfield) Megan Downing (Tri-Village) Torie Richards (Tri-Village) Morgan Hunt (Tri-Village) Dan Wagner (Africentric) Preston Steele (Africentric) Jack Epley (Oakwood) Keon Wright (Oakwood) Bryson Tiiller (Pace) Kyle Green Jr. (Pace) LJ Moore (Pace) Delmar Blanton (Trotwood Madison) Timothy Carpenter (Trotwood Madison) Mekhi Elmore (Taft) Allen Lattimore (Flyght Academy) Antony McComb (Flyght Academy) Paul McMillan IV (Woodward) Louie Semona (St. Xavier) Eemil Yalaho (Omnia) Gezim Bajrami (Omnia)

"The Battle New Jersey" Standouts

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 21:50:35 GMT

"GREAT ONES ADJUST!"

When I was a kid, my grandfather always spoke to me about managing and overcoming adversity. His mantra and one that I have adopted over the years is, "GREAT ONES ADJUST!" He never wanted to hear about a problem, he wanted to hear about the solution and how I applied it. He would always tell me, "people who complain about what's going wrong don't want solutions, they want attention!"

The Battle New Jersey was an example of adjusting and overcoming adversity and a symbol that Darren Duncan and the entire Battle Staff are truly "Great Ones." The atmosphere was amazing in Roselle Catholic. As soon as I walked in the gym it had that "Jersey Feel" and I was excited for some elite level basketball. As I got settled into my seat and started to speak with Archbishop Stepinac coach about some of his players, my excitement grew. I'd been waiting for weeks to see Isaiah Alexander (Brother of Khalil Whitney), Howard Eisley Jr. who I had last seen two years ago at the PSA Cardinals Middle School Showcase and the talented freshman Danny Carbuccia among others. As the teams got to warming up, Carbuccia went up for a dunk and the backboard shattered! I couldn't believe my eyes. I surely thought that was the end of our event.

But, as great ones do, The Battle staff quickly adjusted! They were able to find an amazing facility on a Sunday evening that was willing to accommodate the event. We all rushed over to setup at Peak Sports Academy and not only were we able to bring the teams/event to a new location, the atmosphere and energy came along as well. The Monsignor Scanlan vs. Archbishop Stepinac game was removed from the lineup but we were blessed with two high level games with full of elite prospects.

ROSELLE CATHOLIC (NJ) DEFEATED SOUTH SHORE (NY) 99-83

Roselle Catholic is better than advertised! They featured a balanced attack which had 6 players finish in double figures. ESPN #12 ranked 2023 prospect Simeon Wilcher was dominant in victory. He was in control of the game from start to finish and showed why he was a priority for Hubert Davis' at University of North Carolina. Once he got two feet in the paint, it was over! He finished around, at and above the rim with 17 points, facilitated and ran the offense to the tune of 9 assists and was a more than capable defender. He grabbed 7 rebounds and was able to get downhill in a hurry and find teammates in transition for wide open 3's that resembled warm-ups. Speaking of warm-ups... I like to get to the gym early to watch teams warm-up and go through their routines. The staff of Roselle Catholic had their guys working on game shots that translated to success in the game. A lot of times you see players doing 3-8 dribble combos that they never utilize in the game, that wasn't the case for Roselle the things they worked on they utilized and did so at an ELITE level. I call that, "Transfer of Trainedness." Braxton Jones was one of those players who stood out in pre-game with his shooting abilities. I saw him hit 10 three pointers in a row from the same spot. He is a strong shooter with a high basketball I.Q. For a shooter with his capability I was impressed with his unselfishness and willingness to pass up good shots for himself to create great shots for teammates. He finished with 14 points. Nebraska signee Jamarques Lawrence joined Isaiah Briscoe, Jameel Warney and others on the esteemed 1,000 point scorer list for Roselle Catholic. He finished with 16 points (3-5 from three). 2024 Forward Tarik Watson was impressively dominant in the paint. At 6'8 with great length & agility, he was dominant on the glass. South Shore had no answer for his post presence as he scored 25 points. Akil Watson was a player who stood out as well. The 6'9 2023 Forward had his full game on display. He knocked down the 3 ball, mid-range jumpers, finished at the rim and found open teammates. He finished with 15 points & 3 assists. Davin Francis (23 points) used his sharp shooting ability to try to will South Shore into a win. Kyrone Alexander (16 points) and Max Ragusa (15 points) we solid as well. When it come down to it, the cold shooting stretch of the second quarter created too much of a deficit for South Shore to come back from.

keystone academy (pa) DEFEATED vertical academy (Nc) 95-91 in overtime!

Keystone Academy came into this game with a chip on their shoulder. Much of the conversation and hype pre-game surrounded the Vertical Academy squad and they wanted to make sure the post-game conversation had a different tone. Keystone featured a 4 headed attack of Yann Farell, Brian Blanchet, Prince Masengo & Dellquan Warren. Coming into the game I expected big things from Yann Farell and he didn't disappoint. I've been able to track his growth and development over the past 3 years and his game is coming together nicely. He is a relentless defender, a more than capable perimeter shooter (3-5) in the contest and the 6'7 Small Forward is an elite athlete as well. He has great touch on his shots and can score at all three levels. He finished the game with 25 points (7-13 FG's). Brian Blanchet has a neon green light for Keystone Academy (5-11) from deep. He showcased his range, confidence and shot making ability in route to a 25 point night. Prince Mosengo is an intriguing prospect. He was stout in the post and a constant force on the glass but he also displayed the ability to knock down the outside shot (2-3 from three.) He finished with 21 points & 6 rebounds and was the difference maker on the interior. Dellquan Warren is the heart and soul of the Keystone Academy Kings. When the ball is in his hands, great things happen. He gets in the lane effortlessly, scores through contact and converted from beyond the arc at an efficient level (4-6). He finished the game with 20 points. Vertical Academy struggled to make shots and that hurt them. They were 2-17 from 3 and both of those made perimeter shots came from Tremayne Parker . Before fouling out early in the 4th Quarter Parker had 19 points and had electrified the crowd and reignited the fight in his Vertical Academy squad. Mikey Williams willed them back into the game with a strong 4th Quarter en route to 20 points alongside Tim Hall Jr. & DJ Dudley who had 18 points a piece.

Despite the broken backboard, chance of venue, etc. This was an amazing event that provided an elite atmosphere for those who enjoy the game of basketball. The competition was fierce, the talent on the floor was high level and both games were must watch basketball. If The Battle is coming to a city near you, I strongly suggest you get your tickets early because you don't want to miss the show!

"Battle in The Bluff 2" Standouts

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Sat, 18 Dec 2021 01:07:41 GMT

30 PROSPECTS WHO CAUGHT MY EYE IN MEMPHIS!

The field was loaded, there was no shortage of talent and elite prospects on the floor. So much so that I had to go beyond the normal "All-Tournament" team breakdown. I had an extremely difficult time limiting my standouts to 30 and could easily add 10 more names to this list but for the sake of time and space I will keep it limited to that. Here are the players who caught my eye during "Battle in The Bluff 2" and should be at the top of your list moving forward.

Nick Smith Jr. (North Little Rock-AR) ESPN #6 in 2022 signed with Arkansas

Nick Smith was dominant in North Little Rock’s victory over Richardson. He effortlessly got to his spot’s and knew what to do when he got there. Nick scored at will and was able to break down the defense to get to the basket. Smith scored at all 3 levels (8-15 fg’s & 3-6 from 3pt range) and was 100% from the free throw line (9-9) for a total of 30 points in a 14-point victory over one of the best teams in the country. More impressive than this on the court performance was the way he carried himself post-game which I titled “Pro Behavior.” Nick Smith Jr. is SPECIAL and I’m sure the Arkansas staff, supporters and fans are anxiously awaiting his arrival in Fayetteville.

“PRO BEHAVIOR”

We all know how insanely talented he is. We know he can score at will. We know he has a high basketball IQ and is a willing and capable defender. There’s nothing I can add to any of that. At the end of the game before he even celebrated with his teammates, Nick Smith Jr. walked over and shook each of the referee’s hands and told them thank you! PRO BEHAVIOR

Cason Wallace (Richardson-TX) ESPN #9 in 2022 signed with Kentucky

Long before Cason Wallace was a house-hold name, Kellen Buffington @TheTB5Reports told anyone who would listen that he was a special player. When Buff talks, the basketball world listens and once again he was spot on with his evaluation of Wallace. When I think of a “Top-10” ranked player I expect them to not only be an elite performer, but also consistently compete at an elite level and show up in big games.

Wallace did not disappoint at “Battle in The Bluff.” In Richardson’s first game vs. Kenwood he scored 23 points on (6-11 fg’s). He contributed in every way imaginable; 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks in a 65-59 win. In their second game, a much-anticipated matchup vs. North Little Rock & ESPN #6 ranked player Nick Smith, he scored 20 points had 4 rebounds and 4 assists while picking up the defensive assignment of Smith. Cason Wallace is a playmaker who impacts the game in every way.

Brandon Miller (Cane Ridge-TN) ESPN #13 in 2022 signed with Alabama

Cane Ridge High School (TN) had a tough matchup facing a Kenwood Academy squad who had just dropped a close game to Richardson High School. It was clear that whatever post game speech Coach Mike Irvin delivered worked as Kenwood came out and was dominant from start to finish. But there was a bright spot for Cane Ridge and it came from the 13 ^th ranked player in the Nation, Brandon Miller. The Alabama signee poured in 26 points and added 13 rebounds, was 8-9 from the Free-Throw line and he competed from opening tip to the final horn. He showed an ability to knock down the outside shot, was a dominant force around the basket as well as a capable ball handler. He used his size and vision to find open players and was extremely effective attacking down-hill.

Yohan Traore (Dream City Christian-AZ) ESPN #29 in 2022 unsigned

Yohan had an injury early in the second half of their matchup vs. West Oaks (FL). Prior to that he was dominant on both ends of the floor. He controlled the offensive and defensive glass and had 18 points (6-10 fg’s & 5-5 ft’s). I was impressed with his overall skillset. He stretches the floor and knocks down the outside shot, can put the ball on the floor and plays with a high motor at all times. When posting up he has a wide catch radius and makes it easy for guards to get him the ball. Whichever university ends up winning the “Yohan Traore Lottery” will be getting a special talent.

Kamari Lands (Hillcrest Prep-AZ) ESPN #34 in 2022 unsigned

Kamari Lands recently announced that he was down to two potential college choices, Louisville & Arizona State. Both of them should be pleased with the way he’s been playing lately. In Hillcrest’s first game at “Battle in The Bluff” against Tennessee Prep he scored 27 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists in a 91-64 win. He was 3 for 5 from deep and attacked the basket at will. He had his finishing ability on full display and was 100% (10-10) from the free throw line. He has demonstrated an ability to play on and off ball for Hillcrest and can score at all 3 levels. In their second game, a 79-69 loss to Combine Academy, he went for 16 points and showed leadership, poise & maturity. I’ve evaluated Kamari a lot over the years dating back to his time at La Lumiere and it’s been great to see his game grow and evolve. He has improved his perimeter shooting, can score in a multitude of ways and is a leader on and off the floor.

Kel'el Ware (North Little Rock-AR) ESPN #39 in 2022 signed with Oregon

The thing I love the most about the class of 2022 is the depth of the big’s. Kel’el Ware is one of those special big men who has an extremely versatile game. He is dominates the glass on both ends of the floor, protects the rim like his life depends it and runs the floor like a gazelle. Rim protecting and rim running are just a part of his skillset. His touch is continuously improving and not only around the rim, he extends the floor and knocks down the perimeter shot with impressive form.. He went 2-2 from three vs. Richardson and finished with 17 points, 9 rebounds and 7 blocks. I thought I was going to witness the rare Point, Rebound, Block triple double for a while. In a class full of talented big men, Oregon is getting one of the best!

Jaxon Kohler (Southern California Academy-CA) ESPN #40 in 2022 signed with Michigan State

Jaxon Kohler is an elite big man with exceptional footwork. He has a post-game which is reminiscent of 80’s style NBA basketball and because of that he is one of my favorite players. The thing that stands out the most to me is his endurance. He has played nearly every minute of every game that I have watched. He runs the floor, dominates the glass and takes control of the game. When you think of the ball flowing through a big man you typically assume paint touches, that’s not the case with Jaxon Kohler. Although he has a deep post game bag, he also will give you mid-post buckets and knock down the deep 3. In their game one blowout vs. Memphis Mitchell he went for 28 points & 10 rebounds and while saddled with foul trouble against a talented and deep Combine Academy he had 13 points and 8 rebounds. The East Lansing faithful are excited about Kohler’s impending arrival and I can clearly see why.

Amarr Knox (Bartlett High School-TN) ESPN #67 in 2022 unsigned

I was excited to see Amarr Knox compete on his home floor and he did not disappoint. In their first game vs. Christian Brothers High School, he had 25 points and 8 rebounds. He led the team in every way imaginable while also playing extremely suffocating defense. Against Dream City Christian he led all scorers with 27 points along with 6 rebounds and 3 assists. He showed an ability to get to the basket and finish around the rim with both hands. It’s going to be interesting to see where he ends up after decomitting from the hometown Memphis Tigers in late October.

Rylan Griffin (Richardson-TX) ESPN #72 in 2022 signed with Alabama

Richardson is an impressive team. They have a 3-man attack of Cason Wallace, Timmie Jordan & Rylan Griffin. Griffin is headed to Tuscaloosa to play for Nate Oats and there’s a lot for Crimson Tide fans to be excited about. Rylan Griffin is a capable and confident shooter who can also put the ball on the floor and make something happen off the bounce. He attacks downhill efficiently and effectively and understands the game at a high level. He takes what the defense gives him without forcing a lot, knowing that he has competent help on the offensive end that can knock down open shots so there’s no need to shoot bad shots. He’s a willing and capable defender and rebounds well for a guard. I really like his game and can see if translating well to the next level. Griffin is another one of those players Kellen Buffington told us about early on and as I’ve said before; Buff doesn’t miss on his evaluations.

Jayden Epps (Combine Academy-NC) ESPN #94 in 2022 signed with Illinois

Combine Academy is another one of those impressive teams with multiple players that you can spotlight and talk about after every game. In their first contest they defeated an extremely talented Southern California Academy squad 67-58 and in the second game they outpaced an equally talented Hillcrest Prep squad 79-69. One of the major difference makers was Jayden Epps and his consistent production. He scored at all 3 levels, ran the offense/facilitated, picked up the other team’s best player and showed that he possesses the ability to erupt offensively at any given time with his 29-point performance vs. Hillcrest. It’s not so much the amount of points that Epps scored but the way in which he scored. He never seemed hurried or flustered and always was in control of the game. In game 1 when he couldn’t get the outside shot to fall he never got frustrated, just put his head down and got to the basket and subsequently the free throw line where he went 5-6. I always love to see games immediately after a player has a “not so great” shooting performance. How they respond is a great indicator to me, and Jayden Epps responded exceptionally well. He knocked down 3 three pointers in the victory but also focused on the thing that made his successful in game one, attacking the basket and getting to the free-throw line. He was 14-15 from the line. It’s hard to be a team when their point guard is getting the free-throw line like that and even harder when he’s converted those trips to the line into points.

Brian “BJ” Edwards (Knoxville Catholic High School-TN) signed with Tennessee

BJ Edwards seems to always play with a chip on his shoulder. He impacts the game from multiple dimensions and is an electric and exciting player to watch. In a Game 1 loss to Memphis East he had 14 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. In a Game 2 thriller he finished with 17 points & 5 rebounds. He attacked down-hill and got to the free-throw line at will. He was 100% (6-6) from the line and a major part of the 48-45 victory for Knoxville Catholic. At 6’3, Edwards is an impressive rebounder for his size which shows his competitiveness and the amount of effort he brings to the game. A tough defender that will pick you up 94 feet and harass you the length of the court, BJ Edwards leaves his imprint on the game from start to finish.

Patrick Wessler (Combine Academy-NC) signed with Virginia Tech

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a fan of 80’s basketball. I enjoy seeing true post players compete. This event had some of the best “big’s” in the country and it was great to evaluate them. You can’t talk about elite 2022 Big Men and not, at the very minimum, mention Patrick Wessler’s name. The Virginia Tech Commit was phenomenal at Battle in The Bluff 2. I loved to see him play and compete. He has a great motor, a wide catch radius, and can finish with both hands around the basket. Beyond that, he is extremely adaptable. I saw numerous passes hit him near or around the ankle/knee area and not only did he not complain once, he took those mis-directed passes and converted them into points. He controlled the glass on both ends of the floor and was a walking double-double machine! His presence inside caused foul trouble for the opposition and his ability to make free throws made him nearly impossible to defend (6-7 FT’s in game & 5-6 in game 2). With Jayden Epps & Preston Murphy Jr. in the backcourt and Wessler patrolling the paint, Combine Academy is one of the best teams in the country.

Oziah Sellers (Southern California Academy-CA) signed with University of Southern California

Oziah Sellers is one of the best shooters in the class of 2022. He doesn’t need much space and as soon as he checks into the game, he’s in range! Defenders need to know where he’s at on the court at all times and better have a hand up when they are closing out. Sellers knocked down 7 Three-Pointers in two games and every shot that left his hand looked good. He stretched the floor for Jaxon Kohler and provided him with plenty of room to work because if the double came they know a deep three would soon follow from either Sellers or Cowherd. Oziah has a high basketball I.Q. and makes the right reads on the floor. With his strong shooting ability you’d expect to see him force more shots up but he lets the game come to him and is patient with his shot selection.

Trey Pettigrew (Kenwood Academy-IL) signed with Nevada

Trey Pettigrew is efficient and scores at a high percentage. He has the ability to impact the game and can effortlessly score at all 3 levels. This Kenwood team has 5 legit weapons; Pettigrew, Darrin Ames, Darius Robinson, and Calvin Robins can all score and when clicking on all cylinders this Kenwood team is tough to beat. I like to see Trey playing in an offense where he doesn’t have to singularly carry the load. He plays with great pace and understanding of when to be aggressive and attack. He registered 15 points (3-6 from 3) in a Game 1 loss to Richardson & 17 points in a Game 2 blowout win over Cane Ridge. The versatile guard should be a great fit in Reno next year for Coach Steve Alford.

Shawn Phillips (Dream City Christian-AZ) signed with NC State

It’s been great to watch the evolution of Dream City Christian big man Shawn Phillips. Dating back to his time at Dayton Belmont, Shawn has been one of those players with an upside only eclipsed by his physical prowess. As he’s developed and toned his larger than life frame his endurance has improved and so has his footwork. Seeing him in tandem with Yohan Traore in their lopsided victory over West Oaks (FL) showed glimpses of what this team will look like as they compete into March. Phillips is a dominant rebounder and does a great job of using his body for leverage around the basket. There’s still much upside for him but he is showing solid touch, not only around the basket but also out to the free throw line extended mid-range area. His free-throw shooting has improved as well, he went 4-7 en route to a 13 point & 9 rebound performance. NC State has a bright future and Kevin Keatts has to be enjoying the maturation of his future Center.

Chandler Jackson (Christian Brothers-TN) signed with Florida State University

Chandler Jackson is a strong addition to the "New Bloods" of Florida State University. He put his scoring prowess on display against Bartlett (21 points & 7 rebounds) and NSU University School (19 points (3-6 from three), 10 rebounds). I love his size and physicality. He has a great build and uses his size, strength and athleticism to makes plays in traffic. He was a more than capable ball handler who played with great pace and was never sped up. He was great off the dribble but also demonstrated his ability to knock down shots of the dribble as well. Jackson ran the offense and showcased his knack for facilitating as well as rebounding and pushing the tempo. He will fit in well in Tallahassee.

Corey Washington (North Little Rock High School-AR) unsigned

There’s “Glue Guys” and then there’s Corey Washington! He put on a phenomenal performance vs. Richardson High School and was ultimately the difference maker in that competition. I was impressed in his abilities from start to finish in a much-anticipated matchup. Big time players step up in games of the magnitude and Corey Washington for sure made his presence felt. He finished with 24 points and 6 rebounds as he completed the 3 headed monster that consists of him, Smith & Ware. He got to the basket at will and finished on both sides of the rim and not to forget his ability to play well above the rim as well. He finished 14-16 from the free throw line and made it difficult for the defense to help on Nick Smith Jr. or Kel’el Ware. I was impressed with Washington’s ability to take advantage of the moment and know whichever school gets him will be just as impressed.

Amaree Abram (Southern California Academy-CA) unsigned

I’ve had the pleasure of evaluating Amaree Abram a lot this season. Each time I’ve been impressed with the way he commands the offense and makes sure things flow smoothly. I’ve seen him be a facilitator and make sure teammates get the ball in positions to score. I’ve also seen that he can score at will, rebound and push the tempo. I really like the versatility of Amaree’s game and his ability to unselfishly be productive and keep his team in positive situations. Abram has a high basketball IQ and is great at picking his spots to score while also making sure all around him are getting adequate touches and shots. Playing alongside Kohler, Sellers, Cowhers, Thompson, etc. is preparing him for the next level where he will share space on the floor with multiple elite level talents. After a strong showing in Battle in The Bluff 2 Abram picked up an offer from Maryland. He is currently being courted by Maryland, Ole Miss, Xavier, St. Johns, and others.

Elijah Bailey (Tennessee Prep-TN) unsigned

I hate the term underrated. I even more hate when players complain that they are underrated and overlooked. That’s why I like Elijah Bailey. He never talks about being overlooked or under-recruited, he just plays basketball. Elijah leaves his heart on the court every single game. I’ve had the opportunity to watch him play several times this year and each time I walk away impressed. Elijah has a high basketball I.Q. and runs the offense well for Coach Rayford’s Tennessee Prep squad. He can be a scoring threat when necessary or a pass first facilitator. He is a very solid ball player whose defensive tenacity reminds you that he’s originally from New York. Elijah is definitely a player to watch who will continue to grow and develop and use the experience of playing against top competition at elite events to prepare him for the future.

Jeffery Brazziel (Dream City Christian-AZ) unsigned

Dream City Christian has a new addition and it’s been a special one. Jeffery Brazziel has settled in well for DCC. In a win over Bartlett High School he was the leading scorer for a well-rounded offensive attack. It’s going to be interesting to see how this team looks as the continue to gel. I like the unselfishness and of Brazziel and how that impacts the team. I really enjoyed what I saw from him and am looking forward to seeing more as the Milwaukee native continues to integrate to the team.

Jaylen Drane (Simeon Career Academy-IL) unsigned

Saying Jaylen Drane was impressive in a win over Milwaukee Academy of Science is an understatement. He scored 23 points on 9-12 shooting (2-4 from 3). He efficiently scored at all 3 levels and provided relentless ball pressure against one of the best guards in the country finishing with 3 steals. I always love to see defensive minded guards but I even more love guards that turn defense into offense and compete at a high level. Drane did a great job getting his big man Miles Rubin the ball in the right place at the right time and finished with 4 assists. He is definitely a player to keep your eyes on moving forward.

Rob Martin III (Christian Brothers College High School-MO) unsigned

Rob Martin is an elite scorer. In each game that I’ve watched him play he’s scored at a high clip. Beyond his scoring ability he’s one of the best rebounding guards I’ve seen in a while. He has a knack for finding the ball and then quickly pushing the pace. In a win over Memphis East he led CBC with 26 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. I really like Rob’s ability to impact the game in multiple ways and like Christian Brothers College’s chances to win another State Championship.

Class of 2023/2024 Standouts: It’s easy to lose sight of the underclassmen in a field loaded with elite seniors. The “Battle in The Bluff 2” featured some of the most talented up and coming players in the country.

Darrin “Dai Dai” Ames (Kenwood Academy-IL) ESPN #55 in 2023

Darrin Ames was outstanding against one of the best teams in the country. He scored 26 points (2-3 from three) in a close loss to Richardson while scoring in a variety of ways. He was perfect from the free-throw line and made a demonstrative statement that he is one of the best guards in the country, regardless of class. He followed up that performance with 22 points in a big win over Cane Ridge. Ames can score at will against the best in the country and is steadily improving his game. Keep an eye on Darrin Ames over the next 8 months, as his stock will definitely rise. He has a large array of high major suitors vying for his talents and recently picked up an offer from Notre Dame following his performance at Battle in The Bluff 2.

Tim Jordan Jr. (Richardson High School-TX) 2023

Timmie Jordan was impressive for Richardson. He was efficient in his scoring. He registered16 points and 5 rebounds vs. Kenwood & 11 points and 5 rebounds vs. North Little Rock. He has great size, is a capable scorer and rebounder who I’ve seen play in the past in Michigan and am impressed with the maturation of his game. As he continues to work on his perimeter game he will be a force to be reckoned with. Richardson is one of the top teams in the country and the experience/exposure will help Tim Jordan Jr.’s overall development in the future.

Blue Cain (Knoxville Catholic High School-TN) 2023

Blue Cain had a great showing in both games including a game winning shot at the buzzer against Memphis University School. He was impressive with his finishing abilities and scored at all 3 levels. He is a competitor who scores, rebound and defends. Blue Cain is a winner and raises his level as the lights get brighter. He tallied 26 points and 7 rebounds against Memphis East and 15 points and 6 rebounds vs. Memphis University School. In a guard heavy 2023 class, Blue can compete with the best of them.

Jason Asemota (Hillcrest Prep-AZ) 2024

For a long time, I’ve said that Jason Asemota is one of the most talented prospects in the country. The 6’9 G/F has a rare combination of Size, Speed, Athleticism and Elite Shooting Ability. He’s a matchup problem for defenses and with his tenacity on the defensive end he causes problems for other offenses. He knocked down 7 three's (7-12) in the two games, rebounded and blocked shots. He uses his length well, has good lateral agility and consistently exceeds expectations. Asemota can block shots on one end, grab the rebound and push it the length of the court effortlessly. He's a legit 6'9 with guard skills that are steadily improving. By the time it’s all said and done I project him to be a top 10 talent in the country.

R’Chaun King (Memphis University School-TN) 2024

This was my first time seeing R’Chaun King live and I was impressed. He was an absolute monster in the post and finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds. It’s hard to evaluate a prospect off of just one showing but I really think R’Chaun has an opportunity to be special. It’s not often that you find post players who are content with being big men. You typically see them wanting to float around the perimeter as young players, so when you locate a F/C who wants to be dominant in the post you have to take notice. If R’Chaun continues to grow, develop and harness his abilities I can see him being one of the best bigs in his class.

Tayshawn Bridges (Milwaukee Academy of Science-WI) 2024

Tayshawn Bridges has long been considered one of the best players in the Class of 2024. Rankings change like Michigan weather; frequently, without warning and with little explanation. I don’t put too much stock in them and that’s why even though a lot of recruiting sites dropped him from their rankings, I still stand by my first sentence… Tayshawn Bridges is one of the best players in the Class of 2024. He is a competitor that gets to the basket and finishes through traffic/contact. He is athletic and plays with lots of heart and passion. He reminds me of a Point Guard in the class of 2019 whose name I will withhold publicly comparing him to for the risk of setting unfair expectations. What I am going to say is, Tayshawn Bridges is the real deal. He is a special player who has high upside and plenty of time to achieve it. Soon I expect to see his name back where it belongs, near the top of the Class of 2024 rankings!

Alijah Curry (Memphis East-TN) 2024

I always go into events excited to see who is going to catch my eye for the first time. At this event it was Alijah Curry. The Memphis East Sophomore showed up and showed out vs. Knoxville Catholic. East battled back from a 10-point half-time deficit and Curry had 22 points and 12 rebounds in a 64-59 victory. He was impressive and went 4-5 from the FT line in a game where every possession and every point mattered. If you didn’t know he his age/class coming into the game, you would have sworn he was a senior the way he put the team on his back and willed them to victory. I expect to see Alijah Curry’s name spoken about nationally very soon.

John Bol (Christian Brothers College High School-MO) 2024

I’ve evaluated John Bol in a few games this season and his 17 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks in a 67-65 win over Memphis East was the best I’ve seen the 7’0+ big man play. CBC made an intentional effort to play inside out and that game plan worked perfectly. Bol used his size to dominate the block on both ends of the floor. I’ve seen potential in him and knew he had the ability to be a special player, but also know that centers tend to develop late. John has great hands, nice touch and obviously great size and length. As the raw potential starts to turn into production, Bol will be a dominant big man in the years to come.

"BATTLE IN THE BLUFF 2" PREVIEW

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 20:39:47 GMT

Showtime Basketball Presents "BATTLE IN THE BLUFF 2" Hosted By Stephen Jackson

It’s going down in Memphis,TN December 9-11 2021!

I’ve had the pleasure of broadcasting the 2021 “Iverson Classic” & “Blood, Sweat & Tears” presented by Darius Miles for SUVtv. Each time I’ve showed up for Bobby Bates events I’m blown away by the matchups, professionalism and organization of the event as a whole!

Stephen Jackson’s “Battle in The Bluff 2” is shaping up to be another one of those ELITE events! 36 games over 3 days featuring 12 players in the Class of 2022 ranked in the ESPN top 100, 3 players in the Class of 2023 ranked in the ESPN top 60 & one player in the Class of 2024 ranked in the ESPN top 25.

Nick Smith (North Little Rock-AR) signed with Arkansas ESPN #6 in 2022

Cason Wallace (Richardson-TX) signed with Kentucky ESPN #9 in 2022

Brandon Miller (Cane Ridge-TN) signed with Alabama ESPN #13 in 2022

Yohan Traore (Dream City Christian-AZ) unsigned ESPN #29 in 2022

Kamari Lands (Hillcrest Prep-AZ) unsigned ESPN #34 in 2022

Kel'el Ware (North Little Rock-AR) signed with Oregon #39 in 2022

Jaxon Kohler (Southern California Academy-CA) signed with Michigan State #40 in 2022

Milos Uzan (Dream City Christian-AZ) signed with Oklahoma #52 in 2022

Amarr Knox (Bartlett High School-TN) unsigned ESPN #67 in 2022

Rylan Griffin (Richardson-TX) signed with Alabama #72 in 2022

Jayden Epps (Combine Academy-NC) signed with Illinois #94 in 2022

Jalen Reed (Southern California Academy-CA) signed with Florida #98 in 2022

Isaiah West (Goodpasture Christian School-TN) #32 in 2023

Braelon Green (Dream City Christian-AZ) #34 in 2023

Darrin Ames (Kenwood Academy-IL) #55 in 2023

Somto Cyril (Hamilton Heights Christian Academy-TN) #21 in 2024

The lineup includes 3 teams ranked in the “Sports Illustrated Power 25”- #8 Richardson (TX), #13 North Little Rock (AR), & # 16 Combine Academy (NC) and 5 teams ranked in the “SCNext Top 25”- #3 Richardson (TX), #11 Southern California Academy (CA), #17 Hillcrest Prep (AZ), #23 Combine Academy (NC) & #24 North Little Rock (AR).

There’s plenty of great matchups in the event but one in particular has the makings to be the Game of the CENTURY!!!

ESPN #9 ranked player in 2022 Cason Wallace (Richardson H.S. Texas) & ESPN #72 ranked player in 2022 Rylan Griffin vs ESPN #6 ranked player in 2022 Nick Smith & ESPN #39 ranked player in 2022 Kel’el Ware (North Little Rock, AR) on Saturday December 11, 2021 at 5:00pm CST.

I know what you’re thinking, on any given day we can turn on the TV and see Montverde vs. IMG or two similar teams with 10+ total players in ranked in the top 100. But hear me out on the significance of this game. In a landscape of Elite High School basketball where 66% of ESPN’s Top 100 players attend Prep (49) or Private Schools (17) it’s extremely rare that you’ll see a matchup of two Public High Schools that feature players in the top 10 on each side and 4 players total ranked in the top 100. This is a MUST watch game & you’ll find it ONLY AT STEPHEN JACKSON’S “BATTLE IN THE BLUFF 2” presented by Showtime Basketball‼️

2021 Breast Cancer Awareness Classic (FL) Standouts

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 23:45:47 GMT

The 10th Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Classic Presented by Reece Sports of America featured some of the best players in Central Florida, here are the guys who stood out the most to me...

BRICE SENSABAUGH- 6'6 2022 Lake Highland Prep (Ohio state commit)

Brice Sensabaugh put on one of the most impressive shooting performances that I've seen in a long time. The thing that stood out about it was the fact that he was face guarded a lot of the game but was still able to get open and make the defense pay. I've watched a lot of basketball this year, have had the opportunity to evaluate most of the top ranked players in the country and I can confidently say that there are not 100 players better in the Class of 2022 (sorry ESPN). He finished the game with 36 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists.

He’s one of the best shooters in his class and doesn’t need much space to get his shot off! Brice is athletic, has a high basketball IQ and is a threat to score as soon as he crosses half-court. He has perfect shooting form, gets his shot off quickly and plenty of range to spare. Brice is confident, consistent and will dunk on you if you’re foolish enough to jump!

Ohio State is getting an ELITE prospect ‼️

SEAN STEWART- 6'8 2023 WINDERMERE HIGH SCHOOL

When evaluating prospects I have 1 rule. No pro/college player comparisons! I only compare players to the version of them that I saw the last time I evaluated them. Sean Stewart is one of those players that I've had the pleasure of watching multiple times over the years and he always seems to show improvement. This past weekend I was most impressed by the maturation of his poise/confidence and his increase in overall athleticism. The jump in athleticism is something worth noting but I must also point out how translatable that skill is in his game. From contesting shots to rebounding on both ends of the floor and playing high above the rim it was clear addition to his on the court presence. Sean was a dominant force on the offensive end and was always in great defensive position. He blocked, deterred and altered multiple shots throughout the game. His big dunks ignited not only the crows but also his teammates when they needed a lift the most.

Sean recently narrowed his list of potential collegiate landing spots to Harvard, Howard, Kansas, Georgetown, Ohio St., Duke, Michigan & Stanford. I'm certain all of those schools are loving his growth & development!

FABIO BASILI- 6'3 2022 OAK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

Fabio Basili put the Oak Ridge team on his back from the opening tip in route to a nearly 40 point performance. He scored at all 3 levels and showcased his ability to finish above the rim, through contact as well as shooting the deep ball! He consistently got down hill on his defender and got to the basket nearly at will. There's a lot that stood out about Fabio but I'd say his finishing ability was his most striking attribute. On a relatively young team, the veteran leadership of Basili was an example to his teammates and there's no surprise that the ball was in his hands as Oak Ridge looked to close out the basketball game. It also is worth noting that Fabio contributed greatly on the glass and was a capable facilitator as well. He is certainly a player to track, and I'm certain several of the college scouts who attended the games this weekend have his name circled moving forward.

ISAIAH CAMPBELL-FINCH- 5'11 2025 TAMPA CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

Isaiah “Diggie” Campbell-Finch has been a player on my radar for quite some time. While I was at All-Ohio Red he sat at the top of my “Must Have” list of 2025 prospects. Seeing the growth in his game over the years has been a joy. We sat down to do an interview at CP3 Rising Stars and I circled his name based off the maturity in his answers and mental approach to the game. It’s extremely important for a lead guard to have poise, confidence and strong leadership abilities; all of which Diggie embodies.

In a tough battle against a very talented Winter Haven team, Isaiah looked like a seasoned veteran as he got his team in the right offensive sets and navigated a press break against a long/athletic defense. He knocked down perimeter shots, mid-range pull ups and finished around the rim. He facilitated and lead from start to finish. I watched multiple college coaches circle his name and tap their colleagues as he showcased his depth of his skillset. I'm looking forward to watching him continue to develop and evolve!

DYLAN JAMES- 6'8 2023 WINTER HAVEN HIGH SCHOOL

Dylan James impacted the game vs. Tampa Catholic in every way imaginable. He dominated the paint, grabbed rebounds both in & out of his zone and showed great form/confidence in his shooting. As he continues to develop his outside shot there is no doubt he has a chance to be truly special. I was impressed from start to finish with him as a competitor, each defensive possession he was a willing and capable defender. He finished with 19 points and although he was only 1-5 from three point range, his shots looked really good leaving his hand and it's evident he has put in a lot of time in the gym. Rebounds/Blocks at his size and ability are what I call "effort stats." He is a walking double/double with the ability to leave his imprint on the game whether he's scoring or not.

The 6’8 Forward is making a case for Top 100 in the Class of 2023 and from what I saw he is just scratching the surface of his potential. It’s going to be very interesting to see where this young man is at in his development this summer. I have a strong feeling he will be a household name Nationally!

As you can see there was no shortage of talent at The 2021 Breast Cancer Awareness Classic. There's multiple other standouts that I could write about who you should certainly check out. Winter Haven: Jamie Phillips & Isaac Celiscar. Tampa Catholic: Roderick Watson-Pearcey. Leesburg: Camerin James. Oak Ridge: Jalen Reece, Tyler Johnson & Elijah Elliot. Evans: Jyshaun Melvin... Coach Steve Reece did a phenomenal job with all aspects of this event and it is one that I will circle on my calendar annually as a must attend. If you missed the games, I've enclosed links to wacth them below (Thank you SUVtv) but make sure next year you purchase your ticket and watch them live with me in Orlando, FL!

The Battle Miami Standouts

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 00:37:38 GMT

Miami, for most, is a prime vacation destination. It's listed as one of the "30 Best Places To Visit in the USA" by U.S. News. But, on October 9th; The Battle Official ( www.thebattleofficial.com ) assembled 8 elite teams for a business trip that would set the tone for the season, and events, to follow! Many people have spoken, tweeted and posted about supporting Historically Black College's & Universities but that needs to extend beyond a conversation. The Battle is providing that next level of support by delivering engagement, exposure, and economic impact to HBCU campuses through the medium of elite grassroots athletic events.

The atmosphere on the campus of Florida Memorial University was electric as fans filled the arena with their sights set on multiple high level matchups and the headliner of Mikey Williams & Vertical Academy vs. Bronny James, Amari Bailey & California Basketball Club. As you know, that marquee matchup was missing a few of the key stars; but the level of play on the court did not disappoint. There were multiple high level prospects who took advantage of the opportunity and earned their place in our list of "Standouts." If you missed the games live or on NBC Sports/Peacock over the weekend, they will re-air Sunday October 17th on SUVtv's youtube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/c/SUVtv )

The Battle Miami Standouts

Mikey Williams: Mikey Williams is one of the most notable and recognizable names in High School Basketball. I often joke that you know you're "that guy" when you can go by just one name. With over 3.3 million followers on Instagram, Mikey's notoriety exceeds the majority of current NBA players. In this era of elite youth basketball; growing expectations accompany his "cult-like" popularity and it's often hard to live up to them. Over the years, I've watched Mikey handle the media, crowd, and opposing defense's with ease. It was great to see him compete at The Battle Miami because his full game was on display. He facilitated and got his teammates going early and often, he attacked and put the team on his back when necessary and did it all while putting on a show for crowd. He efficiently scored from all 3 levels in both of their games and demonstrated to everyone watching that he is one of the best players in the country.

Angel Montas: Angel Montas put on one of the most impressive performances I've seen this year. He is an exceptional downhill scorer who also showed shot-making capability. He struggled from beyond the arc but was absolutely unstoppable when in attack mode. Angel has a knack for getting to the basket and the ability to finish through contact with both hands. His scoring ability coupled with great free throw shooting (11-16 over the course of 2 games) make him tough to stop. Whenever Life Christian Academy needed a basket, they could rely on Angel to make something happen and it didn't too much matter who was between him and the basket. He has superb balance and agility which allowed him to turn situations that regularly would result in a charge into "And 1" finishes. Not too many players can score 50 points in a high school basketball game, Angel Montas did just that against elite competition. The 6'5 small forward from La Romana, Dominican Republic has offers from Dayton, Illinois, Iona, FIU, SMU & Fordham. I can certainly see him making an immediate impact wherever he decides to play his collegiate ball.

Mike Price : The biggest question always asked when a star goes down or is unable to play is "Who's going to step up!" Mike Price did just that! He was in control at all times and gave a glimpse of just how good this CBC (Sierra Canyon) roster really is. He put on a shot making clinic that consisted of dunks, floaters, pull ups, jump shots, you name it! This is a young man with an extremely diverse skillset who has obviously spent a lot of time in the gym perfecting his craft. Mike Price has the ability to score at will but the pace and maturity to pick his spots and set up his teammates for success. The CBC squad looked more in control and organized with Mike on the floor as he elevated the level of play and controlled the tempo from start to finish. ESPN has him ranked at number 36 in the Class of 2023 and he utilized the prime time matchups to show in both games that he can compete with anyone in the country. Price starred at Ribet Academy, which was one of the top programs in the state of California last year but chose to transfer to Sierra Canyon after it was announced that Ribet would not field a basketball program this coming season due to financial constraints. Scouts, College Coaches and Media should definitely have Mike Price on their short list of "Prospects to Watch" this year as he is sure to continue to open eyes and garner national attention.

Isaiah Elohim : Isaiah Elohim was another one of those guys who stepped up big for CBC given the additional availability of minutes and shots with some of their game-time scratches. It's always good to see how younger players perform when the bright lights are on them in meaningful minutes. Isaiah Elohim did not disappoint and lived up to his pre-season #4 ranking in the ESPN Top 25 Class of 2024. He scored double-digits in both games but was extremely impressive leading CBC in scoring with 24 points in Game 1 vs. Vertical Academy. His ability to manufacture points by drawing contact and getting to the free throw line was key in not only adding to the final score but also creating foul trouble for the opposition. The play of Elohim, Price & Rudovskiy leads me to believe that Sierra Canyon is one of, if not the deepest team in the country.

Kijani Wright : A man amongst boys! Kijani Wright was dominant on both ends of the floor! He rebounds with authority, attacks the rim with aggression and makes his presence felt every minute that he's on the floor. The USC commit was outstanding in the paint and gave Trojan's fans a glimpse of what they can expect in the Galen Center for years to come! Kijani is extremely active on the offensive glass, rebounds outside of his zone, finishes well around and above the rim, has a great catch radius and understands how to use his size and strength to his advantage. When playing through him, he understands when he has the advantage and can get a bucket but also has the wherewithal to identify open shooters on the perimeter and cutters attacking the basket. Kijani has a physically imposing presence that you can't help but notice on the floor. He was for sure the anchor for CBC all weekend and I can imagine he will have a major impact on Sierra Canyon's title run this season!

Tremayne Parker : With all eyes, and defenses; focused on Mikey Williams, Vertical Academy needed someone to step up and help shoulder the load. Tremayne Parker answered the call! The 6'3 2023 guard provided a much needed secondary scoring effort. He scored 15 points in Game 1 and erupted for 31 points Game 2. Tremayne showed an ability to get to the basket consistently as well as near NBA range while knocking down multiple deep 3's. When you have a player like Mikey Williams on your team there will always be an opportunity for someone to take advantage of the spotlight he brings and Tremayne Parker was that guy at The Battle Miami. He should have no shortage of chances to showcase himself on a National stage this season and if he continues to produce in those moments I expect to see him with plenty of Division 1 offers.

Cameron Boozer : I recently wrote about Cameron Boozer when I posted my "Freshman 10" ( https://www.thebrantleymethod.com/the-freshman-10 ) and seeing him in Miami was more confirmation of what I saw from him at CP3 Rising Stars Camp. Playing in front of his dad; (NCAA Champion and 2x NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer), NBA star Victor Oladipo, and other big names in the nearly standing room only crowd, Cameron Boozer dominated the competition in route to a 21 point 9 rebound outing in which he sat most of the second half. He was unstoppable and made it very clear to everyone watching that he is on a different level. Supreme post moves, above the rim monster dunks that brought the crowd to their feet, mid-range jumpers and 5-5 free throw shooting was on display from the 6'8 Freshman who utilized the platform and NBC National Broadcast to showcase to everyone in the country his elite skillset.

Cayden Boozer : I thoroughly enjoyed watching Cayden presiding as the floor general of the Columbus Explorers. He controlled the tempo, played with pace, played above the rim, created offensive opportunities with his defensive ball pressure in route to a 34 point victory. Cayden showed his ability to score but more importantly his basketball I.Q. to productively run the offense and put everyone in an advantageous position. At 6'4 he has positional size and when you pair that with his skillset and athleticism you have the recipe for success in High School and beyond. Keep an eye on both of the Boozer twins as they continue to develop. They will have Christopher Columbus in contention and in position to avenge last seasons loss in the Region 4-7A Championship.

Khouri Carvey : Khouri Carvey had a solid performance in Game 1 but really came to life with 19 points in Game 2. He put on a mid-range clinic as the game flowed through him in Vertical Academy's 95-89 victory over Life Christian Academy. The 6'9 Forward knocked down multiple free-throw line extended jumpers to neutralize the zone Life Christian employed to slow down the driving abilities of Veritcal Academy. Khouri was a key component to the success of their offense with his ability to not only knock down shots but to also identify the open man and deliver precision passes out of the high post. We spoke a lot on the broadcast about players being open to HBCU opportunities, Khouri Carvey is one of the players who could flourish in those conferences.

Jamier Jones : Jamier Jones is one of the most athletically gifted guards in the country. He jumps out of the gym and is learning how to utilize that athleticism in game settings. When he's aggressive and in attack mode he can get to the basket and finish through contact, he gets to the free throw line and converts those opportunities at a high percentage (8-10 on the weekend) and provides relentless ball pressure on the defensive end. His team came up short in both games during the event but his potential and upside was on display for those in attendance and fans watching on Peacock. He is a name that you'll hear a lot of during the next 4 years.

Jason Jackson : Jason Jackson & Jamier Jones were all the offensive firepower "The View" had all weekend and unfortunately it wasn't enough against the high level competition of The Battle Miami. Even in defeat Jackson demonstrated his next level ability and lead his team in scoring in both games. He scored at all 3 levels and showed those in attendance and watching from home why he is viewed as one of the top prospects in the Class of 2023. He currently hold offers from Florida, LSU, Virginia Tech & Penn State and with consistent play his stock should continue to rise this season.

Kailon Nicholls : Kailon Nicholls is a competitor and a winner! In both of the games for Rip City he led their team as they mounted late comebacks to emerge victoriously. The 6 foot Senior refused to back down and responded to numerous big plays and offensive runs with one of his own. Kailon showed range and strong shooting ability along with the capability to break down defenders and get to the basket at will. He finished through contact and willed his team to victory. Nicholls is another player who I think could have a very successful career at an HBCU. Coaches love winners and Kailon finds a way to do just that!

Hansel Emmanuel Donato : By far Hansel Emmanuel Donato is the most inspiring story in High School basketball. Watching him compete was something that transcends the 94 feet of hardwood the game is played on. Hansel is a high level player who doesn't see or believe in limitations. He is able to do things on the court with 1 arm that the large majority of us only wish to be able to accomplish with two. He blocks shots, aggressively defends, gets to the basket, facilitates and plays above the rim. The energy, enthusiasm and confidence he plays with is an example to show players of all ages and skill levels. Beyond the motivational impact, Hansel can flat out play! He often times saw a double team as soon as he crossed half court because the opponents knew what he was capable of once he got moving towards the basket. He finished with 14 points in Life Christian Academy's loss to Vertical Academy and continuously provided sparks to get them back within striking distance. I am a big fan of Hansel Emmanuel Donato and know that his ability to impact the lives of countless people will exceed far beyond what the scoreboard shows!

Honorable Mention :

Braylin Garcia, Kuran Bryant, Randy Livingston Jr., Timofei “Tim” Rudosky, Navon Shabazz, Jabral Ray, Gregg Glenn, Marvel Allen, Carl Cherenfant, Malik Abdullahi

THE FRESHMAN 10

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 00:11:09 GMT

HIGHLIGHTING THE RISING STARS IN THE CLASS OF 2025!

A NEW SCHOOL YEAR MEANS A NEW GROUP OF RISING STARS, HERE'S A SHORT LIST OF GUYS in the 2025 class TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON...

As a basketball evaluator who isn't a fan of rankings, I've always shied away from putting together a top 10, 25 or 100 list. I constantly have people reach out to me asking my thoughts/opinions on the current rankings and I always say the same thing; "Rankings are nothing more than opinions or educated guesses, you can always look back at them and spot the misses or oversights." There's so much that goes into the growth, development and success of a Student-Athlete and 99.9% of that has nothing to do with where evaluators rank them. With that being said; I feel there is definitely value in identifying "Up & Coming" Prospects who have an opportunity to do special things with the right nurturing along their journey. My approach to spotlighting those prospects is to identify 10 Rising Freshman who should be on every college coach & scouts "Short List." These are not the only talented players in this Class. The 2025 Class is absolutely LOADED, but these are the players who I've had the opportunity to see personally that stood out the most to me. These are guys who have caught my eye over the course of the summer with their consistent play, athletic ability and potential for continued growth and development. Each year, I will spotlight 10 young men entering their Freshman Year.

Here's the Inaugural; "The Brantley Method Freshman 10!"

KOA PEAT : Perry High School (Chandler, AZ)

6'8 Forward with offers from: Washington, Texas Tech, Kansas, UCLA, Texas, USC, Arizona, Oklahoma & Arizona State

Koa Peat is a "Three-Level Scorer" who has demonstrated his ability against some of the top players in the country regardless of class. At the Pangos All-American camp, Koa registered 20 points (9-10 FG) & 4 Rebounds in a game that featured several members of the ESPN 2022 Top 100 Rankings and shot 50% from the floor over the course of 4 games. Koa's impact on the game is well beyond his years. A great mix of Size, Vision, Facilitating & he is a strong shooter who has solid form, a textbook release and get's great lift on his jumper. With continued time in the gym, his range will continue to improve making him a major scoring threat whenever the ball is in his hands. He is a more than capable defender and rebounds on both ends of the floor. With all that being said, there's two things that stand out when evaluating Koa. He has ELITE pace/feel and leadership abilities. He knows when to go into attack mode and score but also has the ability to facilitate and get others involved. He doesn't appear to be your normal underclassman "Playing Up" and has the maturity, body language and command to receive respect from his teammates whether they are Elite 2022's or his own age level. It's going to be a joy to watch him over the next 4 years.

DARRYN PETERSON : Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (Canton, OH)

6'4 Guard with offers from: LSU, St. John's, Pitt, Xavier, Cleveland State, Maryland, Arizona State, Akron & Ohio State

Darryn Peterson is fun to watch! The 6'4+ Combo Guard plays with a level of poise and confidence that you would expect of a senior. He is athletic and plays above the rim, scores at all 3 levels and has backed up the hype around his name by playing up and competing with the best, regardless of age/class. I had the opportunity to broadcast his game vs. Strive For Greatness (CA) 15u team and he went head to head with Vyctorius Miller (ESPN #8 in 2024). He scored 16 points in that game, but thats not what stood out to me the most. I was impressed with his lateral agility and ability to be a tenacious perimeter defender. Typically when I see a player competing above their age level the scoring takes care of itself, but they typically end up showing their age on the defensive end of the floor. That wasn't the case for Peterson. He is a willing and aggressive defender who has the ability to rebound and push the floor like a savvy vet. I'm going to keep a close eye on Peterson and track his growth and development during his high school career because he has a chance to be special.

TREY MCKENNEY : Orchard Lake St. Mary's (Flint,MI)

6'3 PG with offers from: Eastern Michigan, TCU, Texas, Temple & DePaul

Trey McKenney is a big, fast and strong guard who scores at all levels, finishes around the rim and through traffic. He's shown a knack for leadership and an ability to be a floor general and make everyone around him better. He shoots it well from deep and should make an immediate impact as he steps into High School. I've had the opportunity to see him play a few times, including the Rising Stars All-Star game at CP3 Rising Stars Camp in North Carolina. The 2024 team was able to pick up the win but McKenney led the 2025 squad, and also all scorers, with 16 points. He is headed to an absolutely loaded OLSM roster who should compete for a State Championship in his Freshman year. College Coaches love winners and McKenney should be able to develop as a leader in a program that's rich in championship/winning tradition and culture.

CAMERON BOOZER : Christopher Columbus HS (Miami, FL)

6'8 F with an offer from: FIU

Cameron Boozer has so much upside. What's not to like about a 6'8 Forward with a High Basketball I.Q. that can score with his back to the basket and knock down jump shots? He has a soft touch and when you add all of those characteristics to his lengthy frame he is definitely an intriguing prospect to keep an eye on. Watching him at the CP3 Rising Stars Camp it was clear to see that he understands how to utilize his size on both ends of the floor, he can rebound the ball outside of his zone and at it's highest point, and has the touch to score/finish in traffic. Boozer's biggest gift is not his size, it's time. Most bigs develop later in their career, so it's going to be interesting to see how much better he can get; especially with the tutelage and guidance of his father who experienced success at the highest level.

PARKER JEFFERSON : Waxahachie High School (Waxahachie, TX)

6'9 F with an offer from: Alabama State

Parker Jefferson is a big, strong forward that finishes around/above the rim with both hands. He has good touch, footwork and a solid jump-shot to match. It has been impressive to watch him play. When I first saw him, I thought he was a solid back to the basket interior player. Since then, I've seen him stretch the floor and knock down mid-range shots as well as become adept at the pick & roll/pick & pop. You can tell that he's studied the game and he's working with people who understand player development. With the tools he currently possesses and the likelihood of growth & development; keep your eyes on Parker Jefferson to be one of the top players in the country for years to come.

FRANCIS CHUKWUDEBELU : Greenhill High School (Addison, TX)

6'10 PF

Francis Chukwudebelu is a monstrous 6'10 big with a 7'5 wingspan who is developing daily! You can't teach size and Chukwudebelu uses his to an extreme advantage. He has an enormous catch radius and has shown much improved footwork to go along with his stature. Along with size and improved footwork, Chukwudebelu has also began to develop an outside shot and ball handling abilities. The upside for Francis is THROUGH THE ROOF! At the start of his high school career, he has joined the volleyball team. I think this is amazing for his continued development. Volleyball will be great for his coordination (Hand, Eye & Foot), instincts, and timing.

BADARA DIAKITE : St. Thomas More (CT)

6'10 C

Badara Diakite follows the trend of skilled bigs in the class of 2025. He has made significant strides in his game. Seeing him early on and then at the end of the summer, you can see the propensity for growth and development that he will have. He's a tenacious shot blocker who runs the floor like a gazelle and finishes well above the rim. He protects the rim, is an aggressive rebounder and has shown the ability to knock down shots. He should be a prized recruit before it is all said and done.

SHELTON HENDERSON : Bellaire High School (Houston,TX)

6'5 G

Shelton Henderson is explosive, athletic and highly skilled. He plays with a different level of passion and intensity. He plays above the rim, finishes in traffic and can get to the basket at will. He's extremely tough to guard because if you're too close up on him he will blow by you and get to the basket. If you give him a foot of space he will knock down the jump-shot. He plays with pace and has the ability to change his pace with ease. Once he's headed downhill it's hard to stop him from getting to his spot.

TRENT SISLEY : Heritage Hill High School (Santa Claus, IN)

6'8 F

Trent Sisley is forever active! Every time you look up, he's around the basket. He's shown an ability to score in bunches and when you mix that level of scoring with his size, intensity and tenacity there's a tremendous upside. He is an elite shooter with a quick release who you can't help off of. He scores at three levels and with positional size it will be interesting to see just how good Trent can be. Trent might be the best shooter in the Class of 2025 and with his older brother Blake is at Evansville, he will have great guidance and he matriculates through High School.

SOLO BAILEY : Crossroads (Playa Del Ray, CA)

6'2 G

Solo Bailey is a potential STAR! He is a walking highlight reel full of charisma, poise and energy. A quick google search will show you his rim rocking and crowd rising dunks, but what you won't see is his personality. During my interview with him at CP3 Rising Stars Camp, I immediately circled his name. I knew he had the mindset, confidence and belief in himself to be SPECIAL. Not too long after that, I got the opportunity to watch him for the first time in person and I saw that he's shifty, can make plays, score at three levels and plays with the exact same confidence he displayed during his interview. On the final day of the camp, he shut down the dunk contest. His peers made it impossible to see onto the court because they already knew he was going to do something special. He does things that you wouldn't think a rising freshman would even have the confidence to think of. He believes that he belongs on any court that he steps on and can compete with anyone in the gym and that's a skill that can't be taught. On the court, he has a lot to work with. When you pair his athleticism and confidence with the fact that he will be in the Compton Magic program that has produced countless Pro's under the guidance of Etop Udo-Ema, you might want to keep him on your short list of prospects in the 2025 class.

Coach of The Year!

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 03:09:29 GMT

Conference Coach of The Year!

As the regular season ended and all the votes were tallied; 12 Black Men were recognized for their hard work and effort throughout the season. These men are an inspiration for coaches across the country at all levels of basketball. This recognition is a culmination of years of hard work and a glowing example of the success and achievement that is possible when given an opportunity. Join me in congratulating these men for their courage, their leadership and the way they are inspiring the next generation!

ASUN Conference Coach of The Year: Ritchie McKay ( Liberty )

For the first time in school history, Liberty's coach has won "Coach of the Year" in back-to-back seasons! Coach McKay led the Flames to its third straight ASUN Regular Season Championship and fifth consecutive 20-win season. Liberty had victories this season over two SEC opponents, 11 wins in conference play and for the second straight season, McKay and the Flames went undefeated at home (13-0). Coach McKay is becoming familiar with the "Coach of The Year" honor; in 2016 he was named Big South "Coach of The Year" and in 2019 he received the Jim Phelan National Coach of The Year award. He has turned around the Liberty program since his re-arrival to Lynchburg in 2015 and has them poised for an NCAA tournament run this March!

American Athletic Conference Coach of The Year: Isaac Brown ( Witchita State )

Scandal, Transfers, Several new faces on the roster, Picked 7th in the Pre-Season Coaches Poll... None of that mattered for Coach Isaac Brown! He stepped into the role of Interim Head Coach shortly before the start of the season and took advantage of his opportunity. 16 wins later, he has the Shockers still competing in March! There aren't enough words to describe the job well done by Coach Brown this season, but "AMAZING" pretty much sums it up! 16-4, 12-2 in AAC conference play with a big win over #6 ranked conference foe Houston in his first year as a Head Coach clearly demonstrated Coach Brown's ability to connect with his squad and overcome adversity. He is well deserving of the opportunity to lead the Shockers into the future and although this is his first "Coach of The Year" honor, I'm sure it will not be his last!

Big East Conference Coach of The Year: Mike Anderson ( St. Johns )

It's no surprise that Coach Mike Anderson is on this list. He's no stranger to "Coach of The Year" awards; Conference USA Coach of The Year (2004) NABC Coach of The Year (2009) Clair Bee Coach of The Year (2009) and now this year; Big East Coach of The Year. Mike Anderson brought the Red Storm their first winning conference record since Steve Lavin's 10-8 season in 2014-15. Picked to finish 9th in the Big East Preseason Coaches Poll; Coach Anderson coached the Red Storm to a fourth place finish in the conference. As he continues to build the St. Johns program with his recruits, I'm expecting to see the Red Storm continuously finish in the top of the conference rankings for years to come.

Big Ten Conference Coach of The Year: Juwan Howard ( Michigan)

Juwan Howard's name is synonymous with winning at the University of Michigan and in his second season as head coach, he has led the Wolverines to their first Big Ten title in seven seasons. Coach Howard is the consensus Big Ten Coach of the Year as voted on by coaches and media, becoming the first U-M coach to earn the award since John Beilein did during the 2013-14 season (the last time they won the Big Ten title.) He's the fourth coach in program history to receive the award. Michigan finished the regular season with a 19-3 record and a 14-3 record in conference play. They had a 6-2 records versus ranked opponents and even a 23 day layoff due to Covid protocols couldn't slow them down. Coach Howard is likely to earn a few National Coach of The Year nominations and with the way the Wolverines are playing, it's likely they will make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

Horizon League Coach of The Year: Dennis Gates ( Cleveland State )

The Cleveland State Vikings have had a massive turnaround under the leadership of Coach Dennis Gates. In his second year at the helm; Gates was named the Horizon League's Coach of the Year for the second straight season. (He shared the award with Wright State's Scott Nagy in 2020.) Coach Gates is the first coach in Vikings history to be awarded Horizon League Coach of the Year in back-to-back seasons and eighth head coach in Horizon League history to be awarded the honor in consecutive seasons. Picked to finish seventh in the league's preseason poll, Coach Gates led the Vikings to a 16-4 conference record in 2020-21, Horizon League Regular Season Championship, Horizon League Tournament Championship and their first NCAA Tournament berth in the last 12 years. All eyes are on Coach Gates and the Vikings meteoric rise back to a level of prominence they haven't seen since the Gary Waters years.

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of The Year: King Rice ( Monmouth )

Monmouth Head coach King Rice has experienced an elite level of success. At the conclusion of the regular season, he was named the MAAC Coach of the Year for the third time in six years. Monmouth finished the regular season tied with preseason favorite Siena as MAAC champions. The Hawks were picked 3rd in the Preseason Coaches Poll. Coach Rice also won the award during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, with Monmouth winning the regular season title outright both seasons. He is the first Monmouth coach ever to win Coach of the Year three times in any conference, and the third coach in MAAC history to win the award at least three times, along with Saint Peter's Ted Fiore (1987, 89, 91) and Niagara's Joe Mihalich (1999, 2005, 13).

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Coach of The Year: Robert McCullum ( FAMU )

Florida A&M head basketball coach, Robert McCullum, has been named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year making him the first FAMU head basketball coach to earn the award in the 50-year history of the honor. Coach McCullum took over the FAMU program in 2017, and this season led the Rattlers to its third consecutive winning conference record going 7-5 in the regular season. Known for their defensive play FAMU leads the conference in scoring defense, as the only team to give up less than 70 points per game (67.5), and defensive rebounds per game (35.5). Florida A&M Basketball was already trending in a positive direction, and then on Match 4th Florida A&M and Nike, Inc. announced on Wednesday a partnership that features a six-year deal for Nike to be the official athletic footwear, apparel and equipment provider for the Rattlers. In addition to servicing the 14 sports programs, Nike will supply apparel for the Marching 100. FAMU teams will be outfitted in LeBron James uniforms and apparel. This includes footwear explicitly designed for the university as part of this relationship. This will undoubtably help with recruiting and attracting top talent to Tallahassee.

Missouri Valley Conference Athletic Director of The Year: Dr. Chris Reynolds ( Bradley )

Dr. Chris Reynolds is the only "non-coach" in this list but his accomplishment deserves recognition. I often discuss the lack of opportunities for Black Men & Women as Head Coaches at the Division 1 level, well there's even less representation on the administration side. Dr. Chris Reynolds is "1 of the 1%" and he is shining bright in his role! Reynolds is one of 28 winners of the Athletics Director of the Year Award, according to an announcement by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). Dr. Reynolds is completing his sixth year at the Bradley University Department of Athletics' helm, including his third year as Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics. He has led the Braves to record-breaking achievements and unprecedented success athletically, academically and in the community during his tenure. Dr. Reynolds is a beacon of hope for young men & women eyeing a career in Sport Administration and searching for success in the athletics space beyond the competition on the court/field.

Northeast Conference Coach of The Year: Bashir Mason ( Wagner )

Coach Bashir Mason is one of the most accomplished coaches in NEC history. With this years Coach of The Year award, he became the second coach in the conference’s 40-year history to win three Jim Phelan Coach of the Year honors. Coach Mason, who was also recognized in 2015-16 and 2017-18, ignored the Preseason rankings that had Wagner picked eighth. The Seahawks started slow before it all started to click in mid-January. They won 10 straight games to go from worst to first in the NEC. Coach Mason has led Wagner to 3 NEC regular season titles, and 2 NIT appearances, in the last six years. He was the youngest head coach at the Division I level when he was hired at Wagner in 2012 and is the fastest coach to win 100 games in Seahawk history.

SWAC Conference Coach of The Year: Byron Smith ( Prairie View A&M )

Coach Byron Smith, who has led the Prairie View A&M to a 44-5 record over the last three years, was named "SWAC Coach of the Year" for the third season in a row. Coach Smith led the Prairie View A&M Panthers to their third consecutive regular season title and an undefeated record in league play (13-0.) Coach Smith has turned the Panthers into a perennial powerhouse in the SWAC and has them poised for another Conference Tournament Championship. If Coach Smith can keep the Panthers rolling he will lead them to their second consecutive NCAA Tournament (the 2020 NCAA Tournament was cancelled due to the Covid 19 pandemic.)

Sun Belt Conference Coach of The Year: Terrence Johnson ( Texas State )

When his 6th season at Texas State began, Coach Terrence Johnson was an assistant on Danny Kaspar's staff. On March 10th, reports started to surface around the internet that Texas State University would remove the "Interim" portion of Coach Terrence Johnson's title. On March 11th, Coach Johnson was named the Joe Gottfried Coach of The Year for the Sun Belt Conference and the 16th Head Coach at Texas State University. It's been an amazing year for Coach Johnson, and I know he is really just getting started. His skillset, knowledge and experience is just what the Bobcats need to continue the journey towards being perennial Sun Belt powers. Coach Johnson led the Texas State Bobcats to a 18-6 (12-3 in conference play) while securing the schools first ever Sun Belt regular season title (the last conference championship came in 1999 as a member of the Southland Conference). He achieved the most wins in a year by one coach at Texas State and has demonstrated that his skill-set far exceeds his ability to recruit top talent. The proof is in the stats. This year, opponents of the Bobcats averaged 61.2 points per game (down from last years 64.3). The Bobcats improved in Rebounding Margin (+0.2 to +3.3), Field Goal % (45.8 to 46.4), and Three Point % (32 to 38).

Western Athletic Conference Coach of The Year: Lew Hill ( University of Texas Rio Grande Valley )

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Coach Lew Hill, who passed away tragically on Feb. 7 at the age of 55, is the unanimous choice for Don Haskins Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Coach of the Year. Before his passing, Hill coached the Vaqueros to an 8-4 record, including a 2-0 mark in WAC play. The Vaqueros won their WAC opener over Dixie State by 33 points, the largest margin of victory in a conference game in program history. After sweeping Dixie State to improve to 8-3, Coach Hill had his team off to their best start since 2001-02. After Coach Hill’s final game on Feb. 6, UTRGV ranked third in the NCAA and first in the WAC in three-point percentage defense (25.7%), third in the NCAA and first in the WAC in offensive rebounds per game (14.42), fifth in the NCAA and first in the WAC in turnovers forced per game (18.33), eighth in the NCAA in first in the WAC in total rebounding (41.25), 14th in the NCAA and first in the WAC in steals per game (9.1), 19th in the NCAA and second in the WAC in turnover margin (3.9), and 26th in the NCAA and second in the WAC in field goal percentage defense (39.7%). In his five-year tenure with the Vaqueros, brought substantial success to a program that has not experienced much prior. Inheriting a program that went 8-22 in 2015-16, Hill – within three years – led UTRGV to its first overall winning record since 2007-08, as well as its first winning record in conference play since 1994-95.

Interim no more...

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 21:16:53 GMT

Interim no more...

Terrence Johnson was tasked with leading a previously good team (21-11 & 2nd in the Sun Belt in 2020) that was in turmoil. Head coach Danny Kaspar resigned on Sept. 23 after the conclusion of an investigation into racially insensitive remarks and Johnson was inheriting a "House-Divided" as it's been reported that early in the season the Bobcats delayed the start of practice for 3 days because the team could not get along. Before they could coach "X's & O's", Coach Johnson had to address his team’s feelings, hurt and concern. He had to allow them to express the things that were bothering them and he utilized group therapy as a substitute for practice to accomplish that. For many the task of winning in this situation would be inconceivable, Coach Johnson took the hand he was dealt and showed that it's not the cards you're given, it's the way you play them!

Coach Johnson led the Texas State Bobcats to a 18-6 (12-3 in conference play) while securing the schools first ever Sun Belt regular season title (the last conference championship came in 1999 as a member of the Southland Conference). He achieved the most wins in a year by one coach at Texas State and has demonstrated that his skill-set far exceeds his ability to recruit top talent. The proof is in the stats. This year, opponents of the Bobcats averaged 61.2 points per game (down from last years 64.3). The Bobcats improved in Rebounding Margin (+0.2 to +3.3), Field Goal % (45.8 to 46.4), and Three Point % (32 to 38).

The things that stand out to me the most about Coach Johnson's leadership is his ability to overcome adversity, his outside the box thinking and willingness to seek out support for his student athletes. Whether that support be in the form of Hillary Jones (senior psychologist at the Texas State counseling center) or all-time leading scorer in program history, Nijal Pearson, Johnson understands that sometimes your players need to hear another voice and he has the humility to provide that. The efforts of Coach Johnson have paid off in him being chosen to lead the Texas State Bobcats into the 2021/2022 season and BEYOND! He has shown that he has the ability to successfully lead this team through controversy and a global pandemic, and now we are all excited to see him continue his winning way and continue to grow the Texas State program!

#MoreThanJustARecruiter

The Impact of Kenny Payne...

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 20:03:30 GMT

The Impact of Kenny Payne...

Every team needs a glue guy, Kenny Payne was that guy for the Kentucky Men's Basketball Program!

Today, The Kentucky Wildcats ended their season with a 74-73 2nd Round SEC Tournament loss to Mississippi St. For only the second time in Coach Calipari's 12 season tenure at UK, the Wildcats have not qualified for the NCAA tournament (in 2012-13 the Wildcats went to the NIT.) This is Coach Cal's first losing season and the first losing season for the program since 1989. A lot of national media has attributed UK's struggles (and that of other "Blue Bloods" around the country) to Covid-19, but what this team is missing more than anything else is Kenny Payne!

Coach Kenny Payne came to Kentucky in 2010 and has been an integral piece of the puzzle and in my opinion, the glue that held that puzzle together! In his 10 seasons in Lexington; Coach Payne was a part of a team that qualified for 9 NCAA Tournaments, reached the Sweet Sixteen 7 times, Elite Eight 6 times, Final Four 4 times and won a National Championship in 2011-12. From 2014-2020 Coach Payne served as the Associate Head Coach of the program. Prior to coming to UK, Coach Payne was an assistant coach at Oregon. During his tenure there he helped lead the Ducks to two NCAA Tournament appearances and the Elite Eight in 2006-2007. On August 11, 2020 it was announced that Coach Payne would be joining Tom Thibodeau's coaching staff with the New York Knicks.

Kenny Payne is a WINNER! As a player he was an All-American and National Champion on the collegiate level and a First Round Draft Pick. His knowledge, experience and expertise was invaluable and seemingly irreplaceable for the Wildcats. His ability to connect with and develop future Pro's has been unmatched. When you discuss all of the reasons for UK's shortcomings on the court this season, make sure you mention Kenny Payne's name!

#MoreThanJustARecruiter

THE SEARCH STARTS HERE!

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 15:35:40 GMT

A year ago today; I wrote an article highlighting the lack of opportunities in collegiate basketball for black men to advance beyond the role of Assistant Coach and the narrative of their value being attached to their ability to recruit top talent!

As the 2020-21 College Basketball Season comes to an end, so begins University Presidents around the country search for their next Head Basketball Coach! As they embark on that exploration, I would like to point out 24 men who would be great leaders and program builders. This is not an exhaustive list of candidates. Time permitting, I could double this list and still not name all the qualified potential Head Coaches. This is where the search should BEGIN not END!

*List of 24 potential candidates is broken down by Associate Head Coaches & Assistant Coaches in the order of their teams Week 15 AP Ranking*

ASSOCIATE HEAD COACHES

Jerome Tang ( Baylor University ) - 18 years

2021 BIG 12 CHAMPIONS

AP #3

21-1 Record (13-1 BIG 12)

8 NCAA Tournament Appearances

4 Sweet Sixteen Appearances

2 Elite 8 Appearances

1 NIT Championship

8 Twenty-win seasons out of the last 9

9 NBA Pro’s Coached

Why Coach Tang?

Coach Tang is a LEADER! Although it’s hard to imagine him not on the sidelines for the Bears, (all 18 of his years in collegiate coaching have been at Baylor University; 4 as an assistant and 4 as Associate Head Coach), Jerome Tang is the stabilizing figure that rebuilding programs will want and need. This year, Coach Tang helped Baylor reach their first ever Big 12 Championship and has them on the cusp of their 9 ^th 20-win season in the last 10 years. Prior to his arrival in Waco, Texas, the Bears had only been to the NCAA tournament 4 times in their 97-year history. 300 plus wins later, Coach Tang is still on the Baylor sidelines preparing his young men for success and requiring nothing less than the best that they have to give. This year they will make their 8th appearance in the NCAA tournament with him on the staff! (Would have been his 9 ^th if the NCAA Tournament wasn’t cancelled last year.) Tang helped Baylor to arguably the best season in program history in 2019-20, posting a 26-4 record and spending five consecutive weeks ranked No. 1 nationally, which was the longest streak by any team since Kentucky in 2015. The Bears set a Big 12 Conference record with a 23-game winning streak and were projected to earn an NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed before the postseason was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All five of Baylor’s starters were named All-Big 12, the first time any team has done so in the league’s 24-year history. Winning is a part of his DNA! Nearly two decades of coaching experience in the Big 12 have certainly prepared Coach Tang to take the helm of any program in need of a new direction!

Larry Harrison ( West Virginia University ) - 14 years

AP #6

18-8 Record (11-6 BIG 12)

15 NCAA Tournament Appearances

8 Sweet Sixteen Appearances

4 Elite 8 Appearances

2 Final Four Appearances

15 Twenty-win seasons

10 NBA Pro’s Coached

Why Coach Harrison?

The first word that pops in my head when I think about Larry Harrison is EXPERIENCE!

This is his 14th season on the Mountaineer basketball staff and 11th as associate head coach. Coach Harrison has over 30 years of coaching experience including 6 years as the Head Coach at Hartford (2000-06) where earned “America East Coach” of the Year in 2006. He led Hartford to a third-place conference finish in 2002, 2003 and 2006 and semifinals of the conference tournament in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Hartford had the nation’s second-best total win increase from 2001 to 2002 with four wins in 2001 to 14 wins in 2002. Coach Harrison has also spent time in the NBA, working for the Washington Wizards as a scout in 2006-07. Since 1989, Harrison’s teams have earned 15 bids to the NCAA Tournament and three NIT bids.

Coach Harrison has won at every stop along his coaching journey! While at Cincinnati, he advanced to the Final Four once (1992) and Elite Eight twice (1993, 1996). Since arriving at West Virginia, they’ve won the 2010 Big East Championship and advanced to nine NCAA Tournaments, including the 2010 Final Four and five NCAA Sweet 16s. For a program looking to bring in an experienced coach, Larry Harrison checks off all of the boxes. Head Coaching experience, High Major success, Ability to recruit Elite Level talent, and ability to develop players from potential to pro’s!

David Patrick ( University of Arkansas ) – 1 ^st Year

AP #12

21-5 Record (13-4)

4 NCAA Tournament Appearances

1 Sweet Sixteen Appearances

1 NIT Championship (TCU 2017)

5 Twenty-win seasons

Why Coach Patrick?

Prior to his arrival in Fayetteville, David Patrick was one of the hottest young head coaches in the country! He took over as Head Coach of the University of California Riverside in 2018 and had immediate success. He inherited a program that had 1 winning season (2008-09) since moving to the Division 1 level in 2001. In his first season the Highlanders broke several program records including 279 made three-point shots and a .379 three-point shooting percentage which was the best in the Big West Conference and top 30 (28th) in the nation. In 2019-20 UC Riverside won 17 games which is tied for the most in school history as a Division 1 participant. The team finished 8th Nationally in Scoring Defense 60.6 points per game and 1st in the Big West. The season was cut short due to Covid-19. In his two years at UC Riverside, Patrick currently holds the best 2-year start in school history. On July 1, 2020, Coach Patrick joined the staff of Eric Musselman as the Associate Head Coach at Arkansas. In the year prior to Patrick’s arrival the Razorbacks were 20-12 (7-11 in SEC play), currently they are ranked #12 in the country with a 20-5 (12-4 in SEC play) with one game left in the regular season!

This isn’t his first taste of success as an assistant coach. Coach Patrick has been instrumental in the growth of each program he’s been at along his journey. In 2006 he joined Saint Mary’s College (CA) staff as an assistant. In four seasons at St Mary's the team went 98-35 and reached the NCAA Tournament twice, including a 2010 NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. In 2012 he joined the staff at LSU. Coach Patrick spent four seasons at LSU where the team went 80-51 including an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2015. After four seasons at LSU, Patrick joined Jamie Dixon's staff at TCU in 2016. In 2017 they were NIT Champions for the First time in school history and in 2018 the school reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 20 years.

It’s clear to see that David Patrick has the ability to orchestrate quick turnarounds of programs which is a necessary task for a Head Coach stepping into a situation where they have previously under-performed. The question shouldn’t be, “Is Coach Patrick ready for another Head Coaching opportunity?” It should be; “Is there an opportunity out there intriguing enough to make him willing to leave the Razorbacks?”

Jason Williford ( University of Virginia ) – 12 Years

AP #21

17-6 Record (13-4 ACC)

10 NCAA Tournament Appearances

3 Sweet Sixteen Appearances

2 Elite 8 Appearances

1 Final Four

1 NCAA Championship (2019)

9 “Twenty-win” seasons

4 “Thirty-win” seasons

4 ACC Regular Season Championships

2 ACC Tournament Championships

Why Coach Williford?

The winning tradition of the program during Coach Williford’s tenure at University of Virginia has been the definition of success and consistency! The Cavaliers have had 9 straight seasons with at least 22 wins (4 “30+ win” seasons), made the NCAA Tournament 7 times, achieved 5 Regular Season ACC Championships and 2 ACC Conference Tournament Championships. They have led the nation in scoring defense six times (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) and have a National Championship to their credit.

Coach Williford was an assistant coach at American University for four years before coming home to his alma-mater University of Virginia and prior to that an assistant coach at Boston University for five years. American won the Patriot League Championship and participated in the NCAA Tournament in each of his last two seasons with the program. During Williford’s final four years at Boston University, the Terriers earned an NCAA Tournament berth in 2002 and then participated in the National Invitation Tournament for three consecutive years. Coach Williford’s resume demonstrates over 2 decades of success, consistency and impact. It’s also noteworthy that he has experience in high academic settings.

Chester Frazier ( Virginia Tech University ) – 2nd Year

AP #22

15-5 Record (9-4 ACC)

5 NCAA Tournament Appearances

1 Sweet Sixteen Appearances

1 “Elite 8” Appearances

5 “Twenty-win” seasons

2 Big 12 Regular Season Championships

Why Coach Frazier?

Coach Chester Frazier is known for his player development. He has done a phenomenal job and played an instrumental role in the success of the players & programs that he’s worked with. Prior to arriving in Blacksburg; Frazier coached for seven seasons at Kansas State under head coach Bruce Weber and played a pivotal role in one of the best stretches (2012-19) in K-State history, which included 150 wins, two Big 12 regular-season championships (2013 and 2019) and five NCAA Tournament appearances (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019). He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Illinois. Coach Frazier has had a phenomenal start to his coaching resume and is a great candidate for a University looking for a young, energetic coach to come in and perform a “rebuild.” His ability to get the most out of his players will allow him to build a strong program for years to come given the opportunity.

Micah Shrewsberry ( Purdue University ) – 2nd Year

AP #23

18-8 Record (13-6 Big 10)

5 NCAA Tournament Appearances

2 Sweet Sixteen Appearances

2 “Elite 8” Appearances

2 Final Four Appearances

5 “Twenty-win” seasons

4 Horizon League Regular Season Championships

2 Horizon League Conference Tournament Championships

Why Coach Shrewsberry?

Considered by many as one of the top young coaches in America, Coach Shrewsberry has demonstrated success at every level! Last season, Shrewsberry took over the role as offensive coordinator for the Boilermakers and despite losing three starters, still ranked in the top 50 of offensive efficiency. The Boilermakers finished the season seventh in school history in fewest turnovers per game and posted five wins over nationally-ranked teams.

His previous six seasons were spent in the NBA as an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics under head coach Brad Stevens. He helped the Celtics to the playoffs in each of the last five seasons, including trips to the Eastern Conference finals in 2017 and 2018. Under Shrewsberry, the Celtics’ offense was one of the best in the NBA this past season, ranking sixth in the league in 3-pointers made and seventh in 3-point percentage. In 2018-19, Boston was second in the league behind NBA champion Golden State in 3-point percentage.

Prior to leaving to join the Celtics, Shrewsberry helped the Boilermakers to the second round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Prior to his time at Purdue, he spent four seasons at Butler under Stevens, he helped the Bulldogs to the 2010 and 2011 national championship games. During his college coaching career Coach Shrewsberry had a 5-year run of 25+ win seasons (2007-2012) and has demonstrated an ability to win at the Mid-Major, High Major & NBA levels.

Tony Stubblefield ( University of Oregon ) – 11 ^th Year

19-5 Record (14-4 Pac 12)

6 NCAA Tournament Appearances

4 Sweet Sixteen Appearances

2 “Elite 8” Appearances

1 Final Four Appearance

11 “Twenty-win” seasons

3 Pac 12 Regular Season Championships

3 Pac 12 League Conference Tournament Championships

Why Coach Stubblefield?

Tony Stubblefield is in his 11th season as an assistant coach with the University of Oregon men’s basketball program. Stubblefield has been an instrumental part of Oregon’s ability to assemble four recruiting classes that were ranked among the top 12 nationally (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019). Included in those classes were future NBA players Troy Brown Jr. and Louis King and NBA Draft choices Brown Jr., Bol Bol and Payton Pritchard. Coach Stubblefield has had a ton of success in his time in Eugene. 6 NCAA Tournament Appearances, 4 Sweet 16’s, 2 Elite 8’s and one Final Four. His ability to not only recruit the best players in the country but also coach and develop this is something that every rebuilding program needs.

Stubblefield came to the Ducks after spending four years as an assistant at the University of Cincinnati, serving as the Bearcats’ recruiting coordinator from 2006-10. Prior to joining the staff at Cincinnati, he served as assistant coach at New Mexico State for six seasons. With over 20 years of coaching experience at the college level, he has demonstrated not only the ability to recruit the best players in the country but with 10 straight seasons of 20+ victories he has also shown a consistent ability to win at the highest level!

Jason Hart ( University of Southern California ) – 8 ^th Year

21-6 Record (14-5 Pac-12)

2 NCAA Tournament Appearances

1 NIT Appearance

4 “Twenty-win” seasons

Why Coach Hart?

Coach Hart has been an integral part of the resurgence of the USC program! From 1980-2013 the Trojan’s recorded 6 “20-win seasons” and Coach Hart has accounted for 4 in his 8 years on staff! Currently USC is #6 in the Nation in Defensive Field Goal %, #9 in blocks per game, #21 in the country in rebounds per game, #25 in offensive rebounds per game, #45 in scoring margin, and #51 in scoring defense. Coach Hart’s passion and commitment to excellence stand out and make him the ideal candidate for recruiting, developing and preparing young men for success on and off the court!

Anthony Solomon ( Dayton University ) – 4 ^th Year

14-9 Record (9-7 A10)

12 NCAA Tournament Appearances

3 Elite 8 Appearances

14 “Twenty-win” seasons

Why Coach Solomon?

We will never know how far the Flyers could have flown last season… They were in the midst of a legendary run when Covid-19 abruptly caused the end of the 2019-20 season as Dayton held a 29-2 record (18-0 A10) and was ranked #3 in the country. But even without the “March Success” from last year, Coach Solomon’s resume clearly outlines his head coaching potentiality.

A Wikipedia search of Coach Solomon would lead you to believe that he struggled previously as a Head Coach, but that lacks a lot of context. Via Wikipedia “In 2003, St. Bonaventure was reeling from an academic fraud scandal and resulting NCAA sanctions. In searching for a replacement for fired coach Jan van Breda Kolff, Solomon was hired based on his honest reputation and ideas for bringing the program back. While Solomon achieved the goal of restoring a clean program, his teams had a 24–88 record over his four seasons and he was fired after a 7–22 campaign in 2006-07” What is lacking from that statement is how bad of a situation it was at the time. Coach Solomon not only inherited a scandal plagued program, he was also given the task of cleaning it up and rebuilding while on NCAA probation and docked of 3 scholarships from 2003-2005. It is very hard to win basketball games under those circumstances and shouldn’t be held against Coach Solomon when evaluating his fitness to lead a program.

Coach Solomon is widely regarded as one of the most-respected assistant coaches in the game, and over his 30+ years of college coaching experience his resume speaks for itself. When discussing potential head coaching candidates, Coach Anthony Solomon's name should be at the forefront of the conversation. Not many people have achieved the level of success he has at the High Major level and also have Head Coaching and Administrative experience. He has been known to orchestrate the turnaround/resurgence of programs and anyone looking for a new coach in 2020 will more than likely be facing a "rebuilding" period within their program!

TJ Cleveland ( St. John’s University ) – 2 ^nd Year

16-10 Record (10-9 Big East)

9 NCAA Tournament Appearances

2 Sweet 16 Appearance

1 Elite 8 Appearance

2 Top 25 Recruiting Classes

11 “Twenty-win” seasons

9 NBA Players Coached

Why Coach Cleveland?

In his second season as St. John’s associate head coach, TJ Cleveland has been instrumental in setting the foundation for a basketball program on the rise by making an imprint on all areas, including recruiting, skill development and scouting. In 2019-20, he played a key role in guiding the Red Storm to a winning season with a young roster that featured eight newcomers. Cleveland has helped establish a defensive minded/high-energy brand of basketball at St. John’s, which is reminiscent of every program he’s been at. Last season, the Red Storm ranked among the national leaders in steals per game (2 ^nd ), turnover margin (3 ^rd ) and assist-to-turnover ratio (23 ^rd ) during his first season with the program.

He has assembled elite recruiting classes over the years in high major programs and in 15 of his 18 seasons as a collegiate coach, his teams have finished top 3 in steals. In 4 of those seasons, his teams led the nation in steals. During Cleveland's tenure at Missouri, the Tigers ranked second in the NCAA in turnover margin for three straight seasons. He’s mentored and developed multiple NBA players and continues to bring out the best in those around him. He would be a “slam dunk” for a program in need of a Head Coach that’s going to instill a winning culture and ultimately build a winning basketball program!

Jeff Massey ( University of Toledo ) – 7th Year

20-7 Record (15-4 MAC)

1 NCAA Tournament Appearances

4 “Twenty-win” seasons

Why Coach Massey?

Jeff Massey begins his seventh season as an assistant coach at Toledo and his second as the program's Associate Head Coach. He joined the Rockets prior to the 2014-15 campaign after spending seven years as an assistant at St. Bonaventure (2007-14). He has led his teams to a .500+ record in 13 of the last 15 seasons including 4 Twenty + win seasons. Massey has the Rockets on the cusp of their third 20-win season in the last 4 years and top 50 in the country in 7 statistical categories. The Rockets are currently 3 ^rd in the Nation in 3 Point FG’s per game, 12 ^th in the Nation Assist to Turnover Ratio, 17 ^th in 3 Point FG %, 18 ^th in Points per game, 23 ^rd in Assists per game, 30 ^th in Turnovers per game, and 44 ^th in Scoring Margin. Coach Massey is a winner and has the skillset, experience and recruiting prowess to be able to turn a program around.

Dwayne Stephens ( Michigan State University ) – 17th Year

15-11 Record (9-11 Big 10)

17 NCAA Tournament Appearances

10 Sweet 16 Appearances

7 Elite 8 Appearances

6 Final Four Appearances

17 “Twenty-win” seasons

Why Coach Stephens?

Covid-19 abruptly ended the 2019-20 which paused Coach Stephens’ run of 17 consecutive NCAA Tournament Appearances, but with the Spartan's upset win over Michigan on Sunday March 7th it appears the streak continues. Coach Dwayne Stephens’ success goes back to his days as an assistant for Tom Crean at Marquette. He was instrumental in taking them to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in 2002/2003 and the Final Four in 2003. Dwyane Wade was a two-time all-league performer and earned AP First-Team All-America honors under his tutelage. In his 17 years at his alma matter, Coach Stephens has made the NCAA tournament every year. Last season he helped lead the Spartans to their 6th Big Ten Regular Season title. The Spartans led the nation in rebounding in 2009, 2010, 2016 and 2018, and have led the Big Ten in eight of his 15 seasons.

He has helped guide MSU to four Big Ten Championships and three Big Ten Tournament titles. Each of the top eight seasons in MSU history for blocks have occurred since Stephens joined the coaching staff, including a school record 251 in 2018. Coach Stephens is synonymous with winning, NCAA Tournament Appearances and NBA Prospects. You’d be hard pressed to find an assistant coach with more wins to his credit.

Karl Hobbs ( Rutgers University ) – 5th Year

14-10 Record (10-10 Big 10)

18 Post-Season Appearances

6 Sweet 16 Appearances

4 Elite 8 Appearances

2 Final Four Appearances

2 x National Champion

During his stint as the Head Coach at George Washington University, he accomplished something that has only been achieved by 3 other coaches in history - an undefeated A10 season! He has demonstrated that he can lead a program and generate the type of results that most can only dream about. Coach Hobbs’ success is not limited to the coaching side of the business. As a player he was a four-year starting point guard and All-Big East selection as a senior at UConn (1980-84). He led the team in assists all four years and ranks sixth all-time with 534.He’s known for his exceptional recruiting, scouting and player development and has worked with several pro’s including, Hall of Famer, Ray Allen. Coach Hobbs is a husband and father of two daughters who has been, not only a great mentor for the young men he coached, but also for the assistant coaches he has worked with. 5 of the coaches on his staff at George Washington went on to become head coaches as well. Coach Karl Hobbs would be an excellent choice to build a program and not only develop players but also develop young coaching talent.

ASSISTANT COACHES

Saddi Washington ( University of Michigan ) – 5th Year

AP #2

19-3 Record (14-3 Big 10)

5 NCAA Tournament Appearances

3 Sweet 16 Appearances

1 Elite 8 Appearances

1 Final Four Appearances

2021 Big Ten Regular Season Champions

Why Coach Washington?

Saddi Washington has been a college coach for 15+ years. A rising star in the industry, Saddi has been instrumental in the success of the Oakland University & University of Michigan programs. In his first four years at Michigan he has amassed 108 wins (average of 27/season) including a record 33 wins in 2017/18. Currently the Wolverines are ranked #2 by Associated Press,18-2 and top 25 in 8 statistical categories (Assist to Turnover Ratio, Blocked Shots/Game, Defensive Rebounds/Game, Field Goal %, Field Goal % Defense, Rebound Margin, Scoring Margin, and 3 Point FG %). Prior to arriving in Ann Arbor; Washington helped the Golden Grizzlies to 198 wins, with five 20-plus win seasons. Oakland made back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament (2010, '11) after winning two straight Summit League regular season and conference tournament titles.

During his tenure, Washington created a reputation for developing some of the top mid-major players in the country. Five of his players have led the country in a statistical category. One of the things I find impressive about Coach Washington’s career is that his success didn’t stall as he increased in level. He has shown that he can coach at any level and achieve results. The husband and father of two is a great example to our young men that success takes work! His coaching career began as a high school volunteer assistant and now he is regarded as one of the best young assistant coaches in all of college basketball.

Sherman Dillard ( University of Iowa ) – 11th Year

AP #5

20-7 Record (14-6 Big 10)

14 NCAA Tournament Appearances

5 Sweet 16 Appearances

1 Elite 8 Appearances

1 Final Four Appearances

16 Twenty-Win Seasons

25 Seasons above .500

Why Coach Dillard?

Sherman Dillard has helped rejuvenate the Iowa basketball program since his arrival in Iowa City in 2010. Attendance at Carver-Hawkeye Arena is up by more than 50 percent, and Dillard has helped vault the program back to national prominence on a consistent basis. Iowa achieved its highest national since 1987, when it was ranked as high as No. 3 on Jan. 25, 2016, and was ranked the final 11 weeks of the 2016. The Hawkeyes were nationally-ranked for 16 consecutive weeks in 2019, the final nine weeks of the 2020 season and every week of the 2020-21 season. Iowa has averaged 20 wins the last nine seasons, with its 183 victories between 2013-20 being the most over a nine-year span at Iowa since 1986-94. The past 10 years at Iowa Dillard helped coach 15 Hawkeyes to professional contracts, including Devyn Marble and Aaron White, who were selected by the Orlando Magic (2014) and Washington Wizards (2015) in the NBA Draft, respectively.

Dillard has four decades of coaching experience, serving as a college assistant or head coach. His accolades

include 16 “Twenty-Win” Seasons, 25 Seasons above .500, and CAA Coach of the Year during his time as Head Coach of his alma mater; James Madison University. While competing for the Dukes he led them in scoring each of his four years and was the team’s top rebounder as a freshman. Dillard is the second-leading scorer (2,065 points) in James Madison history and was honored as a CAA “Legend” in 2009.

Dillard’s experience extends beyond the court. He worked as a basketball marketing representative for Nike for six years (2004-10). He served as Global Camp Director, responsible for administrative and operational facets of a series of highly acclaimed camps and academies sponsored by Nike. His experience, perspective and expertise are just what a program going through unsteady times needs.

Antoine Pettway ( University of Alabama ) – 10th Year

AP #8

21-6 Record (16-2 SEC)

5 NCAA Tournament Appearances

3 Sweet 16 Appearances

1 Elite 8 Appearances

1 Final Four Appearances

Why Coach Pettway?

The quote from Current SEC Coach of the Year, Alabama Head Coach, Nate Oats says it all… “In getting to know Antoine, he’s one of the best individuals I’ve ever met. He’s got no ego; he’s not entitled; and he’s got great relationships with our guys. I interviewed all the players when I first got here and the feedback I got on him was that he really cares about each of them. He recruited a lot of them and the fact that he helped sign the three guys coming in was big. I talked to a lot of people about him and it was all great.”

Known as one of the top recruiters in the country, (247sports.com listed Pettway as the No. 1 recruiter in the nation for the 2019 class. Prior to that, he was ranked No. 3 nationally in 2017 and No. 9 in 2018, making it three consecutive years he has ranked among the top-10 recruiters in the nation.) Coach Pettway has played a pivotal role in Alabama’s growth and has had a part in all aspects of the program including but not limited to recruiting, on-court coaching working primarily with the guards, scouting and statistical breakdown. He also works with the coaching staff to develop players off the court while assisting in the day-to-day management of the program. I’ve often heard Head Coaches discuss being a “CEO” of the program, and Coach Pettway’s experience has prepared him for that future role!

Kyle Neptune ( Villanova University ) – 5th Year

AP #10

16-5 Record (11-4 Big East)

6 NCAA Tournament Appearances

2 Sweet 16 Appearances

2 Elite 8 Appearances

2 Final Four

2 National Championships

2021 Big East Champions

7 “Twenty-Win” Seasons

Why Coach Neptune?

Kyle Neptune has been on the Villanova sidelines for the last eight seasons. During this period of unprecedented success, the Wildcats have averaged 30.7 wins per season. They have won the Big East Regular Season Conference Championship 7 times, Big East Tournament Conference Championship 4 times, and NCAA Championship. He had previously served the Wildcats from 2008-10 as the administrative intern/video coordinator and was a part of the staff that helped lead VU to the 2009 NCAA Final Four in Detroit.

"During his time at Villanova, Kyle has demonstrated all the qualities you want to see in a young coach - commitment, passion, and the ability to communicate with young people." stated head coach Jay Wright. "He is a well-rounded and talented young coach who we are thrilled to have with us."

Coming into this season, Coach Neptune had been a part of 7 straight 24+ win seasons. He has experienced cutting down the nets at the end of the season as National Champion twice, he has learned how to win and how to do it consistently. A school looking to develop a winning culture has to hire a winner who understands what it takes to be successful. Coach Neptune has learned from one of the best and will be able to use that knowledge/experience to transform a program for years to come.

Charlton “C.Y.” Young ( Florida State University ) – 8th Year

AP #11

15-4 Record (11-3 ACC)

3 NCAA Tournament Appearances

2 Sweet 16 Appearances

1 Elite 8 Appearances

Why Coach Young?

Prior to his time at FSU; Coach Young has serves as an Assistant Coach at Auburn, Jacksonville, Northeastern, Chattanooga (Associate Head Coach), Georgia Tech and former Head Coach at Georgia Southern University. The Eagles were collectively and individually successful during his four seasons as the head coach. He led the Eagles to a second-place finish in the Southern Conference standings in 2012 as the team earned the second-best turnaround in league history. For his efforts he was honored as the Southern Conference Coach of the Year by multiple publications and was a finalist for the Ben Jobe Award which is presented annually to the top Division I minority head coach. Young coached four All-Southern Conference selections including Willie Powers (all-conference third team in 2010) and Eric Ferguson (all-conference first team in 2013, all-conference first-team and All-Southern Conference Tournament team in 2012 and the All-Freshman team in 2011). The selections of Powers and Ferguson to the all-conference team in 2013 marked the first time since 2007 that multiple Georgia Southern players had earned all-conference accolades in the same season. In 2013, he led the Eagles to a victory over Virginia Tech for the first win in program history over a team from the ACC.

Florida State has been on a meteoric rise since C.Y.’s arrival in Tallahassee. The “New Bloods” as he has coined them have tallied 20+ wins in 6 of the 7 season’s that Coach Young has been on the staff. Including the school record season of 29-8 in 2018/2019. Last season they achieved their first ever Regular Season ACC conference title. Any University looking to attract the next group of future NBA players and add numbers to the win’s category should take a close look at Coach Charlton Young.

Norm Roberts ( Kansas University ) – 8th Year

AP #13

19-8 Record (12-6 Big 12)

14 NCAA Tournament Appearances

9 Sweet 16 Appearances

6 Elite 8 Appearances

1 Final Four Appearances

16 “Twenty-Win” Seasons

Why Coach Roberts?

In his time at Kansas, the Jayhawks have won six Big 12 regular-season titles, three Big 12 Tournament championships and have advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 five times, the Elite Eight four times and the Final Four once, in 2018. While on the KU sidelines, Roberts has coached five NBA Lottery selections in Josh Jackson, Andrew Wiggins, Ben McLemore, Joel Embiid and Kelly Oubre Jr. Roberts has been instrumental in the development of more than 20 Jayhawks that went on to compete professionally. Coach Roberts has experienced success in the WAC, SEC, Big East, Big 10 & Big 12. He has served as an Assistant Coach, Associate Head Coach and Head Coach at the Division 1 level over the last 30 years. Any school looking for a Head Coach that has national recruiting ability, a strong track record of success and Head Coaching experience should take a serious look at Coach Norm Roberts.

Carlin Hartman ( Oklahoma University ) – 5th Year

AP #16

14-9 Record (9-8 Big 12)

2 NCAA Tournament Appearances

Why Coach Hartman?

Carlin Hartman is in his fifth season as an assistant coach for the Sooners. Hartman was hired by head coach Lon Kruger in 2016 after spending the previous two seasons as the associate head coach at Rice University. With Hartman in Norman, the Sooners have reached the last two NCAA Tournaments (last year’s tournament was cancelled due to Covid-19.) As a recruiter, Hartman has played a crucial role in bringing in the best recruiting class of the Kruger era.

Hartman began his coaching debut as an assistant coach at Rice in 1996 following his professional basketball career and has served in three separate stints with the Owls, returning for two seasons as director of operations from 2002-04 and as associate head coach from 2014-16. Prior to his return to Rice, Hartman worked as Columbia’s associate head coach for four seasons. In 2013-14, he helped lead the program to its most wins (21) since 1968. Before his appointment at Columbia, Hartman served as an assistant coach for one season each at James Madison and Centenary in 2009-10 and 2008-09, respectively. From 2005-08, Hartman worked as assistant coach and the lead recruiter at Richmond for three seasons where he was the lead recruiter for three of the top scorers in program history.

Coach Hartman has consistently demonstrated his ability to recruit top talent as well as achieve high level success at multiple locations. His ability to win in high academic settings makes him even more attractive for programs looking to transform not only the on the court talent but also create success in the classroom.

Jermaine Kimbrough ( Loyola University Chicago ) – 2nd Year

AP #20

24-4 Record (16-2 Missouri Valley Conference)

1 NCAA Tournament Appearances

10 “Twenty-Win” Seasons

Why Coach Kimbrough?

Jermaine Kimbrough has over 20 years of collegiate coaching experience. In his first season in Chicago, Kimbrough played a key role in helping the Ramblers to a 21-win season in 2019-20, as the Ramblers finished just one game behind Northern Iowa in the Missouri Valley Conference. Prior to joining the Loyola coaching staff he spent three years at Wyoming, where he helped lead the Cowboys to a pair of 20-win seasons, including an appearance in the College Basketball Invitational. Before heading to Wyoming, Coach Kimbrough spent one season at the University of Nevada, where he helped the Wolf Pack to a 24-win campaign in 2015-16. That season, Nevada captured the CBI title and also delivered four All-Mountain West Conference individual honors. Prior to that Coach Kimbrough served nine seasons as an assistant coach under Gary Waters at Cleveland State University. During his tenure with the Vikings, Kimbrough was a key part of four postseason appearances, including a NCAA tournament and three trips to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), and CSU racked up five 20-win campaigns. He helped recruit an abundance of talent to Cleveland State, including Norris Cole, who was a 2011 NBA Draft pick, as well as NBA players Bryn Forbes, Trey Lewis and Ike Nwamu.

“I am thrilled to add someone with Jermaine’s experience to our staff… I have known Jermaine for a long time and really respect the job he has done at every stop along his journey. He is a tireless recruiter and has a tremendous enthusiasm about the profession. Jermaine has recruited and trained players that have reached the highest level and I have been so impressed with his all-around abilities as a coach, from developing strong relationships with student-athletes, to player development, game-planning and recruiting.” Loyola head coach Porter Moser

Coach Kimbrough has experienced success at all stops along his journey which leads me to believe that will also be the case once he’s given the opportunity to lead his own program. He has shown an ability to recruit & develop top talent and help them with reaching the highest level of basketball. There’s no question that Jermaine Kimbrough will be able to build a winning team as a Head Coach. The only question is, “When will it happen?”

Dean Oliver ( University of Wisconsin ) – 3 ^rd Year

AP #25

16-11 Record (10-10 Big 10)

1 NCAA Tournament Appearance

5 “Twenty-Win” Seasons

Why Coach Oliver?

Coach Oliver came to Madison after a pair of three-year coaching stints at North Dakota (2012-14) and Illinois State (2015-17). In three seasons at ISU, Oliver helped guide Illinois State to a 68-34 overall record, a share of the 2017 Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title and two National Invitation Tournament bids (2015 and 2017). During the 2016-17 season, the Redbirds set program records for overall victories (28) and conference wins (17). In his first season on the Badgers bench, they finished the season with a 23–11 record, 14–6 in Big Ten play, and finished in 4th place. The Badgers finished the 2019-20 season with a 21-10 record, 14-6 in Big Ten play and a share of the Big Ten regular season title. Wisconsin was the #1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament and Coach Gard named the Big Ten Coach of the Year prior to the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament were both cancelled due to precautions related to the Covid 19 pandemic. Wisconsin was listed at #17 on the AP's final 2019-20 rankings.

“We are really excited to welcome Dean back to the Big Ten and the Wisconsin basketball family,” Gard said. “I have been impressed with him over the years and after getting to know him better through this process, it became easy to see why he has been so successful in the past as a player and most recently as a coach. Everyone I talked to about Dean had the utmost respect for his leadership, teaching abilities and passion for helping student-athletes. He has a tremendous reputation for building relationships, has great rapport with players and excels in player development, particularly with guards. It’s rare to find a coach with his combination of professional playing experience and coaching ability and I have no doubt he is the right fit for our program.”

Coach Oliver has helped to catapult Wisconsin to the becoming a perennial Big Ten powerhouse and has shown the ability to recruit and develop some of the best talented players in the country. His passion, energy and leadership are the foundational pillars of success throughout his career and will allow him to maintain that success when given the opportunity to run his own program. Dean Oliver is one of those names to add to your list, circle and underline. If not this year; one year soon we will see him as a Head Coach!

Cornell Mann ( University of Missouri ) – 4 ^th Year

15-8 Record (8-8 SEC)

8 NCAA Tournament Appearances

1 Sweet 16 Appearances

13 “Twenty-Win” Seasons

Why Coach Mann?

Coach Cornell Mann is a wealth of championship basketball knowledge & experience. He has NCAA Tournament coaching experience from five different schools, including a run of four consecutive NCAA berths with the Cyclones. In his first season with the Flyers, Mann helped coach Dayton to the second-most wins in school history (27) and a second round NCAA Tournament appearance. The very next season he played an integral role in the Dayton Flyers winning the NIT Championship. In the last 20 years he has achieved 13 “Twenty-Win” seasons and 8 NCAA Tournament Appearances. Missouri, Iowa State, Dayton, Western Michigan, Central Michigan all made it to the big dance while Coach Mann was on staff!

In first his first season at Mizzou, the Tigers qualified for their first NCAA Tournament since 2013 & recorded their first 20-win season in four years. Mann was the lead recruiter for First Team All-SEC guard Kassius Robertson, who led Mizzou in scoring in 2017-18.

In his time at Iowa State, Mann recruited and tutored one of the top point guards in college basketball in Flint, Michigan, native Monte Morris, who finished his Iowa State career with the best assist-to-turnover ratio in NCAA history (4.65-1). Morris remains the Cyclones' all-time assists leader.

Coach Mann has shown an immediate impact to the success of every program that he has been a part of. For a school looking to make a quick turnaround, Cornell Mann is your guy! He has demonstrated an ability to not only attract future NBA stars but also nurture and develop them both on and off the court. His experience speaks for itself and shows the type of leadership and winning culture that a rebuilding program desperately needs.

Charles Thomas ( Duquesne University ) – 4th Year

9-9 Record (7-7 A10)

2 NCAA Tournament Appearances

8 “Twenty-Win” Seasons

Why Coach Thomas?

Coach Charles Thomas, who spent seven seasons on Keith Dambrot’s staff at Akron, is in his fourth year with the Dukes. Over those 11 seasons, 8 have resulted in 20+ wins and all of them have been .500 or better. Coach Thomas is heavily involved in recruiting and assists with all aspects of game preparation and on-court instruction.

Thomas joined the Akron staff after spending two seasons as an assistant head coach at Northwood University in Midland, Mich. Prior to his time at Northwood, he spent one season as an assistant coach at Radford University (2006-07). Before joining the coaching ranks, Thomas spent 15 years playing professionally in the U.S. and abroad.

Coach Thomas has a mixture of success as a player and coach which allows him to connect and relate to the players he's working with. His perspective and experience gives him an advantage in player/character development. Coach Thomas is one of the greatest Eastern Michigan Eagles of all time and with rumors of that job opening up it would be a "no-brainer" for the program to turn to someone who brought them success on the court years ago to lead the program back to prominence!

REMOVING THE INTERIM TITLE...

justin@thebrantleymethod.com (Justin Brantley) — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 18:36:12 GMT

IT'S TIME TO REWARD THE MEN WHO STEPPED IN AND STEPPED UP...

There's something that sticks out when you hear the phrase, "Interim Head Coach!" It's reminiscent of a substitute teacher. By definition their positions are temporary. They are usually a coach, within the program currently, elevated to the role while leadership searches for the next person to run the program. In arguably the toughest year in college basketball history, coaches around the country struggled to adjust and adapt to a "new normal" of uncertainty and never-ending adjustments. When grading out the success of a program this year, you definitely have to implement a "Covid-Curve!" With that being said, there are three amazing men who overachieved in their roles as the Interim Head Coach this season and their respective universities should take a long look at removing the "Interim" portion of their title. These men haven't always gotten national media coverage, but the work they have done deserves notice and attention.

Coach Isaac Brown

Wichita State University

(*On February 26th Wichita State removed the interim tag from Isaac Brown, promoting him to the Shockers' permanent head-coaching position. He verbally agreed to a five-year deal making him not only the First Black Head Basketball Coach at Wichita State but also, the First Black men's basketball coach to lead a Division I program in the state of Kansas.)

If you're just looking at the win/loss records, it would appear that Coach Brown inherited a good basketball team. Last year they were 23-8 (11-7 in AAC Play) and finished 4th in the conference. But in actuality, he was handed the keys to a train that had the potential to quickly run off the tracks. Brown took over as Wichita State's interim head coach in November, after Gregg Marshall resigned following an internal investigation into allegations of physical and verbal abuse. Prior to Coach Marshall's resignation, 8 players from the 2019/2020 roster entered into the transfer portal with 7 of them making the decision to continue their careers elsewhere. Not only did Coach Brown grab the wheel and keep the Shockers headed in the right direction, he took them to a level of success unexpected of this team even before Coach Marshall's scandal/resignation (they were picked seventh in the American Athletic Conference in the preseason.)

Coach Brown has Wichita State 13-4 (9-2 in AAC Play), ranked #1 in AAC standings with two games left in the regular season, and in position to earn their first AAC Regular Season Title. It is clear that Coach Brown has not only won on the court, but he has also won over the locker room. Those young men have played exceptionally hard for him and completely bought into his leadership. Coach Isaac Brown stepped in and stepped up to the challenge which has earned him the opportunity to lead the Shockers into the future. #GoShockers

Coach Terrence Johnson

Texas State University

Similar to Coach Isaac Brown; Terrence Johnson was tasked with leading a previously good team (21-11 & 2nd in the Sun Belt in 2020) that was in turmoil. Head coach Danny Kaspar resigned on Sept. 23 after the conclusion of an investigation into racially insensitive remarks and Johnson was inheriting a "House-Divided" as it's been reported that early in the season the Bobcats delayed the start of practice for 3 days because the team could not get along. Before they could coach "X's & O's", Coach Johnson had to address his team’s feelings, hurt and concern. He had to allow them to express the things that were bothering them and he utilized group therapy as a substitute for practice to accomplish that.

The things that stand out to me the most about Coach Johnson's leadership is his ability to overcome adversity, his outside the box thinking and willingness to seek out support for his student athletes. Whether that support be in the form of Hillary Jones (senior psychologist at the Texas State counseling center) or all-time leading scorer in program history, Nijal Pearson, Johnson understands that sometimes your players need to hear another voice and he has the humility to provide that. There's absolutely no reason why anyone other than Coach Terrence Johnson should be the one leading the Texas State Bobcats into the 2021/2022 season! He has shown that he has the ability to successfully lead this team through controversy and a global pandemic, I would love to see what he's able to do when given the opportunity and stability of removing the "Interim" title!

Coach Montez Robinson

University of Tennessee at Martin

A lot of you are looking at UT Martin and anxiously waiting to jump in the comments section and remind me that they did not have a winning record this season. I hear you, but before you start to articulate your debate, remember that last year Cleveland State University Head Coach Dennis Gates was named Horizon League Co-Coach of The Year after going 11-21 (7-11 in conference play). The Vikings finished the season tied for 7th place. Coach Gates came into a tumultuous situation and was able to pull together a roster seemingly last minute that far exceeded expectations. In his second year he led the program to 1st Place in the Horizon and a 16-4 conference record. There's a lot of similarities between the two programs. Like Gates, Coach Montez Robinson inherited a decimated roster; but bigger than the loss of on the court talent, The UT Martin team spent the season mourning the death of their leader, Coach Anthony Stewart. The concept of putting together a game-plan, watching film of an opponent and attempting to win basketball games while grieving the loss of a close friend who hired you to help build the program is unimaginable to me. The strength of Coach Robinson is notable and one of the primary things you look for in a leader of young men!

From a strictly basketball perspective, the Skyhawks were predicted to finish 10th in the OVC in the pre-season coaches poll on November 4th of 2020. They were returning, Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference Honoree Parker Stewart, who had a HUGE year for UT Martin in 2019/20. He was the only NCAA Division I player to average at least 19.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 three-point field goals made per game. He led the OVC with 2.8 three-point field goals made per game, ranked third in scoring (19.2 points per game), third in minutes played (36.1 per game), seventh in assists (3.8 per game) and tenth in free throw percentage (.766) as a redshirt sophomore. He had a dozen games of at least 20 points overall. On November 15th, Coach Anthony Stewart passed away (less than three weeks before the season opener.) With a heavy heart, Coach Robinson took the floor with the UT Martin team missing Coach Stewart as well as Parker Stewart, who decided to transfer following his fathers passing.

The 2020/2021 Skyhawks had a very different look from the team that went 9-20 (5-13 in OVC play) the year before. They were missing not only Parker Stewarts' scoring ability but also 3 other players who averaged double digit points per game. When you look at the circumstances of losing your head coach, losing your best returning player, losing a total of over 60 points per game of scoring from the previous year and navigating through the challenges of Covid, all in his first year within the program; I would say Coach Montez Robinson did a damn good job.

UT Martin finished 8-16 (6-14 in OVC play) and 9th in conference standings. They were 5-0 in games decided by single digits (4 of which came in conference play). The 41 points allowed against Eastern Illinois on January 28, 2021 were the fewest by any Skyhawk team against a NCAA Division I opponent in school history and the 28.1 defensive field goal percentage in that game was the best for a UT Martin team against a Division I squad since February 4, 2006 (a span of 465 games). They swept the season series against OVC rival Southeast Missouri for the first time since the 2008-09 season. Cameron Holden became the first played in UT Martin history to record a double-double in his first two career OVC games. Holden’s 11 offensive rebounds at Murray State on Jan. 16 are the third-most in an NCAA Division I game in 2020-21. Anthony Thomas became the first freshman to score at least 20 points against an OVC opponent since the program’s all-time leading scorer Myles Taylor accomplished the feat in 2011-12. The Skyhawks started the season 3-0 for the first time since the 1989-90 campaign, three years before UT Martin joined the NCAA Division I ranks and defeated Evansville for just the second time in school history (UT Martin was previously 1-11).

As you can see, there are a lot more bright spots than the overall record indicates. There are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about the potential future of the Skyhawks if Coach Robinson is given the opportunity to do what he is known best for: Rejuvenating Programs! His unique skillset was demonstrated when he became the Head Coach at Alcorn State University in 2015. Known as one of the toughest jobs in Division 1 Basketball due to a lack of resources, Coach Robinson had a tall task of restoring order to a program that had only achieved one season with an above .500 conference record and a total of 76 SWAC victories in the 12 years prior to his arrival. In 5 seasons, Coach Robinson achieved the un-imaginable. Three winning conference records (13-5, 13-5, & 11-7) , the first overall winning record (18-14 in 2016) since 2001-2002 (21-10). There have been only two coaches in Alcorn State History to have a winning record vs. SWAC opponents; Coach Davey L. Whitney 259-115 (1969-89, 1996-03) and Coach Montez Robinson 50-40 (2015-2020).

When Texas State and UT Martin's Athletic Directors begin evaluating candidates to fill the role of "Head Basketball Coach", I hope they realize the best candidate for the job is already on their sidelines! These men are leaders, and have navigated through adversity and uncertainty. Imagine what they can do once given the vote of confidence from University leadership and a clean slate to build their programs.

I am cheering for the long term success of Coach Isaac Brown, Coach Terrence Johnson and Coach Montez Robinson as they continue their coaching careers. Thank you for stepping in, stepping up and clearly showcasing to the world that you are MORE THAN JUST A RECRUITER !

Breaking Through “The Black Ceiling” In Major College Athletics

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 18:04:25 GMT

As a child, I was often told by my Grandfather that I needed to be twice as good to be even. For as long as I can remember there’s been a part of me that’s held in anger at that sentiment. Anger at the idea that the color of my skin automatically meant that I had to run twice as fast in order to keep up. 30+ years later, that anger still exists. I started to write about the lack of black Athletic Directors in major college athletics and the anger was evident in my words. I wrote and deleted, wrote some more and deleted some more.

Research and experience upset me even more as I realized the egregious nature of discrimination and segregation towards the very people who fuel a billion-dollar eco-system, while accepting the harsh reality that they will probably never rise to the highest positions within the business that has been built, cultivated and sustained on their free labor. The anger began to boil over when I did research on the Athletic Directors in NCAA Division 1 Athletics and identified that once you remove Historically Black Colleges and Universities, men and women of color hold slightly more than 10% of the top positions and no positions in 10 of the 32 conferences. I realized that the “problem” I highlighted in my “More Than Just a Recruiter” series of a lack of Black Head Coaches in Division 1 Basketball, was actually just a symptom of a much larger disease.

Soon, my anger turned to encouragement, however, when I learned of the success of Carla Williams. During her short tenure as the Athletic Director of the University of Virginia, Williams has overseen the rebuild of the Cavalier football program and a history-making performance by the men’s basketball team. UVA’s football program has gone to back-to-back bowl games for the first time in 14 seasons. The Virginia Men’s Basketball team won the program’s first NCAA Championship in 2019, and the Cavalier Men’s Lacrosse team also captured its eighth national title in 2019. The excellence isn’t limited to athletic success. UVA student-athletes have set record numbers for placement on the ACC Honor Roll, achieved highest grade point average totals in program history and have been recognized by the NCAA for outstanding achievement on academic progress reports. Carla Williams was the first Black Woman to hold the top seat as Athletics Director at a Power Five conference institution, but she certainly won’t be the last. Currently, Candice Storey Lee is following her lead as the Interim Athletic Director at Vanderbilt. With more acknowledgement, support, and intentional programming designed around advancement, the numbers will surely continue to grow.

Carla Williams isn’t the only Black administrator to have major success in the “Power 5.” Take a look at Gene Smith and the National Championships he has won at Ohio State University. I would have never imagined that Stanford, Bucknell and Holy Cross would have black Athletic Directors. This is information that should be discussed more openly and frequently. Let’s remove the negative feelings and focus on celebrating the men and women that have broken through “The Black Ceiling” in major college athletics to achieve greatness. I want to provide a spotlight for those who realized being twice as good would make them even, but set their sights on being 4 times as good so they could win the race. I’m here to congratulate the ones who didn’t let the fact that the odds were stacked against them, cause them to not pursue excellence. Instead of focusing on the nearly 90% of positions that we don’t occupy and using the anger in a negative light, I’m going to use the 10.5% to inspire, educate and motivate the young man or woman who dream of one day having one of those top positions, but think their dreams are unrealistic because of the color of their skin.

There are 55 Black Athletic Directors in 22 NCAA Division 1 Conferences. Learn about them, familiarize yourself with their stories/journeys and most importantly, support them and let them know that we see them and appreciate their work, effort and examples of success. They finished the marathon with no roadmap and are leaving a trail for the next generation to follow. Representation matters and it’s important that we highlight the beacons of hope that exist. Salute to the trailblazers!

Black A.D. Representation By The Numbers

ACC (2/15) - 13%
Boston College - Martin Jarmond
University of Virginia - Carla Williams

Big 12 (0/10) - 0%

Big 10 (3/14) - 21%
Maryland - Damon Evans
Michigan - Warde Manuel
Ohio State - Gene Smith

SEC (2/14) - 14%
Auburn - Allen Greene
Vanderbilt - Candice Storey Lee (Interim)

PAC 12 (2/12) - 17%
Arizona State - Ray Anderson
Stanford - Bernard Muir

Big East (1/10) - 10%
Georgetown - Lee Reed

America East (0/9) - 0%

AAC (1/12) - 8%
Tulsa - Dr. Derrick Gragg

Atlantic 10 (2/14) - 14%
Davidson - Chris Clurie
La Salle - Brian Baptiste

ASUN Conference (1/9) - 11%
Kennesaw State - Milton Overton

Big Sky (1/11) - 9%
Portland State - Valerie Cleary

Big South (2/11) - 18%
Hampton* - Eugene Marshall Jr.
Campbell - Omar Banks

Big West (2/9) - 22%
UC Irvine - Paula Smith
UC Riverside - Tamica Smith-Jones

Colonial Athletic Association (0/10) - 0%

Conference USA (0/14) - 0%

Horizon League (3/10) - 30%
Green Bay - Charles Guthrie
University of Detroit Mercy - Robert C. Vowels Jr.
IUPUI - Dr. Roderick Perry

Ivy League (0/8) - 0%

MAAC (0/11) - 0%

MAC (2/12) - 17%
Buffalo - Mark Alnutt
Northern Illinois -Sean Frazier

MEAC (9/11) - 82%
North Carolina Central* - Dr. Ingrid Wicker McCree
Norfolk State* - Marty L. Miller
Bethune Cookman* - Lynn W. Thompson
Florida A & M* - Kortne Gasha
Morgan State* - Edward Scott
Coppin State* - Derek Carter
South Carolina State* - Stacy Danley
University of Maryland Eastern Shore* - Keith Davidson
Howard University* - Kery Davis

Missouri Valley (3/10) - 30%
Northern Iowa - David Harris
Bradley - Chris Reynolds
Indiana State - Sherard Clinkscales

Mountain West (1/11) - 9%
Fresno State - Terry Tumey

Northeast Conference (0/11) - 0%

Ohio Valley Conference (2/12) - 17%
Austin Peay - Gerald Harrison
Tennessee State* - Teressa Phillip

Patriot League (3/10) - 30%
Lafayette - Sherryta Freeman
Bucknell - Jermaine Truax
Holy Cross - Marcus Blossom

Southern Conference (1/10) - 10%
Western Carolina - Alex Gary

Southland Conference (1/13) - 8%
New Orleans - Tim Duncan

Southwestern Athletic Conference (9/10) - 90%
Praririe View A&M *
Alicia Pete (Interim)
Southern University *
Roman Banks
Texas Southern *
Kevin Granger
Jackson State *
Ashley Robinson
Grambling State *
Dr. David Ponton
Alcorn State *
Derek Horne
Alabama State *
Jennifer Lynne Williams
Alabama A&M *
Bryan Hicks
Mississippi Valley State *
Dianthia Ford-Kee

Summit League (0/9) - 0%

Sun Belt (0/12) - 0%

West Coast Conference (0/10) - 0%

Western Athletic Conference (2/9) - 22%
Kansas City - Dr. Brandon Marton
Chicago State - Elliot Charles

55 out of 353 Division 1 Basketball Institutions have Black Athletic Directors - 15.58%
35 out of 333 when HBCU's are removed from the equation - 10.51%

9 of 65 "Power 5" Athletic Directors are Black -13.84%

* indicates Historically Black Colleges & Universities

Opportunity Cost

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 20:45:48 GMT

The True Cost of Guarantee (Buy) Games

One of the top teams in the country is going to fly us in, pay for our accommodations, give us the opportunity to compete against the best players in the country AND pay us nearly 6 figures. As the saying goes; “If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is!" Everything has a price, and a cost. For Head Coaches at HBCU’s (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) “Guarantee Games” pay a substantial amount of money to the University but often cost them their future! Guarantee (Buy) Games are the lifeblood of Black College Basketball but, ironically, they can kill the promising careers of talented black coaches seeking opportunity and experience. In a culture that provides Black coaches a short leash, has a short memory when it comes to their past accomplishments and gives them a short window to demonstrate results; Black coaches can ill afford to routinely be “win’s for hire!” During the 2019/2020 season these games provided revenue upwards of $6 million dollars to the SWAC & MEAC conferences, but at what cost? In this post, I am going to examine the true cost of buy games and how they further perpetuate the stereotype and stigma of inferiority that plagues Black Head Coaches in NCAA Division 1 Basketball.

Why do we place such a premium and emphasis on the amount of wins on a team/coaches record when they can be bought, sold or manufactured? The majority of casual basketball fans don’t know what Guarantee Games are, or that they even exist. They turn on ESPN’s Sportscenter and see that Mississippi Valley State University lost to the University of Utah by 94 points and say to themselves, “That’s horrible! How can a D1 team lose by that many points?” The thought never crosses their minds that an under-funded, under-manned and under-equipped MVSU squad was paid $98,000 plus travel expenses to show up and play against a PAC 12 Champion hopeful Utah team that was looking to bolster their record and resume. Recruits see the final score with zero context and say; “I don’t know if I want to go there, they almost lost by 100.” Search firms, with often nothing to go off of but win-loss records and statistics indicating margin of loss and victory, say; “I don’t know if he can compete at this level, look at his record!” The optics are that these coaches are not equal to their counterparts at other programs with no mention of the fact that HBCU’s on average are playing 6 “Buy Games” per season. The very same games that provide much needed revenue for these programs are stopping them from getting better recruits to improve their teams and stopping coaches from advancing in their careers beyond Low Major opportunities.

It is routine practice in college basketball for higher-level athletic programs to pay teams from smaller schools to come play them on their campuses. The higher-level team is almost guaranteed a victory, hence the name “Guarantee Game”, and are essentially buying a win. The lower program receives much needed revenue and often sees the game as an opportunity to provide exposure to their players and program. This “routine” however, tends to do more harm than good when it comes to career trajectory for players and coaches alike. For example, Mississippi Valley State University had 6 guarantee games totaling $510,000 this past season. All of these games took place prior to Christmas and they lost each game by an average of just over 37 points. Imagine the mentality and psyche of a Student Athlete going home during Christmas break and hearing from friends and family how “Horrible” their team is. In most cases, their families, high school coaches, and friends don’t realize or care to understand the economics surrounding those blowouts. All they see if the final score. In an era where the easy thing to do is transfer when things aren’t going the way Student Athletes want them, the practice of sacrificing losses to balance the budget can destroy a basketball program and a coach’s career.

“Why would any coach sign up for a job that required them to automatically assume 5+ losses per season?” You may ask. The answer is simple; Opportunity! Coaches all around the country looking to continue to climb the proverbial coaching “ladder” to one day hopefully have a High Major Head Coaching job understand that they must start somewhere. There are amazing Assistant Coaches; especially black ones, whose names surface when jobs come open but rarely get a legitimate look because often times their resume lacks Head Coaching experience. They ask themselves, “How can I get experience if nobody will give me a chance?” Deep down inside, they want the opportunity to have their own program even if that means sacrificing income (a lot of these low major Head Coaching positions pay substantially less than High Major assistant salaries), their coaching record, and in some occasions - their careers.

A lot of low major programs take buy games, but why is it such a big deal for HBCU’s? Well, rising college costs, the student loan crisis and federal budget cuts have hurt higher education nationwide, but none more than HBCU’s where almost 60% of the student body comes from low-income, first-generation households and over 70% have limited financial resources. In the last 25 years, 15 HBCU’s have closed their doors. Public and private HBCU endowments is, on average, 70 percent less than that of non-HBCU’s. In addition, private HBCU’s experienced a 42 percent drop in Federal Funding between 2003 and 2015. These guarantee games are not only welcomed, but are a necessity for a lot of these athletic programs’ operational budgets.

It’s a bold statement for me to make that the practice of sacrificing performance for viability is negatively impacting the career trajectory of Head Coaches at Historically Black Institutions. It’s a direct correlation that I wish I didn’t have to highlight. Unfortunately, it is true! In my research, I was only able to locate one example of a Black HBCU Head Coach who went on to take the same role at a Mid or High Major program; Anthony Evans was hired to lead the Florida International University Panthers in 2013 after 6 successful years at the helm of the Norfolk State program. While analyzing the former head coaches, one thing that stood out to me was their win loss records. They literally jumped off the screen and I’m sure they did the same for Athletic Directors and Search Firms receiving their resume when looking to fill an opening.

How do we fix this? Short of finding millions of dollars each year to donate to HBCU’s, I don’t have an answer. However, I do have some ideas:

Retired black coaches should mentor, consult and volunteer with HBCU programs to help develop coaching talent and create an HBCU “Coaching Tree.” Structured mentoring, conference calls, in-service training, scheduling assistance, and other programs could contribute to the continued success of young black coaches.
Black AAU coaches and directors should stop telling their players that “they are better than HBCU’s” based off of record and margin of victory. They need to understand why this is taking place and help their players identify the best fit for them and highlight the fact that with the right mentality and attitude, it’s a major bonus to be able to play that level of competition vs. choosing a low major program that doesn’t provide the same opportunities.
The creation of an HBCU Athletics Network could potentially generate the revenue that is being sought through buy games. Strategic guarantee game acceptance of 2-4 games per school will allow them to retain the income necessary to fuel the program and the opportunity to play top competition without mortgaging the program and Head Coaches futures. Partnerships with existing platforms like Baller TV or Flo Sports would be ideal. They can sell subscriptions for sports fans around the country to support HBCU athletics and a 50% revenue share could be split evenly amongst each program.
An increased focus on marketing the programs, players, and coaches could contribute to long term success. If 20% of the money raised from Guarantee Games was dedicated to creating a marketing budget it would be extremely beneficial to promoting young coaching talent and providing exposure to student athletes who have dreams of playing professionally.

I’m sure there are plenty of other things that can be done to enact change. Whatever it is, I hope it happens soon and we are able to see more talented coaches make it to the Mid/High Major ranks who look like the players they are coaching!

More Than Just A Recruiter: Conference Champion Edition

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 02:52:59 GMT

With the abrupt ending to the 2019/2020 college basketball season, there are a bunch of coaches that will not receive the platform and public recognition they deserve. Black men all around the country led their teams to special seasons and it’s important to highlight their success and accomplishments. In an industry where young black assistant coaches are viewed, portrayed and pigeonholed as “Recruiting Specialists” I am taking ownership of correcting that false narrative. I’m here to lead the charge of acknowledgement, recognition & promotion of the leaders who look like me and develop young men that look like my sons. Representation matters, and these men are trailblazing inspirations to the young black coaches hoping to one day lead a program themselves. Join me in giving the following 12 coaches a virtual round of applause!

Anthony Grant (Dayton) - A10

29-2 Record
18-0 Conference Record
17-0 Home Record
1st in the Nation Field Goal % (52.5)

Talk about a magical season… I don’t know if you could write a better movie script than the one that played out on court for the Flyers. 29 wins, 2 losses and both of those occurred in overtime. They were 8 points away from a perfect season. The Dayton Men’s Basketball team was DOMINANT this year! They ranked #1 in the Nation in FG% (52.5), #2 in the Nation in Scoring Margin (15), #3 in the Nation in Assists per game (17.6), #8 in the Nation in Assist to Turnover ratio (1.42), #12 in the Nation in Points per game (80) and finished the season ranked the #3 team in the Nation. These are the type of results Dayton fans hoped and prayed for when Coach Anthony Grant returned to his collegiate home to replace Archie Miller who was departing for Indiana. At the conclusion of the season, for all of his hard work, dedication and success, Coach Grant was named Atlantic 10, Sporting News, CBS Sports Coach of The Year & Basketball Times National Coach of the Year.

You can’t help but wonder, “Would this have been Dayton’s year?” How far could they fly? Sweet 16, Elite 8, Final Four… unfortunately we will never know. What we do know is there’s an Elite college basketball program that resides in Dayton, Ohio and is led by one of, if not the best, the Nation’s best coaches! Anthony Grant is a teacher, and I’m not just speaking about his on the court approach. In 1987 his career started as an Assistant High School Coach & Math Teacher. I’ve had the pleasure of watching Anthony Grant coach his players during practices and it is very clear that his leadership skills and teaching experience are the foundational principles of the culture he has built at the University of Dayton. With the foundation and groundwork that he has laid, it’s only a matter of time before the Flyers get their shot at March Madness!

Anthony Grant Coaching Tree

John Brannen (Northern Kentucky, Alabama)
Allen Edwards (Wyoming)
Donnie Jones (Stetson)
Brett Nelson (Holy Cross)
Tony Pujol (North Alabama)
Reggie Witherspoon (Canisius)

Click here to learn more about Coach Anthony Grant .

Frank Haith (Tulsa) - AAC

21-10 Record
13-5 Conference Record
15-3 Home Record
29th in the Nation 63.5 points allowed per game

Tulsa has long been the springboard for Elite College Coaches (Danny Manning, Bill Self, Tubby Smith, and Nolan Richardson to name a few.) and when Coach Haith stepped in to replace the departing Danny Manning, it appeared that Tulsa was getting an already established Elite Head Coach vs. a rising star who would soon depart for a bigger name program. After 6 seasons, it is very clear that the University of Tulsa administration chose the right man for the job. He has already lasted longer than Manning, Self, Smith and Richardson did at the helm of the program. During his 6-season tenure at Tulsa he’s led the Golden Hurricane’s to a 116-76 (.655) record.

Tulsa appeared primed for a post-season birth this year which would have been the program’s second NCAA Tournament appearance with Coach Haith as Head Coach. What stood out to me more than anything else was the defensive effort and intensity the Golden Hurricane’s brought to the game; which is a direct reflection/correlation of the culture Frank Haith has built there. I’m sure this is attributed to the players buying into the work ethic demonstrated by their Head Coach. Nothing was handed to him along the way, he started his career as a student assistant in the late 80’s at Elon paying his own way. Not only has Coach Haith had success developing players on the court, he’s also helped to advance the careers of the coaches on his staff. The 2019/2020 AAC Coach of The Year is an example to young coaches everywhere who are working hard and trying to find a way. I’m extremely excited to see how Tulsa continues to demonstrate Coach Haith’s winning ways in years to come.

Frank Haith Coaching Tree

Mike Balado (Arkansas State)
Butch Estes (Barry)
Dennis Felton (Cleveland State)
Billy Kennedy (Texas A&M, Murray State)
David Leitao (DePaul)
Barclay Radebaugh (Charleston Southern)

Click here to learn more about Coach Frank Haith.

Leonard Hamilton (Florida State) - ACC

26-5 Record
16-4 Conference Record
13th in the Nation Steals/Game (8.81)

In arguably the toughest conference in college basketball, Coach Leonard Hamilton has built a powerhouse program at Florida State University. It’s tough to shine in the shadows of the football program, but Coach Hamilton has developed a formula over the last 17 seasons that has taken them from the shadows and placed them in their own solar system! Coach Hamilton has been named ACC Coach of the Year 3 times at FSU (2009, 2012, and 2020.) He is also the first Seminole coach to win an ACC Championship, ACC Tournament Champion in 2012 and ACC Regular Season Champion in 2020. He has led the Seminoles to seven NCAA Tournament appearances and under his direction, Florida State has been the third-most successful team in the conference. Coach Hamilton is the winningest coach in the program's history, the fifth winningest coach in conference history, and has sent 14 players to the NBA Draft (including six first round picks.)

This year the Seminoles looked poised to build upon the success from the 2018/2019 year in which they finished 29-8 and set the school record for most wins in a season prior to falling to Gonzaga in the Sweet 16. We will never know if this would have been FSU’s 3rd straight trip to the Sweet 16. We will never know if this is the year they would have gotten to the big game. But, one thing we do know: Florida State is no longer just a football school and for that they can thank the 2019/2020 ACC Coach of The Year, Leonard Hamilton.

Leonard Hamilton Coaching Tree

Tim Carter (South Carolina State, UTSA, Nebraska-Omaha)
Larry Drew (Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks)
Weldon Drew (Langston)
Andy Enfield (USC, Florida Gulf Coast)
Michael Fly (Florida Gulf Coast)
Dwight Freeman (Norfolk State)
Dennis Gates (Cleveland State)
Juwan Howard (Michigan)
Kyle Keller (Stephen F. Austin, Tyler JC)
Dickey Nutt (Southeast Missouri State, Arkansas State)
John Phillips (Tulsa)
Bill Self (Kansas, Illinois, Tulsa, Oral Roberts)
Corey Williams (Stetson)

Click here to learn more about Coach Leonard Hamilton.

Ritchie McKay (Liberty University) - ASUN

30-4 Record
13-3 Conference Record
17-0 Home Record
2nd in the Nation 53.4 points allowed per game

The future was bright and promising when Coach McKay took over as the Head Coach at Liberty University in 2007. He was able to lure future NBA player Seth Curry to campus and began to build a culture of winning and excellence. At the end of his second season, Coach McKay was hand-picked by Tony Bennett to be the Associate Head Coach at the University of Virginia. During his time in Charlottesville, Coach McKay helped to stabilize the program and build them back up after going 10-18 the year before his arrival (the worst season since 1968 when they went 9-16.) He managed to help guide the Cavaliers to 3 NCAA Tournament appearances, 1 regular season ACC Championship, 1 ACC Conference Tournament Championship and a Sweet 16 appearance.

In his second stint at Liberty, Coach McKay has shown that he is one of the best coaches in the country and is intent on turning Liberty into a perennial ASUN Powerhouse. In just the second year since joining the conference, he has led the Liberty Flames to consecutive conference regular season & tournament championships with a combined 27 wins & 5 losses in two seasons of conference play. In the 2018/19 season, Liberty made it to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament and they looked poised to build on that success this March. It also should be noted that only once, since joining the Atlantic Sun, have the Liberty Flames suffered a double-digit loss in conference play. This season’s 30 wins set a school record and earned Coach McKay ASUN “Co-Coach of The Year” honors.

Ritchie McKay Coaching Tree

Dale Layer (Liberty, Colorado State)
Joel Sobotka (Portland State)

Click here to learn more about Coach Ritchie McKay.

Shantay Legans (Eastern Washington) - Big Sky

23-8 Record
16-4 Conference Record
13-2 Home Record
#4 in the Nation Assists per game (17.5)

Coach Legans is the youngest head coach in this group of Conference Champions. He is setting an example to young black men all around the country that age is less of a factor than preparedness. Shantay is a leader and has been that way dating back to his playing days when he served as team captain on the 2002 Fresno State team. It’s heart-breaking to see Coach Legans miss out on a shot at his first NCAA tournament as a Head Coach, but it’s clear he has figured out how to generate success at Eastern Washington and will get another opportunity soon.

The 2019/2020 season was indicative of the growth of Shantay Legans. The Eastern Washington Eagles have been steadily improving since his arrival in Cheney, WA as an assistant back in 2009. This year he was able to lead them to the 4th regular season conference championship and first with him as a head coach. The Eagles not only found success in the win column, they are one of the top teams in the country in multiple statistical categories; #4 in the Nation Assists per game (17.5), #6 in the Nation Points per game (80.9).

Click here to learn more about the Big Sky Coach of the Year, Shantay Legans.

Mike Jones (Radford) - Big South

21-11 Record
15-3 Conference Record
11-4 Home Record
43rd in the Nation Field Goal % (46.4)

Coach Mike Jones just concluded his 9th season as Head Coach of the Radford University Highlanders. This is his first role as a collegiate Head Coach but you wouldn’t know that from the results that he is producing. This year he was on pace to return to the NCAA Tournament and build on last season’s First Four win vs. LIU Brooklyn. Back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances for Coach Jones is a sign that Radford is becoming a Big South powerhouse. If they are able to keep a larger school from stealing him away, Coach Mike Jones will look to continue to build on the success in 2020/21.

This season was the third 20-win season in a row and second consecutive regular season conference championship for Coach Jones and it’s clear he has restored the winning ways in Radford, VA. Radford was in almost every game they played this season. 5 of their 11 losses came by 5 points or less and they only had 2 double digit losses (Maryland by 14 & Gardner Webb by 11). They are losing 4 starters but will be returning their top scorer Carlik Jones who averaged 33 minutes, 20 points and 5 rebounds per game.
Coach Jones’ story is valuable for young coaches looking to break into the industry. He began his career as a high school coach then became an assistant and took advantage of the opportunities in front of him. He took the stairs and is now reaping the benefits. Named the 2019/2020 Big South Coach of the Year, Mike Jones’ has been rumored for a few job openings so it will be very interesting to see what he does this off-season.

Click here to learn more about Coach Mike Jones.

James Jones (Yale) Ivy League

23-7 Record
11-3 Conference Record
10-1 Home Record
33rd in the Nation Assists per game (15.5)

Coaching success runs in the Jones family. His brother Joe is the Head Coach at Boston University, who you will read about next. With BU qualifying for the NCAA Tournament after an upset over Colgate it appeared as though we were poised to see both Jones brother’s in the field of 64. That’s a big deal to me. What shows a direct contradiction to the stereotype of Black Coaches only being great recruiters than two Black Head Coaches having massive success at High Academic schools? If recruiting was your only superpower it would be very difficult to do battle in the Ivy & Patriot leagues with the lack of Athletic Scholarships serving as your kryptonite.

James Jones has been the Head Coach of Yale Basketball for 20 years and has won over 330 games and 5 Regular Season Ivy League Championships. He has 2 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 2016 when they made it to the Round of 32, with an upset of Baylor before falling to Duke by 7. Prior to the 2016 NCAA Tournament, the birth of the Yale Bulldogs had not reached the field of 64 in over 50 years (1962). Coach Jones has brought Yale Basketball back to life and back to relevancy. This year Yale had 7 losses and only one of them was by double digits. They played Oklahoma St, Penn St, & North Carolina to close games and beat Clemson and UMass in non-conference play. They finished the season 33rd in the country with 15.5 assists per game and 47th in the nation in assists, to turnover ratio (1.20). They took care of the ball and that showed in the Win column. The Bulldogs are set to return their two top scorers for the 2020/21 season, so I’m looking for them to continue their winning ways.

James Jones Coaching Tree

Rob Senderoff (Kent State)

Click here to learn more about the Ivy League Coach of the Year, James Jones.

Joe Jones (Boston University) - Patriot League

21-13 Record
12-6 Conference Record
12-3 Home Record
56th in the Nation Field Goal % (46)

Coach Jones has been the Head Coach at Boston University since 2011 and has done very well in the Patriot League. He won the Patriot League title in 2014 and this year won the Patriot League Tournament securing his ticket to the big dance, but then the ball was cancelled. We will never know if this was Coach Jones’ & BU’s chance to play Cinderella, but what we do know is that the Jones Brothers understand high academic basketball! Most people will never know the challenges that come along with building an elite basketball program at a high academic institution, but the Jones Brothers appear to have it figured out.

This season, the Terriers started off slow but showed signs of promise and then peaked at the right moment. When they defeated South Carolina 78-70 on the road, I knew they had a chance. They finished the season 56th in the country in Field Goal Percentage (46%), 79th in Assist to Turnover ratio (1.13) and on a 4-game win streak and upset over Colgate in the Patriot League Championship game. With only one starter graduating this year, Boston University is in strong position to build upon this season’s success!

Joe Jones Coaching Tree

Jim Engles (Columbia, NJIT)
Carmen Maciariello (Siena)
Jack Perri (Southern New Hampshire)

Click here to learn more about Coach Joe Jones.

Mark Montgomery (Northern Illinois) - MAC-West

18-13 Record
11-7 Conference Record
11-4 Home Record
43rd in the Nation Rebounds per game (38.5)

In March 2011, Northern Illinois hired Coach Mark Montgomery to take over a struggling Huskies program. He had already assisted in the turnaround of the Central Michigan program (taking them from worst in the MAC to first in the MAC as an assistant in 2000/2001) and helped to build his Alma-Mater Michigan State to prominence, with 3 trips to the Final Four in his nine seasons as Assistant Coach & Associate Head Coach. Coach Montgomery had a 21-win season in 2015/16 and appeared poised to make NIU a perennial contender in the conference but struggled to replicate that success over the last couple of years. Could the 2019/2020 season be just what is needed in DeKalb to turn things around? The Huskies are losing their leading scorer and 3 starters from this year’s team but Trendon Hankerson (Sophomore; 7.5ppg), Darius Beane (Sophomore; 7.3ppg), and Tyler Coachran (Freshman; 5.5ppg) are all ready to step up and carry the load. We will all be watching as they take the court in 2020/21.

Click here to learn more about Coach Mark Montgomery.

LeVelle Moton (North Carolina Central) - MEAC

18-13 Record
13-3 Conference Record
12-0 Home Record
20th in the Nation in Steals per game (8.39)

I hate to be biased, but Coach Moton is one of my favorite coaches on this list. He has managed to avoid the “Buy-Game Blues” (Look for an article on that from me soon) and create consistent results at his alma-mater. He started his career as a high school coach, transitioned to collegiate assistant and has been the Head man for the Eagles for the last 11 seasons. North Carolina Central made the shift from Division 2 to Division 1 under Coach Moton’s watch and they haven’t skipped a beat. He is a 3-time MEAC regular season championship (2014, 2015, 2017), 4-time MEAC tournament championship (2014, 2017–2019) and two-time MEAC Coach of the Year (2014 & 2017). This would have been his 4th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. There’s no question in my mind of whether or not Coach Moton will keep the wins piling up in Durham. The biggest question for me is: “How long can North Carolina Central keep him in the MEAC?” NCCU has him under contract until 2030-31 (yes you read that correctly) so I’m certain that limits the list of potential suitors that would even be able to afford that buyout.

LeVelle Moton Coaching Tree

Luke D’Alessio (Fayetteville State)

Click here to learn more about Coach LeVelle Moton.

Byron Smith (Prairie View A&M) - SWAC

19-13 Record
14-4 Conference Record
12-0 Home Record
81st in the Nation in Assists per game (14.5)

In his 4th season as Head Coach, Byron Smith has Prairie View A&M in control of the SWAC. Back-to-back regular season conference championships and on the verge of back-to-back conference tournament championships. This could have been Coach Smith’s second NCAA Tournament appearance in 4 years and that is extremely impressive! Coach Smith is starting to be able to reignite the championship culture of PVAMU Basketball and I’m looking forward to seeing how they continue to progress. One of the most impressive things about this season for the SWAC conference Coach of the Year is that he did it while raising $505,000 for the program in 9 “Guarantee/Buy” Games (including their game against UTSA where the Panthers walked away with $25,000 AND the win!)

Click here to learn more about Coach Byron Smith.

Darrell Walker (University of Arkansas-Little Rock) - Sun Belt

21-10 Record
15-5 Conference Record
13-2 Home Record
35th in the Nation in Assists per game (14.9)

Coach Darrell Walker assumed the role of Head Coach at Arkansas-Little Rock in March of 2018 and brought with him a wealth of knowledge and coaching experience from his playing days, NBA coaching days and Division II Head Coaching experience. He played three years at Arkansas under head coach Eddie Sutton and was named second team All-American in 1983. He was selected 12th overall in the 1983 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks where he played for three years and then had stints in Denver, Washington, Detroit and Chicago where he won an NBA title in 1993. He played under LEGENDARY Head coaches in the NBA including Hubie Brown, Doug Moe, Wes Unseld, Chuck Daly and Phil Jackson.

Coach Walker began his coaching career in 1995 as an assistant under Brendan Malone in Toronto and took over as head coach a year later. He also served as interim Head Coach of the Washington Wizards during the 1999-2000 season. In 2016 he came to the college ranks as Head Coach of Clark Atlanta Unversity for two seasons compiling an overall record of 45-18 and advancing to the D-II NCAA Tournament in each of his seasons at CAU. This season, in just his second year as a Division 1 Head Coach, he led the Trojans to the Sun Belt regular season championship and was named Conference Coach of the Year. The Trojans will return with 4 players who averaged double-digit points this season, including Markquis Nowell who averaged 17.2 ppg. It’s fair to say they will be in contention for another Sun Belt Championship next year!

Darrell Walker Coaching Tree

Butch Beard (Morehead State)
Butch Carter (Toronto Raptors)
Juwan Howard (Michigan)
Tree Rollins (Washington Mystics, Greenville Groove)
Damon Stoudamire (Pacific)

Click here to learn more about the Sun Belt Coach of the Year, Darrell Walker.

More Than Just A Recruiter

Mon, 09 Mar 2020 17:32:46 GMT

The Away Team Sports “Elite 8” Black NCAA D1 Assistant Coaches

Death, taxes, and black coaches being pigeonholed as “recruiters” in NCAA Basketball: three things that we’ve grown to know, expect and accept. A quick internet search will yield countless results of people complaining about each of the above facts of life. The lack of diversity and inclusion in NCAA Division 1 Men’s Head Basketball Coaching positions is glaringly obvious and often times I wonder why we can annually acknowledge the existence of the problem (typically during Black History Month), but not rectify or remedy it with solutions? I could write this post complaining about misconceptions associated with black men in the industry, but I’m choosing a different route. I could write paragraphs highlighting the hypocritical nature of the career trajectory for white collegiate basketball coaches tabbed as “Elite Recruiters” vs. that of their black counterparts, but I have a desire to be solution oriented. I could write this post from a statistical/analytic perspective highlighting the fact that although black men account for nearly 80% of scholarship players in the major basketball conferences, 83.7% of “All-League” award winners and 86.7% of last year’s “All-Americans”, yet only account for 22.9% of Head Coaching positions in those same conferences. And although Black Coaches hold only 29.2% of NCAA Division 1 Basketball Head Coaching roles, they accounted for 34% of the regular season conference championships in 2019/2020 (AAC, A10, ACC, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Ivy, MAC West, MEAC, SWAC, and Sun Belt). Nope, I’m not going to do that either. What I am going to do is attempt to strip away some of the negative connotations associated with being deemed an “Elite Recruiter.”

Recruiting is not only a component of being a good coach at the collegiate level, it is also an extremely necessary skillset. If you can’t convince the top players that your school is the best fit for them, you will have a hard time competing at a high level. Recruiting requires relationship building, the ability to evaluate/identify talent and the ability to convert those prospective student-athletes into members of your team. That very same skillset is in high demand in Corporate America. Calling talented young black men “Recruiters” and diminishing their impact and the value they bring to the table is the equivalent of the ban on dunking in NCAA Basketball after the 1967 season when Lew Alcindor’s (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) year of dominance signified a shift in the way the game would be played and then creating the 3 point line in 1979 in an attempt to create parity and balance. In my life I’ve seen the proverbial “goal posts” moved to even the playing field and now I can say the same thing for the 3-point line!

So, how do we create change? That’s a question I’ve often pondered. For years, I’ve downplayed my ability to make an impact. “What can I do?” I would ask myself. This year, I have decided to stop asking myself existential questions and although I can’t hire the black coaches I see doing an amazing job, what I can do is provide acknowledgment of the ones who would be at the top of my list if I were making that decision. The following 8 men have consistently demonstrated that; although they are phenomenal recruiters, their value far exceeds their ability to bring in elite talent. They bring a winning mentality, success and leadership at such a high level that they should be undeniable for any Athletic Director and search firm looking to fill Division 1 Head Coaching Vacancies for the 2020/2021 Season. In an era of social currency, self-promoting and laser focus on the future vs. embracing your current assignment, stands a group of men who are engaged and focused on the next game on their schedule rather than the next potential job opportunity. This is why, among many other reasons, these men behind the curtain are my picks for openings that will arise following the 2019/2020 season. I have not directly asked any of them if they are looking for a promotion, but during my college basketball evaluations this season these were the men that stood out to me the most.

(In Order of their teams Associated Press Week 18 ranking)

Anthony Solomon (Associate Head Coach - University of Dayton) - 3 years

AP #3
29-2 Record
Regular Season A10 Champions (18-0)
Former Division 1 Head Coach
3 Elite 8 Appearances as a coach
Final Four Appearance as a player
8 Championships
15 NBA Pro’s Coached

Why Coach Solomon?

Who would have thought that Dayton basketball would be ranked #3 in the country, a potential 1 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament, and would have arguably the best player in the country on their roster? In his most recent stint at The University of Dayton, Coach Solomon has played a pivotal role in what has been called “The Greatest Season in Dayton Basketball History!” Coach Anthony Solomon is a winner who has achieved "Three Levels" of collegiate success: as a player, a coach and as an administrator. He is a husband, father and servant leader that has a long track record of recruiting and developing elite basketball players.

As a player at The University of Virginia he made three NCAA Tournament appearances, earned one NIT berth and won 78 total games. Solomon was a member of the 1984 team that advanced to the NCAA Final Four. Coach Solomon is widely regarded as one of the most-respected assistant coaches in the game, and over his 30+ years of college coaching experience his resume speaks for itself. When discussing Assistant Coaches who should receive the opportunity to lead their own programs, Coach Anthony Solomon's name should be at the forefront of the conversation. Not many people have achieved the level of success he has at the High Major level and also have Head Coaching and Administrative experience. He has been known to orchestrate the turnaround/resurgence of programs and anyone looking for a new coach in 2020 will more than likely be facing a "rebuilding" period within their program!

Click here to learn more about Coach Anthony Solomon.

Jerome Tang (Associate Head Coach- Baylor University) - 17 years

AP #4
27-3 Record
8 NCAA Tournament Appearances
4 Sweet Sixteen Appearances
2 Elite 8 Appearances
1 NIT Championship
8 Twenty-win seasons out of the last 9
7 Top 25 Recruiting Classes
9 NBA Pro’s Coached

Why Coach Tang?

When I think of Coach Jerome Tang, the first word that comes to mind is, CONSISTENCY! All 17 of his years in collegiate coaching have been at Baylor University (14 as an assistant and 3 as Associate Head Coach). Jerome is Baylor Basketball. Prior to his arrival in Waco, Texas, the Bears had only been to the NCAA tournament 4 times in their 97 year history. 300 plus wins later, Coach Tang is still on the Baylor sidelines preparing his young men for success and requiring nothing less than the best that they have to give. This year they will make their 8th appearance in the NCAA tournament with him on the staff! Winning is a part of his DNA! Prior to collegiate coaching he led Heritage Christian to 4 State Championships. Jerome Tang is a devoted husband and father who has demonstrated the ability to recruit, develop, coach and nurture young men. Nearly two decades of coaching experience in the Big 12 have certainly prepared Coach Tang to take the helm of any program in need of a new direction!

Click here to learn more about Coach Jerome Tang.

Charlton “C.Y.” Young (Assistant Coach- Florida State University) - 7 years

AP #7
25 Seasons as a collegiate coach
3 NCAA Tournament Appearances
2 Sweet 16 Appearances
1 Elite 8 Appearance
Former Division 1 Head Coach
4 Top-10 Recruiting Classes
FSU Record 29 wins in 2018/2019

Why Coach Young?

Known in the basketball business as “C.Y.”, there’s not a person in the industry that doesn’t know and respect Coach Charlton Young. Known for his exceptional ability to recruit and develop the nation’s best talent, Coach has demonstrated success as a Head Coach, Assistant Coach and Player. C.Y. had a legendary Hall of Fame career at Georgia Southern and has shown that he is ready, willing and able to show young men the blueprint. It only makes sense that a former McDonald’s All American would be able to recruit and mentor the best young talent in the country. Coach Young and his wife have four children who all love the game of basketball like their parents. His two daughters are elite level basketball players and these proud parents are looking to see their sons’ progress and development in years to come, as well.

Florida State has been on a meteoric rise since C.Y.’s arrival in Tallahassee. The Seminole’s have tallied 20+ wins in 6 of the 7 season’s that Coach Young has been on the staff. Including the school record season of 29-8 in 2018/2019. This season they achieved their first ever Regular Season ACC conference title. Any University looking to attract the next group of future NBA players and add numbers to the win’s category should take a close look at Coach Charlton Young.

Click here to learn more about Coach Charlton "C.Y." Young.

Dwayne Stephens (Associate Head Coach - Michigan State University) - 16 years

AP #16
18 Straight NCAA Tournament Appearances
10 Sweet 16 Appearances
7 Elite 8 Appearances
6 Final Four Appearances
During his tenure MSU has led the Big Ten in rebounding 8x and led the Nation 4x
8 Spartans selected in the last 7 NBA Drafts

Why Coach Stephens?

Coach Dwayne Stephens’ success goes back to his days as an assistant for Tom Crean at Marquette. He was instrumental in taking them to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in 2002/2003 and the Final Four in 2003. Dwyane Wade was a two-time all-league performer and earned AP First-Team All-America honors under his tutelage. In his 16 years at his alma matter, Coach Stephens has made the NCAA tournament every year. This season he helped lead the Spartans to their 6th Big Ten Regular Season title. Coach Stephens is synonymous with winning, NCAA Tournament Appearances and NBA Prospects. You’d be hard pressed to find an assistant coach with more wins to his credit.

Coach Stephens is originally from Michigan and is a devoted husband and father of 3. A strong example and model for our future leaders. Although all of his coaching experience is in the Midwest, his reach and relationships span all over the country. His resume speaks for itself and it speaks loudly!

Click here to learn more about Coach Dwayne Stephens.

Saddi Washington (Assistant Coach - University of Michigan) - 4 years

AP #25
5 NCAA Tournament Appearances
3 Straight Sweet 16 Appearances
1 Final Four Appearance
2 Big 10 Tournament Titles
Michigan Record 33 wins in 2017/2018
Former Associate Head Coach at Oakland University

Why Coach Washington?

Saddi Washington has been a college coach for nearly 15 years. A rising star in the industry, Saddi has been instrumental in the success of the Oakland University & University of Michigan programs. In his four years at Michigan he has amassed 108 wins (average of 27/season). Washington helped the Golden Grizzlies to 198 wins, with five 20-plus win seasons. Oakland made back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament (2010, '11) after winning two straight Summit League regular season and conference tournament titles.

Click here to learn more about Coach Saddi Washington.

Jason Hart (Assistant Coach - University of Southern California) - 7 years

As a Player

Left Syracuse as the All-Time leader in Steals and 2nd All-Time in Assists.
3 NCAA Tournament Appearances
2 Sweet 16 Appearances

As a Coach

2 NCAA Tournament Appearances
1 NIT Appearance

Why Coach Hart?

Coach Hart has been an integral part of the Trojans’ turnaround. The future is bright in Southern California with the young talent that’s on campus. Back-to-back top 20 recruiting classes have the Trojans primed for success. Jason Hart is one of the quickly rising stars in the ranks. He has worked hard to position himself amongst the elite. As I watch him coach, the passion jumps off the screen and makes you want to play for him. The Trojans finished the regular season 22-9 and 14-2 at home.

One of the things that he brings to the table is his on the court success as a player. Prior to entering coaching, Jason had a phenomenal career at Syracuse. He finished his career there as the All-Time leader in steals and the 2nd All-Time leader in assists. He had 3 NCAA appearances and 2 Sweet 16’s. He went on to a 9-year playing career in the NBA. Coach Hart’s experience and success at all levels can be motivational, inspirational and educational for prospective student athletes and make him a solid choice for a Head Coaching opportunity.

Click here to learn more about Coach Jason Hart.

Karl Hobbs (Assistant Coach - Rutgers University) - 4 years

32 Years College Coaching Experience
18 Post-Season Appearances
6 Sweet 16 Appearances
4 Elite 8 Appearances
2 Final Four Appearances
2 Time National Champion
Former A10 Coach of the Year
Former Division 1 Head Coach

Why Coach Hobbs?

Coach Karl Hobbs has been to the college basketball mountain-top! Twice in his career, Coach Hobbs finished the season cutting down the nets as a National Champion. Over his 3 decades of coaching experience he has demonstrated an ability to consistently win and has produced wins in multiple high major settings. Coach Hobbs has been an integral part of the turnaround in New Jersey. Rutgers Men’s basketball finished the regular season 20-11 this year with an extremely impressive record of 18-1 at home (including upsets of Seton Hall, Penn State, Illinois & Maryland).

During his stint as the Head Coach at George Washington University, he accomplished something that has only been achieved by 3 other coaches in history - an undefeated A10 season! He has demonstrated that he can lead a program and generate the type of results that most can only dream about. Coach Hobbs’ success is not limited to the coaching side of the business. As a player he was a four-year starting point guard and All-Big East selection as a senior at UConn (1980-84). He led the team in assists all four years and ranks sixth all-time with 534.He’s known for his exceptional recruiting, scouting and player development and has worked with several pro’s including Hall of Famer Ray Allen. Coach Hobbs is a husband and father of two daughters who has been, not only a great mentor for the young men he coached, but also for the assistant coaches he has worked with. 5 of the coaches on his staff at George Washington went on to become head coaches as well. Coach Karl Hobbs would be an excellent choice to build a program and not only develop players but also develop young coaching talent.

Click here to learn about Coach Karl Hobbs.

TJ Cleveland (Assistant Coach - St. John's University) - 1 year

7 NCAA Tournament Appearances
1 Sweet 16 Appearance
1 Elite 8 Appearance
2 Top 25 Recruiting Classes
Coached 9 NBA Players

Why Coach Cleveland?

Defense wins championships. Given time, Coach TJ Cleveland will deliver championships wherever he is at. He has assembled elite recruiting classes over the years in high major programs and in 14 of his 17 seasons as a collegiate coach, his teams have finished top 3 in steals. In 4 of those seasons, his teams led the nation in steals. During Cleveland's tenure at Missouri, the Tigers ranked second in the NCAA in turnover margin for three straight seasons. He’s mentored and developed multiple NBA players and continues to bring out the best in those around him. NYC is excited about the staff at St. John’s and probably won’t be happy to read me writing about the possibility of him being a head coach elsewhere. Although the record isn’t indicative of the capabilities of Coach Cleveland and the Red Storm, there were some extremely bright spots this season. Most notably wins over West Virginia, Arizona, Creighton, and Marquette. The other thing that stands out to me about this season is 6 of their losses were by 5 points or less. For the most part they were in every game.

Coach Cleveland’s success has not been limited to the coaching side of things. The husband and father of two also starred as a player. He helped navigate Arkansas to the 2000 SEC title (the only one in program history). TJ made three NCAA Tournament appearances as a player and currently ranks fifth on the program's all-time steals list. Universities looking to make a splash with a young up and coming coach should look closely in his direction. His experience and success coaching future NBA level talent will surely command the attention and respect of the next generation of prospective student athletes.

Click here to learn about Coach TJ Cleveland .

Blue Ridge Excellence Presented by Authenica

Fri, 11 Oct 2019 00:22:59 GMT

I will never forget the first conversation I had with Craig Lucas. We had been connected through a mutual colleague that discussed with me the opportunity/possibility of taking part in Craig's "Seal Leadership Corporate Training Program." Craig reached out to discuss the logistics and dynamics of the event and we ended up speaking for about an hour. (This shouldn't surprise anyone who knows me because "Long-Winded" is an adjective that accurately describes me.) During this conversation I learned that Craig Lucas is one of the most passionate, interesting and ambiguous people I have ever spoken to. There were very few details provided about the Seal Leadership Program, but I was intrigued and loved Craig's energy so I was immediately in.

Read all about my Seal Leadership experience here ...

So here we were, 2 months later and Craig invited me to take part in Blue Ridge Excellence. Of course, in normal Craig fashion, there were very limited details provided about what Blue Ridge Excellence is. Because that was consistent with the way Seal Leadership went, and I had an amazing experience there, I immediately said "Yes" and started to prepare for what was in store. Once again, I was not disappointed. I left the event saying to myself; "No matter what it is, I will never miss a Craig Lucas event moving forward!"

What was Blue Ridge Excellence?

Imagine a vacation at one of the most exclusive resorts in the United States (The Greenbrier), development seminars to assist you in taking your personal and professional growth to the next level, tear inducing anecdotes of adapting and overcoming adversity, and once in a lifetime experiences designed to break you out of your comfort zone all rolled into one. That's the best way to describe Blue Ridge Excellence! Unlike any other personal development retreat/outing I had ever been a part of, I left wanting more of EVERYTHING. I left with a renewed energy and spirit; and I left with a better understanding of life and this never-ending pursuit of success/happiness that we all spend our days chasing.

A Few Highlights of the Personal/Professional Development Speakers and Sessions:

Swen Nater & The Fireside Chat...

Swen Nater took his seat in a wooden stool in front of a blazing bonfire and I immediately leaned forward in my chair. As a basketball guy, Swen was the person I was most excited to hear from. I expected to walk away from this with an anecdotal story about him being cut as a Junior in High School or working his way through Junior College to earn an opportunity to play at UCLA for the legendary John Wooden, or overcoming the adversity of playing behind NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton. That wasn't the case. Swen didn't boast about being the only player in history to lead the NBA & ABA in rebounding. He didn't brag about his numerous accomplishments on the court. He pulled out his guitar and sang a song that he wrote for his daughter. This nearly 7 foot tall man sat in front of me in a small stool singing a beautiful song and I could clearly see that it was far more than a melody to him. As he sat the guitar down, Swen spoke about the hardest thing a father could ever have to endure; the loss of his daughter. As tears fell from my face, I leaned in even further to hear his pain come from his heart and manifest itself into words leaving his mouth. He confidently said, "I don't have it all figured out, and every day is hard..." In that moment, I gained more respect for him than any number of basketball accolades ever could have done. He spoke about his daughters battle with addiction. He spoke about his faith and how that has been the rock that he has clung to as he has grieved. He spoke about his grandson, Chase Maxwell and the hopes/dreams he has for his future. As a father of 5 who has sacrificed time with his children while pursuing career growth and development in order to provide for them, this hit me hard. It made me question everything, and forced me to go inward and ask myself over and over again; "What's really important?" No disrespect to anybody who spoke after Swen, but I don't remember anything else from that night. My heart was BROKEN. This man, who is literally larger than life, had accomplished the thing all of my young men dream of and work for; NBA success. He overcame every obstacle in his life; but ended up losing the thing that meant the most to him, his child. My heart broke over and over that night. I went back to my room and called my children to tell them that I love them. I prayed for Swen's grandson, and I prayed for Swen. I was so moved by Swen and his story that I texted and called Mick Cronin (The New Head Men’s Basketball Coach at UCLA) to tell him that he definitely needs to have Swen come speak to his team.

Brad Dickerson & The Interview...

"Success in business is 80% luck and 20% putting yourself in the right position to take advantage of that luck!" Brad Dickerson

Day 2 started with a walk, in which I saw some of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen in my life. For a few moments; I found myself saying, "Living in West Virginia wouldn't be so bad!" As we walked, one of my friends/fellow Seals classmates, Mike Rao nudged me and pointed out Brad Dickerson. He explained who he was, and that he spoke at the last event. I got excited to hear him speak and was quietly praying that Craig had him on the agenda to speak that day. After the Falconry demonstration, our group headed to breakfast and to my delight, Brad was speaking. As a person who loves the concept of Q & A sessions, I was even more excited to hear that Craig Lucas was interviewing him. Brad spoke about his successes as the CFO/COO at Under Armour. He then spoke about the struggles, challenges and how he overcame them at Blue Apron where he held the title of CFO and assisted them going public but he also had to step out of his box and lead as their President & CEO. He also spoke about leaving Blue Apron, and how he came to that decision. This especially hit home for me, because I have often hosted internal debates on when/if I should walk away from my job to focus more on my entrepreneurial goals and being a better/more present father (no debate more intense than the one that came after hearing Swen speak!). Brad spoke about how he made his decision based on a milestone period of time vs. a calendar period of time and how that made him more present and focused on his mission at hand. I immediately created a milestone period of time for myself and removed the idea of having a "Count Down" to my departure.

Trish Downing & The Bike Ride That Changed Her Life...

Trish Downing told her story which also brought me to tears. She vividly discussed the accident that changed the way she goes about life forever. From waking up and getting out of bed, to how she gets around on a daily basis. Trish challenged me to define my life's "Motto." She asked us to, in 5 words or less, define the motto that we live our life with each day. She embodies an "Eyes forward" mentality that inspired me to be grateful and appreciative of all of life's blessings. She proudly stated; "The only thing I can see in front of me are possibilities!" and I, as well as everyone else in the room, stood up and clapped for her.

Humble G & The Fiddle...

I am a man who has always LOVED music. Joe Pass once said; "If you hit a wrong note, then make it right by what you play afterwards!" Music has forever been my therapy. Having Humble G playing for the Closing Ceremony was incredibly fitting for me. Hearing his story and how having faith and believing in himself got him to the point that he's at now was AMAZING. Hearing the great news and blessings that have come into his life were awesome, I know he has a big announcement coming so I won't spoil the surprise here. I immediately followed him on Instagram (and you should too)!

https://instagram.com/humble_g_tha_fiddla

The Greenbrier Resort

Affectionately labeled "America's Resort", The Greenbrier is a historic landmark nestled amongst one of the most beautiful, picturesque backdrops you could ever lay your eyes on. They have hosted guests from around the world since 1778 including royalty, celebrities and business leaders; among them being 27 of 45 U.S. Presidents. To be added to such a distinguished Guest List is an honor in and of itself. But, I will tell you what stood out the most to me above all of that; being able to meet Frank Mosley! Mr. Mosley has been working at The Greenbrier since May 13, 1958. At 86 years old, he is all smiles as he greets guests. I immediately thought of him as walking history. I would love to be able to sit with him for an entire day and just listen to him talk about the last 61 years of his life and some of the things he has encountered being a black man in the service industry, especially in pre-Civil Rights era America. I wanted to know more about him, more about why he has continued to work into his late 80's. I wanted to hear about his family, his passions, what he likes to do in his time away from The Greenbrier. I left the Greenbrier praying that, at some point in time, somebody does a documentary featuring Mr. Mosley and his life.

https://www.greenbrier.com/

If you made it this far in my account of my experiences at Authenica's Blue Ridge Excellence event, then you clearly see that Craig Lucas' events can be life-altering and eye opening on your quest for personal & professional growth and development. They will leave lasting impressions on you and have you wanting more. More stories, more learning, more self-discovery. You will leave from the event with a better understanding of who you are and who you are destined to be. I look forward to meeting you at the next event...

https://authenica.com/

Core Competency

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 00:59:27 GMT

The Away Team Sports was designed to provide education, inspiration and motivation to Student Athletes and their families as they navigate the recruiting process. I have decided to share a personal story with hopes that it will serve as a cautionary tale and help someone remedy or avoid a similar situation.

The last two weeks have been an emotional roller coaster for the "Brantley" Family. My cousin Alex, who we have all been working hard to assist in reaching his dream of playing college basketball, received a full scholarship to play at Western Illinois University. Within days of this amazing news, I got a call from his future coach explaining that he was in jeopardy of being deemed a "Non Qualifier" by the NCAA because he appeared to be one Core Course short. What does that mean?

Beginning with Student Athletes enrolling in college August of 2016, The NCAA made adjustments to their Initial Eligibility Requirements and instituted what has been called the "2.3 or Take Knee Rule"! In order to be eligible to compete in Division 1 athletics you need to graduate from high school, complete 16 courses labeled “Core Courses” by the NCAA (including 10 before your 7th Semester.) You must maintain a 2.3 GPA in your Core Courses in order to be eligible to compete in your first year of NCAA athletics, have a combined SAT or ACT score that matches your core-course GPA on a sliding scale provided by the NCAA. If you don't reach these standards you will be prohibited from practicing with the team, playing in competition, and receiving athletic scholarship aid. The NCAA marketed the new rule changes and rolled out a campaign to ensure all Student Athletes, Coaches, Parents, Counselors and Administrators understood the changes.

What Is A Core Course?

The first step in understanding the new requirements is identifying what a "Core Course" is and the structure required to obtain them.

The Required 16 "Core Courses" are as follows:

Four (4) years of English
Three (3) years of math (Algebra 1 or higher)
Two (2) years of natural/physical science (including one year of lab science if your high school offers it)
One (1) additional year of English, math or natural/physical science
Two (2) years of social science
Four (4) additional years of English, math, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy

*ALL CORE COURSES MUST BE APPROVED THROUGH THE NCAA. YOU CAN CHECK TO SEE THE APPROVED CORE COURSES FOR YOUR HIGH SCHOOL BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK * https://web3.ncaa.org/hsportal/exec/hsAction?hsActionSubmit=searchHighSchool

The Rollercoaster Continued...

As I sat the phone down, still trying to wrap my head around the news I had just received, I blamed myself. How could I have missed this? I reviewed the transcripts personally and had assured college coaches that Alex was a qualifier. GPA? Check! SAT Score? Got it! 16 Core Courses? Yep! (Or so I thought...) I pulled out the transcript to re-confirm what I had already known, THERE WERE 16 CORE COURSES! I immediately called coach and we reviewed together. At the end of the call, we were both confident that he did indeed have 16 core courses, so why was one of them not showing up in his final eligibility calculation? So we went to the 48H (The list of NCAA Approved Core Courses for each High School). That's when we noticed 2 issues. 1) One of his core courses was neither on the Approved nor Denied list for his school (which means the course and course description had not been submitted to the NCAA for approval) and 2) The Courses for his school had not been updated/evaluated with the NCAA since Fall of 2015... FOUR YEARS!

At this point, I was furious but encouraged. Furious because I couldn't believe that this simple process had slipped through the cracks for years and encouraged because I knew this could be a simple solution. I immediately called the school's principal and walked him through the process of what needed to be done next. He was AMAZING, and within 3 hours he called me back to inform me that the course had been updated and submitted to the NCAA. A week later, I received word from the NCAA that Alex had been deemed a Full Qualifier. This was great news because he is set to report to campus next Saturday.

How Many Other "Alex's" Are Out There?

How many Student Athlete's have been deemed in-eligible due to a shortage of Core Credits or their GPA not being high enough because of a missing course that they did well in?

The thought of this potentially happening to student athletes in schools across the country made me sick. I immediately began doing research on other schools in hopes that this would be an isolated incident. I started with the Detroit Public School District where over half of the schools hadn't had their courses reviewed by the NCAA since Fall of 2015 with the oldest being October of 2013. SIX YEARS! Could it be that there have been no curriculum or staff changes in those schools over the last 4+ years? Possibly, but knowing what I know about Alex's situation; I'm pretty certain that is not the case. The next school I researched was Mount Clemens High School. In 2013 while assisting, Head Basketball Coach, Jermaine Jackson, I had a long talk with the guidance counselor explaining the recruiting process and initial eligibility changes. I wondered if they had remained on top of their courses. I knew they had gone through a change in Superintendents and Principals so I'm certain there have been curriculum adjustments. To my dismay, their last update of core courses submitted to the NCAA was in December of 2014.

As I continued my research of school districts across the State of Michigan and then the Country, I found more of the same. I can only imagine the number of Student Athletes nationwide who missed out on, not only the dream of playing their sport in college, but also the ability to obtain a free or reduced college education based on factors beyond their control...

What Can We Do About It?

There are a few important things that parents MUST do to ensure their Student Athletes don't miss out on opportunities due to this oversight.

1) Check the approved core courses for your Student Athlete's High School prior to selecting their course schedule. If it hasn't been updated in a few years meet with his/her Counselor and Principal to make sure they submit the course descriptions to the NCAA.

2) Pay close attention to the NCAA Initial Eligibility academic requirements and review your Student Athlete's report cards each semester to ensure they are making proper progress.

3) ASK QUESTIONS! If there is something that doesn't look right, it probably isn't! Bring it to someone's attention and make sure it is taken care of. This will not only help your child but also all of the other children in their school!

4) SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH OTHER PARENTS OF STUDENT ATHLETES NAVIGATING THROUGH THE RECRUITING PROCESS!

For Daily Inspiration, Motivation and Recruiting Tips; Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/JustinWBrantley

Who’s Coaching Your Coach?

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 12:40:28 GMT

Last week, I had the opportunity to participate in the Seal Leadership Corporate Training Program (www.authenica.com/events/#seal-Leadership ) led by Commander Mark McGinnis, a decorated CEO & Retired US Navy Seal. Leading up to the program, I realized that I, like many others in leadership positions, have lacked in structured development. I realized that in my position and in my life I’ve gotten to the point where my only motivating factor is typically internal... The Seal Leadership Program was much needed for me and it was very interesting to be externally motivated and be in a position where rank, position, success, etc. means absolutely nothing. You have to rely on your physical ability, mental acuity and ability to work within a team in order to accomplish the tasks at hand. I walked in with an open mind and eager to learn more about myself, being a leader and pushing past my limitations (or perceived limitations). I walked out feeling fulfilled, inspired and encouraged after completing the most beneficial retreat/training program I’ve ever taken part in!

I’m not going to go in depth with what took place during the training program because I think it’s important that you go in with a blank canvas but what I will do is share with you the 5 lessons that stood out to me the most and how they relate to athletics and are important to coaches, administrators and leaders of a team.

1) COMMANDER’S INTENT:

In my career as a leader; I’ve always created the plan, defined what those who worked for/with me needed to do and then expected results. While in some instances this has worked for me, during the program I learned why in those times of failure it didn’t work and how to change that. Commander’s Intent is sharing with your team the “Why” of the mission. The desired end result is clearly defined and then you allow your team to help develop the plan to accomplish the mission. Why is Commander’s Intent important to athletics? Your players need to be bought in! They need to feel ownership of the process. In scouting your opponent, you know what your team needs to accomplish in order for you to be victorious; allowing your team to be responsible for elements of the game-plan gives them a sense of ownership over the process and fosters a culture of leadership, critical thinking and all members of the team working together to accomplish the mission. It becomes “The Teams Game Plan!” vs. “Coach’s Game Plan!”

2) A LOAD SHARED IS A LOAD LESSENED! (2 is One and 1 is NONE!)

As a leader often times there will be a lot of weight on your shoulders. That weight can shift and be heavier or lightened depending on the strength of your team and how well you communicate. The duration and distance that you have to carry that weight won’t always be predetermined and there will be times that you think you’ve reached the finish line, only to find out you still have further to go! How do you respond? It takes a TEAM to be successful, and it’s vitally important that you work together at all times. You can only move as fast as the slowest member of your team and you can’t carry all of the weight alone and if you can you won’t be able to carry it very far. Empower leaders within your team! Coach, Teach and Develop their skills then get out of their way!

3) WHEN CONFLICT/PRESSURE IS APPLIED, TRUTH IS REVEALED!

If you want to find out how strong your team is, insert conflict and see how they respond. Adversity will find you/your team; it’s about what you do when it finds you. In order to win at the highest level your team must be equipped to embrace that conflict, come together and respond. How often as a coach did you have by far the better team on the floor athletically but once adversity struck they couldn’t find a way to get the win? It’s important for coaches to inject conflict in training in order to prepare them for when it occurs in game settings!

4) THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS BEGIN WHEN THE MISSION ENDS! (DEBRIEFING)

One of the things that happens post competition is the “locker room talk!” But how beneficial is that conversation? What are you looking to get out of it? Having an immediate purposeful debrief directly after a clearly defined mission (whether successful or unsuccessful) is important for turning wins and losses into lessons that will be beneficial for growth and development of any team!

5) AS A LEADER, YOU MUST OFTEN MAKE TIMELY DECISIONS WITH IMPERFECT INFORMATION!

You will never know EVERYTHING, and often you can’t sit back and wait on more/better information before making a decision. As a leader you must be able to make a decision, think and react to an ever changing environment. You also can’t make today’s decisions solely with yesterday’s information or experiences. (The landscape is forever changing & adapting) With clearly defined intent it’s easy to make adjustments as needed because your team is operating based on your “Why!” not your “How!”

I could go on forever with the lessons I learned last week. I HIGHLY recommend that all coaches, leaders and administrators look into the SEALS Leadership Training Program. It was a life-changer for me and I will begin implementing the lessons I’ve learned to better coach and develop my teams!

“Deacon”

SEAL Class 02

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