Anton Brookshire: Committed

Anton Brookshire announces his commitment

Around noon on Tuesday (5/9), formal local star and Yanders Law AAU alumni, Anton Brookshire announced on Twitter and Instagram that he has committed to playing his third year of D1 hoops for Austin Peay.

Brookshire will be joining his former high school and Yanders Law teammate, Isaac Haney playing for Head Coach Corey Gipson.

Gipson was an assistant for Missouri State University while Brookshire and Haney were coming up in the Springfield area. Haney played for Gipson his freshmen season at MSU as well as last season when Gipson was at the helm for an impressive Northwestern State team.

Brookshire played for Cuonzo Martin at Mizzou his freshman season before transferring to Iona last year to play for legendary Head Coach Rick Pitino. The Iona Gaels gave Anton a taste of the NCAA tournament and he is hungry to return.

Brookshire has established himself as a legitimate deep threat and has improved his playmaking profoundly over the last two seasons.

The Basketball Movement, #LawNation, and Kickapoo High basketball are all going to get a chance to see a pair of their best reunited again in Brookshire and Haney. The duo will be part of a dynamic backcourt for the Governors this upcoming season and we cannot wait to see what they can do for their new squad.

Congratulations, Anton on your decision! The Basketball Movement family is proud of the work you have put in and excited to see the latest results on the court. Let it fly!

The Next Brookshire and Haney

The Yanders Law program and The Basketball Movement facility recently bore some of the area’s greatest hoopers. Who’s next?

Coming from Milwaukee to Springfield, Missouri, Anton Brookshire seized an opportunity. His uncle, The Basketball Movement Founder Rob Yanders, was a ready and willing coach, teacher, and mentor. Also, he held the keys to the premier basketball training facility in the Midwest.

Brookshire has natural talent but had to fight for what he has accomplished. Having gym access does not make someone a Division I basketball player. Being a little over six feet tall certainly does not make someone a Division I basketball player.

Isaac Haney was a good athlete from a small town. Unfortunately, good athletes from small towns are usually like a flame in the wind; they burn brightly, gaining recognition from those nearby, but quickly fade. Haney could have easily ridden into that sunset.

Instead, Haney, like Brookshire, seized an opportunity. He uprooted what he knew and aggressively pursued a different path that he knew would lead to where he wanted to go. Of course, it would be a more difficult path, but that is so often what it takes.

Being Yanders Law athletes and absolute gym rats of The Basketball Movement meant that Brookshire and Haney saw quite a bit of each other. First, one of them would become a good shooter. Then, the other would become a great shooter. The constant collision of their improvement honed them both until they were some of the greatest basketball players the area has had.

Then Trevon Brazile grew to be 6’10.

Another Yanders Law alum, Brazile helped to push Brookshire and Haney even further, allowing them to not only have a teammate with NBA potential but also more iron with which to sharpen their own aspirations.

Not every player is going to have a seven-inch growth spurt. But many players out there could be the next Brookshire or Haney.

Life has thrown a lot at Anton Brookshire. Yet, he has shown true steel in overcoming obstacles to focus on his craft and continue his ceaseless journey to be great. Isaac Haney had to drive over an hour and a half several times a week for most of his basketball career to get to work with the best.

Not everyone has what it takes. Many players with more talent than Brookshire or Haney will fade out long before they do. So who has what it takes to seize the mantle of the best hoopers in the area?

As far as we are concerned, we know there are big shoes to fill. So for those players that do not just want to be great but HAVE to be great, you know where to find us.

Rob Yanders and his staff are waiting for the next major players from our area. We have proven what we can do. Now, it is up to you.

Stamp of Approval - Isaac Haney

We are back with another The Basketball Movement Stamp of Approval, this time for Isaac Haney.

For only being a senior at Kickapoo High, Isaac Haney has been tearing up basketball courts for a long time already. His fierce determination to win, willingness to work on his game, and on-and-off court tenacity have earned him The Basketball Movement Stamp of Approval from Rob Yanders.

The former Missouri Class 1 Player of the Year at Dora, Haney is now at class 5 Kickapoo and proving that he belongs. Anyone that has seen him in action, with Yanders Law or otherwise, is not surprised. Now, Haney has officially signed on to become a Missouri State Bear.

“It feels really great,” Haney tells The Basketball Movement about becoming a Bear. “A lot of my life has gone into the game of basketball. I’ve had a lot of people in my life behind me - helping and supporting. I don’t think that it’s the end, it’s definitely far from the end for me, but it did feel like 15 years of my life coming to a point where I could look back and be thankful.”

Asked about what made him gravitate towards MSU hoops, Isaac says that being close allowed him to watch them and get a feel for their style of play. “The location is great for me with my parents living in Springfield now and the rest of my family in West Plains,” Haney says. “Also something I was looking into studying was business - Missouri State has an amazing business department.”

“I’ve been talking with Coach Rob (Yanders) about what the college basketball atmosphere is like and I can see how some of my workouts with him have changed,” Haney says. “He has done an excellent job of preparing me for the transition of that little kid stage of high school basketball to what I have to do to be effective at the next level.”

When asked what will make him a valuable player for MSU, Isaac said that he believed confidence translates to any level of the game of basketball. “Anytime that you have a kid that can step on the floor and bring a calm and confidence to the team that you can win anytime you’re on the floor, I feel like I can translate that anywhere I am.”

“Also, I’ve won at any level I’ve been at,” Haney continues. “Just competing and bringing a competitive edge as soon as I step in the doors is something that I’ll bring to the team.”

That competitive edge is what Isaac considers to be his biggest takeaway from his time at The Basketball Movement. “I found my competitive edge here,” Haney says. “I can attribute a couple of my workouts when I was younger, working out with Anton (Brookshire), we had some competitive workouts - something that tuned my mindset, conversations with Rob that have tuned my mindset, figuring out what it takes to be mentally tough to the point of having a mental edge over other players.”

“I think The Basketball Movement has prepared my mentality just as much as it has prepared my physical basketball game.”

To Coach Rob Yanders and The Basketball Movement trainers, Haney had one simple thing to say: “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” He says that Coach Rob likely does not even realize how much of his confidence stems from the work and belief he put into him.

“All the other guys here that may go unnoticed, even guys that have moved on,” Haney continued. “The coaches here bring the energy every single day. Anytime you came in here and maybe didn’t feel like going hard, they made sure that you did. I can honestly say that even if I wanted to cheat myself, the coaches here made sure that I didn’t.”

From the other side, we at The Basketball Movement can confidently say that Isaac Haney would not have cheated himself with or without us watching. He is a tireless worker and someone you certainly want on your side from the opening tip. That is why he has earned our Stamp of Approval.

Good luck to Isaac as he finishes his senior season and eyes new beginnings playing D1 hoops for Missouri State University. We are fortunate to have our name attached to you on your journey.

Stamped.

Approved.

Yanders Law Blue Elite (16u) - Homegrown, top-tier AAU squad

Today we spotlight the 16 & under Yanders Law Blue Elite team that is living up to their name and putting the AAU scene on notice.

The NY2LA Spring Warm Up over the weekend confirmed what many already knew: the Yanders Law program can claim many of the top sophomores not only in the state, but beyond. Yanders Law Blue Elite defeated the Green Bay Gunners, ET21 Buckeyes, Mac Irvin Fire EYBL, and Team Teague in the 16u platinum bracket.

Blue Elite fell to Meanstreets (another EYBL team), which went on to win the bracket. This Yanders Law squad is a team of guys from Southwest Missouri that have mostly been playing with each other for four or five years. Many of these other teams consist of new, recruited players from a wide area.

For Yanders Law Blue Elite to be able to hang with teams that have shoe deals or NBA players backing them is immensely impressive. With all the noise this team is making after just a couple weeks of practice together, a few of these guys are likely to be more heavily recruited themselves.

Every player on this team contributed in one way or another at the NY2LA Spring Warm Up. Scoring, defending, or being active from the sidelines are all important; we saw plenty of that this weekend. One player that has truly upped his game recently is Zach Howell, and it showed in Milwaukee.

“Zach has improved a ton” said Yanders Law founder and namesake, Rob Yanders. “He hit some huge shots this weekend and showed out.” Another player that was making things look easy against stiff competition was Anton Brookshire.

In a recap of early tournament action, the NY2LA website had this to say about Brookshire:

“Brookshire really captains the ship for his team with his play and is efficient in his work. He picked up where he left off last summer with a solid opening game, getting to the hoop and finishing with good control, burying shots from both the mid and long levels and was otherwise operating as a facilitator for his teammates, pushing the ball up the floor and getting his guys scoring opportunities.”
— NY2LAsports.com

One more player that has to be named is Isaac Haney. If you were paying attention to his season in Dora, you know that he has taken his game to another stratosphere. The kid can score with ease and had one of the prettiest shots in the whole tournament, regardless of age or association.

Things are just getting started for not only this team, but all of Yanders Law Basketball. To keep track of these guys, make sure to follow along on Twitter @YandersLaw and add them on Facebook.

Super sophomores make All-State teams

Anton Brookshire and Isaac Haney top off incredible sophomore seasons with All-State team selections.

We have bragged a lot this season about Yanders Law and The Basketball Movement athletes, Anton Brookshire and Isaac Haney. What began the season as a couple of sophomores that were defying lofty expectations turned into routine torchings of bigger, stronger, and older opponents. What seemed exceptional in the early going became routine for these two athletes.

Anton Brookshire led his Kickapoo team on an incredible stretch that fell just short of a Missouri Class 5 final four appearance. Along the way, Brookshire was named Player of the Year in his conference as well as POY in District 11. His buzzer beater to seal the district championship certainly didn’t hurt his cause for that honor.

Again, only a sophomore, Brookshire has been named to the All-State team for Missouri’s largest class. Anton has already been receiving plenty of interest and offers from good basketball schools, but his stock is undoubtedly about to spike following a fantastic finish to his year two campaign.

Isaac Haney had himself an eventful sophomore season as well. “Ice” Haney was on a heater all season long. Like Brookshire, Isaac was all-conference, all-district, and all-state for class 1 in Missouri. He carried Dora all the way to the state championship game, coming up just shy of a perfect season.

Despite Dora losing their final game, individually, Isaac Haney’s body of work was undeniable and he was named Missouri Class 1 Player of the Year. This is an incredible honor that will also draw the attention of multiple D-1 programs, regardless of class. The size of your school doesn’t matter when you can put the ball in the hole at an elite level.

Congratulations to both of these young men who had exemplary years for their high school teams. We’ve said it before, but their work ethic and dedication perfectly personifies what we strive for at The Basketball Movement and within the Yanders Law program. We could not be more proud and are thrilled to get to see these guys in action for years to come.

Multiple athletes gearing up for state push

With their teams preparing for the biggest stages of high school ball, we reach out to a few of our Yanders Law and The Basketball Movement athletes to get their thoughts.

Isaac Haney, Zach Howell, and Kanon Gipson are easy for us to get a hold of. These young men are staples of The Basketball Movement facility - always coming in to get work. Even now at the height of the season, their desire to stay sharp keeps them coming back.

Hard work is a constant with contributors on good teams. It is no surprise that each of these young men are still playing despite districts coming to a close.

Isaac Haney

If you have been paying attention, it won’t surprise you to hear that All-District selection, Isaac Haney has taken his team to the final four in class 1. Dora has been dropping a lot of points on opponents - most of which have been supplied by Haney. “It feels like the hard work has paid off,” said Haney. “We just have to make sure we stay together and do what we’ve been doing; put an emphasis on teamwork, defend, and jump on people out of the gate.”

As Mike Tyson famously said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”. Dora has been jumping out to big leads early and will look to continue to gain that advantage. If that doesn’t work out though, Isaac says they will be ready.

Zach Howell

Springfield Catholic (28-3) played strong right out of the gate this year. That put a target on their back, but it hasn’t mattered as they are preparing to kick off their class 3 final four appearance against St. Paul Lutheran. Two of Catholic’s losses came in the Tournament of Champions, which hosts some of the best teams in the nation. Freshman Zach Howell says that if the team locks in and plays the way they can, that they are poised to win it all.

Howell says that being on one of the few teams in the state left playing is a great feeling. Unlike most teams though, he feels that they essentially hold a home court advantage in the final four. “We have played at JQH about as much as we have played on our home court this year. We’ll be familiar with the court and space, which will be very helpful.”

After putting in so much time with The Basketball Movement, Zach says he is ready for anything.

“Working with Rob can be applied to anything, but on the court I am prepared skill-wise and mentally. Rob says basketball is 90 percent mental and I agree. I’ll be ready.”
— Zach Howell

Kanon Gipson

The other of Springfield Catholic’s three losses came to Logan-Rogersville and sharpshooter, Kanon Gipson of The Basketball Movement and Yanders Law. LR is now preparing for their sectional tilt and Gipson says he is determined to make sure his senior teammates don’t hang up their jerseys early.

“At this point any team can get you because they are there for a reason. You just have to give it your best shot,” said Kanon. “Our mentality has been the same all season”. Gipson still has the green light from deep and says that his main takeaway from The Basketball Movement will be stepping up his defense.

“Here I’ve learned how to apply more pressure but also how to handle pressure. I’ve learned to deal with every obstacle.”
— Gipson's takeaways from The Basketball Movement

Good luck again to these and all of our high school athletes that are getting to continue their push towards a state title. We will be watching and hoping for the best for each of you. For those of you that are prepping for the offseason - remember the number one facility for not only staying sharp, but improving your skills on and off the floor.

One-on-One: Isaac Haney

Yanders Law sophomore, Isaac Haney has been doing big things for Dora and is looking like a strong D-1 talent.

Fresh off of a 48 point scoring blitz with nine assists against Lutie (Theodosia, MO) and helping Dora win the Cabool Holiday tournament, Isaac Haney just can’t help but get back in the gym. Luckily for both of us, that gym is located in the heart of The Basketball Movement.

For a long time, Haney has been putting in crazy work at The Basketball Movement and for Yanders Law teams. His relationship with our coaches has come easily; he has the hard-working, nose to the grindstone mentality that we thrive on.

In only his second year of high school at a smaller school in Dora, Isaac “Ice” Haney has been getting plenty of collegiate attention. He has outstanding offers from Cleveland State and Grambling while receiving interest from Missouri State and Nebraska Omaha.

In speaking with The Basketball Movement, Haney says that he has been focusing on multiple areas of his game. “I’ve been refining all my skills - getting better at finding holes in the defense, improving my mid-range game, and getting more athletic and stronger.” Not only has Isaac added a few inches of height just recently, but his efforts to get stronger are clearly paying off as well.

We asked Isaac if there were any players he is modeling his game after. His initial response was “Steve Nash” because he likes to be in control, distribute, and still get his (though Nash never dropped 48). He did also mention that he has a JJ Redick mentality, highlighting his quick-trigger. The nod to Redick actually makes a lot of sense when watching Haney in action.

Isaac Haney at The Basketball Movement

From the press box at The Basketball Movement, you can take in every bit of action in the facility. Coach Rob was working with Isaac recently (while his media crew filmed with a drone by the way... this place is next-level) and getting up jumpers. Haney’s jumper actually looked like JJ Redick’s shooting form. If you know hoops, you know that spells perfection. His follow-through just screams shooter.

Coach Rob gushed about getting to help Haney grow over the years.

“This kid is a great player. He has a savage mentality that always makes you feel like he can win you the game. He is making a case to be the best sophomore in Missouri right now.”
— Rob Yanders

Normally when you see Rob throw an hour on the clock, you know you are about to see someone get their butt kicked. Watching Haney, you get the sense that he loves the pain. The tired forearms, the mental strain to lock into a Rob workout, and the jelly legs are things that most players dread. Haney knows that means he is improving. That is why he keeps coming back.

“The Basketball Movement is easily the best place to come. Rob is one hundred percent the best in the business. In my time here I have improved by leaps and bounds in all ways.”
— Isaac Haney

Isaac Haney is not going to stop improving, which means he won’t stop coming to The Basketball Movement. Haney knows where to go for the best of the best. We are simply thrilled to have gotten to know and watch as another young man betters himself every day.

For more player profiles and inside looks at everything we have going on, make sure you are following The Basketball Movement and Yanders Law across all platforms.