Tournament of Champions - Championship Saturday

The 2023 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions enters the final day with a dunk contest and championship basketball on deck.

The 2023 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions will begin its third and final day in just a few short hours. Starting with the seventh-place game at 2:30 pm (CST), this will be another full day of some of the best high school hoops the area will see live this year.

The seventh-place game will feature the Bartlett Panthers (TN) against the hometown Kickapoo Chiefs. Trae Oetting has been effective getting into the paint for Kickapoo, who will need improved efficiency from their big men to put together a complete game and get a win. Bartlett has not shot the ball well in the tournament and needs to turn things around quickly.

Next will be Staley (Kansas City, MO) vs. St. Rita (IL) in the fifth-place game at 4:00 pm. Staley is coming off a big win against fellow Missouri Class 6 Kickapoo. Senior guard Kyan Evans shot perfectly from the field for Staley in that one going 9-9, including five threes and seven assists.

St. Rita defeated Bartlett last night, led by juniors Nojus Indrusaitus and Morez Johnson, who both eclipsed the 20-point mark, adding 16 rebounds between them.

Next tonight will be the Slam Dunk Contest, which typically features some area high school dunkers as well as talent from the teams of the tournament, should they choose to participate. Keep an eye on The Basketball Movement Instagram for highlights!

Duking it out in the third-place game will be the Calvary Christian Eagles and the Christ the King Royals at 7:00 pm.

Christ the King put up an excellent fight last night, holding Link Academy to 37 percent shooting from the field. The Royals went 7-15 from deep, led by senior Devin Vanterpool. For Calvary Christian, a balanced attack has been the name of the game, though they only managed 41 points against Sunrise Christian. Look for guards Jaylen Curry and Carl Cherenfont to continue their strong play.

As many anticipated ahead of the tournament, the championship game (9:00 pm start) will feature Link Academy (Branson, MO) and Sunrise Christian (KS). Two of the top 10 teams in the country will clash in this one, promising a great game with plenty on the line.

Link Academy did not shoot well last night but was still able to win with their insane defensive athleticism and fluid offense. If they can find their shooting stroke, they will be difficult to stop.

Sunrise Christian has been keeping one of the tighter rotations in the tournament. They faltered last night shooting the three-ball, though that appeared to be one of their better weapons night one. Triples will be a significant factor in this one if they are to pull off a win. The 7’2 John Bol had a double-double last night for the Buffaloes and will need to continue to use all that length against Link Academy, who has plenty of size of their own.

Remember to follow along as The Basketball Movement covers the tourney! We also have day 1 game highlights on our YouTube channel if you missed any of the impressive action. See you at the games!

Spotlight: Trevor Keels and Jeremy Roach

From the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions to playing meaningful minutes for an undefeated Duke squad, Keels and Roach are on the come-up.

Once a year, Southwest Missouri hosts the most heavily-attended high school basketball tournament in the country. The Bass Pro Tournament of Champions hosts some of the top squads from around the nation as well as local standouts. The Basketball Movement is always honored to cover the event, which also means getting to watch and assess the bright young stars.

A few standouts from Paul VI (Va.), Trevor Keels and Jeremy Roach have been able to translate their time in high school to playing big-time minutes for one of the most prominent D1 programs in the nation.

At Duke, Roach (6’2 sophomore guard) and Keels (6’5 freshman guard) are getting to experience legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski in what he has announced to be his final season. The young players are undoubtedly winning the coach’s favor, with strong play through Duke’s first four games.

Keels has games of 10, 18, and most impressively, 25 points against rival Kentucky. Roach now plenty removed from an ACL injury, has games with 10, 14, and 14 while chipping in with assists and excellent rebounding for his size.

Duke is a perennial contender and is looking to have a bounce-back season after uncharacteristically missing the Big Dance last season.

Jeremy Roach and Trevor Keels are looking like big pieces of the puzzle for Duke, and we are excited to see what these young men can do.

For more spotlights, NCAA news, and more, keep it locked to The Basketball Movement.

2020 Tournament of Champions: Final recap

Saturday wrapped up the final action of the 2020 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions - here is how it went down!

From start to finish, Saturday brought plenty of action with four good games and an impressive slam dunk contest. Thank you to everyone for sticking with The Basketball Movement through this action-packed weekend. We had nice showings from the local squads and played witness to impressive D-1 and likely NBA-level talent.

Things kicked off with Kickapoo taking on Greensboro Day School in the 7th place game. Kickapoo was coming off of two tightly contested contests and may have been a bit worn down, falling to Greensboro 67-57. Anton Brookshire impressed all weekend and finished this one with 18 for the Chiefs. Greensboro had a balanced attack with Hayes, Williams, Harris, and Bailey all in double figures.

In the fifth-place game, we got our first and only overtime of the tournament. With multiple lead changes, Christ the King came out on top 71-67 over Greenwood. Aminu Mohammed of Greenwood had a great tournament, setting the single-game rebounding record in this one with 23 to go with his 38 points. His 52 boards are a Tournament of Champions record and he is just the fourth player to score 100 points.

For Christ the King, Ryan Myers led his team with 23 as he had done in all three of their games. Sterling Jones stepped up in this one with 21 to help Christ the King claim fifth.

The Great Southern Dunk Contest was up next, which featured representatives from the tournament teams as well as a few local guys from area teams. We saw some flashy moves, but Oak Hill’s Darrick Jones Jr. was head-and-shoulders above the competition. Jones also won the contest in 2018. He went horizontal from the side à la Michael Jordan and then completely cleared his parents in a great moment.

Eyeing bronze, it was Vashon vs. Booker T Washington up next. It was a slow start offensively for both teams, but Vashon finally began to click in the second half. They would hold on to take third place, winning 62-51. Kentucky commit, Cam’Ron Fletcher continued his stellar play, finishing with 14 points and 15 boards for Vashon. His teammate Nicholas Kern had a team-high 20.

Booker T Washington’s Trey Phipps, an OU commit, had his best game of the tournament, going for 20 points. Teammate Jalen Breath had 10 and 11.

Saving best for last, the championship game featured Paul VI trying to hand Oak Hill their first loss of the season. Oak Hill managed to keep Paul VI at arm’s length throughout, shooting 55 percent from the field as a team. The final score was 72-57 with Oak Hill’s starters playing heavy minutes and being too much for Paul VI.

Jeremy Roach (Duke commit, 12 pts, 9 reb) and Trevor Keels (offers from Duke, UConn, Ohio State, and more, 18 pts) did some scoring as always but were too inefficient from the field to gain on Oak Hill. Sophomore “Dug” McDaniel chipped in 13.

All five of Oak Hill’s starters scored in double figures, but it was LSU commit, Cam Thomas’ 26 points and 8 boards that made the biggest impact. Thomas was a killer all tournament, never changing expressions as he attacked holes in defenses at every level and imposed his will. He was named the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions MVP.

Below are the selections for the All-Tournament team:

MVP - Cam Thomas - Oak Hill
Darius Maddox - Oak Hill
Trevor Keels - Paul VI
Jeremy Roach - Paul VI
Aminu Mohammed - Greenwood
Anton Brookshire - Kickapoo
Bryce Harris - Greensboro Day
Ryan Myers - Christ the King
Cam'ron Fletcher - Vashon
Bryce Thompson - Booker T. Washington

It was another exciting tournament this year and The Basketball Movement was honored to cover it. Players and fans, stay tuned to our social media channels, especially Rob Yanders’ Instagram as we continue to put out videos and high-definition images from the action. Feel free to share away!

2020 Tournament of Champions: Day two recap

Day two of the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions provided closer games in addition to a closer look at the talent.

Friday night brought the intensity up a few levels in the 36th annual Bass Pro Tournament of Champions. The consolation bracket and winners bracket alike had closer games and shown a light on the tournaments’ star athletes. Let’s break down what happened last night and make sure you are caught up before the biggest day of the tourney.

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The first game of the night between Kickapoo and Christ the King got things started nicely in the consolation bracket. Anton Brookshire of Kickapoo had another impressive showing with a 20/6/7 line and poise throughout. Cam Liggins had 16 and 9 for the Chiefs. It was Christ the King who would claim victory 71 to 66, led by the duo of Sterling Jones (23 points) and Ryan Myers (20 points).

Greensboro Day School and Greenwood Laboratory were up next on the consolation side. It was another good one, with the hometown Greenwood pulling out a 61 to 57 win. Bryce Harris was the only Greensboro player to finish with an efficient day, winding up with a 24 and 10 double-double. Greenwood only played five players in the game. Tommy Pinegar had 15 points and clutch 4th quarter free throws while Aminu Mohammed finished with a 31/13/6 line.

In the first semifinal game, Vashon kept up with Oak Hill throughout, despite shooting just 32 percent from the field. Kentucky commit, Cam’Ron Fletcher had more than half of Vashon’s points, finishing with 28 points, 13 boards, two blocks, and two steals. Oak Hill won the game 56 to 51, led by Cam Thomas’ 20 points and four steals. Their balanced attack lands them in the championship tonight, though Georgetown commit, Jamari Sibley exited yesterday’s contest and returned to the bench in a sling.

The night concluded with Booker T Washington and Paul VI in the final semifinal game. It was tight through the first half, but Paul VI pulled away to win 74-60 when the dust settled. Kansas commit, Bryce Thompson carried Booker T Washington again tonight, finishing with 25 points. As a team, 38 percent shooting would hold them back.

Paul VI advances to the championship game behind a big double-double from Trevor Keels (25 and 16). Keels holds offers from Duke, UConn, Ohio State, Maryland, G-Town, Bama, Butler, Miami, WVU, Marquette, Nova, Florida, and more. Duke commit, Jeremy Roach had a big second quarter and finished with 17 points.

Tonight should provide the best action yet, with Paul VI attempting to end Oak Hill’s undefeated season in the championship game. This evening also features the Great Southern Slam Dunk Contest, which is always a thrill for the players and fans alike. Here is the schedule:

2:30 (7th place) Kickapoo vs. Greensboro

4:00 (5th place) Christ the King vs. Greenwood

6:00 Great Southern Slam Dunk Contest

7:00 (3rd place) Vashon vs. Booker T Washington

9:00 (Championship) Oak Hill vs. Paul VI

Below is a look back at the 2019 dunk contest for an idea of what players of this caliber are capable of!

Once more, remember to follow the action on our Twitter and see it first by following The Basketball Movement’s Founder, Robert Yanders on Instagram. We’ll see you tonight!

2020 Tournament of Champions: Day one recap

Day one of the 2020 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions featured good games and impressive individual performances.

With night one in the books, fans have a good idea going forward of what these big-time hoopers are capable of. For the most part, players we had highlighted previously stood out as expected, but witnessed the potential of others as well.

In the opening game, Vashon beat down Christ the King in surprising fashion 69-33. Ryan Myers led CtK with 12 and struggled a bit with his shot. For Vashon, Phillip Russell stood out, scoring 20 with 6 of 9 shooting from deep. Cam’Ron Fletcher was as-advertised, flashing explosiveness at the rim and finishing with a 21 point, 13 rebound double-double.

The second game of the night was much closer throughout, but a big run to finish things out made the score appear lopsided. Oak Hill Academy, currently ranked number three in the nation, defeated the hometown Kickapoo Chiefs 78-63.

Oak Hill had a balanced attack, with efficient nights from Ezewiro, Sibley, Robinson, and Maddox. Cam Thomas was the high man with 26 points. For Kickapoo, Anton Brookshire was scoring at will, hitting 7 of 12 from deep and finishing with 33 points and seven boards.

The third game was entertaining if not always competitive. Paul VI downed Greenwood 80-54 behind 25 points from Duke commit, Jeremy Roach. Steals were the name of the game for Paul VI, as they amassed 19 on the night. Despite some timely long balls by Tommy Pinegar and nifty ball-handling by Grant Harper, it was the Aminu Mohammed show for Greenwood as usual. Mohammed had 31 points and 16 boards, but 11 turnovers to go with it.

Finally, Booker T Washington vs. Greensboro Day provided a close match start-to-finish. Both teams shot around 35 percent and bricked plenty of threes. Still, it was down to the wire with Booker T Washington finishing on top 54-50.

Kansas commit, Bryce Thompson was the driving force for Booker T Washington, scoring 31 big points to go with 10 boards. His teammate and Oklahoma commit, Trey Phipps shot just 1-13 on the night, so we are expecting a bounce-back performance this evening. Greensboro Day is was without Virginia signee, Carson McCorkle, who was recently injured. They leaned on Cam Hayes (14) and freshman Jaydon Young (15) to do the scoring in this one.

Tonight’s (Friday, Jan 17th) action will surely be thrilling once again and we can’t wait to break down the happenings for you.

4:30 Kickapoo vs. Christ the King

6:00 Greenwood vs. Greensboro Day

8:00 Vashon vs. Oak Hill

9:30 Paul VI vs. Booker T Washington

Remember to follow the action on our Twitter and see it first by following The Basketball Movement’s Founder, former pro, Robert Yanders on Instagram.

2020 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions

The 36th annual Bass Pro Tournament of Champions is January 16-18th - The Basketball Movement will have you covered!

It is time again for the annual Bass Pro Tournament of Champions - the most attended high school boys basketball tournament in the nation. As always, the tourney will be held on the campus of Missouri State University and will host a pair of strong Springfield teams in addition to top teams from around the country.

The 36th annual tournament will run from Thursday, January 16th to Saturday the 18th and will include a slam dunk contest as well.

Over 370 players that have participated in the tournament have gone on to play D1 hoops with at least 65 going pro. This is always one of the most impressive collections of talent that Southwest, MO gets to host, so you know we have to be there to soak it all up.

Once again this year, The Basketball Movement will be providing coverage of not only the tournament in general but of its top talent and performers. We will interview athletes, provide quality game highlights, and give shoutouts to the players that impress. Follow the action on our Twitter and see it first by following The Basketball Movement’s Founder, former pro, Robert Yanders on Instagram.

Rob has an eye for talent and runs the top basketball training facility in the Midwest. He takes hoops seriously and loves nothing more than to help others better themselves on and off the court. Players, do yourself a favor and get in touch with Coach Yanders!

Every year, the talent level of the Bass Pro ToC impresses. This year is no different. The Basketball Movement gym rat and Yanders Law AAU standout, Anton Brookshire (2021) will look to lead Kickapoo High to some upsets next weekend. The other Springfield school in the tourney is Greenwood Laboratory, which features Aminu Mohammad (2021), who just showed out at the last big Springfield tournament, the annual Blue & Gold.

One more Missouri team, Vashon High School out of St. Louis features a few familiar faces from The Basketball Movement Invitational Tournament a few months back. Cam’Ron Fletcher (2020) is a Kentucky commit, Phillip Russell (2020, seen in the below video) has committed to SEMO, and Kobe Clark (2020) has some nice offers on the table as well.

Oak Hill is back again and brings plenty of star power of their own. Five seniors, Cam Thomas, Darius Maddox, Bradley Ezewiro, Jamari Sibley, and KK Robinson have all committed to D1 universities. Thomas and Ezewiro will stay together next year at LSU.

Paul VI has a Duke commit in senior, Jeremy Roach. Trevor Keels (2021) has an offer from Duke in addition to multiple other big programs. One of the tournaments’ most touted 2022 players, Knasir “Dug” McDaniel already has several D1 offers on the table as well.

Christ the King’s Ryan Myers (2020) sports several nice offers and will be looking to raise his stock even further this tournament. Greensboro Day School’s Carson McCorkle (2020) will be playing at Virginia next year. McCorkle is joined by juniors Bryce Harris and Cam Hayes, who have committed to NC State.

Rounding out the field is Booker T. Washington, which has a trio of seniors that are sure to impress. Jalen Breath has an offer from UMKC, Bryce Thompson will be playing for Kansas, and Trey Phipps has committed to Oklahoma.

All the above are just a few of the players we have our eye on early. To all the others, feel free to use this as fuel. The Tournament of Champions is a big stage and we will happily help blast you out and raise your stock if you give us a good reason.

Last year’s MVP, Sharife Cooper of McEachern

This is an exciting collection of talent and we can’t wait for the opening tip! Again, be sure to check back here, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and keep up with Rob Yanders, who will be the first to let you know what’s up. We’ll see you there!

Robert Yanders' All-Star Five - 2019 Tournament of Champions

The 2019 Tournament of Champions is in the books. The Basketball Movement’s Robert Yanders has selected his All-Star Five!

2019 brought another thrilling Tournament of Champions with high-flying stars, some of the nation’s best, and solid local talent. The weekend culminated in a championship game that needed overtime to determine a champ. McEachern took the title over Sunrise Christian in a thrilling match; several of the game’s stars show up below.

There was no shortage of talent in this year’s tourney. However, only five can be named to Robert Yanders’ All-Star Five. Rob Yanders is the founder of The Basketball Movement - the most expolosive training facility in the Midwest. He was an impressive high school player himself, and went on to play professional basketball. He is a local basketball authority and staple at the Bass Prop Shops Tournament of Champions.

The Basketball Movement brought game and player coverage this year and had eyes out for tournament standouts from the jump. Below are Robert Yanders’ picks for his 2019 Tournament of Champions All-Star Five:

Sharife Cooper - McEachern

Scoring, leadership, and star-power. Sharife Cooper was the tournament MVP after leading McEachern to the title. The nation’s #2 PG stepped up when the lights were bright and his future is only getting brighter.

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Isaac Okoro - McEachern

As good as Sharife Cooper was, he could not do it all on his own. Isaac Okoro had a great tournament, stepping up on both sides of the floor to help McEachern take the title.

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James Wiseman - Memphis East

Memphis East did not make as much noise in the tournament as they may have liked, but the ESPN #1 ranked player, James Wiseman looked every bit up to the hype.

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N’Faly Dante - Sunrise Christian

Sunrise Christian had a great tournament and just came up short. A few more overtime points and N’Faly Dante may have been the MVP. The seven-footer was a force inside all weekend.

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Jaelen House - Shadow Mountain

They came up short in the third place game, but we saw plenty of great basketball on both sides from Shadow Mountain. Leading that charge was Jaelen House, whose most memorable moment was going toe-to-toe with one of the nations best in Sharife Cooper on night two.

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That does it for Robert Yander’s All-Star Five! His Instagram saw it first, so make sure to drop a follow over there. We had a blast covering some of the country’s top talent this year at the tournament and you know we'll be back again next year.

Our grind doesn’t stop though, so be sure to keep coming back for basketball goodness from local high school action all the way through the pros.

Robert Yanders' stock raisers at the Tournament of Champions

The 2019 Tournament of Champions has multiple nationally ranked prospects. There is always room to grow, and Robert Yanders has noted a few players that have raised their stock.

With two days down and one to go, Southwest Missouri has seen some of the best basketball teams and players the country has to offer. Some of these guys are already ranked pretty highly - including the nation’s top prospect - James Wiseman.

If you are number one, your stock can’t go up. For every single other player however, there is always at least one more step you can take to raise stock.

With such an impressive array of talent, the Tournament of Champions is an ideal spot for iron to sharpen iron. There is no better time to outwork and outpace your competitors than when going head-to-head. The Basketball Movement’s Founder, Robert Yanders has selected a few guys from the first two nights of action that have raised there stock.

Jared Jones - McEachern

In the McEachern vs. Shadow Mountain game last night, all eyes were on Jaelen House vs. Sharife Cooper. McEachern came out on top to advance to the Chamiponship tonight, but it was a bumpy ride. Jared Jones was a steady presence for the team, blocking multiple shots and putting in 12 points with big plays at the right time.

The Northwestern commit was quiet night one, but his play in game two against an even better squad was noteworthy. His athleticism, strong defense, and knack for a big stage earn him a spot among Rob’s stock raisers.

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Alyn Breed - McEachern

Joining Jones on the way to the championship tonight is his teammate - SG Alyn Breed. Has done an excellent job of taking pressure off of his fellow backcourt players. He has 20 total points through the first couple of games, but has done an excellent job on the perimeter and is playing good defense.

His athleticism allows him to play bigger than his 6’3” frame, and he is not afraid to scrap for boards. He has heard from some smaller schools in the Northeast, but has the looks of an underrated prospect.

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Noel Coleman - Sunrise Christian

Meeting McEachern in the championship with be Sunrise Christian Academy. Sunrise has some big names, but the offense starts with PG Noel Coleman.

Coleman is listed at 6’1” but has relatively nice length and explosiveness. He is a solid distributor on a deep and talented team - he deserves to be getting more attention at the collegiate level.

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Jovan Blacksher - Shadow Mountain

Grand Canyon commit, Jovan Blacksher has been in his bag all weekend. When he isn’t keeping the ball on a string, he is unleashing a barrage of threes like he did last night. His three triples in a row kept Shadow Mountain hanging tough, though they eventually fell to McEachern.

His well-rounded, yet scoring-oriented game actually reminds a bit of his coach, former NBA player, Mike Bibby.

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Zach Howell - Springfield Catholic

The Basketball Movement gym rat, Zach Howell looked good last night and has been showing that with minutes, he can be a great contributor, even on an already good team. Catholic played a great game last night despite the outcome. Part of that renewed vigor coming off a big night one loss was provided by Howell, whose outside shooting and competitive fire were big for the Irish.

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That’s it for Robert Yanders’ stock raisers from the first two nights of action. Ahead of tonight’s big games, dunk contest, and more, be sure to follow Rob Yanders on Instagram to be the first to see his picks for the Tournament of Champions fab five. See you tonight.

Robert Yanders' standouts from night one of the ToC

With night one in the books, The Basketball Movement’s Founder, Robert Yanders gives us his early standouts ahead of selecting his Tournament of Champions Fab Five.

As we have already mentioned, The Basketball Movement’s main man, Rob Yanders selected a Fab Five from the Tournament of Champions last year. He is doing it again and is planning to post the results on his Instagram page here.

With only one night done out of three, he is releasing his list of early standouts. We have already witnessed some great basketball at the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions, not only from the guys below, but many more that are certainly knocking on the door.

Subject to change by the end, but currently ahead of the pack; here are Robert Yanders’ top five picks that are standing out early:

Jaelen House - Shadow Mountain

It takes more than just scoring to impress Robert Yanders, but 31 big ones in a statement win doesn’t hurt. Son of former NBA player, Eddie House, Jaelen clearly has great basketball blood coursing through his veins.

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James Wiseman - Memphis East

James Wiseman is the consensus number one player in the nation - and it showed. 21 points and 19 boards in a victory over Parkview was all he needed to display his complete dominance on the court.

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Sharife Cooper - McEachern

With 28 points, Sharife Cooper paced the McEachern Indians in a win over Springfield Catholic. This game was over quickly, with a barrage out of the gate led by one of the top guards of the nation in Cooper.

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Isaac Okoro - McEahern

Sharife Cooper was not alone in dominating Springfield Catholic last night, as high-flying Isaac Okoro made things just as difficult. The Auburn commit had 16 points and played a big part in shutting down the Catholic offense that was off to its best start in school history.

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Austin Crowley - Sunrise Christian

In a convincing win over Rainier Beach, Austin Crowley put on a show. His 15 points were big ones, coming from outside shots, silky-smooth drives, and thunderous dunks. All eyes were on seven-footer N’Faly Dante, and Crowley used that to his advantage with crafty offense.

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The tournament continues in just a few hours, so remember to follow us on social media for pictures, videos, and more. Remember also to follow Robert Yanders to get his final verdict for his Fab Five! See you there!

2019 Tournament of Champions and Robert Yanders' Fab Five

Great news - It is time again for the annual Bass Pro Tournament of Champions taking place at JQH Arena at Missouri State University!

Year after year, Southwest Missouri is treated to the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions - the premier high school basketball tourney in this part of Missouri. Recognizable schools such as Oak Hill and Memphis travel to Springfield to take each other on as well as some of the best area schools such as Springfield Catholic.

The last couple of years, The Basketball Movement has incredible coverage of the tourney. Game highlights, interviews, and more made us the leader in covering this tournament. This year will be no different.

The Basketball Movement will be back again this year, coming at you with all the Tournament coverage we can squeeze in. The lineup for this year’s tournament is an impressive one, with multiple D-1 players and touted NBA prospects. The tourney runs from Jan. 17-19.

Last year, we highlighted some of the tournament’s top competitors in the form of Robert Yanders’ Fab Five. The Basketball Movement’s Founder, Rob Yanders selected and covered the top five participants in the tournament. We not only highlighted their play, but interviewed them to give the players a voice.

We will be doing the same this year. To keep track of the top performers, be sure to follow Robert Yanders’ Instagram account here. He will be blasting out the most noteworthy individual performances and you won’t want to miss it.'

Ahead of the big weekend, let’s highlight last year’s Fab Five to get us pumped for another big tournament!

Keyontae Johnson

If you were at the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions last year, you likely would have already known Keyontae Johnson would be on Rob’s list. Leading the tournament-winning Oak Hill team, Johnson was the MVP of the whole thing. The 6’5” forward is now a Florida Gator and is currently playing his way into heavier and heavier minutes as a freshman.

Darius Garland

Another All-Tournament player was Brentwood Academy’s Darius Garland. The Garland family is quite familiar with Missouri State, as Darius’ Father, Winston Garland was a Bear back in the day (when it was Southwest Missouri State). Winston Garland was an NBA draft selection and his son could certainly get to that point as well. Though currently injured, Darius is part of the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Isaiah Stewart

We won’t get a chance to see Isaiah Stewart at JQH Arena this year, but he is still doing big things for La Lumiere. Stewart is part of the 18u USA team and is a five-star recruit at 6’9” 245lbs. He was a force in last year’s tournament. He is currently uncommitted, but has been linked to Duke recently. That should be all you need to know about the budding star.

Tyger Campbell

A standout in last year’s tournament for his legit mop of hair alone, Tyger Campbell helped above teammate Isaiah Stewart to lead the talented La Lumiere squad. Listed at a generous 5’11”, Campbell is a magician with the basketball and has taken his talents to UCLA.

Courtney Ramey

A Missouri native, Courtney Ramey went to high school at Webster Groves and was silky-smooth at last year’s Tournament of Champions. He has put on a little size and is now 6’4”, but even before, he could get to the rim and absorb contact while getting buckets. He is now a Texas Longhorn.

Honorable mention: Monty Johal

Have to give a shoutout to our guy, Monty Johal. Glendale’s star last year helped his team hold its own against some of the top talent in the nation. We are fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Monty, who is now playing at Tennessee State.

Who is next?

Another year, another stacked field at the most heavily attended basketball tournament in the nation per sps.org. Who will be Robert Yanders’ Fab Five for 2019?

If you were putting money on it… a smart bet would be James Wiseman of Memphis East. Already committed to Memphis University to play for Penny Hardaway, Wiseman is the number one recruit in the country. He is joined by fellow Memphis commit - teammate Malcolm Dandridge.

There are a few guys this year that a part of an NBA bloodline. Shadow Mountain’s Jalen House is the son of Eddie House and Ranier Beach has Jamon Kemp, son of legendary dunker Shawn Kemp. House is one of the top guards in the country and has a potential matchup with another one in Sharife Cooper of McEachern in the second round. If you are a fan of guard play - root for that matchup.

Belleville Illinois West has Ohio State commit, E.J. Liddell, who is a Missouri native out of St. Louis. Sunrise Christian boasts a host of impressive players in Grant Sherfield, Elijah Wood, and N’Faly Dante.

This weekend is a great opportunity to root for the local guys (shoutout to Catholic’s Zach Howell of Yanders Law and The Basketball Movement!), marvel at the nation’s top players, and see some incredible raw talent and athleticism. For the best coverage you can get, follow along with us here at The Basketball Movement. Again, be sure to follow Robert Yanders on Instagram to see his Fab Five picks for 2019. Let’s get it!

TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: JOSH ANDERSON TALKS ABOUT W. KENTUCKY’S BEST RECRUITING CLASS IN SCHOOL HISTORY

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Josh Anderson showcased why he is a major part of what is widely considered the best recruiting class in Western Kentucky history as his Madison Prep squad competed at the 2017 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions.

A 6’4, 175-pound 2017 wing player, Madison Prep Anderson is considered a four star recruit by most publications. He brings the ability to score and play above the rim.

He and7’0 2017 big man Mitchell Robinson form what very well could be the best recruiting class in school history. Robinson is a five star recruit who is already projected as an NBA lottery pick in the 2018 draft by NBADraft.net.

“I was really comfortable when I went to Western Kentucky,” he said. “I really enjoyed the coaches and the campus. The recruiting class they had was another huge reason. When I found out that Mitchell Robinson committed from Chalmette, La., that was pretty big.”

Anderson played throughout the offseason for Louisiana Elite and raised his profile immensely on the grassroots circuit. He has helped Madison Prep start the 2016-17 season 16-2.

“During the AAU season I was trying to get better on both sides of the ball. I really wanted to improve my on ball defense and getting my jumper up with Louisiana Elite.”

Anderson chose Western Kentucky over Arkansas, Baylor, Flordai, LSU, North Carolina State and numerous others.

His Madison Prep squad competed against Greenforest, Ga., for fifth-place on Saturday after losing to Findlay Prep in the first round on Thursday and posting a win over local team Republic on Friday.

“It’s big to play in a tournament like this because you get to go up against other big time programs and players,” Anderson said. “You get to see where you are at as a team and an individual.”

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TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: MEMPHIS EAST 2018 ALEX LOMAX HITS BIG SHOT

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Memphis East guard Alex Lomax’s game is all heart and on Friday, he showed out with one of the biggest shots in Tournament of Champions’ history, knocking down a long 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat national ranked Montverde in a semifinal game.

A 5’11, 190-pound 2018 guard, Lomax answered a bucket by five star 2019 Montverde guard RJ Barrett with a 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the game and give Memphis East a 59-56 win.

Lomax has a host of Division I offers and says he brings passion and energy to the court.

“I am a dog first, I don’t bow to anyone, I really don’t care if you’re a top player or even if you’re not a top player,” Lomax said. “I feel like it’s my life on the line and I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do to survive. That is what my coaching staff has taught me and how I was raised up.

“Offensively, I am going to make sure my teammates are happy because in basketball if you’re teammates are happy on offense, they’re going to be extra excited on defense. I always put others above myself and make plays. At the end of the game, I just try to put myself in the best situation. If I have to I to take the last shot I will, and if I have to pass it to the next person I will. I try to put others first and recognize the situation.”

Lomax said playing for former NBA legend Penny Hardaway at Memphis East has been a special experience as Memphis East has had an opportunity to travel the country and play in a host of high profile events.

“Memphis East high school is a regular, neighborhood high school,” Lomax said. “That’s not not what it is to coach Penny. To him, Memphis East is Memphis University, it’s a high school, but basically a college. He is showing us that inner city kids, we don’t have to go to prep school. We can stay right in the city and play basketball and have the right mindset and be prepared for college.

“He prepared us for the season and we can’t do anything but just thank him.”

Lomax competed for Team Penny has helped prepare him for the Tournament of Champions and a tough schedule. He competed on the 17U circuit as an underclassmen.

“Playing against top guards in the country like Trae Young and Quade Green, that just motivated me,” he said. “Playing against guys that are better than me motivated me to get better and get to where they are and get better than they are.

“If I can play with those guys, I can play with anybody.”

He currently holds offers from Memphis, Ole Miss, Florida, Seton Hall, LSU, UMass, Temple and California, and has drawn interest from Arkansas and Tulsa.

TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: MEET RJ BARRETT, THE NATION’S NO. 1 PLAYER IN THE 2019 CLASS

SPRINGFIELD — The nation’s premier players in the Class of 2019 showed off an impressive arsenal of skills at the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions held at Missouri State in Springfield

RJ Barrett, a long, athletic 6’7 point guard that can rebound, pass, handle the ball and create plays, Barrett has already created a significant recruiting buzz drawing a host of high major offers.

A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Barrett spent the offseason competing for UPlay in the Nike 16U EYBL and says the experience helped make him a better player.

“I was trying to work on my shooting and a little bit of everything,” he said.

Barrett said competing in the Tournament of Champions in front of some of the largest crowds any high school event will draw was a good experience. Montverde knocked off local favorite Kickapoo in the first round and advanced to face Memphis East in a semifinal contest. Memphis East is among the nation’s top ranked high school programs and have already split a pair of games this season against Montverde.

“It was a good atmosphere especially with us playing a team from Missouri,” Barrett said. “Just great to play against such great competition in a great tournament against good teams.”

Barrett said he lets his dad and coaches handle his recruiting, but has offers from Baylor, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, UCLA, USC and Missouri where the TofC is being played. On Thursday, Kentucky head coach John Calipari was in attendance to watch Barrett after watching Kentucky signee PJ Washington compete in the previous contest.

Barrett says he enjoys watching some of the NBAs best players and tries to implement elements of their game into his own.

“In the NBA I like to watch LeBron James and James Harden because they are both great leaders and can score the basketball so that’s who I try to get my game like.”

Montverde features a slew of high level players with several players already committed to high major college programs. Barrett says the team has high expectations for the remainder of the season.

“We have a lot of potential,” he said. “We are close on and off the court and most importantly we play a lot of great defense so that gives us a great chance to win a lot of games.”