The Basketball Movement throwbacks

Keeping your eyes on the horizon is important, but do not forget the past.

As always, big things are going down at The Basketball Movement. We are the home of Yanders Law AAU, which is plugging away this summer. We are also continuing to facilitate skill development workouts for players ranging from kids to pros. Sometimes though, it is fun to look back.

There have been many special moments over the years; far too many to share. Part of Rob Yanders’ vision was media exposure for his athletes, so we have plenty of documentation to back up the good moments.

Teammates turned opponents is always a recipe for a good time. Iron sharpens iron and all that.

Another recipe for a good time is an OG catching up with good friends and big-time hoopers…

With legendary events like our Elite Guard camps or The Basketball Movement Invitational, there are plenty of great throwbacks to go around.

The Basketball Movement is excited by where we are headed but also proud of where we have been. The best may very well be yet to come, but the journey so far has been damn good. Rewarding. Fulfilling.

Rob Yanders laid out one hell of a blueprint. Join us as we continue the movement.

We will be posting some more throwbacks in the coming weeks. Follow The Basketball Movement everywhere to appreciate the journey so far and keep up with what comes next.

Elite open runs

Some Yanders Law and We Are United alumni and other gym rats of The Basketball Movement recently had some open runs. Peep these highlights.

The Basketball Movement spontaneously hosted some open runs for college-level players and up. We point out the spontaneity in trying to avoid questions about plans for such events in the future. There are no plans. This was just a combination of program alumni in the area looking to hoop and hitting up guys they knew could stack up.

As usual, our media team was not far off, and we were able to capture some dope footage. Plenty of good stuff to sift through, as the talent level on the court was elite.

The clips are all up on our Twitter (X) and Instagram. We figure this is as good a time as any to remind you to follow us on those pages. We have great clips of familiar faces like these, Yanders Law AAU highlights, and more on those pages.

Follow The Movement, and don’t miss a thing!

SEMO Prep @ We Are United

Join us this Thursday as We Are United Prep takes on visiting SEMO Prep.

Tomorrow, Thursday, February 1st, We Are United Prep will host SEMO Prep at their home court - The Basketball Movement.

For those who do not know, The Basketball Movement is located at 2135 N Sports Complex Lane in Nixa, MO 65714. The game will take place on the East court.

Our We Are United Coaches and staff want to invite you to see what our athletes can do. The players have been working hard, and it may surprise you to witness the level of prep hoops that is going on right here in Southwest MO.

The game will tip off at 6:00 PM; entry is only $3 per person. We hope to fill the seats as we put on a show with one of our highest-flying squads to date. See you tomorrow!

Highlights from the last matchup:

Rob Yanders to be honored at Drury University

Drury University is planning to honor the late Rob Yanders on January 27th.

As many of you know, The Basketball Movement’s Founder, Rob Yanders, played high school ball in Milwaukee before coming to SMSU-West Plain and then SMSU for his college hoops. Following his pro career in Europe, Yanders returned to the Springfield area, profoundly impacting the community through the sport he loved.

He may not have been a Drury Panther, but his tutelage has produced several; the current men’s team is loaded with former Yanders Law AAU players and We Are United post-grad players.

The program, like so many others, has been touched by Rob Yanders’ legacy.

Drury plans to honor that legacy BEFORE their home game against the University of Illinois-Springfield on Saturday, January 27th. Tipoff is at 3:00 pm. Tickets are available at the Drury box office or online here.

The Yanders family would like to invite everyone to come early to the game and catch the special moment. Then, stick around to see a continuation of Yanders’ vision. Catch our guys, Colin Hardrick (WAU), Logan Applegate (YLB/WAU), Elijah Whitley (YLB), and Juok Riak (WAU)!

ICYMI: College signings

The Basketball Movement recently hosted some college commitment signings for several of our guys!

In case you missed it, The Basketball Movement was fortunate to hold collegiate signings for a couple of our favorite gym rats. And just today, one more made his commitment known.

We Are United prep’s Javar Daniel and Yanders Law alumni Hogan Smith put pen to paper and fulfilled their dreams, committing to college hoop programs.

Javar Daniel is a 6’10 forward with plenty of athleticism. He is a clear D1 talent headed to Austin Peay to play for former Missouri State assistant and friend of The Basketball Movement, Coach Corey Gipson. Also committed to the Governers are former Yanders Law standouts Anton Brookshire, Jonathan Dunn, and Isaac Haney giving local fans plenty to cheer for in Tennessee.

Hogan Smith, a versatile 6’5 shooter out of Kickapoo High, is staying local, committing to the Drury Panthers. He will join several We Are United alumni: Logan Applegate, Colin Hardrick, and Juok Riak, as well as Yanders Law alum Elijah Whitley. Yanders Law alum, Brady Nicholson, has committed to DU as well. Another fun squad for local fans to keep track of!

Hogan dealt with injuries throughout his young career, making his perseverance to arrive at this point one of the top stories to come out of our programs in a minute.

Congratulations to both of these guys. Congrats also to these college programs that seem to understand precisely the kind of players we turn out here at The Basketball Movement. Dawgs. On-the-court killers. The fighters and leaders that every program needs.

In addition, Awit Mamer of We Are United prep just announced his commitment to DII Augustana University! A 6’3 guard, Awit’s ceiling is staggering. It will be exciting to see the heights his game can reach at this level.

Stay tuned as we keep an eye on our guys, transform more young men and women into pure ballers, and keep the Yanders dream alive.

We Are United highlights

Check the individual and team highlights as We Are United goes undefeated at the Heartland Prep Invitational.

This past weekend, some of the nation’s best prep programs gathered at Evangel for the Heartland Prep Invitational. The results were as expected - fireworks galore. We Are United turned some heads, though that was expected, at least by those familiar with this year’s squad.

We Are United faced off against Kennedy Prep, Florida Coastal, and finally, Montverde CBD. Battling injuries in addition to elite programs, WAU went undefeated.

The legendary Rob Yanders was a big proponent of getting his players deserved media exposure. His guys are still in place, bringing game highlights and individual media to continue elevating the players beyond what you see with many other programs.

Please follow along on Twitter and especially Instagram and YouTube to continue supporting Rob’s vision for these athletes. We appreciate you!

WAU - Heartland Prep Invitational

We Are United Prep set to take on the nation’s best at Evangel’s Heartland Prep Invitational.

We Are United prep faces fierce competition year-round, but this weekend will be special. Some of the very best teams in the nation are coming together, presenting one of the toughest tests our young program has faced.

The best part? It is right in our own backyard.

The Heartland Prep Invitational is hosted by Evangel University and will run this Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 26-28th. Full schedule below:

The Heartland Prep Invitational will not only be an excellent chance for local hoop-heads to catch We Are United but also some nationally ranked D1 talent.

Come out and support We Are United as we continue to elevate the basketball scene in Springfield and the surrounding area, as well as the Midwest as a whole! We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you there.

The Basketball Movement - Home of We Are United

For everything We Are United, follow along with us at The Basketball Movement.

Like The Basketball Movement, We Are United prep was started by former pro, Rob Yanders as yet another way to elevate the hoops scene in the Midwest. The prep school has quickly been established as a premier destination for hoopers looking to elevate their game post-grad.

Unfortunately, we have been unable to access We Are United prep’s website or Twitter since the tragic passing of Head Coach Rob Yanders. Fortunately, The Basketball Movement can serve as the home base for the program both digitally and physically.

As an elite training facility, The Basketball Movement is the perfect home base for the competitive basketball program and school. The same is true online, as everything you need to know about We Are United can be found through The Basketball Movement.

You can follow us on Twitter for news and other updates, but make sure to follow along with The Basketball Movement on Instagram as the most consistent source of highlights of WAU ballers in action. Those clips feed into our Facebook stories as well if that is more your scene!

The exposure gained through The Basketball Movement mediums has helped numerous athletes gain exposure and be noticed at the collegiate level.

Also, the highlight clips are just dope.

Our social media pages and thebasketballmovement.com are your home for We Are United prep. For any questions about the program or details on how to get involved, please email basketballmovement@yahoo.com and a coach will get back to you.

Thank you for your support. Go We Are United!

We Are United vs. Sunrise Post-Grad

We Are United host Sunrise Post-Grad this Saturday (2/4)

As coaches and staff will be preparing for We Are United prep's home matchup against Sunrise Post-Grad, The Basketball Movement will not host a Saturday Clinic this weekend.

The game will take place on The Basketball Movement's East Court at 3:00 PM (CST). Our doors will be open for spectators, but you will need to hurry in if you want to secure the court-side leather seats!

We Are United is having another successful season under Head Coach Rob Yanders, who would love to see your support tomorrow!

"We have some stuff going on down here that the Springfield area hasn't had before," Yanders says. "The level of hoops our program has brought to the area has already impacted local college programs as well as elevated the Southwest Missouri hoops scene as a whole."

Come out and see what the noise is all about this Saturday at 3:00! 

Our usual Saturday Clinics will resume soon - keep an eye on The Basketball Movement Twitter and Facebook for updates.

"Don Don" Ferguson college commitment

Donald Ferguson III, better known at We Are United as “Don Don,” has committed to the University of Central Missouri.

6’2 Don Don Ferguson is a well-rounded guard out of Osseo, Minnesota. He has been standing out this season for Rob Yanders’ We Are United prep team and has garnered plenty of interest. Recently, he announced his commitment to play for the University of Central Missouri.

“I loved the coaching staff, first off,” Ferguson says on what helped his decision. “(The coaches) seem big on the individuals and really care about their players off the court. That stuck out to me. They care about your life past basketball.”

Don Don considers his strengths to be shooting, handling, floor spacing, his ability to read defenses, jump the passing lanes, being a team player, and having a high basketball IQ.

Currently focusing on his shooting and finishing, he elaborated on what the Mules can expect from him:

“A killer,” Ferguson says. “I am a guy that can score the ball but am also a great teammate. I pick my teammates up.”

Now that college ball is a reality, Don Don can reflect on how his time with Coach Yanders prepared him for the next level. “It has prepared me mentally,” he says. “I have learned about hard work, being locked in, and how success means no days off.”

“(Yanders) can push you to limits you didn’t know you had. It is all about mental and physical toughness - being a dawg. Hard work-wise, there won’t be much new to me when it comes to college.”

For players considering coming to We Are United, Ferguson says you will become mentally tougher, but you also have to come in with a tough mindset from the get.

“Come here, and you WILL get better,” Ferguson says. “You will play real basketball down here. Go from a boy to a man down here. You have to be serious about basketball.  There is no turning back, no fifty-fifty. It has to be 100 percent what you want, and then you will see those results.”

Yanders and the We Are United prep family are proud of any player that can put in the necessary work here and make their dream a reality. We are excited for the next chapter in Don Don’s journey and have little doubt about the impact he will have on his new team.

Good luck, Don Don!

We Are United Signings

The Basketball Movement is taking you behind the scenes for a few of our recent We Are United signings.

Rob Yanders and The Basketball Movement have been fortunate to see many players progress from young hoopers to collegiate athletes. We recently highlighted some of our shared accomplishments with NCAA basketball getting underway across the country.

Even though We Are United is a young program, it has already produced collegiate talent and is continuing to do so as well.

This year’s We Are United prep squad already has several players committed to playing for their future programs. The Basketball Movement took fans inside the process of inking those commitments to make them permanent.

Check out some of the behind-the-scenes footage:

Coach Rob and his organizations are exceedingly proud of these young men for finalizing essential steps in continuing their education and playing careers.

The best part about it all? This is only the beginning. Follow along with We Are United as more players receive offers and elevate themselves on and off the court.

Rob Yanders - Vision to Reality

Tonight is a celebration and a showcase of how Rob Yanders, The Basketball Movement, Yanders Law, and We Are United have elevated our hoops community.

Tonight, college basketball tips off around the country. Millions of fans finally get to see their school’s new squads in action. But, for Rob Yanders, tonight means something a little bit more.

Between Yanders’ from-scratch entities - The Basketball Movement, Yanders Law Basketball, and We Are United prep - he does not have enough screens in his home to watch all his players tonight. ESPN, ESPN+, Fox Sports… there are 16 of his players in action on TV this week. Sixteen.

For Rob Yanders, this is a case of vision turning into reality.

“This is a showcase of our hard work,” Yanders says. “We’ve come so far. The vision has always been to bring basketball to another level in this community.”

Many individuals throughout Southwest MO have Rob’s back. Countless parents and athletes have trusted him with the keys to drive their hoop dreams.

Before there was a prep school or AAU program, there was a man with a vision, opening the doors to a gym by himself. Rob says you first have to show people what you are made of, and then the help comes later. It’s turned into a helluva show.

The opportunities now afforded to the area because of Yanders are often difficult to quantify. However, some concrete figures you can point to is the money saved by community members gaining college scholarships because Rob helped them capitalize on the game they love.

“I am proud of where we are now, especially considering the journey and the battles,” Yanders says. “When you are in the trenches day in, and day out, you don’t always have time to step back and admire what you have built; what you are still building.”

“Tonight is special,” Yanders continues. “I am super excited. I mean, on night one, we have Zach Howell, probably immediately a starter or sixth man playing against Purdue. It’s just wild when you see how far we’ve come in elevating these young men and women.”

Rob has been in the game long enough now that he even has college coaches popping up that are Yanders Law alumni. He has worked with many professional athletes, but these players that have grown up with his programs are undeniably his proudest accomplishments. He takes pride in every achievement they have on and off the court.

Yanders’ footprint on the basketball landscape is increasing exponentially, and he is only getting started. Stay tuned!

Colin Hardrick - We Are United

6’4 combo guard Colin Hardrick is a leader for Rob Yanders’ We Are United prep squad.

We Are United is looking good in the early part of the season. The talent level for Rob Yanders’ crop of players this year is through the roof. Milwaukee's Colin Hardrick is a big piece of why the talent pool is so impressive.

“Things are going well,” Hardrick says about the season. “We are developing and getting better every day. It’s all coming together as we learn each other’s play styles  - we’ve made good strides in the last few weeks.”

Colin is a well-rounded offensive player with tremendous defensive upside at the guard position. However, his main goal for We Are United is to fill a leadership role.

“I can play whatever role puts me in,” Hardrick says. “I can score it, but I like to be pass-first, lead the team, and set the tone for the whole squad.”

Asked how his time at We Are United has helped him improve already, Colin responded the same way as many players we have talked to before him. Coach Yanders and his facilities bring out the best in him as a person as well as a player.

“I have improved tremendously on the court and off the court as a young man,” Hardrick says. “We do hard work here; it’s no joke. Rob pushes us to our limits because he wants the best for us. Owning up to that challenge has been going well for me.”

Colin is holding out for the right fit as a collegiate player. As the season continues, he will undoubtedly get more and more options to choose from.

“My goal this season is to find a fit for me at the next level and, of course, just get better and better,” Hardrick says.

Wherever that fit may be, Colin’s college coaches can expect more than the prototypical freshman basketball player.

“I’m a really good student,” Hardrick says. “I try to be someone that’s great to be around. As a player, I’m someone that works hard and comes in ready to work every single day.”

In his short time running We Are United prep, Rob Yanders is quickly re-affirming himself as a developer of people. He prides himself on that development, but it also can’t happen to players unwilling to WORK.

Colin Hardrick is willing to work.

Follow We Are United on Twitter and Instagram to keep up with highlights from Colin and the entire squad all season long!

We Are United - Makuei Riek

6’6 guard Makuei Riek is a UW-Milwaukee University commit set to make a splash with We Are United.

First, congrats to We Are United’s Makuei Riek for committing to a quality D1 program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Second: congrats to UW-Milwaukee for securing a quality person and player whose arrow is pointing straight up.

A 6’6 guard out of Minnesota, Makuei has spent many summers traveling to the Milwaukee area to play AAU ball, so he is already familiar with the area. Upon even further inspection, he fell for the city.

“I toured the city on a visit,” Riek says. “I got to see places I’d be and meet many of the people I’d be around. I felt a lot of love, and it seemed like home.

Makuei loves nature and is excited to be near a beautiful lake. However, it was the environment of the basketball program that was the deciding factor. “The staff was very caring,” Riek says. “I watched a practice, and the coaches push you to be your best and also seem great to be around.”

Sharing a mindset with coaches is also what steered Makuei to We Are United prep. Ultimately, he decided to come because of Coach Rob Yanders.

“What made me decide on We Are United was Coach Rob - him showing up for me and trusting in me,” Riek says. “I have faith in what he has told me and where he believes he can get me. He’s a hard worker, I’m a hard worker, and I always try to be around people who share the same goals as me.”

Even though we are just scratching the surface of the We Are United season, Makuei says that Yanders has already prepared him mentally, physically, and spiritually for the next level of hoops.

“The season has just started, so we’re still working,” Riek says. “(Coach Yanders) speaks to us as adults. He tells us what we need to hear, not always what we want to hear. He is making us better as men, not just as players.”

Yanders tells his players what they need to hear, but that does not mean he has any shortage of praise for his big new guard.

“He great to be around and is also just a big-time basketball player,” Yanders says. He is a guy that can flat-out score. Coach (Bart) Lundy runs an up-tempo style that will suit him. He knows how to play, scores in bunches, and can be an impact player right away.”

Currently, Makuei says he is working on fully incorporating everything he has learned and using it to make others better. “I want to be a better teammate, better scorer… I’m just learning to grow as a true basketball player,” Riek says. “I am learning to play guard, the four, or any position I find myself in. I am learning the ‘why’ behind where to be on the court.”

If Makuei is hoping to be a sponge, soaking up basketball knowledge, he is in the right place.

To his next team, UW-Milwaukee, he plans to take the work he learns at We Are United and apply it to make his whole team better.

“I am always going to come in wanting to improve,” Riek says. “I work to get better every time I lace my shoes up. I am always going to push and do everything I can to make others get better as well as myself. I want to be a great leader and role model however I can.”

Makuei is already a leader by example. As the We Are United season forges ahead, expect continual improvement to his already impressive game. Stay tuned.

We Are United - Juok Riak

We Are United forward Juok Riak has already committed to Drury University ahead of a big prep season.

A 6’8 forward out of Madison La Follette high school in Madison, Wisconsin, Juok Riak is set to be a force for Rob Yanders’ We Are United prep squad. What’s more, he has also committed to playing next year right here in Springfield for Drury University.

Juok knew that coming to The Basketball Movement, home of We Are United, would not necessarily be an easy route. Nevertheless, he eagerly accepted the challenge.

“I was told that it’d be hard by former (We Are United) players,” Riak says. “I also knew that Rob (Yanders) gets it done. That’s why I wanted to come here.”

Asked what Yanders has already done to prepare him for the next level, Juok responded like a player that had already been through quite the gauntlet, though we are just scratching the surface of the 2022-23 We Are United season.

“Man… we are doing college work,” Riak says. “It is like being in college already. Rob - he’s been there. Everything he puts us through is work to get us ready.”

While Juok experiences the blood, sweat, and tears that go into being a Robert Yanders certified player, he can hopefully rest easy knowing that Yanders is impressed by what he has seen so far.

“He is fun to coach,” Yanders says of Riak. “He is a good kid with an amazing personality to go with his impressive game.”

That game has already landed Juok some college offers - one of which he accepted right here in Southwest, Missouri, despite being brand new to the area.

“He is an intelligent player… can pass and do it all,” Yanders says. “He will do great for Drury, and we will get many chances to watch him succeed.”

An athletic six-foot-eight, Juok Riak can immediately be recognized as a potential force on the hardwood. Add existing film and the well-known ability of Rob Yanders to develop players, and the coaching staff at Drury University recognized that they needed to try their hand at an offer. It paid off.

“Coach Foster and Coach Carr believed in me,” Riak says. “We haven’t even played a game yet, and they believe in me so much. They are telling me how good I can be working with Rob. With coaches that have that belief in me, why waste time in committing there?”

Juok will bring size and a true interior presence to his new squad. In addition, he is an excellent rebounder and has a high basketball IQ that allows him to make the right plays on the floor. “I am a hard worker,” Riak says. “I’m unselfish and push teammates to be better on and off the court.”

Riak says he is currently focusing on stretching the floor and improving upon all the facets of the game he is good at already. “I’m now trying to be great at things,” he says. “I am continuing to learn the game and how to always play the right way - that’s the most important thing.”

We Are United is on the road this weekend, and Drury Panther fans should definitely follow along as the highlights start to roll in. Next season, Juok will join Logan Applegate at Drury, another We Are United alumni. Retaining talent in the area allows us to keep a close eye on our guys and continue to work with them. Riak has professional aspirations as well as the motor and tools to achieve them. Don’t blink.

We Are United - Ishmeal David

Another We Are United prep commitment rolls in - this time, it is St. Paul, Minnesota’s Ishmeal David.

6’3 athletic wing Ishmeal David has been added to We Are United prep’s 2022-23 roster after his recent commitment. David brings playmaking, a good offensive feel, and stout perimeter defense to Rob Yanders’ squad.

David describes himself as a great kid to be around and “a pretty cool guy.” On the court, he says that coaches have praised him for defense that is more than pretty cool. “Coaches tell me I’m a force to be reckoned with,’” David says.

In addition to his defense, Ishmeal says that he brings plenty on the offensive end of the floor. “I’m very unselfish and know when and when not to force things,” David says. Regarding areas he is currently working on, he mentioned aggression on offense and understanding the game better in terms of spacing.

David says that he chose the prep route to expand his knowledge of the game of basketball and become a better player. He has come to the right place.

First impressions of Head Coach Rob Yanders quickly tell players that visit The Basketball Movement all they need to know. He does not hide his tenacity or his expectations for players that may attend We Are United.

“He demands a lot from his players,” David says of Yanders. “Out of the gate, he is very intense. I think that will gel very well with me, actually.”

Overall, Yanders was why Ishmeal David chose We Are United for his next step. “I have seen things from Coach Yanders - he has gotten players to the next level, and that is my goal,” David says.

We are excited to see Ishmeal in action and be a part of his basketball journey. We will do our part to help him achieve his dreams! Follow along right here at thebasketballmovement.com for more.

We Are United - Colin Hardrick

Phenom U Team Herro 6’4 combo guard Colin Hardrick is headed to We Are United prep.

Another nice get for We Are United prep, Colin Hardrick looks to be a big part of Rob Yanders’ new school next season. Hardrick is from the Milwaukee, WI area and was a big piece for Wauwatosa West High School and Phenom U Tyler Herro (AAU). But why head to Missouri?

”I like what they are doing down there,” Hardrick says. “I like Rob and he seems like a good fit for me. This will be a good next step.”

Hardrick says that his first impression of Yanders is that he is a great guy, but he has spoken to him a few times previously beforehand. “We’ve met a handful of times,” Hardrick says. “He has a good history with basketball. He played pro and he knows what he is doing and how to help me get where I want to go.

For Colin Hardrick, where he wants to go is to a Division I college program.

“I am doing whatever I can to prepare for D1,” Hardrick says. “I am getting stronger to prepare for the next level. I want to improve however I can - having a better basketball IQ and just a better feel for the game.”

Hardrick previously held offers from Green Bay and Grambling before deciding to reclassify and pursue the prep route. His time with Phenom U playing against elite talent (including Rob Yanders’ Yanders Law program) has helped to prepare him for this next level.

“I was playing with good players all around me on the best circuit in the country,” Hardrick says. “I’ve played the best of the best. It has definitely helped me get better.”

The young hooper outlined what not only We Are United can expect from him but also college coaches down the line:

“I am a hard worker,” Hardrick says. “I’m coachable; I listen. I enjoy the game and come ready to work every day.”

We are excited to see Colin Hardrick don the white and black for We Are United and already chomping at the bit to see the squad Yanders assembles for his prep school’s second season. For more, keep it locked right here on thebasketballmovement.com.

Remembering Jeremiah Dotson

The Basketball Movement family mourns the loss of We Are United prep’s, Jeremiah Dotson.

There are truly no words to express the tragedy of a young life lost. However, the post below by We Are United’s official account does as good a job as is possible.

The Basketball Movement echoes those sentiments and asks everyone to be patient with We Are United, Yanders Law, and The Basketball Movement family going forward as we work through these difficult times. Please respect Jeremiah’s family’s privacy also. They are all in our thoughts and prayers, and we hope in yours as well.

Rest in peace, Jeremiah.

We Are United - North American Cup Champions

Last weekend, We Are United prep won the North American Cup tournament in Indianapolis.

In the program’s first season, We Are United prep managed to win a tournament comprised of many of the top teams in the nation. The North American Cup tournament was held in Indianapolis, Indiana is a big annual event for high-level post-grad programs.

“There were legitimately some of the better teams in the country here,” Head Coach Rob Yanders says. “We went 3 and 0 and won it all anyway.”

John Lovelace showed out over the weekend, as did Sincere Malone, Logan Applegate, and more. Jonathan Dunn reminded everyone he is a walking double-double.

“The whole team played well and were connected,” Yanders says. “You hope for those moments where it all comes together, and this tournament was one of them. We are all excited; this is great for our young program.”

You do not have to wait to see We Are United prep back in action. They host Link Year prep tonight (Wednesday, 3/2) right here at The Basketball Movement at 8:00 PM. So come out and see why you should be hyped about what Rob Yanders and his crew are doing with the hoop scene in SW MO. We will see you there!

The process before the promise

Jeremiah Dotson of We Are United prep has received an offer from West Plain Junior College.

After putting in WORK with Robert Yanders and We Are United prep, Jeremiah Dotson has received an offer from a Division 1 Jr College (NJCAA Region 16) just down the road. West Plains has a history of recognizing hard workers and slept-on talent, so this offer for JDot should come as no surprise.

“He has been one of the best at embracing the process,” Head Coach Rob Yanders says of his We Are United athlete. “He likes this offer, and I believe the fit would be a good one. But, as always, that is for him to decide.”

Wherever Dotson commits, he says that they will be getting a hard worker and someone they can count on to be “the same guy every day.”

“It has been a long, hard process being able to get better,” Dotson says. “I have really been finding myself (at We Are United) and discovering my true position.”

In addition to his on-court acumen, Dotson has found himself developing as a person under Rob Yanders. “It has really prepared me for life after basketball,” Dotson says.

Originally from Brown Deer, Wisconsin, finding himself in Springfield, Missouri, has invigorated Dotson much the same way it did for Milwaukee’s Rob Yanders years ago. An offer from West Plains makes for a nice full-circle moment for one of the most all-in players that Yanders has in his We Are United program.

Dotson is already a steady rebounder and has the ability to play around the rim on both ends of the floor. He says he is focusing on his low-post game, and we are excited to see his continued improvement as he contemplates his next steps.

Congratulations, Jeremiah! We will be in our corner no matter your decision!