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!

MaxPreps previews several national top players

With high school hoops ramping up, we examine MaxPreps’ picks for top players in the nation at each position.

Thousands and thousands of high school players suit up each basketball season. Many of them are pretty darn good. To stand out in such a sea of athletes is not easy, yet every year, players rise to the top. MaxPreps is one of the authorities in high school sports, and they sift through these athletes to bring us many of the top guards, wings, and bigs in the country.

Many of these players will meet or beat expectations. Each season, many new names will rise up to overshadow some of these guys. But for now, here is MaxPreps top players coming into a big boys prep season:

Guards:

  1. Sharife Cooper (McEachern)

  2. Cade Cunningham (Montverde Academy)

  3. Jalen Green (Prolific Prep)

  4. Cam Thomas (Oak Hill Academy)

  5. Jaden Springer (IMG Academy)

  6. Brandon Boston Jr. (Sierra Canyon)

  7. Jalen Suggs (Minnehaha Academy)

  8. Josh Christopher (Mayfair)

  9. Reece Beekman (Scotlandville)

  10. Andre Curbelo (Long Island Lutheran)

Wings

  1. Jalen Johnson (IMG Academy)

  2. Emoni Bates (Lincoln)

  3. Jonathan Kuminga (Patrick School)

  4. Scottie Barnes (Montverde Academy)

  5. Ziaire Williams (Sierra Canyon)

  6. Patrick Baldwin Jr. (Hamilton)

  7. A.J. Griffin (Archbisop Stepinac)

  8. Marjon Beauchamp (Dream City Christian)

  9. Earl Timberlake Jr. (DeMatha)

  10. Aminu Mohammad (Greenwood)

Bigs

  1. Paolo Banchero (O’Dea)

  2. Evan Mobely (Rancho Christian)

  3. Day’Ron Sharpe (Montverde Academy)

  4. Greg Brown III (Vandegrift)

  5. Chet Holmgran (Minnehaha Academy)

  6. Isaiah Todd (Word of God Christian Academy)

  7. Walker Kessler (Woodward Academy)

  8. Mark Williams (IMG Academy)

  9. Jalen Duren (Roman Catholic)

  10. Cliff Omoruyi (Roselle Catholic)

These players should be fun to watch this season, but again, there are many more diamonds in the rough out there too that we will be hearing about soon. As always, it should be an exciting season for high school hoops.

Stay with us as we bring more local and national coverage of high school hoops in addition to NCAA updates and our Around the NBA series.

The Basketball Movement Invitational 2019: Day Three

Day three of The Basketball Movement Invitational Camp is all about the games - time to showcase what got these guys invited in the first place.

Starting with light stretching and shooting, today’s focus quickly turns to the games this morning. Day two was great; a full morning of drills and workouts culminated in a night of ferocious competition. Today should prove to be even better, as the teams fight to be the best.

Some extra incentive has been placed on these games by Rob Yanders, saying that the coach of the winning team will receive a nice little bonus… Hey, if you don’t perform in the real world and come together, unfortunately, coaches don’t always get to stick around long. This is a fun little twist that puts a competitive spin on things for all involved.

Check out the below, as Yanders highlighted some of the top performers from last night in our NBA Division:

If you couldn’t make it out last night, we highly recommend catching some of the games this morning, which are slated to run consecutively until around noon (EDIT: STRETCHING AND WARMUPS STARTED AROUND 9:00 AM, SO THE GAMES WILL BE BUMPED APPROX. AN HOUR BACK FROM THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULE). Once again: These games are open to the public! We highly recommend this to any area fan of HS basketball. Think Bass Pro Tournament of Champions with evenly distributed talent, an urban atmosphere, and blue-color work ethic and intensity. Just be here. See for yourself.

At the time this is being written, there are still a few more courtside, luxury leather seats available, first-come-first-served!

We’ll be coming at you with highlights and a weekend recap that will have Rob Yanders selections for his All-Camp guys. Stay tuned and hopefully, we see you soon!

The Basketball Movement Invitational 2019: Day Two

On the first day of The Basketball Movement Invitational Camp, we should have known better than to tell you to wait for day two for competitive fire.

Alright, alright, so the “getting to know you” portion of day one lasted about 30 minutes and the ferocious competition may have started a bit earlier than normal. That may or may not have been intentional on the part of Rob Yanders, whose opening remarks for the camp included the question “Who you got beef with? Who do you want to go at?” This was adamantly answered by a few camp-goers, who got their wish in the form of some king of the court after warmups.

This set the tone for not just the rest of the night, but the rest of the camp. Everyone got in on 1v1, 3v3, and some 4v4 king of the court, an impromptu “show your stuff” dunk free-for-all broke out, and we started several in-camp rivalries already.

If night one was any indication, day two is going to be tuff.

The morning portion will consist of warmups and stretching, followed by positional station work and drills on the court. Lunch is going to be provided at the gym for the players and a guest speaker will be joining us right after.

Things have been moved up a bit from our schedule released a few days ago.

Teams and game times for the evening games will be posted at 4:00 and then games will be played on both courts simultaneously on the hour the rest of the night starting at 5:00 and wrapping things up between 9:00 and 10:00 pm. These games are open to the public, so feel free to stop by at any point! We have luxury leather seating courtside and bleachers for overflow.

So far so good for heated action as usual at The Basketball Movement. The competition is already at the level we were hoping for and it will only go up from here. These are going to be fierce games between high-level competitors, so we highly recommend you make it out if you are a basketball fan. We are sporting talent from all over the country, plenty from St. Louis, and a good amount of local talent from the Springfield-metro area, so come out and support your hometown guys!

Keep it locked to our social media channels, primarily Twitter and Instagram to stay on top of the action throughout the day. Hope to see you tonight!

The Basketball Movement Invitational 2019: Day One

The time has finally come for The Basketball Movement Invitational. Tonight is day one, where we start focusing nervous energy into focus and determination.

At The Basketball Movement Invitational, day one is all about setting expectations, making the players feel special, and honing in on what will be an intense weekend. Once the expectations are set and the focus is at laser level, the spark will ignite the competitive fire that the next couple of days will be all about.

The players are getting hooked up with gear, getting professional headshots, hearing opening remarks from The Basketball Movement’s FOunder and Lead Trainer Rob Yanders, and then doing some light stretching and shooting. The players will get a takeaway dinner at the conclusion of the night.

As this is being written, the players are lined up for their pictures. Taping stations have been set up and those players that need them are utilizing them before we hit the floor. Music is pumping, there are plenty of introductions being made, and everyone is anxiously anticipating the official start to the weekend of basketball.

The nervous energy will fade fast, as these are already established players that know exactly what to do when they hit the court. Our drills and stations won’t be so much for teaching new concepts as sharpening existing skills and making sure that bad habits aren’t lingering in anyone’s fundamentals.

Tonight will be good for meeting new people but come tomorrow night, they will be broken up into teams and clash in a big way.

Stay tuned to The Basketball Movement on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and right here as we keep you up to date on one of the biggest camps and showcases in the area for high school boys’ talent.

Rob Yanders' first wave of Invitational players

With the date of The Basketball Movement Invitational drawing closer, Rob Yanders has put out his first 50 invitations

Primarily keeping things in-state to start, The Basketball Movement’s Rob Yanders has put out the first 50 names to be invited to the prestigious Invitational Camp. If you have been following along on our Instagram, you have already seen several local names dropping in. The list has recently been bolstered with some of the top talent in Missouri and beyond.

Big names are already on the board in this first 50 selection. Per Rob, a few of the biggest are: Patrick Baldwin (6’8” Hamilton High, WI) , Michael Foster Jr. (6’8” Hillcrest Prep, WI), Desmond Polk (6’4” La Lumiere, WI), Phillip Russell (5’10” Vashon High), Jordan Nesbitt (6’6” StL Christian Academy), Anton Brookshire (6’2” Kickapoo High), Rashad McDaniels (6’0” StL Christian Academy), and Kentucky commit Cam’Ron Fletcher (6’5” Vashon High).

The talent keeps going, with other notable players such as Luke Kasubke (6’5” Chaminade Prep), Ryan Kalkbrenner (7’0” Trinity Catholic High), Kobe Clark (6’4” Vashon High), Caleb Love (6’3” Christian Brothers College High), Rob Martin (5’9” Christian Brothers College High), Evan Guillory (6’2” Joplin High), Alex Martini (6’8” Carthage High), Quenton Shelton (6’2” Lebanon High), Dantae Taylor (6’1” Parkview High), and Isaac Haney (6’0” Dora High).

Rounding out the first 50 invitees are Austin Garrett, Anthony Green, Andrew McMillin, Bline Cline, Cameron Liggins, Carson Noel, Devon McMillin, Elijah Bridgers, Evan Mayse, Elijah Whitley, Grisham Aleshire, Jaiden Carrasqullo, Jadon Gilpin, Jason Jones, Jordan Kerr, Joshua Tate, Kamaren Bevel, Kaden Bruce, Kyke Flavin, Kanon Gipson, Kelby Stuckey, Logan Applegate, Lucas Kimbrough, Shawn Killion, Sergio McClain, Trevon Brazile, Ty Cooper, Tavari Eckwood, Tyler Harmon, Tyren Hendrix, and Zach Howell.

Sporting so much elite talent, the camp also acts as a showcase of sorts. SLAM, Ballislife, and more will be in attendance. Sponsors as of now are Nike, Eastbay, Spalding, Houlihan’s, Hilton Garden Inn, Guaranty Bank, Old Missouri Bank, and TLC Properties.

We know we have been all up in your feed with talk about The Basketball Movement Invitational. The thing is though, there is plenty to talk about! We count on our following being fans of basketball. If that is true and you are a fan of the sport at any level, you have to see this camp and you have to watch these young men in action.

It will have traditional camp elements such as skill development, maintenance, and enhancement. However, it will be ramped up beyond what most players may be used to. The drills will pit these elite talents against each other with the understanding that iron sharpens iron. Game situations and competitive opportunities will abound, making the whole thing a visual feast for basketball purists.

Remember to check back here and on our social media pages for the final 50 invites as well as more details on the 10.4-6-.19 event.

Who's who: The Basketball Movement Invitational names rolling out

Follow along with The Basketball Movement on Instagram as we announce players that will be playing at the Invitational Camp.

As we approach the 10.4-6.19 dates for The Basketball Movement Invitational Camp, more and more high school boys are being selected to participate. In addition to being a traditional camp, this will also be a showcase of sorts for elite talent. The player base will range from local names to players from all over the country.

The Basketball Movement is the prime location for an event of this caliber, as we have worked tirelessly to prepare the most professional facility we can while remaining urban and authentic at the same time.

A full list of players has yet to be completely established. However, you can follow along with The Basketball Movement on Instagram as we roll out the names there. The already impressive lineup will continue to grow over the next month.

Whether you are a participant or not, this camp will be a spectacle worth taking in. The camp will be based around competitive drills and aggressive play. An emphasis will be placed on game situations, so there will be plenty of scrimmage action that will be as impressive as you will find anywhere on the high school scene.

Remember to give us that follow on Instagram to keep up with the happenings. Then, make sure you are keeping up on Twitter and here as we bring you coverage of the event!

The Basketball Movement Invitational 2019 announced

Coming back again, we present The Basketball Movement Invitational Camp 2019 for high school boys.

Part camp, part tournament, part showcase, The Basketball Movement Invitational brings in impressive talent to give elite players an opportunity to be around other top-tier athletes. Iron sharpens iron, and the contests were plenty hot last year. This year should prove to be more of the same and then some, as we focus heavily on game situations and ferocious competition.

Despite the emphasis on head-to-head growth opportunities, The Basketball Movement will naturally still be serving up its patented brand of skill development, maintenance, and enhancement. It is always a good time to brush up on the fundamentals of the game, but also to refine some of the finer skills for these athletes.

Our coaches have worked with all levels of players up through the NBA and can pinpoint exactly what it takes to get you to the next court in your career. If former pro and expert motivational speaker, Rob Yanders can’t light a fire under you to step it up, this level of play may not be for you.

The Basketball Movement Invitational 2019 is slated for October 4th-6th.

Don’t worry if you haven’t heard from us yet; the invite list will be rolling out soon. If time passes and you believe that you have been left out, shoot us an email at basketballmovement@yahoo.com and we will let you know if you have a spot at our camp.

Make sure you are following The Basketball Movement on your preferred social media platform as we roll out more details, media from last year’s Invitational, and more basketball goodness. We hope to see you in September!

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.

Players from both Yanders Law and The Basketball Movement set to face off

With their teams gearing up for a Missouri class 5 sectional showdown, we talk to a few of our athletes as they prepare for battle.

Anton Brookshire and Elijah Bridgers play for perhaps Springfield, MO’s most prominent basketball school - Kickapoo High. They are also players that we have had the privilege of working with at The Basketball Movement and Yanders Law. Drew McMillin is another one, but he plays for a Republic squad that has exceeded expectations and finds themselves squaring off with the above Kickapoo duo in sectionals.

Kickapoo won their district title in dramatic fashion and are now hoping to go on a run. Following a workout at The Basketball Movement, we chatted with Brookshire and Bridgers to get a feel for their mindset as the stage continues to get bigger and brighter.

Perhaps no player in the state has made the splash to this point that Kickapoo’s Anton Brookshire has. That splash being a game-winning three pointer to take the district title over Nixa.

Anton Brookshire

During the final play of of the district championship game, Anton Brookshire’s adrenaline was pumping. “It was a dream come true. I knew that I would take the shot, but I also knew that I would make the shot.” Despite having such a huge moment already, Anton is poised to raise his stock, even as a sophomore as Kickapoo prepares for sectionals.

Brookshire says they have already watched a lot of film and will continue to scout Republic. He says that the team’s chemistry and bonding these last few weeks has grown exponentially and that they will be ready.

“Being at The Basketball Movement almost everyday surrounded by good people has made me grow as a player and a person. The way my game has grown - I think that this is the greatest environment a player can be in.”
— Brookshire on The Basketball Movement

Elijah Bridgers

Another Kickapoo player, junior Elijah Bridgers can confirm that the team is focused, determined, and willing to do whatever it takes to stay alive. “We approach every game the same way, but this time of year, you have to turn it up,” Bridgers said.

If they play the right way, Elijah says they can beat anyone. He pointed out that they have already beaten plenty of good teams this season. Asked about takeaways from Rob and The Basketball Movement, Bridgers said that the intensity will translate well into March basketball. Every time you take the floor at The Basketball Movement, you need to bring your A-game. The same will certainly apply at sectionals as well.

Drew McMillin

On the other side of things, we had the opportunity to chat with Republic’s Drew McMillin before Thursday’s big tilt. In his time with Yanders Law and The Basketball Movement, Drew said that he has learned how to deal with almost all possible situations on the basketball court. This experience will help as Republic locks in on the Kickapoo Chiefs; he says that their coach has stressed the importance of staying in the moment and focusing on taking this run one game at a time.

McMillan says that as they buckle down to face the stiffer competition that the offense has a renewed focus on getting smart shots as opposed to free-flowing ball that could lead to mistakes.

Asked about the biggest moment of the season, Drew believes the win over Ozark to seal the conference championship takes it so far. “We had lost several games before that win and it really helped us to come together,” he said.

A win over Kickapoo in the sectionals may be sweeter, but he’ll have to go through Brookshire, Bridgers, and company to do it.

Good luck to these and all area athletes as high school ball nears its conclusion. Keep and eye out as we talk with more of our successful athletes soon about their quest for a state championship.

One-on-One: Twilah Carrasquillo

Yanders Law’s Twilah Carrasquillo continues to do big things for Verona High School and is poised to carry over her success to the collegiate level.

Another staple of The Basketball Movement and a Yanders Law veteran, Twilah Carrasquillo is continuing her basketball career in style, breaking records along the way. We got to catch up with her in the middle of a great season for Verona High, where she recently broke the women’s scoring record - held by her sister.

She eclipsed the 2,000 point mark and is continuing to build upon a Verona women’s career scoring record. Asked if her sister was upset about her record being broken, Carrasquillo said “She would have been mad if I didn’t break it.” Not surprising then, that she credited her school, friends, and family for the support that helped her achieve this goal. She acknowledged the rarity of this scoring mark in her sport but is determined to stay focused on team wins.

As Verona advances through their season, accolades will undoubtedly pile up for the Ozarks Sports Zone Player of the Week, who has already committed to continuing her hoops career at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas.

For Twilah, attending Benedictine is as much about lifestyle as it is about hoops. Many athletes forget that it is okay to remain passionate about more than just the sport you play - Twilah is a shining example of staying true to yourself.

“The coaching staff and girls were very welcoming,” said Carrasquillo. “Benedictine is strongly Christian as a historic Catholic school. I knew it was the place to be because I could fit in as a teammate and also as a person.”

We have seen Twilah in action enough to know that she will be one of the team’s hardest workers right away. Her character and convictions will carry her through no matter what.

Twilah Carrasquillo with Yanders Law and The Basketball Movement

Asked how she originally fell in with Robert Yanders and Yanders Law, Twilah recalled playing against his team. Her Dad was coaching against Rob in Springfield and was approached by Rob and Sly Yanders to discuss a change of scenery. The instincts of Rob to invite the Carraquillos into his organization were spot-on, as they have all been shining examples of basketball the Rob Yanders way.

Aside from playing for Yanders Law, Twilah has put in many hours at The Basketball Movement, honing her craft. She is a gifted scorer inside and out and is continuing to expand her range, shore up her handles, and round into a fantastic all-around player.

“My biggest takeaways from working with Rob have a lot to do with having a better and deeper knowledge of the game. Knowing so many circumstances helps you see plays before they happen.”
— Twilah Carrasquillo

After a successful Yanders Law tenure and as she winds down a fantastic high school career, we asked Twilah what advice she would give other players as they go through the process of picking a college. “Don’t get overwhelmed with what division school it is, just pick whatever is the best decision for you” Carrasquillo said. “Choose what fits with your life. You can’t play ball forever, so always pick something you love.”

With priorities in order, determination, and basketball skills for days, Twilah Carrasquillo is blazing into the next chapter of life armed to the teeth. Her time with us has been a pleasure, hopefully on both ends. We hope that when she makes trips back to see her family and friends that we can still put in some work together when possible.

We thrive on helping outstanding young players like Twilah along their journey. We wish her the absolute best and can’t wait to see what she’ll do next!

One-on-One: Emily Edwards

Nixa High’s junior point guard is scoring in bunches and applying the lessons she learned working with The Basketball Movement.

As a 2020 graduate, Emily Edwards has already given her verbal commitment to play basketball at the collegiate level. Though she is already primed for the next level, her drive to improve is constant. We had a chance to talk with Emily following a workout; she dished about her time at The Basketball Movement, balancing sports and school, and her future.

You can still count the Nixa lady’s losses on just one hand at this point in the season. A lot of that is due to stellar play at the point guard position from Edwards. She says that the team has all the right pieces and should go far.

Edwards describes herself as a scoring point guard because she is excellent at shooting off the dribble and drilling open triples. She still loves to distribute and has rounded into an offensive threat on and off the ball. When asked what she was doing to take her game to the next level, she explained that she is “always working on D“ and “getting better off the ball by using screen and cuts.” Her game is getting love inside and out as she strives to improve her range as well as finishing around the rim.

Emily Edwards at The Basketball Movement

Asked how she originally hooked up with Rob Yanders and The Basketball Movement, Emily recalled three or four years back hearing several local players talking about their time here. Once she tried out The Basketball Movement for herself, she kept coming back. Emily is the kind of driven athlete that we at The Basketball Movement love to have come through our doors.

We asked her what her biggest takeaways have been in her time with Rob and The Basketball Movement. The answer was not far off from what we have heard from other athletes, but it is always music to our ears:

“It’s shown me how hard you have to work to get better - which has been paying off. Everything there has to be done right every time, which can be applied to all other practices and everything else.”
— Emily Edwards

Boys and girls, men and women, Rob has worked with athletes of all ages, but the messages are consistent. Working hard is incredibly important, but working the right way is just as important. The athletes like Emily Edwards that truly understand this concept and put in the time are the ones that can continue to take their game to the next level - which Emily is.

What’s next

Edwards has verbally committed to Rockhurst University in Kansas City. She said that she visited the campus and loved it, the coaches, and the program. She was also impressed with the quality of the pre-med program, signaling her drive to succeed in multiple facets of life.

To even think about a pre-med path, you have to be a driven, confident student. It is not surprising that Edwards fits this bill. We asked her for any advice for our other athletes as they strive to balance school, basketball, and anything else like deciding on a college, major, and so forth.

“Keep working hard in all areas. If you love it, do it. Make sure to remain efficient with your time - stuff like doing as much homework as you can before practice. Of course also enjoy everything you do and just have fun.”
— Edwards on school/sports balance

As she continues to be a catalyst for the Nixa Eagles offense, Emily will undoubtedly remain strong in character and drive. We are thrilled to have been a part of her journey to this point and hope to remain a part for years to come. She is an excellent example of where The Basketball Movement can take you.

To step up you or your athlete’s game on and off the court, contact The Basketball Movement at basketballmovement@hotmail.com and we can help take you to the next level!

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!