Yanders Law commitments

Since late December, Yanders Law has had a trio of college commitments, keeping top talent local.

Producing a pair of Drury Panthers and an Evangel Valor, Yanders Law is continuing to sharpen local stars. Logan Applegate and Elijah Whitley will play for Drury this fall, and Lyla Watson will suit up for Evangel.

Watson has been with Yanders Law for years and is a much different player now than when she started. She has always been a potent shooter, but she has grown as an all-around scorer and distributor even just over the last few years. However, her defense undoubtedly pushed her over the top into the collegiate talent she is now. Lyla can guard virtually any position and anchored some great defensive squads during her time with the Yanders Law program.

Elijah Whitley committed to Drury right before Christmas and then proceeded to give Panther fans plenty to look forward to with Parkview’s holiday games. For Yanders Law, Elijah has always been a great competitor, and it was a blast to see his athleticism catch defenders off-guard, resulting in many above-the-rim highlights for the standout guard.

Logan Applegate recently announced that he would be playing for the Drury Panthers as well. Applegate not only was a standout with Yanders Law but has been continuing to elevate his play with We Are United - Rob Yanders’ prep school. Logan has a knack for remaining completely cool while utterly dismantling a defense with his three-point shooting, athleticism, and elite court vision. He turns heads wherever he goes. Fans are in for a treat, and opponents are in for a nasty surprise.

Whitley and Applegate are not the only Yanders Law teammates playing college hoops in Missouri, with Isaac Haney and Elijah Bridgers at Missouri State and Anton Brookshire and Trevon Brazile holding it down up north at Mizzou.

Robert Yanders and all of the other coaches of Yanders Law are immensely proud of these individuals. Each year, the talent level of the Yanders Law program seems to climb higher and higher, so stay tuned as more big news always seems to be just around the corner. #LawNation

Keeping up with We Are United

As Rob Yanders prep school, We Are United continues its inaugural campaign, make sure that you do not miss anything.

The Basketball Movement is the home of We Are United prep, a school formed by Robert Yanders that is elevating the local hoops scene like never before. Behind the scenes, Yanders is working tirelessly to ensure his student-athletes receive the education they need and the care they deserve. When the lights come on and the opening tip is underway, that is when you the fan can see the product.

Where is the best place to see these things? For starters: The Basketball Movement. Contact us if you want to catch these up-and-comers in action, and we will let you know the best time to do so!

You can also check out weareunitedbasketball.com for the program’s tentative schedule as well as player bios, coach bios, and more.

The easiest way to keep up with the action is across social media. The Basketball Movement posts some We Are United content, but the school has its own pages as well. Check out the Instagram here.

We Are United is also on Twitter! Check out the Twitter page here and give Head Coach Rob Yanders a follow while you are there, as he posts We Are United content as well.

Keep up with the movement - you will not be disappointed! For coverage on other prep starts from around the area, stay tuned. The Basketball Movement has a big announcement coming soon about exclusive coverage of high school basketball in Southwest Missouri, and we cannot wait to share it with you.

Follow the movement!

Saturday Clinics at The Basketball Movement

One of our favorite offerings, The Basketball Movement Saturday Clinics, remains in full swing.

The Basketball Movement’s bread and butter is our individual or group skill development training (contact us for more info!). However, not every hooper is ready for intense training, whether due to age or skill level. That is why Rob Yanders implemented Saturday Clinics, an inexpensive way for young players to work on the basics and sharpen their basketball skills.

Every Saturday, the Clinics are held from 9:00-11:00 am unless otherwise posted on our site or social pages.

These mini-camp-style open gyms are for both boys and girls from 2nd to 8th grade. It is $25 to participate. Parents of multiple eligible athletes may be entitled to a discount.

Registration is not necessary, but if you have questions or want to ensure spots, you can call (417) 861-2166 and speak with Coach Craig.

There are no plans for limiting the number of individuals at this time, but as we continue monitoring the impact of the pandemic, we ask that you adhere to best common-sense practices. If possible, we ask that you limit non-participants that come in and practice social distancing as you observe or move about the facility.

Saturday Clinics and are a fun weekend activity that we are thrilled to provide to our community. If you have any further questions, call, or email basketballmovement@yahoo.com

We look forward to seeing you!

We Are United vs. Sunrise Christian

Tonight is an away game for We Are United, but the squad still gets to play right down the road!

We Are United gets an opportunity to continue its stellar season tonight, facing Sunrise Christian Academy. The game will be held at Baptist Bible College right here in Springfield, Missouri.

Tipoff tonight (1/6) is at 8:15 PM CST.

“We are excited to be back at it,” says Head Coach Rob Yanders. “Everyone had a good Christmas break, and we are ready to continue building upon our hard work from last year.”

The student-athletes of We Are United prep are fired up to hit the books in addition to getting back on the court. Yanders is expecting big things from these young men after seeing what they can do so far. Hard practices, tough opponents, and high expectations have guided the team so far.

Tonight will be another excellent test.

Sunrise Christian is a Nike Elite team out of Bel Aire, Kansas. They are a storied program that plays some of the top prep talent year in and year out. Just this year, they boast wins over Oak Hill, La Lumiere, IMG Academy, and more.

Coach Yanders says that playing Sunrise Christian will be yet another great challenge for his squad.

Come out and support one of the biggest movements in local hoops! We would love to see some of our allies from around Southwest MO in the stands. See you there!

Around the NBA: Health and safety protocols

Several seasons later, the NBA is still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

To this point, the NBA has placed approximately 113 players in the health and safety protocols since the 2020-21 regular season began. One hundred of those have been in December, and three are in for the second time.

These hurdles are an unfortunate obstacle in what had started off feeling like a typical NBA season. Over 95 percent of players were reportedly vaccinated coming into tipoff in October, but vaccination does not mean immunity. Now, with so many players removed from their teams, we are back to game postponements and teams struggling to come up with the mandatory eight-player minimum for games.

Many star players such as Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, Ja Morant, Anthony Edwards, Zach Lavine, De’Aaron Fox, and more have been impacted. The Brooklyn Nets even planned to bring Kyrie Irving back to fill the gaps on road games (he is unvaccinated and can therefore not play in New York). But, ironically, he entered the protocols on day one of his return.

This turmoil feels a bit like the struggles from the early days of the pandemic. Hopefully, this wave hitting the NBA gets under control sooner than later.

The NFL is currently dealing with similar struggles. Well-known to be less stringent and frankly vague about policies and testing related to COVID-19, the new issues are less than surprising. However, both leagues being hit simultaneously does serve as a reminder that the pandemic is still real and dangerous.

We selfishly hope the world of basketball clears up quickly so we can get back to watching hoops. However, we also want to use this instance as a reminder for those who come through our doors locally to be diligent with hygiene and socially considerate to minimize risking playing time for our hardworking athletes, not to mention the health of everyone.

All of the players missing action means significant opportunities for players being called up from the G-League and other areas. We wish all these players luck on the big stage and are thankful to have interesting pro hoops to sustain us while we wait for the league to be back at full strength.

Stay tuned to The Basketball Movement as we keep up with the happenings around the NBA!

We Are United vs. MSU West Plains

Tonight marks a coming home party as Coach Rob Yanders takes his We Are United prep team to his old stomping grounds.

One of the most decorated hoopers to play at MSU West Plains, Robert Yanders, is going back, this time as a coach. Yanders’ newest undertaking, his We Are United prep school, has been a labor of love. Tonight’s game will provide as much love as ever as he reunites with old coaches, his host parents, and one of the gyms he grew as a player in.

Gametime is 7:00 PM Central at Joe Paul Evans Arena

Yanders was a two-time All-American at MSU West Plains and has been inducted into their Hall of Fame. Going back will be a blast, but count on his competitive nature being most prevalent once it is time for tipoff.

“We are looking forward to it,” Yanders says. “I had some of the best times of my life at West Plains, and I am excited to see everyone. I’m also excited for healthy competition for our guys.”

We Are United is 5-1 in-season, and this will be their final game before the Christmas break.

“This should be a fun game and a nice way to finish the year before the break,” Yanders says. “Our players are excited to play and also excited to head back home to be with their families once we take care of business..”

Yanders says that once the players get some deserved R&R, they should be more than ready to go in the new year. Already battle-tested and proven, the best is yet to come for this We Are United team in the school’s inaugural season.

For more on We Are United and all things basketball, keep it locked to The Basketball Movement.

Keeping your head in the game

Knowing and understanding various situations in basketball can be the difference between winning and losing.

There is a lot that goes into understanding the sport of basketball. There is more to it than putting the ball in the hoop. Coaching and experience are two essential pieces involved in this understanding.

The Basketball Movement can help further a player's knowledge about many aspects of the sport. The nuances of ball-handling, shooting, and how to conduct yourself are a few examples.

Game-time situations come at you fast. Sometimes, in those instances, you learn the most, whether you get it right or especially if you get it wrong.

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”
— Michael Jordon

Even the most experienced can still falter

For all of your coaching, practice, and game experience, you will still make mistakes. Overplaying passing lanes, trying too hard to thread a pass into the post, the list of possibilities is very long.

A player must keep track of what they can control. Always being aware of the time on the game clock (or shot clock), how many fouls you have, and the score are simple yet important facets of the game.

Even a grizzled NBA veteran like JR Smith can still make basic mistakes. Don't be a JR Smith.

Keep your head in the game and control as much of what happens as you can. Mistakes will happen; the best players often average the most turnovers.

Don't sweat the small stuff, but also do not assume that you will make the correct decisions at all times. Take deep breaths, analyze as much of each situation as time will allow, and play the game.

To continue taking your game to the next level, get in touch with us here at The Basketball Movement.

NCAA - Men and women's rankings

College hoops are officially underway, meaning the rankings and comparisons have begun.

You likely know by know how we feel about rankings. No matter the algorithms to determine the strength of schedule, no ranking list holds up for long. The eye test remains as valid as anything else, though it is filtered through biases and knowledge of the sport. So can any ranking list truly be trusted in the sports world? No. Do sports fans, including ourselves, still appreciate a good ranking list? Of course.

There is nothing quite like a healthy hoops discussion to decide who is the best of the best. So we indulge in rankings ourselves, whether local prep players or the teams on the biggest stage in the NBA.

Below are the rankings as of December 6th for men’s NCAA hoops per ESPN. Check for yourself to see if they got it right and draw your own conclusions! (First-place votes in parenthesis)

Can Purdue keep up the good work? Will Memphis continue to implode, keeping them off this list all year? There is still plenty of basketball left to be played, and we are excited to find out all of the answers.

On the women’s side, also as of Dec. 6th, ESPN rightly has the 9-0 South Carolina Gamecocks at number one.

NC State, UConn, Louisville, Tennessee, Baylor, Arizona, Stanford, Texas, and Maryland round out the top ten.

UConn superstar Paige Buekers was injured this week and will miss 6-8 weeks. The Huskies will be hard-pressed to keep their March Madness hopes alive without the most electric player in women’s college hoops.

There is quite a bit of overlap on the top 25 lists between men's and women’s squads so far. The most notable case is Baylor, with the number two men’s team and number six women’s. It will be interesting to see which basketball powerhouse schools remain near the top of both lists.

Stay tuned for more NCAA news as well as a little bit of everything else from the world of hoops!

Player spotlight: Anton Brookshire and Trevon Brazile

A pair of Mizzou freshmen, Anton Brookshire and Trevon Brazile, are Yanders Law alumni repping in the SEC.

Coming off of some of the most successful seasons in Yanders Law history, the program now boasts division 1 players at multiple big-name schools. Two of those athletes are decorated prep hoopers Trevon Brazile and Anton Brookshire, who are set to make an impact on the next stage.

As freshmen, Brazile and Brookshire are hard-pressed to utilize their time and make an impact for a team in one of the country’s most prominent conferences. Mizzou is (as of the time of this writing) 4-4, not having played a game against an SEC opponent yet.

Brazile is already an imposing presence at 6’9, and will only grow into a more significant threat as he adds to his frame. He can punish opponents in the open floor and will become a crucial part of Mizzou’s rotation once he builds on his ability to bang in the paint.

Brookshire has seen the floor several times this season and has looked like a willing facilitator. He has added muscle over the offseason, and once he gets his outside stroke going, which we all know he will, he will be ready to show out in a big way.

The Basketball Movement and Yanders Law are proud of these young athletes. They could have gone to smaller schools and stood out immediately, but they were willing to take on the challenge of climbing through a big program, which will undoubtedly pay of during their basketball journey.

With other strong freshmen such as Sean Durugotdon, Yaya Keita, and Kaleb Brown, the future of Tigers hoops looks bright.

Zero Gravity - We Are United

We Are United prep is hitting the road again, this time New England-bound to face more stiff competition at the Zero Gravity prep classic.

No, Zero Gravity is not a nickname for the high-flying Jonathan Dunn (though we suppose it could be). The ZG Prep Classic is a large-scale annual prep hoops event outside of Boston that will give We Are United and its athletes yet another chance to shine.

A description of the event below was pulled from basketball.exposure.com:

“The ZG Prep Classic returns for the 2021-22 season. We are thrilled to have the event at the premier basketball facility in the Northeast, the beautiful Dana Barros Basketball Club. With over 60 top prep programs committed throughout North America, this year's Prep Classic is slated to be the biggest event in the country. Perennial NEPSAC powerhouses headline the event that will have college prospects that fit every program in America. A must-attend for everyone from High Majors to High Academic D3s. Schedule coming soon, stay tuned on @ZeroGravityBB on Twitter & Instagram to see program commitments and schedule announcements.”

Per the official schedule, We Are United is set to play on days 2 and 3 of the event:

Saturday, December 4th - 12:00 PM (EST) on court five vs. Speights Academy (FL)

Sunday, December 5th - 9:00 AM (EST) on court one vs. Canamera Prep (CAN)

Head Coach Rob Yanders says that his squad is excited to take to the road again. “There will be great prep schools there,” Yanders says. “We currently have a 3-1 in-season record, and we are ready to put that on the line. There is no team we are scared of.”

Coming off of an impressive showing in Atlanta facing professional Overtime Elite squads, Yanders confidence seems well warranted. Follow along with We Are United on Instagram and stay tuned right here at The Basketball Movement, home of We Are United prep.

Around the NBA: Updated power rankings

This is a reminder to check out The Basketball Movement’s NBA power rankings to see who is the best of the best.

The top hoops league in the world, the National Basketball Association, is a source of talent, inspiration, and entertainment unlike any other. The Basketball Movement closely monitors the NBA so that we can learn from the best. Also, it is damn fun to watch.

Each year, we post power rankings for the top 15 teams and update them every few weeks to help keep you in the loop when it comes to basketball at the highest level.

Records, winning streaks, and injuries to star players are all factors, but teams also need to pass the eye test.

We recently updated our rankings, and the landscape has already changed quite a bit compared to how things were early in the 2021-22 season.

Check out our updated rankings on our NBA page and catch up on what is happening around the NBA. For everything else, keep it locked, as always, to The Basketball Movement.

We Are United hands OTE first loss

Coach Rob Yanders and his We Are United prep team hand OTE their first loss.

In a big weekend for We Are United prep, the team traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, to face the impressive ball clubs of Overtime Elite. The squad went 1-1, handing Team Elite their first loss of the season before falling to Team Overtime on the final day.

The Overtime Elite model is designed to churn out top-level players, already paying players a base salary of $100k annually with several making substantially more. For We Are United, in its first season ever, to come in and grab a victory is a massive step for the young prep school.

“We wanted two wins, but we are still excited,” Head Coach Rob Yanders says. “Giving that team its first loss - a team of professional basketball players - that is huge for our program.”

To have the squad performing at a high level in front of NBA scouts and D1 coaches is all anyone involved at We Are United could ask for. This fulfills Coach Yanders’ promise to these players and their families that trusted him and his new school. Yanders feels that his guys stepped up for him as well.

“All of our guys played well and represented our program the way we expect,” Yanders says. “In our first year to be playing against future NBA lottery picks…  that is a great test. The future is bright for our guys.”

Yanders also wants to be sure and thank his coaching staff as well as the fan support that traveled all the way to Georgia. “I also want to give very special thanks to OTE for having us,” Yanders says.

What Overtime has built in Atlanta is impressive, from the overall Overtime Elite structure to the facility itself. See the facility and our guys in action in the below video by OTE!

We Are United vs. Overtime Elite

We Are United prep is in Atlanta, Georgia, to face fierce competition and achieve maximum exposure this weekend.

We Are United is coming on strong in the prep hoops scene and is traveling this weekend to face another young program already producing elite talent.

Overtime Elite was started several years ago from a collaboration between great basketball minds. The board includes names like Carmelo Anthony and Jay Williams, and the coaching staff has multiple former NBA players as well. OTE is described on their website by the below:

“OTE (Overtime Elite) is a transformative new sports league that offers the world’s most talented young basketball players a better pathway to becoming professional athletes and engage and inspire a new generation of fans.”

The brand “Overtime” has been around for a while, covering upcoming stars across the country. Now, they are using their resources to give those players a new avenue along their basketball journeys.

OTE has three teams: Team Overtime, Team OTE, and Team Elite. Tonight (Friday, November 19), We Are United faces off against Team Elite at 6:30 PM Eastern. Tomorrow, they face Team Overtime at 4:30 PM Eastern.

With an already impressive platform, OTE draws national attention, meaning that big college programs and even pro scouts keep a close eye on these games. We are excited for our guys to compete and show what they can do.

For more on OTE, check out some interesting facts here.

Want more We Are United? Follow along on Instagram and Twitter and keep up with the movement!

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.

Big weekend at The Basketball Movement

College signings, We Are United prep’s home opener, and plenty more made for an excellent weekend of hoops.

The Basketball Movement has been a player development hub for years, but this past weekend felt special. Of course, big moments and events frequently happen on our floors, whether it is Angels of the Hardwood, The Basketball Movement Invitational, or even a young player having a breakthrough and making great strides. But, this past weekend felt like a culmination of so much hard work.

For starters, opening things up with our Saturday Clinic always feels good. There is no better way to kick off a weekend than filling the gym with bright-eyed young athletes and coming together to improve and have fun.

This weekend also saw the official college signings for Jonatan Dunn (Missouri State) and Sincere Malone (Eastern Illinois); both have played with Yanders Law and are current We Are United prep athletes.

Not only did these athletes get a nice presentation as they put pen to paper, but they had all of their We Are United teammates with them, emphasizing that unity that we strive for within our facility. Both signings made a fun reminder of what we are all about and how we must strive to celebrate each other’s successes.

We Are United prep also got to host its first-ever home game by going up against Link Year prep. We Are United not only came away with a victory but did it with the kind of balanced attack that coaches can only dream of, and opponents only see in nightmares.

Dunn, Malone, and John Lovelace Jr. all eclipsed the 20-point mark, while almost all of their teammates chipped in with stat lines that would impress in other ways. The most noteworthy stat lines are graphically outlined on We Are United’s Instagram.

In addition to the above, things were broken as always by individual and group workouts. As always, players were improving left and right, serving as the icing on the cake of a fantastic weekend of hoops.

Keep following along, as we are just getting started down here in the basketball Mecca of the Midwest!

We Are United home opener

The highly anticipated home opener for We Are United prep at The Basketball Movement is nearly here.

After months of practices, a slew of intrasquad games, a pair of jamborees, and an invitational tourney, We Are United is ready to host its first home game right here at The Basketball Movement. This Saturday (11/13) at 8:00 PM, you are invited to come check out some of the best prep talent in the area.

We Are United will be taking on what essentially amounts to our neighbors in the prep school world. From right down 65 highway, Link Year prep will be bringing its impressive squad out of Branson, MO.

Being the first season for We Are United, this will be yet another test for Coach Rob Yanders’ squad, as Link has been running its highly successful program for a while, constantly churning out impressive college athletes. The Basketball Movement is honored to host the Link Year Lions.

Having already taken on many impressive squads in the young season, the players for We Are United are excited and up for the challenge.

Seating is first-come-first-served, so show up early, grab a courtside leather seat, and enjoy the fireworks.

You can keep up with the schedule for We Are United here. Also, remember to follow along with the gametime countdown on We Are United’s Twitter and Instagram.

For everything else hoops, you are already in the right place. With NCAA hoops kicking off and the NBA underway, keep checking back with The Basketball Movement for all you need to know about the game you love.

College hoops on the horizon

The Basketball Movement is looking ahead to the 2021-22 college basketball season.

College basketball is nearly back, this time in full force following a strange, pandemic-altered season. The NCAA kicks off November 9th with the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden featuring Duke vs. Kentucky and Kansas vs. Michigan State.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has announced that this will be his final season, and the Blue Devils are hoping to send him out with a bang. Kentucky will be on a mission to end its Final Four drought as well.

As for rankings, Gonzaga has remained on top essentially since the end of last season. They are bringing back an impressive squad in addition to the number one recruit, Chet Holmgren. The defending champs, the Baylor Bears, did not retain as much talent and are expected to drop off a bit.

Below are ESPN’s rankings as of October 11:

  1. Gonzaga Bulldogs

  2. Kansas Jayhawks

  3. UCLA Bruins

  4. Villanova Wildcats

  5. Texas Longhorns

  6. Purdue Boilermakers

  7. Memphis Tigers

  8. Michigan Wolverines

  9. Kentucky Wildcats

  10. Baylor Bears

  11. Duke Blue Devils

  12. Oregon Ducks

  13. Illinois Fighting Illini

  14. Arkansas Razorbacks

  15. Houston Cougars

  16. Alabama Crimson Tide

  17. North Carolina Tar Heels

  18. Tennessee Volunteers

  19. Ohio State Buckeyes

  20. Maryland Terrapins

  21. Florida State Seminoles

  22. Auburn Tigers

  23. UConn Huskies

  24. St. Bonaventure Bonnies

  25. Virginia Cavaliers

As you can see, many familiar names are on the list to begin regular season play. Houston has finally proven to the big media outlets that they are here to stay and the mention of St. Bonaventure is good to see as well. Arkansas and Alabama forging their way into these rankings are interesting too with both schools historically only gaining football attention.

Memphis is viewed as a top 10 team but still will have plenty to prove. They certainly have the talent to do it, now sporting touted recruits, Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren.

Of course, we have our personal favorites as Yanders Law alumni and other friends of The Basketball Movement are scattered on men’s and women’s teams all over the country. Right here in Missouri, we have two players on Mizzou and two for Missouri State that we will be watching excitedly.

Good luck to the young men and women everywhere as another exciting college basketball season nears tipoff. Keep checking back here for news and updates on NCAA hoops as well as everything else from prep to pro.

The definition of "united"

The Basketball Movement has standards and expectations, so it is no surprise that Rob Yanders’ We Are United prep is the same.

Robert Yanders is the founder of The Basketball Movement, the Yanders Law AAU program, and now We Are United prep. Rob conducts himself as a man with a code - one that stands out immediately. He cares about his family, his community, and his players. He expects maximum effort because that is what he provides in return. He loves the game of basketball and is successfully using it to better as many people around him as possible.

We Are United prep allows players who are willing to give maximum effort a chance to elevate their standing within the game of basketball. Not only that, they are given the opportunity to learn, grow, and form a bond with like-minded individuals. That bond is a pillar of the program.

The word “united” has several definitions but certainly adheres to one prevailing theme: made one. To be combined or joined. To be joined together for a common purpose. That is what We Are United is all about.

Initially, players attend an institution such as We Are United prep for personal reasons. They want to raise their stock to continue a more desirable path in their personal basketball journey. However, what may not be immediately apparent, but grows over time, is the realization that this is not a journey they can take alone.

First, Rob Yanders and his staff win their trust - that is why they are here in the first place. Rob and his coaches want to help young players succeed. Players that recognize this are already on their way to understanding how necessary unity is in their hoops career.

Next, as they practice each day, sweat, and grind in the trenches alongside teammates, they begin to see that they are not alone. Every single player at We Are United prep has a desire and the will to improve. In this, they are united. Players that are recognized by Yanders and make it to this level are competitive. They are attending a prep school because they refuse the alternatives of settling on their path. In this, they are united.

These guys want to win. To do this, they must form a cohesive, unselfish team. What was once a group of individuals is now a unit. The common purposes blend into one burning desire under the We Are United banner. The better the team, the better the exposure. The better the exposure, the better odds of completing their individual goals.

This is how success is established. This is how hard work can pay off. This is how WE ARE UNITED.

Avery Arnold college commitment

Avery Arnold of Yanders Law and Blue Eye high school has committed to Lyon College.

A staple of NAIA women’s hoops, Lyon College has landed a tremendous basketball player in Avery Arnold. As she wraps up her time at Blue Eye high school, Arnold has decided to lock in her future as a college hooper in a town only three or so hours away.

Arnold is a Yanders Law alumni who left her mark as a capable scorer and facilitator, but mainly as a lockdown defender. Avery says she knows she can make an impact right away at that end of the floor.

“I will always be the hardest worker,” Arnold says. “Not only on offense, but on defense as well - that is where I excel the most. That winds up playing into my offense too.”

The coaches at Lyon College mentioned that they would like to see her spending time running point. “Point guard would be a new role for me, so that would be different,” Arnold says. “I’ve never been a point guard, but that challenge is what I am looking forward to the most.”

Asked about her decision to commit, Avery points out the excellent tradition, especially over the last ten years or so. She said she liked the coaches and the atmosphere.

College hoops are plenty different from high school, but Avery said her time at The Basketball Movement and playing for Yanders Law should make a big difference. “Rob has helped me a lot, and Craig,” Arnold says. “They would do anything for me despite my busy schedule. They have given me a lot to help me succeed.”

Avery would like to extend a thank you to the whole program. “Rob is so busy, but he took a whole season to coach us,” Arnold says. “Craig too; they traveled with us and took their families… They have devoted their lives to basketball, and I want to thank them for everything.”

Wherever Avery was going to wind up, she was going to have numerous fans at The Basketball Movement. Not to mention a whole Yanders Law family that has her back. She does not need luck, but we wish it anyway as she begins her exciting next chapter!

All-American Jamboree: We Are United

En route to a true test and a big opportunity, the We Are United team is gearing up for the All-American Jamboree in Orlando.

Featuring top prep teams from the United States and Canada, the young men of We Are United are in for a big weekend at the All-American Jamboree in Orlando, Florida.

With around 90 teams and over 200 Division 1 coaches expected onsite, the hustle and bustle of this jamboree will be a needed shock to the system for this squad. The stakes are high, and the We Are United staff expects its players to rise to the occasion. Hard work is a staple at The Basketball Movement, and we will see if it pays off early for We Are United’s promising team.

We Are United’s schedule for the weekend is as follows (in Eastern time):

Oct 15th

2:00 PM vs. Central Pointe White PG

5:15 PM vs. IMG National PG

Oct 16th

12:15 PM vs. Central Pointe National HS

7:50 PM vs. Elite Prep PG

Oct 17th

9:00 AM vs. Coastal Prep Red

The team is traveling today. (In style, of course - check Twitter) After a nice stay in Tenessee, they are on to Florida. There will be plenty of action this weekend, so keep up with We Are United and The Basketball Movement as we pass along everything you need to know. For We Are United’s full schedule: check here.

Stay tuned!