Terrell Gaines - Yanders Law

The Basketball Movement chats with Yanders Law standout, 2024 PG Terrell Gaines.

Yanders Law has been a competitive grassroots program for years. However, the talent level over the last several of those has been through the roof; Terrell Gaines is starting a new chapter in our now storied AAU affiliate.

The 2024 PG stands at 5’8 but plays well beyond his stature. He is still coming onto the scene and will catch fewer and fewer opponents by surprise, but he is working daily to make sure he stays a step ahead.

Gaines says his strengths are “shooting, looking for open teammates, and defense,” and his bag is growing deeper as he focuses on constant improvement.

“I am trying to improve by being a leader for my teammates,” Gaines says. “I need to have my voice be heard.”

The level of competition Gaines is now facing with his Yanders Law 16u team is fierce. However, he says that he is adjusting by using that improved leadership and elevating his play. His squad is already taking shape as a contender.

“(Our guys) are looking really good,” Gaines says. “We are playing as a team… moving the ball around, shooting well, and defending well.”

Yanders Law’s promising young squad is coached by Rob Yanders himself, who has had a significant personal impact on Gaines.

“(Coach Yanders) is tough on me, but I like how he coaches and pushes me to be the best I can be,” Gaines says. “When he pushes me it is letting me know what I need to fix so that I can get better.”

Gaines attends Liberty High School in the Mountain View area. Another prominent Yanders Law baller from that neck of the woods is Northwestern State’s Isaac Haney. Gaines said he heard a lot about Haney and had the opportunity to watch him play. Speaking to Haney’s Father is what eventually led Gaines to Yanders.

Asked if he may be the next Isaac Haney for Coach Yanders’ squad, Gaines says that he will “try to be.” While parallels can certainly be drawn, Terrell is certainly his own player and will forge an exciting path in the world of basketball.

“I want to make it as far as I can,” Gaines says. “I want to get anything I can out of basketball, whether it is becoming a better leader or a better person.”

So far, so good for Terrell Gaines.

Trevon Brazile on the other side of the portal

Kickapoo and Yanders Law alumni, Trevon Brazile, has ended his short stint in the transfer portal by committing to Arkansas.

Trevon Brazile described the transfer portal as a “crazy process,” but it has worked out well for the promising second-year big man out of Springfield, MO.

“As soon as I hit the portal, my phone blew up,” Brazile says. “It was a little overwhelming but good to have so many options and a chance to talk to so many different schools.”

Brazile, a Yanders Law AAU alumni, shocked Southwest Missouri by transferring to Kickapoo his senior season. That move worked out well, with the Chiefs winning a state title. After earning his stripes at Mizzou, he is confident that he is making the right move once again.

In seeking out a new school, Brazile says that he was looking for a program with similar goals to his own.

“(Arkansas) is all about winning and competing,” Brazile says. “They laid out a game plan for what they wanted to do with me. They are a hardball school that wants to win.”

Another standout attribute that the explosive athlete noticed was how meticulously the program went through every aspect of the game. Sounds like the owner of a training facility that we know.

“The attention to detail stood out when I was making my decision,” Brazile says. “On my visit, I could tell everything was done with precision. It just felt right.”

While Trevon is focused on winning in his second college season, he will always lean on the lessons he learned in his first.

“I didn’t play the first nine games (for Mizzou) due to health, so that helped me on the mental side - handling adversity,” Brazile says. On the basketball side, I got used to the pace and really just learned the college game.”

Still evolving as a player, Brazile is one of the highest-upside guys to come out of the Yanders Law program in a long time. Strength is the area he is trying to improve upon the most right now.

“I am working on ball-handling - keeping the ball on a string,” Brazile says. “Also, shooting off the dribble. Really, I am working on getting stronger with the ball AND getting stronger in the weight room.”

Asked what Razorback fans can expect from him, Brazile sums it up nicely by saying: “a hardworking kid.”

“I am going to play my role,” Brazile says. “… and yeah, high-flying plays, alley-oops, and blocked shots.” There it is.

Brazile has always been a blast to watch on the hardwood, and Arkansas coaches, teammates, and fans just scored a helluva recruit. Good luck next season, Trevon!

Check out more photos of Arkansas’ top recruit here!

The Basketball Movement Exclusive pipeline

We are looking ahead to the very near future at what you can expect from The Basketball Movement Exclusive.

It has been a wild few weeks around The Basketball Movement. Good things have been happening, but we have also experienced an unfortunate tragedy, learning of the loss of We Are United’s Jeremiah Dotson.

The loss of Jeremiah shook The Basketball Movement family to the core, and we appreciate your patience as we have been dealing with things as we go.

As always, the basketball court has been a safe space for us, as it has been for so many of our athletes. The Yanders Law AAU program has had multiple squads traveling and competing, giving local talent the opportunity to face fierce competition from around the country.

We have been posting some Yanders Law pictures to our social sites but are getting ready to unload multiple albums worth right here on The Basketball Movement Exclusive.

Also in The Basketball Movement Exclusive pipeline are several exclusive interviews with some of the top prep players in Southwest Missouri. The hoops scene in our area is growing, and we are so excited to be able to contribute and cover it in as many ways as we can.

So, we thank you for your patience and want to remind you to check back in with us very soon as we navigate a new normal. See you on the hardwood.

Transfer portal talk with Rob Yanders

Rob Yanders breaks down what the transfer portal is as well as the pros and cons.

Many familiar names have recently entered the NCAA transfer portal. Former high school stars from the area (and Yanders Law alumni) such as Anton Brookshire, Trevon Brazile, and Monty Johal are among the players to test the waters. But, what exactly is the transfer portal?

Rob Yanders breaks down what the transfer portal offers to collegiate athletes:

“Having the transfer portal means players can explore their options as student-athletes,” Yanders says. “They maintain their option to return to their current school, but also explore other avenues.”

Yanders says that since gaining national momentum over the last two years, the transfer portal has helped AND hurt players' situations.

“College coaches have been able to use transfers to get more experienced players,” Yanders says. “That is a very appealing option for coaches on the ‘chopping block.’ Generally, those hurt the most are high school seniors. Unless you are 6’10 250 or a clear-cut, top-100 player, it is getting tougher. Middling players are having a tougher time getting exposure.”

“For guys like Anton and Trevon, it could be great coming from a power five conference,” Yanders says. “With their experience, they could move up the food change or make a great mid-major splash.” Since discussing with Yanders, Brazile has already committed to Arkansas, who made plenty of noise this year during March Madness.

Yanders says that the scary part of the transfer portal is not always being allowed to return to your current team.

“It has been interesting,” Yanders says. “There could be 2,000 players in the transfer portal this year, and not every player will even make it out. It is all about betting on yourself. Coaches may choose to fill the void you are leaving ‘just in case.’”

Congratulations to Trevon Brazile on finding a fit! Good luck to those players remaining in the portal, as well as all incoming players that are now competing with a larger player pool than ever. College hoops is getting more interesting all the time, and we will always be rooting for our local guys and gals.

Stay tuned to The Basketball Movement Exclusive for continued insight from Yanders and news from around our corner of the world of hoops.

Top ladies in Southwest Missouri

The Basketball Movement has its final ranking for the top girl hoopers in Southwest Missouri for 2021-22.

This has been one of the strongest crops of talent for ladies’ basketball that our area has had in a long time. Multiple D1 athletes popped up around the Ozarks, with one being a coveted recruit on a national scale.

All of the talent made ranking players difficult, but certainly, the most challenging part was having to leave off so many young ladies that are still deserving of shoutouts. The work that goes into being one of the best cannot be understated. So, we commend the below on doing what it took to stand out in a crowded season for strong girl hoopers.

Here we go:

  1. Bella Fontleroy (Kickapoo)

  2. Ashton Judd (West Plains)

  3. Kaemyn Bekemeier (Republic)

  4. Reagan McCowan (Lebanon)

  5. Breona Hurd (Waynesville)

  6. Destiny Buerge (Carl Junction)

  7. Reese Schaaf (El Dorado Springs)

  8. Riley Arnold (Blue Eye)

  9. Avery Arnold (Blue Eye)

  10. Macie Conway (Nixa)

Honorable mentions: Emma Compton (Strafford), Khloe Moad (Ash Grove), Alyssa Joyner (West Plains), Ali Kamies (Nixa), Claudia Hadlock (Miller), Tara Masten (Parkview)

Congratulations to all of the above for their fantastic seasons. We will continue watching with interest and are excited for the future of girls basketball in Southwest Missouri!

2021-22 Final player rankings

With state championships wrapped up for all boys teams in Southwest MO, Rob Yanders’ definitive top player list is here.

Winning matters. Now that all the games have been played and the dust has settled, Rob Yanders is ready to reveal his final rankings for the top boy players in Southwest, Missouri.

Over the last several installments of The Basketball Movement rankings, the names have remained largely the same, with some jockeying for position taking place. The same stays true in the final ranking, though Yanders has opted to also include some honorable mentions.

The honorable mentions range from players that just barely missed the top 10 to a few good players that may not have faced competition at the level of some of the other players (i.e., smaller schools/talent pools).

Below are Rob Yanders’ final player rankings for 2021-22:

  1. Zach Howell - Springfield Catholic

  2. Kyle Pock - Bolivar

  3. Zaide Lowery - Kickapoo

  4. Colin Ruffin - Nixa

  5. Brayden Shorter - Kickapoo

  6. Elijah Whitley - Parkview

  7. Kael Combs - Nixa

  8. Liam O’Reilly - Springfield Catholic

  9. Andrew Dalton - Ava

  10. Ahlante Askew - Republic

Honorable mentions: AK Rael (Strafford), Gaige Pitts (Thayer), Jordyn Turner (Nixa), Garrett Davault (Norwood), Tanner Jones (Greenwood), Jaret Nelson (Nixa), K’Dyn Waters (Carl Junction), Jaiden Carrasquillo (Verona), Brady Nicholson (Ash Grove), Peyton McDaris (Norwood).

That’s a wrap on the 2021-22 school seasons. We have our full rankings for girls complete as well, so stay tuned to The Basketball Movement Exclusive to see which area ladies get the nod!

Peyton McDaris - Young cub becomes a lion

Freshmen Peyton McDaris comes up clutch to help lift Norwood Pirates to a state title.

Recently named to our Fab Five Freshmen list, Norwood’s Peyton McDaris proved worthy of Rob Yanders’ praise, displaying icy veins and a willingness to step up when his team needed him most. The result was the first state championship in his school’s history - in any sport.

In Norwood’s semifinal bout with College Heights, McDaris hit clutch free throws. In the Class 2 State Championship game against Bernie, McDaris was 6-6 at the line (with four coming in the final two minutes), but it was his last play that will be remembered.

Down one with 24 seconds to go, McDaris stole the ball and was able to find teammate Garrett Davault for what would wind up being the go-ahead layup. Davault finished with 24, capping an excellent career for the Pirates.

“We were in a half-court press; we’d been pressing all game,” McDaris says of the big play. “Emotions were running high. Both teams were up and down with every lead change. Our press finally got them to mess up, and I saw an opportunity to get the ball and find Garrett for the shot.”

McDaris says that being a champion is a great feeling. “Not many freshmen get to say it,” McDaris says. “It was a great opportunity and has been super fun.”

A Yanders Law product, McDaris’ growth as a player over the past few years has been dramatic. His late-game production would be an exclamation point on that growth, but this is far from the end.

Asked where Peyton gets his confidence from, his Father, Levi McDaris, says that some of it is natural, but most comes from the unseen hours of work.

“He has been through years of very hard work with (Rob) Yanders and The Basketball Movement,” Levi McDaris says. “Hours of work every week has been difficult. It is a big commitment financially and with our time, but we have seen a difference, and we are glad to be able to do it.”

“It is a big commitment for us, but honestly, it is a really big commitment for (Peyton),” McDaris says. “Getting done with regular practice or other sports and sometimes driving over an hour to Springfield when he still may have homework to get to afterward… There are many nights where I know he doesn’t feel like it, but the hard work has been worth it. Nothing has been better for my son.”

Peyton’s Dad reflected on the beginnings with Yanders Law and the prospect of playing bigger, better players from all around the country. “He wasn’t ready at first,” McDaris says. “By the end, he knew how to play at that level, and it shows now.”

Asked how Yanders Law has prepared him for big moments, Peyton credits the drive and commitment of the coaches. “Coach Rob and Coach Craig (Smith) have a different kind of drive that they push you with,” Payton says. “You don’t always realize it while you are there in it, but the results definitely show when you’re out.”

Peyton’s story is one we have heard before. We are always proud to see one of our gym rats succeed, whether in sports or life. Making the trek from Norwood to put in the work is a special kind of commitment. It reminds us most recently of Isaac Haney’s time driving in from Dora, which culminated in a D1 basketball career.

“The work I’ve put in - several nights every week has prepared me for those moments,” McDaris says. “It is second nature; I don’t have to even think about it anymore.”

Peyton McDaris is on our Fab Five Freshmen list for a reason. Congrats to McDaris, Davault, their teammates, and all of Norwood for this accomplishment. Levi McDaris noted a buzz around the community, and it is deserved.

Stay tuned for more stories from local players helping their teams make strong “postseason” pushes as the final games conclude!

Fab Five Freshmen

Rob Yanders announces his list for the Fab Five Freshmen for boys basketball in our area.

Much like our list of the Top Players in Southwest Missouri, Rob Yanders has put together a group of young men that have caught his eye this season.

Freshmen play various roles depending on school size but also based on their potential to be impact players now or in the future. Yanders is a proven talent evaluator and selected his picks based on not only current impact but potential to grow into headline names for their respective schools down the line.

These top five freshmen have been selected for their talent and potential and will be big pieces in the future of the Southwest Missouri hoop landscape:

Collin Clark - Greenwood

Brenley Hagewood - Republic

Tegan Curley - Marshfield

Peyton McDaris - Norwood

Dehrio McCaskill - Central

Getting recognized is nice, but the grind does not stop. We hope being selected means that these guys push to not only outdo each other but to become the next best player in our neck of the basketball world.

Those players NOT selected are encouraged to use this as a chip on their shoulder. Make us, and everyone else, know your name. It is up to you to put in the work required to impact varsity hoops and become a standout.

We look forward to the competition!

Keep it locked to The Basketball Movement Exclusive as teams make their state pushes, and Yanders concludes his list of the top girl players in SW MO.

Bella Fontleroy - Certified bucket

Kickapoo’s Ysabella “Bella” Fontleroy is one of the best (if not the best) girl hoopers Southwest Missouri has had in a long, long time.

Bella Fontleroy is a certified bucket. No ifs, ands, or buts about it… Unless you are counting butts getting kicked, which tends to happen wherever Fontleroy laces up to hoop. The 6’2 guard has been one of the most highly recruited basketball players, boys or girls, that Southwest Missouri has had in a long time.

Despite tearing her ACL her sophomore season at Kickapoo, Fontleroy kept her nose to the grindstone and worked her way right back into being sought after by many of the literal top programs in the country. She ultimately committed to hooping for Baylor, a perennial national championship contender.

“She is one of the best, toughest players the area has seen in years,” says Rob Yanders. “For this area? She is one of the best of all time without a doubt. She is a heck of a player; a storied Kickapoo career but also legit WNBA potential.”

Yanders is confident that Fontleroy’s future is bright. He says she is “great at basketball but is even better as a person.” This is a big compliment with all the area athletes Yanders sees year in and year out. Character counts.

Naturally gifted as she is, so much of what we see on the court from Bella is a result of blood, sweat, and tears shed during the offseason. What we see today is the result of years of work, whether with coaches and trainers or with her parents, who are certainly no strangers to on-court success themselves.

Her parents, both William Fontleroy and Carolyn Fontleroy (née Weirick), were part of some of the most prolific teams to ever come out of Missouri State University.

A MSU alumni himself, Yanders says that he can see a bit of both of them in Bella. “More than anything else, I see her Mom’s toughness in her game,” Yanders says. “I see her Dad’s versatility as well. He was a big, tough guard. Success in hoops just simply runs through that family.”

Fontleroy’s most underrated skills as a player

As heavily recruited as she has been, Baylor knows what they are getting in Fontleroy. She is an exceptional rebounder, shooter, and competitor. Her toughness cannot be understated. Yanders says that she is truly an all-around great player, but her most underrated skills may be those of a facilitator.

“Handling the ball, putting it on the deck… all of those key guard skills are what is most underrated about her,” Yanders says. “She is an underrated passer. She is unselfish but still offensively dominant.”

Unselfish players that can still come through as offensive forces *cough* Lebron James *cough* have a track record of impressive collegiate and often professional careers.

Yanders and The Basketball Movement are excited not only to see how far Fontleroy can carry her Kickapoo team this year but what she can accomplish going forward. The sky is the limit, but only if you work as hard as Bella Fontleroy.

We will be watching and cheering.

Zach Howell and Kyle Pock duel

In a meeting of the two top hoopers in Southwest Missouri… who came out on top?

Who you taking? In one corner is Zach Howell, a 6’5 lights-out scorer with multiple D-1 offers and the ability to carry his team through games. In the other corner, 6’7 Kyle Pock, who can shoot over anyone in the area and has a knack for hitting the big shots when it matters most.

This matchup is between two of the top teams in the area, but at its core, the anticipation comes from Howell vs. Pock.

Two of the best players around going at each other, both boasting multiple D1 offers, is a recipe for a feast among basketball fans. Rob Yanders’ rankings of the top players in Southwest Missouri had Howell number one and Pock number two going in.

Last year Pock got the best of Howell when it mattered most. So how is the rivalry looking in 2022?

Kyle Pock had a big first half or Bolivar. After being knotted at 17 after the first quarter, Coach Jack Simpson put Howell on Pock to start the second. Unphased, Pock elevated Boliver to take a nine-point lead into halftime.

Howell willed his team within reach in the fourth quarter, capping off an impressive run with a game-tying layup with 40 seconds to play. After running down the clock, Bolivar rightly trusted Pock to hit what would be the go-ahead bucket on a smooth, two-point jumper. Catholic tried to find Howell for an answer but could not get a shot, sealing their fate.

Does Southwest Missouri have a new number one hooper?

In The Basketball Movement’s updated rankings, you will still see Zach Howell’s name at the top (though there are a few other changes from our last update). Rob Yanders maintains that Howell’s skill keeps him at number one, though this head-to-head matchup absolutely narrowed the gap in his professional opinion.

“Both guys are dominant against local talent,” Rob Yanders says. “Facing another top guy from your area is something that myself and others with scouting backgrounds can use to evaluate players to see what they can do at the next level. This was an exciting game, and I hope we get another between the two.”

Area basketball fans will be left hoping for a rematch between these young stars, which could happen in the state quarterfinals should both teams secure district wins.

For more player coverage from around Southwest Missouri, you are already in the right place. The Basketball Movement Exclusive aims to be your number one source for player-focused prep hoops content. Stay tuned!