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!

Top players in Southwest Missouri

These are The Basketball Movement’s top-10 high school players in Southwest Missouri.

Below you will see the updated list of The Basketball Movement’s top-10 high school players in Southwest Missouri. Our original list has already seen some shuffling over the last month or so. After a heated showdown between the two top athletes, Rob Yanders remains firm in his assessment of who the best player is in the area.

Here are your top players:

  1. Zach Howell - Springfield Catholic

  2. Kyle Pock - Bolivar

  3. Zaide Lowery - Kickapoo

  4. Elijah Whitley - Parkview

  5. Colin Ruffin - Nixa

  6. Brayden Shorter - Kickapoo

  7. Andrew Dalton - Ava

  8. Kael Combs - Nixa

  9. Liam O’Reilly - Springfield Catholic

  10. AK Rael - Strafford

If you could not tell by the changes from our last list to this one: things are subject to change. The more games are played, the clearer it becomes in terms of who stands above the rest. Competition is key and Rob Yanders and The Basketball Movement know just what to look for.

Stay tuned to The Basketball Movement Exclusive to keep track of updated lists like these (Fab Five Freshman, anyone?) and news from around the area!

Tournament of Champions - 2022 Championship

One of the best Bass Pro Tournament of Champions yet finished up on Saturday night.

Officially the most attended Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in history, night three of the 2022 edition wrapped everything up nicely. JQH was packed Saturday to nobody’s surprise, building on the ToC’s claim to being the most heavily attended prep tournament in the country.

In most tournaments, a seventh-place game would not be worth noting. However, the Bass Pro ToC was stacked this year, and we got an exciting game between local and outside talent.

New Madrid County Central was able to defeat Springfield Catholic behind Jadis Jones’ 15 point, seven-rebound effort. As usual, Zach Howell inflicted major damage for the Irish, netting 26 points coming from all three levels. Look for Howell’s stock to rocket soon as big-time programs snap out of it and take notice.

“I’ve been saying it for a while now: Zach Howell is one of the top high school shooters in the country,” Rob Yanders says. “It isn’t just shooting either; he can take it to the cup, hit floaters, and find teammates when he drives. He is a threat to punish defenses anytime he has the ball.”

The fifth-place game was a local affair, pitting Parkview against Nixa. Parkview had a knack for keeping games close all tourney long, but they were on the wrong side this time as Nixa won 48-44. Colin Ruffin had 14 points to go along with seven boards and four assists for the Eagles. He was the game’s only double-digit scorer.

In the battle for bronze, Milton rightly took home the W with a dominating performance over Whitney Young.  Bruce Thorton of Milton had 34 points and may have had the best individual performance of any player in the tournament.

“Everyone knew (Amari) Bailey was going to show out, and most people know Zach (Howell) would put on a show,” Yanders says. “This kid Thorton must have a chip on his shoulder. That guy was cold.”

The championship game featured Paul VI going against Sierra Canyon. While the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers were the favorites, tourney MVP Dug McDaniel (Michigan commit) and Paul VI came away victorious.

McDaniel had 18, but it was a surprise 23 from DeShawn Harris-Smith that put Paul VI over the top.

Amari Bailey had 18 for Sierra Canyon, and tourney-goers finally got to see Bronny James flash his upside with his 13 point, six-board performance (5-14 FG, 2 steals).

The Bass Pro Tournament of Champions is always a blast for local basketball fans and voracious hoop-heads. As always, the talent level impressed, and Bronny James and Sierra Canyon drew a crowd like never before. The Basketball Movement always enjoys covering this event, and we’re already looking forward to the next one.

Keep it locked to The Basketball Movement Exclusive for coverage at the highest level when it comes to Southwest Missouri hoops.

Tournament of Champions - Night Two

Night two of the 2022 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions had just as much excitement as the first and set up a great championship Saturday.

Night two of the 2022 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions led to more memorable performances from the area and nation’s best. Things started with a bang in the consolation bracket with New Madrid County Central facing Parkview. Local Parkview played Sierra Canyon tough and built some expectations going into day two of the tourney.

The Vikings would not disappoint, with senior Xzavia McDaniel drilling a buzzer-beating three in overtime to lift Parkview. McDaniel played bigger than his stature all night and got plenty of help from teammate Elijah Whitley as well. Whitley is a product of Yanders Law and displayed bounce and upside that is sure to tantalize Drury fans as the Panther commit continues to improve year after year.

“If Parkview can take the consolation championship, they are going to open a lot of eyes around the Springfield area,” says Robert Yanders, founder of The Basketball Movement. “If they keep this up, there is a power shift coming.”

Speaking of the local powers… The next game in the consolation bracket featured Nixa and Springfield Catholic, a rematch from the Blue and Gold Tournament just a few weeks ago. Catholic got the best of Nixa in that tourney, but Nixa had their sights set on revenge on Friday.

Nixa stars Kael Combs and Kyle Ruffin got help this time from Jordyn Turner, who had 16 points in the win. Nixa was able to implement a balanced attack that the Irish could not overcome.

Once again, Zach Howell of Catholic (and Yanders Law) had an impressive showing with 18 points. Anything short of 30 has become a disappointing effort for Howell at JQH, which should tell you all you need to know about the top player in Southwest Missouri.

The next game featured Sierra Canyon vs. Whitney Young. While Sierra Canyon showed some kinks in the armor against Parkview, they had the look of their usual, elite selves throughout this contest.

UCLA commit Amari Bailey is a consensus top-five player in the country and showed why Friday night. Bailey had 20 points and ten boards, converting shots that no one else in this tournament could regularly replicate.

The final game of Friday night featured another overtime contest. But, this time, the winner got to advance to the championship game on Saturday.

On Thursday, Bruce Thorton of Milton proved himself and got multiple opportunities to show off again Friday. The Ohio State commit went for 19, looking especially good in overtime. His final heave did not go down, though, and Paul VI will advance. Dug McDaniel and Paul VI have big shoes to fill after the graduations of Trevor Keels and Jeremy Roach. They will certainly get that chance facing Sierra Canyon in the championship Saturday night.

Tournament of Champions - Night One

The Bass Pro Tournament of Champions is one of the biggest events in high school hoops, and night one was covered, as always, by The Basketball Movement.

Unsurprisingly, night one of the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions did not disappoint. High flying dunks, local talent measuring up, and some of the nation’s most prominent names in prep hoops drew a bigger crowd than ever before.

Night one saw Whitney Young dismantle New Madrid Country Central 57-32. Matt Sommerville and A.J. Casey scored 13 apiece for the Whitney Young Dolphins. Casey is committed to playing for Miami next season.

The next game had JQH buzzing with anticipation. Bronny James was in the building with Sierra Canyon to face Parkview. Crowds were ready to rally behind Parkview, but seeing Bronny and hoping his Dad, LeBron James, might be in attendance kept them on the edge of their seats.

LeBron was a no-show, but the game was thrilling regardless. Parkview jumped out to a 16-8 lead and held a one-point advantage at halftime over the number four team in the country. However, Sierra Canyon eventually shook loose, winning 63-46. The Trailblazers got 16 apiece from 6 foot 9 Kijani Wright and Amari Bailey, one of the top players in the nation.

“(Bailey) showed everyone here what hoop-heads already know,” Yanders says. “He can ball. He has a great looking shot, but his ability to get to the rim, finish with either hand and absorb contact was the difference in the game tonight.”

Next, Nixa kept locals excited once more, hanging tough against Milton until the last shot. Bruce Thorton (Ohio State commit) crushed Nixa’s spirit with a buzzer-beater to bring his total up to 21 and advance his team to the semi-finals.

As usual, Nixa’s offense came from Kael Combs and Colin Ruffin. Ruffin had 21, and Combs had 12, but it was Combs’ defense that stood out to Yanders.

“I thought the way Kael competed on both sides of the ball is what kept Nixa in it,” Yanders says. “I know people around here wanted Nixa to get the win, but that was a hell of a performance either way.”

Paul VI is back again this year and opened up their first night with a bang. DeShawn Harris scored 18 for the Panthers, but he did not have the performance most fans will remember. In the loss, Zach Howell went off for 30, with the Yanders Law product draining multiple deep threes and getting his shot no-matter the opposition.

Howell is popping up on more radars all the time. Why it has taken this long is a mystery but count on more offers pouring in for Howell soon.

Check out The Basketball Movement exclusive recap of night two next!