Donivine Stewart-Tournament of Champions

[tornado]

Donivine looked awesome -- had the crowd buzzing...too bad they faced a team whose superstar went for 42!! (Kedren Johnson - Vanderbilt commit over heavy recruiting push from Louisville & Tennessee)
Marshall Co. 80 - Limestone 70..was tied at 37 @ half..
Marshall Co. is one of the elite teams in the nation and Donivine helped his team play close all the way!!


Findlay Prep & La Lumiere tied at 23 at the half

[Da Coach]

Limestone and Marshall County were tied 55-55 after three quarters, and it stayed even until the last 5 or 6 minutes. Then Marshall Co. made a run and Limestone had to take some bad shots and foul to try to catch up.
Donivine had a great game with 22 points, and he made several threes.
I sat near several college coaches watching the game, and the consensus among them was that Bradley is getting a steal.

Kedren Johnson, the 6-5, 220 lb all-everything point guard for Marshall County had 42 pts, 14 rbs, 9 asts, and took at least half the shots for his team. He is a ton.

[Future Walk-On]

Findlay Prep could beat Bradley.

Most of these schools have kids that are throwing down left and right....huge ups.

[Future Walk-On]

Bobo Drummond is going to be very annoying for 4 years. Excellent ball handler.

[BUBrave28]

Without seeing any of the game or the type of defense ran against the kid from Vandy, the numbers suggest DS didn't play great D. Does anyone who was there have thoughts on this??

I know that the kid is basically a linebacker playing PG, and I'm not trying to knock DS whatsoever..just trying to get a feel for how the game went on the defensive end. I also think it's a good sign that when he drew the toughest matchup on defense his offense didn't seem to suffer.

Like the coaches in attendance, I think DS is a steal. I love the fact that he has pride in and wants to play for his hometown team. I haven't seen him play in person since his freshman year when they played Washington and Matt Roth..but, I was with two guys who played significant college ball (one at BU) for that game, and they said they would both be surprised if DS wasn't a top 150 recru

Looking forward to seeing him, Remy, and Sean in a BU uniform.

[Da Coach]

Without seeing any of the game or the type of defense ran against the kid from Vandy, the numbers suggest DS didn't play great D. Does anyone who was there have thoughts on this?? ...

Donivine did not guard the 6'5" kid very much. Maybe the Limestone coach didn't want him picking up fouls. Johnson was usualy guarded by one or two other Limestone kids, but his height and strength was just too much for them. It was like a man against boys. The few times DS did guard him 1 on 1, I thought he did a much better job hounding him and making him give up the ball. Donivine is a complete player and could play and start now for a lot of D1 schools.

[tornado]

Bobo Drummond is going to be very annoying for 4 years. Excellent ball handler.

I agree, Bobo is very good -- but I have been going to this tournament for the past five years since the first one in November of 2006 when Anthony Thompson appeared with his Houston Klein Forest team.

There have definitely been some very good teams, and outstanding players, but.........
There have also been a whole lot of players who looked great in this tourney, then have been kind of flops at the college level...more than I might have expected...

I could start with Beas Hamga, but also throw in just about the entire Decatur Christian roster (Stula, Staiger, etc..), and a whole lot of the Boys to Men kids as well..
AT and his Klein teammate Alonzo Edwards also have yet to make a dent in college, nor have 5-Star Noel Johnson, etc...

The PJS has a nice story on Bobo..

http://tinyurl.com/lcv8lo

[mrcoachdude]

Without seeing any of the game or the type of defense ran against the kid from Vandy, the numbers suggest DS didn't play great D. Does anyone who was there have thoughts on this??

I know that the kid is basically a linebacker playing PG, and I'm not trying to knock DS whatsoever..just trying to get a feel for how the game went on the defensive end. I also think it's a good sign that when he drew the toughest matchup on defense his offense didn't seem to suffer.

Like the coaches in attendance, I think DS is a steal. I love the fact that he has pride in and wants to play for his hometown team. I haven't seen him play in person since his freshman year when they played Washington and Matt Roth..but, I was with two guys who played significant college ball (one at BU) for that game, and they said they would both be surprised if DS wasn't a top 150 recru

Looking forward to seeing him, Remy, and Sean in a BU uniform.

You know....this recruiting class could turn out to be one of the best that we have sen in a while...throw in WL,JP as Frosh this year...

DSTew
LEmon Jr
Remy
Sean
JP


hmmm that is interesting...I know I know..unproven....but still interesting...

[Beninator]

You know....this recruiting class could turn out to be one of the best that we have sen in a while...throw in WL,JP as Frosh this year...

DSTew
LEmon Jr
Remy
Sean
JP


hmmm that is interesting...I know I know..unproven....but still interesting...

One question though... Who shoots the three ball with any type of consistency? Hopefully Remy and Sean.

[BradleyBrave]

I was there yesterday also. A few comments -

1. The kid that's going to Vanderbilt (Kendren Johnson) is one of the best HS players I have seen in person in a long, long time. His jumper is a bit flat, but he doesn't take many jumpers. He can get in the lane and to the basket whenever he wants, can go to either side easily, and is a fantastic passer. He also doesn't get rattled and appears to have a humble attitude on the court. Limestone was hammering yesterday, and early on he wasn't getting the calls. He just kept playing. Kevin Stallings has a very good recruit coming.

2. Stewart didn't guard Johnson very much, and Johnson didn't guard Stewart very much. When DS did guard him, Johnson often tried to post up Donivine. Most of the baskets Johnson had were in the open floor going to the basket. Conversely when he tried to guard Donivine closely, DS usually went around him and got into the lane with ease. As with most HS players, both kids need a lot of work on their defensive fundamentals.

3. DS had a decent game. Most of his points came from the 3 point line, where it looks like he's improved his shot quite a bit since the last time I saw him play. He still has deft passing skills and still is looking for his teammates before himself, which I really look forward to seeing at BU. We haven't had a true 'pass first' point guard in a while. He still rarely makes a bad decision. He's a bit bulkier since last I saw him too, which is good. Chatted with him a bit after the game, he's excited to come to Bradley next year. He's a tough kid to get a read on as far as where his ceiling is, so I am excited to see what he can do with other DI players.

4. Saying Findlay could beat BU is just ignorant. I thought we were done with the 'this team could beat Bradley' conversations when talking about JUCO and HS teams.

5. The Findlay-LaLumiere game was great. Bobo connected with their 6'9" kid going to Indiana on one of the best alley-oops I have ever seen at any level in the 1st half. I like Drummond a lot. His outside shot needs to get better, but he plays a good PG.

I would recommend to people to check this tournament out if they ever get the chance. A lot of good players over there and some really good games. Of course it's always more fun where there's BU recruit playing.

[mrcoachdude]

One question though... Who shoots the three ball with any type of consistency? Hopefully Remy and Sean.

Thinking Jake E and Milos will be our shooters...but DStew and Remy should be able...


"DS had a decent game. Most of his points came from the 3 point line" ----from BB

[Da Coach]

I was there yesterday also. A few comments -

1. The kid that's going to Vanderbilt (Kendren Johnson) is one of the best HS players I have seen in person in a long, long time. His jumper is a bit flat, but he doesn't take many jumpers. He can get in the lane and to the basket whenever he wants, can go to either side easily, and is a fantastic passer. He also doesn't get rattled and appears to have a humble attitude on the court. Limestone was hammering yesterday, and early on he wasn't getting the calls. He just kept playing. Kevin Stallings has a very good recruit coming......

5. The Findlay-LaLumiere game was great. Bobo connected with their 6'9" kid going to Indiana on one of the best alley-oops I have ever seen at any level in the 1st half. I like Drummond a lot. His outside shot needs to get better, but he plays a good PG.

I would recommend to people to check this tournament out if they ever get the chance. A lot of good players over there and some really good games. Of course it's always more fun where there's BU recruit playing.

I agree. I am going to try to get back over for Limestone's 3:30 game against Roncalli (Wisconsin).

I agree with everything you said about Kedren Johnson. About the only negative I saw was his reluctance to play defense. He used so much energy running their offense, and taking most of the shots, and he played all 32 minutes, that he frequently took a rest on the defensive end. Often he was the last man up the court when Limestone rebounded and ran up the court.
After the game, I sat in the upper stands, and he and his family came up and sat next to me to watch the next game (La Lumiere vs. Findlay). He is a genuinely nice kid, and about 180 degrees opposite of a lot of the star kids nowadays both on and off the court. He was happy to sit with his parents and talk with them. He never acted like a kid who just set the TOC record for scoring in a game.

Bobo is a kid who will need a good team around him. He is a pass-first point guard with great quickness and decision-making. But his shot has always been awful. I am not too sure that will improve much, but if it does, he'll be very good. His size and shooting are the main reasons higher schools weren't all over him.

BTW- here is the schedule for today (the last day of the tournament)-
Saturday - November 27
9:00 MMCI- TBA
10:30 MMCI- TBA
12:00 Brehm Prep v. La Lumiere School
1:30 Marshall County v. Midland
3:30 Roncalli v. Limestone
5:00 MMCI- TBA
6:30 Academy of the New Church v. Findlay Prep
8:00 MMCI- Washington

And here is the summary for Roncalli, the team Limestone plays today-
RONCALLI JETS, MANITOWOC, WI .: The Jets have been one of the most successful Wisconsin programs of the past decade. Coach Joe Rux's teams have averaged over 20 wins a season for the last 6 years. He consistently develops expert shooters and amazing team chemistry with each and every team he has coached. In fact the Jets played in the 2006 ToC event and were more than dominant in their 86-35 victory over Stark County, Illinois. The Jets are coming off a 22-4 record and will be hard to contain from the perimeter, especially when 6'1" Sr. Ben Stelzer is good and warm. Stelzer averaged 23 points per game last season and is being recruited by Montana, Eastern Kentucky, Yale, Columbia and UW-Green Bay. The Jets will also return 5'11" Sr. Mike Gresl, 6'0" Sr. Alex Kitzerow and 6'3" Sr. Andy Geren. The sleeper talent for the Jets could be 6'7" So. Zach Slattery.

[tornado]

.. Bobo connected with their 6'9" kid going to Indiana on one of the best alley-oops I have ever seen at any level in the 1st half. ..

Here's video of Bobo and Perea -- and the alley-oop is on this video spot..

http://www.centralillinoisnewscenter.com/sports/Tournament-of-Champions-Video--Hanner-Perea-110894534.html

Bobo is #30

[BUBrave28]

Donivine did not guard the 6'5" kid very much. Maybe the Limestone coach didn't want him picking up fouls. Johnson was usualy guarded by one or two other Limestone kids, but his height and strength was just too much for them. It was like a man against boys. The few times DS did guard him 1 on 1, I thought he did a much better job hounding him and making him give up the ball. Donivine is a complete player and could play and start now for a lot of D1 schools.

Thanks DC! If you would have told me 3 years ago when I saw that game that DStew was coming to Bradley I would have been ecstatic. I wish I was still in Peoria so I could see him play.

[BUBrave28]

4. Saying Findlay could beat BU is just ignorant. I thought we were done with the 'this team could beat Bradley' conversations when talking about JUCO and HS teams.

Agreed completely; BUT, I welcome it. The last time I heard that kind of sentiment we went to the Sweet 16.