By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
It’s no secret that the Ozarks is a hotbed for high school basketball, with the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions and Blue and Gold Tournament being two of the biggest events in the Midwest in terms of attendance. But, an emerging event locally has been the Ozark Mountain Shootout, which has brought in huge names, including current NBA star Trae Young and more than 50 Division One players. This year’s event is three days of big-time matchups and high-profile players. Here are five reasons you’ll want to make a trip to Glendale High School this week.
Future McDonald’s All-Americans?!?
They’ll be three of the highest-ranked players you’ll ever see in Springfield outside the TOC. CBC’s Caleb Love is a North Carolina signee that was courted by all the Blue Bloods. The 6-foot-3 combo guard will fill Cole Anthony’s spot for Roy Williams after this season. He’s your clubhouse leader for Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year. Speaking of Blue Bloods, Trey Alexander holds an offer from Kansas, as well as Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and just about everyone else you can think of. He led his team to a state championship as a freshman and a runner-up finish last spring, averaging 24 points a night. Also a great defender, the 6-foot-4 guard is one of the best two-way guards in the nation. Micah Peavy is a 6-foot-7 wing that turned down Texas and Michigan, among others, to sign with national runner-up Texas Tech. He fits the mold as a two-way wing that can score it in bunches. He will also be a crowd favorite in transition.
Caleb Love (CBC)
Trey Alexander (Heritage Hall)
Heritage Hall Junior Trey Alexander (@TrickyTrey23) put on a show against Ada! He scored 34 of The Hall’s 48 en route to a win. Plus he did it with some seriously famous spectators in the house. #OKPreps #Sooners #OKState @TeamGriffinEYBL pic.twitter.com/jPpBu6QpRA
— Dylan Buckingham (@DylanBuckingham) December 4, 2019
Micah Peavy (Duncanville)
Game of the Shootout – CBC vs. Duncanville (Tex.) (Thursday @ 8 pm)
To say this will be a high-level game is an understatement. Obviously, you’ve heard of Caleb Love, Larry Hugh Jr. and CBC. The Cadets also have another Division One prospect in guard Robert Martin. Duncanville is way more than just Micah Peavy. Three junior wings currently hold Division One offers, sophomore point guard CJ Ford will get his eventually and freshman Cameron Barnes is one of the top 2023 prospects in the nation, already holding an offer from Baylor. Duncanville one of the top programs in the nation and play a national schedule. They’ve already played Sierra Canyon and Montverde this season.They’re the reigning 6A state champs in Texas. This will be worth the price of admission.
Fun Big Guys
They’re all different, but all good. I’m not going to say more, just watch.
Chris Moore
JaKobe Coles
Markell Hood
Moore is a dunk contest favorite at every event, heading to Auburn next fall. Coles is an inside-out stretch-4 that will be a factor at Butler from Day One. Hood is a big wing that’ll reclassify and end up a mid-major steal.
The Dynamic Duo vs. Kansas Power
I’ll never forget watching Blue Valley Northwest coming to Springfield and turbo clock Kickapoo in one of the most dominant performances I’ve seen against any Kickapoo team. That BVNW team included Clayton Custer and Ben Richardson, who would go on to lead Loyola Chicago to the Final Four in 2018. And, the current group of Huskies is capable of carrying on the tradition, led by Division One prospects Markell Hood and Jack Chapman. Hood will bring his talents back to the Ozarks next year as he has already committed to Link Year Prep, which has done nothing but churn out Division One players over the last several years.
Willard will have its hands full, but the Tigers and coach Jeremy Dresselear also feature one of the top scoring duos in Missouri in seniors Daniel Abreu and Maurice Grayer. Abreu, a Northwest Missouri State signee, shunned Division One programs to ink with the top D2 program in the nation. He’s nearing 1,500 points after averaging 30 a night as a junior. He’s putting up 32.3 points and 8.3 rebounds through four games, shooting a ridiculous 54 percent from the field, 50 percent from 3 and 76 percent from the line. At 6-foot-5, he’s one of the most efficient scorers you’ll see at the high school level. His partner in crime, the 6-foot-2 Grayer, is a dynamic combo guard that’s been hearing from D2 programs. Grayer is averaging 18.8 points, shooting 60 percent from the field. He’s a big-time scorer and incredible athlete that has no problem catching and shooting or catching a body.
The Tigers are undefeated and a sneaky pick to not only win the COC, but possibly make a run in Class 5. This is a measuring stick game for them, no question, but it’s also a chance for Abreu and Grayer to prove just how good they are.
Kickapoo’s Anton Brookshire and Dora’s Isaac Haney are must-see TV
They’ve spent the last few summers playing together with Yanders Law, earning Division One offers and garnering national attention. Now, they’ve carried it over into their junior campaigns and after two solid years of high school basketball, they’re both on the verge of historic seasons.
Brookshire has guided Kickapoo to an undefeated record, this coming off an Elite Eight run last spring.
He scores it well at all three levels and is one of the most efficient and complete guards you’ll see at the high school level. Power 5s continues to take notice, with Mizzou and Iowa State showing increased interest in Brookshire. He’s averaging 22.3 points and was the MVP of the Arvest Classic, where he dropped 26 on Raytown South. Kickapoo will matchup with Denton Guyer (Tex.), who won 32 games last year. They’re extremely good and athletic, but their strength is in the post and on the wing, not necessarily at the point. This could be a big stage for Brookshire to have a monster game.
To this point, Haney has made a strong case for being the O-Zone Player of the Year. He went to the prestigious Kevin Brown Memorial Tournament of Champions in Illinois and put on an absolute bucket-getting clinic, scoring 153 points in four games against some of the top competition in the Midwest. He holds Division One offers despite coming from one of the smallest high schools in Missouri. He played extremely well at the Midwest Showcase this summer, proving that he belongs among the region’s elite. He’s on pace to finish his career top-5 all-time on the state’s scoring list. Dora coach Rick Luna understands what he has in Haney, as well as the Luna Triplets, and let’s them play fast and loose. The matchup with Trey Alexander and Heritage Hall has the potential to be a shootout between two dynamic 2021 guards.
An NBA Appearance?
Larry Hughes Jr. is, as you probably guessed it, the son of former St. Louis standout and NBA veteran Larry Hughes. But, the son is no slouch. He already holds an offer from dad’s alma mater and at 6-foot-4, nearly shares the elder Hughes’ size. Larry Jr. is a big-time scorer at all three levels and will be one of the best shooters in the event. Just a sophomore, he’s already shown the ability to take pressure off Caleb Love. CBC is one of the favorites to win state in Class 5 and Hughes Jr. is a major reason why.
Top Committed Players
JaKobe Coles- 6’7 Senior, John H. Guyer
Ranked #122 in the country
Committed to: Butler University
Caleb Love- 6’3 Senior, Christian Brothers College
Ranked #20 in the country
Committed to: University of North Carolina
Chris Moore- 6’6 Senior, West Memphis
Ranked #97 in the country
Committed to Auburn University
Micah Peavy – 6’7 Senior, Duncanville
Ranked #33 in the country
Committed to: Texas Tech University
Rondel Walker- 6’3 Senior, Putnam City West
Ranked #91 in the country
Committed to: Oklahoma State University
Players with OFFERS:
Markell Hood- 6’6 Senior, Blue Valley Northwest
Offers: Central Connecticut State
Trey Alexander- 6’5, Junior, Heritage Hall
Ranked #31 in the country
Offers: Texas Tech, Wake Forest, Ole Miss, TCU, SMU, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Okahoma State, Texas A&M
Damon Nicholas – 6’4 Junior, Duncanville
Offers: Oral Roberts University, University of North Texas
Zhuric Phelps – 6’3 Junior, Duncanville
Offers: New Mexico, Sam Houston State, UT Arlington, UTEP, UT San Antonio
Juan Reyna – 6’2 Junior, Duncanville
Offers: UT San Antonio
Mario Fleming- 6’2 Junior, Cardinal Ritter
Offers: Arkansas Pine Bluff
Jordan Mitchell- 6’1, Junior, West Memphis
Offers: North Alabama
Anton Brookshire – 6’1 Junior, Kickapoo
Offers: UNLV, Tennessee State, Missouri State, UW Milwaukee
Isaac Haney- 6’0 Junior, Dora
Offers: Grambling State, Cleveland State, Texas State
Larry Hughes Jr.- 6’3 Sophomore, CBC
Offers: St. Louis
Robert Martin- 5’10 Sophomore, CBC
Offers: St. Louis
Cameron Barnes – 6’8, Freshman, Duncanville
Offers: Baylor
Players with D1 or D2 Interest
Garry Clark – 6’7, Senior, Cardinal Ritter
Offers: Drury
Luther Burden – 6’0, Sophomore, Cardinal Ritter
Offers (Football): Missouri, LSU, Georgia, USC, Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, Oregon
Tyler McGhie – 6’5 Senior, Guyer
Jack Chapman – 6’6 Junior, Blue Valley Northwest
CJ Ford – 5’10 Sophomore, Duncanville
Josh Robinson – 6’8, Senior, Cardinal Ritter
Brandon Ellington – 6’6, Senior, Cardinal Ritter
Ronald Holland – 6’7, Freshman, Duncanville
FULL SCHEDULE
