The Prep Ball Report

• Height, Weight, and position?

5’10 160lbs PG/SG

• High School, summer team and Graduation Year?

Star International Academy, HYPE Athletics/Michigan Lakers, 2016

• Players you try to model your game after?

Monta Ellis, Steve Nash, Rajan Rondo, Derrick Walton

• Important Stats

Led the state in scoring among 2016s (18.1 ppg) 411 Points Last season

• Colleges that you would like to attend?

All the schools interested in me.

• Colleges that have shown interest in you so far?

UofD , Oakland, WMU , UofToledo, Akron, Michigan St, Bowling Green, Bowling Green State, CMU, UMass, Indianapolis

• What makes you unique from other players at your position?

I can flat out shoot the rock, and get to the basket with ease, I can finish with contact, and set teammates up to score.

• Strengths and Weaknesses?

Strengths: Shooting, Tight handle on the ball, Play Making

Weaknesses: Left Hand, Quicker Feet, Consistent good Defense.

• How did the offseason go?

Training wise, it went amazing, had multiple trainers that knew the game of basketball inside and out. AAU wise, I played for HYPE athletics, didn’t go as well is I wanted it too. But more importantly I got better. AAU with the Michiagn Lakers went well.

• Goals for the upcoming season?

Bring the first ever district championship to Star, All-State Selection, All-Conference 1^st Team( Had 2^nd team last season), Pick up some more High-Major Offers, Lead the State in scoring.

• What role do you see your self having this year for your team?

Same as last year, but with bigger expectaions. Score the ball, lead by example, get everyone involved. FIND A WAY TO GET THE W.

• What will a coach be getting out of you at the next level?

A hard working players that is willing to learn, a player that can lead and score, no matter what kind of competition is on the court. A player that loves to win.

• What will go into your decision about choosing a college?

A family orientated university, a historic program that is known for winning, and helping it players play on the next level. A school where I can be me.

• Most influential person in your life? Why?

My parents (cant choose one), they’ve been through so much, and such strong and mentally tough individuals.

• Fun/ interesting fact about you?

I still have the Iphone 3g…

• Academic Information

3.1 Student, Honor roll student

• Contact Information

Star Inernational Academy

24425 Hass St. Dearborn Michigan

My email: mobazzi@rocketmail.com

• Height, Weight, and position?

6’8’’ 215 Small Forward Power Forward

• High School, summer team and Graduation Year?

McBain High School 2013, Grand Rapids Storm, Midwest Elite Prep Academy 2014, Merrillville Indiana

• Players you try to model your game after?

Kenneth Faried, Dwayne Wade, Reggie Evans, Gerald Wallace, and Denis Rodman

• Important Stats

Leads team in rebounding, scoring, blocked shots and field goal percentage.

• Colleges that you would like to attend?

Ferris State, Saginaw Valley, Grand Valley, Central Mich, Eastern Michigan,Western Mich, Michigan Tech, Valpraso, or any Mid-Major fit.

• Colleges that have shown interest in you so far?

Trine, Calvin, Northwood, Davenport, Spring Arbor, and Albion.

• What makes you unique from other players at your position?

Most players don’t have the motor to come up with big rebounds at the end of games and play with the heart and emotion to win like I do.

• Strengths and Weaknesses?

Strength is my athleticisms; First step and ability to defend any position and shoot inside and out.

Weakness are, sometimes I am just content getting offensive and defensive rebounds and not being a major offensive threat so, I need to improve all around strength.

• How did the offseason go?

This offseason we got the gun going a lot putting up a lot of shots and working on ball handling everyday

• Goals for the upcoming season?

Improve ball handling, and passing, and pull up jumper

• What will a coach be getting out of you at the next level?

Big rebounds at the end of games, Nobody will crash the boards harder, Very responsible off the court with grades and staying out of trouble

• What will go into your decision about choosing a college?

Rich college winning tradition and fan base also the community that surrounds that college. And what type of players that team already has.

• Most influential person in your life? Why?

My dad because he never missed one of my games and took me to all of my AAU tournaments he was always there for me and taught me to play hard like I do.

• Fun/ interesting fact about you?

If I’m not playing basketball I’m probably fishing

• Academic Information

3.4 GPA 19ACT

• Contact Information

Email: hunterpowell15@gmail.com

Hunter Powell Cell Phone: 231-944-6850

McBain Coach Bruce Koopman: 231-920-9700

The highly anticipated Michigan Elite 25 program will hold its first basketball camp this weekend at Cass Tech High School in Detroit, Michigan.  25 of the state’s top ranked player were mailed invitations from the classes of 2014 through 2017, who will come and participate for three, two-day sessions in a training camp-style practice with hopes of improving their skills before the high school season starts in November.

The Michigan Elite 25 was an idea that came to the mind of two local former hardwood stars and friends Tim McCormick and Mike Dietz.

McCormick, prepped at Clarkson, went onto to star in the Big Ten Conference  at the University of Michigan, and later became the 12th draft pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1984 draft.  Through his NBA career, Tim bounced around the league playing for a total of eight season with six different teams before retiring following the 1991-1992 season.  But Tim’s love for the game of basketball did not end once his playing days were over.  Tim currently runs the NBA Players Association Top 100 Basketball Camp, an invite only camp to the top high school players in the country, whose alumni include Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant.

Mike Dietz went onto play collegiate ball at Western Michigan University after starring in high school at Brother Rice.  Dietz previously worked as the vice president of sales and marketing for Ilitch Holdings Inc. before opening his very own sports management firm Dietz Trott Sports and Entertainment, the official sponsor of the Michigan Elite 25.

The week’s festivities started on Tuesday night with the Michigan Elite 25 Coaches Academy at U of D Mercy’s Calihan Hall.  The Academy featured presentations from just about every division one basketball program in the State of Michigan, including John Beilein [Michigan], Tom Izzo [Michigan State], Steve Hawkins [Western Michigan], Keno Davis [Central Michigan], Ray McCallum Sr. [U of D Mercy], and Greg Kampe [Oakland].  Who stressed the importance off academics, the dangers of social media, and what it means to be a great teammate in the sport of basketball.

These players are likely to attend but surely other high quality players are to participate:

2014- Justin Tillman [Pershing], Jaylen Johnson [Ypsilanti], Yante Maten [Bloomfield Hills], Edmond Sumner [Country Day], Mory Diane [Country Day], Aaron Foster-Smith [Taylor Truman], Darrell Davis [Frederick Douglass].

2015- Jeron Rogers [North Farmington], Eric Davis [Saginaw Arthur Hill], Xavier Cochran [Ann Arbor Huron], Marquel Ingram [Pershing], Bakari Evelyn [Southfield Christian], Jaylin Walker [Romulus], and Deyonta Davis [Muskegon].

2016- Josh Jackson [Consortium], Cassius Winston [U of D Jesuit], Corey Allen [Ypsilanti], Brailen Neely [Detroit Western], D’Angelo Hanbro [Romulus], Algevon Eichelberger [Saginaw], and Marlo Brown [Southfield Christian].

2017- Brian Bowen [Saginaw Arthur Hill], Will Weems [Detroit Western], Christian Rodriguez [Godwin Heights], Jermaine Jackson Jr. [Mt. Clemens], Armonee Felder [Pershing], and Xavier Tillman [Forest Hills Central]

The Prep Ball Report plans on attending all of the sessions for the Michigan Elite 25 camp, look for recaps on all the day’s actions here and for live coverage of the camp, please follow me on Twitter: @PrepBallReport

With the July evaluation period now over, recruits around Michigan now have a greater knowledge of where they stand in relation to getting scholarships from schools. Some players separated themselves from the rest of the pack making statements to school that they are worthy of an offer.

Kyle Kuzma 6’7″ 200 lbs SF Rise Academy (PA) 2014- Kyle was one of the top performers at the Las Vegas Fab 48 last weekend, resulting in new offers from the likes of Missouri, Memphis, UConn, and Florida State. Kyle, who competed with Dorian’s Pride 17U, is the definition of a mis-match. He can score in all facets of the game, Kyle can post up smaller defenders and take bigger post players to the basket on either side of the rim. However, Kuzma does have some ballhandling skills he can use. He has the ability to take a defensive rebound and push the ball up the ball and scoring in transition. Quality athlete and shooter to make defenders respect both areas of his offensive game. Kyle is still growing into his 6’7″ frame and will be dangerous once he adds a bit more muscle.

Josh Jackson 6’6″ 165 lbs SF Detroit Consortium 2016- Detroit area high school basketball fans are thinking to themselves as they read this, “We already know Josh is an elite prospect.” Well, he is. But Mr. Jackson solidified himself as one the nation’s top 2016 players at the Las Vegas Fab 48 playing with Dorian’s Pride. One national recruiting analyst said it best when stating Josh is the best shooting guard prospect regardless of class in the country. At one game in Vegas, Josh scored 22 points in the first half, and remember AAU first halves are only 16 minutes. Josh’s best side of the ball is offense, he has the handles, athleticism to get into the lane, the mid-range game, the three-point shot that defenders don’t know what he is going to give them. But what is the best attribute about his offensive game is that he is a facilitator like LeBron James on the floor. He is not always thinking about himself, and has extremely good floor vision. Josh has grown since last high school season and has added some weight too working out with Team USA, watch out Michigan, the next great one has arrived.

Ray Croon 6’5″ 170 lbs SG/SG Redford Thurston 2014- Another wing that can light a defender up. Ray and Team Detroit went down to both the Peach States Summer Showcase in South Carolina and Las Vegas 48 , and Ray lit defenders up scoring 20+ points in just about every game. Croon is a tall, long, athletic wing that gets into the lane with ease against smaller defenders and finishes with authority above the rim with high-flying dunks. He can also play some point, and is a quality outside jumper once he see’s a few go in early. Ray needs to go 100% all of the time while he is on the floor and not taking plays off on defense. He has too much talent for it not to be showcased on the floor.

Yante Maten 6’8″ 210 PF Bloomfield Hills Lahser 2014- Yante is a big powerful stretch-four forward that recently received offers from Hofstra and UNC-Greensboro during July. After making the transition from The Family to Team Detroit, Yante looked much more comfortable on the court. Yante dominated both the defensive and offensive paint for Team Detroit. He defends the post really well making it hard for opponents just to get a shot off, and sometimes even rebounded the shot he just defended. Offensively, Yante can shoot both the mid-range and three-point shot very well for a 6’8″ big man, set a high pick-and-roll and finish with authority at the rim, and runs the floor well in transition. Just needs a little bit more polishing up with his back to the basket game.

Miles Bridges 6’5″ 190 lbs SF Huntington Prep 2016- Miles was one of the best wings at the Indianapolis Adidas Invitational regardless of grade level. The 6’5″ wing has a unique game where he can be both a physical inside presence and play with skill and finesse on the perimeter. He can shoot the ball well to the three-point line, get to the basket against any defender, and jump out of the gym if needed. How much taller Miles grows from now to senior season will determine on what position he will seek to play at the college level. And speaking of college, Miles already has an Oakland offer, with interest coming from Indiana, Kansas, and Michigan State.

Darrell Davis 6’4″ 170 lbs Guard Detroit Douglass 2014- Darrell pulled in a few high-major offers at the Las Vegas Fab 48 coming from the ACC’s Florida State and the Big East’s DePaul, putting a nice cap on a fantastic final month of AAU for Davis. Darrell is a combo guard that is effective playing both off the ball and playing the one. He is a scoring machine with a variety of ways to fill it up, either slashing with a quick first step and taking defenders one-on-one to the basket with a strong handle on either side, or from the mid-range and pull-up game. He is a crafty playmaker and good decision maker with the ball in his hands who rarely makes mistakes resulting in turnovers. Adding some more muscle would make him a nightmare for defenders in Michigan.

Munis Tutu 6’0″ 160 lbs PG La Lumiere (IN) 2015- Munis played with Michigan’s own The Family for AAU and is a native of Canada. Tutu is a blinding quick point guard with the ball in his hands who is dangerous in transition. But don’t think that he is a careless player out there, he is a quick but not in the hurry point guard who sees the floor really well and plays with a very high basketball IQ, and has a strong handle to go along with it. He has recently added shooting to his game over the Summer which will make him a much more complete offensive player. Already has offers from the likes of Detroit, Kent State, Charleston and Binghamton, with added interest coming from Butler. Munis will need to put on some weight in order to achieve his full basketball potential which very well could be at the high-major level.

Leonard Harper-Baker 6’5″ Wing Detroit Southeastern 2014- One of Michigan’s more underrated wings in the 2014 class. Leonard came along way from his junior high school season and became much more of a complete ball player with the Michigan Hurricanes this Summer. He can play up to three different position on the basketball court, but is best suited for a slashing get to the basket scoring type of wing position. He improved both his jump shot and ball handling skills, and was really a tough match-up for defenders out on the perimeter. But what I like about Leonard was that he was always one the toughest and athletic players not backing down from anybody on both sides of the ball and would be an absolute steal for any college programs that would take him. Expect big things for both him and Southeastern in 2013.

Josh McFolley 6’0″ PG Mt. Clemens 2015- The lefty McFolley made the jump from the Michigan Hurricanes 16u to 17u team and did not miss a beat. Josh might be the best deep range shooter in the State of Michigan for the 2015 class, whether it be off the dribble or catching a pass from a teammate, when he starts the game making a few quick shots that is when you know you are in for a long night as a defender. He improved getting to the basket and finishing through contact over the Summer. The only question for Josh now is can he be a true point guard, run a team, not only scoring for himself, but also for his teammates. He will pair nicely with fellow backcourt mate Jermaine Jackson Jr. next year for the Bathers as they have hopes of getting to the Breslin Center to compete for a Class C title. Josh is being recruited by mostly A-10 and MAC schools.

Mike Laster 6’4″ SG/ Wing Detroit Cass Tech- I don’t think anyone plays the game the right way more than Mike Laster from Detroit Cass Tech. Mike recently pulled in a Bowling Green State offer at the Las Vegas Fab 48 competing with the Reach Legends. Mike has great length, size, and athleticism for a division one wing player. He can shoot the mid-range shot, spot up on the perimeter for a three, rebounds the ball well for a guard, and has now added a more aggressive style of play getting to the free-throw line over the Summer. With improving defense and ball handling skills, Mike is set to have an outstanding senior season at Cass Tech.

Follow me on Twitter: @mdhsathletics