With Earl Austin Jr.
Scouts’ eyes on STL at summer football camps
Gridiron class of 2006 will be one to watch
The high school football season is still a few months away, but it’s never too early to talk about what some of the area’s top standouts are doing this summer.
By all accounts, the Class of 2006 is loaded with talent, and it has been evident by the number of athletes who have attracted the interest of NCAA Division I-A schools from around the country.
At least two dozen players have either committed, been offered scholarships, or are being seriously considered by major colleges. These young men have been distinguishing themselves at various camps around the country, and the college recruiters and the media recruiting experts have been taking notice. You can call up many websites and see area football players featured rather prominently, especially those sites that cover the Midwest region.
A few have already cast their lot. DeSmet teammates Munir Prince and Paddy Mullen gave oral commitments to Notre Dame. Prince (5’10, 170) is a speedy running back/defensive back while the 6’5″ 265-lb. Mullen is a defensive end.
Eureka linebacker Sam Johnson (6’3″ 220) is headed to Mississippi, Francis Howell Central’s Bart Coslet (6’5″ 225) will go to Missouri while Cardinal Ritter’s Quentin Davie (6’4″ 190) will attend Duke. Verbal commitments are non-binding. They become official when the athletes sign national letters of intent in February.
Webster Groves linebacker Adrian Clayborn (6’4″ 245) is fielding several offers from such schools as Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Kansas State and many others. Clayborn is mixing in his football activity with some summer basketball. He will be one of the area’s top players in both sports, but football will be his future ticket.
Other young men who are being courted by many college suitors include:
Jeremy Maclin (Kirkwood): 6’0″ 180-pound wide receiver; Keith Williams (McCluer North), 6’7″ 310-pound tackle; Jerry Brown (Vashon), 6’4″ 262-pound defensive end; Antonio Gulley (Cardinal Ritter), 6’0″ 175-pound receiver; Niles Brinkley (Beaumont), 5’10” 170-pound wide receiver; Sergio Kaun (University City), 6’2″ 180-pound wide receiver; Jaious Singleton (East St. Louis), 5’10” 190-pound tailback; Justin Stewart (O’Fallon), 6’1″ 180-pound defensive back; Robert McField (Normandy); 6’5″ 225-pound defensive end; Chris Romey (Beaumont); 6’3″ 240-pound tight end; Michael McNeil (Kirkwood), 6’4″ 215-pound tight end; Willie Dyson (Kirkwood), 6’3″ 220-pound defensive end; Stephen Simmons (SLUH), 5’8″ 170-pound running back; Paul Chaney (SLUH), 5’8″ 165-pound defensive back; E.J. Jones (Edwardsville), 5’10” 180-pound defensive back; and Isaiah Mares (CBC), 5’9″ 170-pound defensive back.
Another young man with area ties who committed to Notre Dame during the spring was former Hazelwood Central standout James Aldridge. The 6’1″ 200-pound running back moved to Merrilville, Ind. after his sophomore year when the Hawks played for the Class 6 state championship. He is currently one of the top players in the Hoosier State.
It should be a good year of the gridiron in the fall. I cannot wait until August for two-a-days.
Jamming at Nike Hoops Jamboree
Saint Louis University was the site of last week’s Nike Hoops Jamboree, a camp which featured 120 of the nation’s top basketball underclassmen. There were four players from the St. Louis area who participated. They were 6’6″ junior Leon Powell of Vashon, 6’4″ sophomore Torres Roundtree of McCluer North, 6’4″ Rolandis Woodland of Lutheran North and former Lafayette forward A.J. Hawkins, who is moving to Georgia.
All of the area players acquitted themselves rather well at the camp. Powell had multiple games of 20 or more points. After playing much of his sophomore year at Vashon in the low post, Powell had a chance to show off his perimeter skills as he scored on medium-range jumpers, offensive rebounds from the wing and strong finishes off the break.
Many of Powell’s fast-break buckets came courtesy of Roundtree, who played on the same team as Powell at camp. Roundtree displayed confident ball-handling ability and an excellent floor game while playing point guard throughout the weekend. He is the brother of former Cardinal Ritter and Duke All-American Chris Carrawell. Roundtree shares his brother’s feel for the game and passing ability. In one game I charted, I had Torres for nine points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals. Now, that’s stuffing the stat sheet.
The high-flying Woodland was one of the surprise performers at the camp. A late addition to the list, Woodland repeatedly slashed to the basket for layups, dunks and offensive rebounds. He has gained a lot of confidence since leading Lutheran North to a Class 3 state championship in March.
As usual, the camp also featured some young men with famous fathers. The most famous name was Marcus Jordan, a 6’2″ freshman guard from Chicago and the son of Michael Jordan. Marcus is the second son to attend the Jamboree. Michael’s first son, Jeffrey, attended the camp the last two years. MJ has been a regular at the camp and was seen around town during the weekend.
Also on hand was 6’2″ guard Jamelle McMillan from Seattle, who is the son of former NBA player and current Seattle Supersonics coach Nate McMillan, 6’0″ guard Adrian Williams of Smyma, GA, the son of former NFL quarterback Doug Williams. Also on the list was Mustapha Farrakahn, the grandson of Minister Louis Farrakahn. Mustapha is a junior guard from Chicago. A.J. Hawkins, the former Lafayette High student, is the son of Andre Hawkins, a former All-Big East performer at Syracuse in the 1980’s.
Bonner League Begins
The Rivercity-Midwest Pro-Am Summer Basketball League (a.k.a. Anthony Bonner League) got underway last weekend and will last this summer. The Bonner League games will be held at Cardinal Ritter every Saturday and Sunday, beginning at 11;45 a.m. Top area players at the collegiate and professional level are participating in the league, which has been around for 15 years. Former East St. Louis star Darius Miles of the Portland Trailblazers took part in the opening weekend. Miles plays with the East St. Louis Ballers when he is in town, as does Tommie Liddell of Saint Louis University. Other top players in the league this year include Darren Brooks, Dwayne Polk, Gary Buchanan, Curtis Marshall, J.B. Jones and many more. Local prime-timers who have their own teams in the league include National Basketball Association standout Larry Hughes (Home Grown), and rappers Nelly (Clippers) and Murphy Lee (Murphy’s Law).
