Recruiting: Milwaukee Develops Rep for Tough Talent

[Blackhat]

Eric Bossi


As we continue our tour of the nation's basketball hotbeds we make our way into the nation's heartland. This week, we take a look at the hoops scene in the Milwaukee area.

Milwaukee is about toughness

Nestled on the Western shore of Lake Michigan about 90 miles north of Chicago, Milwaukee is far from a small town. With a population of just over 1,750,000 in the greater metro area, the city has produced plenty of hoops talent over the years.

   
Donte Burton leads a strong 2013 class in Milwaukee.
However, it probably wasn't until the early 2000's until the area started to gain some national notoriety when Rick Stimac's Wisconsin Playground Warriors group started winning tournaments across the country with a blend of tough, up-and-down and sound basketball that was tough to ignore.

Stimac has moved on, but the spotlight has remained on Milwaukee and deservedly so.

"It's a good basketball town," said Duane "Ike" Wilson who has headed the Playground Elite program for the last six years. "The last few years the basketball is really up. (The Class of) 2013 is loaded, 2014 is loaded, 2015 has some guys and 2012 has plenty of kids going to Division I."

In a town known for tough winters, the general perception of Milwaukee players is that they are tough, and it's one Wilson -- who has lived in the area for most of his life -- says is apt.

"That's how we play here," said Wilson. "We play tough, we play with a chip on our shoulder and we play rugged. We don't back down from anybody. That's the type of kids we've got."

Whether it's Wilson's Playground Elite program, the Playground Warriors, Wisconsin DTA, T.P. Elite, Running Rebels or any other program, there's also been an explosion in quality summer programs for local players. There's also good high school coaching and plenty of former players who are giving back that have helped Milwaukee hoops continue to improve.

"There are more guys who played that are giving back to the kids," said Wilson. "We've got more guys giving back and developing. Our kids are tough but they need to be able to do more things. They need to be skilled, they need to be able to distribute, they need to have the intangibles and that's what we are all trying to teach them.

Looking forward, Wilson hopes that the spotlight continues to shine on Milwaukee.

"I think we've been overlooked for years," said Wilson. "Now we are starting to get the recognition because we are getting guys that are doing well in college and beyond. "We aren't Chicago and we aren't Indiana but we are right there. We are actually one of the better areas in the Midwest."

Prep school in Wisconsin?

When the casual basketball observer hears about prep schools, they tend to think of either the power prep programs in the Northeast or horror stories they've heard about so-called diploma mills. Over in Delafield about 30 miles west of Milwaukee, the folks at St. John's Northwest Military Academy are working to put themselves on the map as a legitimate Midwestern prep destination.

"The idea was that we consider ourselves to be one of the top military academies in the country," said SJNMA assistant Bryan Clayton. "When you look at the other top military programs they are kind of clustered in the Virginia area and they have post-graduate sports programs. So our president thought we were missing that piece as a school and thought that it would help to attract student athletes and students."

   
The talent at SJNMA includes forward Aaron Ross.
In only the second year of their post-graduate program, the SJNMA folks are off to a good start. Last year, they had six players sign Division I scholarships, including two high majors (Washington's Martin Bruenig and Seton Hall's Brandon Mobley) and one player - Lawrence Alexander - who earned newcomer of the year honors in the Summit League at North Dakota State.

In 2011-2012, two SJNMA players signed early with Division I programs in the fall while another four to six are expected to sign in the spring. Headlining their available players are Jacoby Davis and Aaron Ross. Davis -- a rugged 6-2 point guard from North Carolina who originally signed with North Florida - has interest from the likes of Houston, Wyoming, Cleveland State, Quinnipiac, Memphis, UConn and the College of Charleston. Ross, who initially signed with Arkansas, is a former Rivals150 player who just returned from a weekend official visit to Texas Tech and also has attention from Dayton, Xavier, Alabama, Iona and Wichita State.

Because their post-grad program is still in the early stages, the SJNMA staff has been working hard to persuade prospects that attending prep at a military school in the upper Midwest is a legitimate option.

"The hardest part is getting over the military piece of it," said Clayton. "Where we run into trouble is trying to schedule and get a foothold. When people think prep schools they think that it's only in the East and they don't believe that there can be a quality prep school in the Midwest.

"I think the thing with us that helps is that our school has been around for over 127 years. We've had many more famous cadets over that time than basketball players over the last two years."

Looking ahead, the Lancers want to continue to add talent while strengthening their reputation with college coaches and remaining true to their core values.

"We want to get to 100-percent college placement," said Clayton. "We want guys who come into our program to grow. Wins and losses are important but it's really about our guys finding college scholarships. Of course we want to compete for national championships too.

"It's not about just singing at a high major. It's about getting kids to sign at places that they can make an impact."

The Players

No doubt the class of 2012 has been a good one in the Milwaukee area. The headliner actually comes from a bit north of the city in Sheboygan, but 6-foot-7 five-star wing Sam Dekker comes from close enough to be considered part of the area. His skill, size and savvy should allow him to be an instant contributor at Wisconsin.

Also heading off to the big time from the class of 2012 is Menomonee Falls senior wing J.P. Tokoto. Maybe the freakiest athlete in the country, he's a high flying four-star wing who will play his college ball at North Carolina.

   
Phillip Nolan is one of the nation's top center prospects.
Another likely high major to keep an eye on in 2012 is 6-foot-10 four-star big man Phillip Nolan a target of high majors including Missouri, Minnesota, Memphis, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Oregon among others. Also possessing high major potential is 6-foot-5 wing Arroyo Edwards from Milwaukee King who will likely need to attend junior college for a few years.

Looking ahead to 2013, it's looking like another strong year. Four-star wing Deonte Burton ranks No. 45 nationally and has already committed to play for hometown Marquette. Rivals150 big man Luke Fischer from Germantown is a skilled player who has already committed to Indiana while point guard Duane Wilson from Dominican is an athletic driver, member of the Rivals150 and surefire high major. Others to keep an eye on in the 2013 class include Milwaukee Riverside's interior tandem of D'Andre Downey and Ravon Posey. Downey is a long and athletic 6-foot-8 combo while Posey is a 6-foot-8 grinder who checks in at nearly 280 pounds. In the junior college ranks, one of the nation's most heavily recruited 2013 players will be a Milwaukee native in 6-foot-7 combo forward Jameel McKay of Ottumwa (Iowa) Indian Hills. Nick Fuller of Sun Prairie is a tough wing while point guard Jarvis Garrett of West Allis Central exudes confidence and big man Luke Worthington of Homestead has had early mid to high major attention.

Moving on to the class of 2014, Hamilton's Kevon Looney has already emerged as a national level recruit. An athletic 6-foot-7 wing with versatility and length, he already ranks No. 22 nationally in Rivals national top 25 for his class. Looney's teammate David Burrell is an athletic forward while Mesmer wing Jonathon Carson, Homestead point guard Lamonte Bearden and Hamilton point guard Damontrae Jefferson have all earned early attention. Two others to keep an eye on are Destiny shooting guard Jerrelle DeBerry who pumped in nearly 26 points a game during his sophomore season and Brookfield Central shooting guard Riley Lachance who is being touted as one of the best young shooting guards in the state.

Finally in the class of 2015 is perhaps the most impressive prospect in the city. 6-foot-9 big man Diamond Stone of Dominican is brought up by everybody who mentions talent in the city and expectations are high that he'll continue to carry the Milwaukee torch.

"Nobody has seen a big man like him in this state in a long time," said Wilson. "He can score the ball with both hands. He's athletic, he can run the floor and he rebounds. For a young big guy, he can do it all."

[Real Chilly Podcast]

translation:

of Burton + Wilson, Looney Stone

by 2017:

get 2 of 4 = 1 BEast 'Ship
get 3 of 4 = 2 BEast 'Ships
get all 4 = 3 BEast 'Ships + at least 1 Final Four

[Sir Lawrence]

This I doubt:

"With a population of just over 1,750,000 in the greater metro area...."

[Real Chilly Podcast]

This I doubt:

"With a population of just over 1,750,000 in the greater metro area...."

The Metropolitan Statistical Area typically includes Kenosha, Racine, and Waukesha.  It's correct

[jfmu]

The Metropolitan Statistical Area typically includes Kenosha, Racine, and Waukesha.  It's correct

its true

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milwaukee-Waukesha-West_Allis,_WI_MSA

[Sir Lawrence]

Well, all doubt removed. 

[Earl Tatum]

Great Post Stone Cold

[Blackhat]

It's a great write up by Rivals Journalist Eric Bossi.     Wanna make sure author gets props.


If he does a Chicago breakdown I'll post it.

[wadesworld]

It's a great write up by Rivals Journalist Eric Bossi.     Wanna make sure author gets props.


If he does a Chicago breakdown I'll post it.

Why would he do that?  There's high school basketball talent in Chicago?

 

[Blackhat]

He's actually been doing a pretty cool city to city breakdown.    Houston and Memphis he's also done so far.  Bossi's doing awesome work.

Here's some other MU pertinent tidbit from Jerry Meyer at Rivals:

Most schools didn't expect four-star prospect Phillip Nolan to qualify academically. Now it is looking like the 6-foot-10 center out of Milwaukee (Wis.) Riverside University High School will qualify, kick-starting his recruitment into high gear. Memphis, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee amongst others are jumping into the mix.


 2012 prospect Matt Willms is down to four schools. Marquette, Providence, Long Beach State and UNLV made the cut for the 6-foot-11 post player out of Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep.

[4everwarriors]

I thought Chicago was a suburb of Milwaukee.