Recruiting Report: Dylan Beckham (2017)
Junior big man Dylan Beckham is hoping to help South Warren do big things this season. The Spartans have built their chemistry over the past month, Beckham said, and they hope that carries over at season’s end to their first…
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Continue ReadingJunior big man Dylan Beckham is hoping to help South Warren do big things this season.
The Spartans have built their chemistry over the past month, Beckham said, and they hope that carries over at season’s end to their first Fourth Region Tournament in their sixth season of existence.
South Warren started the season 4-9, but has won four straight entering Tuesday’s scheduled game at Warren Central.
“I believe that over Christmas break, just staying together and being in rooms together (at holiday tournaments), we just got more connected and we saw what our coach is trying to tell us,” Beckham said. “We bought into it.”
Tony Hopper is South Warren’s third coach in three years. Currently, he has Beckham swinging between the 4 and 5 spots due to the Spartans’ injury situation.
Ordinarily a center during the winter, the 6-foot-7 Beckham played forward during AAU ball, he said, so he’s used to both positions.
“In high school, I can run the floor good for my size, and that’s one of the things we take advantage of, because most of the people I guard are bigger and a little bit slower,” Beckham said, “so I can stretch a 5 out and shoot a 15-footer. I can drive to the basket; I can dribble the ball.”
Beckham learned to use more than just his height during the summer playing for Team Corey Brewer, from Nashville, Tenn.
“I played with more athletic guys, more athletic than me, and I was like, I gotta control myself, slow myself down, dribble the ball more, attack, and slow down and play a more fundamental game,” Beckham said. “I know I’m not the most athletic, but I know if I can slow down and get my fundamentals right, I can go against anybody. I can score with my back to the basket, too.”
Beckham said he features the strength to guard in the paint. Of late, he’s been asked to do more defensively on the wing.
“I’m not as fast as most wings,” he said, “but I can use my length and my size to get separation and get in front of guys.”
Beckham said he went to Lincoln Memorial’s elite camp and has corresponded with them via email ever since, and that Lindsey Wilson has been on hand to see him play this season. He’s visited Kentucky Wesleyan and is in contact with coach Happy Osborne, he said.
Beckham’s also been contacted by the University of Tampa and attended Austin Peay’s recruiting day.
His time playing AAU ball last summer is when collegiate interest in him began developing on that scale, Beckham said.