Prospect Watch: Deantrell Beard (2017)
Scott County Central has one of the most successful small-school programs in the state of Missouri. The tradition-rich Braves program has won a number of state championships.
With top player Jeffery Porter graduated, senior forward Deantrell Beard moves into the role of the top player and leader of this storied program in Southeast Missouri. The 6’2″ Beard is looking forward to the new challenge of being the team’s go-to player.
“I just want to lead the team to a state championship like Jeffery did two years ago,” Beard said. “I’m looking forward to the new challenge this year. We may have lost Jeffery, but we have a lot of good players and we feel like we can compete for a championship.”
A robust 210-pound wing player, Beard is a versatile player who can play just about anywhere on the floor. He showed off his versatility at last weekend’s Prep Hoops Missouri Top 250 Expo in St. Louis. He is a strong, physical player who can make plays as a point guard, score the ball from the wing and post up and get buckets in the lane. Beard was very good at muscling his way to the basket and getting buckets through contact. He also displayed an improved jumper from the perimeter.
“I have worked a lot on my shooting and defense,” Beard said. “I can also finish at the basket way better than I did last season.”
Playing for a small-school team that does not have a lot of size, having a player like Beard is like having gold. As a junior, he was Scott County Central’s second leading scorer behind Porter. Beard also led the team in rebounding and was among the team leaders in assists and steals as the Braves finished 17-9 and played for a Class 2 district championship.
“I can play the one through the five positions,” Beard said. “I played in the post most of last year, but I can come outside and play point guard and shooting guard. I will do whatever the coach needs me to do.”