Prospect Watch: Blake Bauwens (2017)
Class of 2017 guard Blake Bauwens of Cape Notre Dame received a taste of the state championship level basketball two years ago as a sophomore when the Bulldogs advanced to the Final Four of the Class 4 state tournament. Bauwens…
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Continue ReadingClass of 2017 guard Blake Bauwens of Cape Notre Dame received a taste of the state championship level basketball two years ago as a sophomore when the Bulldogs advanced to the Final Four of the Class 4 state tournament.
Bauwens was a young pup back then on a team with nine seniors, but he was able to play a key role as a valuable reserve guard on a state team. When the the nine members of the Class of 2015 graduated, Bauwens inherited a big load as the top player and leader of the Notre Dame team.
During those past two seasons, Bauwens has been up to the task. After a 14-14 rebuilding season in 2016, Bauwens has the Bulldogs rolling to a 15-6 this season, which includes a recent nine-game winning streak and a tournament championship at the Houlihan’s Classic in Springfield, Mo.
“We had a lot of seniors on that state team and I was one of the only underclassmen,” Bauwens said. “Those seniors took me under their wing and set a good example for me. I learned a lot from those guys.”
Bauwens has done an excellent job as the point guard, chief perimeter scorer and facilitator for Notre Dame. Through 21 games, Bauwens is averaging 14 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals a game while shooting 77 percent from the free throw line. He has also been a capable 3-point shooter throughout his career.
Bauwens has come up with some big performances throughout the Bulldogs’ nine-game winning streak. He scored a game-high 21 points in a victory over Jefferson City Helias in the championship game of the Houlihan’s Classic. He scored 25 points in a 66-58 victory over Jackson in a key SEMO Conference game last week. He also provided Notre Dame’s most dramatic moment of the season two weeks ago when he sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Bulldogs a 49-46 victory over Saxony Lutheran.
With the success that Bauwens is having this season, he is hoping to attract the attention of some smaller colleges. He is an excellent NAIA or Division III prospect. With opposing teams paying more attention to his 3-point shooting, he has developed different ways to score, including attacking the basket off the dribble.
“During the off-season, I worked three to five days a week and it’s been mostly on my dribble-drive,” he said. “I’ve been able to shoot, but being able to get to the basket was a weakness that I have worked a lot on.”