Gone, But Not Forgotten (And still available)
These available Class of 2017 standouts at the Class 1-3 level saw their careers end last week just short of winning a district championship. This does not take away from the outstanding seasons and careers that each of these young men enjoyed. Here are some of those players who are still unsigned and would make very good college prospects.
Isaiah Wilson 6’0″ Father Tolton: Wilson took on a greater offensive load and leadership role for the Trailblazers after the move of Michael and Jontay Porter to Seattle. Wilson was more than up to the task as he led Tolton to a winning record against a brutal schedule. Wilson proved to be a potent scorer who could really create his own shot off the dribble. He averaged more than 20 points a game and provided guidance for his young teammates. He was received offers from Division II schools such as Truman State.
Wesley Sharp 6’6″ Ellington: The slender combo forward finished his career with more than 2,000 points as well as leading the Whippets to back-to-back district championships in 2015 and 2016. He was a versatile big who developed from a low-post scorer as a young player to an excellent wing prospect later in his career. He can shoot it, pass it and can fill the lane and throw down a slam dunk in transition.
Jake Allen 6’3″ Otterville: The high-scoring wing was one of the top offensive players in the state for the past two seasons. After averaging 26 points a game as a junior, Allen upped the ante by averaging 30 points a game as a senior. He also became the school’s all-time scoring leader in the process. He can score with the ball in his hands and he can also play without the ball.
Javarcus Word 5’8″ New Madrid County: The little dynamo really had the carry the scoring load for an Eagles team this season that was short on talent, but he did it quite well. He averaged more than 20 points a game while making 53 3-pointers. Word is really good at attacking the basket and scoring against the trees. He had several game in which he scored more than 30 points. He does an excellent job of running the pick and roll.
Calvin Heidenwith 6’3″ Putnam County: The talented wing player put up some big scoring numbers during his senior season, including a game in which he scored 51 points. He also had more than 40 points on a couple of occasions. He finished his career as the school’s all-time leading scorer. Heidenwith is good on the drive and he can knock down 3-pointers. He is also an excellent passer as well.
Berlin Roberson 5’8″ McCluer South-Berkeley: The mighty mite enjoyed an outstanding senior season as a point guard who can get buckets. He averaged 21 points a game and shot 38 percent from 3-point range, making 71 of his 186 attempts from downtown. Roberson is also a quick penetrating guard who can also get to the basket, which made him virtually impossible to guard because of his long-range shooting ability. He had a highlight game of 36 points in a victory over Class 3 state quarterfinalist Whitfield.
Nathan Wilson 6’5″ Licking: Wilson was part of a talented dynamic duo with fellow 2017 Brady Smith. The versatile Wilson averaged more than 20 points a game and proved to be a big matchup problem for opposing teams throughout his career. He was a potent scorer in the low post, but he had the ability to go outside and shoot and beat people off the dribble as well.
Drew Apsher 6’0″ Smithton: One of the top scoring guards in Mid-Missouri, Apsher averaged more than 25 points a game in each of his last two seasons. He also scored more than 2,000 points in his career. Apsher was capable of playing both guard positions effectively with his ability to shoot and pass the basketball.
Craig Lewis 5’9″ Winston: The talented point guard enjoyed a stellar four-year varsity career at Class 1 Winston, which did not lose many games when he was running the show. He led the Cardinals to the state-championship game in 2015 and back-to-back undefeated regular seasons. Lewis is a good facilitator who could score and he also excelled in Winston’s fast paced game.