Drake Team Camp: Saturday Standouts
2019 Tyrell Terry, 6’1 PG (DeLaSalle, MN)
He was the best player we saw today in Des Moines, and though he doesn’t look like a dominant player, at least physique-wise, he certainly is. The first word that comes to mind is smooth, he’s got a fluid way about him; from his handle, to the was he moves his feet, to his jumper. And then it’s his very high basketball IQ paired with his quick defensive instincts that make this slight junior-to-be a high-major D1 talent. He’s currently Northstar Hoops Report’s (a Prep Hoops site) 2nd-ranked 2019.
2019 Jamison Battle, 6’5 SG (DeLaSalle, MN)
Northstar Hoops Report’s 7th-ranked 2019 was playing alongside Terry this afternoon, and the tall and long wing looks every bit the part of a high-level college player. He wasn’t shooting a ton, and certainly wasn’t forcing anything, so we did not get a good gauge on his jumper. But his size alone, paired with his patience and ability to score in the paint make him intriguing.
2018 Keith Johnson, 6’5 SF (Dubuque Hempstead)
Whenever Keith Johnson plays in an event we’re covering, he’s bound to end up on the standouts list. Even when we actively try and get fresh faces on the lists, he always makes his way there, rightfully so. He was the best player on one of the camp’s best teams in an early shellacking of Davenport West, prompting one Drake assistant to remark on his amazing ability to have his hands on the ball nearly every time down the floor, defensively. Johnson has plus athleticism and length, also he plays hard all the time. We consider him to be a fringe D1 talent.
2018 Brett Erwin, 6’8 C (Davenport West)
This was our first look at the kid from the state’s eastern shore, and he was about as good as we thought he’d be. Which, considering we have him ranked 39th in 2018, was pretty darn good. He’s big and strong, with a good athletic build, and he’ll score all of his buckets around the rim. He’s tall enough to have his way in the paint at the high school level, and could be molded into a fine college player if given the opportunity.
2018 Brady Sartorius, 6′ PG (Mount Pleasant)
What was most eye-catching about Sartorius today was his adept use of the left hand. He was finishing seemingly effortlessly lefty, and it got to a point where I had to second guess myself and check him to make sure he was actually a righty and not a lefty. That’s one example of how skilled Sartorius is, and he pairs that with plus-speed and athleticism. He should pick up several more D2 offers this summer.
2018 Sebit Kalio, 6’3 G/F (Des Moines North)
As he heads into his senior season, it seems Kalio may have finally found a group that he can play with. We first saw him play two summers ago on the grassroots circuit, he told us then he’d be playing with Lincoln, but never did. Then we heard he was going to play with Roosevelt the next winter, that never happened. So now, the lengthy sharpshooter has an opportunity to play with the Polar Bears, a team he fits in quite well with. If he does play with the Polar Bears this winter, he’ll bring size, length, shooting and some underrated passing to Des Moines’ north side.
2018 Jackson Brannan, 6’1 G (Ankeny Centennial)
Without Hunter Strait (he’s elite camping at Air Force), it was Jackson Brannan’s team to run Saturday afternoon at the Knapp Center. We knew the senior-to-be was one of the state’s best leapers, and it turns out, the speedster is a formidable 3-point shooter (he’s got beautiful rotation on his deep ball) too; he knocked in two triples during a loss to Xavier. He’s as fast as any player he’ll go up against, and if playing aggressive, could be the Jags’ second leading scorer this season.
2018 Matt Mims, 5’11 PG (Xavier)
Man was he good today, and the two-time state champion picked a good spot to score his team’s (much-needed) 13 straight points, doing it on the Knapp Center’s main floor, in front of a slew of Drake coaches. Extremely fast, with a tight handle and ever-improving jumper (it’s more than formidable), Mims could play himself into several more D1 offers (North Dakota) if he continues to play like he did during a win over Centennial Saturday afternoon.