Cane Ridge High School guard Damion Baugh (PrepHoopsTN #10) left Tennessee for Lincoln Academy just outside Atlanta, Georgia. Despite the opportunity to win a Mr. Basketball award this winter he and his family made a calculated decision to change schools and change states.
Why?
"It was really a hard decision for him because he loves Cane Ridge," said mother Samantha Baugh. "It was a hard thing for him, but he knew that he wanted to play on a higher level of basketball, so he had to do what he had to do."
Damion Baugh earned Middle Tennessee, Bradley, and Tennessee State offers playing for Cane Ridge High School.
Would he have attracted more D1 offers by staying with Cane Ridge? Almost certainly. But players are consistently making the choice to attend a prep school when given the opportunity in 2017.
"I just think that is was a great move for him academically and it is kind of teaching him how to...it is preparing him for college and what it will be like," said Mrs. Baugh. "Playing for the prep school will be a higher level of basketball."
Often mothers care more about academics and the fathers emphasize the athletic advancement. Sometimes the fathers are into classroom work too. Baugh's family is unified.
Father Damon Baugh wants his son to get an elite education at Lincoln Academy.
"I hope he gets a good education out of it, first and foremost," said Mr. Baugh. "Sports will come, but education takes you further than sports."
Lincoln Academy boasts an academic affiliation with Friendship Christian.
Like many upstart prep schools the program doesn't have their own school, per say. The players will attend classes nearby and train during the down time, of which there is plenty. Weight lifting, practices, and individual sessions are more frequent as the prep schools have no governing body mandating a certain amount of classroom hours or restricting the amount of coach-player hours.
"One of the the first things that comes to mind about Damion is he is always going to do his job on the court he just has a winning-type demeanor that is contagious to his teammates and more times than not he is on the winning team because he just finds a way," said Lincoln Prep Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Michael Mann. "We expect this to be a breakout year for him and we expect colleges to be asking about him a lot once the season gets going."
Transfer Rash
High school transfers are not really good or bad decisions. It is more complex than that. When a human uproots himself he endures many new conflicts while enjoying new life experiences and inevitably adding new friends and mentors.
Tennessee is not unique and states like Michigan, Arizona, Kentucky, and Maryland have been battling talent drains for a decade.
The proliferation of prep schools created coaching jobs for young, hungry recruiters who in turn need good players to keep those jobs. Where do they turn?
Cane Ridge High School. Memphis East. Lighthouse Christian. The list goes on and on.
"The reason why we picked a prep school was exposure," said father Damon Baugh. "It gives him better opportunities in life in school and sports."
The days of a young kid thriving as a high school underclassmen, growing up with his teammates, and then maturing into a team leader, perhaps taking his hometown school to a state title are virtually over for the elite players.
Look at the top 20 players in the Class of 2017.
These are the schools they finished their prep career with:
Nathan Hale (WA)
Westtown School (PA)
Hillcrest Academy (AZ)
Pace Academy (GA)
IMG Academy (FL)
Pebblebrook (GA)
La Lumiere (IN)
Chalmette (LA)
Tampa Catholic (FL)
Centennial (NV)
Victory Prep (TX)
Cathedral Catholic (CA)
Findlay Prep (NV)
Reading (PA)
Prolific Prep (CA)
Patrick School (NJ)
La Lumiere (IN)
Oak Hills (VA)
North Central (IN)
Foothills Christian (CA)
Of those 20 schools 6 are public schools. An astonishing 11 are prep schools, specifically grooming basketball players for college and pro careers. That number will grow next year and the year after.
Steadily our nation is trending towards the European model of training elite athletes. Identify them early and group them together for specialized training on professional-grade equipment.
Picking a Prep
Damon Baugh admitted that Lincoln Prep Academy was really the only prep that came hunting for Damion.
"We did a follow-up on them," said Mr. Baugh. "We investigated them and decided it was a good option."
Together the family elected to enroll Damion and he arrived on his birthday with the blessings of the Cane Ridge coaching staff. They wish him well and continue to support Baugh in his pursuit of a dream.
"What will he get out of it? He will play big-time players instead of local players," said Mr. Baugh.
Mr. Baugh cited the challenges Damion will endure in practices as potentially reformative in Damion's development. A polite, somewhat demure young man Baugh loves to be coached. He has a lot of room for improvement, but what makes his trajectory so exciting is the capacity for growth and eagerness to learn.
"I think that how far he goes is up to him," said Mrs. Baugh. "As far the skillset I think he has it. It is always something that you can work on. He is not perfect, but I think he has a great eye and a great love for the game."
Other fresh transfers out of Tennessee include T.J. Moss (Findlay Prep), K.K. Curry (St. Thomas More), Norrance Berry (The Christ School). You might remember Isaiah Stokes (I.M.G. Academy), Braxton Blackwell (Oak Hill Academy), Tyger Campbell (La Lumiere) making similar decisions in recent years.
Tennessee is now sprouting basketball prep schools too. Tennessee Prep, Believe Academy (formerly TNG), and Bristol Prepatory Academy recently joined Hamilton Heights Christian and Lausanne Collegiate as basketball-centric options within Tennessee.
Alas Baugh and his family picked Lincoln Prep Academy and judging simply by his LakePoint Fall League performances they might have picked a good spot.
"I am the mom and he is the baby son," said Mrs. Baugh. "So, yeah. I don't sleep good, but I think he is in a good position where he is."
