Recruiting Update: Damontae Burns (2021 Parkrose HS)
There have been no ifs, ands, or buts about it – Damontae Burns can put the biscuit in the basket. The athletic 6-foot-1, 150-pound guard knows that he needs to keep on expanding his game though and wants to keep…
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Continue ReadingThere have been no ifs, ands, or buts about it – Damontae Burns can put the biscuit in the basket. The athletic 6-foot-1, 150-pound guard knows that he needs to keep on expanding his game though and wants to keep on doing that this spring and summer once again with the Rose City Rebels. Burns also has extra motivation this AAU season as he hopes to at least make up for some of what he feels was a junior year at Parkrose that didn’t quite live up to his expectations.
“It was a failure in my opinion – I at least wanted to get to state,” Burns said. “Tyler (Newsom) had a big-time game and they just came out with it by one. But we had a pretty great season but we just didn’t get to where we wanted to be, which was state at least.”
Individually, Burns had a decent year – one in which he felt his game developed in ways he liked. “As the season went along, I became more of a point guard and not just a scorer,” Burns said. “When I came into Parkrose I was more of just a scorer, but as the year went on I had to learn to become more of an all-around point guard and make sure I get my teammates involved before I started my own scoring.”
Burns – who notes that he continues to hear from Portland and Portland State on the recruiting front – has now shifted his focus to the Rebels, for which he has already helped lead to two 16U tournament titles. Again, his expectations are high.
“I think we’re one of the top teams in the country,” Burns said. “As long as we practice hard and go out there and play, we’ll be ready – we have a great team. For me, they’ve told me to learn how be a point guard, make sure I get everyone involved before I get my own scoring going. There are so many great scorers and so many people with length on this team that I just need to make sure I get them involved before I get myself going.”
Burns and the Rebels kick off play in the Nike EYBL 16U this weekend in Atlanta. Burns currently ranks as the #8 player in the PrepHoops Oregon Class of 2021 rankings.