Prospect Spotlight: Michael Cahill (2021)

Israel Potoczny

May 30, 2019 @ 10:51 AM

St. James Academy 2021 Michael Cahill is putting together a strong offseason running with Team KC and is earning a reputation as one of the KC area’s top rising point guards. A pass-first playmaker who looks to make players around him better. He can score when necessary, whether that’s making an open 3-pointer, knocking down a mid-range jumper or driving to the basket and finishing tough chances. “I’m a two-way player that takes pride on both ends of the floor and likes helping the team create offense off our defense,” he says. “I’m explosive on-ball defense, with deceptive speed and awareness which has helped me lead my teams in steals, creating turnovers, etc. “I’m a smart player with great court-awareness and turnovers, etc.vision, manages the floor well speeding it up or slowing it down as needed, and always looking for the open man first. Quick hands and footwork, ball handling is core strength.” Cahill is playing for coach Don Weston’s Adidas affiliated Team KC program this summer, and says he has enjoyed the travel and competing in various tournaments around the midwest. “The travel has allowed us to play new clubs not only from this region, but the coasts, the Southeast, the Northwest, etc.,” he says. “I really like Coach Weston, he’s extremely knowledgeable and had great success over the years, and he focuses heavily on playing ‘team’ ball, defense and the fundamentals – which lifts up everyone vs. just the individual. “Playing new clubs outside the mid-west has exposed us to new talent and new looks, making us play outside our comfort zone and allowing us to take these learnings back to our high school teams.” Cahill says he has focused on improving his strength and conditioning as well as his leadership qualities this offseason as he will be one of just two returning starters at St. James next season. Coming off a strong sophomore season, Cahill started every game at St. Hames and helped lead the team to the Class 5A state tournament, the first appearance in school history. He averaged 13 points and three assists per game and shot 59 percent from behind the 3-point line in 17 attempts during the postseason run. He says the most exciting game of the season was when St. James defeated Lansing in sub-state. He was named to the to the All-EKL Honorable Mention in the Eastern Kansas League (EKL) as a sophomore. F “I’m excited about next season, we have lots of returning players and underclassmen who got significant playing time last year and provide us with a lot more size,” he says. “I expect us go even deeper in state in 2020.” Cahill says his head coach at St. James, Stan Dohm, and Don Weston and many others have had the biggest impact on his basketball career to date. “I’ve had the opportunity to learn and grow from others including head coach Stan Dohm, who provided me the opportunity to be successful early on at St James Academy, and coach Don Weston, who has embraced me as a key component of Team KC’s initial success, and helped me develop different styles of play,” he says. “My trainer and former coaches Jim Huber (Breakthrough Basketball) and Dustin Lewis (MOKAN) have also instilled in me respect for the game, others, and myself over a decade of mentorship and friendship.”