Summer basketball
June 28, 2008 @ 10:24 p.m. by Joannaby joanna
On a very busy day that included swim lessons, covering the Wichita Sports Hall of Fame induction and going to the ASA state softball tournament at TRYC, I squeezed in time to watch some basketball at Derby’s MAYB tournament — and go to Talliano’s for pizza (yum!). I saw teams from Campus, Conway Springs, Chaparral, Hutchinson Trinity, Wichita Trinity and Heights. I saw Derby coach Ryan Herrs, Heights coach Joe Auer and Wichita Trinity coach David Swank.
Trinity had Cort Lindley and Cole Graddy — who says he’s just playing for fun, that he really does have no intention of trying to play in college. Lindley’s brother Chance was there, too. He’s now an assistant coach for Arizona’s women’s team.
Heights was the most impressive team there. This is obviously a very young team that included Perry Ellis and Gavin Thurman — both of whom I saw for the first time.
They are good athletes, no question (I know, ground-breaking stuff there), but there’s room for improvement. From the way people talk about Ellis, it’s like he’s ready for the college game. Right now. Cut the kid some slack. He’s like 14 years old. Not even in high school yet. He’s got some muscle tone, but there’s a frame that needs a lot more muscle — and it will come, through working out and growing and maturing. Now I’m sure there will be some of you that will think I’m dogging the kid. But all this is is pure observation. Like any 14-year-old, there’s a ways to go. He’s obviously the type of kid who will work to get to where he needs to be. He’s already got a sister, Savannah, playing Division I basketball, so he knows what it takes.
He got his shot blocked at one point and I saw something I know we’ll see for the rest of his high school career — it made that kid’s night, to be able to say he blocked Ellis’ shot. Ellis responded by getting angry in a basketball way — making up for it on the next play.
Dorian Roberts and Austin Bahner — both starters last year — also played. They looked strong. At one point, Roberts made a sweet no-look pass through the middle. Nice.
Did you see any basketball this weekend? Who looked good? Who played well? Let’s hear about it.
June 29th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
The Wichita T-Wolves looked really impressive in the 9-10th grade boys division. Ja’ln Williams of East High, Cameron Cornelius of Derby High, and Evan Wessel of Heights are three class of 2011 prospects that Wichita will soon be reading about. Williams may be the best looking ballplayer as well as athlete that’s been ignored in the area. As a freshman this past season, he saw limited varsity time in a crowded East high backcourt, but with the graduation of 3 senior starters, look for him to make a name for himself. He already has on the summer aau circuit in Texas, Virginia, and Missouri. Cornelius should see major varsity minutes this season at Derby. He’s a great leaper, rebounder and all-aroud tough player. Wessel is a pure shooter, who will give Heights an outside threat when their young inexperienced big guys get doubled. I believe these three are the future of Wichita basketball.
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June 29th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
The Kansas Hoyas won the Derby tournament for 8th grade (incoming freshman) They won the four games by an average of 49 points including the championship game. All of the kids looked good. And two of they’re players were gone at the Jr. Phenom camp in San Diego. But they were pretty impressive. And also “headwolf” is right. I have seen them a few times now and the T-Wolves team is very strong and the three kids he mentioned are gonna be real nice players in the city league.
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June 30th, 2008 at 6:21 am
The Kansas Hoyas looked pretty good winning the Derby 8th grade division (incoming freshman) wiht two of they’re kids gone at the Jr. Phenom camp in San Diego. They still won the four games by an average of 49 points per game. Headwolf is correct also as the T-Wolves are a really good looking team and all three of the players he mentioned are outstanding looking players.
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June 30th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
How about the campus team. They have one person over 6′ and they played tough against all the big guys. There record was not that good but they played tougher than anybody I saw. There Gaurd CJ was playing like he was 6′5” when he is only like 5′11”.
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June 30th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Sorry, entered same thing twice. Thought it did not go through first time.
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June 30th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
I watched Heights play the Wichita Magic a game that went into overtime, which the Magic won. Heights will be a force this year. But not for the reasons people think. I really like Dorian Roberts game, he’s steady and seems to have the right make-up for a team with a future “lottery” pick (Ellis). I saw a lot of good players this weekend. John Bridges has thin out and is getting better. Alex Stutter looks good. Galvin Thurman looked really good in the two game I watched. Brandon Walker is playing great for the T-wolves. The whole Wichita Jets team is great! I saw the Contender team play and Alex Williams is outstanding he was giving the Magic a Kobe like game. Overall I saw some really good games….I miss some players names so please for give me.
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July 6th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Regarding that Wichita T-Wolves team, i’ve seen them in the past a couple of times and the Williams kid was nice. But what’s even more impressive is that some of the kids on our Valley Center team saw a schedule of this week’s Maize Mayb tourney and saw the T-Wolves on the schedule and their heads dropped. I thought “Wow” we haven’t even stepped on the court yet.
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July 8th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Were there also girls playing at the Derby/Maize tournaments? Also is it fair to say that the girls game is much stronger than the boys game in the Wichita area?
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July 8th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
PTF, I don’t know if I’d say the girls game is stronger than the boys. Wichita has had a large number of girls go Division I, especially recently, so there’s no doubt that there is some outstanding talent in the area. However, it’s not like that across the board.
The distinction is really that there is definitely talent in the area for boys and it’s deeper than the girls.
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July 9th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
No it’s “not fair to say the girls game is stronger than the boys”. And I’m actually biased towards the girls as I do not want to make my two daughters mad who I support with every fiber in my body at they’re basketball games. I enjoy girls basketball very much (also attend every one of my neices games at South) Its a fun game to watch when competitive. (Heights vs South last year was AWESOME) But statements like that one drive me nuts. Until girls teams can actually beat boys teams then we don’t need to go around saying things like the girls game is “stronger”. I hear people say basically the same thing at my daughters games, and it drives me nuts. But I am very open minded so I’d be curious to hear which part of the girls game is stronger. Is it shooting (with the little tiny ball), rebounding, defense, passing, ball handling? Maybe Dunking? This is not being said mean spirited at all! So please dont hammer me too bad ladies! (smile) But instead enlighten me.
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