IPS Super 75: Grand Valley State

Allendale, MI.- Grand Valley State's Fieldhouse, the attendees, coaches, and all others involved provided a wonderful day for basketball. High School players and two standout 8th graders from around the state of Michigan and from Ohio were competitive throughout the day, which included stations, drill work, and games.

Here's a look at some of the day's standout:

Matt Carden '09, 6'6, Fraser- Carden is becoming a more intriguing target for more programs as he is a sleeper that could find his way on DII roster if he continues to show improvement. He's an exceptional student, worthy of Ivy League standards. Working on his mid-range game is what should propel him onto the DII radar.

Jacob Wheeler '09, 6'6, (Sand Lake) Tri-County- Wheeler is very intriguing as he looks to play the wing position and he can hit the three with consistency. He's a whose abilities could get lost in the mix once high school ball starts but in a atmosphere like the Super 75 he was able to showcase the abilities that should raise an eyebrows of DIII, NAIA, and even some DII programs. He was the best ball handler of all the bigs (6'6"+) in attendance.

Mike Morrow '09, 6'7, Forest Hills Central- Morrow is another big with outstanding grades and is bound for a roster spot on the DIII or NAIA level. I'd like to see him work on go to moves in the post, such as a determined drop step that will in turn lead to the easy buckets that coaches desire in post players. He still might have some growing left in him as he had the biggest shoe that I noticed in the camp.

Joey Asbury '10, 6'7, Warren Mott- As long as Joey continues to develop his game for the next level he'll find a quality program on the DII level and maybe more. He needs to get that three-point shot off faster for that level and keep working on his ball handling skills. He's a football player who has a frame that should take on added pounds well as he hits the weight room.

Patrick Graham '09, 6'7, Bowling Green (OH.),- Graham has nice size and his work in the post drills stood out amongst the other post players in the group. He showed athleticism that allowed him to finish with authority around the hoop on a consistent basis. He has the talent that GLIAC and other DII programs want in a big man. He reminds me in some ways of current Grand Valley State sophomore Mike Przydzial.

Nate Schmidt '10, 6'4, Ann Arbor Huron- Schmidt is a solid 200 pounds who found his spots beyond the arc on the wing and the lefty knocked down the three with consistency. His size in the post cleared space and he was able to fight through fouls and score around the bucket. I'd like to see Schmidt use his ability to hit the three to drive past overplaying perimeter defenders.

Tim Jenson '10, 6'5, Manistee- He's built like one of the front seven on the football field and a former quarterback the big guy knows how to find his spots and can shoot the three. Jenson uses his size well as he should to clear space on the blocks and grab boards. Adding more post moves will compliment his perimeter shot.

Andrew VanDiernDonck '09, 6'5, Wyandotte Roosevelt- Andrew performed as well as anyone in the day's camp as he showed the can handle the rock and shoot in station work. He scorched the nets from deep and was equally impressive finishing on the break or in half court sets as he finished with authority more often than not. This was VanDierenDonck's third IPS camp. He verbally committed to Northwood U. on Sunday, November 9, 2008.

Jamar Ragland '09, 6'4, Detroit Loyola- Ragland slashing abilities and athleticism was evident throughout the day. Spending extra time to hone his shot could put him on the radar of Division I programs, as that is his biggest weakness as of now. His energy,defense, and hustle caught the eye of coaches in attendance and that is something they can count on game in and game out.

Larry Smith '09, 6'3, Lincoln Park- Smith was another player who attended both camps this year and his mid-range and touch around the basket was impressive. He gained the attention of DIII and NAIA programs in attendance as he also provides nice bounce. Improving his guard skills and improving his range to 19 feet would do his game wonders.

Kelly Brown '10, 6'2, University Prep- He's long and active that helped his cause on the defensive end and you can't beat that. Brown needs to work on his foot work and guard skills. Spending an extra hour on the gym working his shooting form is an area which he can greatly improve his game. I'm not sure if he's done growing or not.

Michael Hollingworth '09, 6', Utica- Hollingworth was a standout in games and in drill work as he showed off his athleticism around the rim along with showing a nice shooting touch in the mid-range. He's a solid guard that is capable of playing on the DIII/NAIA level right now and DII programs shouldn't pass up taking a look at him over the high school season. He has DI athleticism and as he improves his point guard skills then he should be a lock for the DII level.

Marcus L. Jones '09, 6', Redford Thurston- Jones has a solid build (176 pounds of muscle) and drew the attention of all the coaches in attendance as he combines athleticism, guard skills, and a competitive edge that all coaches crave. He has range on his jumper and a soft touch around the basket. His size allows him to mix it up with post players and he gets after it on the boards.

More standout Senior and Junior guards next…