We've already seen some this year of course with Tilmon and Jontay and Jordan Barnett and Puryear's development what having a good team of regional talent out there can do for Missouri. And the video-game like production of Missouri natives who have wound up at other schools just underscores what our program can be if we lock down the borders. This week was nuts.
It started out last Saturday when Landry Shamet of KCMO went nuts at Oklahoma State - 30 points including 4-7 from three and 13-16 from the stripe. Yesterday he had something of an off day against Trae Young and Oklahoma, but Shamet is so good that an "off day" for him still means 17 points, 5 assists & 5 rebounds.
Columbia Hickman's Jimmy Whitt continues to get better and better as SMU's point guard. On Wednesday he scored 19 points on 8-11 shooting with 8 assists, 6 rebounds and 3 steals. Wow.
Speaking of wow, Juwan Morgan of Waynesville MO has assumed his place as the best player for the Indiana Hoosiers and its not even close. Yesterday he had an immaculate game against Notre Dame, leading the Hoosiers to an overtime victory and making all the key plays at the end of regulation and overtime: 34 points on 13-17 from the field and 8-11 from the line along with 11 rebounds. Freaking Wow.
Elsewhere in the Big Ten, another Missourian is another team's leading scorer. Tyler Cook of STL has been Iowa's leading scorer all year and added further to that yesterday with 23 points, 4 boards, 3 assists and a steal vs Drake.
Another St. Louisian, Xavier Sneed, continues to get better over at Kansas State. Yesterday he scored 23 points shooting 9-10 from the field including 4-5 from three point range along with 7 rebounds and a couple assists vs. SEMO.
More St. Louisians putting in work: Deven Simms continues to be Arkansas State's best player by far. Yesterday had 22 points, 11 rebounds and 3 steals in ASU's road win at Florida Atlantic. He has one of the nicest midrange pump fake games you will see in college basketball.
Another STL kid filling it up all year: Mike Lewis II, a high school teammate of Jayson Tatum and Tyler Cook at Chaminade, is Duquesne's leading scorer for the second straight year and is already every bit as notable a three point shooter as Kassius Robertson ever was at Canisius. Earlier today in a Duquesne win he hit right on his average with 16 points on 3 of 6 from three point range. Last Saturday he hit a whopping 7 of 12 from three point range to score 23 points. For the year he is hitting 41% from three and averaging about 3.5 made three pointers a game. Cuonzo might want to seriously try using his STL ties to look at this kid as a potential transfer candidate to fill the Kassius Robertson shooter role on future Mizzou teams if the kid has any interest in playing closer to home in a P5 conference.
As if that weren't enough depth of talent for Missouri native players, let's head over to Central Michigan shall we? Columbia Hickman's Cecil Williams went nuts yesterday for the Chippewas, scoring 21 points and adding 10 rebounds. For the season he is tied for leader in scoring average for CMU and is second on the team in both rebounding and assists. Very balanced wingman offensively and their best defender.
Long post, and there are other players that could be discussed too. That's the thing, the depth of D1 production coming out of the state of Missouri right now is nuts.
It started out last Saturday when Landry Shamet of KCMO went nuts at Oklahoma State - 30 points including 4-7 from three and 13-16 from the stripe. Yesterday he had something of an off day against Trae Young and Oklahoma, but Shamet is so good that an "off day" for him still means 17 points, 5 assists & 5 rebounds.
Columbia Hickman's Jimmy Whitt continues to get better and better as SMU's point guard. On Wednesday he scored 19 points on 8-11 shooting with 8 assists, 6 rebounds and 3 steals. Wow.
Speaking of wow, Juwan Morgan of Waynesville MO has assumed his place as the best player for the Indiana Hoosiers and its not even close. Yesterday he had an immaculate game against Notre Dame, leading the Hoosiers to an overtime victory and making all the key plays at the end of regulation and overtime: 34 points on 13-17 from the field and 8-11 from the line along with 11 rebounds. Freaking Wow.
Elsewhere in the Big Ten, another Missourian is another team's leading scorer. Tyler Cook of STL has been Iowa's leading scorer all year and added further to that yesterday with 23 points, 4 boards, 3 assists and a steal vs Drake.
Another St. Louisian, Xavier Sneed, continues to get better over at Kansas State. Yesterday he scored 23 points shooting 9-10 from the field including 4-5 from three point range along with 7 rebounds and a couple assists vs. SEMO.
More St. Louisians putting in work: Deven Simms continues to be Arkansas State's best player by far. Yesterday had 22 points, 11 rebounds and 3 steals in ASU's road win at Florida Atlantic. He has one of the nicest midrange pump fake games you will see in college basketball.
Another STL kid filling it up all year: Mike Lewis II, a high school teammate of Jayson Tatum and Tyler Cook at Chaminade, is Duquesne's leading scorer for the second straight year and is already every bit as notable a three point shooter as Kassius Robertson ever was at Canisius. Earlier today in a Duquesne win he hit right on his average with 16 points on 3 of 6 from three point range. Last Saturday he hit a whopping 7 of 12 from three point range to score 23 points. For the year he is hitting 41% from three and averaging about 3.5 made three pointers a game. Cuonzo might want to seriously try using his STL ties to look at this kid as a potential transfer candidate to fill the Kassius Robertson shooter role on future Mizzou teams if the kid has any interest in playing closer to home in a P5 conference.
As if that weren't enough depth of talent for Missouri native players, let's head over to Central Michigan shall we? Columbia Hickman's Cecil Williams went nuts yesterday for the Chippewas, scoring 21 points and adding 10 rebounds. For the season he is tied for leader in scoring average for CMU and is second on the team in both rebounding and assists. Very balanced wingman offensively and their best defender.
Long post, and there are other players that could be discussed too. That's the thing, the depth of D1 production coming out of the state of Missouri right now is nuts.
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