Accentuating Missouri
by Andrew Force, Future150 (1:09 AM CT, Thu September 17, 2015)

St. Louis, MO (Future150) -- Xavier Sanchez helped with this report.

Missouri is a land filled with basketball talent.  Very often the basketball players from the "Show Me" State wind up leading mid-major programs across the nation.

From Gateway Basketball Club (adidas), Mike Lewis just verbally committed to Duquesne. 

Aboubacar Diallo was going to go prep, but he took a scholarship from Eastern Illinois.  

Aaron Cook has now visited Ohio and Central Michigan.  His next stop is SIU-Carbondale.  According to Gateway Administrator Scott Schroepfer, Cook is setting up and official to South Dakota.

Duane Clark is another Gateway Basketball Club member capable of playing beyond high school.

"He is going to take an official down to Jacksonville," said Coach Schroepfer.  "He has Austin Peay that has just offered him.  He has already been on unofficial to UMKC."

Clark's recruitment is in a holding pattern.

"He has tons of guys recruiting him," said Coach Schroepfer.  "He is going to be a late qualifier.  Many MVC schools are waiting on his semester grades.  Illinois State, Indiana State, Missouri State, Evansville."

With a 250-pound body, Clark could easily be a pivot in either the Missouri Valley Conference or the Ohio Valley Conference.

"He is bouncy," said Schroepfer.  "He has a good motor.  He plays with passion.  Runs the floor well.  He does a good job.  All upside.  He sat last year because he transferred high schools.  He needed the structure.  His mother wanted him to get his grades right."

Division Two 

Too often basketball fans forget that D2 is a wonderful opportunity for ambitious student-athletes.  Eventually most D2 targets discover the strengths of this option.  

From St. Charles, Missouri, Ryan Briscoe has a Quincy offer. 

"He has D2 interest," said Coach Schroepfer.  "Northwestern Missouri State, Central Missouri, and Truman interest (are in on him)."  

Also, AAU-teammate Alex Moore is being recruited by the same schools as Briscoe.  

"Add UMSL (University of Missouri-St. Louis) and Missouri Southern." 

Class of 2016 wing, Kamau Kinder missed the whole month of July with hand surgery.  

"He was getting low D1 in spring," said Coach Schroepfer.  "He averaged 21 ppg last winter and is a coach's son."

Mark Rogers just picked up a Truman offer.  

According to Coach Schroepfer, Colorado School of Mines (D2).  SIUE, SeMo, Denver, Campbell, Wagner, and Pepperdine are all recruiting him for D1.

"He will pick up some D1 offers," said Coach Schroepfer.  "Real skilled.  (He) never ventured outside St. Louis.  He averaged 10 rpg and he dropped 21 and 12 on OBC (Carlton Bragg) in a Vegas Showcase game."

It will take a strong winter for Rogers, but you can't teach 6-foot-6.  He will get a chance.

High-Majors

Jayson Tatum is obviously the prized pupil in Missouri this class, but his AAU-teammate, Tyler Cook is worth the high major offers attributed to his game.

Arkansas, Iowa, and Missouri are frontrunners, with Arkansas set to host him a week from Friday.

More Missourians

Darien Jackson is set to start his junior year at Blue Valley Northwest High School. He is coming off an AAU season to remember. He had a very successful June and July.

When asked about his favorite memory from the season, he responded with, "going undefeated in June and July."

Jackson and his KC Run GMC team won the the Jayhawk Invitational Finale behind 26 points from Jackson.

He had such a strong performance he drew interest from several schools and received a handful of offers throughout the summer. Some being LIU Brooklyn, Indiana State, Weber State, and Kansas State.

When ask about how Darien sees himself on and of the court; Jackson said,"I feel like a leader on my team just because I'm easy to talk to and an outgoing person." Darien knows how to balance being funny and having a good time but also knows how to get serious and down to basketball business.

Teammate Run GMC Jay Gilyard spoke highly of him.

"He’s an easy guy to play with because of his versatility and we think alike,” said Gilyard.

Jay enjoys spending time on the court with Jackson and their complimentary skill sets jive perfectly. 

Jackson took an unofficial visit to Kansas State this past weekend.

Gladson Sets Officials

Will Gladson has offers from Brown, IUPUI, and SIUE. He will be taking official visits to Brown and Princeton in October.

Gladson spent this past AAU season growing his game.

"I progressed well throughout the summer and started scoring game in bunches toward the end," said Gladson.

Gladson on goes out each game and wants "to be the most vocal, but lead by tough play and energy."

Will mentioned that he ended his AAU days in a flashy style with  fifteen points and "big dunk."

Like Gladson from St. Louis Eagles, the Gateway Basketball Club features a high-academic gem in Matthew Nester.  A great shooter, Nester has a few promising options.

"Matthew Nester is going to D3," said Coach Schroepfer.  "He just got done visiting NYU, Washington and Lee, and Emory, and NYP. 

When you have grades and talent the doors open up.  Nester has plenty of solid options.

"He is going to visit Wash. U.," said Coach Schroepfer.  "He is their number one guy.  He will have his choice of those schools." 

Final Note:

Jacob Gilyard enjoyed his time this summer getting the opportunity to play with adidas and Nike teams. He has offers from Portland University, Long Island, Stephen F. Austin, and UMKC. Most recently he pulled in one from UAB.

The depth of Missouri talent can shift from D1 to D2 and rebound back.  The Class of 2016 might be the best in a few years.  It gets much deeper than the future pro, Jayson Tatum.