Andrew Force:
Future150 National Analyst. Covering High and Middle School basketball.
Jackson, MS (Future150) -- Do not miss the talent spouting out of Mississippi. One of the southernmost states in the nation, Mississippi annually produces a star.
Like Michigan the state doesn’t get the credit it deserves for producing college players because most of the elite leave for prep schools before their high school graduation. When Moses Kingsley signed with Arkansas no one credited his Mississippi roots. Rather Huntington Prep was cited as his home.
Same with Mario Kegler.
Prep schools are gobbling up the superstars from many states, but when you have just two great players every year the poachers completely eviscerate the state’s reputation.
Now those same prep schools instantly elevate the exposure and enhance recruiting, but is Moses any less of a Magnolia State man now? Does Mario not know what a Mississippi summer feels like because he plays basketball in Florida?
Legacy
Did you know Danny Manning was born in Mississippi? Did you realize three of those preps-to-pros guys were raised on sweet tea?
Al Jefferson, Monta Ellis, and Travis Outlaw are from the state. The highest NBA scorer ever born in Mississippi was Chet Walker, but Jefferson holds the modern crown.
No discussion about Mississippi can be complete without acknowledging Lindsey Hunter. What a shooter. The diminutive guard amassed over 1,000 steals and 1,000 made three pointers. If you want to see a guy force 10 shots a night tune in to Minnesota Timberwolves games for Jackson-native Mo Williams.
Who will be next?
Recruiting
At this moment Malik Newman is the poster boy for Mississippi basketball. He can attend any college in the country, presumably for a single year.
Mississippi State, Kentucky, Kansas, and Ole Miss are strong options. If anybody can tug Newman away from his father’s alma mater (MSU) it is Kentucky.
The ascendance of Mississippi State will wake national recruitniks up to the power of Mississippi basketball prospects. The Bulldogs just convinced Darius Hicks (2016) to stay home for college. Senior Quinndary Weatherspoon had Tennessee, Alabama, Wake Forest, and Western Kentucky offers before he signed. And the Bulldogs are doing very well with Class of 2017 targets.
A New Day
Callaway is led by the superstar Newman, but operating the point is Decardo Day.
Steady and elusive with the ball Day can break down any defense. He willfully defers to Callaway’s headliner.
“My goal is to be the best point guard in the state and to lead my state in assists,” said Day. “And of course to be a great leader to my team and others. And to stay positive. And to win another state championship.”
Day consistently hears from Georgia Tech, Troy, and Ole Miss. Each team sent a coach through to evaluate him this past fall. The spotlight routinely glares on Newman with the high school team, but Day is used to being a conduit. He plays on a loaded AAU team too.
MBA Hoops Elite
MBA Hoops Elite runs out Mario Kegler, Lamonte Turner (AL), Day, Terryonte Thomas, Moses Greenwood, and Malcolm Evans.
“We have Malcolm Evans,” brags Coach Omhar Carter. “I love him. He has a 7’3” wingspan. He can shoot the three, very athletic.”
According to Coach Carter, Evans is reclassifying to 2016. He already had offers from UNLV, West Virginia, Kansas State, UMass, UNLV, Florida State, and St. John’s. By moving to Winston-Salem Elite Prep he hopes to gain more offers in the coming year.
Kegler is the supreme talent on the MBA roster. With offers from the likes of UConn, Arizona, and UCLA Kegler has NBA potential.
“He is at Arlington Country Day in Florida,” said Coach Carter. “He is our best defensive player. He is also our best leader. He is an excellent rebounder. He is right at 6’8”. With his rebounding ability he starts fast breaks. He kind of plays point forward for us. He plays on the perimeter in the halfcourt.”
As an exceptional handler standing 6’8” Kegler is a consensus Top-40 guy for the Class of 2016.
“He was top three in three point %,” said Coach Carter. “He posted smaller guards. He has a midrange game. He pretty much does a little of everything.”
Sleeper
A young unknown, guard Terryonte Thomas (2017) could really blossom into a high major talent. Standing nearly 6’5” Thomas blasted out of the gate with New Hope High School this winter.
“This past weekend he scored 20 points, “said Terry Thomas, Terryonte’s father. “He is a sophomore. He is the leading scorer on the team right now.”
Thomas contributed 25 points and 11 rebounds just last night. The hardest thing for him is finding elite competition.
“Around here you don’t have guards that size,” said the elder Thomas. “There is no one like him. At John Lucas (Camp) he got to see guards like him. Same height and same weight.”
Thomas’ father played tight end for Stillman College, but Terryonte picked hoops.
“I coached him in Pee Wee,” said Thomas. “He played up to ninth grade school ball. He had a love for the game and he felt like basketball was his thing. He was performing well at it. He had that love for the game. He didn’t have time for the football. He was playing AAU basketball over the summer, going from state to state and city to city. He decided to focus on basketball.”
Southern Miss has offered. Georgia Tech, Clemson, Baylor, Ole Miss, and UT-Martin are interested.
"I have visited Mississippi State," said Terryonte Thomas. "I plan to visit Memphis December 18th."
As Thomas rounds out his game to include scoring on all three levels the high major colleges are certain to follow.
Mississippi has several more quality underclassmen like Lemmie Howard, Emanual Ehi, Tirus Smith, and Keyshawn Feazell. MBA has three high-major players on their 15U squad, but that is a topic for another day.
When Kegler makes the NBA remember he was a Mississippi kid. Talent comes from somewhere and Newman will be the next great one. Recruiters know he will not be the last.
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