Grassroots Team Preview: Gateway
It was a very successful season in 2016 for the Gateway Basketball Club 17U team, which plays in the Adidas Uprising Gauntlet Series. There are hopes for even more success this season as Gateway will field a team with plenty of size and depth. There is a lot of size on the Gateway 15U and 16U levels as well. Here is a look at the Gateway Basketball Club.
17U Roster
Darius Beane 6’3″ Carbondale, IL (2018)
Jordan Holmes 6’0″ Columbia, IL (2018)
Marcedus Leech 6’5″ Poplar Bluff (2019)
Matt Leritz 6’6″ SLUH (2018)
Adam Moore 6’6″ Duchesne (2018)
Kyle Rawson 6’9″ 22 Feet Academy (2018)
A.J. Sommer 6’5″ Parkway South (2018)
Alec Spence 6’5″ Brewster Academy (2018)
Milan Stakic 7’0″ Conrad Academy (2018)
Cameron VanLeer 6’4″ Pacific (2018)
Jamarr Williams 6’6″ Northwest Academy (2018)
Cameron Williams 6’4″ Hazelwood Central (2018)
Kyle Young 5’10” Jennings (2018)
Outlook: Gateway’s 17U team will enter play in the Adidas Gauntlet with some exciting additions to their roster. One of the most talented additions is Leech, the scoring combo guard from Poplar Bluff who is one of top prospects in the Class of 2019. Leech is a bucket-getter who can create shots and dial it up from long distance. Also joining the fold is the 6’3″ Beane, an athletic combo guard who will attack the basket and shoot the passing lanes on defense. The tallest edition to the team is Stakic, a skilled 7 footer from Bosnia. He provides good size along with the 6’9″ Rawson and the 6’6″ Williams, who is a rebounding machine. Returning from last year’s 16U team are combo guard Van Leer, small forward Sommer and Holmes, who can really shoot it from long distance.
16U Roster
Keyyaun Batchman 6’2″ Chaminade (2019)
E.J. Bellinger 6’4″ Fort Zumwalt South (2019)
Seth Beussink 6’8″ Jackson (2019)
Lawrence Brazil 6’0″ CBC (2019)
Trey Griffey 6’6″ Lafayette (2019)
Yaya Keita 6’9″ St. Louis Christian (2019)
D.J. Mitchell 6’7″ (2019) Henderson, KY (2019)
Easton Null 5’11” Jefferson (2019)
Kyran Rawson 6’11” 22 Feet Academy (2019)
Jeramy Shaw 6’4″ Valley Park (2019)
William Shumpert 6’4″ CBC (2019)
Hayden Thomas 6’3″ Twin Rivers (2019)
Outlook: Returning from last year’s 15U team are Bellinger, a talented wing player who can really score; and Mitchell, an athletic and active combo forward, who gets a lot done with his length and high motor. Some newcomers with good size on board are the 6’9″ Keita, 6’11” Rawson and 6’8 Beussink. The 6’4″ Shaw is an athletic wing player who can play all three perimeter positions. Brazil brings quickness and dribble penetration, Null is a downtown shooter and Batchman can be a lock-down defender.
15U Roster
Ikhem Coleman 6’2″ East St. Louis (2020)
Luke Ervie 6’2″ Freeburg, IL (2020)
Benjamin Folz 6’2″ Jefferson City (2020)
Brennan Jeffries 5’11” Jefferson City (2020)
KJ Jones 6’5″ Collinsville, IL (2020)
Ryan Kalkbrenner 6’8″ Trinity (2020)
Sada Kalle 6’9″ St. Louis Christian (2020)
Daniel Loos 6’6″ Clarksville, TN (2020)
Jvon Patton 5’10’ Collinsville, IL (2020)
Sam Richardson 6’4″ Hancock (2020)
Darion Smith 6’3″ MICDS (2020)
Adam Sommer 6’3′ Parkway South (2020)
Schedule
March 31-April 2: Real Deal in the Rock, Little Rock, AR
April 7-9: Gateway All-American Shootout, St. Louis, MO
April 21-23: Adidas Gautlet Dallas, Fort Worth, TX
April 28-30: Adidas Gauntlet, Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
May 12-14: Adidas May Classic, Indianapolis, IN
May 26-29: Adidas Gauntlet Regional, Chicago, IL
July 13-15: Adidas Gauntlet Finale, Spartanburg, SC
July 20-23: St. Louis 3 Stripes Classic, St. Louis, MO
July 26-30: Adidas Uprising Summer Championship, Las Vegas, NV