Recruiting Report: Drew Cole (2019)
Brookings went 20-6 and finished as the second ranked team in Class AA last year surprising many. Drew Cole is the only one back from the varsity group.
The 6-foot-5 Cole will have a lot of pressure as the lone returner from last year’s squad so he prepared this off-season by playing with the top 16u club in the state, South Dakota Attack.
“The top highlights of the 16u season was probably getting to play along side some of the top talent around this area as well as competing in Wichita,” Cole said. “I feel I got a taste of the next level. The speed of the play really picked up and the physicality picked up too.”
Drew has a lot of responsibility as an upperclassmen the next two years so he wants to be fully prepared come late November.
“I want to be in mid season shape when the winter season rolls around,” Cole said. “That also means my shot being in mid season form. Getting in the weight room and improving in that aspect is one of my bigger focuses overall.”
Brookings won 20 games a year ago and a lot of talent graduated. That doesn’t mean that expectations aren’t still quite high.
“This season is kind of a wild card,” Cole explained. “We have no returning starters. We graduated seven seniors last year who all played. I am really the only player coming back who got minutes last year. Another state tournament appearance is definitely a goal.”
Schools have called on Drew already but one of them has stepped forward more than others.
“The University of Sioux Falls invited me to their camp and has been in contact with since about the end of the summer.”
Drew is a long forward so he has picked out an NBA favorite to watch closely.
“Kevin Durant is my favorite player at any level,” Cole said. “I’m a tall lengthy guy kind of like him and he’s influenced me to be more of a perimeter player and expand my game.”