Prospect Spotlight: Jonathan Beverly (2022)
Des Moines Hoover is going to be without its trio of standout 2019 prospects next season, but the cupboard is far from bare.
As has always been the case for the Huskies, they have a slew of talented hoopers waiting in the wings, one of them is 6-foot-2 forward Jonathan Beverly.
The athletic forward with a strong build won’t be new to varsity next season, he started as a freshman by season’s end this past season. It was his grittiness and hustle that was most valued.
“I utilize my strength and speed a lot more than certain skills. I feel most effective as a forward, because I don’t have the best handling, but I can handle it a little bit,” said Beverly. “I can shoot and I can drive and help any way possible from the four position at Hoover.”
Going from middle school basketball, where he was top dog, right into varsity, was an eye-opening experience for Beverly. He managed to average 5.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game as a starter for the Huskies.
“Middle school to high school was way different from varsity, and the seniors last year helped me to humble myself, because I used to have a big head on shoulders,” said Beverly. “They made me humble and made me work harder.”
Those three seniors, Adam Jackson, Hosea Treadwell and Kenny Quinn are gone now, and on paper it would appear the Huskies will be a primarily young and inexperienced squad. But with guys like Beverly, Manny Austin, Kir Diew and Jaden Loveless, the Huskies should once again be in a position to win a CIML Metro title.
“I definitely think people are going to underestimate us because those seniors are all gone, but we have to really good freshman coming up to varsity this year,” said Beverly. “And (Courtney) Henderson is a really good coach and he’ll make sure we’re ready to go when the season gets here.”
This spring, Beverly has been busy with driver’s ed, and working out sometimes multiple times a day. This summer, he’s planning on playing with Beyond Ball 24K.
He just started practicing with the guys from Beyond Ball, and says they will take his game to new heights.
“Practices are pretty intense, really competitive; they really work hard there, they try their hardest all the time,” Beverly said. “I think it’ll push me to a new level playing with them.”