Cleveland Raiders make Waves
Cleveland’s Blue Raiders (22-4) run out a fantastic basketball team. Of Tennessee teams only Bearden x2 and Hardin Valley knocked off the proud Cleveland High School squad.
While most successful high school teams play together and exceed the sum of their parts, Cleveland features some pretty shiny parts.
Skip past the seniors for a second. Class of 2019 wing Dionte Ware, by all accounts, is a special player capable of playing MM-HM basketball in two years.
Just this season Ware took visits to North Carolina State and Chattanooga.
James Madison, Arkansas State, and Canisius offered. UNC-Greensboro is aggressively recruiting Dionte Ware. Middle Tennessee, Missouri, Central Florida, Creighton, and many others are contacting Dionte or his coaches.
Ware scored his 1,000th point earlier in the week.
Morehead State is the latest college program to reach out. Remember they offered KJ Johnson (Marshall County) earlier this month.
One other junior, Isaiah Johnson will have a chance to play beyond high school. Johnson tagged along with Dionte Ware for the recent Chattanooga game visit.
Senior Class
Recruiting Update:
Castleton University (VT) has contacted 2018 SG Alex “Paco” Patterson.Rockhurst University (MO) is now showing strong interest in 2018 PG Mullek Bradford.
Florida Southwestern CC (FL) has inquired about 2018 sniper Deonate Davis.
— Cleveland Basketball (@CBR_Basketball) February 24, 2018
Paco Patterson is a late-bloomer with sharpshooting tendencies. At 6-foot-0 Patterson generally operates off the ball. His scoring abilities indicate he would be an ideal sixth man or secondary ball-handler at the DIII level. Over time Patterson could become a starting off-guard.
Mullek Bradford picked up interest from elite DII Rockhurst. Coached by former college basketball player Drew Diener, Rockhurst dipped into Tennessee for Will Hrubes (Briarcrest Christian) and Undra Wilson (Christian Brothers College). Bradford and PrepHoopsTN conducted a recruiting interview back in August.
District Champions. pic.twitter.com/CNuUj5IWkf
— Cleveland Basketball (@CBR_Basketball) February 21, 2018
Deontae Davis is a playet Cleveland High School Assistant Coach Reggie Tucker raves about.
“I’ve been blessed to coach, teach, develop and mentor some great shooters: Matt Milon-Boston College (William & Mary), Dinero Mercurius-South Florida (FGCU), Grant Riller-College of Charleston and Stuckey Mosley-James Madison,” said Cleveland Assistant Coach Tucker. “Deontae Davis might be the best shooter I’ve ever coached.”
Finally, there are three underclassmen worth monitoring. Grant Hurst (2021) is already attracting interest from Pacific, FGCU, Lipscomb and Montevallo (D2). Combining with Kley McGowan the two freshmen lead the CHS freshmen and JV squads to 31-2 record.
Also, sophomore Jacobi Wood will attract college recruiters in the coming months. He took a visit to Chattanooga with Dionte Ware. Wood is a competent player in his own right. Wood starts for the powerhouse program and will grow into a leadership position next fall.