Jumping The Ranks & Big Moves
(Submitted By: Malek Williams)
In today's high school basketball programs, more student athletes are leaving their beginning high schools and attending a school in a more competitive leauge or will leave in pursuit of a championship. One of the more popular transfer types is when an athlete plays two or three years and than transfer to basketball powerhouse schools. With these two "types" of transfers it will be shown which one is the best idea. Also another common occurrence is the incoming freshman playing either JV as a freshman or Varsity as a freshman.
In the case of an all-star athlete transferring schools in pursuit of a championship, we are given the example of Riverdale Baptist High School's Dominique Johnson, Class of 2012. Beginning at Holy Cross, Dominique showed off her aggressive defensive talents and her lethal scoring hitting shots from all areas of the floor. Not does Dominique have a leader's mentality, she shows fearlessness when taking her shots and displays he love of the game through her emotions on the court.
Q: What schools did you attend Freshman through Senior year?
A: I attended Academy of the Holy Cross (Freshman - Junior Year) and Riverdale Baptist senior year.
Q: Why did you decide to transfer schools?
A: I transferred because of some personal circumstances that came up and also that I wanted to be a little closer to home for my last year.
Q: Where did you play AAU basketball?
A: Maryland Lady Terps, Coach Robert Hildreth
Q: Do you believe it was the right decision to transfer?
Q: Do you believe it was the right decision to transfer?
A: Before I transferred, I always told myself that I was going to get a championship by my senior year. Transferring to a successful girls high school program I knew, at that time, it was destined to accomplish that one goal. Nonetheless, my senior we won two national championships, one being the ESPN High School Invitationals. So, Yes it was a great decision in transferring to Riverdale Baptist while earning a 3.6 gpa.
Q: Do you feel as if your old team didn't like your move?
A: I felt as though my teammates weren't as happy about me transferring. The bond and unity that we had on the court and off was the greatest thing, and with me leaving I felt incomplete, but I truly believe that when one door closes another one opens.
Dominique Johnson will be continuing her basketball career at Towson University next year! Go Tigers!
In the case of an athlete transferring schools to a even greater basketball powerhouse, we are given the example of Oak Hill graduate(Class of 2011) & Duke University(Class of 2015) point guard Quinn Cook. Starting off at Dematha Catholic High School, Quinn reached star status early putting up monster numbers and heavily contributing to his team lighting up the stat sheets and brewing up talk around the WCAC. After winning two WCAC Championships with Dematha his Sophomore & Junior years, he took his talents up to Reston, Virginia to play under the coaching of Coach Steve Smith at Oak Hill Academy. With more than just playing for the love of the game Quinn plays in honor of his father Ted Cook(Passed: March 4, 2008) and leaves his heart out on the floor every time he steps on the court. On top of overcoming the loss Quinn has participated in countless elite camps, games, and tournaments such as Elite 24 and the USA team and showed off his basketball superiority on the court.
A: I played at Dematha for three years and then Oak Hill AcademyQ: Why did you transfer schools?
A: i accomplished everything in DC my junior year and I wanted to achieve even more goals at Oak Hill
Q: Where did u play AAU?
A: I played for DC Assault
Q: Was it the right decision to transfer?
A: Yeah, I felt that going to Oak Hill prepared me for college on and off the court. Just being on my own
made me grow up fast
Q: Do you feel as if your old team did not like your move?
A: I felt everybody on our team respected my decision. There were some people out there who hated the fact that I left, but the most important people; which was my team, understood.
In the case of an athlete jumping the ranks as a freshman playing JV, we are given the example of Gonzaga College High School's Charles Glover, Class of 2013. When entering into Gonzaga's program under coaching of Steve Turner, Glover had high hopes of being able to play varsity as soon as possible. Sophomore year Glover started along with North Carolina bound guard Nate Britt and all-star power forward Kris Jenkins. His sharp shooting and assassins mentality kept him in the starting role throughout the season.
Q: How big was your role starting your Sophmore Year?
A: It was big since it was my first year on varsity, I was just trying to find myself as a player. But overall I was excited for the challenge.
Q: Now that you are a senior, what are your goals for the team?
A: Now that I am a senior my goal for our team is to finally win the championship so I can have one ring before I graduate, I feel as though we were close the past two years when I was on varsity but this year should be our year to take it all
Q: Have you received any D1 looks?
A: Yes I have gotten d1 looks from some low to mid-major schools such as Sienna, American, Bucknell, Brown, Colgate, Howard, and Holy Cross.
Charles Glover has his final year of High School ball left at Gonzaga College High School. Go Eagles!
Q: How big was your role starting your Sophmore Year?
A: It was big since it was my first year on varsity, I was just trying to find myself as a player. But overall I was excited for the challenge. Q: Now that you are a senior, what are your goals for the team?
A: Now that I am a senior my goal for our team is to finally win the championship so I can have one ring before I graduate, I feel as though we were close the past two years when I was on varsity but this year should be our year to take it all
Q: Have you received any D1 looks?
A: Yes I have gotten d1 looks from some low to mid-major schools such as Sienna, American, Bucknell, Brown, Colgate, Howard, and Holy Cross.
Charles Glover has his final year of High School ball left at Gonzaga College High School. Go Eagles!
In the case of an athlete jumping the ranks as a freshman playing Varsity, we are given the example of Gonzaga College High School graduate(Class of 2010) & Duke University(Class of 2014) point guard Tyler Thornton. In a unique situation coming into Gonzaga as a freshman and starting was a lot of shoes to fill for Thornton but he was ready to take on the challenge and started all four years of attendance at Gonzaga. With his early commit, talk was buzzing around the basketball summit, now people would think it would be smooth sailing, wrong. After each year, Tyler was receiving endless criticism about his future and his school decision. With all the criticism Tyler just stuck with his mission and payed no mind to the talk. As his first season at Duke University was approaching talk brewed back up saying that he would get no playing time behind graduated Duke point guard, Kyrie Irving(Cleavland Cavaliers point guard). Ty was given minimal minutes early until Kyrie was injured early in the year, this was his time. Ty stepped up to the plate once again and was Duke's starting point guard for a portion of the remainder of the season stepping up hitting big threes in key games and playing strap up defense.
Q: Did the pressure of sustaining your image effect your game?
Q: What made you go to Gonzaga knowing such a talented class was ahead of you?
A: I went to Gonzaga more for the school work. I wasn't really concerned with the basketball aspect, I was just going to try and fit in wherever I was going to be in the program whether it was Freshman, JV, or Varsity.
Q: Were you nervous being one of the few freshman to play varsity?
Q: Were you nervous being one of the few freshman to play varsity?
A: I was nervous during my first summer league game against St. Johns, against Chris Wright because the speed of the game was so much different. But after that i was able to get into a comfort zone after each game.
Q: Did the pressure of sustaining your image effect your game?
A: Never really felt any pressure because I was doing what I was doing for myself and my family.
Q: How exciting was it to play rival school O'Connell against Kendall Marshall with Coach K watching you?
Q: How exciting was it to play rival school O'Connell against Kendall Marshall with Coach K watching you?
A: It was cool. just two years before me and kendall were playing middle school basketball together and at that point he was committed to UNC and i was committed to Duke two of the best programs of all time so it was cool. We won and I had a pretty good game so I was pleased with the outcome.
Q: Who was the toughest player you have guarded?
Q: Who was the toughest player you have guarded?
A: The toughest player I had to guard in high school was Chris Wright. In college it was Kyrie.
Q: How did you feel when you earned a starting spot at Duke?
Q: How did you feel when you earned a starting spot at Duke?
A: I was pleased because I actually put in the time and earned it. It wasn't given to me and coach made it very clear from the beginning that if I wanted it I would have to work hard and beat somebody out for it and I did that. But its a new season and I have to do the same thing again this year.
Tyler Thornton will continue his junior year at Duke University. Go Blue Devils!
With all of these great examples, it is made clear what work has to be put in and how much thought has to be put in, in order to make the right decision. These players will go on to excel at their schools and will be role models for younger athletes rising through high school and all levels of basketball.
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