Monday, August 31, 2009

Marquette University Specialty Camp

The weekend was spent in Milwaukee, WI at Marquette University's Elite Specialty Camp with two kids from the Austin/San Antonio area. Over 40 of the country's top 2010, 2011 & 2012 players were in attendance at Coach Buzz Williams 2nd Annual Elite Camp.

Texas was well represented with Rickey Scott of Irving McArthur and Cameron Clark of Denison among others. I was priveleged to bring two top notch guards from the Texas D-1 Ambassadors in the Class of 2011 to camp. They were Pflugerville's Deon Mitchell and San Antonio Reagan's Tre Demps. Coach Williams continues to push his Texas ties in attracting our kids to the rough and tumble Big East Conference.

(Below): l. 2011 G Deon Michell of Pflugerville and r. 2011 G Tre Demps of San Antonio Reagan.
Below: Coach Max mugs it up with Coach Williams. Still the ever humble guy, Williams who now makes 7 figures annually started his coaching career by sweeping gym floors for free at Navarro JC in East Texas.

Below: 2011 Tre Demps shows off his guns and the extra 20 lbs of muscle that he's put on in the off season. Look for him to lead San Antonio Reagan to new heights this coming campaign.

Below: As you walk into Marquette's practice facility you're greeted by a larger than life bronze statue of former Coach Al McGuire who led Marquette to the 1977 NCAA Championship. McGuire's famous words to his assistans was not to recruit players who had grass around their homes, but to find the tough kids who grew up amidst the "cracked sidewalks" of the inner city.


Below: 2011 G Deon Mitchell of Pflugerville, the "Baby Faced Assassin" has already received an offer from Marquette. Great things lie ahead for the guard with the sweet shot, deadly crossover and great body control when finishing at the rim with either hand.

Below: Coach Williams has done a great job of mixing Marquette's history both under McGuire and more recently that of Coach Crean and Dwayne "Flash" Wade to it's present where he oversees every minute detail while looking towards future success.


Look for big things out of Marquette as they have a great coaching staff including another Texan of sorts in Assistant Tony Benford of Clovis, NM an old friend of mine from his days at Arizona State and one of the really good guys in the business, Assistant Scott Monarch. Not only is Monarch a good looking dude (lol..that little bald head looks like Coach Max from the back) but he's a tireless worker. An interesting footnote. Many of you are familiar with the movie, White Tiger" which chronicles the first white football player to play at traditionally all Black Gramling College. Well, Coach Monarch is the basketball equivalent as he was the first "White Boy" to lace em up in the SWAC for traditionally all Black Mississippi Valley State.