Bradley recruit 2017- juco guard James Batemon III

[Da Coach]

Bradley has offered a 2017 junior college guard James Batemon III of North Dakota State College of Science, a large (3000+ students) junior college in, Wahpeton, ND-

https://twitter.com/JucoRecruiting/status/842208798626467841

http://verbalcommits.com/players/james-batemon-iii

He has offers from Cal Poly, New Orleans, Portland State, East Tennessee State, North Carolina A&T, and now Bradley.

[Da Coach]

James Batemon III is originally from Milwaukee Riverside HS. He is A 6-1 combo guard.

Last season, as a freshman at North Dakota School of Science he averaged 20.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, and 2.8 apg.

http://www.njcaa.org/sports/mbkb/2015-16/div1/players/jamesbatemoniiimd93

This season as a sophomore, he averaged 20.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, and 5.7 apg. He also shot 53.2% overall, and 37.8% on threes, and 81.4% on FTs.

http://www.njcaa.org/sports/mbkb/2016-17/div1/players/jamesbatemoniii7ig7

He is the 18th leading scorer in the NJCAA junior colege stats-

http://www.njcaa.org/sports/mbkb/2016-17/div1/players?pos=sg&sort=ptspg

Here are a couple old videos of him from high school-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5pJBYrUX9Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSIm9GBbLOE

[Da Coach]

James Batemon's school, North Dakota School of Science, was 31-1 after they won their postseason Regional tournament.-

http://www.inforum.com/sports/4229549-science-men-win-region-13-basketball-title

They advanced to a one game playoff with perennial power Indian Hills CC juco to determine which team would advance to the 2017 National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas. They were defeated to end their season with a record of 31-2. Batemon was the leading scorer in that game with 21 points.

http://www.recentnews.press/2017/03/09/science-men-fall-short-in-national-tournament-qualifying-game-north-dakota-news/

Though I don't remember him, he played in the 2014 Tournament of Champions in Washington for his Milwaukee Riverside High School team-

https://twitter.com/WCHSTOC/status/821221170435518464/photo/1

[tornado]

he was a teammate as a junior in high school of Illinois' Tejon Lucas


almost 6 assists per game....he'd help a ton at PG and free up others to play off-guard
....good student - was National Honor Society and 1st Team All State as a senior
here's some video - LINK - LINK

[PurpleAceFan]

He has offers from Cal Poly, New Orleans, Portland State, East Tennessee State, North Carolina A&T, and now Bradley.

I would hope they reach a little higher than competing against a bunch of low major schools for a player. Hopefully they do sign him though and he turns out to be a player. My Aces have struggled recruiting lately so know its a challenge.

[it's boogie time]

He looks like a really good combo guard, but I don't get the need for going after a juco guard when this roster needs rebounding help.

[carter]

That's all we need is another guard.How about a decent big guy?

[tornado]

I would hope they reach a little higher than competing against a bunch of low major schools for a player. Hopefully they do sign him though and he turns out to be a player. My Aces have struggled recruiting lately so know its a challenge.

I hear ya....but they are constantly reaching higher but the guys who are "higher" often go higher as you well know, so you still gotta find that diamond in the rough who maybe hasn't blown way up

Bradley in fact also pursued & offered one of his other teammates at Milwaukee Riverside, Terrence Lewis....who then blew up to 4-Star and verballed to Iowa State (LINK

Bradley has offered and strongly pursued a lot of "higher" kids (Bigby-Williams, Kamau Stokes, Freddie McSwain, Torrance Watson, Michael Moreno, Brady Ernst, Da'Monte Williams, Marquell Fraser, Kevin Easley, Javon Pickett, Kyle Kuzma, Elijah Joiner, Sam Hauser, Joey Hauser...etc.)
but they often choose the bigger offer even if it means sitting the bench...
so we keep trying...

[wizard1]

Bradley Offers....

I do not understand why we are recruiting another combo guard. Is someone leaving? If so who and why? We have 2 very good point guards and we have D Lo, Nate K., and Pittman as 2 guards. Why the need for another?
IMO, what we really need is a strong big man to play inside as either a backup for K.B. or as a power forward who can score and rebound. What is going on?
Wizard

[tornado]

I think three things, wiz...

#1 - our best and most reliable scorers (and this is true for most mid-major teams) are guards like Batemon...and it seems that's what the other best teams in the MVC are stocked with (Balentine, Jaylon Brown, FVV, Ron Baker, Brenton Scott, Milton Doyle, Pris Lee...)
If coach thinks we need to get deeper at that spot, I understand...
Maybe someone is leaving or if Darrell Brown were to go down with injury, our entire season could be jeopardized..

#2 - The simple fact is that big men who can contribute don't grow on trees....the ones willing to go mid-major, they either don't pan out (Jermaine Morgan, Chris Blake, Davante Cooper, Alex Foster) or they always get bigger offers and go elsewhere even if they don't play (Kavell Bigby Williams, Freddie McSwain)

#3 - I think the coach knows things we do not know...and I do believe he is doing the best he can. If he gives a scholarship to yet another big man that doesn't pan out - then people will start a thread asking why we wasted a scholarship on that players - so he's kinda in a no-win situation - we just need to give him the reins and let's see what happens..

[Fetz86]

He seems like he could be a solid player, and Bradley had some success playing small lineups, what 10-11years ago?

[pfcmsh]

My 2 Cents

I think three things, wiz...

#1 - our best and most reliable scorers (and this is true for most mid-major teams) are guards like Batemon...and it seems that's what the other best teams in the MVC are stocked with (Balentine, Jaylon Brown, FVV, Ron Baker, Brenton Scott, Milton Doyle, Pris Lee...)
If coach thinks we need to get deeper at that spot, I understand...
Maybe someone is leaving or if Darrell Brown were to go down with injury, our entire season could be jeopardized..

#2 - The simple fact is that big men who can contribute don't grow on trees....the ones willing to go mid-major, they either don't pan out (Jermaine Morgan, Chris Blake, Davante Cooper, Alex Foster) or they always get bigger offers and go elsewhere even if they don't play (Kavell Bigby Williams, Freddie McSwain)

#3 - I think the coach knows things we do not know...and I do believe he is doing the best he can. If he gives a scholarship to yet another big man that doesn't pan out - then people will start a thread asking why we wasted a scholarship on that players - so he's kinda in a no-win situation - we just need to give him the reins and let's see what happens..

Agree 100%. I am sure he is the best player available who is also possibly interested in u6s. We could use the height and athleticism in the paint, but Coach might not have a good shot at one right at the moment and, like tornado said, what if Brown is not available? We have to get better to recruit better. I too think that Coach Wardle is doing the best he can. The big will come. Childs is 6'6' or 6'7". Stip is 6'7" buy perhaps not a banger yet until he bulks up some. I know the players are bulking up. I see the bulk on them year after year. Pittman really is bigger and stronger.

I am behind Coach Wardle 100%.

[tornado]

Childs is a true 6-7 and really long arms -so he plays like 6-8 or 6-9
might be all we need down low but nice to have a little more

[LongTimeFan]

You say "What if Brown is not available". You could also say what if Thomas or Bar is not available. Who do we have the most backups for guards or front line. I am not sure Luuk would be considered as a frontline player.

Unless, of course, one of our two freshman guards is leaving at the end of this school year.

[tornado]

you can play without a big and we've done it many times
but it's a disaster to play with no PG and I thought we learned that the past five years..