Young Battlers Meet Experienced Squads at the G-MAC / GLIAC Crossover

The Alderson Broaddus University men's basketball team will open play this weekend at the G-MAC/GLIAC Crossover Tournament held Friday and Saturday at the Owensboro Sportscenter in Owensboro, KY. The Battlers will bring a squad of up to 8 freshmen to this event. The dilemma facing ABU is not only their inexperience but the fact that the two squads that they will be facing bring veteran lineups to the floor each day. It will be a tough challenge for the team to earn a victory against two talented and seasoned teams. Many of the 18-year old players that the Battlers will have on the floor will be playing against players that are 21-22 years of age. Add to this fact that many of the players that ABU will be up against have years of D2 basketball experience while many of the Battlers will be playing in their first D2 game.

The Battlers will open play on Friday, November 11 at 5PM against Tiffin University. The Battlers fell to Tiffin last season 88-84 in overtime in a game held in Detroit, MI. In that game, ABU led by seven points at halftime and held 60-41 advantage with 11 minutes to play before squandering the lead late. Most of Tiffin's squad from last season returns for this matchup while all five of the players for ABU that started in this game are no longer with the team.

The Dragons return Khaleal McCormick who was named a preseason 1st-team All-GLIAC selection. McCormick is a versatile 6'6" swing player who averaged 21 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game last season. He had 23 points against ABU and hit the game-tying three-pointer that sent the game to overtime. He was Tiffin's leading scorer and rebounder for the 2014-15 season as well. The preseason honor given by GLIAC coaches is quite impressive considering McCormick only played in two games last season before suffering a season-ending injury. Tiffin went 11-18 last year with McCormick only playing two games. That record could have been turned around had the Dragons had him all season. 

Tiffin's talent goes beyond McCormick. The Dragons return Tony Kynard (6'1" junior guard) who averaged 16 ppg last year. Kynard had 20 points against ABU last year. Tiffin return the services of Alex Brown (6'1" junior) who averaged 12 ppg/6.4 rpg last year. They also return (6'1" senior) Juwan Johnson who averaged 11 ppg last season. This amount of production and experience could be very pivotal in this game especially when you have that many quality players that have played together.

The Dragons bolstered their lineup of talented players during the recruiting period. Tiffin added Travon Howard from Alpena CC where he averaged 17.5 ppg and 6.2 rpg. Tiffin also strengthened their inside play by the addition of two transfers. Brandon Wilkins is a 6'6" forward brought in from Mercyhurst Northeast CC where he averaged 12.3 ppg and 8.4 rpg. The Dragons added D-I transfer Ellis Williams who is a 6'8" post player that arrives from Bryant University. On paper, this Tiffin team is better than the squad from last year.

Alderson Broaddus will also play Wayne State University on Saturday, November 12 at 1PM at the Owensboro Sportscenter. The Battlers defeated Wayne State last year on Wayne State's home floor by the score of 82-75. Wayne State is coming off an impressive exhibition win over Division I Detroit Mercy. The Warriors defeated Detroit by a score of 85-79 over the Division I squad that went 16-15 last season. ABU will again be facing a well-oiled machine as the Warriors return their top 7 scorers from last season. Their top five leading scorers from last season are comprised of 3 seniors and 2 juniors.

The experienced Wayne State lineup will be comprised of: Ronald Booth who averaged 15.5 ppg last season and contributed 14 points last week against Detroit Mercy. Michael Lewis averaged 11.7 ppg and 6.2 rpg last season. Marcus Moore averaged 7.8 ppg and 5.5 rpg last season and had a monster game against Detroit with 22 points and 12 boards. Clark Bishop averaged 7.8 ppg last year and had 16 points against Detroit. If that was not enough talent to deal with, Wayne State went out and signed junior college transfer Jalen Adams who average 17 ppg and 6 rpg at the JUCO level last season. 

ABU's young and inexperienced squad will have a lot of tough work to do this weekend to carve out victories. Fans that follow the program know that this team will take time to develop. This crossover event will give us a good look at two experienced and talented squads. That experience that we gain will help this young Battler team as the season continues. What ABU gains from this weekend should far outweigh any numbers that develops on the win-loss record.

Battlers Put Offer to Cincinnati-area Guard Lonnie Grayson

Battler Beat learned Thursday night that the Alderson Broaddus men's basketball team has put out an offer to Wyoming HS guard Lonnie Grayson. The combo guard was awarded several high honors for his play as a junior and sophomore in high school. The current senior averaged 19 points per game and 3.2 steals per game as a junior. He has led the Cincinnati Hills League in scoring the past two seasons. He was named to the Honorable Mention Division II Ohio All-State team as a sophomore and junior. Grayson helped lead Wyoming to a 21-3 record as a sophomore and a 18-5 record during his junior campaign.

The website OHhoops.com rated Grayson as the #10-rated shooting guard in the entire state of Ohio

for the class of 2017. Top Billing Sports rated Lonnie as one of their top 15 players to watch in the AAU circuit for the entire state of Ohio. His videos that we have linked below show a guard who has a quick release from beyond the arc. He has excellent court vision in the half-court set and is able to hit the open teammate with great court vision. His videos also show an uncanny ability to step in the passing lane to get a steal or deflection when playing on the defensive end. Grayson has also been offered by Ashland University in Ohio. Battler fans can keep up-to-date with information on Lonnie and other recruiting prospects here at Battler Beat.



Lonnie Grayson Sophomore Season Highlights

Lonnie Grayson's Junior Season Highlights

Alderson Broaddus Men's Basketball Embraces Rebuilding for 2016-17 Season

A new era is beginning for the Alderson Broaddus men's basketball team. At the conclusion of the 2015-16 season, the Battlers graduated five seniors that were a part of two G-MAC regular season titles, two G-MAC tournament titles, and one runner-up G-MAC regular season finish. ABU lost three 1000-point career scorers in Malcolm Tatum, Richard Lemon and Thylas Perkins. The team lost 85% of their scoring, the top 4 rebounders and the top 3 assist leaders on the team. Lemon was so versatile that he led the G-MAC in assists while playing a power forward position. For the past three seasons, the group of seniors finished with a combined record of 64-22 for a 74% winning percentage.

To say that the ABU men's basketball is rebuilding could be considered an understatement. This year's team has no returning player that has played an average of more than 20 minutes of playing time in a game. It must be noted that some of that time occurred last year when injuries and defections took its toll on the team. The program now embarks on a new journey as the players can no longer turn to Tatum, Lemon and Perkins to 'get it done'. This team has to find playmakers, scorers, rebounders, lock-down defenders, chemistry and team play. This is not always easy with a ton of inexperience on the roster. Players have to embrace new roles and elevate their game to a new level on all fronts.

Jordan Haywood

Any time that a squad has a new challenge, many fans, players and coaches will look to the seniors as a guiding figure to navigate the team through inexperienced waters. The Battlers have three seniors that have been a part of the great success achieved over the past three seasons. Jordan Haywood, a senior guard from Bridgeport, WV, is the returning leading scorer for ABU as he averaged 7.6 points per game last season. His game really came on in late December when he logged more minutes. Haywood had 10 games where he scored in double-digits. His most notable performance came against Shepherd which saw him drop in 19 points on 7 of 7 shooting from the floor including 4 of 4 from beyond the arc. He also put up 15 points in games against Trevecca Nazarene and Salem International. Jordan is known for good defense especially in late game situations. Coach Greg Zimmerman would like to see more consistent outings each night out of Haywood.

Sanar Shamdeen is another fourth-year senior that has been around Greg Zimmerman's system. The diminutive combo guard played some integral roles during last season. Shamdeen, a native of Springfield, VA, averaged 5.3 points per game last year. He had an incredible Saturday afternoon in January when he poured in 21 points against Trevecca Nazarene. He hit 5 of 6 deep three-pointers that day in leading the Battlers in a rout of Trevecca. He also poured in 17 points, dished out 4 assists and grabbed 4 rebounds in a pivotal non-conference win over nationally-ranked Bowie State. For the season, Shamdeen finished 5 games where he scored in double-digits. Four of those games were G-MAC contests. Coach Zimmerman will be looking for Shamdeen to guide the offense more this season and hopes to see more of his quality shooting from the outside. He also has a good ability to probe defenses with dribble penetration and make passes off of that to his teammates for the open look.

The last fourth-year senior is 6'8" center Manny Artinano. The energetic and aggressive big man from Sopelana, Spain brings much needed size to this year's squad. Manny averaged 3.9 points per game last year. His most notable performances came on the road against Washington Adventist where he had 14 points and 8 rebounds. He also contributed a double-double against Salem International where he scored 11 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. He has added much needed weight and strength during his time at ABU. He has extremely quick feet for a player his size. He also makes good reads on screens in the Battler motion offense. He is highly energetic but also prone to foul trouble. His aggressiveness around the basket leads to many key defensive and offensive rebounds.

The coaching staff did bring in a junior college player prior to the start of last school year. Dorrell Foster, a 6'6" forward from Detroit, MI, will play his final season of college ball this season after spending his first year of college at Northern Michigan before transferring to Oakland Community College.  Foster showed promise in his debut last year when he scored 14 points against Tiffin. He would finish the season scoring double-digits in seven games. His biggest output came in a league victory over Salem International where he had 16 points. Foster is another player that the coaching staff would like to see more consistency night-in and night-out. He is an athletic player who runs the floor extremely well for his size. He is a great finisher in the transition game. Foster filled the lanes in transition on multiple occasions against Shepherd last year when he finished with 13 points. He also has the ability to knock down the outside jumper. He needs to become a more solid defender as he enters his senior campaign at Alderson Broaddus. But his versatility in his game could really help the team overall. He has the tools to thrive in the half-court motion offense. Many feel he could be a breakout player for this season much like former Battler Jimmy Williams did during the 2007-08 season.

The only other player returning to the Alderson Broaddus roster with any playing experience is 6'5" forward Chavez Harper. The versatile junior from Cleveland, OH can play both the small and power forwards. He has shown ability to knock down the three-pointer, hit the mid-range jumper but also has the strength to power the basketball up around the basket. He is also a quality passer from the forward position. His game has a lot of the same attributes that Richard Lemon had. Harper averaged 4.4 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game last season. His best performances came when he scored 13 points in a conference game against Davis & Elkins. Harper is a phenom in summer league games in the Cleveland area. Much like Foster, he has the ability to break out this season and become a consistent performer for the Battlers. Many look at Chavez as a player who worries too much about making mistakes on the floor and just needs to play every possession with confidence. Harper could help this team immensely with improved play this season. He could be a huge contributor as either a starter or key reserve.

Chavez Harper

Alderson Broaddus does have three high-impact players that redshirted last season. Those players were still able to practice with the team and learn the ins-and-outs of the Battler offense and defense. It is believed by many that follow the program that two of the three would have started last season for ABU while the third would have been a valuable reserve. Nonetheless, these players could have an immediate impact on the upcoming season if they can continue to build on their game and keep focus on their academics. All three players came to the Philippi campus with tremendous accolades.

One of those players is redshirt sophomore Exzavier Coooper who transferred to ABU from Harford Community College. The 6'5" forward from Rocky Mount, NC brings a versatile game that also includes an incredible 42-inch vertical jump. As a freshman at Harford CC, he averaged 14.3 ppg and 8 rpg. But his numbers were incredible during the second half of that season where he was able to score 20 points or more in eight games and in six of those games was able to grab over 10 rebounds.

Another explosive player that sat out last season is 6'4" swingman Malik Bocook. The native of

Malik Bocook

Zanesville, OH redshirted last season after earning 2nd team AP All-Ohio All State recognition. Bocook was a high-profile recruit for the Battlers after averaging 19.5 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game as a senior at Zanesville High School. He will join fellow redshirt freshman Ja'Darien Wade on the hardwood floor this year. Wade is a long-athletic guard who averaged 21.4 ppg / 7rpg as a senior at Parkersburg High School. He was part of a team that made it to the AAA state tournament that season. For his play, Wade earned a spot on the 1st-team AAA all-state basketball team. Both will be counted on to make impacts on the season for this Battler squad. Cooper, Bocook and Wade were considered one of the better recruiting classes brought in by head basketball coach Greg Zimmerman.

Ja'Darien Wade

The Battler basketball coaching staff didn't stop recruiting with that group. An impressive group of 6 new freshmen mixed in with two junior college players will round off the roster for ABU. These new players help to fill the voids left by the three starters and key reserve Ron Miller. One of the Battlers key recruiting spots was the point guard position. Replacing a four-year starter like Malcolm Tatum is not easy considering he was a D2 Honorable Mention All-American and 2015 G-MAC Player of the Year. He started every game since he was a freshman prior to his season-ending injury in late January of last season. With that said, the coaching staff brought in three to four players that could possibly play this position on the floor.

Reggie Robinson

Freshman Bryce Butler will vie for the point guard spot after averaging 23.6 ppg last season at Clark Montessori High School outside of Cincinnati, OH. He was the Miami Valley Conference leading scorer. Reggie Robinson is another point guard prospect that averaged 19 ppg / 5 apg / 6 rpg and 2 spg last season for Rush-Henrietta HS which is located outside of Rochester, NY. Robinson was an excellent football and basketball player in high school and brings a tremendous amount of athletic ability to ABU. The final point guard prospect brought in is Shamar Griffin from Atlanta, GA. He averaged 15.2 ppg / 4.2 apg / 3 spg during his senior campaign at Furtah High School. He was a member of a 24-10 team that made the Georgia State tournament during his senior season.

A.J. Robinson

The point guard is not the only position that the Battler coaching staff recruited for in the off-season. ABU was able to bring in two quality shooting guards who are known for hitting the three-point shot. Sam Sanders, a native of Dayton, OH, is a junior college transfer who can give immediate help at the two-guard spot. Sanders played last season for Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute which is located just outside of Hickory, NC. He was able to connect last season on 74 three-pointers out of 182 attempts for a 40.7% shooting percentage from beyond the arc. Sanders is also a tremendous free throw shooter where he shot 84% from the line last season. He will be in good company with another long-range shooter in freshman A.J. Robinson who comes to Philippi from Middleburg Academy in Virginia. Last year for Middleburg, Robinson averaged 18.1 ppg and poured in 127 three-point baskets. Just like Sanders, Robinson has tremendous range from well beyond the arc. He comes to ABU with quality honors for his high school play. Robinson was named to the 2nd-team Division II VISSA all-state basketball team to go along with the honor 1st-team All-Capital Beltway team and the prestigious Washington Post All-Met (DC/MD/Northern VA) honorable mention team. The two-guard position has improved dramatically from this time last season when a D-I transfer failed to show up for school and the subsequent dismissal of Devin Colston from the team.

Mike Mitchell

The Battlers have also brought in some reinforcements for the paint area. ABU signed 6'7" / 215 pound Mike Mitchell who played junior college basketball at North Platte Community College in Nebraska. He is a native of Toledo, OH where he played scholastically at Start High School. Mitchell averaged 7 ppg / 4 rpg last season at North Platte CC. He has the ability and skill set to play the three, four or five positions on the floor. He had eight games last season where he scored in double figures including one game where he put up a double-double in points and rebounds. He has the ability to step out and knock down the occasional 3-point basket. He brings versatility and depth to several positions on the floor.

One of the most intriguing prospects on the roster is 6'5" freshman Jonah Cosby from Charleston,
WV. Cosby was considered to be an athletic late bloomer in high school. He played his first three years of high school basketball at South Charleston HS where he played with D-I prospects Brandon Knapper and Kentre Grier. Knapper would eventually sign with WVU to play basketball after a one-year stint at military prep school. However, Cosby would transfer his senior season to nearby George Washington HS where he excelled for the Patriots all season. He closed out his high school year with some terrific performances against two of the better AAA programs in the state of West Virginia. In the sectional championship against the #1-rated AAA South Charleston squad, Cosby pumped in 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in leading GW to an upset victory. He would follow that up in the regional championship with a 25 point/6 rebound performance against WV power Beckley Woodrow Wilson HS. Cosby finished his senior season averaging 14 ppg and 8 rpg. For his efforts, Jonah was named to the prestigious WV North-South All-Star basketball game. Cosby showed off his talents in that game by pumping in 32 points for the South squad and was named by the sports writers as the game's most valuable player.

The Battlers did pull up P.J. Grant from the junior varsity basketball team midway through last basketball season. Grant led the junior varsity team in multiple statistical categories last year. He is a 6'2" guard from Kent, OH who currently has a 3.8 GPA. ABU also signed 6'7"/215 pound Simun Kovac from Scotland Performance Institute which is located in Scotland, PA. While little is known about Kovac, SPI is an academy known for grooming D-I basketball players. His experience playing with this type of athlete should help Simun transfer to the D-II game and bring depth to a much needed position. Kovac did score 14 points and grab 5 rebounds in the 2016 Mason-Dixon Elite All-Star game. He shot 5 of 7 from the floor and 4 of 5 from the charity stripe in that game.

Other players that Battler fans could see on the floor this season are: Monte Simpkins, a 6'4" forward from Upper Marlboro, MD; Seth Evans, a 6'4" forward from Tucker County, WV; Ben Henderson, a 6'1" guard from Gastonia, NC, David Turner Jr, a 6'0" guard from Upper Marlboro, MD; Cody Abney, a 6'2" guard from Bowling Green, KY; Manel Adan, a 6'11" post player from Spain. Many of these players could be a part of the Alderson Broaddus junior varsity squad for the upcoming season.

Keys to a Successful 2016-17 Season

With this young of a squad, Battler Beat detects several key factors for determining the success rate of this year's ABU team. We list those keys in no particular order:

1) Returning players must produce on a nightly basis. Many of the five players that return from last year's team had their moments in one game or another. But a transformation to a level of consistency that occurs each game must take place. Players can contribute in multiple ways for the team. It is not always related to how many points they score. Going hard after rebounds on every possession is an effort and attitude more than it is a talent. Consistent help defense and proper positioning on the floor on defensive possessions is always a successful factor for Alderson Broaddus teams. Making the player you are defending work on every possession is always a key to wins. Providing leadership to the entire team both in practices and games elevates the entire team as the season progresses.

2) How this team handles adversity will go a long way in determining the success the squad has in February and March! Every team in the country experiences adversity during the course of any season. It is not the adversity that is a problem. It is how a young team handles the adversity that can either be a strength or a weakness. How will this team responds to any loss? How players handle sitting on the bench? How players adapt to new roles as a player and doing what is best for the team rather than the individual?Being patient and waiting for the right opportunity and being ready when called upon rather than sulking and developing bad attitudes. These are all factors that any team deals with but especially one as young and talented as this Battler squad. Many of the teams that ABU plays, both conference and non-conference, have far more game experience than AB will have. Every criteria to having a successful team is key this season to overcome that lack of game experience.

3) Having a great defensive effort every night is key to this team. There will be nights where the offense is not always there. ABU men's basketball has always prided itself on great man-to-man defensive teams during Greg Zimmerman's tenure. There have been multiple seasons where the Battlers have been first or second in a conference in opponent's scoring average. This upcoming season is another case where this needs to occur. With the depth that AB has this season, players should remain fresh and have a high-energy level for every game throughout the entire season. Each player when called upon should be able to bring a high-level of energy and intensity to the defensive end of the floor.

4) Players have to develop the proper spacing, make the right reads and have crisp passing in the five-man motion offense. The quicker the players pick this up, then the more success the team and individual will have. Players that do not pick this up will find themselves buried on the bench. Players that can do this will play the most minutes and be in the game at crunch time. ABU will also have to create baskets by attacking the offensive glass. In other words, make every defensive player you go against work incredibly hard to stop the entire possession.

The Battlers have a great home schedule this upcoming season. ABU will play 13 games at Rex Pyles Arena. They will host key non-conference contests against: (a) Concord, the reigning MEC tournament champion, (b) Wheeling Jesuit, last season's Atlantic Region host school who finished the season ranked top 5 in the country and (c) local rivals Glenville State and Salem International. The conference home schedule brings 6 home games against each of the conference opposition. ABU will open the season on November 11 and 12 when the Battlers take part in the G-MAC / GLVC Crossover Tournament that will take place in Owensboro, Kentucky.

ABU Offers South Carolina Swingman Khalil Shakir-Harris

Alderson Broaddus men's basketball team has put an offer for Khalil Shakir-Harris to join the Battler program. The 6'4" / 190 pound senior plays for Blythewood High School located near Columbia, South Carolina.  Shakir-Harris averaged 16.5 points and 4.4 assists per game as a junior for Blythewood. His on-the-court basketball statistics are not the only thing that is impressive about Shakir-Harris. Khalil can bench press 225 pounds and squat 375 pounds.

Shakir-Harris' 2016 highlight video shows a player that can take the ball off the dribble and explode to the basketball with great intensity. He is able as a swing player to use dribble penetration to attack the basket or properly stop and find an open teammate with a fundamental pass. Khalil has excellent court vision which leads to a quality passing game for a player his size. Because of his jumping ability and strength, he would fit very well in AB's offensive rebounding attack. His size, strength and athletic ability would also allow for Shakir-Harris to defend multiple positions on the floor. His video also shows a player that looks for the open spot on the floor when he is away from the ball and has an excellent jump shot from the outside. Shakir-Harris elevates off the floor very well on his jumper. We have linked his videos from his recruiting profile in the link below:

Khalil Shakir-Harris Recruiting Video Package

South Carolina is not always a recruiting ground for Alderson Broaddus. But long time Battler fans will know that one of the all-time players for AB came from the palmetto state. Ronnie Payton, a native of Aiken, SC, was a 1st-team WVIAC for the 1981 season. He played for Alderson Broaddus Hall of Fame Coach Dave Barksdale on some impressive Alderson Broaddus teams.

We will keep track of Khalil Shakir-Harris' progress throughout his senior season and keep Battler fans in tune with any announcements or developments regarding this player.

Battlers Offer Point Guard Prospect from Pittsburgh area

The Alderson Broaddus men's basketball team has put out an offer to Woodland Hills High School senior point guard Kenny Lee. The shifty 6'0" player averaged 19 points and 5 assists as a junior for Woodland Hills. He put on some impressive performances this past summer at ABU's Elite Basketball Camp held at the Rex Pyles Arena. Woodland Hills High School is a AAAA school and is a member of the WPIAL.

We have included some highlight videos of Lee below. One of the videos listed is a highlight package of Lee's performance during the ABU Elite Camp. Continue to follow Battler Beat for more Alderson Broaddus men's basketball news and coverage.

Kenny Lee : Sophomore Season Package

Kenny Lee AAU Highlight Package

Kenny Lee Alderson Broaddus Elite Camp Highlights

Battlers Land 6'7" JUCO from North Platte CC

Alderson Broaddus men's basketball team signed junior forward Michael Mitchell from North Platte
Community College which is located in North Platte, Nebraska. The 6'7" native of Toledo, OH signed with the Battlers over the summer and will have two years of eligibility starting this season for ABU. Mitchell averaged 7 points and 4 rebounds a game last season for the Knights. Mitchell brings much needed depth to several different positions for the ABU. At 215 pounds, he has the ability to post up if needed. But much of his video tape shows a versatile game that can be used at a forward/wing position. He does have the ability to step out and hit a three-point basket if needed. But Mitchell's best game will be to turn, face the defender and pull up for a mid-range jumper or drive to the basket and use his size to gain a high-percentage shot near the basket. His video tape from high school also shows a two-guard ability to both handle and pass the ball in the open floor. This could be very ideal in the Battlers early offense that occurs off transition.

Last season for North Platte, Mitchell did have some outstanding games Against McCook Community College, he was able to put in 16 points on 7 of 11 shooting from the field. He also had 17 points against Central Community College in only 16 minutes of play. In that game, he was 6 of 7 shooting from the field including three 3-pointers. He followed that up in the next game with 13-point performance on 5 of 8 shooting from the field. His video shows a good ability to find the open area when he doesn't have the ball in his hands. He can find that open spot, use his size and strength to gain better positioning and catches the ball much like a guard. It also shows a player with an understanding with the proper reads on the screen-and-roll.

Michael's played his high school basketball at Start High School in Toledo, Ohio. He averaged 12.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game as a senior at Start. Battler Beat has linked his high school AAU highlight video below.

Alderson Broaddus Signs 1st-Team JUCO All-American

Recruiting in basketball is a year-round job. It never stops for whoever is the head basketball coach at ABU. I have followed Battler basketball long before I attended and graduated as a student at AB. Battler basketball has been extremely successful in recruiting good talent under head coaches like Rex Pyles, Jack Funk, Dave Barksdale, Tim Brinkley, Steve Dodd, Brett Vincent and Greg Zimmerman. Recruiting is a big part in any team's success.

In my year's of following ABU basketball, I always felt that Willie Davis was possibly ABU's biggest recruit. But that is just one man's opinion. There is much debate as to who is AB's best player ever: Willie Davis, Joe Miller, Terrell Eargle, Josh Allen, etc. But the best player ever and most prized recruit are two different stories. Willie was a big signee in June of 1987 for then head basketball coach Tim Brinkley. He came to Philippi with 1st-team Junior College All-American credentials. It was a big story when the Battlers landed Willie Davis as a press conference was even held. In a bit of a shocking development, Coach Brinkley would resign as head men's basketball coach at Alderson Broaddus to take a coaching and teaching job at Flagler-Palm Coast High School in Florida only two weeks after signing Davis. It would be Steve Dodd who would benefit a lot from Brinkley's efforts to land maybe AB's best recruit. Willie Davis would go on to be a three-time 1st-team NAIA All-American player under Dodd's tutelege.

Fast-forward to the start of the 2016-17 school year. It has been confirmed that Alderson Broaddus University has signed what could be considered the most decorated player to ink with the Battlers since Willie Davis. While 'decorated' never insures that they will be that type of player at a different school, it is always a good indicator when a recruit arrives with much fan fare.  With that said, Battler Beat has learned that 6'3" combo guard Mike Davis has signed with ABU. The native of Cleveland, Ohio and Garfield Heights High School graduate comes to AB after earning 2015 1st team NJCAA Division II All-American team honors. Davis averaged 20.5 points per game during his sophomore season at Lakeland Community College. His on the court performances were en route to the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference player of the year honors. He would also be named to the 1st-team All-Region XII team and held the National D-II player of the week honors as well.

Davis probably saved his best performances at Lakeland at the end of the season. The sophomore increased his production to 21.5 point per game in four games at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Danville, IL where he led the Lakers to a 3-1 record and a 5th-place finish.  He was selected to the National Tournament All-Tournament team for his accomplishments in Illinois. At the national tournament, Davis put together the following performances: 24 points against Schoolcraft CC (which was the #1 seeded team), 27 points against Garrett CC (MD), 14 points against Phoenix College and 21 points against CCBC-Dundalk out of Baltimore, MD. Lakeland finished the season with an overall record of 27-7 in 2014-15.

But Mike Davis' abilities go well above scoring. His highlight video below shows much of
what he can do on the defensive end of the floor. Coming out of Garfield Heights in Cleveland, he was known to be possibly the best defender in the area. His ability to play on both ends of the floor earned him several Division I offers coming out of high school. He would eventually commit to Northern Illinois but fate would land him at the junior college level. He would have D-I offers coming out of Lakeland. Verbal commits showed some of his offers after his tremendous sophomore campaign. But as often is the case with junior college players, they may fall a few credits short of qualifying for the NCAA Division I Clearinghouse levels. Just as the case was for Willie Davis, another player with the last name of Davis has given a D-II school a chance to show off their talents.


Head Coach Greg Zimmerman has had great success with the players he has landed from Lakeland CC. Both guard Sam Liggins and guard Nate Barnes would earn 1st-team All WVIAC honors in prior years for the Battlers after transferring to ABU from Lakeland. Liggins and Barnes have also had quality professional careers as basketball players overseas. We have linked Mike Davis' highlight video of his play at Garfield Heights High School during his senior year. He shows a tenacious defender, a scorer who can hit the three or break down a defender off the dribble for a drive to the basket or pull-up mid-range jumper. Davis also has an incredible ability to elevate off the floor for a player with this size.

Mike Davis Basketball Highlight Package

Davis will enroll at Alderson Broaddus during the spring semester this year. He has already signed his letter of intent with the Battlers. He will not play for ABU until the 2017-18 season where he will have to full seasons of eligibility left. We will reach out to Davis soon for a telephone interview for more information and quotes from Davis himself. We project Davis to play one of the two wing positions for the Battlers. Please continue to follow Battler Beat to keep up to date with breaking information.

ABU Lands a Top Scholar-Athlete in Ben Henderson

The Alderson Broaddus University men's basketball team was able to sign this summer one of the better scholar-athletes to come out of the state of North Carolina this past school year. Ben Henderson who played his high school basketball for Forestview High School in Gastonia, NC decided to further his academics and basketball career at Alderson Broaddus. Henderson finished his career averaging 10 points per game at Forestview. Battler Beat would project that he would play a wing position for ABU. But Ben brings a lot more to Alderson Broaddus than just basketball honors and academics. He brings a very impressive academic record to the campus on the hill. Ben accumulated a 3.7 grade point average during his time as a student-athlete. He topped that off by scoring an incredible 28 on the ACT and also a 1440 on the SAT.  Battler Beat will be interviewing Ben in the coming weeks. You can catch his senior year highlight video package below.

Ben Henderson Senior Year Highlight Video Package

Battlers Land Versatile Prospect from the West Coast

The Alderson Broaddus men's basketball team has landed a basketball player with an abundance of athletic ability and also the versatility to play several different positions on the hardwood. Patrick Kennedy comes to Alderson Broaddus University from Todd Beamer High School in Federal Way, Washington. The long 6'5" prospect shows an ability on film to play the wing or even slide over to a forward position. Kennedy brings depth to positions vacated by wing Thylas Perkins and forward Richard Lemon who are recent graduates. Both Lemon and Perkins were three-year starters for the Battlers, and both earned all-conference status.

Kennedy can produce by scoring the basketball. He has a smooth mid-range jumper, but he can also take the ball off the dribble and explode to the basket. But a lot of his accolades this past season were for his fierce and uncanny ability to rebound the basketball for Beamer High School. He put up several double-doubles this past season as a senior. For his efforts, Kennedy was named to the 1st team 4A SPSL team in the Seattle/Tacoma area. Patrick played his AAU ball for Team Brandon Roy.

Bill Elleby, who is a former California University basketball player and coach, runs 206HS/NWAC Scouting and had this to say about Kennedy: "Super Motor.....Loves Defense.....ENERGY!" Battler basketball fans can check out Kennedy's senior year highlight video in the link below. Battler Beat will be interviewing Kennedy in the coming weeks. Look for the story to appear soon.

Patrick Kennedy's Senior Year Highlight Video Package

New Battler Point Guard Gets High Marks from High School Coach

Battler Beat announced Bryce Butlers signing to play basketball for ABU back in June. Butler comes to Alderson Broaddus via Clark Montessori High School which is located outside of Cincinnati, OH. Butler put up impressive numbers during his senior season for the Cougars. The 6'1" guard averaged 23.3 points per game and distributed 3 assists per game. He led the Miami Valley Conference in scoring for the 2015-16 season. Butler was also the starting quarterback for the Cougars football team.

With the statistics and accolades put aside, the question remains can Bryce Butler take what he accomplished in high school and translate that to the Division 2 level. His basketball coach at Clark Montessori believes so. "There is no doubt in my mind that when it is all said and done that Bryce will have a very productive playing career at Alderson Broaddus!" stated Clark Montessori head boys basketball coach Darnell Parker. "Bryce wants to be the best, and he will work until he physically cannot work any longer. This is exactly the type of drive that you need out of point guards because they are an extension of the coaching staff on the floor. Bryce will challenge the level of play of his teammates and that in turn raises the level of play of the entire team."

Butler's recruiting video posted below shows a talented point guard in the half-court set as well as a shifty player in the open floor. He left Clark Montessori breaking an incredible 9 basketball records. One of those records includes being the school's all-time leading scorer. But many Battler fans know that in order to see the floor for Alderson Broaddus, Coach Greg Zimmerman demands that you be a quality defender first. Coach Parker doesn't see that being a problem for Butler: "Bryce will be a very reliable defender and will be a complete pest on defense."

Most Battler fans that follow the successful basketball program that Coach Zimmerman has built knows of his fiery competitiveness that he demands out of his players. Coach Darnell Parker feels that Bryce brings the same spark to Alderson Broaddus: "He brought a level of toughness and competitiveness to Clark that we needed. Bryce doesn't like to lose at anything! It could be sprints, lifts or a scrimmage, Bryce will do whatever it takes to win. And as a coach, those are the type of players that you can count when the game is on the line!"

ABU is searching for a new point guard to replace four-year starter Malcolm Tatum who achieved Division II All-American status. The Battlers have brought in several point guard prospects looking to fill the big shoes left by Tatum. So the question now will be can these prospects be the complete player that Malcolm Tatum was at that position. Tatum was more than just a scorer for ABU. He had multiple attributes and strengths that made him such a successful player. Coach Darnell Parker believes that Bryce Butler has what it takes: "Bryce obviously has a knack for putting the ball in the hole, but the reason he excelled was his willingness to let the game come to him. Bryce was the focal point of our opponent's defense in every game, so he had to be selective and patient. There were times when Bryce had to get his teammates involved, other times he had to force the action and sometimes he was just great at being a decoy. What gets overlooked with Bryce is that he is a very good passer. He puts the ball where it needs to be so that his teammates are in the best position to be successful."

The Battlers have had a strong run of point guards under Coach Zimmerman's tenure. The list is strong from the Rudy Wallaces, to the Derek Bells, to the Terrell Eargles all the way to Malcolm Tatum. All were excellent floor leaders. Coach Parker believes Butler has those same type of qualities needed: "His ability to take a group of players and get them pointed in the right direction toward a common goal is an exceptional trait he has! Bryce's leadership spans to the fact that he knows when to show emotion, and when it is appropriate to let the flow take its course. Bryce will never point the finger at his teammates and will take responsibility on himself when things aren't going the team's way."

Bryce Butler will be one of many Alderson Broaddus men's basketball players competing for the point guard position. Coach Parker added that Butler worked hard in the off-season to improve his upper body strength to get him better prepared for the play at the next level. He also added that Bryce spent a considerable time working on his three-point shot. As the season approaches, Battler fans can look forward to Butler's play on the floor.

Alderson Broaddus Men's Basketball Releases 2016-17 Schedule

The Alderson Broaddus men's basketball program has released the 2016-17 schedule on gobattlers.com. All games this upcoming season will be against NCAA Division II schools. You can access the men's basketball schedule by clicking on the following link:

2016-17 ABU Men's Basketball Schedule

The season will tip off for the Battlers on Friday, November 11 in Owensboro, KY as ABU will once again take part in the G-MAC/GLIAC crossover tournament. The Battlers will square off against Tiffin on Friday and return to the Owensboro Sportscenter the following afternoon to tangle with Wayne State. Alderson Broaddus took on the same two teams last season in the G-MAC/GLIAC crossover that was held in Detroit, MI.

The Battlers will open the 2016-17 home slate against the defending MEC tournament champion Concord Mountain Lions. That game is slated for Tuesday, November 15. Concord is coming off a successful season in which they finished the season with a 22-10 record and received their first NCAA men's basketball tournament bid in school's history. That same week will see the Battlers take the road to battle CIAA member Bowie State in Bowie, MD. That game is set for Saturday, November 19. Bowie State is coming off a 17-13 campaign that saw the Bulldogs face a grueling schedule.


Thanksgiving week will have the Battlers playing in one of the better holiday classics in D2
basketball. ABU will be traveling on the road on Friday, November 25 to take on the 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball National Runner-Up Indiana of Pennsylvania at IUP's arena. IUP went 21-8 last season. The following night in the IUP tournament will see ABU taking on former WVIAC member Pitt-Johnstown. The Mountain Lions are coming off a 18-11 campaign and return their leading scorer plus four of last season's top five scorer. Both of those opponents that weekend are members of the PSAC.

The Battlers will return to Rex Pyles Arena on Thursday, December 1 to take on St. Augustine's which is a member of the CIAA. St. Augustine's was 11-16 last season and lost at home to the Battlers 61-47 in a game played in Raleigh, NC. ABU will remain at home the following week to take on long-standing rival Glenville State on Wednesday, December 7. The Battlers will take a break from games for final exams and return on Friday, December 16 when they travel to Shepherd University to take on the Shepherd University Rams. SU is coming off a 2015-16 campaign that saw them go 15-14.

Alderson Broaddus will close out 2016 with an exciting home contest. The Battlers will host Wheeling Jesuit University on Friday, December 30. The Cardinals were last season's NCAA D-II Atlantic Regional host school in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.  WJU is coming off a campaign that saw them finish with a 28-4 record and a #6 ranking in the final NABC poll. After this game, ABU opens up G-MAC play by hosting Malone University on January 3.

ABU also has home-and-home games with former WVIAC schools Salem International and Bluefield State. These games are slated for the months of January and February and help to fill in the gaps of the conference schedule. Both of those schools are NCAA D-II Independents and will serve as non-conference opponents. The Battlers will round out the upcoming season at home on Saturday, February 25 when ABU takes on local-rival Davis & Elkins. That game will represent senior day. Please check with Battler Beat as we will keep the site updated to any changes in the schedule. We will also keep the site updated for any exhibition games that the team will be involved with.

ABU Will Play MEC Champ Concord in Home Opener

The Alderson Broaddus University men's basketball team will open their home slate this upcoming season against the 2016 Mountain East Conference tournament champion Concord University. The game will take place on Tuesday, November 15 at 7 PM at Rex Pyles Arena. The Mountain Lions won this past season's Mountain East Conference tournament by defeating Notre Dame College in the championship game. CU advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school's history. Concord will be led by first-year head coach Todd May who took over the program for recently departed Kent McBride. The Mountain Lions will be led by senior guard Aaron Miller who was CU's second-leading scorer last season at 16 points per game.

ABU offers Class of 2017 prospect DeAundra Murphy

On Friday morning, it was confirmed that the Alderson Broaddus University men's basketball staff had put out an offer to DeAundra Murphy, a rising senior at Huntington St. Joseph's High School. Murphy is coming off a junior campaign that saw him average 14.5 points per game this past season in helping to lead St. Joe's to the 2016 WV Class A state title. For his efforts, DeAundra was named to the 2nd-team West Virginia Class A All-State basketball team. He was also named to the 2016 WV All-Tournament Team for his efforts at the state tournament in Charleston.

We have provided a profile and video from www.thehoopscolumn.com that profiled Murphy back in December. The link below provides you that information:

DeAundra Murphy's Analysis and Video

Battlers Land Big Man Simun Kovac

The Alderson Broaddus men's basketball team last night landed 6'7"/215 pound big man Simun Kovac. He played basketball this past season for Scotland Performance Institute located in Scotland, PA. Battler Beat has posted a video below from SPI that shows highlights of Kovac's game. The video shows a highly-skilled big man with good basketball instincts. He definitely can step out from beyond the arc and hit the three-point shot. He has a quick catch-and-release on his outside jumper for a player with his size. It is almost like that of a quality two-guard. He also shows a very aggressive player who has better agility than most eastern European players at this level. He has the ability to take the ball off the dribble and pull up for the mid-range jumper. He also bodies up when looking for the defensive rebound.

In late March, Kovac participated in the Hagerstown Roundball Classic day-long all-star event. Kovac played for the Piedmont All Star team that day as they took on the Maryland All Stars. Kovac finished the game with 14 points and 5 rebounds in 22 minutes of work. He shot five of seven from the floor and four of five from the charity stripe. We covered that event and came away impressed with his aggressiveness, agility and overall skill set for a young man with that size. The Alderson Broaddus coaching staff was represented at that event by assistant coach Duncan Williams. Scotland Performance Institute has several players that have already signed with Division I and Division II schools for basketball. Kovac practiced daily with those players which improved his game and will have him immediately ready for the next level of play.

Battlers Land Local All-State Product Seth Evans

On Wednesday afternoon, the Alderson Broaddus men's basketball team landed a Class A 1st-team All-State pick for the upcoming season. Tucker County High School's Seth Evans signed on with the Battlers on Wednesday afternoon at a signing ceremony at the school. Evans is a 6'4" forward who is coming off an outstanding season for Tucker County. This past season Evans averaged 24 points per game and 12 rebounds per game in leading the Mountain Lions to another West Virginia boys basketball state tournament appearance. The Mountain Lions finished the season with a record of 19-5.

Evans played his AAU basketball for WV Reign. During a tournament this past year, bigshots.net wrote the following on Seth's play: "Skills top shooter, great mid-range shooter, uses his body well in the post, rebounds the ball and keeps it at his chin, works well as the trail player, sets screens for pick and roll well, smooth jumper."

Evans has been selected to play in the prestigious WV North-South All-Star basketball game that features the top graduating senior basketball players from around the state of West Virginia. Seth will represent on the North squad on Friday, June 17th at the South Charleston Community Center in South Charleston, WV.

Evans caught the eye of Battler staff before the season even began. Throughout his senior campaign,
Seth had several outstanding performances and looked unstoppable in certain games. In Tucker County's quarterfinal state tournament game, Evans was matched up against Tug Valley's Jeremy Dillon, an underclassman who has already received a Division I scholarship offer from Marshall. In that game, Evans held his own scoring 21 points and 8 rebounds. Battler Beat welcomes Seth to ABU and looks forward to covering him in the all-star game next month.

Alderson Broaddus offers another Class of 2017 prospect

Battler Beat has learned that the Alderson Broaddus men's basketball team has put another offer to a Class of 2017 product. ABU has offered Bloom-Carroll basketball player Gavin Brown a chance to join the Battlers upon graduation next year. Brown is a 6'3" wing player with deadly accuracy. His video package shows a player with the ability to find the open space without the basketball. Upon catching the basketball, Brown has a quick release on his jumper and has the uncanny ability to make shots from beyond the arc. His video also shows a player with good ball-handling skills on the wing with the ability to make proper reads off of ball screens. Battler Beat will keep fans updated on any further updates concerning Brown. Bloom-Carroll High School is located in Carroll, OH which lies just outside of Columbus.

Gavin Brown (Junior Season Highlight Tape)

Battler recruit A.J. Robinson receives another honor

Alderson Broaddus men's basketball signee A.J. Robinson has added another honor to his long list of accomplishments for his high school career. The website DMVelite has named Robinson to the DMVelite All-Northern Virginia 2nd-Team for the 2015-16 season. Players are selected to the team based on their accomplishments on the hardwood floor. Players from public and private high schools in Alexandria City, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudon and Prince George's counties make up this squad. Battler Beat congratulates A.J. on yet another award.

Below is the link to DMVElite's story on this all-star squad:

2016 DMVElite All-Northern VA All-Star Team