ABU Gets Return Game with Concord

Battler Beat has learned that the Alderson Broaddus men's basketball team will travel to Athens, WV on Saturday, November 25 to take on Concord University. Game time is set for 2 PM.

ABU to Tangle with Bluefield State on Saturday, January 6

Battler Beat last month released Alderson Broaddus' conference portion of the men's basketball schedule. We revealed all 20 games that will make up the G-MAC portion of the schedule. Battler Beat has learned of the first non-conference game for the men's basketball team. ABU will travel to Bluefield, WV on Saturday, January 6 to take on the Bluefield State Big Blues. Game time is set for 4 PM at the Ned Shott Arena on the campus of Bluefield State. Battler Beat will continue to update fans and alumni of other non-conference games as the men's basketball schedule comes complete.

ABU Elite Camp Profile: Darius Dudley of Lutheran East HS (OH)

Battler Beat today profiles Darius Dudley who played this school year for Bedford High School in Bedford, OH. Dudley informed us that he will be transferring this upcoming school year to Lutheran East High School in Cleveland, OH. Darius is a 6'2"/185 pound shooting guard who showed excellent range and consistency in his three-point shot at the Alderson Broaddus University Elite Camp. He had some high spots this past season while playing for Bedford HS. Some of his more notable performances included: 13 points against both Highland HS and North Royalton HS and 11 points versus Kenston HS. Darius is a rising senior who looks to breakout this upcoming season.

Darius was noted twice by Battler Beat for his performances during the ABU Elite Camp. During camp update #1, we noted: "Darius Dudley showing some ability to break down a defender or step back." It was during the shooting drills where Darius caught Battler Beat's eye. He showed an ability to hit his 3-point shot consistently from both the wing position and from the corner position. We noted the following during camp update #3: "Darius Dudley from Bedford (OH) is hitting his outside shots." Battler Beat looks for Dudley to develop more of his offensive and defensive game during the off-season. We have two of Darius' videos to view at the bottom of the story as well as a link (shown below) to a more recent video.

Darius Dudley Video

ABU Elite Camp Profile: Alex Heath of Cleveland Central Catholic HS (OH)

Battler Beat returns to profiling campers from the June ABU Elite Camp. Today's attention is being turned to point guard Alex Heath of Cleveland Central Catholic High School in Ohio. Heath was mentioned during every camp update during the day. He was a true attention-grabber to Battler Beat throughout the day. We project that Heath has the abilities and mindset to have a breakout senior season. Alex had some quality games this past season for Central Catholic. Some of his best performances included: 19 points against Youngstown Ursuline, 14 points against both Woodridge and Elyria Catholic, 13 points versus St. Vincent-St. Mary and 12 points against Holy Name. For his efforts during his junior year, Heath was named to the AP 2017 All-Northeast Lakes District Division II Honorable Mention team.

Alex showed bunches of quality offensive and defensive play at the elite camp. During camp update #2 of the offensive/defensive skills portion, we noted the following: "Alex Heath of Cleveland Central Catholic makes every player work hard. He loves defense and there is nothing easy when playing against him." He was definitely one of the top defenders of the entire camp. In camp update #3 of the shooting drills, Heath was noted several times in that update portion for consistently hitting his outside jumpers from both the wing and from the corner. During team play, Heath made several good moves to either score or pass the ball to one of his teammates to pick up the assist.

We spoke to Alex Heath at the conclusion of camp. He told us that he knew several of the current Alderson Broaddus Battlers. Alex stated that he knew in-coming recruit Anthony Carmon, Chavez Harper and Mike Davis very well as both are from the Cleveland area. We asked him how he thought the camp went. He stated: "There was a lot of good competition out there for sure. I thought we did some nice drills during the morning session. I liked that fact that the drills allowed you to show the coaches your talents, but also those drills had you competing a lot against the other players." Heath went on to say that he "really liked the campus". We have linked Alex's Pitt Jam Fest highlights below and look forward to following his progress during his senior season in high school.

Alex Heath's Pitt Jam Fest Highlights

ABU Elite Camp Profile: Dale Bonner of Shaker Heights HS (OH)

Battler Beat focuses our spotlight today on athletic and versatile guard Dale Bonner of Shaker Heights HS in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Bonner would project as an athletic combo guard at the Division II level. At the ABU Elite Camp, he showed the versatility to hit his outside shots during skill competition but also displayed the ability to push the ball up and down the floor while running the point. The 6'1" rising senior transitioned to the point guard position last season at Shaker Heights where he still averaged 18 points per contest.  For his efforts, Dale was named to the 2017 AP All-Northeast Lakes Honorable Mention team.

Bonner showed excellent court awareness with the basketball during the ABU Elite Camp. He is an excellent finisher in transition but possesses the ability to pass to the open man when help-side defense collapses on his penetration. Dale reads his defender well in the half-court set and knows when to penetrate or pull up for the outside jumper. His penetration and  then high elevation to the basket garners Bonner a high-percentage shot or the ability to get to the free throw line where he shoots a good percentage. He also has the ability at the Division II level to defend either the point or two guard and definitely knows how to take a charge. Bonner had some monster games last season for Shaker Heights High School. Some of high spots for his junior season include: 28 points against Solon HS, 23 points put up against Medina HS, 21 points versus Toledo Woodward, 20 points against Brunswick HS, 18 points versus Euclid HS and 17 points against both Cleveland Central Catholic HS and Elyria HS. But despite those quality scoring numbers, his biggest attribute may be the ability to get other teammates the ball in the right spot to put them in a position to score.

Dale Bonner is already receiving considerable interest from Alderson Broaddus of the G-MAC, Northwood University of the GLIAC and Fairmont State University. OH Hoops at www.ohhoops.com has already rated Bonner as the #55 rated player in the state of Ohio for the Class of 2018. His asset as a shut-down defender and an athletic player who is continually showing improvement in his offensive game will likely lead to more Division I and II interest as his senior season moves along. We have linked below Dale Bonner's hudl tape which features multiple highlights and plays from his junior season.

Dale Bonner's Highlight Videos

Battler Recruits Shine at WV North vs. South All-Star Game

Two Alderson Broaddus University men's basketball recruits were named last month to the prestigious West Virginia North vs. South All-Star basketball game held annually at the South Charleston Community Center in South Charleston, WV. Neither first-team all-state player disappointed the sold out crowd with their play. Both players ended up walking away with some individual hardware for their performances in the contest. Even though they will be wearing gold and blue next season, DeAundra Murphy and Austin Upton were on separate teams last night. Murphy who played his high school basketball at Huntington St. Joseph's represented the South team. Upton played his high school basketball for Philip Barbour HS and was on the North team.

Austin Upton started things off before the game by winning the 2017 individual free throw

competition title. He started out the free throw competition by hitting 9 of 10 free throws. Upton would win the competition in the sudden death round to take home the plaque. He didn't stop there. During the game, Austin scored 10 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in helping the North team to a 108-105 overtime victory. He was one of four players for the North squad to score in double-figures for the evening.

DeAundra Murphy showed his talents during the game by leading all scorers on the evening. His play was impressive as he showed the ability to be a stat-sheet stuffer. For the evening, Murphy scored 25 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, dished out 6 assists, had 3 steals and threw down 2 dunks. He was named the 2017 South team Most Valuable Player. DeAundra hit several key shots during the second half that either put his team in the lead or helped his team tie the game.

Both players were noted for their play by the Charleston GazetteMail, the Huntington Herald-Dispatch and the Clarksburg Exponent. It was a fitting end as each player ended their highly successful high school careers.

ABU Elite Camp Profile: Dalen Solomon of John Hay HS (OH)

Today we preview 6'4" forward/wing Dalen Solomon of John Hay HS which is located in Cleveland, OH. Solomon took part in the Alderson Broaddus University Elite Camp held on Saturday, June 3. Solomon showed the versatility to play either the wing or forward during both individual and team drills. He was noted by Battler Beat in camp update #2 for having a nice reverse slam dunk. Solomon participated with the grey shirt team during all camp activities. This past season he put up 23 points for John Hay in a win over Young High School. We have linked his junior highlight video below. Dalen shows tremendous agility to go along with an incredible vertical. His tape shows a player that can do multiple things on offense. Solomon can hit the outside jumper or penetrate the basket from the outside. He is excellent on cuts to the basket when he doesn't have the basketball and finishes well off of these cuts. Dalen is an excellent player when filling the lanes on fast breaks and transition. His vertical gives him an edge against opposition when he takes the ball to the basket.

Dalen Solomon Highlight Video (Junior Season)

ABU Elite Camp Profile: Dondre Palmer of Pickerington North HS (OH)

Battler Beat turns the profile attention to one of the more high energy players of the ABU Elite Camp in Dondre Palmer of Pickerington North High School outside of Columbus, OH. Palmer is a 6'5" rising senior that played hard all day showing the ability to defend multiple positions and defend the player he was going against very well. He went hard after every loose ball and was always communicating to teammates during defensive stanzas. Dondre showed a good attribute that coaches like and that is he left the offense come to him and didn't try to force shots that weren't there. He also can rebound the basketball well no matter which position he is playing on the floor.


Palmer played this past season for a Pickerington North team that was very successful in Division I ball in the state of Ohio. PNHS finished the season with a record of 22-7. It was along this path that Dondre contributed to the success of his team. In the Division I regional semifinal win over a 24-3 Upper Arlington team, he contributed 14 points. But the Columbus Dispatch noted Dondre in this game for his quality defense on Ohio State-bound player Dane Goodwin. In PNHS' win over Gahanna, he would finish with 13 points. He had many games of this type. For his efforts, he was named to the AP D-I All-Central Ohio District Honorable Mention team. Dondre was also named to the Ohio Capital Conference Honorable Mention team. Hidden Gems currently has Palmer listed as Central Ohio's #5 rated shooting guard for the upcoming season. We noted Dondre's ability to do a lot of things that many players don't do in today's game. In Elite Camp update #1, we noted the following: "Dondre Palmer of Pickerington North (OH) showing good defensive communication skills. Very loud which is what you want. Communicating of defense is a lost skill."

We have linked Dondre Palmer's hudl video below which features several of his highlights and play for this past season. We look for the rising senior to garner a lot of attention from several G-MAC schools in Ohio and West Virginia this upcoming season. His ability to defend several positions on the floor is something a lot of small college coaches look at. Dondre has the ability on offense to step outside or play around the basket as a forward.

Dondre Palmer's Basketball Videos

ABU Elite Camp Profile: Tre Baumgardner of Africentric Early College (OH)

Battler Beat today profiles 6'1" point guard Tre Baumgardner III from Africentric Early College located in Columbus, OH. The rising senior averaged 18 points per game this past season for the Nubians. Tre showed more than just scoring at the ABU Elite Camp. He had excellent ball-handling skills in both the half-court game and in full-court transition. Baumgardner made several excellent passes to teammates that were in scoring position. When teammates posted up, he used the dribble well to position himself better in order to make a quality fundamental pass. Tre had a career high of 30 points this past season against Walnut Ridge HS. His lowest point total of his junior season was nine points.

For his play for the Nubians, Tre was named to the AP 2017 Central District Division IV Second Team. He was also named to the AP 2017 All-Ohio Division IV Honorable Mention team. Hidden Gems Basketball has listed Baumgardner as the third highest rated point guard in Central Ohio for all divisions for this upcoming basketball season. Battler Beat noted this during camp update #2 during offensive/defensive drills: "Tre Baumgardner with a good first step. He knows how to read the man guarding him. He knows when to shoot or take the guy off the dribble." During the shooting competition part of the camp, we noted this about him: "Tre Baumgardner out of Columbus drills two shots from the wing. He looks poised with the ball." It was during team play that Baumgardner's overall game began to shine. His passing and being able to use the dribble to position himself for a quality pass to the post was noted in update #4: "Tre  Baumgardner and Na'Elle Simmons work a nice two-man game together. Baumgardner puts the ball in the right spot."

Battler Beat caught up with Tre at the conclusion of the ABU Elite Camp to get his thoughts on his play at the camp, his overall view of campus and how the camp went. "It was pretty fun out there today. I really enjoyed the competition. It was good competition out there. I liked how every one went hard and came to compete," noted Baumgarder. Players were given a campus tour during breaks from team play. We asked Tre what he thought of his take on the Alderson Broaddus campus. He noted the following: "I like it. It was pretty. It was a little smaller than what I thought. It is kind of rural but in a way, that is good because I can focus more on my studies and on developing my basketball game." Zach Fleer of 270hoops.com (which has complete basketball coverage of the Columbus area) has said that Alderson Broaddus has shown 'considerable interest' in Tre Baumgardner. We have linked below Tre's highlight video of his junior season:

Tre Baumgardner's Highlight Video (Junior Season)

ABU Elite Camp Profile: Josh Whelan of Fort Defiance (VA)

Battler Beat turns its' attention to the one of the tallest players at this year's Alderson Broaddus Elite Camp.  Today we focus on 6'8"/200 pound rising senior Joshua Whelan of Fort Defiance High School in Virginia. Whelan played last Saturday for the yellow shirt team under the direction of Josh Allen. He was named this past season to the Valley District All Boys Basketball 2nd team. Phenom Hoop Report noted Whelan as a part of the Virginia Top 80 roster. During last week's elite camp, Whelan showed a great ability to move well without the basketball. He found the open passing lane so that his teammate could easily find him near the basket. Joshua was also good at following up for a basket in transition. He possesses a tremendous vertical to go along with his height.

Joshua Whelan's junior season highlight video is linked at the bottom of this story. It shows a big man who runs the floor well for a player of his height and size. Joshua is an excellent help defender on defense as he has the ability to block shots as both a help-side defender or on the ball defender. He is also excellent in help defense by cutting off the baseline on dribble penetration. Whelan's video shows an attitude of a player who is constantly taking charges on defense. He had several outstanding games as a junior for Fort Defiance. One such game was a one-point win over Waynesboro where Joshua had 19 points, nine of which came in the fourth quarter. Whelan is also a varsity baseball player for Fort Defiance's baseball team. Battler Beat noted in elite camp update #5 during team play: "Josh Whalen of Fort Defiance (VA)  moves well in the post for yellow." We will continue to monitor the big man throughout his senior season. In the mean time, enjoy some of his highlights from his junior campaign:

Joshua Whelan's Highlight Video (Junior Season)

Alderson Broaddus Gets Huge Commit from DeAundra Murphy

It was roughly a week ago that Huntington St. Joseph's DeAundra Murphy announced that he was decommitting to Youngstown State. The 6'4" Murphy was a 1st-team West Virginia Class A all-state basketball player that had been recruited heavily this past season by both Alderson Broaddus and Fairmont State. He also had an offer to play at Radford as well as many other small college opportunities. When Jerrod Calhoun left Fairmont State to take the head coaching position at Youngstown State, he extended an opportunity for DeAundra to play for the Penguins. He quickly accepted but has since had a change of heart. Murphy is an outstanding player that led the state of West Virginia in scoring this past season. His senior statistics show that he averaged 27.4 points,  6.6 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.5 assists per game.

DeAundra Murphy help lead Huntington St. Joseph to the 2016 West Virginia Class A state basketball championship. His team returned to Charleston this past season to defend the crown before falling short to Ravenswood HS. Murphy gives ABU a versatile player on the perimeter. He is a player who can put the ball in the basket on consecutive trips down the floor. DeAundra is known for his outside jumper but has the athletic ability and skill set to attack off the dribble.  His vertical is incredible and will be a big asset at ABU as the Battlers are known to attack the offensive glass. Battler Beat has linked several of DeAundra Murphy's videos below:

DeAundra Murphy Big Shots Scouting Video

DeAundra Murphy Highlight Video Package (Senior Season)

Murphy has been rated very high on many scouting service lists. Big Shots rated Murphy has the 4th highest rated prospect this year in the state of West Virginia. The three players listed ahead of DeAundra all signed Division I offers. USA Today placed Murphy on their 2016-17 All-USA West Virginia 2nd team. Two of the five players listed on the first team were from Huntington Prep, an academy noted for landing Division I players. Murphy's family will have both siblings close by when they travel to see their children play basketball. DeAundra's sister recently signed to play women's basketball with Salem International University. Battler Beat welcomes DeAudra, and we will reach out for a more in-depth interview later on this month.

ABU Elite Camp Profile: Garrett Tipton of Bishop Hartley HS (OH)

Battler Beat will profile today one of the top performers at this year's Alderson Broaddus University Elite Camp. Garrett Tipton of Bishop Hartley High School of Columbus, OH showed off his skill set last Saturday and in the process got the attention of the ABU coaching staff. Tipton is a 6'4"/195 pound player that would project as a wing at the Division II level. He has great range and shooting touch for a player his size. Garrett can take his defender off the dribble and score on his opponent with the crafty basketball skills and height he possesses. He shows tremendous leaping ability in both the half-court set and in transition. Tipton is also a tremendous on-the-ball defender who shows the ability to get a hand in the passing lane to obtain a steal and defends screen-and-rolls correctly. He is extremely tough off a steal or in transition due to his size and leaping ability.

Tipton garnered honors this past season for his play for Bishop Hartley. As a junior, he was named to the Central (OH) Catholic League Second Team. Garrett was also named to the AP Honorable Mention Central Ohio Division II Boys Basketball Team. We noted some of his finer moments from last Saturday. During the offensive/defensive sessions, we noted this on update #2: "Garrett Tipton of Bishop Hartley (OH) and Armani Obringer of Trinity (PA) going hard at on both offense and defense on one-on-one drills."  Tipton caught Battler Beat's attention twice during the shooting portion of the camp. We noted during camp update #3: "Garrett Tipton has a nice shot. Tipton is a very good player from the wing. He passes well to the open player as well." It was during the morning sessions that Tipton garnered a lot of attention. He didn't stop his performance there. Garrett played with the navy team and developed very good chemistry with his teammates most notably two players from Capital HS (WV). The navy shirt team thrived throughout the day with tough play and unselfish play. During update #4, Battler Beat noted the following on Tipton: "Garrett Tipton was very impressive for the navy team. He understands what to do in transition. He made a ton of shots and made several high basketball IQ moves. He is tall with deep range. Tipton going against McMurray in game two. Good matchup. So far Tipton has had the better of it." It just wasn't on offense that Tipton showed his skills. We noted his defense in update #4: "McMurray sets a nice pick for Baumgardner and rolls. Tipton played defense on it perfectly. Some good stuff."


Garrett Tipton's play didn't go unnoticed by the Alderson Broaddus University men's basketball coaching staff. Before leaving to head home to Columbus, Tipton had conversations with both Head Coach Greg Zimmerman and Assistant Coach Josh Wamsley. We have linked Garrett's junior season highlight video below. It shows all of Garrett's talents and abilities make him an attractive and ascending Division II recruit. The video displays many of the basketball talents that we witnessed this past Saturday.

Garrett Tipton's Highlight Video Package (Junior Season)

Battler Beat caught up with Garrett at the conclusion of the elite camp to see what he had to say about the camp and his thoughts on ABU. "It was a good day. I thought I played well and showed to coach what I could do. It was good to play against some local guys that I knew like Donnie Palmer, Juan Elmore, Thomas Hickman, Justin Curtis and Tre Bumgardner," stated Tipton. "I thought Coach Wamsley and Coach Zimmerman ran a great camp, and it was good to get to campus and play today." Battler Beat will continue to monitor Garrett during his senior campaign. We will keep you updated on any offers that come in along the way.

ABU Elite Camp Profile: Juan Elmore of Pickerington Central (OH)

Battler Beat turns the profile focus today to Juan Elmore of Pickerington Central HS located in Pickerington, Ohio. The 6'5"/220 pound rising senior averaged 8 points per game this past season for Pickerington Central which had a team full of talented players. PCHS went 26-3 on the season and advanced to the Division I state semi-final held on the campus of Ohio State University. Juan had several big games on the path to Columbus. He had 17 points in a district championship victory over Dublin Coffman. Elmore put 8 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals in PCHS' state semi-final loss to undefeated Cincinnati Moeller. He also tallied double-doubles in several key victories throughout his junior campaign.  Elmore has the frame and skill set that is catching the eyes of college coaches.

Hidden Gems rates Juan as one of the top small forwards in the central Ohio region. He has ability to play the four or the three at the next level. Battler Beat in camp update #1 noted Juan's impressive size and versatility:  "Juan Elmore of Pickerington Central is big and strong taking the ball to the basket. " In update #5 during team play, we noted: "Juan Elmore of Pickerington Central (OH) has a build similar to Richard Lemon."  Battler fans will remember that Lemon was a former 1st-team G-MAC performer for ABU and led the G-MAC in assists as a forward during his senior season. Elmore does have a similar game and build to that of Lemon.

We talked briefly with Elmore at the conclusion at camp. We asked him about how things went at the camp and he responded: "Yeah, I thought I did okay. I thought it was a good camp. A lot of us knew every one or had played against some of the other guys so we were kind of familiar with each other. It made it funner." We have linked Juan Elmore's junior season video highlight package below:

Juan Elmore's Highlight Video Package (Junior Season)

ABU Elite Camp Profile: Sean Kelly of Penn-Trafford HS (PA)

Battler Beat today profiles a camper whose play caught a lot of attention from coaches and spectators alike at this past Saturday's ABU Elite Camp. We turn our attention on a player who came in flying under the radar of attention as compared to some of the other more decorated players that attended the camp. But after Saturday's performance at Rex Pyles Arena, Sean Kelly is a player that Battler Beat believes has the potential to have a breakout senior year based on some of his performances this past Saturday. Kelly is a 6'1" guard at Penn-Trafford HS which is located in Harrison City, PA just east of Pittsburgh. Throughout the day, he demonstrated excellent skills in all phases of the game. Sean has the ball-handling skills to run the point but the shooting accuracy to step out on the wing and hit the open jumper. He has a quick release and elevates well on his outside jumper. Kelly was very good Saturday at reading his defender and making proper cuts to the basket. He also has a good first step to the basket and knows how to attack the basket properly and score with a defender on him.

Sean Kelly averaged 12 point this past season for Penn-Trafford HS. His primary position was running the point for the Warriors. Kelly suffered a high-ankle sprain during the third game of the season which kept him out for a portion of his junior season. With Sean in the lineup, Penn-Trafford started the year off with a 2-1 record. He then had to miss the next five games due to this injury, and the Warriors spiraled by going 1-4 during Kelly's absence. Any one that has played knows that a high-ankle injury during the season is a hard thing to come back from. Battler Beat feels that if Kelly continues to improve on his game that he could have a significant chance to garner some Division II offers.

Battler Beat highlighted several key moments that Sean Kelly had at Alderson Broaddus University on Saturday. During team play in the afternoon session, Battler Beat noted: "Sean Kelly with a nice dunk on transition. He is a tough player for Team Yellow and has shown an incredible game during team play." He played at the elite camp for Battler Hall of Fame player Josh Allen and was on one of two teams noted for exceptional team play. During the offensive-defensive drills, Battler Beat mentioned in update #2: "Sean Kelly of Penn Trafford (PA) shows good stuff on 2 on 2 drills."  Battler Beat also wrote on Kelly's performance in update #5: "For the yellow team, Sean Kelly of Penn Trafford (PA) has looked real good. Josh Whalen of Fort Defiance (VA)  moves well in the post for yellow. Both navy and yellow squads going against each other. Both play well together."

We have linked Sean Kelly's junior highlight video package found in the link below. We wish Sean the best during his senior season.

Penn-Trafford's Sean Kelly Highlight Video (Junior Season)

ABU Elite Camp Profile: Calvin Wilder of Capital HS (WV)

Battler Beat profiles another of the 2017 ABU Elite Camp attendees. Today we move the coverage compass to the mountain state where we profile Calvin Wilder of Capital High School located in Charleston, WV. Calvin showed great hustle and versatility this past season for the Cougars in leading them to a 25-4 record during his senior season. Capital finished the season as the Mountain State Athletic Conference champion and were also the AAA state runner ups. It was the third consecutive MSAC title for the Cougars. Along the way, Wilder player integral parts in many key contests doing whatever Coach Matt Greene asked Wilder to do to help earn a Cougar win. During a regular-season victory over eventual AAA champion Huntington High, Wilder contributed 10 points. In the MSAC title game victory over South Charleston, Wilder grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.

Calvin Wilder played this past weekend for the navy team where he contributed to his team's success in multiple ways. He was a tough on-the-ball defender guarding multiple positions during the afternoon session. Wilder also played very unselfish and distributed the ball to earn several assists. He also tested well in the combine testing showing a tremendous vertical jump for a player his size. Calvin, as a junior, was noted by the website bigshots.net as being ranked as one of the Top 100 players in the state of West Virginia.

Battler Beat talked to Calvin at the conclusion of the ABU Elite Camp. He told us: "I thought the

camp was run well. I had a good time and liked the competition." Wilder played on the same team at the elite camp as his fellow Capital High teammate KJ Figures. Both players performed well and were noted for their hard play all day long. We asked Wilder about his upcoming plans and he told us: "I think I will probably end up at Hagerstown Community College in Hagerstown, Maryland and go to school and play ball." We thank Calvin for participating in this year's elite camp and wish him success in his future endeavors.

ABU Elite Camp Attendee Na'Elle Simmons Profile

Saturday's ABU Elite Camp saw the arrival of one of Ohio's top prospects for the class of 2019.

Na'Elle Simmons attended the camp in Philippi, and the rising junior brought some impressive play to the camp. The long 6'7" forward came to ABU from Columbus Beechcroft High School (OH) with high credentials and didn't disappoint with his play Saturday. Simmons carries a 3.2 GPA which is encouraging to any college coach looking for prospects to recruit for the future. Battler Beat estimates that the rising junior will continue to grow taller based on his long wingspan. He showed versatility by being able to step out and hit the outside jumper. Na'Elle also went inside several times and displayed nice post up techniques on his defender. Battler Beat also noted that Na'Elle's current strength in his game could be the way he alters an opposing player's shot. Simmons also has an incredible standing vertical jump that is a big asset in rebounding and put backs. 

Zach Fleer, who covers the Columbus-area basketball scene, said this about Na'Elle Simmons from his site 270Hoops: "2019 Beechcroft C Na'elle Simmons has a chance to be special. Long 6'6 forward with arms for days. Sky high rebounder. Lots of potential." Fleer has tagged Simmons as one of the Columbus area 'stock risers". We have linked Na'Elle's highlight videos below. Look for big things from Simmons in the Columbus high school ranks for the next two years.

Na'Elle Simmons Highlights

Battlers Offer R.J. Sunahara Upon Completion of Elite Camp

The Alderson Broaddus men's basketball coaching staff brought in a lot of talented and impressive players for this past weekend's ABU Elite Camp. The staff was able to bring guards, swing players, forwards and centers to the campus of Alderson Broaddus. All of the players were able to show off their skills and abilities on the floor of Rex Pyles Arena. One of the more impressive players did enough to impress the ABU coaching staff and received an offer at the conclusion of the camp. Battler Beat has learned that R.J. Sunahara has received a scholarship offer to play basketball for the ABU men's team. Sunahara attends Bay High School in Bay Villiage, OH. He averaged 24 points and 12.4 rebounds this past season while shooting an incredible 63% from the field . For his efforts, R.J. was one of ten players named to the Associated Press All-Ohio Division II 1st team. 

We were able to talk to R.J. at the conclusion of the Elite Camp. When asked about how the day went, Sunahara responded: "I thought all things went well. It was a good event to be a part of." He measured in at a true 6'7" during the combine testing portion of the camp. "I project myself at the next level to play the three or out on a wing. I can also play the four at this level," stated Sunahara. He noted to Battler Beat that his dad is in his first year as the head volleyball coach at West Virginia University. "He taught me a lot about jumping as we worked at a young age on being able to jump. I know how to jump real well standing off of two feet." said R.J. Even though he is rated high in many  of the circles in the state of Ohio, the elite camp gave him a chance to show off his incredible talents and abilities. "I really enjoyed all the team stuff the camp offered. The team drills and the team play is what I liked. I thought our team played well." said Sunahara.

Battler Beat commented multiple times throughout the day on Sunahara's skill set. During the team drill session in update #1, we noted: 'RJ Sunahara of Bay (OH) has been impressive so far in every drill I have seen. Understands the game. Versatile from the wing but yet a tall player who can take a player off the dribble.' Sunahara was a part of the black shirt team coached by former ABU post player Tobias Dowdell. During the black shirt team's skill set drills, Battler Beat noted in update #2: 'RJ Sunahara of Bay (OH) and Josephi Zini of Trinity (WV) showing excellent ball handling skills.' While Sunahara was impressive in drills and skill-building sets, he took it to another level during team play. Battler Beat noted in update #4: 'RJ Sunahara with a nice flush in the half-court set. He has made four straight.' Sunahara showed a strong ability to attack the rim on transition where he impressed coaches and players alike with countless number of dunks in transition.

The website ohhoops.com has released their 2018 pre-season ranking of players. They rate Sunahara as the 9th best small forward in the state of Ohio. It should be noted that R.J. was a big part in leading Bay HS to a 24-4 record in 2016 and a bid in the Final Four of the Ohio Division II state basketball tournament in Columbus. His play in this weekend's camp caught the eye of Battler Head Coach Greg Zimmerman and Assistant Coach Josh Wamsley. News broke immediately after camp that Sunahara had an offer to become a Battler. We wish R.J. the best this upcoming senior season at Bay HS.  We are linking Sunahara's junior season highlight video below. It is well worth the time it takes to watch:

R.J. Sunahara's Highlight Video for his Junior Season at Bay HS

We thank all the readers that have read our profile stories so far on the players that competed at the ABU Elite Camp. We ask that you stay tuned for more as we will profile each player that attended the event.

ABU Elite Camp Profile: Armani Obringer of Trinity Christian HS (PA)

Our second profile on an ABU Elite Camp attendee goes to Armani Obringer of Trinity Christian HS (PA).  Armani has good size at 6'2" and has the versatility to play a combo guard at both the high school and college level. Armani averaged 17 points and 5 assists this past season for Trinity Christian. At the elite camp, Obringer demonstrated good court vision, good team play, good outside range on his jumper and intensity on defense. He played this past Saturday for the Navy team which was noted overall for excellent team play.

We have linked below the sites for Armani's junior season highlight videos:

Armani Obringer's Highlight Video Package

Armani Obringer's Highlight Video Part 2

AJ Labriola of Bishop Guifoyle (PA) Profile / ABU Elite Camp Attendee

Today starts a series of profiles on all of the players that attended the 2017 ABU Elite Camp held at Rex Pyles Arena on the campus of Alderson Broaddus University. These profiles are in no particular order. The first player's name drawn from the hat is AJ Labriola who attends Bishop Guifoyle HS out of Altoona, PA. Battler Beat projects that Labriola would play primarily on the wing at the college level. He is very versatile at 6'3". AJ showed many offensive talents at yesterday's camp. He has a pure shooting stroke from the wing.  He has the ability to finish strong at the basket when given the ball in transition. He can also take the ball to the basket off of the dribble from the wing position. Labriola then positions and uses his body well in traffic to hit the shot for his team.

Labriola help lead Bishop Guifoyle to a 18-8 record last season and the district 6 runner up trophy while averaging 15 points per game. The junior season highlight video of the 6'3" prospect shows that he has deep range on his outside jumper. He catches the ball releases very quickly on the shot. AJ has the ability to spot and shoot from various positions from beyond the arc. He is canny in finding the open lane so that a teammate using dribble penetration can dish to him for an outside jumper.

AJ played yesterday for former ABU great Josh Allen and his yellow team. He was noted for all of the above attributes but also as being a good team player. Battler Beat wrote yesterday on Labriola during camp update #3: "AJ Labriola of Bishop Guifoyle (PA) with a nice shot on the outside. He is hitting from the wing and the corner. Good form."  These comments were noted during the shooting competition that took place in the morning session. We wish AJ best of luck during his upcoming senior season and will update his senior year progress on the site.

We have linked AJ Labriola's junior season highlight video below:

AJ Labriola's Junior Season Highlight Package

ABU Elite Camp Update #5

For the yellow team, Sean Kelly of Penn Trafford (PA) has looked real good. Josh Whalen of Fort Defiance (VA)  moves well in the post for yellow. Both navy and yellow squads going against each other. Both play well together.

Juan Elmore of Pickerington Central (OH) has a build similar to Richard Lemon. Corey Allison of South Charleston has been doing very well for the Carolina Blue team. He has to show it on both ends of the floor. He has made several nice shots and puts himself in good position.

Alex Heath appeared to tweak an ankle earlier. he is back out there. Levi Macadam of PB with a nice block and makes a strong move to the basket on the other end. Allison with the follow for two.

Two kids from Capital HS are good team players. Figures is tough on both ends. He just flat out hustles. McKinley Mann of James Monroe is a real tall kid with some potential.

ABU Elite Camp Update #4 (team play)

Garrett Tipton was very impressive for the navy team. He understands what to do in transition. He made a ton of shots and made several high basketball IQ moves. He is tall with deep range.

Alex Heath had several good moves. Dalen Solomon had a nice throw down early in the game.

Marcus Dudzenski of Latrobe (PA) has excellent basketball IQ. He doesn't mind screening for his teammate. He rolls correctly.

Tipton going against McMurray in game two. Good matchup. So far Tipton has had the better of it. Augustine Noe of white team has hit an outside jumper and then posted up nicely for two.

RJ Sunahara with a nice flush in the half-court set. He has made four straight.

Tre  Baumgardner and Na'Elle Simmons work a nice two-man game together. Baumgardner puts the ball in the right spot.

McMurray sets a nice pick for Baumgardner and rolls. Tipton played defense on it perfectly.  Some good stuff.

Break in the action.

ABU Elite Camp Update 3 (shooting)

Ryan Bryant of Ironton with a good take on Juan Elmore. Bryant has good size and moves well. He also has great skills against guys his size. Alex Heath is just impressive today. He is really tough to handle on both ends of the floor. He has been relentless.

AJ Labriola of Bishop Guifoyle (PA) with a nice shot on the outside. He is hitting from the wing and the corner. Good form.

The Navy team has good chemistry....a good attribute to see from coaches. They show encouragement to each other.

Darius Dudley from Bedford (OH) is hitting his outside shots. Levi Macadam from Philip Barbour is holding his own.

Tre Baumgardner out of Columbus drills two shots from the wing. He looks poised with the ball. White team has some impressive athletes.

Garrett Tipton has a nice shot. KiJunte Figures hits from the win. Alex Heath and Jevon Powell are nailing their corner shots. Heath with two in a row. Powell hits two in a row as well Powell is a lefty.

Isaiah Howell from Fairland (OH) shows good range. He has a nice shot and form. Bryant, Howell and Sunahara will be a tough matchup in team play.

Elisha Roberts of Cabell Midland shoots well. Augustine Noe of Logan is a big who can step out and hit the outside shot.

Heath continues to hit shots. Mann, Labriola and Council each hit three in a row from the corner.

Ryan Stover of Hampton Roads (VA) has one of the best pure jump shots here. Maybe the best. He elevates well on the jump shot and has excellent technique. I love watching him shoot.

Heath continues to hit the corner shot.

Tipton is a very good player from the wing. He passes well to the open player as well.

Mason McMurray has excellent rotation on his outside jumper. Looks 6'6" too. Joseph Zini from Trinity (WV) has looked good. He hits the jumper from the wing.

That is update after team shooting competition.

ABU Elite Camp #2

Dalen Solomon of John Hay (OH) with a nice reverse dunk.

Tre Baumgardner with a good first step. He knows how to read the man guarding him. He knows when to shoot or take the guy off the dribble. Desmond Council cat quick on defensive movement. He is bothering offensive players of all sizes. He moves quick laterally to the help position.

KiJunte Figures of Capital WV is a tough-nosed defender. He has the attitude that he does not want any one to score on him. Elisha Roberts of Cabell Midland with some good moves.

Garrett Tipton of Bishop Hartley (OH) and Armani Obringer of Trinity (PA) going hard at on both offense and defense on one-on-one drills.

Keandre Graves of Lutheran East (OH) works hard and does not stop all the way thru the drill.

RJ Sunahara of Bay (OH) and Josephi Zini of Trinity (WV) showing excellent ball handling skills.

Sean Kelly of Penn Trafford (PA) shows good stuff on 2 on 2 drills.

Former AB players Tobias Dowdell, Jordan Haywood and Josh Allen all working the kids at different stations.

Marcus Dudzenski of Latrobe (PA) is tall, athletic player with range. Alex Heath of Cleveland Central Catholic makes every player work hard. He loves defense and there is nothing easy when playing against him.

ABU Elite Camp Update #1

Juan Elmore of Pickerington Central is big and strong taking the ball to the basket. Darius Dudley showing some ability to break down a defender or step back. Levi Macadam of PB is holding his own on defense.

Augustine Noe out of Logan (WV) is a big tough player. Aggressive moves to the basket. Tre Baumgardner moves well at each station. He is very good hitting the defensive gaps on man defense.  Na'Elle Simmons of Beechcroft (OH) is long and athletic.

RJ Sunahara of Bay (OH) has been impressive so far in every drill I have seen. Understands the game. Versatile from the wing but yet a tall player who can take a player off the dribble.

Desmond Council of Lincoln Park (PA)...small, but cat quick and knows how to adjust despite size.

Coach Josh Allen doing a good job teaching kids all principles of help defense.

Tahj Benton of Brush (OH) with very good ball-handling skills.

Dondre Palmer of Pickerington North (OH) showing good defensive communication skills. Very loud which is what you want. Communicating of defense is a lost skill. Justin Curtis of Columbus East (OH) has good footwork on defense. Good close out skills.

Ryan Grant of Ironton (OH) and RJ Sunahara of Bay (OH) are two bigs and that move very well for team black.

Alex Heath of Cleveland Central Catholic with some good stuff on offense.