Two young men sat in the top row of the bleachers at Whitfield School, behind the visiting team's bench, on Monday night. They wore University of Notre Dame gear and were hoping to see a show.
Cameron Biedscheid, who signed with Notre Dame last month, is certainly worth the price of admission. And on this night, the Fighting Irish fans got the show they were looking for from the top prospect in St. Louis.
The dynamic 6-foot-8 senior forward showed off his old-school repertoire, including a quick right-to-left crossover, smooth handles and a silky jumper that easily extends beyond the 3-point arc. Biedscheid finished with a game-high 33 points on eight of 17 shooting, with 12 rebounds. He made 14 of 15 free throw attempts to help secure a 63-58 win against Whitfield.
"Cameron's a tremendous player, especially from the offensive end," Cardinal Ritter coach Marvin Neals said. "I thought his defense improved immensely. He rebounded and blocked some shots tonight. I thought he had a pretty good all-around game."
It was just another night for Biedscheid, a Post-Dispatch All-Metro first team selection a year ago when he averaged 29.7 points.
It was also a display that suggests at even after the graduation of McDonald's All-American and Gatorade national player of the year Bradley Beal of Chaminade, there will be no winter blues regarding a lapse in area talent.
"I think there's some good talent," Neals said. "You may not have the Bradley Beals, but there are some good players here."
Biedscheid was one of six seniors who signed with Division I schools in November, including Marquette center Ryan Rosburg (Missouri), McCluer North forward Jordon Granger (Auburn), Mater Dei guard Cory Arentsen (Austin Peay), De Soto guard Jared White (SEMO) and De Soto center Colin Ferguson (SEMO).
Parkway North forward Darrell Johnson, DeSmet center Eric Moeller, Soldan swingman Paul McRoberts, University City combo guard Travon Williams, Hazelwood Central forward B.J. McLaughlin and McCluer point guard Chantel Stanciel are among the next group of area seniors who could sign with Division I schools in the spring.
"We've got a lot of great players, I think, coming out of St. Louis right now," Biedscheid said. "Nolan (Berry, a DeSmet junior forward). Tyrin Williams from Riverview, he's a tough player. He's no joke. There's a lot of players -- Rayshawn Simmons from Webster, Cory Arentsen from Mater Dei, Chantel Stanciel, McCluer. We've got a lot of players -- Pete (Sanders) and Paul (McRoberts) from Soldan, Demetrious Floyd from McCluer."
In addition to a deep senior class, there are two high-profile juniors who have made early college commitments. Belleville East swingman Malcolm Hill committed to Illinois in September. Two weeks later, DeSmet junior forward Nolan Berry pledged to Butler.
The junior class includes other Division I prospects, including Hazelwood Central center Jordan Martin and East St. Louis swingman Deshawn Munson. Roxana junior Hunter Reine, a 6-9 center, is another player to watch.
The sophomore class includes two Metro East players who already have Division I scholarship offers: Cahokia's 6-6 swingman Darius Austin (offers from St. Louis University and DePaul) and Belleville East guard Darreon Reddick (DePaul, Southern Illinois Edwardsville). Oakville's 6-10 center Austin Gillmann also has attracted early interest.
"I think after you had Brad (Beal) and (Roosevelt Jones, O'Fallon) and B.J. (Young, McCuer North), that was the best it's been probably in my lifetime, even though Rose didn't go high-major, those were the best in a long time," said Scott Burgess, a recruiting analyst for ChicagoHoops.com. "But I think there's a lot of good talent with guys like Cameron Biedscheid, I like his game. ...
"Jordan Martin is a kid that I think that a chance to be good. Nolan Berry going to Butler is a kid that, as a small forward, has a ton of tools in his game and will continue to rise in his game. Then, on the Illinois side, Malcolm Hill is, for me, phenomenal. He consistently puts up points whether it's AAU or high school. ... I have him No. 4 (among juniors) in the state of Illinois. Darius Austin, too, from Cahokia. Those are the two headliners on the Illinois side."
Hoops enthusiasts also may need to travel out Highway 44 west to Pacific to see 6-1 guard Cullen VanLeer, a freshmen who is off to a good start.
Soldan coach Justin Tatum has a good fix on the area basketball community after winning a state championship at CBC with Larry Hughes and then playing at St. Louis University.
Tatum said the younger talent throughout the area, with eighth graders on down, is good. He has gotten a good look at those players from coaching his son, Jayson.
Jayson Tatum may be the area's top eighth grader. He turns 14 in March and already stands 6-3½ and wears size-14 sneakers.
"There's a lot of good eighth-graders out there, seventh- and eighth-graders out there, a lot of them, that know how to play," Tatum said. "It will be really fun to watch the next couple of years."
