Video: Early Contenders - ChaminadeMaxPreps 2015-16 High School Basketball Early Contenders, Presented by Dick's Sporting Goods and Under Armour
Head coach: Frank Bennett (49-7 career record, third year)
2014-15 record: 25-4
State association: Missouri State High School Activities Association
Enrollment: 500
Chaminade possesses a wealth of talent on its roster this season, including players (left to right) Michael Lewis II, Jericole Hellems, Will Gladson and Jayson Tatum.
Photo by Mark Guthrel
Players to Watch
Tyler Cook (6-7, Sr., F) … Committed to Iowa
Reggie Crawford (6-4, Jr., G) … Highly-recruited wide receiver prospect
Karrington Davis (6-5, So., G/F) … Drawing Division I attention
Will Gladson (6-7, Sr., F) … Several Division I offers to pick from
Jericole Hellems (6-7, So., F) … Only freshman on varsity roster a year ago
Michael Lewis II (6-2, Sr., G) … Committed to Duquesne
Jayson Tatum (6-8, Sr., G) … Committed to Duke
Guard Jayson Tatum
Photo by Mark Guthrel
Key Dates
Dec. 3 – vs.
Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) at Marshall County Hoopfest
Dec. 5 – vs.
Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.) at Chicago Elite Classic
Dec. 12 – vs.
Bentonville (Ark.)Dec. 18-23 – City of Palms Classic
Jan. 2 – vs.
Huntington St. Joseph Prep (Huntington, W.Va.) at Cancer Research Classic
Jan. 14-16 – Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions
Jan. 18 – vs.
DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) at Spalding Hoophall Classic
Guard Michael Lewis II
Photo by Mark Guthrel
Red Devil Storylines
* Bennett admits his team is highly motivated by a stunning postseason loss a year ago. Winners of 15 in a row coming down the stretch, Chaminade was upset by
Park Hill South (Riverside) in the Class 5 semifinals. The Red Devils have won 43 of their last 46 against in-state opponents.
* Tatum is arguably the most decorated player in high school basketball's Class of 2016. An elite scorer, Tatum has won a pair of gold medals with USA Basketball and was the MaxPreps National Junior of the Year in 2014-15. All that is missing from his resume is a state title.
* While Tatum garners much of the attention, there is much more to Chaminade than just the future Duke Blue Devil. Cook is a Top 100 prospect who held offers from Connecticut, Florida and Virginia among others before committing to Iowa. Lewis can change games from the outside, as he showed at last year's Spalding Hoophall Classic when he scored 23 points and dropped in six 3-pointers in an 88-78 win over
Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.).
View gallery of preseason Early Contenders photo shoot with Chaminade
