BY MATT DENISON
Recent Borden graduate Chris Beam will sign a partial scholarship today with Olney Central College, a junior college located in Olney, Ill.
The 6-foot-1 point guard expects to redshirt his first season.
“I really like their coach (Mike Burris) and the campus is nice,” he said. “I like the fact that it’s a two-year college. I hope to get stronger and then go to a bigger school.”
Borden coach Doc Nash, who attended Olney Central for two years before finishing out at Manchester, agrees that Beam is headed to a good program.
“It’s a great opportunity (for Chris),” Nash added. “(Chris) has a golden opportunity to play at a higher level after a few season. He’s going to get a lot of exposure that he didn’t get at the high school level.”
Olney Central, which competes in the noted Great Rivers Athletic Conference, finished last season with a 20-10 record.
Solid outing for TSI at Stimulus Tournament
Team Southern Indiana’s 2010 Red and 2012 teams turned in stellar performances in Louisville at the recent Stimulus Tournament.
TSI 2010 Red finished 2-1 in pool play action, which included a victory over the highly-touted Scott County (Ky.) high school team. But Scott County — the eventual champion — scored revenge in the elimination round, edging 2010 Red in the tournament’s quarterfinals.
TSI 2012 finished the weekend with a 4-1 record, but fell 50-46 in the championship game to The Ville, a Louisville-based team.
Providence’s A.J. Schmidt was key throughout the tournament for the 2012 team, and his play this spring versus top-notch competition makes him a player to watch next high school season.
Bulldogs win Marion Shootout
New Albany, who finished the 2008-09 high school season with a 23-1 record, continued their winning ways last weekend in Marion.
The Bulldogs grabbed the championship of the Marion Shootout, a weekend tournament for high school teams.
In pool play, New Albany cruised past Adams Central, Beech Grove and Marion. In the single-elimination tournament round, they got past Delta and New Castle before knocking off Kokomo in the final.
Both Donnie Hale and Chris Whitehead were sidelined for the Bulldogs’ semifinal and championship games due to minor injuries, coach Jim Shannon said.
Henryville plays well at Indiana State camp
Henryville was in Terre Haute the last two days competing at Indiana State’s team camp.
The Hornets finished the event with a 4-1 record, beating South Spencer, Wood Memorial, Indianapolis Attucks and Nebraska City (Neb.).
Clark sets two college visits
Jeffersonville senior-to-be Kegan Clark has scheduled two unofficial college visits.
Clark will tour Southern Illinois on June 16 and Western Kentucky on Aug. 7-8.
The 6-foot-3 forward also will participate in each school’s “elite camp” while on campus with other potential recruits.
The entire Jeffersonville team participated last weekend in a one-day high school team event at Wright State, where the Raiders offered a scholarship to Clark.
Baker attends IU Elite Camp
Jeffersonville freshman-to-be Darryl Baker quickly is becoming one of the area’s most noted prospects to follow.
Baker is playing “up” two grade classifications this spring and summer with Team Southern Indiana’s 2011 squad, and was invited this weekend to attend Indiana University’s “elite camp.”
The two-day camp, which wraps up today, is a gathering of players recognized to be on IU’s recruiting radar.
Quick hitters
Jeffersonville will compete June 19-20 in Louisville at the Derek Smith Shootout, a popular summer event that will feature many of Kentucky’s top high school teams.
New Albany senior-to-be Donnie Hale and his family are wrapping up an unofficial visit today at Oklahoma State.
