Tourney field has its share of big-time talent this year

~ Jackson's 6-11 Redecker, Bell City's 6-10 Bogan and Central's 6-8 Wilks are among the players being courted by Division I schools.

Charleston, Jackson, Bell City and Central make up the top four seeds for the 61st Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament this week at the Show Me Center.

Among those four teams are four of the most talented and most highly recruited boys basketball players in Southeast Missouri.

Juniors Jamarcus Williams (Charleston), Will Bogan (Bell City) and Darnell Wilks (Central) and senior Aaron Redecker (Jackson) all have garnered attention from NCAA Division I programs during their high school careers.

The talented quartet should be on display throughout the four-day tournament, which begins Monday. The tournament will take Wednesday off; the finals are set for Friday.

"There's definitely four or five kids who people will want to come and watch play," Jackson coach Darrin Scott said.

Added Central coach Derek McCord: "I think you've got several Division I players."

While there have been numerous all-state players who have participated at the Christmas Tournament, the number of NCAA Division I caliber players in recent years have been few and far between.

Ashton Farmer and Kewain Gant of Charleston and Bell City graduate C.J. Hadley are currently on Division I rosters. Bell City graduate Dominitrix Johnson, a sophomore at Three Rivers Community College, likely will join that list next year.

Redecker, a 6-foot-11 senior, has developed into a dominating inside presence for the Indians. He showcased his progress on offense on Dec. 10 against Lafayette and 6-8 freshman Tyler Griffey by pouring in 23 points.

"I think he's definitely getting where teams have to do something. One kid can't guard him," Scott said. "From a statistical standpoint, 80 percent of his touches, he scores or gets fouled or both."

Likely the most unknown quantity among the area's top players is Bogan. A 6-10, 300-pound junior, Bogan is playing his first year of high school basketball after transferring to Bell City last year. Bogan has had a pair of 30-point games this season, including one in front of Memphis coach John Calipari and his staff.

"His footwork's getting better, and I think he's getting up the floor better," Bell City coach Brian Brandtner said. "The thing about Will, he's a quick learner. When you discuss something or work with him, he picks it up quickly."

Wilks, in his second year with the Tigers, has shown athleticism and jumping ability that make him a threat anywhere on the floor. A lanky 6-8 forward, Wilks can step shoot from the outside when not posting up and likes stepping into the passing lanes to spark fast breaks. This season, Wilks is averaging 19 points a game, with a 33-point outburst against Eureka.

"He's very athletic, very versatile," McCord said. "What he brings to the table, he can play both in the post and perimeter. We've asked him to be more of a scorer this year, and he's responded in a big way."

Williams, a 6-6 junior, may be the top athlete in the tournament. After earning second-team all-state honors last season as a sophomore, Williams is the leader in Charleston's bid for a return trip to the state tournament this season.

The talent at the Christmas Tournament reaches beyond those four. Scott County Central sophomore D.D. Gillespie averaged more than 30 points a game for the Braves at the Oran Invitational Tournament to open the season; Meadow Heights senior Anthony Bollinger has scored more than 20 points in all seven games for the Panthers this season; and Woodland senior Seth Gaines is averaging more than 20 points through six games. Delta senior Aaron Kinder recently scored 40 points in a game.

"It seems like there's great talent here at this tournament," Brandtner said. "Southeast Missouri basketball has great tradition, some great teams. This year's no exception."