Bank Hoops Camp: Breakout Upperclassmen Prospects

These class of 2024 and 2025 prospects all showed various traits that project them to the next level at the 19th-annual Bank Hoops All-State Camp.

Grand Rapids Catholic Central junior Jack Bowen.

Jack Bowen  6-6  Jr  Grand Rapids Catholic Central: An energetic x factor for a state contending Cougars squad. Invaluable with how he keeps the ball hot and gets team extra possessions. Could pass to cutters from up top or to shooters off the drive. Ran the court to get put-backs or block shots from behind. Battled against bigger forwards defensively, and kept them off balance on the other end as a lefty.

Michael DeKuiper  6-1  Jr  Rockford: An archetype for the two programs he’s come up in, Rockford and the Grand Rapids Storm, in that he’s rock-solid fundamentally, and competes hard on both ends. Stays around the ball without dominating it. Takes care of the rocj with tight, compact handle. Heads up and opportunistic turning the corner. Physical, creative finisher off of two feet in the lane.

Portage Northern senior Youssef Elghawy.

Youssef Elghawy  6-3  Sr  Portage Northern: Portage Northern looks poised to make a big jump as there are some good athletes coming up, and Elghaway’s improvement going into his senior seaso points in that direction. Has athletic tools that project. Can shoot and has long first step; dunked in drills and extended well to score in the lane in games.

Novi Catholic Central senior Samuel Howard.

Samuel Howard  6-2  Sr  Novi Catholic Central: Left-handed three-point threat with quick, soft hands on the catch. Beautiful stroke but not a specialist, Howard works hard defensively with a plus wingspan utilized playing with high hands. Talked on D. As good a shooter as he is, also consistently made the extra pass. Uses Eurostep without being indulgent or off-balance with it. Business-like approach and hard-worker which could help separate Howard from all the other 6-2 small college players; as does his pedigree playing in the state’s top league.

Carter Kerby  6-0  Jr  Frankfort: His emergence last season coincided with Frankfort’s darkhorse run to Breslin. And the Panthers could be backed, based on the performance of Kerby and 6-6 blue collar senior Bryce Pleska at camp. Dangerous with the crossover dribble. Quick, optimistic, instinctive player which pays off defensively where he has sticky hands and can flip the field quickly. Will get dirty for 50-50 balls. Improved strength and consistent decision-making will help his ticket.

Max Ogden  6-2  Sr  Traverse City St. Francis: He was a revelation in the afternoon, the leading scorer for an undefeated team that included a likely scholarship post, Brighton’s Vincent Salmon, and guard, St. Clair’s Braylon Frantz. Great at finding his spots, reading the pass in the air and sliding his catch right into his shot pocket. Ran the floor hard and created his own luck, getting three-point plays at the rim or pull-ups on the break. Able to get low and check scholarship-caliber point guards.

Grand Rapids South Christian junior Caleb Pleune.

Caleb Pleune  6-4  Jr  Grand Rapids South Christian: He got good minutes off the bench as a soph for South Christian’s state runner-up team. Now Pleune is listed a couple inches taller than he was in March and projects to the starting forward spot vacated with the graduation of the Sailors’ third-leading scorer Jacob DeHaan. Played winning basketball for a tough-minded West Michigan Lakers 16U in the off-season. Shoots it like a guard, and has the rugged frame to go in and mix it up like a forward. A spot-up three-point shooter with an expanding offensive game with a stop-and-pop J, use of the glass, and spin dribble.

Caleb Pittenturf  6-5  Sr  Rochester Christian: Small school kid who has a chance, between his size and offensive skills. Nice old school jab step attacker with a big first step. Will score or pass off the drive. Shot it well to 20 in drills and games. Good rim protector who will have to get low and check wings in space for the next level.

Columbia Central junior Derek Sanders.

Derek Sanders  6-5  Jr  Brooklyn Columbia Central: A plus all-around player. Athletic, rugged, makes plays with touches but doesn’t need volume shots to stay in tuned and contributing. Picks up lots of points where fewer players know how, mid-range. Chin-to-rim straight-line driver. Has defensive versatility and hoops IQ to handle multiple positions on both ends of the court. Good reads and effort on the glass.

Brody Schimpa  6-3  Jr  Edwardsburg: An attractive small college recruit because not only can Schimpa really shoot it from 20 feet, with consistent mechanics up top, he does it with the frame of a college wing, efficiently and playing smartly off the ball. Said frame allows him to protect the ball in traffic and finish through contact. Not just a spot-up 3-point guy, also showed a one-on-one pull-up off the break.

Levi Stambaugh  5-11  Jr  Mason: Started on a league championship team as a soph, and competed here like a young vet. Thrived in the wide-open games, as a dual and confident shoot-pass threat. Translates to the next level because he can play fast — and make good decisions while doing it. Smart reads made defensive gambles profitable. Made the extra pass and got teammates involved.