Brunswick loaded with D1 possibilities

Brunswick Community College in North Carolina has a situation unlike maybe any other big-time junior college basketball team.

"We're in a unique situation," said head coach Walter Shaw. "We don't have scholarships and we don't have a gym. We're in the process of getting a facility, but right now we play our home games at a local high school. In the last six years, we've sent 40 kids to college. Ten of those have gone Division One and three have played in the NCAA tournament."

Shaw has had his players go to schools such as Hampton, New Orleans, East Tennessee, and Arkansas State. This year, Shaw may have his most talented group yet. Many of the players from last year's Carolinas conference title team are back for the Dolphins. Coach Shaw ran down some of his top players for us.

"Lorenzo Burgess is 6-8, 260, plays center for us," Shaw said. "He has a lot of interest from Division One recruiters in the Big South, Southern Conference, MEAC, some Colonial schools. Coastal Carolina and Charleston Southern and Radford are the three that kind of lead for him right now."

"Curtis Williams is 6-1, very athletic, one of most athletic guards we've had," said Shaw. "He is super quick, very explosive. Gardner Webb is leading for him, they play in the Atlantic Sun, and interest has really picked up for him."

"T.J. Jackson is a 6-4 combo guard," Shaw continued. "He was a Division One qualifier out of high school, a comparison would be a mini Julius Hodge. He's very wiry, skinny. He has an offer at Alabama State, Elon, UNC-Greensboro have expressed a lot of interest in him. Things will pick up with these guys as the season goes on."

"Kenyan Alston, 6-6, 195, three-four guy," said Shaw. "He shoots it really well. Over a 3.0 student, qualifier in high school. He was a part-time starter as a freshman and his interest is Campbell, Hampton, Elon, Charleston Southern."

"James Jeffries, 6-3, 200, a two-three swing guy," Shaw said. "He's got offers from a host of D2's and Arkansas State has expressed interest. We'll have a lot of coaches coming through here in the next couple of weeks. I'm pretty sure a lot will go from there."

"Zack Alleyne, 6-1, 200 pound point guard, a really, really strong point guard, sees the floor very well," Shaw said. "He sat second semester with a knee injury, but he's healthy now. He's getting a lot of D2 right now and if he has a big year, he can play at a higher level."

"Catlin Pruitt, 6-1, 195-pound two guard, who transferred from a D3 school, but he can play at a high level," Shaw said. "Out of high school, he had some D2 offers, but wanted to stay close to home. Now he wants to get re-recruited and go to as high a level as possible. He could get recruited low D1, in the right situation maybe even mid-D1."

"[db]Benson Stewart[/db] is 6-7, four man," Shaw added. "He is getting a lot of interest from D2's all over the place right now."

Schools looking to land some of these players may end up with some packaged deals. Last season, four players went on from Brunswick to play college ball, with a pair each going to two different schools.

"We have that happen a lot," the coach said. "Most of these are kids that knew each other when they came here. Don't recruit outside of our three-hour range."

The Dolphins have lofty expectations with so much experience returning. JucoJunction will be keeping an eye on all these prospects throughout the season as Brunswick opens on November 2nd.

JucoJunction will continue to follow junior college recruiting across the land. To talk about this story with other juco hoops fans, check out the JucoJunction Board or our premium forum.