Schoolcraft Players Sifting Through Offers

Carlos Briggs' Schoolcraft program of Livonia, Mich., has enjoyed unprecedented success over the past three years, making three consecutive trips to the NJCAA Tournament in Hutchinson, Kan.

Equally impressive is the fact that the Ocelots have churned out quite a few Division I basketball prospects in that same time period, and this year will be no different.

JUCO Junction caught up with Briggs this week and got updates on five of his key players off this year's 31-4 squad which went three rounds deep at Hutch last month. (A profile of Schoolcraft's Dion Sherrell appears elsewhere on this site).

The player who we felt got the most done at last month's NJCAA Tourney, 6-6, 210 pound power forward Tovoris Baker, has a number of mid-Division I level programs courting him this spring.

According to Briggs, Baker took his first trip to UMKC from March 28-30. He has visits set up to Detroit (Apr. 19-20) and Toledo (Apr. 26-27), while Texas El Paso and Ohio University are also looking at the Eastern Michigan transfer.

Baker, who averaged 15.1 points and 11 rebounds per game for the Ocelots this winter, is expected to be a summer grad. He shot a crisp 70 percent from the floor this season and makes his living on the offensive glass as his game is confined to the low post.

Another Schoolcraft big man, well travelled 6-9, 230 pound center Andre Scott, has a pair of trips on the docket this spring.

Scott, who was at the University of Rhode Island a few years ago before resurfacing at Schoolcraft, will visit Georgia State this weekend (Apr. 11-13) and Nebraska next weekend (Apr. 18-20). He is also being eyeballed by Washington and St. Louis, according to Briggs.

A finesse big man, Scott averaged 10.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for the Ocelots in 2002-2003. He shot 46 percent from the floor and 71 percent from the foul line.

Two other sophs -- Ronald Dorsey and Gary Johnson -- have also generated Division I interest.

Dorsey, an athletic 6-5 forward, has already visited McNeese State (March 28-30). He'll visit Youngstown State (Apr. 18-20) and Missouri-Kansas City (Apr. 25-27) later this month. Eastern Michigan has offered him a scholarship and Robert Morris is also in the mix with Dorsey, who averaged 12.3 points and 5.1 rebounds this winter.

Gary Johnson, a 6-2 point guard who had some fine moments at the NJCAA Tournament last month, is visiting Central Florida this weekend (Apr. 11-13) and Akron next weekend (Apr. 18-20). Johnson averaged 8.8 points and 6.5 assists for the Ocelots this season, shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc.

One of Schoolcraft's top freshmen, 6-2 shooting guard James Holmes, might be able to leave the school this year with three years of eligibility. According to Briggs, there's a chance that Holmes could be ruled as a qualifier out of high school by the NCAA Clearinghouse.

Holmes, who excelled at getting to the basket and scoring at last month's NJCAA Tournament, was the Ocelots' second leading scorer this winter. He averaged 14.3 points and 2.2 rebounds per game, shooting 53 percent from the field and 41 percent from beyond the three point arc.

JUCO Junction will let you know if Holmes' situation changes, and keep you abreast on the other Schoolcraft sophs making visits and decisions in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!