Kearney sets Nov. 3rd commitment date

The class of 2011 is one of the deepest classes we have seen in the past few years nationally and especially in the state of Michigan.  In Michigan the state is loaded with high major recruits at every position.  Nationally the class received their stamp of approval by winning gold at the 2009 16-u FIBA games in Argentina.  The internet has also played a big role by changing the world with blogs and message boards full of analyst and sports fans debating who the top student-athletes are.  But one name that always seems to stand out is Brandan Kearney.

The last calendar year has been very exciting for the Detroit Southeastern guard nicknamed, “BK”.  He has continuously put his work in and has found quite a bit of early success.  Kearney has also spent the last year dealing with the recruiting process and the junior has seen enough to make a decision and he has decided to make a commitment on November 3^rd.  Below we’ll tackle plenty of issues concerning BK and give you an in depth look at Michigan’s top recruit from the class of 2011.

Breaking down BK’s game

Most high school basketball players that stand 6-6 spend their time on the block, but not Kearney.  Since the first time he picked up the ball he has been programmed to be a point guard and ball handler.  “That credit has to be given to my Dad, it didn’t matter how tall I was he always taught me to play and think like a guard,” said BK.  Kearney’s Dad has plenty of experience with the game of basketball, he along with Brandan’s Godfather Robert Godbolt played high school and college ball together at Kettering High School and at Louisiana Tech with Karl Malone.

One word that always seems to come up when breaking down Kearney’s game is the word- versatile.  “He can shoot, drive, and can really do anything he wants on the court.  He can play anywhere from the 1-4 and will play all of those positions for us, but at the end of the day he’s a 6-6 point guard,” states Southeastern Head Coach George Ward.

Kearney has the ability to play any position on the court but seems to be most successful with the ball in his hands at the point.  His unselfishness along with his court vision has allowed Kearney to be a true ball distributing playmaker.  Kearney has excelled at putting his teammates as well as himself in position to score.  “His hoops I.Q. is off the charts, add that with his skill level and size and ability to see the floor and you have one heck of a basketball player,” adds Ward.

Sophomore Season

The Jungaleers as well as Kearney had a very successful season last year. Southeastern, with a very young team, advanced to the Detroit PSL Championship as well as having a long run deep into the MHSAA State Playoffs.  On an individual level Kearney helped lead his team, as a sophomore, with averages of 12.5 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assist.

But it always seemed like Southeastern would hit their stop sign when they would run into Detroit Pershing, who eventually went on to win the Class A crown.  The two teams played four times last season with Southeastern loosing three of four; however the Jungaleers were the only team last year to defeat the State Champs.  “That’s our rival, we know those guys real well and love to battle with them, and they just got the better of us last year.  Winning the City Championship and the State Championship were our goals and even though we didn’t reach them we felt we had a great year under Coach White.  Coach White installed confidence in us and he set the bar high,” said BK.

High School Coaching Change

However shortly after Kearney’s sophomore season Coach Mark White resigned to further his career as the head coach of Adrian College.  “Coach White is a real good guy and a great player developer.  I’m really happy for him.  We lost our coach but his values have been installed into us.  Plus now we have Coach Ward,” states Kearney.

During the summer Southeastern hired George Ward.  It was widely speculated that Kearney along with teammate Percy Gibson would not be returning to Southeastern.  “A lot of rumors started up, for a while SE didn’t have any coach and we were getting worried so we started to weigh our options but the goal was always to return back to Southeastern, we have unfinished business there,” explains BK.  “I just wanted the opportunity to coach both Kearney and Gibson.  I always felt like they were coming back.  I’ve only been with them for a short time but they are two of the most coachable kids I have ever had,” adds Ward.

Junior Season Preview

BK has quickly built a strong bond with his new coach and is excited to see what the future holds for the team.  “Coach Ward is a tough minded coach and I think our team really needed that.  Were going to open some stuff up and he has added his style of play to us and I can’t wait for the season to start,” says BK.

“Mark did a great job with these guys.  Hopefully we can pick up where they left off.  The goals are the same and hopefully we can make it to the Breslin Center,” said Ward.  Southeastern is actually stronger than ever with the return of Kearney and Gibson who will now be upperclassmen as well as returning guards Devonte Carter and Carlos Carter.  Added to the mix is Ed Brown, a sharpshooting point guard who transferred over from Finney.

USA Basketball

While Kearney’s goals are focused strictly on Southeastern, that was not the case over the summer.  Kearney was selected as one of twenty 16 year olds to try out for the USA 16-under National Team.  “It was a great honor just being asked to try-out.  I was the only player from Michigan invited.  But I was not content with just trying out, I wanted to make the team for my friends and family,” states Kearney.  Kearney’s versatility again stood out and his ability to help team USA win in multiple ways always helped solidify a roster spot on the team.

Kearney spent the next week in Colorado training with the team before they left for the FIBA games in Argentina.  There Team USA overwhelmed the competition on their way to a perfect record and a gold medal.  “It was a great experience, we had so much fun, and it felt great to represent my country.  It was big for me to accomplish that for my family and for the state of Michigan,” said Kearney.

AAU Basketball

Winning the gold gave Kearney an obvious swagger that could be seen the instant he came back home. “Yeah, it did give me a swagger, just confidence from making the team to winning the gold, claims BK.  Kearney took that swagger and flew with his Team Detroit AAU team.  “The summer started a little slow but after I got back I just felt good and got going.  We did a lot of winning in July.  It was the most championships and success I have ever had in one summer,” said Kearney.

And winning Team Detroit did!

Kearney played on both Team Detroit’s 16-u and 17-u teams and helped lead both teams in July to final four appearances and championships in Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Las Vegas.  “I learned a lot from the summer playing with Trey Zeigler and Ray McCallum, I guess the pressure was on them so I just contributed the best I could.

Class of 2011

But when Kearney would go back to his own age group that pressure of winning seemed to fall on his shoulders.  “Yeah, you could say I had that pressure but that’s cool because pressure will always be there, you just have to prepare for it.  I loved playing 16-u with my friends and the guys that I have grown up with.  I tried to make them better like Trey and Ray did for me,” states Kearney.

While Kearney loves playing with players from own class there always seems to be a competitive rivalry with guys in his class.  “I have respect for all the big named players in my class.  I have played with all of them at one time or another.  During the summer I play with the Country Day guys and I have played with Tommie McCune and Patrick Lucas-Perry too.  I respect the game of all those guys like Carlton Brundidge and LaDontae Henton,” said Kearney.

One player BK truly loves playing with is his God Brother- Percy.  “Percy and I have played with each other since we were 7 years old. We just have that bond.  Percy has made my job so much easier.  We know what each other is going to do and that gives us an edge,” adds BK.

Recruiting

The recruiting process is one that every student that gets the opportunity should truly enjoy but it can become a headache at times.  Kearney has become a big time prospect and has heard from a number of top programs from across the country all trying to battle for his services when he reaches the next level.  “The recruiting process has been fun but it does get tiring being away every weekend. I have seen and talked to everyone that I need to.  That’s why I have decided to keep my recruiting open for a few more weeks and make a decision on November 3^rd,” states Kearney.

Kearney picked November 3^rd because he wants to make a decision before the season starts and before the senior signing day on November 15^th.  Helping BK along this whole process has been his entire family which includes his Father (Derrick) and Mother (Lea) as well as his big sister (Tiana), little brother (Justin), and Godfather (Robert Godbolt).  Also giving BK advice is his cousin Stan Edwards.  Stan is very familiar with the process by going through it himself as well as with his son and New York Jet receiver Braylon Edwards.

“I knew since Brandan was 8 years old that he had a love for the game and a special talent so I am just happy to voice my opinion and advice when needed.  I have been following his recruitment very closely and it has really amazed me.  My mouth fell in my lap just how coaches recruit athletes these days and I’ll leave it at that.  I received a call from an out of state coach asking if we had a shot to get Brandan.  I responded with I can’t do your job for you, you need to sell your own program to Brandan,” said Stan Edwards.

Schools with a shot

Since day 1 it has been assumed that BK will stay in state and that has scared off some coaches from recruiting Brandan, but that has not been the case at all.  “I have a lot of respect for in-state schools but there are a lot of schools out of state that really have my interest,” explains Kearney.

BK has never trimmed his list and claims that all the schools that are recruiting him still have a great shot to get him.  Those schools include: (In alphabetical order) Florida International, Georgetown, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Syracuse.

BK went on to say, “I like FIU because of Isiah Thomas.  I can see Isiah doing big things with FIU.  Georgetown has great academics and tradition with players like Allen Iverson.  Same goes with Kentucky as far as tradition and with Coach Calipari there you know they are going to win.  Michigan has family ties with my cousins Stan and Braylon and I really like Coach Beilein.  Michigan State just got off a final four and I like the toughness of Coach Izzo.  I like Minnesota because of Coach Tubby Smith.  Notre Dame has great tradition and is great with academics.  There is just something about Ohio State that really intrigues me and I like their system.  I have been a fan of Syracuse ever since I was a kid.

Now everyone has read the articles stating that Michigan is the leader, or Michigan State is the leader, and even an article about Kentucky being in front.  How will BK handle the time up to November 3^rd?  “I’m just going to keep researching the situation at each school and go with the team that I feel the most comfortable with no matter where they are located,” said Kearney.

Continuously Working on Game

“Relationship aside, even though I love Brandan to death, I would have never done this interview if I thought Brandan didn’t have the athletic integrity to get better every day.  His parents did a great job of setting the foundation and setting the proper morals into Brandan.  Brandan knows he has more to offer and he knows he has a long ways to go.  He never gets comfortable with where he is at; he knows he has work to do every day.  He has a clue to where he is today and no misconception on being better than what he is.  Those attributes will allow Brandan to maximize his potential.  Nobody knows what the finished product will be but if I’m a betting man I’m pretty sure he’ll be a good one,” states Edwards.

Edwards has plenty of experience on knowing what it takes to succeed in sports.  With his own experience of playing at the University of Michigan as well as playing professional football, he trains his son Braylon as well as many other professional athletes.

“Brandan has that eye of the tiger; he’s constantly working and not just in the gym.  He knows he has work to do with his body.  He lifts weights while focusing on squats, plyos, lunges, old military stuff, as well vertical velocity, that’s our old family secret,” said Edwards.

For a trainer that develops athletes what did Edwards think about the critics that say Brandan’s weakness is his strength?  “First I just can’t see how critics can judge a high school kid.  All high school kids have so far to go and so much work to do.  None of them are finished products. They all have something to work on whether it is shooting, dribbling, gaining weight or loosing weight.

Brandan is hard to judge because it’s hard for him to keep weight on because his growth plates are still open.  He’s still growing but when those plates close you better look out!”

Added Coach Ward, “He’s been like a star since he was 8 or 9 years old.  He’s always had big time potential but now he’s an upperclassman and that potential tag is off and it’s time to produce. He’s become a far better defender and leader.  His skill level is better than I could have ever imagined.  He has a great competitive nature and I think he’s ready to put it all together.  I’m just excited to sit back and watch.

And when you ask BK about where he is now and where he wants to go his humbleness shines.  “I know I have work to do.  I am not content with any part of my game, I want to get better in every aspect of basketball.  Even after I commit to a college I have to keep working every day because I am far from my goals and dreams, said BK.

The past year of Brandan Kearney’s life has been very exciting but by talking to him and the people he has in his corner it seems like the best has yet to come!