Bears sign center for 08

[jliehr]

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070924/BLOGS0701/70924050

"Damen Bell-Holter, a 6-foot-9 240-pound center from Ketchikan, Alaska, said tonight he has given an oral commitment to the Missouri State basketball program."

"Bell-Holter averaged 30 points, 10.2 rebounds and 5 blocks as a junior. One of his prep rivals, Will Egolf of Juneau High School, signed with Bradley, one of the Bears’ Missouri Valley Conference rivals."

[troutangler]

Just saw that when you posted it. Never heard of him and I don't think he has been mentioned in the 2008 recruiting talk on letsgobears. 30 points per game is pretty salty. I wonder if the competition is really as good as he makes it out to be?

[jliehr]

Reading up sounds like he's a good get, a post on a Alaskan site mentions he shoots the teams technical shots so that will be a boost from Drew :) :bears:

http://www.hoopville.net/column/kasiecki.asp?EntryID=17438

Damen Bell-Holter (6'9" Jr. PF, Ketchikan (AK) High) Though not the most mobile player, he has a mature body with some strength and used it well. In going for 22 points in a playoff loss, he scored with some stickbacks, a couple of jumpers around the foul line and other close field goals.

http://hscalifornia.scout.com/a.z?s=153&p=8&c=1&nid=3183446


http://media.scout.com/media/image/44/444603.jpg

[salukibob]

Oral vs. signed?

[BeeLine]

It's an oral, you can't sign till Nov. This is a very big get by the Bears. He's one of the kids we've been pursuing and infering to but not naming on letsgobears. He was in this weekend along with 2 other front court players we really like as well. This kid has a solid D-1 body ,a nice jumpshot with range to the trey line, and you can't move him away from the basket once he sets up.
With Rhine, who by the way looked very good in last weekends scrimmage when Bell-Holter was in town, along with this kid, the Bears are in very good shape looking at the post over the next 4 seasons. He's a three star on scout.
Bears also still looking at James Watson 6'8" who was in last weekend, and a juco forward I really hope we get[ but can't name as yet], who was in as well. I was really impressed with the juco kid who would be an ideal replacement for Deven Mitchell; he's a combo guy who can play both down low and on the perimeter and brings great intensity. Was a juco All American as a frosh on a nationally ranked team.

[DUBulldog]

Oral vs. signed?

Can't sign 'til November...the name of the thread is a little misleading.

[jliehr]

Can't sign 'til November...the name of the thread is a little misleading.

Yeah, it was a little late and I mistyped.

[bberilam]

This is exciting for Bears fans who know that Barry doesn't know what to do with Finesse centers.

Here's a couple images of him going hard to the hoop:

http://ketchikandailynews.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?userphoto=0&image=14794950

http://ketchikandailynews.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?userphoto=0&image=14780371&thispage=3

Another winning a dunk contest:
http://ketchikandailynews.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?userphoto=0&image=14780353&thispage=3

I have to admit I'm very pleased with Barry's recruiting lately, finally recruiting guys that fit his "I wannabe SIU" style.

[Majik45]

Here's a picture of Bradley's Will Egolf scoring over Holter-Bell from this past year. Egolf had 33 points in the game and Holter-Bell had 21.

http://juneauempire.com/images/012107/16125_500.jpg

[Coasterbill42]

3 star on scout and #40 at center, it's a great get.

From Alaskapreps.com message board:

"Bell-Holter (Ketchikan) has to be at the top of the list, he has a chance to absolutely dominate the state next year."

"i hate to say it...but i think damen bell holter is the most dominating junior..."

~~

"-Alaskan 6-foot-9 post man Damen Bell-Holter stood out for 2D1 Basketball Academy, scoring 24 points on post moves, dunks and 15-footers. Not the most athletic player, but Bell-Holter is large, poised with the ball and skilled.

Washington State and Gonzaga have made their way to Alaska to see him and Arizona, Georgetown and UC-Santa Barbara are also interested according to Bell-Holter. "

"Damen Bell Holter has enrolled at Van Nuys High School in the greater Los Angeles area. He is currently getting interests from Gonzaga, San Diego, San Diego State, Santa Clara, UNLV, Washington State."

[BeeLine]

Noticed that Rivals is now listing us as an interest for the aforementioned juco, so I can go ahead and state that Cory Cooperwood from Wallace State in Alabama was also in this past weekend. He's 6'6" 215, averaged 16ppg, 8rbs as a frosh on the #5 ranked juco team. Played HS bb in Arkansas at Riverview and averaged 25ppg,15 rbs as a senior. Had one game as a sr in HS where he had a quadruble double, 35ppg,23 rbs, 10 assists, 10 blocks. Good looking athlete whose coach talks about how hard he plays and how well rounded his game is. Imagine if Watson doesn't sign[ he's also being pursued hard by Washington State] the we will probably look hard at a juco like this kid or a couple others we have shown interest in to fill the last scholy. Given that, it could be spring before we know something. So right now we have Holdman, Rhine, Bell-Holter; a very solid class for Barry and the Bears.

[Canevision]

Sounds like a solid Valley center.

I hope we get the athletic kids we're looking at now, to replace Deven.

I also believe we will take 5 this class, and let it all "work itself out" at the end of the year.

On a side note, ya gotta love being Wade Knapp next year. He's basically handed the starting Center position now, unless a true frosh comes in and beats him out.

Of course, he was supposed to be a PF anyway.

[bberilam]

Here's a picture of Bradley's Will Egolf scoring over Holter-Bell from this past year. Egolf had 33 points in the game and Holter-Bell had 21.

http://juneauempire.com/images/012107/16125_500.jpg

Well crap I thought we had a good recruit. But now that I see this picture . . . Looks like he'll just get stomped on. O well at least it will be fun to watch him try to win(intense sarcasm).

Egolf is also a year older, take it for what it's worth. Oh and it's Bell-Holter... get it right!

I think it's a testament to how far the MVC has come when we even Missouri State is landing players from Alaska. We normally don't reach out beyond the midwest.

Also in the final 2 for a player against Washington State. Very cool.

[siudog]

Here's a picture of Bradley's Will Egolf scoring over Holter-Bell from this past year. Egolf had 33 points in the game and Holter-Bell had 21.

http://juneauempire.com/images/012107/16125_500.jpg

WOW.. Will Egolf who is going to play for Bradley, his H.S. nickname is the Bears who is scoring over the Missouri State Bears recruit... Talk about strange:Jumpy:

Good get by both BU and MSU..:valley:

:salukis:

[Canevision]

It helps that our assistant coach is from his hometown, but, yes, it's nice to branch out a little bit.

[kevinmitchell]

Sounds like a decent get for the Bears. Alaska kids have proven they can play. Anytime you can get a big kid who appears to be able to run down the floor without falling over his shoelaces its a plus.

FYI, couldn't it be said here is Will Egolf airballing a shot over Bell-Holter? No one knows if he made the shot right?

[smsandmsuson]

It helps that our assistant coach is from his hometown, but, yes, it's nice to branch out a little bit.


Glad to see Barry go out of the state of Missouri.:Jumpy:

[Canevision]

Sounds like a decent get for the Bears. Alaska kids have proven they can play. Anytime you can get a big kid who appears to be able to run down the floor without falling over his shoelaces its a plus.

FYI, couldn't it be said here is Will Egolf airballing a shot over Bell-Holter? No one knows if he made the shot right?

He is highly rated, and had some big time schools interested in him. If he decided to wait until after his senior year, they have had even offered etc.

I agree on the photo, that's about as good of defense as he could play as well (w/o blocking it obviously).

Nice get honestly. :bears:

[SycamoreFanatic]

Man..........when I first saw this post, I thought it was from a Chicago reporter and he was so exited that he really meant "Bears sign a Quarterback" & the story was about the Chicago Bears!

[BearsCountry]

Lets just hope they like our school and community and want to stay here.

[Coasterbill42]

Here's a picture of Bradley's Will Egolf scoring over Holter-Bell from this past year. Egolf had 33 points in the game and Holter-Bell had 21.

http://juneauempire.com/images/012107/16125_500.jpg



Are you sure that's Holter-Bell?? This photo must have been after his summer in LA:
http://media.scout.com/media/image/44/444603.jpg


BTW, James Watson verballed to WaZu :( I thought he was visiting this week?? He must have been really unimpressed. Jerk

[Canevision]

Are you sure that's Holter-Bell?? This photo must have been after his summer in LA:
http://media.scout.com/media/image/44/444603.jpg


BTW, James Watson verballed to WaZu :( I thought he was visiting this week?? He must have been really unimpressed. Jerk

Recruiting against Wazu is going to be hard. that's an up and coming program with a name coach.

Springfield is no more of a locale than Putnam.

[douglasdmb]

BTW, James Watson verballed to WaZu :( I thought he was visiting this week?? He must have been really unimpressed. Jerk

Yikes...

I hope that's sarcasm.

[Coasterbill42]

haha, yeah it was.


Letsgobears users, I set up a temporary board: http://users.boardnation.com/~letsgobears2/index.php

hopefully everyone can use it.

[Coasterbill42]

Is anyone even interested??

[bcg]

Looking at the point totals when the two played each other 5 times last year, it doesn't look like much defense was played by either.

[DoubleJayAlum]

Congrats to Barry and the Bears.

I've never heard of this kid before, but from the pic it looks like he already has a D1 sized body. Usually these kids have to spend time bulking up to withstand the pounding at the D1 level, but this kid's size may allow him to get some serious playing time early on.

[BearsCountry]

Congrats to Barry and the Bears.

I've never heard of this kid before, but from the pic it looks like he already has a D1 sized body. Usually these kids have to spend time bulking up to withstand the pounding at the D1 level, but this kid's size may allow him to get some serious playing time early on.

We will need him to play early bc we will be lacking with experience down low.

[user1]

Are you sure that's Holter-Bell??

Here is the caption from that photo:

"...Will Egolf shoots over Ketchikan's Damen Bell-Holter during Friday's game"
http://juneauempire.com/stories/012107/spo_20070121001.shtml

[Coasterbill42]

He sure got a tan lol

[Clawinball]

Good news about Bell- Holter, seems like he has an impressive presence down low! Nice to see us get some recruits with more athleticism as well. :bears: :clap: