Drew League looks to bring in younger talent in 51st season

Last summer, the Drew League celebrated its 50th anniversary. At the ceremony, the league honored its top 73 players and acknowledged all the different locations where the league has taken place.

But now, as one of the top summer pro-ams in the country moves forward, it has an eye on the future. According to Chaniel Smiley, the league’s commissioner, the Drew League is looking for more visibility around the brand in terms of a “younger group of talent.”

One way the league is trying to attract a younger crop of players is by moving the women’s Drew League to the summer.

Two years ago, the women’s Drew League was held in the fall. Last summer, it was moved to the same time of year as the men’s league to encourage more collegiate players to stay home for the summer to play. This summer, the women’s games were moved from weeknights to the same days as the men’s on the weekends with eight teams competing.

For the men’s league, young talent at the high school and college level has been featured on rosters, but this season contains many notable young players on rosters.

A few of the younger talent on rosters include former Southern California high school standouts and Division I collegiate players Skyy Clark and Mikey Williams on Reapers Black Ops, Dink Pate of the NBA G-League Ignite program on Nationwide Souljas and No. 12 nationally ranked high school player Braydon Burries from Roosevelt High School.

Smiley hopes that by bringing in a younger generation, the league can continue for “another 50 years.”

Game of the weekend: Black Pearl Elite 94, West Coast Elite 93

On Saturday, the highlight game of the weekend took place between two undefeated teams: Black Pearl Elite and West Coast Elite, both of which were led by a young group of players.

In a closely contested matchup, Black Pearl Elite came out on top 94-93 in a game that was decided in the final minute.

Black Pearl Elite improves to a league-best 4-0, and West Coast Elite moves to a 3-1 record.

DJ Brewton, named Player of the Game, scored on a turnaround jumpshot with under a minute remaining to tie the game at 92-92.

On the next possession, Black Pearl Elite got a steal, which led to a Kyree Walker drive to the basket, where he banked in a short jumpshot off the backboard to help Black Pearl Elite seal the game.

Brewton finished with 30 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Walker added 23 points, four rebounds and two assists.

Brewton played last season at Cal State Fullerton, where he was named an All-Big West Honorable Mention after averaging 17 points per game.

Walker, who currently plays in the Canadian Elite Basketball League, was the No. 1 player in the country as a freshman in high school. He finished the game with 23 points, four rebounds and two assists.

West Coast Elite saw an outstanding performance from Deshawndre Washington, who scored 38 points on 11/15 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds. Washington was named Player of the Week in the Drew League during the second week of play.

Washington previously played at New Mexico State University.

Before attending New Mexico Stat, he helped lead Northwest Florida State College to the NJCCAA Division 1 National Championship.

“We missed a big piece with (Montrezl Harrell) not being here, so having all the younger guys here with us, we just went out and played basketball,” Walker said.

Walker has played in the Drew League on multiple occasions since high school. After their matchup against West Coast Elite, Walker will return to his team, the Scarborough Shooting Stars, in the Canadian Elite Basketball League, but he says he will return for the Drew League playoffs.

Other scores from Saturday’s games

Nationwide Souljas 86, California Supreme Court 68

Redemption 84, Problems 80

Undisputed Legends 70, Young Citi PTI 83

Saints 87, Hometown Favorites 90