Boo Williams Spotlight: Brian Carlwell

For Brian Carlwell, his basketball career has always included the term "next in line." At Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois he's the next Division I player to come from the program. On the national scene, the 6-foot-10, 250-pound center is trying to be next in line on the list of top centers in the class of 2006.

Carlwell hails from the same school that produced Dee Brown and Shannon Brown, two guys that ended their seasons at the Final Four. Playing with the Illinois-based Ferrari Players AAU program, Carlwell isn't next anybody for the relatively new premiere club. That's okay with the big fella. He wants to be next in line in the talented post player pool in the rising senior class.

"We want to go out and just do what we can. We like to push the ball and run. I don't mind that. For me though, I try to be the intimidator and hold it all down inside," he said.

He'll hold it down. Just in spurts though. His game is progressing. Quite a bit actually since we last saw him at the Spiece Run N Slam event last year.

Carlwell has the size and raw skills to be a heck of a center at the college level. Newly christened top 10 prospect Andrew Bynum wasn't a big name after April. Yet after hard work and continual improvement, the UConn bound big man became a McDonald's All-American. Carlwell may not be on that same exact track yet but he's in the same class that Bynum was in terms of physicalities.

"I definitely need to make my name (nationally) this summer. You hear all of the names out there," Carlwell said. "The Greg Odens of the world. I just want to be able to let people know who I am, too. I know I need to get my name out there by how good I play. That's what I need to do."

His name is on several must-watch lists for the high-majors. Some have already been in to see what Carlwell is all about. He said Purdue, Illinois and Florida State all visited the big man before he traveled to the Boo Williams tournament. He said Arizona will be out to see him in a couple of weeks. Carlwell added that Michigan State and Valparaiso are also recruiting him.

Ferrari will make their next stop at he Kingwood Classic on April 22-24, a live evaluation event for college coaches.

Rivals.com will be back on the road on April 15-17 for complete tournament coverage at The Real Deal on the Hill in Fayetteville, Arkansas as well as the Las Vegas Spring Showcase and the Pump 'N Run Spring Showcase.