KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- One of the most historic arenas in the United States, Municipal Auditorium played host to a first year high school event on Saturday, the Best of the Midwest Showcase. On Saturday, the best quarterback in the building was also the best basketball player as shooting guard/quarterback Drew Lock stole the show.
Lock a true dual threat
On Wednesday, Drew Lock will sign a letter of intent to play football at Missouri. Before he gets to that, though, he is enjoying his time playing shooting guard for Lee's Summit (Mo.) High. On Saturday, the 6-foot-4 senior did it all during a 27 point outing.
With good size and strength, Lock is first and foremost a big time shooter. He has range that extends well beyond the three point line and he showed it off while draining four threes from well beyond the college three point line. But, Lock showed that he can do much more than shoot the ball.
On multiple occasions he showed off the arm and vision that has turned him into a four-star quarterback prospect as he dropped long bombs over the top of defenders and hit teammates in stride for easy buckets. Lock also showed off some athleticism coming from the backside for blocked shots and cutting along the baseline to catch and rise for two-handed jams.
Afterwards, Lock said that the option to play basketball at Missouri is there and it is something that he would like to seriously consider. However, the football program has big plans for him and it may be too tough to find time. If he is able to play, there's little question Lock could help.
Finally, Lock confirmed that he is all Missouri and will sign on Wednesday.
Young point guards emerge
The best of the Midwest Showcase gave a trio young of point guards a chance to show what they are made of. K.J. Robinson, Courtney Ramey and Jordan Barnes all had nice outings.
A 5-foot-11 junior at Blue Springs (Mo.) South, Robinson was outstanding on both ends of the floor as he led his team to a win over Webster Groves (Mo.) High in a battle of two teams that will factor into the Missouri state title race.
Strong and fast, Robinson pushes the tempo and leads his team both vocally and by example. He touches the paint off the dribble when he needs to get into the lane, finds open teammates because he keeps his head up and thanks to his bread and butter pull-up jumper from between 12 and 17 feet, he can also score the ball when needed.
Robinson plays tough defensively as well and the level he competes at rubs off on his teammates. Robinson told Rivals.com that his first offer came from hometown UMKC and he'll have Miami (Ohio) in to see him this week while Northern Iowa, Creighton and South Dakota State have shown initial interest.
Also leading his team to a victory was Barnes. A 5-foot-10 junior at St. Louis (Mo.) Christian Brothers, Barnes struggled early against Overland Park (Kan.) Blue Valley Northwest before hitting a heave from just beyond halfcourt before the first half buzzer. After that, Barnes looked like the floor general who helped lead his team to a state championship as a sophomore.
Though he isn't big and doesn't have blazing speed, Barnes is quick and he's very crafty with his changes of direction. He listed offers from SIU-Edwardsville, IUPUI, Arkansas State, Indiana State and Missouri State to go along with interest from Creighton and Wichita State.
"It felt good as soon as it left my hand," Barnes told Rivals.com about his 55 foot heave. "It really spilled over into the second half. I just needed to see the ball go through the net."
Last but not least is Ramey. A 6-foot-1 freshman at Webster Groves, Ramey is currently all arms and legs and lacking in strength. But, his is logging major minutes for a very good high school program, has a terrific coach and a nice feel for the game. The release on his shot is currently a little low (typical of young players lacking in strength) but he is confident out to the three point line.
He shares the ball, moves smartly when the ball isn't in his hands and looks like he has the tools to develop into a very good player.