Houston Baptist Secures a Diamond in the Rough
The Class of 2019 is arguably the most intriguing group of prospects in recent memory, given its lack of a clear-cut superstar. That being said, this recruiting class is extremely thorough and full of quality, under-the-radar prospects. Guys outside of the national rankings often get pushed aside, but many players within that mold tend to breakout at the next level. There is a growing likelihood that Myles Pierre of Carmel Christian and Team Charlotte could experience a similar type of boost in college. The guard prospect verbally committed to Houston Baptist today, and should quickly emerge as a star, especially with his high-level worth ethic. He comes from two incredibly hard-nosed basketball programs, as mentioned above. However, the Team Charlotte organization has been particularly kind to Houston Baptist over the last few years, first with David Caraher, and now with Pierre. Caraher absolutely throttled the competition his freshman year at Houston Baptist, and they're hoping their newest addition can do the same.
It's somewhat tantalizing that Pierre only held three offers–Hampton, Winthrop, and Houston Baptist'despite being a prominent force for a state championship team and a key cog on a major Under Armour organization. The 6-foot-2 guard prospect has done nearly everything right and exemplified constant growth on both sides of the ball, but his recruitment has never properly reflected those notions. Built like a house, Pierre possesses an uncommon blend of strength, speed, and toughness. That being said, he's quite skilled and can toggle between guard positions seamlessly, on both ends of the floor. Pierre is a quality playmaker with a strong IQ and feel for the game. Offensively, he typically looks to initiate open looks for others, but he also has plenty of scoring capabilities. Pierre is terrific when getting downhill and absorbing contact around the basket; he finishes really well inside the paint while showing creativity in tight spaces. He's able to rip-through from the wing or spot-up and knock down shots at a decent clip. Either way, Pierre is an excellent decision-maker, and that blurb only really encompasses his offensive game. On the other end, he's a true bulldog and openly welcomes opposing guards to challenge him. Few players are as agile, strong, and smart as Pierre on defense, but his combination of all three makes him downright problematic for opponents. He sets the tone and is a clear leader by example, which should translate to the collegiate ranks.
Houston Baptist will be gaining a winner in Pierre, and his winning culture should be carried going forward. It'll be interesting to see how they try to utilize the combo-guard at the next level, given his ability to fill a variety of roles and inevitably find success. Watching the growth of Pierre has been quite an entertaining process and it's rewarding to see the payoff from his consistently hard work, on and off the floor.