Notebook: MSU, U-M recruit Durral Brooks has career night
Durral Brooks, center, scored a career-high 43 points on Tuesday as Grand Rapids Catholic Central beat Wayland. (Photo | Lenny Padilla)
Notes for the week of Jan. 16, 2023. Check back daily as this will be updated as news occurs.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Durral Brooks has always had the ability to put up big numbers, but he’s never really needed to.
But the Grand Rapids Catholic Central junior guard had the game of his life on Tuesday in a 90-77 win over Wayland. He scored 43 points on 16-of-22 shooting. He was 11-of-14 at the free-throw line and didn’t attempt a 3-pointer.
“I haven’t been a scorer in school ball,” Brooks said. “I play different in AAU than school. I think i can be more of a scorer this year.”
His previous career high was 25 points, against Rockford in the season opener this year.
“My shot was just falling,” he said of Tuesday’s game. “They were face guarding KK (Kaden Brown) so I knew I had to step up. I knew I could get to the wrack or get pull-ups (jumpers).”
Brooks has eight college offers, including Michigan and Michigan State. He also has offers from Oakland University, Southern Indiana, Western Michigan, Toledo, Butler and Grand Valley State. But he said he isn’t leaning toward any one school.
“Not right now,” he said. “I still have an entire AAU season left. I will start narrowing down my options at the end of my AAU season.”
He said he will play with The Family, out of Detroit.
Brooks said it is fun going on college visits, especially to Michigan and Michigan State.
“They’re fun,” he said. “Especially (at Michigan) with someone I grew up looking up to in Kobe (Bufkin). And Marcus (Bingham), who I know, went to MSU. So it’s good getting their point of view.”
Bufkin went to Grand Rapids Christian and Bingham went to Catholic Central.
Brooks said his parents, Eric and Nicole Tatum-Brooks, are having fun with the recruiting process.
“They like it,” he said. “Especially going to basketball and football games. They don’t try to pursuade me to do anything. They want me to do what I want.”
Brooks would add another huge game on Friday night. He scored 30 points in a come-back win over Ottawa Hills.
AQUINAS: Senior Gabe Overway scored 19 points to reach 1,000 career points in his ongoing four-year career at Aquinas. The Holland Christian grad is the 35th Aquinas men's basketball player to score 1,000 points.
CATHOLIC CENTRAL: Catholic Central lost to St. Vincent St. Mary's of Akron, Ohio on Saturday, 72-56. Kaden Brown had 30 points and Durral Brooks had 17 for the Cougars (7-4).
CATHOLIC CENTRAL: Jacob Polakovich reached 20-plus rebounds for the third time this season as Catholic Central grad had 16 points and 23 rebounds for Southern Indiana on Saturday.
EAST GRAND RAPIDS: Trey Bolling is playing for Kalamazoo College this season. The 6-foot-7 freshman, who graduated from East Grand Rapids, spent last year at Brewster Academy.
FOREST HILLS CENTRAL: Senior guard Jake Koning got an offer from Aquinas College, his first offer.
GODWIN HEIGHTS: Jakhary Towns was honored at halftime of the boys basketball team for reaching 1,000 career points last week. Towns scored 31 points in a win over Hopkins.
GRAND VALLEY: Sophomore Ethan Alderink will miss the rest of the season after having knee surgery. He has not played since late November. Alderink graduated from Holland Christian.
HOPE COLLEGE: The Flying Dutch are having an Alumni Day for men’s basketball on Feb. 11. According to Hope “We are inviting all former Hope Basketball players back to DeVos Fieldhouse for our game against Olivet”
HUDSONVILLE: Hudsonville's Mason Dykstra has committed to play football at Ferris State University. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound senior is a tight end and linebacker. He also plays basketball and baseball for the Eagles.
POTTER’S HOUSE CHRISTIAN: Quincy Winkle committed to play basketball for the Calvin University JV team. Winkle’s cousin Trevin Winkle is on the Calvin team. Quincy’s father, Aaron Winkle was a star at Calvin. He was a two-time MIAA MVP in 1999 and 2000.
SOUTH CHRISTIAN: The school honored the football team that won the Division 4 state championship in the fall. Most of the basketball team also played football. The team was honored after the girls basketball game on Friday night.
SPARTA: Jax Wilson scored 34 points to reach the 1,000 career point mark on Friday against Calvin Christian. The senior guard scored 44 points in a game earlier this season.
ZEELAND EAST: Layne Risdon had a career night against Mona Shores on Friday. The 6-foot-9 junior had a career-best 33 points and 14 rebounds in a 65-52 win.
