Cameron Stephens
School and Year (1999-00) Vincennes CC
(1997-99) Purdue University
(1996-97) Fort Wayne South Side, IN
Height and Weight 6'7 220lbs
Position Power Forward
98-99 Ratings #1 JUCO power forward (RB)
96-97 Ratings #18 (HS), #43 (FS), #50 (RR), #29 (PS)
Status Active
Player Summary ·
Player News ·
Game Stats ·
Season Stats ·
Honors ·
Schedule
Cameron Stephens plays a lot of center in high school, but has
the body of a forward which should be his position in college.
Ranked as a top30 player by most recruiting gurus, Stephens possesses the
athletic skills to have his pick of any school he would like to attend.
He can play either with his back to the basket or facing, but either
way he blocks a lot of shots. Positives are his athleticism and ability
to run the break, and he is good with the ball. Although strong, he
needs to bulk up to be a force in division 1 as a power forward.
Improving his perimeter shooting would also add to the total package.
Cam ended his senior season in the finals of the Fort Wayne
regional. For his career he scored 1417 points and grabbed a total of 800
boards. In his final season, Stephens averaged 21.6 points and 11.9
rebounds per game for Fort Wayne South High. In the final AP poll,
South Side was #4 in the state. Stephens was named to the Indiana
All-Star team.
In his junior season, Stephens averaged 18.5 points and 10
rebounds per game for Fort Wayne South High, which finished 20-5. He shot
62 percent from the field and 67 percent from the foul line, and was
named All Summit Athletic Conference as a center. Stephens was also
named to the Indiana Junior All-Star team.
02-10-00...Just a day after a blurb at Hoop Scoop has Stephens liking
Kentucky, word from the SEC conference via the University of Arkansas
looks to be preventing Stephens from playing this fall in the SEC. An SEC
rule limiting the eligibility of non-qualifiers and partial-qualifiers
seems to suggest Stephens would not be eligible to play
in the SEC until the spring of 2001, not the fall of 2000 as planned.
The reason is a rule stating academic non-qualifiers must have at least three
semesters of junior college under their belts before transferring to SEC
schools. According to Arkansas assistant Brad Dunn, the three semester rule
does not include summer school. Arkansas has stopped recruiting both Cam and
another player due to the rule, and it also suggests Kentucky along with other
SEC schools may be at a disadvantage with Stephens now. Stephens could still
play in the SEC, he would just have to take junior college classes through the
fall and join the team in January 2001. Stephens is currently averaging
13.5 points and 11.6 rebounds per game for Vincennes, shooting 53-percent from
the field and 64-percent from the line.
02-09-00...The 14th ranked Vincennes Blazers defeated the 6th ranked
Southeastern Iowa Blackhawks 85-72. The loss brought an end to SE Iowa's
15-game winning streak, dropping their record to 24-4. Vincennes is at 18-4.
Cam Stephens had 6 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists, while fellow Purdue
prospect Johnnie Selvie of SE Iowa finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds and
two blocked shots.
11-13-99...Vincennes moved to 3-0 Friday with a 89-58 defeat of Danville in
the opening round of the Kiwanis Invitational at Vincennes. Vincennes faces
Belleville tonight in the tournament final. Through three games, Cam is
averaging 17.7 points and 11.7 boards. Cam's numbers might be slightly
affected by the addition of 6'7 Cincinnati transfer Aaron McGhee, who's one
game averages of 21 points and 11 boards after returning from an foot injury
led the team on Friday.
11-05-99...A report from our forum has some stats for Cam's first game at
Vincennes..."Cam had 20 points and 15 rebounds in a game that VU won 102-62.
Also listed Cam as center so don't know how much facing the basket he did
in the game. Coaches comments were that Cam played well and dominated the
boards at both ends of the court. The coach also stated that this team is
a lot of fun to coach. Speaks well for team chemistry!" (report by JoeW)
The official Vincennes press release for the Millersburg game..."Purdue
transfer Cam Stephens scored 20 points and hauled-in fifteen rebounds to
lead V.U. to a 102-62 season opening win over Millersburg, Ky, Military
Academy. Five other Blazers reached double figures. Tim Harris scored 18
points to go along with seven rebounds, Alan Goff added 17 points, Andre
Horton and Chris Sanders added 12 points each while Jason Burston came off
the bench to score 11 points in his Blazer debut. Millersburg which
dropped to a 2-and-1 record was led by 6-7 forward Michael Haynes who
scored 17 points. The Blazers led 48-17 at halftime." (complete stats below)
For a preview of the 1999-2000 Vincennes squad, visit this link to the
Vincennes University website.
You can now listen to VU games on the web! We have also added the 1999-2000
Vincennes schedule at the bottom of the page. Check out the game times and
then click on the WVUB radio link at the bottom of the schedule. The website
was undergoing upgrades while I visited this weekend, but it appears as if
you don't need to download any special drivers or programs to listen to the
games live on the net.
11-04-99...We are hearing that Cam will be waiting until the spring signing
period to announce his return to Division I, whatever school that may be.
10-10-99...I talked to Vincennes head coach Dan Sparks today to clear up a
popular question regarding Cam. According to Sparks, Cam will play at
Vincennes for the 99-00 season, then will have two years of eligibility
remaining when he returns to Division I for the 00-01 season.
10-05-99...Due to Cam being back on the market as far as recruiting goes, we
are again activating his player profile. Over the coming year, we will update
his progress at Vincennes CC and keep an eye on his recruiting status. Coach
Keady has said it is "the plan" to try and get Cam back on campus for the
2000-2001 season. However, many other schools will be trying to recruit him
now, especially since he is getting early hype for being the top power forward
in the junior college ranks.
10-21-97...Official word has been received that the NCAA has denied
Stephens' eligibility appeal. He will not even be classified as a partial
qualifier, so he will not be able to practice with the team this year. Both
he and Jamaal Davis will sit out their freshman years and then have three
remaining years of eligibility starting in the 98-99 season.
10-19-97...No official word yet from Purdue on Cam's appeal.
However, the Indy Star reported on Saturday that the NCAA had not accepted
the appeal, and the news was also reported on WNDE radio and in the Purdue
Exponent on Monday.
9-27-97...The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette is reporting that the
Stephens decision should be released before the start of fall practice on
October 18th. If it does, and if it favorable, then we will see Cam on the
floor for Mackey Madness. Rumors still suggest he could be a partial
qualifier and that the NCAA would have to take "special circumstances"
into consideration for him to be fully qualified and able to play. But,
being ruled a partial qualifier would still allow him to scrimmage with the
team....just not play in games.
9-12-97...A glimmer of hope...Purdue knows more than it is
revealing, but it looks like Cam will be at least a partial qualifier
and will be able to practice with the team this year. The question still
remains whether he will be able to play. Unofficial reports indicate
that the NCAA has reinstated Cam's core classes that were disputed by
his high school, reportedly and econ and a math class. WPTA Channel 21
reported last night that both classes were accepted, and that Purdue
would file a waiver to try to get Cam full eligibility. The waiver is
reportedly necessary because he is still a matter of decimal places short
of fully qualifying, and Purdue officials want to try to convince that
Cam was on track to qualify before the death of his two grandparents,
who he lived with at the time. Purdue is reported to be in a state of
"cautious optimism". Fort Wayne high officials were rumored to be
confident that Cam was qualified before the NCAA decided not to accept
the two core classes.
9-11-97...There have been unconfirmed reports that the NCAA has
granted Cam's appeal to have two core classes count toward his core GPA.
It is unknown if the rumors are true. As of noon on Thursday, the Purdue
Sports Information Department had not heard from the NCAA, nor had they
heard the rumor. The rumor stated that Cam's hometown radio station, WOWO
Fort Wayne, had broken the story early on Thurday morning. It does appear
that a decision on the appeal could come soon. The NCAA was placing
eligibility appeals for fall sports as priority over appeals for winter
sports (including basketball). Indications are that some basketball
appeals are now being considered. More details when I get them.
8-19-97...It was revealed in the Journal and Courier today that
the class at the center of Cam's appeal is a Econ class. The appeal has
been filed by Fort Wayne South officials. The article went on to state
that both Stephens and Davis will attend Purdue in the fall with the help
of federal Pell Grants.
8-17-97...An appeal has been filed with the NCAA regarding Cam's
academic status. In a speech at a golf outing earlier this month, Coach
Keady hinted that Cam's academic status hinged on one core class. The
appeal is designed to see if the NCAA will take extenuating circumstances
into consideration and reconsider the non-qualifier ruling. The issue
being stressed by Purdue that affected Cam's grade in the specified
course is the loss of both grandparents within months of each other this
spring. At the time of their deaths, Stephens was living with them and
trying to concentrate on his academics. However, it is doubtful the NCAA
will reconsider.
Keady was also overheard to say by a fan at the outing that Cam's
indecision expressed in the media after the NCAA ruling was the result
of embarrassment. Cam's frustration came when his hard work academically
fell just one class short. It is also rumored that Stephens might attend
Purdue on a part-time basis this fall, retake the ACT, and try to qualify
for the second semester.
7-22-97...Indications that Stephens is having a rough time
accepting his non-eligibilty are manifesting in wild speculation by the
media. Forget the exact GPA or the exact SAT scores Stephens has...he
will not qualify. Recent reports have his mother doubting his desire to
attend Purdue, but most of what others are saying about Cam fly directly
in the face of what he has been quoted as saying. He will come to
Purdue and sit with Jamaal Davis his freshman year. Keady got the
opportunity to talk to Stephens' while in town for the Wendy's Classic,
which Stephens' skipped. Keady said Cam skipped due to media pressures.
Since Keady is not concerned about Cam coming to Purdue, then fans
shouldn't be either. The coaching staff expects Cam to arrive on campus
soon to begin preparing himself for the upcoming year. His mother is
busy filling out financial aid paperwork to try to get him a Pell grant
to cover the expenses his first year.
7-13-97...A few media reports are confirming that Stephens will
not be eligible next season. Stephens currently has a 2.3 GPA. To
qualify, the NCAA requires an SAT score of 900 with that grade point
average. A minimum 2.5 GPA is needed to be a partial qualifier. Fort
Wayne South coach Gregg Taylor, in an interview with the Journal and Courier
on Saturday, hinted that Stephens SAT score is known. Taylor said
Stephens is currently "20 points short" and that Fort Wayne South has
notified Purdue of their calculations. Stephens reportedly said again on
Friday that he still plans on attending Purdue in the fall.
7-10-97...Although nothing official has yet to be released, it
now looks as if Stephens will end up as a non-qualifier. At this point
he is in the same boat as Jamaal Davis, though his scores were close enough
to keep everyone wondering until the results of his standardized testing
were received. Sources say he is also having a hard time accepting the
determination. Indications are that he will sit a year, concentrate on
studies, and work on his game with Jamaal for the next year. Both have said
as recently as yesterday that their academic eligibility for basketball
will not affect their plans to attend Purdue this fall.
7-9-97...A determination of Cam Stephens' academic eligibilty
should be known soon. Upon the release of rumors, a source close to the
athletic department confirmed that the basketball office was buzzing yesterday
morning in response to what was rumored to be a determination of Stephens'
status. No details were released, but more info is expected to be released
to the media soon.
6-28-97...(posted 7-21-97) I don't think the Kentucky All-Star
team could have played a better game. Their defense was solid, mainly
man-to-man with good defensive pressure. Their defense did allow Cam to
get the ball with regularity, choosing to give up the inlet to Cam in
the post but doubleteaming his spin moves. Looking at the box score,
hitting 8 of 27 attempts does not look stellar. But Stephens did not
give up during any portion of the game. A shot that wasn't falling did
not change his composure. Cam finished with 11 boards and got good help
down low from a surprisingly good preformance from Chad LaCross (13 points,
6 boards). The team's high scorer, Cam had 11 of his 21 points in the
first half (also 2 steals and 1 block in the first half). (see stats below)
Some glimpses of the star Stephens will become were seen on this
Saturday in Kentucky. Frequent offensive misplays were immediately followed
by defensive steals. A thrown-away ball in the paint in the first half
was followed by a steal, and another turnover was followed by a Stephens
steal and dunk in the second half. Here are a few interesting plays from the
game...
- An alley-oop dunk, fed by Luke Recker. Good timing on the dunk, but
missed a couple others in the first half because of timing.
- Trying to put the ball up with 4 defenders around him, Stephens has the
ball blocked from the side. Immediately back on defense, Stephens steals
the ball back at the top of the key and takes it in for a dunk.
- A great spin move from the right side low post, leading to a curl through
the paint and a left-handed layup.
- An almost identical move, this time in the high post followed by a
left-handed layup.
- Flashy spin move around a defender on the break at half-court, but lost
the ball as additional defense arrived.
- With his man stuck on the perimeter, he shadowed him to the basket and
got the defensive rebound.
- To end the first half, Cam steals the inbounds with :07 left and takes
it in for a workman's type dunk (no flash).
Some plusses...Cam has a host of very sweet spin moves he uses in the
paint. He avoids that one dribble that gets a lot of players in trouble
in the post. He can spin either way and can hit the off-balance shot. He
also has very quick hands and is deceptive on defense. He also doesn't get
too flustered if he coughs up the ball. Bad offensive plays are often
followed by good defensive plays. Good overall speed and court awareness.
Some minuses...Understand that his shot was very off this game. He
could improve on getting himself a little more squared off to the basket
after utilizing his quickness in the paint. He also missed 4 or 5 baby
hooks from the low and high posts. He also didn't effectively use his
size to the fullest potential. He was frequently getting blocked by
smaller players when doubleteamed.
One last point. When I first saw the box score and the number of
shots Stephens put up during the game, I was concerned he was playing
selfishly. After reviewing the tape, it appears he attempted to pass back
out of the post following an inlet pass a little less than 25% of the
time. The defense frequently chose to defend the outlet instead of
freeing the man on the perimeter. There were obvious times when he could
have passed back out. From looking at the tape, it appeared to me that
the decision whether to pass back out or put it up was made many times
before the ball reached his hands.
Overall a great exhibition of skills. For a guy who eventually
wishes to play on the wing, he sure is a good post player.
6-21-97...The Indiana All-Stars won the first game in this years
series against Kentucky, 102-88. A scouting report from an observer in
attendance..."Went to the Indiana - Kentucky high school all star game
tonight. Stephens finished with 20 points and I believe 9 rebounds. He
looked uncomfortable playing all of the time in the post as he
definitely is destined for small forward. He doesn't have a choice on
this team as the have no size and he is the only inside game.
He had a very mediocre 1st half but played very strong in the 2nd.
Good athletic ability and skills. Will contribute next year but only
as a role player. He is not as athletic as Gary McQuay, nor does he
board nearly as well." (scouting report by a Boilermaker fan)
6-20-97...On paper it looks as if Cam Stephens will qualify for
freshman eligibility next fall. A recent article in the Journal and Courier
had Stephens confident the NCAA Clearinghouse would qualify him.
To qualify for eligibility, every player must send copies of his
scholastic test score and high school transcripts to the NCAA for review.
The paperwork is delegated to the NCAA Clearinghouse, which certifies players
are actually qualified. Player can either qualify, partially qualify
(allowing them to practice with the team their freshman year but not play),
or not qualify. A sliding scale is used to take into consideration
differing scholastic testing scores and core GPAs.
Specifically Cameron's math credits have caused the most worry. The
ability of Cam to bring up his math score has freed up another math grade
that would have had to be used to satisfy core requirements. The hard
work has come from a focus upon academics and not basketball over the
past two months. Coach Bruce Weber has been in constant contact with
Stephens and his academic counselor trying to keep him focused on what
is important.
The addition of Stephens to the fall roster adds quality depth to
up to three positions, from power forward to shooting guard (a position which
Stephens has said in the past he would eventually like to play). Stephens
has developed a good perimeter shot while playing mostly in the post.
With the loss of Davis on the All-Star team, Stephens will be forced to play
more in the post than on the wing.
6-15-97...The Illinois All-Stars evened up their series against
the Indiana All-Stars with a 109-86 victory in Crown Point on Saturday.
Cam Stephens scored 15 points, as the all-time series now stands at 2-2.
Indiana won in 94 and 95 and Illinois won last year behind a monster
game from Ronnie Fields. Luke Recker was the Indiana MVP with 35 points
and Melvin Ely took the honors for Illinois with 21 points and 17
rebounds. Three of the players on the Indiana All-Star team that
plays against Kentucky were on the roster for the Illinois game. Only
Stephens and Luke Recker played, as Jamaal Davis remained in St. Anthony's
hospital across town.
4-28-97...It was announced during the Tim Knight Coca-Cola All-
Star game on Sunday that Stephens was unable to attend due to a death
in the family. I'm not sure about the death in the family, but he
wasn't expected to attend the game as of 10 days ago. Cam still
needs to get a good math core score to qualify and was staying home
to study. He also has an upcoming SAT date. There is also an
upcoming ACT test date in June. At this point, an improvement in
either his core GPA or his SAT score will gain him freshman
eligibility. This is likely to come from SAT improvement.
4-24-97...Cam Stephens and incoming juco guard Tony Mayfield
are scheduled to play in this years Tim Knight Coca-Cola All Star
games this Sunday, April 27th. Joining the two Purdue recruits will
be a host of other incoming college players from Northwestern,
Notre Dame and Indiana. The Coca-Cola All-American game will be at
2:00pm followed by the Coca-Cola Reebok All-American game at 4:00pm,
both held at Joyce Arena on the campus of Notre Dame. The games
will be televised locally on WTTV4 out of Indianapolis. Tickets
can be purchased through Ticketmaster, or by calling the Joyce
Center box office at (219) 631-7356.
4-21-97...Incoming Purdue recruits Cam Stephens and Jamaal Davis
have been named to the 1997 Indiana All-Star team. The Indiana team will
play its Kentucky counterpart on June 21 and 28. For more information
about the game, follow this link to the Events page.
4-18-97...If you see the name Cameron Stephens not on the roster
for your favorite all-star game this spring and summer, don't be surprised.
Rumor says he will skip some of the early spring games to concentrate on
his studies. One of the rumored deletions is the all-star games of
Tim Knight. You may remember these from two years ago when Brian Cardinal
ran away with the MVP. The news on his academic status is still the same.
He needs improvement in either his qualifying score or his core GPA.
Improvements in both would relieve any doubt.
4-2-97...Stephens is beginning the process of looking ahead to
playing for Purdue. "I know I can go in there and help them out on the
boards," Cam said. "Even if my shot is off, I can still score because of
my rebounding." Stephens is also looking forward to playing against Luke
Recker, but not in the way most IU or Purdue fans might think. The two
have become friends as a result of their play for the Spiece Jeansmen
last summer. Recker tried to talk Cameron into going to Indiana, but it
was unsuccessful. "A lot of people from this area are already talking
about it," Stephens said. "IU and Purdue. Cam and Luke. It's going to be
fun."
3-18-97...Two weeks ago, Cameron was the "Hometown Hero" focus of
ESPN's Scholastic Sports America program. We have two reports from people
who saw the program..."They interviewed him and his uncle and all of the
other kids. But they showed a different side of Stevens, his personality.
He looks like a hard working kid, who is honest and cares about his
family alot. They also brought up comparisons to Glenn Robinson and
even showed a clip of the Big Dog during his Roosevelt years. They
amazingly called Stevens the best player in the state since the Dog"...
"They showed him shooting 12-20 footers with a good stroke. Also showed some
acrobatic follow stuffs and backdoors. A lot of good movement without the
ball and active on both ends of the floor. After a big follow stuff on a
fast break, he just turned around and busted butt back to the defensive end.
His facial expression never changed, kept up his compossure and defensive
intensity. His coach and fellow platers all commented on how much he works
to keep his whole team involved rather then trying to be a one man show.
Compared him to GROB, which he politely deferred, saying he wasn't that good
but it was a nice complement and a goal he would like to reach. He was well
spoken and a little quiet in the interview but seemed to take charge on the
floor. He seems to be a natural SF but probably would be more physically
suited to PF than Cardinal."
3-4-97...Click here for an article on Cameron Stephens from
the Indianapolis Star and News, written by Gold and Black Illustrated's
Doug Griffiths.
3-1-97...Cameron is close to qualifying for freshman eligibility,
so close that no one seems to be worried about his situation. The combination
of his GPA and SAT score is just shy of the NCAA requirements. Speculation
is that he will likely get the GPA up enough after this semester to qualify,
but will retake the SAT just in case. The NCAA determines freshman
eligibility according to a scale that figures in both GPA and scholastic test
scores. For a better idea of the system, follow this link to the NCAA website
for a look at the rules regarding academic eligibility.
Bruce Weber recently visited Cameron during the Fort Wayne sectionals
and was impressed with his unselfish play. Although very quick and athletic,
Weber thought Stephens could use some strength.
2-28-97...Everything was going in for Stephens Friday night in the
finals of the FW Wayne sectional, including the game winner. Rebounding the
ball with seconds left, Stephens drove the length of the court and hit a
28-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer to secure the win. Stephens lead FW South
past Wayne with 36 points to capture the sectional championship. Up next
is FW Dwenger in the second game next Saturday following the Woodlan/Dekalb
game.
12-29-96...Fort Wayne South cruised to its third consecutive Summit
Athletic Conference tourney with a dismantling of Fort Wayne Wayne, 69-51.
South Side (11-1) ran its SAC tournament winning streak to 10 games over
the past three years by beating Wayne for the second time in nine days.
The Archers won the first meeting 57-56. The rematch was not as close.
The team shot 51 percent from the field, outrebounded Wayne 34-24 and
committed just 10 turnovers while being called for only eight fouls.
The difference in the game tonight? Rebounding, defense and support.
Support of the conference's and the state's all-star player Cameron Stephens.
The supporting cast included Ryan Norfleet (17 points), Asmar Woods (16
points), and Tony Macon (9 points) who got all three of his baskets from
the perimeter. Wayne coach Murray Mendenhall's comments back on December
20th before the two teams first meeting were prophetic. "You can't let
(Stephens) run loose and score 40 points," said Mendenhall, "but they
have other kids you can't ignore either. They can hurt you enough to
create a lot of problems." Coach Taylor of South Side agrees, "Cam
brings along a crowd and when people concentrate on him, we have others who
can step in. They all came to play tonight."
Stephens led the scoring with 25 points and led the Archers to
its 22nd SAC tournament championship.
12-14-96...Cameron Stephens topped the 1,000 point mark for his career
in a 34 point effort against Bishop Luers. He is currently sixth on South
Side's all-time scoring list and can move into 3rd place by the end of the
season if he matches last years scoring output. He can become #2 if he
averages 33 points a game for the rest of the season. Willie Long tops
the Archers career scoring list with 1,697 points.
12-7-96...The game plan was simple. Go straight at Pete Longheed,
Homestead High's 6'6 center, and get him into foul trouble. It took until a
minute into the second half to accomplish with the score a close 32-28 in
favor of Fort Wayne South. When Longheed went to the bench with his fourth
foul, Stephens scored 9 points in the next five minutes to expand the lead to
13 points when Longheed finally returned with two minutes remaining. "That
was really big," South Side coach Gregg Taylor said of Longheed's departure.
"We intended to go at him and make him play defense. We felt he was the key.
When he went out, that was when we were able to pull away." But the 65-52
win was not comforting for Coach Taylor. "Tonight was the sloppiest we've
played all year," Taylor said. "Mentally and physically we got tired. We're
happy to be 4-1, but we're not satisfied."
11-13-96...Cameron Stephens is officially a Purdue Boilermaker! He
signed today.
11-12-96...Stephens is expected to sign a national letter of
intent tomorrow to play for the Boilers, along with fellow Indiana
high school star and friend Jamaal Davis. "Today is just another step
towards me getting there," Stephens said. "I'm looking forward to
getting there and playing with Jamaal. We're really good friends now,
but when we are there every day, we will probably become real good
friends." Hoop Scoop has named Stephens the state's best high school
talent. "In my opinion, Cameron Stephens is the best Indiana high school
player since Glenn Robinson," said recruiting analyst Jim Kasberg.
Speculation that Stephens and Davis might reconsider their
verbals to Purdue because of the NCAA violation by Kendrick back in June
are unfounded. The harshest criticism has come from Cameron's hometown
newspaper, the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, who has filed a disclosure
lawsuit against Purdue. But speculation that Purdue has given Stephens
special treatment has him fuming. "My family and I are doing all
right," Stephens said. "We don't need any help. Why would Purdue help us?
I got upset that they asked me. They tried to make a big deal out of it."
8-28-96 Cameron Stephens has verbally committed to play for the
Boilers.
8-02-96...Two recent rumors about Cam Stephens are circling
amongst Purdue fans. Keep in mind that these are just rumors. A
reliable source has said that Stephens has recently given a verbal
commitment to Purdue but has not made the official announcement.
This goes along with a second rumor that Purdue is close to offering
a scholarship to another player (the player remains unknown) and
Stephens has told the coaching staff to hold a scholarship for him.
Purdue has two scholarships available next year, one of those being held
for Jamaal Davis.
Bill Hensley, organizer of the Spiece Jeansmen AAU team,
still believes Stephens is headed to Purdue. I talked with him
yesterday morning and found out that the Spiece team finished 10th
at nationals, minus the Indiana bound Luke Recker who left the
team at the beginning of July.
7-9-96...The comments from Jamaal Davis made over a month
ago seem to be correct...Cameron Stephens is not attending the Nike camp
in Indy this year. "I still am kind of mad I'm not going (to Nike),"
Stephens said. "But it'll be better for me in the long run." The Fort
Wayne Sentinel reports he is staying home to concentrate on summer
school. Cameron will be attending the Fury Camp at Carroll High School
next week. It has also been rumored that he has been invited to the
Adidas camp in Las Vegas.
Stephens has also expanded his final list of Purdue, Wake Forest,
and Kentucky, to included North Carolina State, Indiana and Michigan. "At
first, I kind of nailed it down to the final three," said Stephens, "but
when the calls started coming in, I saw a couple other schools I might be
interested in. I want to look at those and go from there." He plans to
visit Indiana within the next couple of weeks, and announce his decision
before the beginning of school in August.
7-7-96...The Indianapolis Star is reporting that Stephens has been
invited to attend the Nike Camp at IUPUI. Stephens will join teammates
Jamaal Davis and Luke Recker from the Spiece Jeansmen AAU team.
Contrary to the Indianapolis Star article, the camp is closed to the
general public.
6-14-96...Fellow Fort Wayne resident and former Purdue forward
standout Walter Jordan hopes to help bring another Fort Wayne area
forward to the hardwood at Mackey. Jordan is optimistic his efforts
will be rewarded. "I think we have a real good shot," said Jordan,
who played for the Boilers between 1974-78. "Frank Kendrick has done
a tremendous job the last two years of letting Cam know how important
he would be to the Purdue program. I've known Cam since he was 8 or 9
years old, and if I have anything to do with it, he'll be wearing gold
and black."
6-13-96...Stephens stepped onto the floor of Mackey Arena for
the second time in just over two months as the Spiece 17-under AAU
team took on a 19-under squad made up of many incoming Purdue recruits.
Cameron gets a smile on his face when anyone mentions Mackey Arena.
"I like playing here at Mackey because the fans really cheer for you
here," said Stephens of the arena chosen every year as one of Dick
Vitale's loudest. "When you look at the Big Ten, this has got to rank
as one of the top buildings in terms of creating excitement and
enthusiasm," says Vitale, a man who should be an expert on loud. "Fans
here love their basketball. People are involved in the game. It's
very loud."
Stephens has an added incentive to sign with the Boilers
for the 97-98 season, as his friend and fellow blue-chipper Jamaal
Davis has announced he will accept a scholarship offer from Purdue.
When the two met a year ago head-to-head, Stephens wasn't too
impressed with the highly touted Davis. Now the two talk everyday
and function as a team on the Spiece Jeansmen 17-under AAU squad.
"This year Jamaal got a lot better, stronger and bigger," the Fort
Wayne South standout said of his new friend from Merrillville High
School. "It's been fun playing with him. We try to dominate each
other when we play. It's our competitiveness. We always want to
beat each other so we both have something to say." Davis agreed
with Stephens and hinted the two still would like to play together.
"It's like playing with someone you've been playing with for years,"
Davis said. "We look for each other. It's like a guard and a big man,
but it's two forwards. We'd like to carry it over to playing together
in college because that would be a real force we feel."
Cameron has set a distant deadline for his announcement, the
November signing period. "It's going to decide my life really," said
Stephens, "so I am going to take my time." Stephens mentioned three
schools recently, Purdue, Kentucky and Florida and has said he wishes
to take at least two visits before he makes a decision. He has
already officially visited Purdue. Recruiter Clark Francis has been
telling Kentucky fans that Stephens might be looking hard at Kentucky.
This from a recruiter who has told Purdue fans "Purdue is going to
get Stephens, you can write that down." It would be wise to write
that down in pencil, as Francis loves to tell fans exactly what they
want to hear.
According to Davis, Stephens was not invited to the Indianapolis
Nike camp coming in early July. When I asked Davis if Stephens was
going to ABCD, he said "no" again. "They just didn't ask him to go I
guess," said Davis.
4-26-96...Cameron had a great game in the opening contest of the
Run 'N Slam tournament, playing in the low post with Jamaal Davis. The
Spiece team was athletic, but the lack of consistent guard play will
keep them from the national championship sought by team sponsor Spiece.
Down low the team is strong with three of Indiana's top junior stars
including Stephens and Davis, and Indiana recruit Luke Recker. Defensively
the team presses full court and traps at the half court.
Stephens was practically unstoppable in the first quarter, scoring
11 of the teams 22 points with 1 block and 2 steals. Stephens post play
is simple, go strong up and over your man. Davis, in comparison, has
slicker moves. Stephens runs the press well, but needs to work on his
footwork and perimeter shooting. Unless he grows two or three more
inches, Cameron will not be a good option at center on the college level.
He is built to play power forward but will need to bulk up.
The Spiece Jeansmen team went undefeated (3-0) in pool play and
received a two round bye in the tournament. Unfortunately, in their
first game of the tournament, they lost to eventual finalist Atlanta.
4-26-96...Purdue recruits Cameron Stephens and Jamaal Davis, who
both play on the same summer AAU team, have developed a friendship and
now wish to attend the same school. "I most definitely would like to
play with Cameron," Davis said. "We've talked about going to the same
school." The two have also developed a friendly competition. "Some
people say Jamaal is better than me, and some say I'm better that him,"
Stephens responded. "That's going to keep me working all year long."
Although Stephens hasn't closed the door to anyone who has expressed
interest in him, Purdue is still at the top of his list. "I'm not
really worried about where I'm going to go," said Cameron. "I'm just
working on my game. I want to work on my outside game and my dribbling.
Whatever happens happens."
4-24-96...Kentucky and Cincinnati are making a push for Cameron
Stephens. Kentucky recently made a visit to Fort Wayne South to see
Cameron, but he has not promised them an official visit. "I got a visit
from Kentucky about two weeks ago and my family keeps telling me
about Cincinnati. Stephens will take a few visits before he decides,
probably by the end of the summer. "I won't take all five visits,
but I might take two." Purdue still remains at the top of his short
list of schools.
4-16-96...Stephens recently announced that Purdue is still at the
top of his short list of schools. He added that he will announce his
decision at the end of this summer, before the beginning of his senior
season.
4-9-96...FW South's Cameron Stephens and Merrillville's Jamaal
Davis will participate in the third-annual Run 'N Slam All-Star Classic
AAU basketball tournament April 26-28 at Purdue. Stephens, Davis, and IU
recruit Luke Recker of DeKalb are members of the Spiece Basketball Teams
entry in the Run 'N Slam All-Star Classic. According to tournament
director Bill Hensley, play will begin at 7pm on April 26. Games will
be staged in Mackey Arena, Lambert Fieldhouse, the Intercollegiate
Athletic Facility and the Co-Rec Gymnasium.
Play is scheduled from 8am until 10pm on April 27 and from
8pm until 4pm on April 28. The championship game for those in the
17-and-under division is set for 2:30pm on April 28 in Mackey Arena.
There is no admission charge, and fans are welcomed to attend any game.
A total of 44 teams will compete for the 17-and-under crown, and 24
have entered the 16-and-under division. "I saw the Spiece team practice
Saturday, and they're awesome," Hensley said. "Potentially, it's an AAU
national championship team. The competition in this tournament will be
the best in the country."
Purdue is ahead of North Carolina, Georgetown, Pittsburgh and Cincy
on Stephens' short list.
01-19-96...South Side defeated North Side 76-44. South Side
led 36-14 at halftime. All SAC (Summit Athletic Conference) center
Cameron Stephens saw limited playing time and finished with 10 points.
South Side remains undefeated at 6-0 in the SAC.
10-16-95...Stephens was also in attendance for Midnight Magic and
feels like he would fit in well with the program and coach Keady. "I
was really impressed with this event," Stephens said. "I liked the fan
support and the turnout was great. I had heard about the support of the
fans, but when I saw it, it really, really impresses me." Stephens also
likes the players and coaches, and how the crowd reacts to them. "I met a
few of the players tonight, and they seemed really nice. And the coaching
staff seemed really nice. It seems like a place where I would want to play."
"Purdue is right there at the top of the list," Stephens said. "I
haven't really made up my mind, but Purdue is really in there. Tonight made
me really think about making my decision. It made me want to hurry up and
getting it over with."
10-2-95...Stephens averaged 15 points and 9 rebounds a game during
the 1994-95 season, when Fort Wayne South finished 23-4 and advanced to
the Fort Wayne Regional's championship game. "Purdue has a real good shot
at him," South coach Gregg Taylor said Monday. "He did some playing in
Mackey Arena this year with his AAU team, and the (Boilermaker) coaches
have been to one of our open gyms."
9-21-95...Recruiter Clark Francis describes Stephens as a very
skilled young power forward. Francis said Stephens is widely considered as
one of the top 10-15 juniors in the country and is likely to go to Purdue.
"Cameron Stephens might turn out better," said Francis. "Purdue is going
to get Stephens, you can write that down."
DATE MIN FG FGA FT FTA 3P 3PA RB A B S PTS
--------------------------------------------------
02-08-00 2 7 2 4 0 0 9 3 1 1 6 Won 85- SE Iowa 72
02-06-00 6 8 3 5 0 0 6 4 0 0 16 Won 88- John A Logan 73
02-03-00 DID NOT PLAY Won 70- Lincoln Trail 63
01-31-00 DID NOT PLAY Lost 74- Cincy State 79
01-27-00 4 15 1 3 0 1 18 4 0 1 9 Lost 78- Kankakee 88
01-22-00 4 7 5 9 0 0 7 1 1 1 13 Lost 77- SE Iowa 92
01-19-00 6 9 3 4 0 0 8 6 1 3 15 Won 85- St Catharine 83
01-17-00 4 10 4 8 0 1 16 4 7 0 12 Won 79- John A Logan 70
01-15-00 9 17 9 12 0 0 15 2 0 4 27 Lost 78- Kennedy King 81
01-11-00 DID NOT PLAY Won 70- Rose Hulman 59
01-10-00 4 10 5 11 0 0 11 2 1 2 13 Won 96- Parkland College 70
12-11-99 5 8 7 9 0 0 14 4 5 0 17 Won 105- Kaskaskia 83
12-07-99 5 11 6 9 0 0 21 4 1 1 16 Won 84- Cincy State 81
12-01-99 7 11 0 0 0 0 8 4 0 0 14 Won 119- Ancilla College 97
11-26-99 2 6 0 0 0 0 9 6 0 1 4 Won 93- Johnson Wales 63
11-24-99 4 10 0 0 0 0 17 3 3 3 8 Won 89- Brevard 64
11-20-99 DID NOT PLAY Won 99- Kellogg 65
11-16-99 4 7 4 5 0 0 7 4 0 0 12 Won 81- Wabash Valley 79
11-13-99 2 5 8 10 0 0 12 2 3 1 12 Won 108- Belleville 88
11-12-99 7 7 1 2 0 0 9 2 0 0 15 Won 89- Danville 58
11-08-99 7 10 1 2 0 0 11 6 1 3 15 Won 124- Lindsey-Wilson 84
11-04-99 7 10 6 9 0 0 15 1 4 1 20 Won 102- 62 Millersburg
06-28-97 8 27 5 6 0 0 11 1 5 1 21 Lost 75- Kentucky AS 108
06-25-97 13 3 12 Lost 71- Junior AS 81
06-18-97 14 Won 104- Junior AS 65
06-14-97 14 15 Lost 86- Illinois AS 109
06-12-97 14 All-Star scrimmage
02-28-97 17 36 Won 63- FW Wayne 62
02-27-97 13 13 Won 54- FW Luers 45
02-25-97 15 15 Won 47- FW Elmhurst 42
02-22-97 13 17 Won 76- SB St. Joe's 27
02-08-97 11 4 6 27 Won 51- Indy Chatard 49
01-31-97 16 Won 55- FW Elmhurst 54
01-28-97 14 13 Won 51- FW Harding 41
01-24-97 6 10 20 2 3 4 23 Won 66- FW North 53
01-11-97 11 15 16 3 25 Won 78- #20 Marion 56
01-10-97 10 3 21 Won 71- FW Concordia 62
12-28-96 16 3 25 Won 69- FW Wayne 51
12-27-96 33 Won 78- FW Snyder 52
12-14-96 34 Won 104- Bishop Luers 47
06-19-96 5 11 3 7 0 1 10 3 13 Lost 69- Senior AS 101
06-15-96 2 2 2 1 7 Lost 117- Illinois 132
06-12-96 8 14 0 4 0 0 9 3 0 1 16 Lost 62- Black AS 103
04-27-96 9 0 18 Won 74- B'ton White 65
04-27-96 7 4 0 18 Won 91- LA Rockfish 61
04-26-96 9 13 1 4 0 3 2 19 Won 83- Indy Stars 72
02-01-96 25
01-19-96 10 Won 76- North Side 44
Season thru PPG FG% FT% 3P% RPG APG SPG BPG RECORD RANK
------------------------------------------------------------------
* For Cam's 99-00 season-to date stats...click here!
96-97 season 21.6 .542 .682 9-? 11.9 2.5 2.5 2.0 23-1 #4 (IN)
95-96 season 18.9 .620 .670 9.7 1.1 2.1 2.0 20-5
94-95 season 15.0 .660 .530 8.7 1.0 1.7 1.2 23-4
96-97 season McDonalds All-American Nominee
Indiana Mr. Basketball Candidate
Indiana All-State First Team (Indianapolis Star)
Named #8 on the All-Time Allen county team (News Sentinel)
Indiana All-State First Team (Associated Press)
Fort Wayne News Sentinel Co- Player of the Year (with Recker)
Hoosier Basketball Magazine Top40 Workout
SAC "Tiffany Gooden" Award for attitude
Indiana Top40 Workout selection
Indiana All-Star Team
95-96 season Summit Athletic Conference (SAC) First Team
Associated Press All-State Team High-Honorable Mention
Indiana Basketball Coaches Association #7 Top Underclassmen
SAC Holiday Tournament MVP
Spiece Jeansmen AAU Team MVP
Indiana Junior All-Star Team
Top 323 Workout Top Prospect (#1 Jersey)
#1 Junior Player in Indiana (Hoop Scoop)
Date Day Time Opponent
---- --- ---- --------------------
11/04/99 THR 7:05P W Millersburg Military Academy
11/08/99 MON 7:05P W Lindsey-Wilson JV
Kiwanis Invitational (@ Vincennes)
11/12/99 FRI 8:00P W Danville
11/13/99 SAT 8:00P W Belleville
11/16/99 TUE 8:30P W @ Wabash Valley (IL)
11/20/99 SAT 7:05P W Kellogg (homecoming)
11/24/99 WED 7:30P W @ Brevard (FL)
11/26/99 FRI TBA W @ Johnson & Wales (FL)
12/01/99 WED 7:05P W Ancilla
12/07/99 TUE 7:05P W Cincinnati State
12/09/99 THR 7:05P W Rose-Hulman JV
12/11/99 SAT 7:05P W @ Kaskaskia (IL)
01/10/00 MON 7:05P W Parkland
01/15/00 SAT 4:00P L @ Kennedy-King (IL)
01/17/00 MON 7:05P W John A. Logan
01/19/00 WED 7:00P W @ St. Catharine (KY)
01/22/00 SAT 8:30P L @ Southeastern Iowa (IO)
01/27/00 THR 7:05P L @ Kankakee (IL)
01/31/00 MON 7:00P L @ Cincinnati State (OH)
02/03/00 THR 8:00P W Lincoln Trail
02/06/00 SUN 3:00P W @ John A. Logan (IL)
02/08/00 TUE 7:05P W Southeastern Iowa
Isaac K. Beckes/Sodexho Classic (@ Vincennes)
02/11/00 FRI 8:00P Kankakee
02/12/00 SAT 8:00P St. Catharine
02/16/00 WED 7:05P Wabash Valley
02/19/00 SAT 7:05P Kennedy-King
02/22/00 TUE 8:00P @ Danville (IL)
02/24/00 THR 8:00P @ Lincoln Trail (IL)
02/26/00 SAT 3:00P @ Parkland (IL)
02/29/00 TUE TBA NJCAA Region XII Tournament
03/05/00 SUN TBA NJCAA District XII Tournament
03/14/00 TUE TBA NJCAA National Tournament
* Game Times Listed Are All Vincennes Local Time (EST)
* Listen to Vincennes basketball on the web by visiting
the WVUB radio website!
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