DMN article, Jeremy Mayfield &Marquez Haynes

OldTimer · July 15, 2004

Star center's potential gets body in motion

MacArthur's Mayfield puts energy into work in summer camps (inserted...Mayfield is 6-10)

12:06 AM CDT on Wednesday, July 14, 2004

By JOHNNY DALY / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

When the summer started, Jeremy Mayfield knew his time was limited. In his first three years at MacArthur, the 6-9 senior center had always heard his name and "potential" used in the same breath. He's ready to shed that image.

"I've been working my tail off, lifting weights and shooting by myself for a couple hours a day," Mayfield said. "I'm a completely different player than I was this time last year."

The work has paid off with success on the summer basketball circuit. Mayfield is one of many Irving players who have traveled the country this summer attending some of the nation's most prestigious basketball camps.

Last weekend, Mayfield was part of the Adidas Superstar Camp in Atlanta. Mayfield, who said he had eight blocks in one of the games, was one of 263 players invited from 50 states.

In June, Mayfield went to the NBA Players Camp at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. This weekend, he's headed back to Georgia for the Nike Peach Jam, an invitation-only camp in Augusta, considered one of the nation's premier senior camps.

"Jeremy's taken his game to the next level, and you can see a definite change in his attitude and confidence," said Craig Roberts, an assistant coach on Team Fort Worth, Mayfield's summer team. "He's turned himself into a major college prospect."

Along with Mayfield, Team Fort Worth has strong Irving representation. MacArthur's Reed Huffstetler and Irving's Tommy Moffitt and Willie Sweat have played an average of six games per week since the beginning of June.

With Mayfield in Atlanta most of the time, Team Fort Worth had a tough time last weekend at the Great American Shootout in Denton, going 1-4. It was 0-4 without Mayfield. The team will travel to Las Vegas for the Reebok Big Time Tournament from Monday through July 26.

One of the biggest draws for players to summer basketball is the exposure to scouts from colleges and recruiting services. Though college coaches cannot talk with the players, the stands at summer league games are filled with discerning eyes.

"When you play well against the top players in the state and nation, you know who's watching you," Sweat said. "My dream is to play college basketball, and if you want recruiters coming to your games in the winter, you have to perform now."

To impress scouts, MacArthur's Kristen Moore and Nimitz's Marquez Haynes have had to streamline their style of play. Moore, who plays for the Lady Jammers of Arlington, has moved to a swing spot, away from her regular post spot for the Cardinals. Haynes, playing with the Dallas Pump N Run, is spending his time as a pure point guard, after posting up many times in Nimitz's offense.

"It's a little weird not getting to move around a lot, but select teams are so full of talent," Moore said. "I love playing with so many good players and getting to travel."

Irving's Adron Tennell has also had his share of travel for the Texas Top Prospects. Tennell, ranked No. 18 in the state for the Class of 2006 by texasroundball .com, has gone to tournaments in Kansas City and California and will be in Las Vegas in two weeks. Though he enjoys seeing the country, Tennell has spent most of his time at Tiger Gym, working on his shooting.

"I've spent hours with those machines that send the balls right back to you," Tennell said. "The big tournaments are a lot more fun when you score more points."