Linking Players With Programs and Purpose

Coach Adam Donyes from Link Year Prep

(St. Louis, MO) – Prep schools are a unique part of the basketball landscape. College basketball fans are well aware of schools like Sunrise Christian Academy, Brewster Academy, Hargrave Military, Findley Prep, Oak Hill Mouth of Wilson and others.

There is a new prep school power arising in the midwest. Link Year Prep is making waves nationally and sending players to both the Missouri Valley and Ohio Valley Conferences.

Players looking for a place to sharpen their game our rectify some academic issues are often choosing between junior college or prep school.  Places like Montverde Academy or Huntington Prep are well known but Link Year Prep, located in Branson, Missouri is an emerging prep school presence.

Reigning Southeastern Conference ‘Player of the Year‘ Mason Jones is one of 32 Division 1 players that have used LYP as a springboard to land Division 1 basketball scholarships. Five of those 32 players are currently on OVC and MVC rosters.

Understanding The Prep School World

Head coach Adam Donyes played basketball at Boise State and has a history of coaching at the high school level. He and Kanakuk Kamps owner Joe White combined to give birth to Link Year Prep.

 

 

Most basketball fans have heard of post-graduate prep schools and Donyes says they play an important role in the basketball world. The NCAA has made provisions for schools like Link Year Prep.

 

 

While academics are optional at some ‘basketball mills’ that is not the case for the Link Year Prep (LYP) coach. Believing academics had to be a part of their core values, Donyes (pronounced doan-yay) helped found a program that didn’t even play basketball the first four years. They were getting the academic portion strongly established.

Donyes is passionate about helping his players find a way to further their basketball careers. He hopes to link them to D1 programs, but he is equally passionate about character development. Donyes is serious about his mentoring role and has a wholistic approach.

Arkansas’ Jones was ‘under recruited’ and ended up at LYP. Donyes says the future NBA draft pick was willing to embrace basketball improvements and character development.

 

 

MVC and OVC Players

When Desmond Polk signed to play at Southern Illinois Edwardsville, he became the third former Lion to become a Cougar. Twins Shamar and Lamar Wright performed well for coach Brian Barone last year and Polk comes to Edwardsville with great potential. Shamar Wright started 18 of 31 SIUE games and averaged 6.2 points per game.

Donyes enjoys talking about his former players now playing for Barone.

 

 

While Evansville signed LYP’s Trey Hall, former Eastern Illinois guard Ben Harvey will begin play with Southern Illinois Carbondale this year. Donyes says both players will have impact on their college teams.

 

 

Development U

It took a while for Donyes to attract the attention of Division 1 programs, but after players like Jones began to make headlines, D1 coaches took notice. Donyes says there are many reasons players end up in a prep school. Now that LYP is a proven commodity, some college programs direct high school players to Branson, Missouri.

 

 

Last year’s LYP team saw ELEVEN players sign D1 scholarship papers and Donyes believes that happens because his players are energetic about development. He calls his program ‘Development U‘. LYP players work hard at cultivating all aspects of their academics and individual skills.

 

 

Donyes does not settle for mediocrity. His ‘elevate the quo‘ mantra has captured the hearts and minds of his players. He expects his players to ‘go above and beyond’. He wants to link his players to D1 programs and lives of purpose and high character.

 

 

While many prep schools have more established histories and still others have questionable academics, LYP is starting to stand out. Donyes’ program can take pride in the accolades of Tyresse Davis’ ‘Atlantic Sun Conference ‘All Freshman’ team acknowledgement and DeAndre Jones becoming Central Arkansas’ all-time assist leader.

Harvey averaged double figures for EIU and is poised to be a focal figure at SIUC. LYP’s wave of players are poised to help programs and enhance the Branson, Missouri’s school’s reputation. 2020-21 should be an awakening year in college basketball.

Our entire interview with Adam Donyes is available at Valley Hoops Insider Podcasts.

While Donyes works tirelessly to lead his players to programs and purpose, he may take some extra time to so many of his former players on television. His former players are dotting college basketball rosters, but he takes more pride in the type of men they are becoming.

Do Good