Valparaiso’s Devon Ellis

New Wave of Talent at Valpo

(St. Louis, MO) – Valparaiso’s Devon Ellis is part of a new wave of talent at Valpo. Coach Roger Powell’s second head coaching season comes with a roster of greater depth and ability.

Ellis is a leading man among the host of Beacon newcomers. The Chicago native has come home to the Midwest after a circuitous route that took him to Branson, Missouri and to Princess Anne, Maryland.

After a successful career at Conant High School was cut short by covid, he transferred to Link Year Prep (Branson) where he played with eleven other future Division 1 players. He played his freshman season at State Fair College in Sedalia, Missouri and a sophomore season at Maryland Eastern Shore.

At each location he was a double-digit scorer and proved to be a leader and solid contributor. Ellis was looking for the opportunity to play at a higher level and he found it with Powell and Valparaiso.

Ellis says the journey has taken some twists and turns.

Valpo’s Returners

Reigning Valley ‘freshman of the year’ Cooper Schwieger, outstanding point guard Darius DeAveiro and leading scorer Isaiah Stafford return to form a solid core. While Stafford is nursing an injured knee, if he is healthy, the Beacon core is as good as any in the Valley.

Schwieger’s outstanding rookie season (13.2 ppg & 5.4 rpg) included five ‘freshman of the week’ honors and finished the regular season with back-to-back games of 26 and 28 points. Powell says Schwieger has worked on his body and is a stronger and more complete player heading into his sophomore season.

DeAveiro was second in the Valley (5.3) in assists and twelfth in steals (1.25). He Bradley’s Duke Deen and Murray State’s JaCobi Wood are the Valley’s top point guards and are elite distributors. If Cooper is the headliner then DeAveiro is the heart and soul of the Beacon squad.

Stafford finished seventh (16.9 ppg) in the Valley scoring race and twelfth in three-point field goals (57). He is tipping point for this team. His knee is the most crucial body part in the entire Missouri Valley Conference. Stafford gives Valpo a ‘big three’ that can rival any in the league.

Kaspar Sepp returns after starting fifteen games.

Devon Ellis and the Newcomers

Ellis is a multi-talented player with good size and athleticism. He is 6’6 and 215 pounds and can defend every position other than the center. While he didn’t shoot the three well last season, he was outstanding from long distance in junior college.

He says he likes to attack the rim and be physical on the offensive end.

Ellis’ roommate, fellow transfer Louth Coulibaly, Jefferson De La Crus Monegro are fellow D1 transfers. Coulibaly (Holy Cross) and Monegro (Western Michigan) are native Canadians with size and experience.

Outstanding freshmen Justus McNair and All Wright should contribute this year, and have great promise for the future. McNair is rated as the sixteenth best player coming out of Illinois and happened to graduate from Powell’s alma mater (West Joliet).

Ellis says the newcomers and returners have great chemistry.

Who is Devon Ellis?

Ellis may be the tallest snow boarder in the Chicago-land. He took up the sport during covid and became quite good at the winter sport. Strangely, he plays basketball right-handed, but is left-handed at everything else. Ellis is a unique blend of talent, personality and determination.

Ellis says his time at Link Year was extremely formative. He says his faith grew, his maturity developed and his basketball game improved. Proverbs 27:17 says “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Ellis says his job is to sharpen his teammates.

Tyler Schmidt was an NAIA all-American and Ellis says Schmidt is going to surprise people. The 6’4, fifth year guard averaged 24 points per game while competing for Olivet Nazarene.

Ellis has two years of eligibility remaining, and hopes to play professionally after graduation, but is an outstanding student studying business.

To hear our entire conversation head to Valley Hoops Insider Podcasts. You can watch our interview on YouTube.

Valpo opens the season November 4 in Xenia, Ohio against Liberty University.

Do Good

 

Editor: Cover photo of Devon Ellis courtesy of umeshawksports.com.