Ray McCallum is moving on.
Another casualty of the mess created within the Indiana University men’s basketball program will be the North boys’ basketball team.
Ray McCallum Jr. and his family will soon be joining Ray Sr. in Detroit were he was recently hired to run the program at Detroit.
Brittany, Ray Jr.’s older sister, will graduate this spring from North where she played volleyball and basketball.McCallum, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, was a key cog for the Cougars this past season, leading them in scoring (20.4 ppg), rebounds (6.7 pg), assists (55) and blocks. He shot 52.7 percent from the floor, including 40.3 on 3s, and 72.4 percent on free throws. In two years, he had 607 points and 207 rebounds.
“I thought he did a great job for us,” North coach Andy Hodson said. “He was a leader in almost every stat category and also in the lockerroom and on the floor as well. He’ll be missed, not just as a standout basketball player but he was also a great kid to be around. He is an asset to our school and so is his sister. He was always happy and excited about basketball and I’ll miss seeing that personality.”
Internet reports had McCallum lined up to play at Detroit Country Day, a strong program that has produced the likes of Chris Webber.
McCallum was not available for comment, but Hodson said the family is unsure yet about what school Ray Jr. will attend.
Watching Ray Sr. leave was bittersweet for Hodson, who has known the family for sometime and is happy to see his colleague get hired so quickly.
Meanwhile, back at the Cougar Den, the cupboard is hardly bare with McCallum leaving. Darwin Davis established himself as one of the best freshmen in the state by the end of last season and Julian Boatner also improved by leaps and bounds. Darwin is playing for Indiana Elite and Boatner is with the Fieldhouse Elite.
With three starters now gone, North looks to bring back top reserves Jim Hurt and Zoul Ballman as well as JV standouts Tim Pittman, Hogan Stanger and Jordan Basye. Ballman, Stanger and Basye are playing the Bloomington Blazers. Hurt is with North’s baseball team.
“I’m confident in the kids we have,” Hodson said. “The kids have been mature about the situation. They understand basketball and coaching and that if a kid’s dad is a coach, they may not be around for four years.”
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russell
ray mccallum is an amazing basketball player im from oklahoma and his time down here he proved that basketball is his game. its fair to say that any state he moves to or high scool he plays for he will shine
Jun 12th, 2008
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