Follow us on Twitter                                                                                                                                                                                                                             @Rocketcountry
NEW HAVEN BASKETBALL
  • Home
  • Coaches
  • Rosters
    • Varsity (2021-2022)
    • Varsity (2020-2021)
    • Varsity (2019-2020)
    • Varsity (2018-2019)
    • Varsity (2017-2018)
    • Varsity (2016-2017)
    • Junior Varsity (2016-2017)
  • Schedule/Results
  • Rocket News
  • Championships
  • Player Honors
    • Mr Basketball
    • All-State Players
    • All-County Players
    • All-League Players
    • Program Awards
    • Team Awards
    • Coach Awards
  • Photos
    • 2022-2023 Season
    • 2021-2022 Season
    • 2020-2021 Season
    • 2019-2020 Season
    • 2018-2019 Season
    • 2017-2018 Season
    • 2016-2017 Season
    • 2015-2016 Season
    • 2014-2015 Season
    • 2008-2014 Seasons
  • Video
  • Next Level Alumni
  • Youth Camps/Leagues/Training
  • Community Service
  • Sponsors
  • Philosophy
  • Contact Form

Turning down prep schools pays off as Romeo Weems realizes Mr. Basketball dream

3/11/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Jared Purcell www.mlive.com

DETROIT -- Romeo Weems had his options to play for various prestigious high school basketball programs this season. Schools like Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, La Lumiere in Indiana and SPIRE Academy in Ohio all made efforts to recruit Weems away from New Haven High School, the school he attended since his freshman year.

A 6-foot-7 forward that carries a four-star rating from 247Sports, Weems is the top-rated recruit in Michigan and signed to play at DePaul next year. He was also recently selected to play in the 2019 Jordan Brand Classic high school all-star game in Las Vegas this April. Weems certainly had the talent and credentials to be a prep school star.

However, Weems decided to say thanks, but no thanks to the prep schools and elected to spend his senior season at New Haven.
​
After being announced as the 2019 Hal Schram Mr. Basketball winner on Monday, it is safe to say his decision to stay home paid off. Mentioning that he wanted to win the Mr. Basketball award since leading New Haven to a Class B state championship as a sophomore, Weems said winning the prestigious honor played a role in him staying at New Haven.
“I wouldn’t it was a big part (in deciding to stay) but it definitely wasn’t a small part,” Weems said. “It definitely factored in. I really wanted this. This was a goal of mine ... It definitely factored in.”

As honored as Weems was to win Mr. Basketball, he mentioned that his main reason for choosing to stay at New Haven was one thing: loyalty. With his collegiate future already set, Weems saw no other reason to leave town.
“I mostly stayed for the loyalty with my coaches,” Weems said. “I love my coaches, my teammates. I pretty much stayed for them.”

New Haven could not have been happier that Weems stayed. After all, the Rockets are playing in the Division 2 state quarterfinals on Tuesday night against Harper Woods Chandler Park Academy and are just three wins shy of claiming the school’s second state championship. New Haven is 99-6 since Weems joined the team as a freshman.

“We were good before but he just took us to a whole new level,” New Haven coach Tedaro France said. “Just what he brings, he brings out the best in everybody -- his teammates, us as a coaching staff -- he makes us work harder. Just him being here has really transformed not just our school but the county and how he made history.”

Weems is the first Mr. Basketball winner from Macomb County and he was the first finalist from New Haven. The state championship that New Haven won in 2017 was the first in school history and only the second for a Macomb County program.

Although France knew about the schools trying to get Weems to transfer away, France also knew where Weem’s loyalties were.

“We were aware but we were just trying to build that bond,” France said. “Knowing him, he’s a loyal kid. He wanted to be a part of this program here and be a part of his teammates because they worked hard for four years and he wanted to finish what he started.”

Weems celebrated at the ceremony with his teammates, family and friends that made the trip into Detroit. However, Weems said he will not spend too long celebrating because he still has a state championship to go after. Before he wraps up his high school basketball career, he still has his teammates and the community of New Haven on his mind.

As much as New Haven appreciates Weems staying, Weems appreciates his community just as much.

“The community, it means a lot,” Weems said. “They come out to all our games, show love (and) support us a lot. They travel. They’ve been travelling everywhere with us. I really appreciate it.”

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    New Haven Basketball

    Rocket Country

    Archives

    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    December 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    January 2011
    December 2008

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly