Unassuming, workmanlike, and having solidified his status as a timely shot-maker, Scotland Campus Sports’ Class of 2021 guard Johannes Kirsipuu is beginning to crack the Division-I market.
North Alabama was in this week to see the 6-foot-2 combination guard from Estonia. Others have inquired about the burgeoning European talent, who turned in seven performances of 25+ points as a sophomore and lit up St. Augustine to the tune of a career-high 43 points (10 3-pointers) as a then-callow freshman.
Entering his third year with the program, Kirsipuu has prepared himself to inherit some ownership of the Knights’ high school team.
Having invested more time in becoming an on-ball pest and adapting to new head coach Dave Gobrogge’s philosophy of wall to wall defensive pressure, Kirsipuu now boasts the scholarship-worthy tools and intangibles.
He’s added bulk to a once-spindly frame. He’s added to his all-around game, becoming more adept at driving and finishing ambidextrously through traffic. The 17-year-old has additionally added to his passing arsenal, triggering the high-low attack and facilitating the break.
As a sophomore, Kirsipuu established himself as a deadeye shooter with a knack for opening up scoring surges.
He bucketed four consecutive 3-pointers during the second half, en route to a 21-point performance during a 75-67 win over Mercersberg Prep last January.
It was Kirsippu who scored 20 points during the Knights’ thorough 88-63 victory over St. James and buried four first-half three-pointers during a pulsating 71-64 upset victory of a Virginia Academy team led by mid-major Division-I prospect Amir Nesbitt. He would finish that game with 21 points.
Challenging games have extra juice for Kirsippu. Take last year’s road win at Silver Oak Academy for example. The game was played during winter break and therefore a short-handed Scotland Campus played with a meager five guys. The sophomore grew up fast that night, torching SOA for 35 points en route to a 62-51 win.
Capitalizing on one-on-one sequences and firing in from beyond the arc, Kirsippu scored 22 first-half points. He later played the role of calming influence, sinking 8-of-8 from the free throw line as the Knights fended off a spirited late rally. Kirsippu scored 15 points as Scotland emerged as a sleeper, emerging from obscurity to defeat Wilson Prep en route to a 2019 USA Prep National Championship in Myrtle Beach, S.C. last season.
“(Kirsipuu) may wind up being our leading scorer, but I bet if you were to ask him yourself he would be happy with scoring few points and winning every game,” said Gobrogge.
“That is how much he wants to win. With and without the ball, he consistently makes great decisions that either put himself or his teammates in a position to succeed.”
Make no mistake about it, American prep/post-graduate basketball has become a place where some international students go but to all but sign their own student-athlete death warrant. With the widely reported rash of pop-up schools, fly-by-night operations, and sports “Academies” indifferent to the academic component, the horror stories about illegitimate programs conning international students are not atypical these days.
Fortunately for Kirsipuu, he wound up at a high-profile program with a competitive high school which holds all student-athletes to a high standard. Beyond capitalizing on the around the clock focus on skill development, Kirsippu has routinely registered a 3.3+ GPA during his stay at Scotland Campus Sports.
He’s gauged his grit against 20+ Division-I players, including older top-shelf guards such as Koreem Ozier (Sacred Heart), Clarence Nadolny (Texas Tech), Austin Galuppo (Weber State), Dequarius Nicholas (SEMO), and Tyrone Nesby (Wagner), during routine in-house battles.
“I’m just trying to make good plays for my teammates and for myself–winning plays,” Kirsipuu explained.
“My role on this year’s team is definitely to change the pace. Also, we’re going to really defend. As one of the older and veteran guys, I have the responsibility of knowing how to defend guys and also when to take the right shot. I’ve learned a lot from the guys we’ve had here at this program. We’ve had some very good guards and I’ve been able to learn from them.”
Jarmon Impressed With Clarion: Gritty 5-foot-11 guard Gerald Jarmon said he enjoyed his visit to Division-II Clarion University, which extended a full scholarship offer to the Harrisburg, Pa. native earlier this month. Jarmon brings a wealth of experience as a four-year varsity starter and one of the high school team’s top scoring threats from last season. He had several games of 20+ points last year, including 21 points during a road win at Harcum College.
With his ability to hit transition 3-pointers and attack the gaps while showing fearlessness in scoring over guys nearly a foot taller than him, Jarmon has the chance to be a special player at the Division-II level. He scored a team-best 22 points en route to earning All-tournament honors during the Knights’ loss to InterAC Player of the Year Christian Rey (now at LaSalle) and Haverford (PA) at the Albright College tournament.
Jarmon played post-graduate as a high school senior and brings a level of toughness and swagger that enables him to play a bit bigger than he is. As a senior, Jarmon went from being a go-to option to a go-to option and a facilitator.
He developed more of a nose for making the right read and has developed deft one-handed dishing ability with either hand. He possesses the lateral quickness and gear-changing speed necessary for a guard of his size.
