CHARLOTTESVILLE—Want to follow the senior season of U.Va. basketball recruit John Brandenburg? 

His hometown newspaper, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, makes it easy to do so.  This link provides about all of the statistical information on Brandenburg that you could want.

Brandenburg is a 6-11, 230-pound center from DeSmet Jesuit High.  Two of Virginia’s top three centers this season—Tunji Soroye and Ryan Pettinella—are seniors, and Brandenburg could be a candidate to start as a freshman in 2007-08.  He’ll have to stay healthy, though, which has been a problem for him in high school.

As a junior, Brandenburg missed six games because of ankle and back injuries, and he’s hurt again.

“We’ve shut him down for awhile,” DeSmet coach Bob Steiner told me over the phone yesterday, “and don’t know when he’ll be able to go again.  He’s got recurring back issues.”

Brandenburg played in the Spartans’ first four games before sitting out their win over Beaumont on Tuesday.

“Basically, it seems to be the same [back] issues we had with him last year,” Steiner said.  By holding Brandenburg out now, the Spartans’ staff hopes to solve the problem because it worsens.

Brandenburg is averaging 9.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.  Those are modest stats, but it’s worth noting that DeSmet (2-3) is averaging only 46.8 points.  This is a program that, since 1970, has won five state championships and advanced to the state semifinals eight other times, but DeSmet doesn’t showcase individuals.

As a sophomore, Brandenburg averaged 11.1 points and 4.7 rebounds; as a junior, 8.2 and 7.9.

“Nobody in DeSmet history has put up eye-catching numbers,” Steiner said.  “That’s the beauty of the program; we’re all about seven or eight guys.  nobody’s bigger than the team.”

To wit: The leading scorer in school history, 1997 graduate Matt Baniak, averaged 14.7 points for his career.  No. 2 on DeSmet’s list is former Indiana Pacers big man Steve Stipanovich.  He averaged 16.9 points in his 90 games on the Spartans’ varsity.

“That’s the way it’s always been,” Steiner said, “and it won’t change.”

--30--