One of the best defenders and spot shooters in the Catholic League the past four seasons was Farmington Hills Mercy’s Emily Walker, who now plays at Division II Bentley University in Massachusetts.
Now, her little brother is looking to make a similar impact at Detroit Catholic Central over the next two years.
Only Andrew Walker isn’t so little.
The 6-foot-5 junior scored 18 points to lead the Shamrocks (2-1) in their 88-49 win over Dearborn Divine Child on Dec. 6, showcasing the hard work he put forth in the offseason to become an impact player this winter.
“You saw him do that a little bit toward the end of last year and in the playoffs,” CC coach Tory Jackson said. “Then, I saw his dedication in the offseason. We started communicating, and then he had a huge summer, AAU-wise, and it confirmed what we already saw, letting us know that not only can he play but he also earned a starting spot.”
That was equal parts time in the weight room and in the gym doing individual skill work to no longer be a one-dimensional player.
As a role guy a year ago, he excelled with the catch-and-shoot opportunities he got.
Now that he’s bigger and stronger, he’s capable of driving to the hoop. If he’s not getting dunks, he’s drawing contact and getting to the foul line. He’s also tougher as a rebounder, too.
Of course, that’s attracted the colleges. He already has offers from Bowling Green, Detroit Mercy, Eastern Michigan and Saginaw Valley, while Central Michigan brought him in for a recent visit.
“I can see Andrew increasing his stock,” said Jackson, who played at Notre Dame. “As long as he continues to build his body and work on his body and his game, his stock is going to continue to go up. Right now, MAC schools are looking at him. With his size, shot-making ability and athleticism — and if he grows a couple inches — he could play Power 4, Power 5. He’s super coachable, and at the next level you need guys who know how to play and are willing to play without the ball. He’ll be a huge, great asset in college.”
His newfound skills were on display against the Falcons.
While he finished with only eight points in the first half, including making three tough field goals in the second quarter, he went on a 10-2 run of his own after halftime, burying five free throws, scoring in transition and knocking down a corner 3-pointer to help the Shamrocks separate from DC.
The opening half was close, with the Falcons even leading 14-12 after the first quarter. But Walker was sitting on the bench three minutes into the third after a job well done.
“This year has been a lot different,” Walker said. “It hasn’t been eye-opening (during the first week of the season) because I got minutes last year, but it’s been a lot more fun. Last year, I was just a shooter. This year, I’ve become more of a driver, and finishing at the rim is something I’m definitely getting better at.”
The fact that he’s in the starting lineup says everything.
Jackson says he has two or three different lineups, and he’s being sincere: Two of his returning starters were on the bench for the opening tip against the Falcons. Matchups and game plans will depend on which players Jackson throws out there, but Walker has been a constant through three games.
Walker’s improvement, basketball IQ and impact in crunch time make it too hard for him to leave the floor — unless, of course, the game ends up as a rout.
“We can go very, very deep,” Jackson said. “But with this group, and with what I saw Andrew do last year, I’ve been watching his progress as a shot maker and watching him as he’s sprouted up. You can see he’s not afraid to make key plays in big moments.”
His impact in CHSL games and in the playoffs is yet to be determined. But if he ends up being anything like his older sister, he should have a memorable two seasons starting for the Shamrocks.
Also like his sister, he’s well on his way to playing in college. He just has two more years to add to his game and become even more marketable to D-I programs.
“Definitely my rebounding has got to get a lot better,” Walker said. “I’m trying to get 8-10 rebounds a game while scoring 10-15 each night and helping the team get the wins — that’s all I want.”
Brandon Folsom covers high school sports in metro Detroit for Hometown Life. Follow him on his new X.com account at @folsomwrites.
This article originally appeared on Hometownlife.com: Emily Walker’s little brother at Detroit CC isn’t so little
Reporting by Brandon Folsom, Hometownlife.com / Hometownlife.com
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
