Ready to take the next step…St. John’s Cam Elwer is one of the states’ most noted guards in Division VII, getting attention from Division I schools at the next level. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
The Blue Jays lost in the regional final last year. So they were happy to be invited back to Midwest Live to further build a foundation they expect to lead them to UD Arena.
Sandusky, OH – Everything the Delphos St. John’s boys basketball team executes well was on display this past weekend at Midwest Live.
The Blue Jays, led by Division I recruit Cameron Elwer, are a bunch of guards who shoot the ball as well or better than any team in Ohio. Their offensive efficiency is a product of ball movement, hard cuts and fundamental footwork. But they don’t play just hoping to outscore you. The Blue Jays defend – moving their feet, communicating, closing out hard to deny open jumpers – to make sure you don’t look as good on offense as they do.
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Their teamwork makes head coach Aaron Elwer proud. He saw it in his first of four weekend games when his Division VII team defeated Division VI Tri-Village.
“You always tell guys to play the right way,” he said. “The second half that was evident that our guys played the right way, unselfish and making the right play.”
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However, the underlying trait the Blue Jays prize most is toughness.
“We’re tough and we’re competing in June – that’s really the main thing,” Cameron Elwer said. “That’s going to take you to where you need to go.”
The Blue Jays were pleased to get a second straight invitation to the prestigious event at the Cedar Point Sports Center to compete against other teams, like Tri-Village, that figure to be ranked in December when the games count.
“The level of play, the great programs, individual players, and the unique ability for all of our guys to play in front of college coaches is awesome,” Aaron Elwer said. “It’s an honor for our program to be invited and to put ourselves in this situation.”
Small schools get invited based on the likelihood that a good season lies ahead and if they have an acclaimed player. St. John’s fits both criteria.
Cam Elwer, who is a 6-foot-2 senior, has offers from Toledo, Miami, Buffalo and Oral Roberts. His scoring ability (28.6 points a game) from drives through contact to 3-pointers is one thing. But his efficiency – 60.2% from the field, 54.1% from three, 94.1% from the line – is what really gets a small-school player noticed.
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“There’s a lot of superlatives or characteristics that define him,” Aaron Elwer, his father, said. “But his efficiency level, his consistency level, is something I’ve never seen before. I talk to other coaches and they say the same thing. They say the great players, the game comes pretty easy, and it slows down for them. And that’s evident with him. There’s a lot of things to like about his game, and maybe the biggest one is he likes to win, he’s a fierce competitor.”
While Cameron Elwer takes most of the shots and most of the scoring load, he plays within the team concept. The Blue Jays’ lack of height makes them rely on each other.
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“We’ve been in the gym almost every day since we’ve been little tykes, so we trust each other,” Cam Elwer said. “Being probably the smallest team, we’ve got to separate ourselves in different ways, whether that’s making shots or guarding or just being more tough than the other team.”
The coach isn’t running endless plays for his star. The Blue Jays work a motion offense. Whoever gets open is expected to shoot, and Cam Elwer facilitates a lot of shots for his teammates.
“He makes other players better,” Aaron Elwer said. “I’ve always told him from day one, just make the right play. And if you watch him play, I think he does that 99% of the time. He knows when to press the gas offensively, and he also knows when to get others involved.”
The others are led by younger brother Andrew Elwer, a 6-2 junior, and cousin Easton Elwer, a 6-1 sophomore. Exposure to college coaches at Midwest Live is important for their college dreams. The team goal, however, for both, their star teammate and their other teammates is to play together even better than last year when they finished 23-3, went unbeaten in the Midwest Athletic Conference and were expected to compete with Russia for the Division VII state title.
But the Blue Jays ran into Arlington in the regional final at Bowling Green and lost 51-46 to miss out on their first state semifinals appearance since 2017. The Blue Jays own three state titles, the last coming in 2002. So they came to Sandusky, not to ride the roller coasters, but to prepare for a season of ups that won’t finish on a down. They hope it finishes in Dayton with their mission accomplished.
“Whether we make shots or not we can control our toughness and how hard we compete and the way that we defend,” Aaron Elwer said of the weekend. “If we do those things, they have a great chance to win. You’ve got to think, when the lights are big next December, whenever we tip off, all these are great experiences. They’re for sure going to be ready to play and ready to compete at a high level because expectations are high.The Blue Jays will be tested, as always, in the MAC. Aaron Elwer knows an unbeaten league record last season, with all of his best players back, doesn’t guarantee another unbeaten run.
If you like competing…Cam Elwer is the Blue Jays’ #1 pitcher in baseball come spring. And yes, a prospect to play at the next level.
“If you like competing, it’s one of the best conferences in Ohio,” he said. “If you don’t play well, and if you’re not ready on Friday night, you’re not going to win. You’ve got to be prepared. You’ve got to be tough.”
Cam Elwer wants to focus on his senior season and state goals. To do so means he wants to settle his recruitment as soon as possible. His AAU schedule will put him in front of coaches again during two more evaluation periods in July. The next in-person recruiting period begins September 3.
Elwer said he is extremely blessed by God to have an opportunity to play college basketball on scholarship. But at some point during the next three months, he wants to commit and avoid carrying the decision into the high school season.
“I just want to get it over with,” he said. “It’s going to be a like a breath of fresh air.”
Elwer won’t be easy for a coach to convince. He has a mature list of what he wants from a college program.
“Most of all a program that’s going to help me become a better man, a better husband, hopefully a father someday, and then obviously, I want to win,” he said.
For now, Elwer will be in the gym with his teammates as much as possible, playing with the guys he loves to play with the most, and preparing for a season the Blue Jays hope ends at UD Arena.
“I’ve grown up with all these guys from backyard hoops to this,” he said. “So the chemistry’s there.”
Along with efficiency, defense and, maybe most of all, toughness.
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