The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

D’ANDRE Vilmar appears to have regained the explosiveness and return to form from injury in his first season for the Missouri State-West Plains Grizzlies.

Vilmar produced his most complete game of the season and a dunk over an opposing defender that went viral on social media in the Grizzlies’ 92-62 win over Arkansas Baptist College.

He finished with seven points, seven assists and 12 rebounds in a season-high 20 minutes off the bench.

Vilmar has emerged as a playmaker in limited minutes for the Grizzlies and followed that performance with six points, five rebounds and six assists in 17 minutes of an 89-82 win over Three River Community College.

Over the first 10 games of the season, he played with no appearance over eight minutes. However, in his first start and extended time of the season, he posted 12 points in 94-90 win over Sunrise Christian Prep.

The Grizzlies, 14-7 on the season, put their three-game winning streak on the line last night against State Fair Community College but the results were unavailable up to press time.

The 6’4” guard out of Abaco was one of eight newcomers announced by Grizzlies head coach Chris Popp during the offseason. “D’Andre is an explosive athlete. He’s another player with national team experience. He comes in highly touted, having been recruited at the D1 level and rated as a four-star recruit by ESPN,” Popp said.

He continues a recent Bahamian legacy with the Grizzlies after Radshad Davis completed two impactful years with the programme prior to his transfer to the Division I University of Texas - Arlington.

After an injury shortened his senior season at the high school level, Vilmar took the prep school route in an effort to strengthen his recruitment for the class of 2018 when he joined the Redemption Christian Academy Lions prep school in Northfield, Massachusetts.

He spent his high school senior season at the Paul VI programme in New Jersey following a transfer from Roman Catholic High in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

By the end of his junior season, Vilmar was making his way toward the ESPN 60 rankings. He was listed as a four-star recruit, ranked fourth in the state and 27th nationally at his position. That momentum stalled after just a few games into the preseason as a senior.

Paul VI’s star recruit would be lost due to a season-ending knee injury on a seemingly routine play against Timber Creek.

After spending the offseason rehabilitating, he decided to take the prep school route. At the international level, he was a part of the Bahamas team that finished fifth at the FIBA Centrobasket Under-17 Championship when he led the tournament in scoring at 19.6 points per game and rebounding at 12.4 boards per game. He was also second in assists as he dished out 4.6 per game.