In “It’s Not Just Basketball,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch writer Bryan Burwell chronicles the rise of international calibre high school basketball at Brehm Preparatory School.

Brehm sudden ascention in the international and collegiate basketball scene has raised some eyebrows. In Brehm’s story, you see and hear the echoes of the reasons other boarding schools commit to high level academic programs and the reasons colleges continue wanting to participate in the NCAA Football Bowl Series (only this story profile replaces NCAA money).

“…Aaron Lee (Breem basketball coach) knows what you are thinking. You have heard that a talent-rich, nationally recognized prep basketball program sprung up almost overnight in the middle of a small college town in the heart of Southern Illinois. You have heard that they have stocked it with tall and talented kids from Nigeria and Cameroon, Latvia and Chicago, Canada, Florida and Carbondale, too. You have heard that in less than two years of the basketball program’s existence, a prep school previously known internationally only for its outstanding work with educating junior-high and senior high school students with complex learning disabilities has suddenly become a haven for some remarkable high school hoop talent and is luring college recruiters from across the country to this tiny gymnasium with the funky floor.

And if you are not skeptical, you are, at the very least, extremely curious.” (St.L P-D)

Writer Burwell himself arrived at Brehm with a healthy dose of skepticism and much of the article is devoted to documenting that Brehm has a plan and a handle on the how’s and why’s of upgrading their basketball program. Lee has been on the Brehm faculty 17 years (and an AAU basketball coach for 15). Brehm recruits international players and provides them with academic structure and support that they seem to appreciate.

Daniel Daudu came to Brehm two years ago from Nigeria: “This is a great place to come to get your education and play basketball…”It’s not an easy thing, but it has become a home away from home. But they push you hard and it’s been a great transition so far.” (St.L P-D)

Interestingly, Behm basketball plays fit into Brehm’s traditional market- students with learning differences with student receiving varying levels of support.

In the end, coach Lee makes his case telling Burwell:

“We have nothing to hide…What we’re doing here is good work for kids who need the help. It is about basketball, but it’s not all about basketball. We’re here to help kids who otherwise wouldn’t get it. If people want to doubt us, that’s OK. I know what we’re doing here. This is a good story. This is a great story. Tell everybody what we’re doing here.” (St.L P-D)

The video below is of the school’s athletic director. In he talks about the programs and its roots: