By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer

Van Buren's Brandon Tucker was honored to be part of the B.A. Sports All-Star Extravaganza on Saturday afternoon, but the soon-to-be high school graduate also wants to cement some plans for the future.

Tucker would like to play college basketball but doesn't have anything nailed down. He is hoping to try out for Three Rivers or possibly College of the Ozarks in the near future.

Tucker has been playing for as long as he can remember.

"I was young when I started," he said. "(Playing in college) has always been something I have wanted to do."

Tucker is listed at 6-foot which would make him a guard but he also has the ability to slash to the basket.

"I am strong and I crash the boards, even though I am small," Tucker said. "I still pick up a lot of rebounds and I can pass and dribble."

He can also hold his own on the other end of the floor, Van Buren coach Paul Lynch said.

"Brandon has the tools to be a really good defensive player," Lynch said. "He is physically strong and has worked hard to improve his shot."

Tucker just needs to find the right fit.

"Brandon is the type of kid that, if put in the right situation, is going to be somebody that can contribute to a team," Lynch said. "Maybe not in a superstar role, but as a role player that can be beneficial to a team being successful."

Although Tucker was a go-to guy for the Bulldogs over the course of his senior season, there are aspects of his game that he needs to sharpen up for the next level. Tucker works every day, practicing up for possible future tryouts.

"He continues to work on his ballhandling," Lynch said. "He didn't necessarily have to handle the ball as much so that is one area that he will continue to need to improve on. He has worked hard on his shot."

Tucker, by his own admission, is not a player like Bell City's Nick Niemczyk or South Iron's David Prater, area standouts that are more likely to get attention, but that doesn't bother him.

"It motivates me more, definitely," he said. "I know I can play good, I just have to do it."

As a freshman, Tucker, learned a lot that he carried over to his later years from his brother Dustin.

"He was a junior and it helped me a lot, playing with him," Tucker said. "He was hard on me."

Tucker is still undecided about what he wants to do for a career and is just concentrated right now on finding somewhere to play basketball next season.