Bogues spent his ninth-11th-grade years at Centennial High School in Ellicott City. While his numbers were solid, they went largely unnoticed by college basketball recruiters that didn’t make a habit of frequenting Howard County high school games.

“There were no scouts coming to my games, so I wasn’t in the right place,” Bogues said. “Then once I moved to the city, my name really got out there. Once the summer arrived, coaches already knew who I was.”

Coaches knew who Bogues was thanks to a standout senior season in which he averaged 12 points per game, leading City to the Class 2A state championship. Knights coach Mike Daniel called his starting point guard the "final piece" of City’s puzzle.

Bogues’ stock continued to rise this summer as he suited up for the Baltimore Stars on the AAU circuit. While most of his interest came from Division II and III schools while at City, several Div. I schools began to take note of his play.

“It was big because our coaches knew what they were doing,” Bogues said. “It’s not just a team that picks up and plays. We had good practices, they let us know about SAT prep classes and got us into a lot of tournaments.”

Most Div. I schools had filled their 2009 classes by the summer, so Bogues’ options for this year were slim. He had a number of Div. II offers to choose from, but ultimately he decided a year of prep school would best for his long-term development. Appalachian State was one Div. I school that approved of that decision.

“Appalachian State wasn’t recruiting me for the class of 2009,” Bogues said. “They were recruiting me for the class of 2010. I actually liked that because I wanted to go to prep school to get an extra year in. I wanted to get bigger, faster and stronger and be able to get a higher SAT score. So it was acceptable.”

Bogues, who remains uncommitted, will spend this year at Ernst Prep in Leslie, Mich., where he’ll face a national schedule including games against Oak Hill (Va.) Academy (featuring former Walbrook small forward Roscoe Smith) and Brewster (N.H.) Academy (the school where ex-Lake Clifton star Will Barton and former City standout C.J. Fair will play).

“It’s actually great because we’re all close friends,” Bogues said. “C.J.’s actually my best friend. But it’s going to be a close game. They think they’re going to beat us but I already know we’re going to win.”

Bogues said he’ll miss Baltimore this year but is excited to live in another state and have the opportunity to travel the country with his new team. By this time next year, he plans to be enrolled in college and readying for his first season as a Div. I basketball player. If he ever needs extra motivation to keep that dream alive, Uncle Muggsy is always just a phone call away.

“He’s been a big part of my life,” Bogues said. “Me watching him made me want to work hard. Him being 5-3 and being the shortest player made me want to work even harder, because if he can do it, I can do it.”