 |
Amauro's Corner Amauro "Amar" Austin is
another of our trusty observers. He is not to be confused with Ruben Amaro,
the Phillies' assistant general manager. Like "Huck" Palmer,
Amauro is a West Catholic graduate. He will file reports on the MANY games he sees.
|
DEC. 31
NON-LEAGUE
Episcopal 60, North Catholic 34
The Falcons hung tough for a half before reality set in the the
powerful Churchman turned it up cruising to a 26-point win. As I said before, the tandem
of sophomores: WG Wayne Ellington (14P, 5R, 7A) & SF Gerald Henderson
(19P, 13R, 2B) will be one of the more talked-about duos in City history when its all said
and done. Both were impressive once again. Sr. G Brian Shanahan makes for a quality
third option. He drained 4 treys here en route to his 14 points. The Churchmen ended the
year 12-0 heading in the league schedule which begins Saturday against the Haverford
School. There weren't many bright spots for North. Sr. WG Charlie Evans scored all
12 of his points in the 2nd quarter. He went 0-for-9 in the other quarters including
0-for-5 in the 2nd half. He'll get widespread D-III interest though as he is tough and
aggressive. Soph. G-F Nate Edwards battled for 9 points & 8 boards. I must give
mention to 6-3 Freshman G-F Andrew Pomager (5R, 3A, 2S). He has a pretty bright
future. He didn't look the least bit uncomfortable against his highly touted opponents and
even challenged them. He has some pretty impressive skills.
AA's Notes: Henderson is freakishly athletic! In this one, he damn near
jumped over the head of Pomager and threw one down. Referee Ernie Gallagher scored
the basket and called a charge. No Way! He didn't even touch him. This was something you
just don't see every day though so I'll give Ern the benefit of the doubt... As I said
earlier, North is definitely moving in the right direction. They have some quality young
talent in the program and are doing things the right way...
DEC. 29
OLNEY TOURNEY SEMIS
Lincoln 58, Washington 67
This contest turned from stinker to decent in a matter of minutes.
Both squads fought hard and wanted this W, but the Railspitters pulled it out behind the
clutch 4th quarter play of Gs Sr. Steve Hassell (8P, 5R, 4A, 5S) & So. Malik
Alvin (10P), both of whom ironically had game-long struggles. Hassell is today's team
leader and probably today's best player, while the brassy young Alvin is the best prospect
for long range purposes (if he keeps his act together). He made 3 HUGE buckets in the
latter stages to secure this W. Today's overall star was sweet-shooting Sr. WG Markell
Dorsainvil (21 points, 2 steals). He has a feathery shot that always looks good. 6-5
235-lb (with extremely long arms) Sr. F-C Maurice McPherson battled through heavy
foul trouble to score 12 points & snatch 13 boards against a huge Eagle front line
that gets bigger when they go to the bench. All three seniors deserve heavy interest from
the IIIs. McPherson should even be eyed by some twos. No one can teach his size. strength
or effort. I LOVE how he rises to the occasion again the better frontlines. G-Dub had
their chances. Jr. G Corey White (15P, 2S) missed a left corner trey with 3 tics
left that would have tied it all up. Impressive 6-7 Jr. PF Pat Martin (12P, 10R)
snagged the board and put it back at the buzzer to make for a 1-point game. I'm now
positive that the D-II state schools should chase Sr. F-C Bryon "B.J" Gaddy
(15 points, 15 boards & 3 blocks). He's a shade under 6-6 and weighs about 230-lbs and
he competes hard. Every team could use a player of his caliber down low. He just may be
the Pub's best natural rebounder. 6-5+ Sr. SF Kyree Knight came off the bench to
give 7 boards, 2 steals & 2 blocks. He has that late-bloomer look about him that
should make D-IIIs give him a look. Sr. G Justin King (4R, 4A) is awkward, but
manages to contribute. He was key down the stretch. The Eagles could be a dangerous bunch
down the stretch. If their guards come to play, they are hard to beat as no one may
out-rebound them.
AA's Notes: G-Dub just may have the city's biggest team. I couldn't believe
how big they were when they went to the bench. The play of the day goes to STRONG Jr. SF Dominique
Curry (6-3 200), a possible D-I FB prospect. On his only basket of the game, the lefty
snatched a rebound and went coast to coast throwing one down with authority in heavy
traffic. Lincoln, too has a dangerous look. Once they get together as a unit, they'll be a
tough out especially with the addition of Alvin...
Northeast 82, Akiba Hebrew 29
The only good thing I can say about this one was that NE got its
first win of the year albeit against an unworthy opponent. Hopefully, this will spring
them into some more Ws. They do have some talent, but are VERY inexperienced. Plus, guys
are still learning their roles. I WILL say this: I am impressed with 6-3 Sr. SF William
Peoples. He's a classic late bloomer who gets better every time out. He has a prime
b-ball frame and no game will ever get too athletic or physical for him. D-IIIs should be
all over him. He could prove to be a steal.
DEC. 27
OLNEY TOURNEY FINAL
Olney 60, Mansion 53
The Trojans moved to 11-0 in pretty impressive fashion keeping the
Knights at arms length throughout and pulling out the W. I agree with Ted in that they
still haven't handled a worthy opponent, but they still beat whoever has been in front of
them and besides things will be tougher when schools goes back in session when they'll
receive a visit from neighborhood rival Central (the Lancers are young, tough &
hungry) & have to take a trek to southwest Philly to Bartram where the Braves haven't
lost in over 2 years (the buzzer beater by U-City in 2001 is last loss that comes to
mind). Olney did it today with balance. It was a pretty good overall team effort, 18
assists on 26 baskets (Mansion had 3 on 17 buckets). Sr. F Erik "Ugs"
("Coach's Dream") Adams was again himself. He went for 15 points & 11
boards. He also had 2 of everything else (blocks, steals, assists & punctuation
slams). Both dunks were 10s on the Rector scale and put Mansion away late. It was also the
best I've seen of Sr. G Jarrick Long (11P, 7A, 3S). At 5-10, he just may be the
team's best athlete, no lie. He made play after play here. I hope to see him back on the
track this Spring. He was a great triple-jumper last year and could be an even better high
jumper. Sr. PG Andrew Jerry (3A, 3S) was solid. Sr. G-F Shakir Johnson (12P,
2A, 2S) is vying for Pub 6th man of the year. He scored 8 straight in the 2nd quarter and
was largely the reason why the Trojans took control. He plays every position from 1
through 3 and has the look of a defensive stopper (gets really low, very athletic, has the
long arms, ect.). He could be a fine find for a good Juco. Mansion was led by its Sr.
sniper WG Tracey Worley with 28 points. I wasn't greatly impressed though. He's the
top Knight and one of the City's sweetest shooters, but he must do more. He HAS to make
the extra pass, go after the tough rebounds, be the top defender, ect.) Right now, he
doesn't seem willing to do those LITTLE things that are so big on the basketball court
that every star must do. I hope he reads this. There's no question that Sr. F John
Scarborough (11P, 9R, 2S) is the toughest Knight. He battles tooth and nail and is a
strong defender. There is one good thing about Worley (11) & Scarborough (5) and
that's that they make their foul shots. They combined to go 16-for-16 at the charity
stripe and that will be key down the road in a tight spot.
AA's Notes: It was funny sitting near Olney coach John Rech. He's
normally one of the more subtle gentleman coaches in the Pub, but he blurted out some
great lines in this one. Once when Jr. high-flyer Kevin Riley (5P, 6R, 2B, 1
Sports-center-worthy slam) decided to dribble in the open floor he yelled, "Kevin, I
don't pay you for that!" He then turned to me and said, "I really don't pay him
for anything, but..." Then when the game was already in doubt and Worley bombed in a
trey, Rech blurted out, "That sucker can shoot!" He was hardly wrong about
that... Rech's Trojans are surely dangerous. They are one of the 6 teams that I have eyed
for Feb/March. Let's see who emerges... The Knights are operating right now without either
its starting guards. Both may be back after the holidays. Both are sophomores, but should
make a huge difference in league play and make the Knights strong for years to come. In
fact, I don't hurt for Coach Hendricks' boys. There are 5 quality Sophs. on the roster
which means that there is a future on Ridge Ave...
DEC. 23
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Frankford 54, West Phila 46
Sorry about being a few days late with this one, but I went out of
town for the holidays. This was a sloppy, ugly affair and that may be the only way for
Frankford to get Ws at this point. This one was won behind the heroic 4th quarter play of
stocky Jr. PG Ryan Smith (10 of his 12 in the 4th including 4-for-4 from the field
w/ 2 treys). He also dished 3 dimes and played his usual tough defense. The older he gets,
the more I like him. He plays with such a toughness and has great court demeanor. By next
year, he'll be one of the toughest customers in the Pub. Super-soph. WG Lewis Leonard
only scored 9 points and didn't finish well at the tin, but made impressive plays down the
stretch dishing 2 of his 3 assists in the crucial. He also plucked 3 steals. He seems to
feel the game better and better each time out. Jr. F Lamont Brown (10P, 12R, 3S)
came straight from the gridiron to lend toughness. Sr. G-F Malik Dickerson (7P, 9R)
did the same. The Speedboy woes stood behind the fact that they went 7-for-17 at the foul
line. Also their star, Sr. WG Ricardo Lovelace had a miserable afternoon, clanking
1-for-11 for only 2 points. That'll never happen again. He must learn how to get it done
even when his normally sweet shot isn't falling. That's one of things that make the good
ones great. I really like young-colt Sr. G-F Jeff Gladney (9P, 8R, many cheers from
the girls -- smile). He has more tools than he even knows. It will take some time, but he
could break out big time one of these days. D-III ALERT! Get on Gladney now and thank me
later. Sr. PF Maurice Polen (10P, 8R, 3B) goes 6-4 220 and knows how to use it.
He's said to be a top notch student and also a very good baseball player. He plays very
good post defense and has good strong hands. D-IIIs should be all over him as well maybe
even as a 2-sport athlete. How 'bout that...
AA's Notes: Can't remember much from 5 days ago. Gladney & Polen are
NEEDS for D-IIIs and both are solid in the classroom... This Frankford squad is built for
next year. I say by February though they won't be anyone's Valentine. They'll have it down
by then...
DEC. 20
Scholastic Play by Play Classic @ Palestra
St. John Neumann 68, Southern 59
St. Joseph's Prep 78, Penn Charter 73
Mt. Zion (NC) 75, Life Center (NJ) 60
Chester 63, Simon Gratz 61
Dougherty 70, Lincoln (NY) 62
(Some notes from the entire event)
The Neumann/Southern game kind of lost its luster by being the
first game of the day. I agree with the Duckster in that this one should be played in
South Philly, but maybe it would have benefited from a later start time (Game 2 or 3?). I
thought Southern played a very good game and had a chance to win it. I was a bit hard on
them last week, nothing personal but I expect more from a veteran team. They delivered in
this one and that's great. I did think that Sr. leaders: PG Antoine "Doo
Dirty" Brown (16P, 5R, 5A, 7S) & PF Shawn Sabb (13P, 10R, 5A, 3B)
could/should have done more in the 4th. Both had their least busiest quarter stat wise and
were kind of on cruise control. Maybe they were tired by then as the Rams only ran with 6
players for the most part. They can't CAN'T play that way in future big games. Neumann Sr.
F Adon El played with fire throughout and had an impressive line of: 19 points, 12
boards, 4 assists & 7 blocks. As a prospect, he's hard to project as he plays mostly
inside/high post for the high school team. He's just an average athlete. He has a great
build (6-4+ 215) though and is very skilled. He's a top level player for D-IIs
(Millersville, Philly U, Queens, ect.) and possibly a Low-I if he can convince coaches
that he could play the wing full time... I really liked watching the battle between the
Prep & Penn Charter. The Prep withstood the amazing performance of Sr. PG Sean
Singletary (35 points, 11 boards & 2 steals, also 6-9 Sr. F Rob Kurz with
25P, 14R) and pulled out a hard fought W over a more than quality opponent. The backcourt
of Srs: PG Chris Clark (23P) & 6-1 WG John Griffin (26P, 9R, 2S) just
may be the city's best. They get it done like no other. 6-3 So. F Reggie Redding
(18P, 10R, 3A, 2B, 2S) is also very impressive. He plays within his limitations (rarely
makes a bad decision) and is very active & efficient. He has a lot of poise for a
sophomore. The Prep just may be playing better than anyone in the City right now and is in
no way ready to let go of their stronghold on the CL title... I won't say much about the
MT-LC game except to say that it was good to see Iowa State-bound Mount Zion (via U-City)
6-4 Sr. PG Tasheed Carr (13P, 9A) play well. He is the unquestioned leader of this
juggernaut. He seemed to have the profound respect of his 'mates. He may not be their best
player/prospect, but there's no question that he's the most important. Carr took this over
down the stretch and drove the Warriors to victory... Chester took Gratz in the
unquestioned game of the day. These two schools are almost identical. They have the same
exact uniforms (just different colors) and the same mentality. I knew that this one would
go down to the wire. Gratz' Sr. G-F Mark Tyndale (30P, 9R) was amazing. He plays
with such a refuse to lose attitude. It was a shame that a few his normally reliable
teammates struggled here. That and the fact that the Dawgs missed 13 free throws in the
game, 5 in the 4th. That was the difference in the game folks. That just shouldn't happen
to a senior laden team. Tyndale impressed me even more when you saw how sick he was after
the game. He was teary-eyed and upset, the marks of a true competitor, a word that Mark's
picture should be next to in the dictionary... Of course, the Lincoln-Dougherty game lost
much of its luster with one of the nation's top 10 players Sr. PG Sebastian Telfair
(Louisville) being far less than 100% hobbled by a bum ankle. He played all of 10 minutes
of ineffective basketball. There's no doubt in my mind that this would have been a war had
he been healthy, but that's neither here nor there. The Cards frolicked with everyone
playing well. I think that 6-6 Sr. F David Goode will get some looks over the
course of the season. He'd start for 90% of the teams in the city, including some of the
very good ones. He DESERVES widespread D-III interest and why not some looks from the
D-IIs. His best basketball is in front of him for sure... I had two thoughts after leaving
the Palestra. #1 If I had a say in the McDonald's voting, I would vote for both Sean
Singletary (Penn Charter) & Kyle Lowry (Dougherty). Both should be there.
In fact, I truly feel that they are the top 2 PGs in the country. When I say that I mean
in terms of effectiveness and impact on the game at this level. Of course, in saying this
I'm throwing out the window natural ability & upside. To me, those things are for
wings & big men. A good lead guard has to get it done yesterday and both do that like
no other. #2 I can't help but feeling how already wacky a year this is shaping up to be
and how much wackier its gets by the day. Southern beats Chester by 24 and takes Neumann
to the wire, while Chester nips Pub favorite: Gratz who beat a depleted Dougherty team.
Then Neumann embarrasses Bartram by 30, ah but Bartram won at Southern going away and
guess what it'll only get wilder. This will indeed be a fun year...
DEC. 19
PUBLIC LEAGUE
West Phila 61, Ben Franklin 59
I'm a few days late with this one. I won't say much except what is
happening at Franklin. 3 rotation members don't come to school on a game day. Franklin
only had 8 players. Also again only a modest crowd. This surely ain't the Franklin of old.
The highlights of this game all came in the final ten seconds. West led this one
throughout, but Jr. lefty wing Andre Glover (12P, 11R) was fouled with the
Electrons down 58-57. he missed both free throws but some came away with his own
rebound and lied it up with 5 tics left giving them a 59-58 lead. West 6-3 Sr. WG Ricardo
Lovelace (27 points, 3 treys) then took the inbound almost to half court from the left
side and launched in a 50-foot prayer that hit nothing but the bottom of the net at the
buzzer, unbelievable! I was so disgusted that more people weren't there to see it. I don't
have much more to say. I'll see both of these teams later down the line.
AA's Note: I will say I like the possibilities of Speedboy 6-4 Sr. G-F Jeff
Gladney. He's a skilled young colt to say the least who's best days are ahead of his.
I also like the fact that he plays hard, will soak teaching like a sponge and that he's
still learning. Lower to Mid Level D-IIs (Goldey-Beacom, Wilmington, ect.) & all IIIs
should be all over him...
DEC. 18
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Engineering & Science 63, Prep Charter 48
17th & Norris is always one of my favorite stops on the trail.
Seeing the retired Jerseys painted on the band-box gym wall, #11 Anderson 84', #14 Greer
97', #10 Chavis 98' & #42 Cox 99'. The crowd is also always spirited and
this has to be the Pub's smallest facility. Today's game was a bit ugly (45 total fouls
called), but the Engineers showed their resolve and pulled out a come from behind W going
away. E&S went into the 4th down 42-44, but at the 6:53 mark Prep Charter's best
player impressive 6-4 soph. WG Rodney Green was whistled for his 2nd player control
foul in a row and 5th of the game. His numbers were a modest 8P & 7R for the game, but
he has an unbelievable presence about him. Frankly, the wheels fell off when he had to sit
and the Engineers went on to take the Final stanza 21-4. Their top player as always was
Sr. G Kechan Myers, a pit bull of a guard. He went for 22 points (12-of-16 at the
line) & 6 boards. His main help came from his backcourt mates Srs PG Tramaine
Jackson (16P on 12-of-14 at the line, 2A & 4S) & WG Mikey Gainer
(pronounced Gan-ye) with 13 points (9 in the 4th) & 3 steals. Jackson played a gutsy
game on a bum left ankle. It was a very good win considering the big 3 only shot 9-for-33
as a whole. Sr. F Tyree Williams (8R), a major crowd favorite, once again brought
toughness and rebounding. The Engineers shot 30-of-38 from the line as a team which is
good for 78.9%. Jr. F Haven Wroten led PC with 12 points. Jr. F Jason Dogan
went for 8P, 8R & 2A. I liked stocky Jr. PG Cordell Powell. He swallowed early
jitters to score 10 points. Three times he made authorative moves and finished at the tin.
AA's Notes: I was disappointed with the officiating in this one. It wasn't
totally bad, but they had to realize that that many fouls can't be called at E&S. You
have to let the kids play. A combined 68 free throws were taken... The Engineers can take
anyone on their home floor. There's no place like it... The Myers family, one of the
city's royal families, always come out to support their latest product Kechan and normally
he doesn't disappoint. He's one of the league's top guards... Rodney Green could be a
special player one day. One flaw I saw was the fact that he's a tad TOO unselfish. Once he
gets that take-things-over mentality, everyone better watch out. He's only a soph. though
so he does have time...
DEC. 16
NON-LEAGUE
University City 74, Bok 69
This contest turned into a good game after having a clunker look
early on. The Jaguars got the come from behind (albeit wild) victory via the play of Sr.
G-F Jeff "All-5" Andrepoint (24 points on 10-of-15, 4-of-6, 10 rebounds,
2 assists & 2 steals). Andrepoint a lefty, who played PG last year, often set up in
the high post and made authorative, swooping moves to the hoop. He also used his strong
body (6-1 190) to battle in the trenches. He's extremely serviceable. D-IIIs should give
him a look. He's not the PG anymore because they now have So. Aaron Stephens (11P,
5A), who is very good. Stephens struggled for three quarters, but made big plays down the
stretch including 7-of-8 at the line all in the 4th and his last 6 in a row. He's a very
strong lead guard who plays both ends with abandon, definitely one to watch. Jr. G-F Anthony
Morrison (6-1 215) is an awkward lefty, but he flat out gets it done. He scored 22
points (3 treys) & plucked 4 steals. No one competes harder. Sr. G Antoine Coaxum
struggled from the floor (0-for-7), but made 9-of-12 from the line and plucked 3 steals.
For Bok, I was very impressed with the play of Sr. WG Jamal West, a tricky lefty.
He swooped and slashed and shot for 27 points (12-of-19) & also plucked 3 steals.
D-IIIs should look hard at him. He's much more under control these days and seems to have
acquired a decent feel for the game. His partner in stripping the nets 6-2 Sr. G-F James
Pope struggled to get his 15 points, but still went hard and grabbed 9 boards. I like
Jr. subs 6-1 G-F Lamont Butler (11P, 3A) & G Marquise Salley (3A). Both
play hard and give that old school South Philly feel.
AA's Notes: Andrepoint picked up the nickname "All-5" for UC as he
plays all five positions for the Jags. Last year he was their only PG. This year they
don't have a post player (no starter is over 6-1) so he fills that role. As I said
earlier, he could be a valuable asset for a D-III... You gotta love Tiger coach Lloyd
Jenkins. He's always animated and he is extra hard on his guys... U-City's gym looks
to be in the worst shape that I've ever seen. The stands look to be condemned and there
are no lockers in the locker room. AD & legendary girls coach Lurline Jones
tells me that there haven't been lockers in the locker rooms since 1995 and that she has
complained every year. Obviously, nothing has been done. She also said that the football
team was robbed three times because of this. Something has to be done. I thought there
were going to be some upgrades at Pub facilities? You better believe that I'm about to do
a piece on the ills of the Pub (Excuse me, District 12) in the very near future. This
stuff is getting ridiculous...
DEC. 15
NON-LEAGUE
Fels 66, Mastbaum 57
Fels won this one moving to 6-0 despite the shooting woes of its
two stars Srs G-F Dionte Christmas (4-for-19, 14P) & G Dawud Lyons
(5-for-18, 17P). Sr. G-F Fareed Williams came up with 19 points (8-of-11) & 7
boards. He made many big plays. Christmas (16R, 4A, 3S, 3B) and Lyons (8R) still played
hard and did other things. Christmas also had the play of the game, when he took Belcher
in the post, quickly spun baseline and pounded down a one-handed slam. Jr. G Lamar
Thomas also gave a late spark scoring all 9 of his points in the 4th quarter. Mastbaum
was led by Sr. G Buddy Rose with 24 points (5 treys) and 5 steals. For this team
he's on the wing, but I think a move to the point is eminent. He really has to have the
ball in his hands for things to run smoothly for the 'Baum. 6-6 Jr. F Tariek Belcher
had an impressive 17 points & 16 boards, but I think he'd admit that he could have
been a lot better. He didn't always run hard or compete hard today. It bothered me for a
kid with his ability to see him on one play walk down the floor. He's much better than
that. I'll be looking for more from him the next go round. Handymen Sr G Tyrone Bates
& Jr. G-F David Pough lent a hand in the Panther comeback in the 2nd half. Both
turned up the defense a couple notches and would have been keys to victory had they pulled
it out.
AA's Notes: There's only one point of interest for my notes today and its
something that has been disturbing me. Watching the very talented Belcher yesterday
brought out the coach in me. I hate to see kids not run the floor hard at all times or not
play hard. My motto is this: Every ball player has one job and that's to PLAY HARD! College
coaches don't want to come to a game and see you go half speed or not run the floor, ect.
Even if you have a bad game, when you play hard it doesn't matter. Effort is key. If a
player doesn't player hard he doesn't really deserve to call himself a player. There is
one reason and one reason only why the Kyle Lowrys & Sean Singletarys
& Mark Tyndales & Charron Fishers, ect. are who they are and that is
because they go-harder than everyone else. Playing hard is what separates the special from
the talented. I hope that every kid who reads this takes heed...
DEC. 14
Philadelphia Basketball Classic Championship @Philly U.
Roman Catholic 63, Germantown Academy 57
This was an impressive win for the Cahillites especially
considering that this was only their 2nd game of the year and that it was GA's 9th. Plus
star Sr. F Charron Fisher (6-4 240) is still a bit on the round side from his long
football season. However, it didn't matter here as Mr. Fisher took this on over down the
stretch. He snatched 9 of his 14 boards in the 4th quarter. He also scored 22 points &
plucked 3 steals. He was indeed his bull self around the hoop including a high-flying
2-handed slam and even made some nice plays away from the hoop. 6-5 Sr. F Brett Johnson
(9P, 7R) is the ultimate handyman. He played sticky defense on star 6-7 Jr. F Brian
Grimes holding him to 8 points (4-for-14 shooting). He could surely help a high level
D-II program or possibly even a Low I because of his great intangible play. Jr. PG Bob
Jordan (12 points) is much-improved. He didn't have an assist, but he looks much more
aggressive on offense and brings loads of leadership, poise and toughness to the fray. Two
public league transfers: Jr. F Malik Perry (Furness) & So. PG Ray
"Doodles" Sims (Edison) started for the Cahillites. Both are still feeling
their way, but will be keys to success. For GA, it was hard not to be impressed with 6-6
Jr. G-F Ryan Ayers (16 points, 7 boards & 3 assists). He has a SWEET game. He
has the pull-up jumper off the dribble, off the glass from 15-feet, ect. He is thought of
by many experts as one of the Nation's top 50 juniors and rightfully so. I know that
Virginia, Villanova & Penn State were in the house over the course of the weekend
eying him. Strong 6-5 So. PF Joe Traynor (13 points) filled in nicely for injured
6-8 So. F-C Andrew Ott. Srs. PG Larry Sharp (10P, 5A, 2S) & 6-5 G-F Joe
Gill (10P, 3A, 3S) were both solid.
AA's Notes: I really like this Roman squad. They should make a strong push
toward the CL title. They'll be even better when Sr. WG Andre Sloan-El returns. He
was unavailable on his visit to Minnesota this weekend. With him, they'll have a solid
8-man rotation with the versatility to do many things on the basketball court... Boy do I
feel bad for Fisher's foes in the next few weeks when he rounds into basketball shape. He
got MVP here and he's probably only 80% of what he'll be down the road... Ayers IS the
area's best junior. I'm hard-pressed to find someone better. He gets it done without much
brass or flash, but he's just so cool & efficient. He's a silent
assassin...
DEC. 13
Coaches vs Cancer Classic @ SJU
St. Dominic's (NY) 50, Southern 48 (OT)
Penn Charter 77, Life Center (NJ) 60
St. John Neumann 88, John Bartram 58
Simon Gratz 70, Cardinal Dougherty 56
(Some notes from the entire day)
Southern should be ashamed of themselves for the way that they
played and for losing to a team that on a good day they run off the floor. They looked
uninspired and confused on their way to an overtime loss. It was hard to watch. I still
don't understand why they sat in a 1-3-1 zone the whole game when this team's only way of
beating them was in a half-court game with their shooters. Had the Rams switched to a man
defense, they may have won this one big. I guess that's why you play the games in
December... Penn Charter took out the much bigger prep school behind the play of Sean
Singletary. No offense to anyone else, but S.S was the BEST player to grace Hawk Hill
this weekend. His 32 points, 7 assists & 8 steals were amazing to watch. He is making
a strong push for the McDonald's game and if he doesn't make it I think it'll be sad. He
is truly on a mission... St. John Neumann can't play any better than this. Everything went
right for the Pirates, while nothing went right for the Braves. 6-5 Jr. G-F David
Burton is worth watching. I hear he's been playing this way all season. He scored 24
points (7-for-8 from the field, perfect on 4 treys, 6-of-9 at the line), 7 boards & 3
steals. He's also a top notch defender with a great build. He easily makes my top 5
juniors in the city. 6-5 Sr. F Adon El (20P, 8R, 6B) also deserves mention. I'll
never understand how a guy who barely gets off the floor blocks so many shots. This was a
good lesson for the Braves that will help for the wars ahead... This game obviously wasn't
what everyone expected with 3 of the Dougherty stars not in uniform, but the bench guys
stepped up their games and the CD coaches did a great job. Srs DeSean White & Timmy
Smith were terrific too and really competed hard... Gratz got a balanced effort from
its 4 seniors that are receiving D-I attention. We'll rave about them all later, but today
I must mention how impressed I was with 6-4 SF Jason Hickenbottom (16P, 10R, 3S)
& PG Tyrone Smith (13P, 4A, 4S). Hickenbottom has an offer from D-I Sacred
Heart, who was in attendance. He may get more interest as the season progresses. He is the
team's best shooter (3 treys) and a TOUGH competitor. Smith is the CITY'S best kept
secret. He'll receive interest from widespread D-Is as the year goes on. He really makes
this group go not to mention that he's strong, athletic & a strong
defender...
DEC. 12
NON-LEAGUE
Central 59, Engineering & Science 46
This was the 3rd Annual Central high school athletic honor Classic
and the 2nd one that I attended. I always have fun here. This was a very well played game
in which the tough Lancers won behind the play of quite possibly the Pub's top junior 6-3
205-lb G-F Scott Rodgers (29 points, 5 boards, 3 assists, 4 steals). He made many
off-dribble jumpers and athletic plays in the paint including a breakaway two-handed slam
after a steal. He had his coming out party here. Rodgers can flat out do it all at this
level. In fact, in high school he is versatile enough to play all 5 positions at times
(strong/athletic enough to guard a post & handles/feels game well enough to run an
offense). He possesses a boxer's strong hands, a grown man's strength & the will to
win and succeed. I don't think I've seen a more fierce competitor in the Jr. class.
Everyone in the city beware. 6-4 So. G-F Kenny St. George was impressive as well
with 13 points, 6 rebounds & sticky defense primarily on Engineer star Sr. G Kechan
Myers. Sr Gs Noam Fliegelman (3S) & Reggie Strickland (2A) both gave
solid contributions to aid the cause. Myers was the E&S leader with 17 points
(7-of-20), 7 boards & 3 assists, but as you can see it wasn't an easy night. Sr. PG Tramaine
Jackson (8P, 8R, 0A) was solid, but had no assists. That's very uncharacteristic of
him. Sr. WG Mikey Gainer (14 points) is the team's best shooter and may have been
their top player today. He kept competing. Sr. F Tyree Williams (6R, 3B) goes 6-1
165, but he is the Engineers top rebounder.
AA's Notes: This year's classic was held at nearby LaSalle University
because the Lancer gym is still undergoing reconstruction due to water damage and drew
close to 1000 people... The Lancer cheering section was headed by a few of the football
players. The ring leader was star FB-LB Quindel "Milky" Ladson with his
loud chants and his cow bell... The Lacers are the dark horse to make the Pub Semis. They
are again small and young, but their youngsters got valuable experience last year and now
know what it takes. Also, Coach Haviland "Biff" Harper is one of the
Pub's best... The Engineers basically start 4 guards and a wing forward. At times, they
even play 5 guards.
DEC. 11
NON-LEAGUE
Bartram 61, Southern 53
This was indeed a huge early season match-up and I couldn't miss it
as the visiting defending champs took on the talented and hungry Rams, who were just
coming off of a 23-point blasting of State Power Chester on Tuesday. Also this was almost
a totally new cast of characters for the Braves, albeit a talented group. Needless to say,
this game had many subplots. The biggest had to be the fact that the Braves brought in 2
transfers from Southern's backyard in 6-2 Sr. G Tywain McKee (Furness) & 6-7
Sr. F Chris Seaborn (Bok). Well now I'll cut to the chase. The Braves won this one
on Sr. G Maurice Wood's off-balanced pass to 6-6 Jr. F Daziah Miller
(5-for-6 - 11 points, 9 boards) for a lay-up with 18 seconds remaining making the score
55-53. Coach Lou Biester than instructed his team to foul as they had two left to
give before going into the penalty and they did so. After the second foul, the Rams called
for time. Out of the timeout, 6-2 Sr. WG Keith Grimes (3A, 3S) took an
rushed/ill-advised runner off one foot from 17-feet away from the basket which missed
badly. Miller snagged the rebound and was immediately fouled. The Rams still had another
to give and Sr. F Ryan Williams gave it on Wood. Wood calmly drained the front end
of the one-on-one and then even more calmly drained the second to make the score 57-53.
The Rams called their final TO. Meanwhile, Grimes was whistled for an unsportsmanlike
technical. Wood went to line and nailed two more free throws. Then out of the timeout,
Grimes was T'ed up again and ejected. Wood hit two more and that was the ball game.
Staying on Wood, he played his best game ever as a Brave going for 12 Points, 5 rebounds,
8 assists & 4 steals. He was poised and calm even when the Braves were down and showed
his mettle. They'll need that from their leader all year long. Mckee was once again hard
to control. He went for 22 points, 6 boards & 2 steals. He scored mostly on feathery
jumpers. In fact, McKee may be this city's best shooters. Not to mention that he may be
one of the fiercest competitors. You could see that he wanted this one bad and he went
into the lion's den and got it. Seaborn will have better days. He played less than 10
minutes in this one because of foul trouble all of the ticky-tack variety. Srs PG Charles
Cutts (5R, 2A) & G-F Rhafique Price (8P, good defense) were keys off the
bench. Price has many of the same qualities as last year's unsung hero Todd
"Kojak" McCoy. Both are very athletic and both are thug though. If he
doesn't start, he'll finish many a game. For the Rams, it was a tough day. They are
missing some of their key bench personnel for various reasons and truly only used 6 guys
in this one. They seemed flustered in the half court sets and often took bad/rushed shots.
They shot a terrible 21-of-64 (32.9%) as a team. Srs PG Antoine "Doo Dirty"
Brown (10P, 6A, 6S) & 6-6 PF Shawn Sabb (21P, 12R) were the leaders. Both
will NEED to do more in crunch time in the big games. They are quite possibly the best
players in the league at their position and will have to show that night in and out.
AA's Notes: Again there was a solid crowd on hand to watch this nail-biter
between teams that could be hanging around in the end and they were very much into the
game especially since South Philly natives, Seaborn & McKee were in the house...
Speaking on McKee, he is the city's most underrated guard. This is a great year for guards
n the city and this guy would hold his own against any of them. You have to see him to
believe how he gets it done. He's long and lanky with an athletic build, but not a great
athlete and has a flat-footed shot from his shoulder, but it amazing never gets blocked.
It is also one of the quicker triggers you'd ever want to see. You don't average 26 a
night by accident... Bartram has two other contributors with good bloodlines in Jr. PG Marques
Carrington, the nephew of mid 80s Frankford PG Adrian "Pinky" Burke
& Sr. F Justin Lawus, the younger brother of Bartram All-Timer Tyrone Mason...
DEC. 9
NON-LEAGUE
Olney 67, Lamberton 58
I wanted to get a look at Lamberton, who took Mansion last week in
the Glen Mills Tourney and I left impressed. They fought hard on the road at Olney and
even controlled most of the first half. Olney is very good though and is making a
statement each time out to be thought of as one of the Pub's best. The most impressive
thing about this victory was how they persevered despite an off performance from team
leader Sr. PG Andrew Jerry. Again, they were led by their warrior Sr. F Erik
"Ug" Adams with 27 points (11-for-15, 5-of-5), 13 rebounds & 3 steals.
You have to love the way he handles his business though as I said it before. There can't
be anyone as efficient in the Pub. He's all business out there. 6-6 Jr. F-C Kevin Riley
is getting better every time out. Today, he went for 18 points & 9 boards including a
big time ally-oop slam off an inbounds play. I'll say this again as well, Riley is the
Pub's best athlete. He must realize this though. I really don't think this kid understands
how bright a future he could have if he puts in the work. He is very intriguing. Srs G Jarrick
Long (4A, 2S) & G-F Kevin Presberry (7R, 3A, 2S) both gave solid
contributions that were keys to victory. The Blue Devils seemed to be right in the mix
until a 13-0 run by Olney to start the 2nd half made a 31 all tie go up to a 44-31
deficit. They have nothing to hang their heads about though. Jr. PG Rob Phillips is
quicker than quick. He went for 23 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists & 3 steals. He was
hard to control to say the least. Phillips is another one of the city's sleepers and could
be one of the Pub's best guards as a senior next year. Coach Mitchell Kurtz has
likened him one of his former guys Kareem Pilgrim ('99). I see what he means.
Bookend 6-1 Sr. WGs Harold Hall & Brian Robinson are similar. Even their
numbers were almost alike. Hall has 11 points & 2 steals while Robinson had 12 and 3.
Both are very good shooters. Robinson is a West Catholic transfer. He is also a natural
scorer who seems to fit right in the Pub. He needs to take more shots. Sr. F Chris
Clahar, last year's West Catholic transfer had 11 points of his own, but he's going to
have to hit the boards (only 3 today) harder against the better teams and he knows that.
6-4 Jr. F-C Robert Green battled for a team high 9 boards amidst heavy game-long
foul trouble.
AA's Notes: Lamberton played this one without Coach Kurtz who missed school
attending the funeral of a deceased family member. He has all of our condolences. His kids
did an admirable job in his absence... Boy does Riley have bad intentions when he attacks
the basket. I just wished he played more and got more serious so that he become the player
we all know he can be... Jerry playfully rode me about listing him at 5-4 in my last
report. He says that his physical says 5-61/2. I don't know about that, but if he likes it
I love it so we'll list him at 5-6 these days. After I looked at him again, he probably
has grown an inch or so and 5-6 may be about right. My bad 'Drew... Coach John Rech
informed me that Long & Presberry were in the top 10 students in their entire
graduating class, very impressive! Long is also a ladies man. It seemed that every time he
touched the ball, the girls in the Olney cheering section went wild... Speaking of the
Olney fans. They came out today for a nice spirited crowd. It was the Pub atmosphere that
made me fall in love almost 11 years ago and its always nice to run into one of your first
loves (smile)...
DEC. 8
NON-LEAGUE
Fels 77, Kensington 72
Again I went to one of my favorite stops on the trail. As I've said
before, Kensington's two year old facility is a great place to watch a game. Its small,
but it gets loud in there when the fans come out and it seems to be one of those shooters
gyms. Today, I got to check out a good old fashion scorer's dual between Fels 6-5 Sr. G-F Dionte
Christmas (33 points, 12 Boards, 4 Assists & 3 Steals) & Kensington's
underrated Sr. G Omar Stanley (30 Points, 10 Rebs, 5 Assists & 2 Steals).
Christmas, a D-I prospect has a lot of upside. There were many transfer rumors swirling
around him all summer, but as funny as it sounds I like the fact that he stayed at Fels
after seeing them. This will only make him better being the man. If he doesn't do it, no
one will. He has to take the big shot, grab the key rebound, make the big steal, ect.
Game/body-wise, he is very similar to former King star Akeem Wright, but he's more
aggressive on offense. He even has that same young looking face/body for a senior. He also
owns one of the city's sweetest shots which he can separate space to get on his own with
his ball handling. He made 7-of-8 at the line in the 4th to put this one away. His main
help came from Sr. G Dawud Lyons with 14 points, 11 boards & 4 assists of his
own. They are a solid 1-2 combination. Sr. G-F Fareed Williams (15 points & 8
Rebs) is undersized, but very athletic. He has difference maker potential because of his
hard play. Their best guard IMO is Jr. PG Lamar Thomas (7P, 6R, 5A). He may crack
the starting line-up before long. He plays with such a calm demeanor and has a natural
feel. For the Tigers, Stanley was the man though I know he'd love to have the one lay-up
he missed back that could have taken the lead deep in this one. Nevertheless, he may have
been the game's best player. He goes roughly 5-9 170 and can penetrate on anyone. He also
is an acrobatic finisher. His rugged build, super quickness and athleticism (does back
flips & can dunk) allow him to be a very good defender. To top it all off, he's said
to be a model citizen and a solid student which is great to hear coming from a
school and neighborhood like Kensington. Needless to say, I think we've found ourselves a
sleeper folks. D-IIIs/Local Jucos (Manor, ect.) should surely give him a shot. Edison
transfer Sr. F Alex Jaysura (12P, 11R) only goes 6-0, but he owned the paint. Sr. G
Josh "Eggy" Williams, a lefty is tough and is the team vocal leader. He
nailed 5 treys for his 15 points. 6-3 So. F Reggie James (7P, 8R) is thin, but very
long & athletic. He's the team's best long range prospect.
AA's Notes: With the Pub being in a rebuilding year, this Fels team has a
shot at making the playoffs from their division. They would have had an even better shot
had impressive 6-5 So. SF Mike Ringgold not transfered to Friere Charter School
which is where F. Williams came from. Now is that an even trade?... The funny comment of
the day came in a dialogue between two of Kensington's deep subs as they watched
Christmas. Sub 1 said, "I can't believe bough a guard. He like 6-5." Sub 2
responded, "He ain't T-Mac though." (Note: Christmas was wearing NBA star Tracy
McGrady's latest sneakers)...
DEC. 5
NON-LEAGUE
North Catholic 74, Frankford 57
Not much to say here except North is greatly improved that the
Frankford was hurt by missing about 4 key contributors for various reason including their
leader Jr. PG Ryan Smith (sprained ankle). A 5th, and probably the league's most
impressive youngster, 6-2 So. southpaw WG Louis Leonard was disciplined for the
first half for a team rules violation. He did score 10 points in the 2nd half and had that
nobody in the gym can guard me look about him, but his team was down 20 at the half.
North's two headliners are Sr. WG Charlie Evans (27 points (5 treys), 3 assists
& 2 steals & So. WG Nate Edwards (23 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists & 3
steals), a transfer from Central. Everyone else knows their role and does a good job of
executing. I won't say any more as I'd like to see both teams again under better
circumstances.
AA's Notes: Don't be fooled by this score. The Pioneers will be a force in
division A and may even win it... By this time next year, Leonard will be IMPOSSIBLE to
guard. This kid can boogie. He has the total package. The rest of the Pub better beware...
I expect Evans to receive widespread D-III looks and would have to imagine he's good
student. He's a very good shooter and finishes well too. Add that to him being a very
mentally tough kid and you have a pretty good player... As always North, is one of my
favorite stops on the trail. There is no gym in the city like it. Every avid fan of
Philadelphia high school hoops needs to come take in a game there...
DEC. 4
NON-LEAGUE
Franklin 63, Overbrook 51
Man how things have changed in the Pub. Has time gone on or have
the people stopped caring about high school athletics. Only about 70 people saw this one
in Franklin's beautiful gym. Four years ago, there would have been a raucous crowd with
people coming from West Philly as well as Franklin's North Philly faithful. Is it the lack
of household names? Is it the quality of play? I don't know, but it hurts this avid
11-year fan of the Pub greatly. Maybe this'll change. I hope its soon. I remember the days
when a Public League game between two good teams was the hottest ticket in town. Oh
well... Well the game was nothing special anyway as partially because of the Panthers
being down and well to be frank the refs didn't let the teams get after it by calling
count 'em 56 total fouls (32 Brook, 24 Franklin) with 4 technicals included. The Electrons
are big, deep and dangerous. In fact, if they can get quality guard play (right now they
use a 3-headed PG), the Final 4 will not be out of reach. Their two headliners are both
6-5, give or take. They are bookend senior forwards Sedale Mason & Anwar
Rascoe (wiry strong w/ wide wingspan). Mason went for 21 points, 17 boards & 4
assists. Roscoe had 20 points & 15 rebounds of his own. They work very well together.
Both crash the boards at both ends with reckless abandon, both are unselfish & both
play extremely hard. Both will also need junior college and the bigs ones (FL, TX, KS
& CA) should take notice. Two lefties came off of the bench and lent a hand in Sr. G-F
Kenyatta Harrison (8P, 3R) & 6-2 Jr. G-F Andre Glover (6P, 6R). Glover,
for one stretch was the best player on the floor and will push for a starting spot before
long. For the Panthers, there will hopefully be brighter days. They shot a terrible
16-for-57 (28%) from the field and only 14-of-25 (56%) at the line. However, they still
had their chances even deep into the game. They are tough and scrappy. They also have 4
solid guards. Sr. G Maurice Millner struggled again going 3-for-19, 2-of-9 on treys
for 10 points. He did dish 2 assists & pluck 3 steals. His shot just isn't falling.
He's normally a very good shooter so hopefully he'll snap out of it. Sr. G Mike
Williams was their top player with 19 points, 10 rebounds & 3 steals. He plays
hard and tough for a kid that only goes 5-8 145 maybe, but he must get on the same page as
his more experienced teammates. Tiny Sr. PG Kyle Copeland (6P, 3S) didn't start
today, but came off the bench and brought his normal energy.
AA's Notes: It was truly a shame to watch this w/o much fanfare. Some of you
know what I'm talking about. The Pub used to be SOOOO glorified and nowadays... 'Brook's
Millner has struggled mightily with his shot early on. I hope he gets it together. D-IIIs
should be banging down his door. He says that he's already scored over 900 on the SAT... I
also felt happy for Franklin coach Larry Gainey. It seemed that he finally had a
group of kids that were on the same wavelength as himself. I hope it stays that way. He
could be a positive influence for a kid that wants to listen...
DEC. 3
NON-LEAGUE
Washington 62, Roxborough 53
This was an interesting contest as I wanted to see G-Dub early and
was even more eager after seeing them drop one to Audenried on Tuesday. It looked like the
same 'ol Eagles early on as the Indians jumped on them early taking command. However, on
this day the Eagles composed themselves, tightened up on D (yeah really!) and got a
quality road win playing without 3 starters. The missing starters were 6-7 Jr. F Patrick
Martin (missed school for funeral), 6-3 Jr. F Dominique Curry (preparing for
Saturday's big football game) & 6-1 Sr. WG Kevin Parkin (sick). Also its safe
to say that coach Calvin Jones is still feeling out this bunch. Out of the 14
players that dressed, 13 played and 10 gave solid contributions. It also helps when you
have one of the biggest teams in the league even without your best player. This year's
headliner will be Sr. F-C Bryon "B.J" Gaddy (8 points, 15 boards). Gaddy
goes roughly 6-5+ 225-lbs and has one of those great knacks. Even though he is the least
bit athletic, he can grab just about any rebound he wants. D-IIs should give him an early
look. He could be serviceable. Jr. guards Marc Appolon & Corey White
both came through as well as Appolon, an aggressive lefty scored all 16 of his points in
the 1st half, also 4 assists & 3 steals, while White scored all 17 of his points
(including 12 in the 4th) in the 2nd half. He also plucked 2 steals. White is very poised
& aggressive on O & D and has the looks of the team's best guard. Appolon isn't
the smartest player, but he looks to be the team's most mentally tough kid. Neither is a
true point which scares me, but both could do an adequate job. Also two other tall players
in the 6-5/6-6 range came through down the stretch in: slim Sr. SF Kyree Knight
(6P, 6R, 2B) & well-built Jr. F-C Terrance Neal (5R, good post defense). Both
will be keys all season long. The Indians were on the second leg of a scheduling snafu as
this was their 2nd game in as many days with 3 more games coming in the next 3 days.
That's 5 games in 5 days. Then they'll play again on Monday. That makes 6 games in 7 days.
Phew! Their headliner is 6-1 Sr. dead-eye WG Donte Robinson. he went for 18 points
(4 treys) & 6 boards. he has an excellent feel for the game and soft touch from deep.
Shifty Sr. PG Shaheed Rucker also played well. His line was 12 points, 7 assists
& 2 steals. He is the team's leader. Big-bodied 6-4 Jr. F Ameer Ali (6P, 7R,
5B) may be the team's best prospect. He is strong, skilled & tough. He surely needs
more touches. Jr. G-F Jared Nichols (brother of former Franklin star Jamal
(now one of the top unsigned Juco big men in the country)& current Syracuse star Hakim
Warrick) also played well. He, too has a nice feel and also brings energy &
toughness to the team. "J-Rock" ended up with 10 points and 4 assists.
AA's Notes: This was my first ever trip to the "Boro for a B-ball game.
They get great crowd support, many football players. The team plays an entertaining brand
of ball too. They share it, make the extra pass, ect. It was actually refreshing to watch.
They'll do well in their division... G-Dub could be good if the right things (solid guard
play) happen this year which almost never do for Washington hoops... The Eagle managers
tried their best to coax me into making a pick for Sunday's PL Football title game, but to
no avail. Good try though ladies...
DEC. 2
NON-LEAGUE
Mastbaum 76, Bodine 63
Its always good to get a look at the lesser lights especially when
you know that they read your stuff. Gotta support those that support you, right? Well this
Bodine squad just may steal a win or two this season. They hung through much of this one
and have good guard play. The Panthers pretty much cruised to victory behind their two
stars: Sr. G Buddy Rose & Jr. F Tariek Belcher. Rose had a career game
of 34 points on 12-of-22 (5-for-11 from trey) & 5-of-6. He started slow and then
scorched the nets with his sweet stroke. I want to see him again against better
competition, but he really looked comfortable in this one. He's always felt the game well
(5 Rebs, 6 Assts & 4 Stls), but now he's much more confident. He should get looks from
both the IIs & IIIs, not sure exactly where to place him because as I said earlier I'd
like to see him again. Belcher is a slim 6-6 forward with arms of a praying mantis. He
must have close to a 7-footers wingspan! He's super-skilled too. He can do it all from
handle, to pass, to finish with authority, to shoot with range, ect. In fact with hard
work this year on and off the court then into the summer, I see no reason why the Pub's
best kept secret shouldn't be a D-I prospect! His upside is tremendous. 'Riek finished
with 25 Points, 13 Boards & 3 Blocks. 6-4 Sr. F-C Kevin Spencer lent his hand
with 10 Boards & 5 Blocks. Jr. G-F David Pough, of football fame could also
play a key role as just as he serves Coach Murphy as a handyman on the FB field, he could
do the same for Coach Taylor on the hardwood. He has defensive stopper tendencies. The top
Ambassador is 5-9 Sr. PG Eric Pendleton (24 points on 10-of-15). Pendleton deserves
widespread D-III interest. He's a born leader, very crafty, quick with the ball and has a
decent shot albeit funny-looking. He was a shade short the first time on the SAT, but is
an above-average student at one of the City's top academic schools. I really like So. PG Tyree
Griffin, a lefty. He's a bit chunky (5-10 205), but he has some quickness and he plays
with brass. He contributed 11 points. 5-11 Sr. holdover Jawaan Montgomery hustled
for 12 points & 10 Boards.
AA's Notes: Always a fun ride a Mastbaum. The ball players were supported
heavily by the handful of FB players in attendance. I got a chance to speak with two-way
end Mark Brighter who is one the basketball team, but is out for the moment with an
ankle sprain. He said that West Chester was in the school today to check out WR/FS Jovan
Pratt, C/DE Jermaine Booker & himself. Brighter has scored a 930 on the SAT
and is hungry to get some looks. He deserves them too... Rose & Belcher will be a high
scoring tandem in the Pub. As I said earlier, Belcher would be a monster with hard work.
With his body-type and young looks, he could easily grow another 2-3 inches and that would
be scary...
DEC. 1
NON-LEAGUE
Episcopal 62, LaSalle 55
This was an entertaining affair as EA controlled this one
throughout and never even trailed, but the Explorers hung tough and fought hard cutting
the lead that was as much as 18 (43-25) to 3 late in the 4th behind the strong 4th quarter
play of Sr. G Ryan Kirk (10 of 12 in the 4th, 4 Assists). EA's success had 4
corners. They were 6-4 So. G Wayne Ellington (19 Points, 7 Rebs, 3 Steals), 6-5 So.
F Gerald Henderson (14 Points, 7 Rebs, 4 Assts, 3 Blks), Sr. G Brian Shanahan
(16 Points) & Jr. PG Dylan Brown (8 Points on 4-of-5, 7 Assists & 3
Steals). Brown, the 6th man, may have been their best overall player on the day as he made
many big plays and it showed in the stats. Another key play down the road will be 6-7
Freshman Center Mike Nealis. He's the team's tallest player & biggest body, but
he's still feeling his way. Henderson seemed to be on cruise control, but still made some
spectacular plays. If you haven't already heard about Ellington, he is a transfer from
Reading, PA and is thought of as the same caliber prospect as Henderson. I won't say
anymore. You'll just have to see for yourselves. The top Explorer is 6-4 Sr. SF Nick
Shattuck (16 pts, 10 Rebs). Shattuck is a late bloomer who'll receive widespread
interest from the IIIs and maybe even some of the IIs before long. He competes hard and is
very aggressive on the offensive end. You also have to love strong Jr. F Joe
Sobocinski's effort. He had his large hand in the comeback as well. "Sobo"
at 6-1 220 plays a physical brand of ball in the trenches. He'll be a valuable asset in
the CL North wars.
AA's Notes: LaSalle played their opener without two key pieces. For whatever reason
Coach Marty Jackson wasn't in the building. While slim 6-6 Sr. F-C Kevin Ihlein
sat this one out with a broken finger. He says he'll be out 3 more weeks... FB star Joe
Rosati serves this EA squad as the team cop and seems to love his job. He may foul out
of every game (smile)... Mark my words, by their Sr. years Henderson & Ellington may
well be the top tandem in the country and both could wind up being high school
All-Americans... The Explorers are a deep scrappy bunch that should have plenty success in
the North. They are actually pretty fun to watch...
NOV. 28
NORTHEAST TIP-OFF TOURNAMENT
#1 Olney 62, Prep Charter 55
This contest was not nearly as close as the final score indicated.
The Trojans controlled this one throughout and made a strong statement in my opinion that
they are to be reckoned with in the Pub. I wanted to see how hungry they were and how they
played together coming in. No problem on either front. The most gallant Trojan was 6-5 Sr.
F Erik "Ug" Adams (26 Points (10-of-13), 12 Boards, 5 Blocks). Is there
anyone in the city that jumps quicker than this guy or plays with more of a sense of
purpose? He lives off of garbage, never wastes a motion and finishes very well at the tin.
He will need Junior College and is already on the radar. This was one of the better games
I've seen from diminutive Sr. PG Andrew Jerry (13 Points, 5 Assists & 3
Steals). He is the unquestioned leader of this bunch. Today he just played with much more
control that in the past. If he continues to play this way, Olney could make it pretty
deep in the playoffs. 6-6 Jr. F-C Kevin Riley was impressive with 13 Boards in
limited action. This Riley is still feeling his way maturity & basketball-wise. IMO -
He's the Pub's MOST athletic specimen, no lie! Once he grows & fills out, we
could talking about a monster. Then there was the pleasant surprise of 6-3 Sr. CG Shakir
Johnson (6 pts, 6 Rebs). I don't know where he came from, but there was a stretch in
the 2nd quarter in which he was the best player on the floor. More on him later... PC just
never go themselves in sync at either end. They were down 31-51 going into the 4th and
made things respectable behind 6-4 Jr. F Jason Dogan (17 of his 23 in the 4th, also
10 boards), who was miserable for 3 quarters (3-for-13). 6-4 So. WG Rodney Green
(9P, 9R, 3A) has worlds of talent, but is still not aggressive enough for my liking.
I know he's only a Soph, but I expect more from a player of his caliber on a team with
limited options. He almost needs to be more selfish & surely needs to be more
assertive. He's still easily one of the top 5 Sophs (VERY strong class) in the league. To
the Wolves defense, they were without starting Jr. PG Bilal Rogers who was sick
with the flu. Often times, the wings & forwards had to bring the ball up and attempt
to run an offense.
AA's Notes: Back to Shakir Johnson. He is the classic Pub neighborhood
school last stander. In lay-man's terms, a guy who is known in every gym class &
playground as one of the best players at his school, but doesn't do what he is supposed to
do until his senior year. Coach John Rech says "if he passes all his classes
(day & night), he'll graduate in June." He's surely a Juco Special. I've seen a
lot of guys just like him and they thrive in Jucos. He has the total package of skills:
size, ball-handling & athleticism. Boy does he know how to finger roll and he brings
loads of aggressiveness/match-up problems to the table... Rech also had nothing but praise
for his best player, Erik Adams. It shows that he has been working extremely hard...
Former NE/Drexel star 6-9 F Brahin Riley was a his old stomping grounds checking
out his younger bro. I'd have to imagine that he'll be working hard with young Kev from
this point on... Finally, man is it fun to listen to Coach Jon Groom in action.
He's good for at least 10 brutal comments a game. The best wasn't even of the R rated
variety when he yelled to Rodney Green, "Go get the rebound, this ain't Windsor
street son. It ain't just gonna come to you."
#2 Kennedy Kenrick 57, Northeast 42
You have to feel good for the Wolverines of Kennedy Kenrick hs as this
was their first win in 31 games. Their last one came on January 25, 2002 against Cardinal
O'Hara. That's a mighty long time. Last year they went 0-24. This one was mildly easy
though Northeast made it tough in the 2nd half even without its best player, star 6-4 So.
F Rockeed McCarter (out heeling after a long FB season). KK was led by the best
player in the gym on the night 6-2 Sr. G Amarildo Matos. Check out this line: 20
points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists (could have had more) & 8 steals. Nobody has had a line
like that at NE since Kyle Lowry left Cottman Ave. two years ago. Matos, I feel is
one of the more underrated guards in the not just the City or State, but the whole East
region. He DESERVES attention from D-I coaches (Canisius only one involved at the moment).
He makes everyone around him better and sets the perfect example for how this game was
meant to be played. "Rildo has one gear and that's fast. He never stops running, he
never tires and he plays so unselfishly. He'd be scary with a more talented bunch of
running mates. Last year, it seemed as if he didn't trust them. Well he does now and it'll
be interesting to see how he does against the tough task ahead. I BET he'll turn some
heads. Jr. F Tom Amenta made the most of Matos' play with 18 points. He was
assertive and aggressive and that can't be understated. I liked So. PG Andrew Shell.
His stats weren't impressive, but I can't recall him having a turnover either and he
brings worlds of knowledge and savvy to the PG position. He could be a difference maker.
D-IIIs should take a look at 6-4 (painfully thin, maybe 155-lbs?) Sr. SF Keith Beaver
(9P, 8R). He's gangly, but skilled with the ball and could have some better days ahead. He
looks as if he isn't done growing and there is no way he's done filling out. NE was led, I
guess, by their senior starters, PG Dalian Fields (13 points, 4 steals) & 6-3
SF Will Peoples (10 points, 6 boards) who combined to shoot a horrible 11-for-33
(many bad shots, ok horrible shots). However, neither can claim to have played well.
Fields has to be a leader. He didn't have 1 assist & had more than 5 turnovers. He
also looked for his shot a bit too much. Peoples is an athletic late bloomer who could
turn some heads. My only problem with him is that he likes to hover around the perimeter
too much when he has the body & leaping ability to mix it up down low at times. Two
other Sophs will carry along at NE with McCarter for the next few years in 6-4 F Tyrone
Blassingame (8R, 3B) & 6-2 WG Derrick Lockhart (6A). Blassingame is another
jumping-jack. He seems to make hay every time out. Lockhart has the best overall feel for
the game on the team. He also owns a sweet stroke. He only took two shots here and that
can't happen for the Vikes to win.
AA's Notes: How athletic will the Viking frontline be with the return of
McCarter? Peoples, Blassingame & McCarter only go 6-3, 6-4 & 6-4, but with the way
each jumps, it'll be actually like being 6-6, 6-7 & 6-7... The 100 or so fans that
watched this night-cap were wowed by the magic of Matos. His slick passes & hard play
were a sight for sore eyes to say the least. I mean it when I say that this kid is a major
sleeper who warrants looks... This was the Vikings first game under new coach Dennis
Engelman, a former middle school coach for a quarter of a century. He's finally
getting a shot. Good luck coach. Engelman replaced coach Elsa Cohen this year who
stepped down from her post to concentrate on being just the
AD...