High Schools - It's time to showcase the area's top hoops talent
Our five categories for seniors are point guards, wing guards, small forwards, power forwards and centers. Players are categorized by the position we expect them to play in college. But remember, a player's role can depend upon the level of school he attends.
The players in "The Best" category are those we believe would be most capable of playing in Division I or the higher levels of Division II, or in a competitive junior-college program if there's a need for academic strengthening. "Others" are Division IIs or IIIs.
Our rating system: 1. big time; 2. mid-major; 3. low Division I; 4. high Division II. We have compiled a separate list of players who have already made commitments.
POINT GUARDS
The Best
Andrew Rogers, Ryan, 5-9, ballhandler
extraordinaire, quick feet, also can score, entrust your
offense to him, Army/Navy/Cornell sniffing, rating: 3-4;
Lamar Jackson, Carroll, 5-10, can dunk, thrives in
traffic, spirited/dogged, sets table, improved
jump-shooter, rating: 3-4;
Sam Starks, Bracetti, 6-foot, lefty, defines energetic,
fills stat sheet, plays for keeps, rating: 4.
20 Others
Kyle Sawyer . . . Franklin LC
Joe Hill. . . Gtn. Academy
Tyron Lytes. . . Northeast
Khalief Mason. . . Germantown
Curshawn Banks. . . Penn
William "B.J." Kearse. . . Franklin
Malik Ballard. . . Frankford
Yusef Nuriddin. . . Central
Antione "Blueberry" Singleton. . . Freire
Joe Meehan. . . SJ Prep
Eric Jones. . . Edison
Jayvon Johnson. . . Sayre
Frank Pierson. . . La Salle
Tyrell Taylor. . . Neumann-Goretti
Matt Wunderlich. . . Haver. School
Dan Hilferty. . . Episcopal
Eric Johnson. . . Math/Civics/Science
Samuel Everett-Bey. . . Dobbins
Rashad Little. . . Conwell-Egan
Matt McManus. . . Malvern
WING GUARDS
The Best
Jarrod Denard, Freire, 6-3, lefty, high-variety
scorer, gets it and goes, draws fouls, best days ahead,
JC/prep school likely, rating: 2-3;
Lenny Young, North Catholic, 6-2, has always been good
on the move, improving stand-still sniper, uses body in
traffic, heady, Albany/Quinipiac in contact, rating:
3-4;
Alibaba Odd, Gratz, 6-3, old-school tendencies yet still
explosive, improving jump-shooter, better defender,
rating: 3-4;
George Baker, Edison, 6-foot, always gets his points,
grows on you, needs just a sliver of space to launch
mini-jumper, JC/prep likely, rating: 3-4.
20 Others
Khalief Trawick. . . Franklin LC
Chris Parks. . . Bok
Eddie Frazier. . . Straw. Mansion
Karlton Byrd. . . Kennedy-Kenrick
Bob Zanneo. . . Judge
Anthony "Crip" Reese. . . Southern
Isiah Mason. . . Dougherty
Denzell Gatewood. . . Gratz
Anthony Razor. . . FitzSimons
Jim Kelleher. . . O'Hara
Zach Tansey. . . O'Hara
Mark Allen. . . Penn
Briel Scott. . . Hope
Stefan Thompson. . . GAMP
R.J. Handy. . . N. Catholic
Matt Williams. . . SJ Prep
Tyreese Wheeler. . . Bartram
Tariq Lee. . . Dobbins
Rob Siter. . . Bonner
Brandon Tondreau. . . Penn
SMALL FORWARDS
The Best
Andrew "Scootie" Randall, Comm. Tech, 6-6, polished
near-wings force, gets on glass, well-built, Temple
favored (La Salle also involved), rating: 2;
Malik Tinsley, Frankford, 6-6, very athletic, treys to
dunks 'R us, swooshes, owns baseline, no ceiling, JC/prep
likely, rating: 2;
Wes & Will Kirkland, Roman, 6-6, also identical twins in
hoops sense, shooters, Will slightly better defender,
Wes slightly better rebounder, will separate for
college, rating: 3-4.
15 Others
Hayk Gyokchyan. . . Conwell-Egan
Eric Brennan. . . W. Catholic
Antoine Reese. . . Southern
Brandon Savage. . . Dougherty
Marcus Langley. . . Phila. Elec.
Antonio Wormley. . . King
Ron Lee. . . Franklin
James Williams. . . McDevitt
Chris Cowell. . . Malvern
Marvin Smith. . . Mastbaum
Khayree Brown. . . Frankford
Tim McCarty. . . Gtn. Academy
Shane Irwin. . . Neumann-Goretti
Jordan Perkins. . . Masterman
Xavier Williams. . . Saul
POWER FORWARDS
The Best
Devon White, Straw. Mansion, 6-8, inside bulwark,
soft hands, fires outlet passes, runs floor, many
suitors, leaning to Drexel, rating: 2;
Rashad Savage, Imhotep, 6-5, rock-hard, expanding skills
set, uses left hand, make way for his dunks or get hurt,
increasing interest, rating: 3.
15 Others
Dan Comas. . . Wood
Matt Crozier. . . La Salle
Ryan White. . . Franklin LC
Acquil Cook. . . Central
Dwain Winkfield. . . King
Brandon Williams. . . Phila. Elec.
Andrew Vose. . . Judge
Mike Bradley. . . SJ Prep
Sebree Johnson. . . Gratz
Chris Kurz. . . Penn Charter
Sergino Mystil. . . W. Catholic
Jon Mason. . . Germantown
Aaron "Ace" Haye. . . Hope
Eric Bryan. . . Roxborough
Vernon Harris. . . Overbrook
CENTERS
The Best
None.
Half-dozen Others
Chris Thompson. . . Eng. and Science
Manny Jordan. . . Comm. Tech
Gary Mitchell. . . Univ. City
Mozerawah "Tadzzi" Berkel. . . Comm. Tech
Jon Saft. . . Haverford School
Greg Plasir. . . New Media
TOP 15 JUNIORS
Andre "Scooter" Gillette, Neumann-Goretti, 6-9, PF-C
Lijah Thompson, Bonner, 6-7, PF
Will Adams, Imhotep, 6-3, WG
Gary Lawrence, Chestnut Hill, 6-6, SF
Jeff Holton, Gtn. Academy, 6-7, PF
Jesse Morgan, Prep Charter, 6-4, WG
Tyree "Chuck" Harris, Prep Charter, 6-7, SF
Marcus Brown, Eng. and Science, 6-4, SF
Ferg Myrick, Prep Charter, 6-6, SF-PF
Denzel Yard, Franklin LC, 5-10, PG
Furnell Doster, Southern, 6-4, SF
Parrish Grant, Prep Charter, 6-2, PG
Jamil Brown, Lamberton, 5-11, WG
Henry Smith, Bonner, 6-5, SF-PF
Lamar Speller, Dobbins, 6-4, SF
TOP 10 YOUNGSTERS
(Sophomores Unless Noted)
C.J. Aiken, La Salle, 6-9, C
Rakeem Christmas, N. Catholic, 6-8, C (9th)
Tony Chennault, Neumann-Goretti, 6-2, WG
Daniel Stewart, Neumann-Goretti, 6-6, SF-PF
Zaahir Allen, Dougherty, 6-2, WG
Cameron Ayers, Gtn. Academy, 6-4, WG
Octavious Booker, Freire, 6-5, PF
Tyrone Garland, Bartram, 6-2, PG
Juan'ya Green, Carroll, 6-2, PG-WG (9th)
Shaquille Duncan, Prep Charter, 6-8, PF-C
ALREADY COMMITTED
The following players are off the prospects board:
Point Guards
Velton Jones, North Catholic, Robert Morris
Courtney Stanley, Roman, Loyola-Chicago
Lamar Trice, Imhotep, Mount St. Mary's
Maalik Wayns, Roman, Villanova (junior)
Charles White, Gratz, Hartford
Wing Guards
Clayton Brothers, Roxborough, Hartford
Dwayne Davis, Straw. Mansion, Morehead
Novar Gadson, Bartram, Rider
Nurideen Lindsey, Overbrook, La
Salle (junior)
Jim Mower, SJ Prep, Lafayette
Small Forwards
Miguel Bocachica, Imhotep, Long Island
Brandon Penn, Robeson, Rider
Jamal Wilson, Neumann-Goretti, Rhode Island
Power Forwards
Bilal Kelley, Bracetti, Holy Family (junior)
Jake Wasco, Franklin LC, UMBC
Center
Diyaaldin Kelley, Bracetti, Holy Family