Amauro's Corner
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    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 make reports on the MANY games he sees. You may e-mail him at Thurlbough@hotmail.com. Tell him you appreciate his hint of a smile in the new photo.

 

Notes/comments from "Amar" for spring 2002 . . .

MARCH 13
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
    
I'd like to start off this FFT Column by shouting it out, THE PUB IS BACK! If anyone watched the high level of play of the Northeast-Strawberry Mansion Title tilt they'd know that the Pub has come back. Most of the best guys will be back next year when the Philadelphia Public League gets even stronger. Yeah, the Pub will lose top notch characters like The Franchise, Blackshear, Mardy, High-Flying Myatt & The King Boyz, but returning are guys like Maureece Rice, The Biggest King Boy: Wayne Marshall, Jason Cain, Darnell Corbiit, T. Carr, Doo Dirty, Roundtree & Kyle Lowry. It will only get better.
     Speaking of some of the Pub Stars, Maureece Rice & Wayne Marshall have been getting more National Respect. Check out Bob Gibbons All Star Report (www.bobgibbons.net) as Marshall and Rice are on Evaluator/Analyst Rob Matera's list of the Nation's Top 7 Sleepers. He feels that both could turn into Big Time National Names. Matera also posted a piece in the recruiting section of www.Basketballnews.com on the Nation's Top 10 Big Men. He lists the 6-10 235-lb Marshall as one of the Nation's best. Finally our kids are beginning to get their just due.
     I will be starting a new forum as the Spring begins as I will do question and answer sessions with a different star every week. I will start this in the next few weeks so stay tuned. I'll try to get a few Srs before they graduate, but will mostly concentrate on the Underclassman. This is just something that I want to do so that our loyal readers can get to know our kids. I also will be out on the Spring/Summer trail starting with this Weekend's DeBose & Pembleton Best of Philly 16 and Under Tourney. This begins tonight at various sites. Anyone who'd like to check out the action can go to www.runhouse.com for the Full Schedule, Sites & Times. This will be where everyone can get a look at the great Sophomore Class.
     Now I would like to begin to look ahead with my own Local 2003 Sleeper Report and a look at the Great Class of Guards in the Class of 2004. Next go round, I'll analyze the Big Men and Forwards in that Class.

10 2003 Sleepers
  
Delton Morgan-Hines
6-6 F Mansion - DMH has really made a splash on the scene with the playoffs. He has proven to all that he can mix it up with the big boys. His future could be out on the wing. Many envision the long, lanky Hines growing to 6-8 and being a terror. He plays hard and never tries to do anything that he can't do. Get this: In the Final 3 Rds of the Playoffs Morgan-Hines did battle and held his own against the likes of 6-10 Wayne Marshall, 6-9 Jason Cain, 6-8 Chaz Crawford & 6-5 225-lb Troy Roundtree and came out on top after each meeting.
   Maurice "Wall" Williams 6-8 C Edison - "The Wall" was stuck in obscurity this season at Edison, but in my one sighting I was impressed. He played hard and physical. He has the body of a man and seems to have much room to grow. Also a TE on the Football Team, this kid wears a size 16 shoe and has the hands of Julius Erving. The Big Fella could be in for a breakout summer.
   Tim Young 6-3 WG Edison - Young as well suffered from the same problem as his large teammate. Edison didn't play an ambitious schedule, therefore nobody really saw them. However, Young is a slick, long, athletic wing who excels off the dribble. He also is fond of rim-wrecking slams. He is one of our City's best kept secrets.
   Brian Holsey 6-5 PF Masterman - Holsey really impressed me both the times I saw him this season. He more than held his own against the likes of Roundtree & Crawford. He gets better every day. He, too, looks as if he could have a nice growth spurt. If he does, all of the schools in Patriots/Ivy land will be out to take a look. Another one of our City's best kept secrets.
   Tyreek Byard 6-5 SF-WG FLC - I'm not so sure this kid is a secret anymore, but just in case... This kid is a prototype. His body screams Basketball Player. At times, 'Reek has proven to be explosive and at other times has drifted. If and when he puts it all together, we could be talking about a Mid Major Division 1 Player and no worse that just a Low 1.
   Michael Green 6-0 PG FLC - This kid may have invented the yo-yo. His ball handling antics are sick and his deep jumper is buttah. He also makes everything look so easy while still showing fire and toughness. He is a classic Philly Guard: Tough, Savvy & competitive. I project Green a D1 Player as well.
   Andrew Myatt 6-4 SF West Philly - also lost in the sauce at Pub Doormat, West Philly (Boy it sounds funny saying that). This kid has many of the same skills that his big brother Eugene has. He's long, wiry, athletic & skilled. Hopefully, he'll get himself in a better situation to show everybody else what he can do.
   Rashawn Dennis 6-1 WG-PG Parkway - another kid who could be on the verge of a breakout year. He's not just Bartram G Bryant Leach's best buddy, he's "Shawnie." Dennis, who I project as a PG, is long and athletic as well. He's already a very good Defensive Guard and a gamer. He pins shots to the Backboard. He also has calming influence qualities which can take a player a long way.
   Baltazar Feliciano 5-6 PG Kensington - made his Big Splash on the scene this Winter by dropping a 50 Spot on the Champs. The little guy goes and goes and goes all day. He shoots it from deep, plays hard on defense and surprisingly does a good job from the Point. Many people see all the Point that he scores, but don't see that he gets 5 or 6 Assists a night. The little guy is tough to Project and being at a school like The K makes it even tougher, but one thing's for sure and that's that this kid can play.
   Sean McKeon 6-9 PF-SF Archbishop Carroll - didn't see much action for the Pats this season, but is sustaining Lower to Mid Level D1 Interest. Why? Well he's a 6-9 Combo Forward with skill and a nice jump shot. I once compared him to Bil Phillips though he has a long ways to go to get there, he has a chance. He most turn up his intensity and learn to play harder as he looked uninspired this season.
2004 Guards
   The Class of 2004 is starting to shape into one of the Nation's best Classes in comparison to any other Big City. I already feel that our Guards are second to none. 4 PGs are really emerging into becoming Big Timers in the end and 1 other has really made a name for himself. 3 others are not really PGs, but their Futures could be at the lead position. 6-0 170 Sean Singletary (Perkiomen School, but will be invading the city next season), 5-8 160 Richard "Tabby" Cunningham (Neumann), 5-10 Kyle Lowry (Northeast) & 6-2 Antoine "Doo Dirty" Brown (Southern) will all be household names after this summer. The future is bright for 5-8 150 Chris Clark especially after his great performance in the CL Playoffs. The three others 6-2 180 Amarildo Matos (Kennedy Kenrick), 6-4 170 Bilal Benn (Cardinal Dougherty) & 6-3 190 Mark Tyndale (Frankford) could all have futures on the Point. I just hope that each and every one of them keeps their grades up so that they don't have to face that side of Recruiting because all are good enough to one day be playing in the NCAA Tournament that is going on as I write.
   Until the next time, The Trail goes on...