2010 Spring Recap

Another spring full of basketball has come to a close, and with it, a few things have happened. Some players have proven once again that they are among the best, while some showed they are well on their way to being good players. Unfortunately, some also didn’t play as well as expected or as well as they played before.

One interesting thing that is much like last year is the difference between rising seniors and underclassmen. A year ago, we noted that there appeared to be a relative wealth of talent in the younger classes compared to the class of 2010. Now, that appears to be the case relative to the class of 2011, aided by a variety of players who re-classified back a year and the best New Englander in the class of 2010 (Shabazz Napier) re-classifying back into 2010 and heading to Connecticut for next season.

As was the case last year, this is a look back at players in several different categories largely from around southern New England since that’s where most of the players I observed enough to have a feel for are from. There will be a little from outside of the region as well. Note that players’ class year is listed as the school year they just completed; after this, they will be listed with the class year they are entering in the fall.

Simply the Best

Andre Drummond (6’10″ So. PF-C, Middletown (CT) St. Thomas More) After a school season where he wasn’t the same player thanks in part to a September injury, he steadily improved during the spring to where he looked more and more like the player he was last summer. While he’s not quite at that level, he’s back to looking like one of the best players in the class of 2012 and was a big reason Connecticut Basketball Club had a great spring.

Ricardo Ledo (6’6″ So. SG-SF, Providence (RI) St. Andrew’s School) He wasn’t as good as last spring, but Ledo was again one of the best during these months as he shot the ball well from deep and is starting to harness some of the potential he showed a year ago. He’ll attend South Kent next year, which will be important because he’ll have to be a better teammate than he has been thus far.

Nerlens Noel (6’9″ So. C, Everett (MA) High) Although he basically played on one leg all spring, this long big man was dominant often and also showed nice improvement offensively. Whereas he would knock down the occasional mid-range jumper a year ago, he’s now more aggressive and has shown some signs of post scoring ability. Just imagine what he’ll do when he’s fully healthy. Next year, he will attend the Tilton School and repeat his sophomore year.

Naadir Tharpe (6’0″ Jr. PG, Worcester (MA) Brewster Academy) His play this spring was basically a continuation of what he showed during the school season. It was already clear that he could run a team, but he continued to show improvement as a scoring threat, so he’s harder to guard because defenses can’t back off him like they’re playing four on five. He backed off a commitment to Providence and has no shortage of potential suitors as July beckons.

You Know What You’re Getting

Anthony Barry (6’2″ Jr. SG-SF, Milford (MA) High) Effort is never a question with this athletic wing, and he’ll also defend every possession. The only knock is his lack of skills, although he has shown some improvement but still has a ways to go. He will repeat his junior year next year at the Brooks School, and that should only help.

Phil Gaetano (5’11″ Sr. PG, Wallingford (CT) Sheehan HS) With him, you’re getting an unselfish point guard who makes others better. He may not be very physically gifted, but there’s something to be said for how he makes everything easier for his team. A post-graduate year at Choate Rosemary Hall is in the future for this excellent student.

Derrick Gordon (6’4″ Jr. SG, Elizabeth (NJ) St. Patrick’s HS) Simply put, Gordon does things that win games, and it was evident as his team won a couple of tournaments this spring. He was the MVP in the 17-Under at the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions, and the thing about his game is that he simply finds a way to score as he’s not a great shooter, not a great athlete or an overpowering physical specimen. He simply knows how to play and win.

Imoh Silas (6’8″ Jr. PF, Plymouth (NH) Holderness Academy) Progress has come at the offensive end, although he’s still a little mechanical with the ball inside. But Silas still has a good motor and has really become a defensive enforcer inside, and that alone will get him interest at the mid-major level and perhaps a little beyond.

Good Improvement

Tavon Allen (6’7″ Sr. SF, New Haven (CT) Hillhouse HS) There weren’t many who had a better spring in New England than this lanky wing, who will do a post-graduate year at Worcester Academy next year. He’s ambidextrous, often shooting jumpers with his left hand and runners off the dribble with his right, and he made those shots quite consistently this spring. With that, he’s coming out from under the radar and a borderline Atlantic 10/Big East prospect.

Dominique Bull (6’3″ So. SG, Worcester (MA) Cushing Academy) He’s been on the radar for so long now, it can be easy to not have a sense of his progress. This spring, he got his body in better shape and looked more athletic, and he got noticeably better at all of the non-scoring aspects of his game.

Kareem Canty (6’0″ Jr. PG, Brooklyn (NY) Bishop Loughlin HS) One of the big reasons the Long Island Lightning had the kind of spring they did was his emergence. He led them to the Hall of Fame title in May in Springfield, then had a large hand in their championship at the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions, out-playing the more highly-touted Shane Larkin in an early playoff game.

Dennis Clifford (6’11″ Jr. C, Bridgewater (MA) Milton Academy) In the last year, this big man has come a long way. He always had some skills, although a back-to-the-basket game was a little lacking, and the biggest thing was that nature had to take its course physically. Now a stronger post player, he’s more aggressive and looks like a different player. He’s also still on a good upswing as the summer nears.

Kaleb Tarczewski (6’11″ So. C, Claremont (NH) St. Mark’s School) There was a lot to like about him beforehand, and he’s a very similar player. The post scoring ability and the physical play are still very much there, but the big difference is he’s more polished, especially defensively. A year ago, he got in his share of foul trouble, but he’s largely avoided that this spring.

Vince Van Nes (6’11″ Jr. C, Dorset (England) Northfield Mount Hermon) Back in the fall, it wasn’t clear he would be much of a factor on his deep school team. This spring, he’s become very much a factor, showing the skills he has and also becoming more physical and thus a factor defensively as well as offensively. That will make him one to keep an eye on this summer.

The Jury is Out

Zach Auguste (6’9″ Jr. SF-PF, Marlboro (MA) High) He had his growth spurt, and showed signs of progress all along. While he dominated at times with his school team this year, at other times he got into foul trouble. At the moment he seems a bit in between positions, although the potential is there. This summer will give some indication of whether or not he’ll fulfill the potential one would expect of someone who had a sudden growth spurt. In the fall, he will be at New Hampton Prep, repeating his junior year.

Lutheurson Bonheur (6’0″ Jr. PG, Dorchester (MA) Boston Trinity Academy) There’s always been a lot to like about him, especially his toughness and ability to handle a press. He’s even shown some pretty good athleticism. But his jumper hasn’t improved, limiting his scoring ability, and as such he has plateaued a bit.

Akosa Maduegbunam (6’3″ So. SG, Charlestown (MA) High) There’s no question the potential is there, and he’s shown it at times with a couple of big scoring games. He can shoot, which will grab the interest of college coaches. But the consistency has been severely lacking, which isn’t entirely surprising but can be a bit maddening when knowing what he is capable of.

Quietly Solid

Pat Connaughton (6’4″ Jr. SG-SF, Arlington (MA) St. John’s Prep) He doesn’t get a lot of publicity, but he can flat-out play the game and is capable of filling a stat sheet. Although he can put up a lot of points, he’s far from selfish and has shown he can win games.

Shaquille Jones (6’4″ So. SG-SF, Providence (RI) Hope HS) In some respects, he’s the quintessential BABC player right now in that he plays very well within the team concept and by himself might not stand out at first. He’s an above-average athlete, isn’t spectacular and doesn’t have one thing he does that he hangs his hat on, but he does a lot of things well and shines on his team.

Georges Niang (6’7″ So. PF, Methuen (MA) Tilton School) The reason he has emerged is simple: he knows what he is. He finds the ball at both ends and puts up good scoring and rebounding numbers as a result. Add in an improved touch from mid-range when he gets shots, and he’s looking like a better prospect, especially if he can continue to improve his conditioning.

Jules Tavares (6’2″ Jr. SG, Wareham (MA) High) This spring, he emerged as one of the better defenders in the region, as he often guarded the opponent’s best perimeter player and had his share of success. His offense is still improving as well and he’s the same unselfish player he was, and he’ll try to continue the improvement next year at Wilbraham & Monson.

Leaving Something to be Desired

Michael Carter-Williams (6’3″ Jr. SG, Hamilton (MA) St. Andrew’s School) While he has improved his in-between game and handles the ball better, it appears that he’s done that at the expense of his shooting, which was what first got him noticed. Lately, he hasn’t shot the ball as well as he once did, although he’s had a few good games. If he can regain a consistent touch to go with his other improvements, he’ll look like a nice get for Syracuse, where he committed.

Trey Jones (5’9″ Jr. PG, Mattapan (MA) Reading Memorial HS) This spring was to be his chance to break out from under the radar, playing with a new team. Unfortunately, it didn’t go quite so well, as he wasn’t the pass-first point guard he needs to be, forced up shots and has a shot release that at his size will lead to jumpers getting swatted by good defenders.

Chris Sherwood (6’3″ Jr. SG-SF, Sharon (MA) Brimmer & May School) A year ago, he had a big spring and came a long way. That, and the fact that he’s a great kid, makes it tough to put him here. But this time around, it wasn’t nearly as good, as he had his moments but didn’t have same kind of progress.

Future Stars

Kuran Iverson (6’8″ Fr. SF-PF, Hartford (CT) Northwest Catholic HS) When he figures out the game, he’s going to be a special player. The tools are already there for it to happen: athleticism, scoring off the dribble, long range shooting, and he can own the boards when he wants to. Right now, though, he doesn’t know the game yet, so he tends to settle for jumpers too often, but once he figures that out he’ll be tough to stop.

Kaleb Joseph (6’1″ Fr. PG, Nashua (NH) South HS) Still a baby physically, he’s almost too unselfish at times, especially when he’s making shots like he was at a recent tournament. His passing ability along with his physical gifts make him a solid prospect, but if he develops a consistent jump shot – and he’s a very coachable kid so there’s reason to believe he will – he’ll be very tough to guard.

Jeremy Miller (6’8″ Fr. C, Milton (MA) High) The young big man has a lot of length he will bring to Milton High in the fall, and right now he can use it to block shots and clean up the glass. The biggest thing he’ll need to do to harness the potential he’s shown is get the motor going consistently, as he doesn’t seem to have a great one but can dominate defensively when he wants to.

Ike Ngwudo (6’5″ Fr. SF-PF, Milton (MA) Academy) An intriguing prospect, right now he looks like a combo forward, but he could become much more. If he grows, he could play both spots, but he’s athletic and has some length, along with some decent ball skills, to make one think he could one day be a good small forward.

2010 Hoopville Elite 8 – Final Notes

BOSTON – We have some last notes from the Hoopville Elite 8. It was a weekend with a lot of good basketball in all of the high school age groups, ending with some good championship games on the last day.

• The Expressions Elite 16-under team got some solid play from Jared Terrell (6’1″ Fr. SG, Weymouth (MA) High). The well-built guard played good defense and had a 15-point outing early Saturday.

• One of the more promising prospects we saw on Sunday was Ike Ngwudo (6’5″ Fr. SF-PF, Milton (MA) Academy). Ngwudo caught the eyes of many as he’s long, was a big factor inside and has nice ball skills for the stage he’s at. On a couple of occasions, he caught the ball at the foul line and skillfully drove to get a layup, and it didn’t hurt that he showed he can knock down jumpers from that area as well.

• Ramon Gibbons (6’0″ Fr. SG, Charlestown (MA) High) had his moments, but all in all has played better than he did this weekend. The one thing that stood out was his tendency to slow down when he’s approaching the basket, even on a fast break and has the opposing players beat. Rather than continue to go and finish right by the basket, it’s as if he was trying to go up and come back down in the same spot, and it cost him several layups.

• BABC’s 16-under team wins games for a lot of reasons, especially the chemistry the team has. But point guards go a long way toward winning, and Jaylen Brantley (5’9″ So. PG, Springfield (MA) Central HS) once again showed this weekend that he’s a very good one. He started out with 23 points on Friday night and added four three-pointers en route to 22 on Saturday.

• One player whose improvement might not leap out at the average observer is Georges Niang (6’7″ So. PF, Methuen (MA) Tilton School). The biggest reason is that he has figured out what he is and plays to it very well, and as a result, he impacts the game when he’s out there. He simply finds the ball at both ends and gets his share of stickbacks and other close field goals to go with the occasional mid-range jumper. He had games of 13 and 11 points in pool play.

• Watching that BABC team, you can’t help but appreciate how fundamentally sound Andrew Chrabascz (6’6″ So. SF-PF, Portsmouth (RI) High) is. He doesn’t try to do too much, plays well within the team concept and helps teams win.

• The 15-under MYCW team had a promising guard playing up. Matt Costello, who will attend St. John’s Prep in the fall, just finished the eighth grade and averaged 14 points in three games. He showed a nice stroke from long range, and his play was highlighted by a 17-point outing against Expressions Elite on Saturday.

• Another promising young guard was Malik Houghton (Fr. PG, Boston (MA) City on a Hill School), who closed out his weekend with a 16-point outing against Mass. Evolution on Saturday night.

• Jeylani Dublin (6’5″ Sr. SF-PF, Millbrook (NY) School) is still looking for a college next year. A very good student who has shown marked improvement this spring, he had a 17-point outing in his team’s tough loss at the buzzer on Saturday. Prep school is a possibility if the right college opportunity doesn’t present itself soon.

2010 Hoopville Elite 8 – Sunday Notes

BOSTON – Sunday was a day of championships to close out the Hoopville Elite 8 Tournament. Four games were played one right after the other in the high school age groups, and all were good matchups.

The 14-under final that opened the day proved to be the best game, as Expressions Elite and the Boston Spartans met in a rematch of the state AAU final just over a month ago. The teams traded early runs in what would be a tight game throughout, and each had their ways of scoring and holding the other team at bay in a great contrast of personnel and styles. Expressions used their size and 2-3 zone to slow down the Spartans, while the Spartans put the pressure on Expressions’ ball-handlers (especially minus injured point guard Pat Benzan) and created turnovers that led to baskets.

Expressions dominated inside, with future Milton High School big man Jeremy Miller blocking and altering shots and Jared Reuter, who will attend St. Mark’s, scoring in several ways in close and rebounding as the Spartans had no answer for him. Spartans guards like Damion Smith and Mike Rodriguez, who are among several on the team who will attend West Roxbury High School in the fall, made life difficult for the Expressions guards.

Expressions had a 54-53 lead in the final minute when they got the ball to Reuter and he drove around a couple of Spartans for a layup with less than 40 seconds left to put them up 56-53. After a late defensive stop and a foul, a missed front end of a one-and-one gave the Spartans one last chance. Expressions fouled a Spartan after the inbound to put him on the line with 1.4 seconds left, and after making the first and intentionally missing the second free throw, the ball was knocked around and the final 1.4 ran off to give Expressions Elite a 56-54 win.

Reuter led the winners with a game-high 31 points, scoring by backing players down and dribbling around defenders to get from the foul line to the block for scores. A balanced effort for the Spartans was led by 16 points from Markus Neale (West Roxbury (MA) High) and Rodriguez and 14 points from Smith.

The 15-under final was up next, and it was clear during the first half that one player wanted this game more than anyone else. As BABC and Expressions Elite battled in a back-and-forth game, Wayne Selden (6’3″ Fr. PG-SG, Roxbury (MA) O’Bryant HS) was being very aggressive at the offensive end. While Selden said after the game he knew they would have more driving lanes without their starting big man, that alone couldn’t explain how he grew up as a player in this one as he’s often shown an inconsistent motor despite having some clear talent.

BABC didn’t play the way they wanted to as Expressions largely controlled the pace, but down the stretch it was Selden and BABC that made the plays to take home a 68-56 win. Selden finished with a game-high 26 points and had a big offensive rebound off a missed free throw that helped them pull away late.

The 16-under final was all BABC, as they scored the first 10 points of the game against a depleted Expressions Elite team that was without three frontcourt regulars en route to an 89-41 win. BABC was without two guards that were injured, but they had a good size advantage that they took full advantage of along with their terrific team chemistry to take this one home behind a big game from Nerlens Noel (6’9″ So. PF-C, Everett (MA) High).

The 17-under final was a tale of two halves between the Long Island Lightning and Expressions Elite. The Lightning warded off a strong start by Expressions by getting points off turnovers, then they were the tougher team for much of the half to take a 10-point lead late in the opening frame and a 37-29 edge at the half. They continued that early in the second half, before Expressions Elite came alive with a 17-1 run that gave them the lead for good, and their defense was better down the stretch as they took home the title with a 71-62 win. Ricardo Ledo (6’6″ So. SG-SF, Providence (RI) St. Andrew’s School) led Expressions Elite with a game-high 19 points.

Stay tuned for one more notes column looking back at the Hoopville Elite 8 Tournament.

2010 Hoopville Elite 8 – Saturday Notes

BOSTON – Saturday of weekend tournaments like the Hoopville Elite 8 are always long days, and this one was no different. Some junior high games got the day rolling, and the high school kids took it home in grand fashion as the last games of the evening were all consolation games but were among the best of the day. Three of the four games that started at 9 p.m. were decided in the last minute and the fourth was still a single-digit game.

Here are some highlights of the day:

• An early 16-under game between Expressions Elite and Bomb Squad was a dandy. Expressions had a good lead in the first half, but Bomb Squad never stops competing and this game was no exception as they rallied to eventually take a 46-40 lead. Expressions had their chances to come back but couldn’t capitalize until late – almost too late, as they won at the buzzer 52-51.
• Bomb Squad would eventually pull out a later game, 56-45 over the Greater Boston Lions. Curtis Howe’s team got nice efforts from players like his son Curtis Howe II (So. PG-SG, West Roxbury (MA) Cathedral HS), who had a nice shooting game against Expressions Elite with four three-pointers en route to 16 points, and Keandre Stanton (6’6″ So. PF, Lynn (MA) English HS), who is long and battled inside and had 13 points in the morning loss.
• The Expressions 17-under entry cruised to two wins in their pool. A key to the first win was the excellent play inside of Imoh Silas (6’8″ Jr. PF, Plymouth (NH) Holderness Academy) as he showed his great motor and disrupted the Greater Boston Lions’ offense with blocks, deflections and boards.
• Silas’ opposite number, Jacquille Taylor (6’7″ Fr. PF-C, Cambridge (MA) Rindge & Latin), showed some nice progress this weekend. His body is maturing, he’s showing improvement on his post scoring although his footwork still leaves something to be desired, and he’s showing a better feel for the game. Evidence of the last point came when he caught the ball near the corner and fired off an excellent pass to a teammate for a layup.
• Taylor’s teammate Franklin Salvador (Sr. SG, Somerville (MA) High) had a big hand in keeping them close in the loss to Expressions Elite, as he had three three-pointers that included a couple down the stretch as his team tried to come back.
• A young Expressions player who has played well is Kaleb Joseph (6’1″ Fr. PG, Nashua (NH) South HS), picking up right where he left off on Friday night. Besides his passing ability and unselfish play, he’s starting to hit jump shots as he hit a few three-pointers on Saturday and even hit a nice stop-and-pop jumper from mid-range, the kind of plays that will make him that much tougher to guard. He had 15 points while playing up in the 16-under against Bomb Squad, including a clutch three-pointer that tied the game late.
• In the 14-under division, the expected matchup for the final materialized as Expressions Elite and the Boston Spartans won all of their games by double digits. It will be a rematch of the Massachusetts AAU final last month, which was won by Expressions Elite (then Bay State Jaguars Elite).
• Mount Vernon Boys & Girls Club handed the Greater Boston Lions a heartbreaking loss in 17-under when Anthony Walker (Jr. SG, Mt. Vernon (NY) High) hit a three-pointer as time expired for a 61-58 win. Walker finished the game with four three-pointers en route to 25 points.
• All For One went 2-1 on the weekend in the 16-under division, finishing with a late 82-71 win over New York-based Mount Vernon Boys & Girls Club on Saturday night. They were led by scorer Kenny Reed (So. SG, Roxbury (MA) Reading Memorial HS) and wing Tyrese Hoxter (So. SF, South Boston (MA) High), the latter of whom is lanky, active and athletic, but also showed some bad body language a couple of times that he’ll have to improve on.
• In one of the last games of the night, MYCW’s 15-under team gave a good effort in a 49-44 loss to Mass Evolution in a very competitive game. Leading the way was Alijiah Robinson (Fr. SF-PF, East Boston (MA) High), who impressed in a prior viewing in May and looked even better this time around. The long frontcourt prospect showed a great motor and really got after it, getting blocks and finishing aggressively en route to 14 points.
• Mass Evolution has their share of nice young prospects that showed well in their late win. Mabor Gabriel (Fr. PF, Manchester (NH) Trinity HS) is the best of them, a long and athletic post player who’s a baby physically, raw and very much a “potential” kid right now. While he falls into the trap of trying to block everything, he has two things that are important for a young post player: a good motor and a feel for the game. Nate Clark (Fr. SG, Reading (MA) Memorial HS) hit four three-pointers en route to 15 points on the evening. Johnnie Spears (Fr. PG, Georgetown (MA) High), the younger brother of St. Mark’s guard Jaymie, is a quick point guard who really gets after it on the defensive end. He has a better motor than his brother and looks like he can turn steals into layups more as he gets stronger, as he almost did that a couple of times but one time dished off to a teammate and other times just couldn’t quite finish. Steve Carangelo (Fr. SF, Lynnfield (MA) High) started for his high school varsity team this past season and battled inside at times on Saturday, and the staff is high on him.
• In another 9 p.m. Game in the 15-under, the New York Panthers had a double-digit lead for a time before the Rhode Island Hawks battled back to eventually tie the game at 61, then score three more unanswered points to take home a 64-61. In a late 17-under game at the same time, the Greater Boston Lions held off Montreal United 44-43.

Sunday is the day of championship games. The first one is the 14-under final at 9 a.m., and each game after that is the title game for the next age group until the 17-under final at 1 p.m.

2010 Hoopville Elite 8 – Friday Notes

BOSTON – The first day of the Hoopville Elite 8 got things started with seven games, and there was plenty to talk about with them. Some of the highlights:

• The best game of the evening in the high school age divisions was unquestionably an early 16-under matchup of All For One and Bomb Squad. It was another meeting between two programs full of Boston kids that have had a pretty good rivalry in recent years, meeting several times in state and regional AAU competition, and it lived up to the billing. The game was close throughout, and still tied at 40 late before All For One scored the last four points for a 44-40 win. Talented guard Kenny Reed (So. SG, Roxbury (MA) Reading HS) led the winners with 14 points.
• In the 14-under division, the Brockton Mavericks gave Expressions Elite a ballgame for a while, but Expressions broke the game open in the second half to take home an early win.
• The Expressions Elite 15-under team won their opener over MYCW. One thing is for certain about point guard Kaleb Joseph (6’1″ Fr. PG, Nashua (NH) South HS): he will never be considered a ball hog, as he’s almost unselfish to a fault. At times he passed up shots he should have finished, but that’s a pleasant problem to have in addition to the physical gifts he has.
• BABC won both of their games, with the 16-under team coasting over the Greater Boston Lions thanks largely to playing their game and great teamwork. It’s clear that this team’s experience playing together, especially playing up in the Nike EYBL, is a big reason for their success thus far. They don’t lack talent, but they’re not loaded, either.
• Blackstone Valley Chaos gave BABC a good game at the end of the night in the 15-under division. BABC broke the game open when they scored 13 unanswered points in the first half to go up 38-19, but Blackstone Valley rallied behind several three-pointers, including a few from Mark DeVries (Fr. SG, Uxbridge (MA) High), who has a reputation for being able to hit the outside shot. They eventually got within single digits a couple of times before BABC pulled away late.
• Colin Richey (Fr. PG, Whitinsville (MA) Christian School) had a solid 18-point outing against BABC and showed why he’s a player to watch, as he’s very comfortable using his left (off) hand and finds ways to score using his good basketball I.Q. The biggest thing he lacks is strength, and he’s working on that while part of it is that his body just needs to mature naturally. When that’s the biggest knock on a player, he’s clearly a talent.

Coming up on Saturday is a full day of action, starting with games featuring two junior high age groups at 8:30 in the morning. Once the afternoon arrives, the high school kids take over, including the 17-under teams as they start play a little past noon and culminate with second and third place games at the end of the day.

Competitive Rumble in the Bronx Highlights Busy Weekend

BRONX, N.Y. – On a busy weekend in the world of grassroots basketball, the main team event was the Rumble in the Bronx. It’s a tournament with plenty of history and in an area that has produced its fair share of great players over the years. As usual, it was very competitive all around with a few overtime games mixed in.

The 15-under final was close throughout, with the host Albany City Rocks pulling out a 53-48 win behind 24 points from Jordan Gleason (Fr. SG, Watervliet (NY) High).

In the 16-under final, BABC led for most of the first half, although the PA Playaz stayed within striking distance much of the time. A strong finish to the first half helped BABC go up by double digits at the break, then in the second half they turned turnovers into easy baskets and broke the game open en route to a 78-51 win. The offensive star was Nerlens Noel (6’9″ So. PF-C, Everett (MA) High) with a game-high 23 points, while Georges Niang (6’6″ So. PF, Methuen (MA) Tilton School) added 12 off the bench. The game was won with defense as BABC held star guard Ryan Arcidiancono (6’3″ So. PG-SG, Langhorne (PA) Neshaminy HS) to just three points, two weeks after he averaged over 32 per game at the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions.

The 17-under final went back and forth between East Coast Elite and Connecticut Basketball Club, the latter fresh off a dramatic overtime win in the semifinals. Both teams had some momentum swings, though neither team ever had a big advantage with East Coast Elite being stronger late in the game in a 63-58 win behind 28 points from A.J. English (6’3″ Jr. SG, Middletown (DE) Appoquinimink HS).

Now, a look at some of the players who competed this weekend.

Devonta Abron (6’8″ Jr. PF, Seagoville (TX) High) It doesn’t take long for him to catch an observer’s eye, as the lefty forward has a good post body. He scored inside on some good post moves and also showed the ability to hit a cutter for an easy basket. Although he played well, one gets the feeling he’s a better player than he showed.

Tavon Allen (6’7″ Sr. SF, New Haven (CT) Hillhouse HS) Although he’s had an excellent spring, this weekend wasn’t the best of it although he certainly had some highlights. Notably, in the semifinal win, he struggled for much of the game before turning it on in the final minutes to force overtime with two big three-pointers, including one from the corner to tie it, as well as a breakaway basket. Where he really struggled was in shooting off the dribble, as he came up short on a number of those shots and also looked different from before, as he usually shoots his jumpers with his left hand and runners with the right but took a lot of his jumpers off the dribble with his right hand. High-major-minus prospect will do a prep year at Worcester Academy.

Kazembe Azif (6’7″ Jr. PF, Lawenceville (NJ) School) There probably wasn’t a player here with a better motor than this left-handed forward. A live body, he’s always competing at both ends and scored in several ways, from a drive starting at the foul line for a layup to a turnaround post jumper and a shot from about mid-range. His offensive game isn’t great right now, but the way he competes gives one reason to believe he can develop it. Mid-major plus/high-major minus prospect.

Aaron Calixte (5’9″ Fr. PG, Stoughton (MA) High) In a nice win on Saturday night, his continued improvement was apparent. He continues to come off the bench for his team and constantly give them a lift, as he has a good motor and was active at both ends to go with scoring 13 points. At different times he’s shown different facets of his scoring ability, and here it was the in-between game that was highlighted by a nice baseline runner over a big man that dropped for him.

Renee Castro (6’2″ Fr. SG, Milton (MA) Beaver Country Day School) This young guard is starting to grow up as a player, as he’s putting the finishing touches on a good spring. Already able to score, he’s shown improvement handling and passing the ball and also is starting to show a little more of a touch from long range as well.

T.J. Curry (6’0″ Sr. PG-SG, Queens (NY) Christ The King HS) Although his size dictates that he plays the point at the next level, he might be able to get looks at a low level with his shooting if this weekend is any indication. He came in off the bench and basically couldn’t miss, hitting one jumper after another both off the catch and off the dribble, scoring 18 points in one game with most coming in the second half.

Marcus Dawkins (6’4″ Jr. SF, Reading (PA) Central Catholic HS) An athletic wing with some really good upside, he flew under the radar but is a nice prospect. He has a good frame and body, and the lefty really came alive during one stretch of an early Saturday win for his team as he made a nice baseline drive and dunk on one play and later finished the break with a tough shot while getting fouled. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.

Jevaune Dawson (5’11″ Jr. PG, White Plains (NY) Satellite Academy) Quick point guard was able to slash to the basket to score, and he also got a stickback while inside with the trees. Away from the basket, his shots included one from long range, and if he can do that consistently he’ll be tougher to guard.

Kevin Douglas (6’5″ Jr. SF-PF, New York (NY) Frederick Douglass Academy) He probably projects more as an undersized power forward than a wing or combo, as he doesn’t have the best ball skills and isn’t the most athletic player. He can finish, with most of his field goals coming close to the basket, isn’t a bad rebounder and has a good body, and he also took some tough shots that he might have been better off passing up.

Andre Drummond (6’10″ So. PF-C, Middletown (CT) St. Thomas More) This weekend wasn’t his finest hour, but as one might expect he showed some of his ability. When he stayed inside, he showed good post moves and also made a couple of nice interior passes. At the defensive end, he wasn’t himself, fouling out in the semifinal with a lot of time to play in part because of a couple of dumb fouls.

Greg Easter, Jr. (6’1″ Fr. SG, Little Rock (AR) Pulaski Heights HS) A good scoring wing, he knocked down some three-point shots and also showed the ability to drive in helping to lead his team to the 15-under final. He reached double figures in scoring a couple of times along the way.

A.J. English (6’3″ Jr. SG, Middletown (DE) Appoquinimink HS) He came up big in the championship game for his team, and it’s not hard to see why. He has a good body that can still get better, shot the ball well and showed a feel for being able to simply score.

Eric Fanning (6’5″ Jr. SF, Trenton (NJ) High) A physical wing, his body isn’t there yet but he was aggressive driving to the basket and drew contact often. He can finish close, including while fouled, and got out in transition several times while playing bigger than his size.

Phil Gaetano (5’11″ Sr. PG, Wallingford (CT) Sheehan HS) One of the reasons his team has had a great run of success this spring has been his floor leadership, and it was quietly on display this weekend. He competes all the time and knows how to find teammates, and while he at times struggled to make shots he seems to knock enough down to keep defenses from thinking his team is playing four-on-five offensively. Next year, this excellent student will do a prep year at Choate Rosemary Hall.

Sterling Gibbs (6’0″ Jr. PG, West Orange (NJ) Seton Hall Prep) Forget all the attributes and numbers we could give on this solid floor leader, even though there were some good things he did. Nothing will top what he did in a big playoff win for his team, where he got poked in the eye so badly you could look at him and know it happened hours later. After he sat on the bench for a while after it happened, he came back into the game and hit two big three-pointers to seal the win. The Maryland commit ran the show well, finished drives and played like a consummate winning point guard.

Malcolm Gilbert (6’11″ Jr. C, Bryn Athyn (PA) Academy of the New Church) A big factor in the championship game, he didn’t score at all but more than held his own against some formidable inside players. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he had a double-double with blocked shots and rebounds, as he has a mature post body and used it well inside.

Maurice Harkless (6’7″ Jr. SF, South Kent (CT) School) He started the weekend well with some solid games in pool play, as he put up some good point totals including a 25-point outing we saw. Later, though, he faded, with other players picking up the slack as his team advanced. Not the most athletic forward, he scored well from mid-range and with the in-between game. High-major/high-major-minus prospect has committed to Connecticut.

Anphernie Harris (6’5″ Fr. SF, Little Rock (AR) Hall HS) There’s a good deal of physical upside in this young wing, as he’s barely more than a baby physically but showed some good tools. He’s athletic and knocked down some mid-range jumpers, and as he fills out his development will be worth following.

Max Hooper (6’6″ Jr. SG, Irvine (CA) Mater Dei HS) Good size wing shot the ball well all weekend long to help his team reach the quarterfinals. He has a good frame and mature body, and when he got open he was making shots from deep off the catch with regularity. Mid-major prospect will play at Brewster Academy next year.

Deonte Houston (6’0″ Jr. PG, Bronx (NY) Wings Academy) In an early Saturday win for his team, he used his body well as he drove to the basket for scores all game long en route to 15 points. He’s not a jet and his body isn’t fully mature yet, and his aggressiveness was on display often, although he didn’t show all-world playmaking ability.

Anthony Jernigan (6’0″ Jr. PG, East Hartford (CT) High) Playmaking point guard made things happen for his team by driving and creating often. He’s not a jet, but has above-average quickness and can find his way inside to try to score or find a teammate, and he did just that in scoring 13 points and getting teammates some shots in an early game. Mid-major prospect.

Kindell Kinloch (6’8″ Fr. PF, Bronx (NY) St. Raymond’s HS) It’s unfortunate that he didn’t get the ball much, because he’s a prospect to keep an eye on. He has a mature body for his age that can mature more, as well as some length, and he often battled for position inside to the point where there was, understandably, some visible frustration when they didn’t throw the ball to him.

Greg Langston (6’4″ Sr. SF-PF, Lee (ME) Academy) There might not be a better example of an undersized power forward than him, a classic example of a player who might be a big-time prospect if he was about four or five inches taller. As it is, he’s capable of imposing his will on the game because he’s skilled and plays hard all the time, overcoming not only his lack of height at times but also the fact that his body has a fair amount of bad weight on it.

Khalid Lewis-El (6’3″ Jr. PG-SG, Trenton (NJ) Catholic Academy) A solid floor leader, he made his team go by creating for teammates and forcing the action. He won’t jump out at you with physical gifts, but he made things happen and passed the ball well to get his teammates going.

Derek Millinghaus (5’10″ Jr. PG, Schenectady (NY) High) Well-built point guard had a nice showing in large part by using his body and quickness to be effective. When he can get a good head of steam going to the basket, he’s tough to stop, especially since he has the strength to ward off defenders. He went for 21 points in a tough playoff loss for his team on Sunday.

Malik Nichols (6’5″ Jr. SF, Brooklyn (NY) Boys and Girls HS) Lefty wing isn’t the most fluid athlete, which limits his in-between game to a degree. His ball skills aren’t bad and he showed the ability to hit from long range, although that’s not his forte. He’s more of a scorer than a shooter with his good body, and his relative lack of fluidity is why it was a little surprising when he drove and dunked right on his man on one play.

Nerlens Noel (6’9″ So. PF-C, Everett (MA) High) The young man has basically played on one leg for much of the spring, but he’s growing up as a player and it’s especially evident offensively. In going for 23 points, he continued to show more aggressiveness at that end in addition to finishing the break when he got out in transition. He’s still not there yet physically as he continues to grow, and now that he will re-classify into the class of 2013 there’s that much more upside for him.

Chuck Oliver (6’0″ Jr. SG, Scotch Plains (NJ) High) He won’t pass the look test, as he’s undersized for his position and doesn’t have the best body, but he shot the ball well all weekend long. If he can shoot it more like he did here and get into better shape, he might get some looks as an undersized shooting guard.

Kahron Ross (5’8″ Fr. PG, Jonesboro (AR) Annie Camp Middle School) Small point guard really made his team go and was perhaps the biggest reason they reached the 15-under final. He has a good motor and drives often, finding teammates and scoring on other occasions, as he didn’t shoot it much in our observation.

Tevon Saddler (6’2″ Fr. PG-SG, Aberdeen (MD) High) Athletic guard has some talent for both guard spots. His passing stood out more than his scoring in a quarterfinal game his team lost, and at times he might have been a little too unselfish. At first glance, he doesn’t appear to have the same toughness his older brother has, although that’s not a major knock because his brother scores very high in that category.

Jerel Scott (6’5″ Jr. SF, Albany (NY) Bishop Maginn HS) A good rebounder for his position, he has a good body and uses it well on the glass. In a tough playoff loss, he struggled to score as he didn’t reach double figures.

Jeff Short (6’3″ Jr. SG, Bronx (NY) South Kent School) He flew under the radar a bit on his team, but had a solid weekend leading them deep into the playoffs largely with his shooting. His body’s not there yet, but he can get by a defender although he didn’t look to do that often here. He went for 18 in one playoff win and generally shot the ball well over the weekend.

Jherrod Stiggers (6’5″ Jr. SG-SF, Terrell (TX) High) Athletic wing was around the ball often and led his team into the playoff rounds. He showed a quick release, which helped him score with jumpers off the catch from mid-range and long range, and that showed up in an 18-point outing with four three-pointers in a late pool game.

Kaleb Tarczewski (6’11″ So. C, Claremont (NH) St. Mark’s School) In a very physical playoff game on Saturday night, he was right at home as he battled inside all night long. He blocked some shots, got rebounds, and even ran the floor a couple of times to score. Since he started playing up, he’s made a marked improvement, largely because he gets the ball enough times to get scoring opportunities.

Michael Taylor (6’3″ Jr. SG, Brooklyn (NY) Boys and Girls HS) Although he doesn’t have one area he can hang his hat on in being very good at, he’s at least good at several things offensively. He looks more like a scorer than a shooter offensively, and he put up 16 in an early Saturday win that included a three-pointer off the dribble among the few jumpers he put up.

P.J. Torres (6’3″ Jr. SG, New Rochelle (NY) High) A wing with a relatively mature body, he came to play and made a big impact in a Saturday win for his team as he was a key to his team create turnovers and getting transition baskets out of them. He constantly attacked the basket to score, while also knocking down a couple of three-point shots en route to 17 points, and his aggressive play epitomized what his team did. Mid-major prospect.

Vince Van Nes (6’11″ Jr. C, Northfield (MA) Mount Hermon) An improved big man, he has a good body and isn’t lacking in skills but is now starting to really show it. He missed a few close baskets early in late playoff games, but was better later on at the offensive end and was a factor defensively.

Anton Waters (6’6″ Fr. SF-PF, Baltimore (MD) Walbrook HS) Lanky forward wasn’t quite the factor he was when we saw him a couple of weeks ago, although there were still things to like. His body’s not there yet, but he’s quick off his feet and pretty active, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he winds up one day being able to play some of both forward spots.

Tanner Wozniak (6’5″ Jr. SG, St. Petersburg (FL) Keswick Christian School) He’s not the most athletic wing, but he has good size and a nice stroke that he had on display in an early Saturday game. In a losing effort, he hit six three-pointers en route to 24 points, and with his size and ability to shoot he’ll have plenty of suitors at the next level.

Stephen Zach (6’10″ Jr. C, Lewisberry (PA) Red Land Senior HS) Post player showed some good fundamentals inside, which bodes well if he can come along physically. His body isn’t there yet and not all of his weight is good weight, but he showed some scoring ability and made a nice outlet pass one time off a rebound.

Other players who caught our attention:

O’Shawn Bannister (6’8″ Jr. PF, Hartford (CT) Weaver HS)

Kris Dunn (6’2″ So. SG, New London (CT) High)

Jayon James (6’5″ Jr. SF, Brewster (NY) High)

Lucious Jones (6’5″ Jr. SF, Jersey City (NJ) St. Anthony’s)

Moussa Kone (6’7″ Jr. PF, New York (NY) Frederick Douglass Academy)

Blaise Mbougorba (7’0″ Jr. C, Newark (NJ) St. Benedict’s)

Greg McKillion (6’6″ Fr. PF, Blytheville (AR) High)

Luke Mergerson (6’7″ Jr. PF, Duncanville (TX) High)

Keaton Miles (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Dallas (TX) Lincoln HS)

Luke Pietrowski (6’11″ Jr. C, Egg Harbor (NJ) Atlantic Christian)

Mike Zangari (6’9″ So. PF, Lewisberry (PA) Red Land Senior HS)

2010 Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions Recap

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions was held its customary area this Memorial Day weekend, bringing together 128 teams in the three main high school age groups in a very well-run event. Every team has had strong showings in at least one tournament over the course of the year, so it’s always competitive and has some unexpected outcomes as well. This year’s event had some excellent individual talent at the top of each class, although the depth wasn’t what it has been in some other years of the tournament.

Before we get to the championship results, we want to mention that Bob Gibbons ran this fine tournament with a heavy heart as on Sunday morning he shared with everyone the news that his mother passed away on Saturday. Our thoughts and prayers are with Bob and his family at this time.

The 15-Under Select final was close for most of the game. Around the halfway point of the second half, the Wisconsin Playground Warriors opened up a 47-37 lead over the Garner Road Bulldogs. Garner Road then rallied slowly, ultimately taking a 55-54 lead late in the game. With just over a half minute to go, Bronson Koeing (6’1” Fr. SG, La Crosse (WI) Aquinas HS) hit a jumper to put the Playground Warriors up 58-57, a lead they would hang on to for the win. Koeing and Austin Mecca (6’7” Fr. PF, Manitowoc (WI) Lincoln HS) led the Playground Warriors with 16 points each and were named co-MVPs of the 15-Under Select.

In the 15-Under National final, Team United jumped out early on DC Assault, leading 29-10 before DC Assault rallied. Team United would finish the half strong to go up 39-23 at the break, and they kept the lead up for some of the second half. DC Assault’s rally picked up steam a little after the halfway point, and they got within 57-56 at one point before Team United scored consecutive baskets and then used free throws to seal a 66-61 win. Claiborn Byrd (5’10” Fr. PG-SG, Hickory (NC) High) and Kennedy Meeks (6’8” Fr. PF, Charlotte (NC) West Charlotte HS) led the winners with 15 points each. Romelo Trimble (6’3” Fr. SG, Temple Hills (MD) Progressive Christian Academy) led DC Assault with a game-high 24 points.

In the 16-Under Select final, Indiana Elite/Team Indiana led for most of the game, and although they never broke the game open they opened it up past one possession for stretches in the final minutes in a 71-66 win over the Charlotte Nets. MVP D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera (6’3” So. SG, Indianapolis (IN) North Central) led Indiana Elite with a game-high 28 points. Jarvis Haywood (6’4” So. SG, Charlotte (NC) Waddell HS) led the Nets with 24 points.

The 16-Under National final was a dandy between the Atlanta Celtics, whose teams have had great success in this tournament over the years, and the fast-rising CP3 All-Stars. CP3 got going early to take a 12-point lead on a few occasions in the first half, but the Celtics rallied to get within 40-36 at halftime. Early in the second, the Celtics grabbed the lead, then the game went back and forth. With CP3 holding a 68-67 lead with 5.3 seconds left, William Goodwin (6’8” So. PF, Decatur (GA) Southwest Dekalb HS) sank two free throws to cap a game-high 26-point performance, and CP3′s attempt at the buzzer missed as the Celtics took home the title with a 69-68 win. Goodwins was named the MVP. Braxton Ogbueze (5’11” So. PG, Charlotte (NC) United Faith Christian HS) led CP3 with 23 points and Reggie Dillard (6’4” So. SG, Greensboro (NC) Dudley HS) added 19.

The 17-Under Select final was not played, as one of the teams had a conflicting flight that could not be changed and their semifinal opponent and would-be championship opponent opted not to play the game.

The 17-Under National final started off as a close game, but the Long Island Lightning got most loose and 50-50 balls and took advantage, taking a double-digit lead late in the first half and a 41-28 edge over the Michigan Hurricanes at halftime. The Lightning then scored the first nine points of the second half, and although the Hurricanes slowly rallied to within 73-66 late, the game was never in doubt in the second half as the Lightning took the title with a 76-66 win. MVP Derrick Gordon (6’4” Jr. SG, Elizabeth (NJ) St. Patrick’s HS) led the Lightning with a game-high 23 points to cap off an excellent weekend. Darnell Harris (6’8” Jr. SF-PF, Milwaukee (WI) Alexander Hamilton HS) led the Hurricanes with 19 points.

Now, we take a look at some of the players who competed this weekend.

Tracy Abrams (6’1” Sr. PG-SG, Chicago (IL) Mt. Carmel HS) He has a solid national reputation and played well here, going for 21 in a quarterfinal win on Sunday. He plays hard and has some athleticism, although he didn’t look like the most fluid athlete, and knocked down several jumpers out to three-point range. High-major minus prospect has committed to Illinois.

Jordan Adams (6’5” So. SG, Lawrenceville (GA) Central Gwinnett HS) The leading scorer on the 16-Under National champions, he had a nice weekend and an argument could be made that he was deserving of the MVP. He has a relatively mature body with some good offensive skill, including a touch from long range that he displayed a few times. In going for 20 points in the quarterfinals, he made his shots count as he hit some key three-pointers in the second half.

Obji Aget (7’0” So. C, Beckley (WV) Mountain State Academy) Very long post player is raw and a baby physically, but there’s reason to think he can improve to be more prospect than project. He didn’t show much at either end and is clearly a “potential” player right now, but his motor is good enough to think he has a chance.

Ryan Arcidiancono (6’3” So. PG-SG, Langhorne (PA) Neshaminy HS) At first, it looked like he might not play as he had a bandage above his right eye, but he played and did it well. He was the leading scorer in 16-under at nearly 32 points per game, scoring exactly that in a loss to the eventual champions, but more importantly he showed his excellent basketball I.Q. and ability to play both guard spots.

D.J. Balentine (6’1” So. PG-SG, Kokomo (IN) High) In an early game on Saturday, he led his team to a win over an in-state rival with 15 points, showing a good touch from long range. He has a good body and also was able to drive and dish.

Adjehi Baru (6’10” Jr. PF, Richmond (VA) Steward HS) A long post player with minimal physical maturity, the keys with him are upside and competitiveness. There’s plenty of the former given that his body has a ways to go, and no shortage of the latter as he competes all the time and runs the floor well. His game needs some work, not surprisingly, but the intangibles suggest his skills will one day catch up to his body. High-major prospect.

Deandre Bembry (6’4” Fr. SG-SF, Charlotte (NC) Independence HS) A wing with a good frame, he scored some in transition and was strong late in the second half of his team’s semifinal win, though he didn’t score much. His body isn’t there yet, but he has time for that to come along.

Cedrick Bowen (6’7” Jr. SF-PF, Woodstock (GA) High) A plus athlete with a good body, he was active and played assertively inside while running the floor. His body can mature more, which should mean he’ll get even better inside.

Chris Brown (6’8” Sr. SF, Tampa (FL) Taag Academy) Headed for a prep year next season, he has some length and a little athleticism but left us feeling like he’s a better player than he showed. He’s not smooth, but was active and in a lot of plays along the way. Mid-major prospect.

Robert Brown (6’6” Jr. SG-SF, Clermont (FL) Eastridge HS) An athletic wing with a thin upper body, he has a good reputation but didn’t play up to it in an early playoff loss. His body’s not there yet, and when he matures he will probably be better at driving and scoring, which he did a couple of times in scoring just seven points.

John Cannon (6’11” Jr. C, Burnsville (NC) Mount Heritage HS) Post player isn’t smooth but was active and effective. He has a mature body and showed a touch from mid-range en route to 10 points in a Saturday game. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.

Kareem Canty (6’1” Jr. PG, Brooklyn (NY) Bishop Loughlin HS) He’s been under the radar until recently, as he’s starting to break out after leading his team to a couple of recent championships. His floor leadership has been excellent, as he often found teammates for baskets while also knocking down mid-range shots and consistently scoring in the teens. With his play of late, he’s emerging as a mid-major prospect.

Akil Carr (5’8” Fr. PG, Baltimore (MD) Patterson HS) This small point guard was the story of his team’s win on Saturday when he put up 36 points against the Atlanta Celtics. He’s quick and hyper and plays with an edge, and when he started penetrating he constantly found the gaps and never missed a chance to get through them. When he wasn’t finishing or finding a teammate, he was drawing contact, and when he had a shot from deep he knocked it down at times, hitting four three-pointers. His size may ultimately be a limitation, so the hope is that he grows more.

Angelo Chol (6’9” Jr. PF, San Diego (CA) Hoover HS) Long lefty post player wasn’t a huge factor, but he had his moments. He lacks strength and will need to add it to be more of a factor, but he rebounded reasonably well and was a presence inside defensively while not being one offensively.

Shaquille Cleare (6’9” So. PF, Houston (TX) The Village HS) Post player has a big body inside and a lot of room for development. He missed close shots and in general showed an offensive game that’s rough around the edges, but his size gives him a chance if he can develop his game.

Tyrek Coger (6’8” Fr. PF, Raleigh (NC) Upper Room HS) Post player has a good body, though he’s not the most mobile post player and that was particularly noticeable when he got the ball down low. He couldn’t make a good post move, not helped by his lack of mobility, so a prime place for improvement would be getting his body into better shape.

Dantiel Daniels (6’6” Jr. PF, Wentzville (MO) Holt HS) An undersized post player, the lefty showed some good footwork at the offensive end that made him a scoring threat. In going for 10 points in one game and 19 in another, he worked inside at both ends of the floor and got to the foul line several times. Mid-major prospect.

Denzel Dillingham (6’3” Jr. SG, Hickory (NC) High) He has a good wing body and early on looked like a nice offensive player, knocking down a couple of good jump shots in the first half. But he was quiet in the second half of a loss for his team, not getting shots and finishing the game with just nine points. Still, he’s worth another look.

Wayne Ellenson (6’4” So. SG-SF, Rice Lake (WI) High) A solid blender player, he has a mature body and ran the floor well, at times getting out in transition. He’s more athletic than he looks and plays well within the team concept.

Austin Etherington (6’6” Jr. SG-SF, Arcadia (IN) Hamilton Heights HS) A wing with good size, he’s not overly quick or athletic but was aggressive, looking to drive often. In going for 15 points in a win for his team, he showed a touch shooting the ball but was usually looking to drive.

Kevin Ferrell (5’10” So. PG, Indianapolis (IN) Park Tudor HS) Nicknamed “Yogi”, he’s a baby physically but talented at the offensive end and played up in 17-under. He didn’t show a great deal of playmaking ability, but went for 16 points with a good stroke from long range in a pool win for his team on Saturday.

Amir Garrett (6’6” So. SG-SF, Lawndale (CA) Leuzinger HS) Lefty wing was one of the most promising players we saw on opening night in helping his team to a blowout win. He’s athletic and tough, going for 13 points that included a stickback, and his body’s not there yet so there is certainly some physical upside.

Anthony Gill (6’8” Jr. PF, Charlotte (NC) Christian HS) Athletic power forward has a good body that can still get better with added strength. He wasn’t a standout, but a solid player, and in a losing effort for his team on Friday night he scored 14 points and was a factor inside.

Derrick Gordon (6’4” Jr. SG, Elizabeth (NJ) St. Patrick’s HS) The easy choice for 17-Under National MVP, he’s a very nice pickup for Western Kentucky, where he committed a while ago. He’s not the most athletically gifted and won’t wow you in any way, but he’s fundamentally sound, scored often on driving field goals and mid-range shots, and finished with his left (off) hand when necessary. He was a consistent double figure scorer, especially in the playoffs as he had 21 and 25 leading up to the title game. Mid-major plus prospect.

William Goodwin (6’8” So. PF, Decatur (GA) Southwest Dekalb HS) The MVP of the 16-Under National got better as the weekend went along. In an early playoff game, he struggled to finish inside although he showed some good moves. He has a mature body, although not all of it is good weight, and he went to work inside instead of drifting away from the basket. He finished the weekend off with a nice championship game to lead his team to victory.

Derrick Griffin (6’7” Fr. SF-PF, Rosenberg (TX) Terry HS) What he showed in terms of skill shows he may be more likely to project as a power forward than a wing. Although he knocked down a three-pointer, he was just okay shooting the ball and doesn’t get much lift on his jump shot. He’s not lacking athleticism and has a more developed lower body than upper right now.

Cezar Guerrero (6’0” Jr. PG, Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco) One of the best point guards in the tournament, he got to the hoop just about any time he wanted to with good quickness and by finding gaps and rode that to being the second-leading scorer in 17-under. He went for 30 and 22 in a couple of games, and his body’s not there yet, suggesting he can still get better physically. High-major prospect.

Aaron Harrison (6’5” Fr. SG-SF, Houston (TX) Strake Jesuit HS) Like his twin, he has a good body with some maturity for his age, although he didn’t look as good. He didn’t have the ball in his hands as often, although he did go for 13 points in one game we saw.

Andrew Harrison (6’5” Fr. SG, Houston (TX) Strake Jesuit HS) The better of the two young twins, he played up in 17-under and showed some promise, although it seems clear he doesn’t know the game yet. He has a good body and had the ball in his hands often, and he showed the ability to finish with his left (off) hand along the way. He passed up a few close shots he should have taken, and at times his body language wasn’t good, but he’ll be worth watching over the next couple of years.

Chris Harrison-Docks (5’11” So. PG, Okemos (MI) High) He played a little like an undersized shooting guard here, but shot the ball well from long range to lead his team to a championship. He had 14 points in the title game after 11 in the semifinals, and he’s just a baby physically so he may grow more before it’s all said and done.

Jarvis Haywood (6’4” So. SG, Charlotte (NC) Waddell HS) A scoring wing, he played well in a couple of late playoff games as his team reached the final. His body isn’t there yet, and he looks to be more of a scorer than a shooter right now, although he did show a touch from mid-range in scoring 16 points in the semifinal (11 in the second half) and led his team with 24 in the final.

Derrick Henry (6’3” Jr. SG, Newton (GA) High) Scoring wing has a good body and had a nice late pool game on Saturday in going for 20 points. An all-tournament selection, he has a good body and scored a few times from mid-range off the dribble and also knocked down a couple of three-pointers.

Andre Hollins (6’2” Jr. SG, Memphis (TN) White Station HS) Well-built guard showed the ability to light up an opponent from long range, going for 24 points in a semifinal game on Sunday. He gets good lift going up for his shot, and that along with his body means he should be able to score off the dribble if opposing defenses try too hard to stop his jump shot.

Patrick Ingram (6’2” So. SG, Indianapolis (IN) North HS) Athletic guard drove often and had his share of success, going for 14 points in an early Saturday win. He has a good body that can mature more and used it to finish when he got inside.

Chris Jones (5’8” Jr. PG, Memphis (TN) Melrose HS) He’s small and has a slight frame, which may limit the level he ultimately plays at, but there’s not much doubt about his offensive ability. One of the top scorers in 17-Under at just under 22 points per game, he can shoot, knocking down several mid-range shots along the way.

Frank Kaminski (6’10” Jr. C, Woodridge (IL) Benet HS) Although he has high-major offers, it’s hard to see him playing at that level based on what we saw here. His inside game was lacking as he’s not the most fluid with his moves and he goes up soft with the ball, while his made three-pointer suggests he could be a face-up big man but he didn’t impress greatly in that respect.

Brian Kelly (5’11” Fr. PG, Takoma Park (MD) Don Bosco Prep) Well-built guard is athletic and tough, as he battled the entire time he was on the floor. He drove to the basket all day, finishing well and fearlessly working inside for offensive rebounds.

Shane Larkin (6’0” Jr. PG, Orlando (FL) Dr. Phillips HS) In his team’s playoff-ending loss, he didn’t have his finest hour, although it didn’t help that he was playing on a bum ankle as that took away his ability to get by defenders. That wasn’t a minor matter as he loves to drive all day, but he also tried to score a little too much and was selfish at times. At the defensive end, he can be a real pest and was very active.

Damian Leonard (6’4” Jr. SG, Greenville (SC) J.L. Mann HS) Don’t be surprised if this shooter busts out in July, as he’s flown under the radar thus far but shouldn’t much longer. A baby physically, he has the frame to carry more good weight and got hot from long range en route to 28 points in a losing effort on Friday night. His shooting will get him noticed, and if he improves his ball skills, there’s a lot of upside for this high-major prospect.

Isaiah Lewis (6’2” Fr. SG, Queens (NY) Christ The King HS) Young guard has some talent, as he has a slight frame but isn’t afraid to go inside and draw contact to get to the foul line. Where he clearly needs work is his feel for taking shots, as he often went up off-balance even when not closely guarded and tended to go up too soon when he had room to take another dribble and get a better shot.

Tyler Lewis (5’11” So. PG, Lewisville (NC) Forsyth Country Day School) Looking at him, one probably wouldn’t think he’s much of a basketball player as he’s small and not very physically gifted. But he has a great motor and can simply shoot the ball from long range, and he also made some nice passes while showing that he’s not slow despite the lack of physical gifts. He forced some shots in his team’s tournament-ending loss, but that came after a solid weekend of games leading his team into Sunday.

Ryan Manuel (6’4” Jr. SG, Houston (TX) Fortbend Austin HS) Scoring wing is a plus athlete whose body isn’t mature physically. He didn’t show one way of scoring that stood out in a 20-point effort we saw on Saturday, but noticeable was a couple of runners he hit in the lane.

Xavier Saddler Mee (6’1” Jr. SG, Raleigh (NC) Wakefield HS) Clearly the best player on a team that got blown out early on Friday, this shifty guard has a slight frame and loves to drive. He found ways to get to the basket often, as he was in attack mode all night and got fouled several times after drawing contact. He didn’t show the jump shot, so that’s an unknown quantity.

Shaq Morris (6’1” Jr. PG-SG, Norcross (GA) Meadowcreek HS) Well-built guard is not a jet but consistently found a way to get to the basket. He had a pair of 14-point games, showing a nice drive and spin move on one play and knocking down a couple of clutch three-pointers in his team’s tournament-ending loss.

Shabazz Muhammad (6’5” So. SG-SF, Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman HS) It’s too bad he was playing on a bum ankle on Saturday, as he has a great reputation but didn’t play up to it at all in a loss for his team. The lefty looked just about average athletically and wasn’t a big factor as he scored just 10 points, with his three-pointers not going down. He has a good body and it’s not fully mature yet, and hopefully we’ll see him later at full strength since many have him as one of the top few players in the class of 2012.

Alex Murphy (6’8” So. SF, Wakefield (RI) St. Mark’s School) He’s looking like the player he was last spring and summer, and on Friday night a lot of observers liked what they saw as he went for 30 points with a variety of good offense. He shot it from deep, scored on the break with a reverse layup, scored off the bounce and made a couple of good moves to finish. After the tournament was over, he stayed to visit Duke unofficially on Monday.

Kamari Murphy (6’8” Jr. PF, Yonkers (NY) Lincoln HS) A consistent inside presence at both ends of the floor en route to a championship, he has a good body and isn’t physically mature yet. He has some length and blocked some shots in addition to rebounding, making his mark more at the defensive end as his post offense looked a little iffy right now.

Phillip Nolan (6’10” So. PF-C, Milwaukee (WI) Vincent HS) Long and lanky post player gets overshadowed on his team but is a fine prospect. He competed inside, where he used his length to block shots and influence others, and the biggest areas of need right now look to be offense, though he scored 12 points in his team’s semifinal loss, and a lack of strength. As he develops, he’ll be worth keeping an eye on.

Bobby Parks, Jr. (6’4” Jr. SG, Memphis (TN) Melrose HS) Talented guard has a good body and showed that he can use it, and was the main bright spot with 31 points in a losing effort on Saturday. The lefty shot the ball well from long range, including a tough off-balance shot, while also getting to the basket. The latter was highlighted by a play where he drove, did a ball fake and finished once he got by his man. High-major prospect.

Hanner Perea (6’8” So. PF, Charlotte (NC) United Faith HS) Long post player has lots of potential once his body matures and he adds strength. He’s a plus athlete who takes contact inside at both ends and rebounded well, but at the offensive end he had a tough time scoring as he lost the ball or had it slapped away from him often in part because he lacks strength right now.

Marshall Plumlee (6’11” Jr. PF-C, Arden (NC) Christ School) Lanky post player has a long wing span and used it well to block shots and get his hands on a lot of balls. He ran the floor well and showed some post scoring ability, though the latter wasn’t in abundance on a team that had a few inside options. Like his older brothers, he has the potential to be a nice inside player.

Solomon Poole (6’1” Fr. SG, Jacksonville (FL) Providence School) The younger brother of Stacey, who is headed to Kentucky in the fall, he’s a well-built guard who was often in transition. He shot the ball better from long range later in a Saturday game where he scored 18 points, and at his size he’ll need to do that if he proves to be a shooting guard although he could still grow more.

Norman Powell (6’3” Jr. SG, San Diego (CA) Lincoln HS) Although he looks to be a talented shooter, he was a bit of a gunner in a Saturday game as he hoisted up some shots that were a little questionable. He scored 13 points in a losing effort, knocking down a couple of the shots, and his body’s not there yet, so there is some upside.

Warren Powers (6’4” Fr. SF, Ellicott City (MD) Glengle Country School) A nice wing player with a good body, he scored 19 points mostly with a nice in-between game. He moved well without the ball and posted up a smaller player with a nice move.

Rodney Purvis (6’3” Fr. SG, Raleigh (NC) Upper Room HS) The leading scorer in 15-Under, he was certainly one of the better young prospects at this tournament. A well-built and athletic guard, he did more than just score as he passed through the defense a couple of times and looks like an above-average ball handler for the shooting guard spot. A highlight was a play where he drove and dunked while getting fouled.

Cameron Ridley (6’9” So. PF, Houston (TX) Fortbend Bush HS) Although he has a mature post body, he’s not the most mobile inside and that was clear several times when he got the ball. He scored 19 points in a game we saw on Saturday, and he was able to finish inside, but usually he struggled if he didn’t get the ball in just the right spot. Improving his mobility will go a long way toward improving his offense.

Chasson Randle (6’2” Jr. PG-SG, Rock Island (IL) High) A plus athlete with a solid national reputation, he didn’t play up to that as we weren’t all that impressed. He has a more developed lower body than upper and scored 11 points in a playoff win for his team, but he wasn’t a big factor and at times it was hard to know he was out there while a couple of lesser-known teammates impressed more.

Desmond Ringer (6’9” Fr. PF, McDonough (GA) Eagles Landing HS) Post player has a mature body for his age, which means he might be done growing. That’s not a bad thing, especially since he showed some signs of post scoring ability although he didn’t get the ball inside enough to be a big factor. He already has good size and now needs to let his post skills come along.

Emonte Rogers (6’5” Fr. SF-PF, Fairfax (VA) Paul VI) Well-built forward is more of an undersized post player right now, but it’s not hard to imagine him making the move to small forward down the road. He finished strong all the time, even while getting fouled, and helped lead his team to the 15-Under final.

Jay Rome (6’7” Jr. PF, Valdosta (GA) High) Well-built forward is not a bad athlete and reportedly a good football player as well, which isn’t hard to believe considering his body. He has a wide frame but a good amount of weight on it, and was consistently active inside with good post moves to score and the occasional stickback, and he also ran the floor well, including a nice pass on one fast break. He went for 20 points in his team’s tournament-ending loss, a game where he was very good inside. High-major/high-major minus prospect.

Tevon Saddler (6’2” Fr. SG, Aberdeen (MD) High) The younger brother of Delaware-bound Devon has a good body that still has some development to come. Like his brother, he’s active and has a good motor, and although he didn’t star at the offensive end he was better later in the game.

Winston Shepard (6’7” So. SF-PF, Henderson (NV) Findlay College Prep) It’s too bad he went down with an apparent right ankle injury in a Saturday game for a couple of reasons. For one, his team was never the same after he went out. Additionally, he looked like a nice prospect, although he doesn’t have the smoothest ball skills. His body isn’t there yet, but he was an active presence before the injury and has a solid reputation.

D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera (6’3” So. SG, Indianapolis (IN) North Central) Well-built wing had a solid weekend in leading his team to a championship, consistently scoring well but doing more than that. He averaged just under 24 points per game, but more importantly he competed, was active, made good decisions as he had the ball in his hands often, and he scored in several ways that included using his left (off) hand to finish.

Ronnie Stanley (6’6” So. PF, Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman HS) Lefty post player is undersized with a wide body that he moves reasonably well inside. He was a factor for his team in a playoff game before he went down with a left leg cramp, scoring 12 points along the way.

Quinton Stephens (6’7” Fr. SF-PF, Decatur (GA) Lakeside HS) Long and athletic, he certainly passes the look test as he’s just a baby physically. He was active and around the ball, leading his team in scoring, but right now his skills need to come along and catch up to his body.

Tyler Strange (5’10” Jr. PG, Leominster (MA) Notre Dame Prep) A big reason his team made the run they did was his play at the point. When he runs the show like he did here – unselfishly and trying to find teammates first and foremost – his teams often win. He’s a capable scorer, but can get into a mode where he looks for his shot too much, and he didn’t fall into that here.

Bernard Sullivan (6’8” Jr. PF, Charlotte (NC) North Mecklenburg HS) Lefty post player showed a good deal of potential in an early game on Friday night. In going for 25 points, he showed that he’s a plus athlete with the ability to knock down a mid-range shot, even fading away, and his body isn’t there yet, so he should only get better as he matures.

Kaleb Tarczewski (6’11” So. C, Claremont (NH) St. Mark’s School) The young big man went to work inside this weekend and had a good showing overall. His game is still rough around the edges, but he has some solid fundamentals offensively and got to the line a good deal, making a good percentage of his free throws. While he missed some close shots he normally makes, he kept competing and was consistently scoring in double figures.

Jordan Tebbutt (6’6” So. SG-SF, Tualatin (CA) Horizon Christian HS) A plus athlete with a good body, he showed nice potential in an early Friday game. In going for 13 points in a blowout win for his team, he drove off a pump fake nicely to show he can score off the bounce, and he hit jumpers out to three-point range.

Adonis Thomas (6’6” Jr. SG-SF, Memphis (TN) Melrose HS) An athletic guard whose frame is a bit slight, he averaged 18.6 points as his team made a run to the final of the 17-Under Select. He’s athletic and his body isn’t there yet, with the ability to play either wing position.

Jean-Pierre Tokoto (6’6” So. SF, Menomonee Falls (WI) High) A big-time athlete, he nearly brought the house down in a game on Sunday when he just about jumped over a defender but missed the dunk. He’s a baby physically, meaning there’s plenty of physical upside, and he showed the ability to go left and finish with that hand. Foul trouble didn’t help him in his team’s semifinal loss, where he scored 14 points.

Dedrick Turner (6’2” Fr. PG, Conyers (GA) Salem HS) Aggressive guard has a little physical maturity and got out in transition. He was one of two to score in double figures in a loss for his team early on Saturday, scoring in transition and on a nice runner in the lane.

Kevin Ware (6’4” Jr. PG-SG, Conyers (GA) Rockdale County HS) Athletic guard has a good body that can mature more and is capable of putting up points. He went for 23 in a win on Saturday, knocking down shots from deep and then attacking the basket later. All told, he was one of the better looking guards here.

Jordan Washington (6’7” Fr. PF, Queens (NY) Pathways HS) A plus athlete with a relatively mature body for his age, he’s talented but rough around the edges. He was in foul trouble in a pool game we saw where he scored 10 points before fouling out, but he battled while on the court and effort wasn’t an issue. The big areas for improvement are feel for the game and getting into better shape since not all of his weight is good weight.

Anton Waters (6’6” Fr. SF-PF, Baltimore (MD) Walbrook HS) A baby physically, he’s not very long but was active and around the ball often. He got some stickbacks that included a dunk off the rebound and isn’t a bad athlete, although that won’t stand out about him.

Ryan Watkins (6’8” Sr. PF, Reseda (CA) High) One could be forgiven for overlooking him a little at first, especially considering the underclassmen on his team, as he doesn’t stand out at first. He has a good frame and a mature body but isn’t the swiftest post player inside. But he was effective, getting his share of rebounds, then he opened some eyes when he ran the floor and finished the break with a dunk where he had to reach to throw it down as he got fouled. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.

Terry Whisnant (6’3” Jr. SG, Cherryville (NC) High) A wing with a good body, he played bigger than his size in a fine outing for his team on Saturday. He rebounded well, finished the break a couple of times and even knocked down a three-pointer en route to 15 points, showing he can score in a couple of ways.

Carren (C.J.) Wilson (6’0” Fr. PG, Conyers (GA) Rockdale County HS) His size dictates that he plays the point guard spot unless he grows more, but he showed a nice touch scoring the ball largely from good shooting. In going for 22 points in a Saturday game, he knocked down several from deep. Since he’s a baby physically, he may not be done growing yet and may later have better size for playing off the ball.

Eric Wortham, Jr. (6’5” Fr. SF, McDonough (GA) Eagles Landing HS) Well-built wing looks very much like a “potential” player right now since he passes the look test but didn’t put up big numbers. He was active and used his body well, getting several stickbacks at the offensive end.

B.J. Young (6’4” Jr. SG, Florissant (MO) McCluer HS) This high-scoring wing – he was third in scoring in 17-under – might have been the best individual talent here. At the very least, he had the best single-game performance as he opened the tournament with a 43-point outing on Friday where he carried his team to a win. He’s not physically mature yet, but he’s athletic and can score very well slashing to the hoop, from long range, on pull-up jumpers and stopping and popping in transition. Most impressive is that he did a lot of the latter two, while also passing well on the move. High-major/big-time prospect.

Cody Zeller (6’11” Jr. PF-C, Washington (IN) High) The younger brother of Luke and Tyler, he’s not all that different in being a fundamentally sound post player. His body can still get better and he was active on the boards, getting some stickbacks at the offensive end, and he showed good post moves inside en route to 16 points in a late pool win for his team. High-major prospect.

Vincent Zollo (6’8” Jr. PF, Winchester (KY) Rogers Clark HS) A good role player on his team, he ran the floor and played well alongside more talented post players on his team. His body could still get better and he was able to use his left (off) hand to finish, so while not a big offensive threat, he wasn’t absent at the offensive end.

Other players who caught our attention:

Bryan Akinbugbe (6’9” Jr. PF, Charlotte (NC) Brisbane Academy)

Kelvin Amayo (6’4” Jr. SG, Newark (NJ) NIA Prep)

Darius Andrews (6’8” Jr. PF, Orlando (FL) Cypress Creek HS)

Rashaud Bell (6’6” Jr. SF, Atlanta (GA) South Atlanta HS)

Tre Bowen (6’4” So. SF, Washington (DC) Maret HS)

Darrell Bowi (6’6” So. SF-PF, Wauwatosa (WI) East HS)

Andre Brown (6’5” Jr. SG-SF, Clarksville (TN) High)

Michael Brown (6’2” So. SG, Charlotte (NC) West Charlotte HS)

Deonte Burton (6’5” Fr. SF, Milwaukee (WI) Vincent HS)

Tekele Cotton (6’3” Jr. SG, Smyrna (GA) Whitefield Academy)

Samuel Dekker (6’6” So. SF, Sheboygan (WI) Lutheran HS)

Donovan Gilmore (6’8” Fr. PF, Greensboro (NC) Western Guilford HS)

Byron Gladden (6’4” Fr. SG-SF, Charlotte (NC) Vance HS)

Ge-Lawn Guyn (6’3” Jr. SG, Culver (IN) Academy)

Darnell Harris (6’8” Jr. SF, Milwaukee (WI) Alexander Hamilton HS)

Deandre Harris (6’4” So. SF, Milwaukee (WI) Washington HS)

Demetris Henry (6’8” Fr. SF-PF, Ft. Lauderdale (FL) Northeast HS)

Isaiah Hicks (6’8” Fr. PF, Oxford (NC) J.F. Webb HS)

Jeremy Hollowell (6’8” So. SF-PF, Indianapolis (IN) Lawrence Central HS)

Rob Hubbs (6’3” Fr. SG, Newbern (TN) Dyer County HS)

Xavier Johnson (6’7” So. SF, Murrieta (CA) Chapparal HS)

Peter Jurkin (7’0” So. C, Charlotte (NC) United Faith)

Kennedy Meeks (6’8” Fr. PF, Charlotte (NC) West Charlotte HS)

Jaylon Moore (6’7” Jr. PF, Olive Branch (MS) High)

Abdel Nader (6’6” Jr. SF, Skokie (IL) Niles North HS)

Nick Osborne (6’8” So. PF, Muncie (IN) High)

Jalen Packer (6’2” Jr. PG, Princeton (IN) High)

Norvel Pelle (6’9” Jr. PF, Los Angeles (CA) Price HS)

Gavin Pettiford (6’4” So. SF, Baltimore (MD) Poly HS)

Sequan Richards (6’3” Jr. SG, New York (NY) Satellite Academy)

Jaquel Richmond (6’1” Fr. PG, Greensboro (NC) Dudley HS)

Tyquan Roberts (6’6” Jr. SF, Jamestown (NC) Ragsdale HS)

Tyree Robinson (6’4” Fr. SG, San Diego (CA) Lincoln HS)

Evan Rocqamore (6’3” Jr. PG-SG, Las Vegas (NV) Foothill HS)

Patrick Rooks (6’3” Fr. SG, Charlotte (NC) Christian HS)

Terrance Samuel (6’3” Fr. SG, Brooklyn (NY) South Shore HS)

Shamiek Sheppard (6’4” Fr. SG, Brooklyn (NY) South Shore HS)

K.K. Simmons (6’2” Jr. SG, Marietta (GA) Wheeler HS)

Nigel Snipes (6’6” Jr. SF, Atlanta (GA) Paideia HS)

Romelo Trimble (6’3” Fr. SG, Temple Hills (MD) Progressive Christian Academy)

Cameron Walton (5’10” Jr. PG, Cary (NC) Academy)

Chris Washington (6’7” Jr. PF, Augusta (GA) Aquinas HS)

Andrew White (6’6” Jr. SG-SF, Chester (VA) Thomas Dale HS)

Cedric Williams (6’9” Jr. PF-C, Murfreesboro (TN) Siegel HS)

Jacob Williams (6’5” Jr. SG-SF, Chicago (IL) St. Patrick HS)

Damien Wilson (6’6” So. SF, Mableton (GA) Peeblebrook HS))

2010 Patriot League Post-Mortem

The Patriot League continued to have a little different look this year, notably in the standings. For a while, it was dominated by Holy Cross and Bucknell, but for the third year in a row a program other than those two won the title. Two years ago, they shockingly finished at the bottom of the league; last year, Holy Cross finished second while Bucknell tied for last; and this season, they switched places as Bucknell finished second and Holy Cross suffered through a disastrous 9-22 season.

Last year, Lehigh showed signs of contending when they made a great non-league run, but they didn’t get it done in league play. This year, the Mountain Hawks were the best team for much of the season, and they carried that into the league tournament with three wins for the title. A big reason for that was, oddly enough, a freshman. C.J. McCollum wasted no time becoming a star, as he won Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors, the first player in league history to do so. He was second in the league in scoring overall, but it was in league play where he shined the most as he led in scoring, was sixth in rebounding and field goal percentage, third in three-point percentage and seventh in assists and assist/turnover ratio.

McCollum is symbolic of something else that is different about the league, which is the young talent. Oftentimes, young players in a league like this take a back seat to the veterans, but the Patriot League had a lot of young talent this year. Five of the top ten scorers, four of the top nine rebounders and five of the top seven three-point marksmen were underclassmen. McCollum wasn’t the only freshman on his team to be a key player, as Gabe Knutson was also a starter and key player for the Mountain Hawks. Bucknell placed three players on the All-Rookie team, the first team in league history to do that, and all played significant roles for the Bison this season along with sophomore Bryan Cohen, an All-Rookie selection a year ago. Lafayette got to the final in no small part due to the work of sophomores Jim Mower and Ryan Willen. Holy Cross was at times carried by sophomores R.J. Evans and Devin Brown. Jordan Sugars was the main complement to senior Chris Harris at Navy. Stephen Lumpkins teamed with George Mason transfer Vlad Moldoveanu for a solid 1-2 punch inside for American.

While the league is looking different, the young talent is evidence that there is good basketball ahead for the league in the immediate future. The difference in the standings shows that teams have done their best to rise to the level that Holy Cross and Bucknell were at just a few years ago, and some have succeeded.

Final Standings

League Tournament

The story of the Patriot League Tournament was the dominance of eventual champion Lehigh, as the Mountain Hawks won all three games by at least 15 points. They took care of Army in the quarterfinals by pulling away late, while Lafayette and American won at home and Holy Cross was the lone road team to pull out a win as they knocked off Bucknell 67-64 in Lewisburg. The Mountain Hawks weren’t seriously challenged by American in a 79-57 semifinal win, while Lafayette won a back-and-forth battle with Holy Cross 66-63. That set up a championship game between two arch-rivals.

Lehigh led from start to finish, but was challenged in the second half by Lafayette. The Leopards made several runs at the lead, but could never tie the game. The final ten minutes were dominated by Lehigh senior Zahir Carrington, who took home the tournament MVP honors as he helped the Mountain Hawks pull away for a 74-59 win. Lehigh finished the game on a 12-1 run.

Postseason Awards

Player of the Year: C.J. McCollum, Lehigh

Rookie of the Year: C.J. McCollum, Lehigh

Defensive Player of the Year: Bryan Cohen, Bucknell

Coach of the Year: Fran O’Hanlon, Lafayette

All-Conference Team

Chris Harris, Sr. G, Navy

C.J. McCollum, Fr. G, Lehigh

Jared Mintz, Jr. F, Lafayette

Vlad Moldoveanu, Jr. F, American

Kyle Roemer, Sr. F, Colgate

Season Highlights

• Marquis Hall, who had a fine freshman season of his own three years ago, finished his career most importantly with a Patriot League title, but also with a great accomplishment. The two-time Patriot League Scholar Athlete of the Year graduates as the only player in league history to surpass 1,500 points and 500 assists.
• Army got a lot of buzz in non-league play, as new head coach Zach Spiker was getting results right away. The Black Knights haven’t lacked talent in recent years, so their record before league play wasn’t a big surprise. They rode winning streaks of five and four games to a 10-4 mark.
• Vlad Moldoveanu made an instant impact for American once he was eligible in December after transferring from George Mason. He was third in scoring and rebounding in league games, as he didn’t play in enough games to qualify for the overall lead in any categories.
• Lehigh was eighth in the nation in three-point field goal percentage at just under 40 percent from behind the arc.

What we expected, and it happened: Bucknell was more like the Bucknell of a few years ago. The Bison were hit hard by injuries in 2008-09 and also had a coaching change to adjust to. With a year under Dave Paulson and a good freshman class, the Bison had some growing pains in non-league play but finished second in the league behind Lehigh.

What we expected, and it didn’t happen: Holy Cross was the pick of many as the favorite before the season, but they didn’t come close to that, finishing 9-22 and seventh in the standings, a game out of last place. The Crusaders struggled at the defensive end for much of the season, and it showed in the win-loss column. Sean Kearney lasted just one season as the head coach, replaced by former Mount St. Mary’s head coach Milan Brown.

What we didn’t expect, and it happened: Lafayette was in contention for the top spot and made it to the championship game. The Leopards won eight games a year ago and didn’t look the part of a contender coming in, but they were right in the mix for the top spot and gave Lehigh a good game in the final of the tournament before a late run put the game away.

Team(s) on the rise: Bucknell. The Bison are back and the likely preseason favorite next year after a good showing in league play. Four of their top five were freshmen or sophomores this past season.

Team(s) on the decline: Colgate. A couple of years ago, the Raiders were in the title game. Now Kyle Roemer and Ben Jonson are gone from a team that finished sixth in the league.

2010-11 Patriot League Outlook

With the younger talent in the league, the future is bright. Just about every team projects to be better next season, so the league should improve on its non-league mark in addition to having a hotly contested race for the top starting in January. Six of the ten all-league players return, and all of the All-Rookie selections should contend for spots on that team before long.

Lehigh will have a chance to repeat, but the early favorite has to be Bucknell as the Bison bring back a lot of young talent that will only get better. Lafayette should be in the mix as they also bring back a lot, while American had growing pains with a less experienced roster this year. Holy Cross and Army each have the personnel to potentially make a jump into the top half as well.

If the league has the kind of year it could next year, ultimately it would be safe to say that the rest of the league succeeded in getting better to catch up to Holy Cross and Bucknell. They had little choice but to do so, and having done so the Crusaders and Bison are certainly not dominating the league any longer and not because they have fallen apart.

2010 Atlantic 10 Post-Mortem

The 2009-10 season came after an off-season of transition for the Atlantic 10, as the conference moved its offices from the long-time home of Philadelphia to Newport News, Virginia. That was forgotten once the action got going on the hardwood, and not just because that’s what fans cared about. It was a big year for the conference, as it topped the previous record for non-conference wins with 135 and placed three teams in the NCAA Tournament. For good measure, two teams made a run to the NIT Final Four, with Dayton taking home the title, and three teams made the CBI, with Saint Louis making it to the final before losing to VCU (which also took out George Washington in the opening round).

For a lot of conference play, there was much buzz about how many teams might make the NCAA Tournament. At one point, many felt the conference could get as many as six teams, especially with the weak Pac-10, disappointing Big Ten and down years in conferences like the ACC and Conference USA. Six teams were certainly in play for a while, but much like two years ago, some of the teams in the bottom half of the conference started playing spoiler late in the season.

The post-season has been a good one thus far for the conference in the coaching ranks. Chris Mooney and Brian Gregory passed on overtures from other schools who had head coaching vacancies to stay with Richmond and Dayton, respectively. Fordham hired Tom Pecora to take over its program, while Charlotte hired Alan Major, regarded by many as an under-the-radar assistant, to take over for Bobby Lutz. Overall, there is some stability, which bodes well for the future.

Final Standings

Conference Tournament

The first round took place at campus sites, with the home team winning three of the four games by double digits. The only game that did not fit that description was UMass’ 59-56 win at Charlotte in a defensive struggle. The seeds held in the quarterfinals save for Rhode Island’s 63-47 win over Saint Louis, although Xavier had to hold off Dayton and Richmond had to do the same with UMass to move on. Temple shut down Rhode Island for a 57-44 win in one semifinal, while Richmond needed overtime to knock off Xavier in a great game in the other semifinal. The Spiders got a game-tying layup from Kevin Anderson (27 points) to send it to overtime, where David Gonzalvez (26 points) hit a three-pointer to start them on the road to victory in the extra session.

In the championship game, Temple appeared to pull away early in the second half as they were up four at the half and led by 12 with just over 12 minutes left. But Richmond rallied, holding the Owls to just 33 percent from the field in the second half, and made it a ballgame late, where the Owls had to make free throws to seal the 56-52 win.

Postseason Awards

Player of the Year: Kevin Anderson, Richmond

Rookie of the Year: Chris Gaston, Fordham

Most Improved Player: Chris Johnson, Dayton

Defensive Player of the Year: Damian Saunders, Duquesne

Coach of the Year: Fran Dunphy, Temple

All-Conference Team

Kevin Anderson, Jr. G, Richmond

Lavoy Allen, Jr. F, Temple

Jordan Crawford, So. G, Xavier

Damian Saunders, Jr. F, Duquesne

Chris Wright, Jr. F, Dayton

Season Highlights

• Of the 135 non-conference wins, 19 came against BCS conferences. That ranked fourth this season behind the Big 12 (28 wins), SEC (25) and ACC (25).

• Fran Dunphy continues to be a master on the bench. Temple lost a lot from last season’s team, including Dionte Christmas, but all the Owls did was win 29 games and their third straight conference title.

• The All-Atlantic 10 first team didn’t have a single senior, although one member of it (Jordan Crawford) will not be back next season.

• Rhode Island didn’t finish the regular season well after winning a lot of close games early, but Jim Baron became the first Ram coach to lead the team to three straight 20-win seasons.

• Although they faded in conference play, George Washington had a nice non-conference run that included five road wins. Only two teams in the conference won more road games than the seven the Colonials posted in total on the season.

What we expected, and it happened: Xavier had a new coach and no clear go-to guy, but the Musketeers continued to win. They didn’t miss a beat with Chris Mack taking over for the departed Sean Miller, and Jordan Crawford became the star of the team. Mack posted the most wins of any first-year coach in Division I, and the Musketeers reached the Sweet 16 for the third straight season.

What we expected, and it didn’t happen: La Salle was far from the contender many expected them to be, finishing 4-12 in the conference and not making the conference tournament. The Explorers were a senior-laden team, but an early injury to Ruben Guillandeaux set them back and a foot injury to Kimmani Barrett around the start of conference play was a back-breaker. The Explorers didn’t win a game in the month of February after they looked like they might come to life early in Atlantic 10 play. They weren’t deep in the backcourt before the injury to Guillandeaux, who started the season strong, and it showed as no team turned the ball over more than the Explorers did. They didn’t make up for it at the other end as only one team forced fewer turnovers.

What we didn’t expect, and it happened: Saint Louis finished in fourth place and made a deep postseason run, reaching the championship of the CBI. The Billikens looked to be at least a year away with a roster that featured 11 freshmen and sophomores and no seniors. But they racked up a good record in a manageable non-conference slate, then started February with six straight wins.

Team(s) on the rise: Saint Louis. The Billikens had no seniors on the roster, and after getting to the final of the CBI expectations will certainly be higher next season.

Team(s) on the decline: Saint Joseph’s. The Hawks were expected to be in rebuilding mode this year, but they looked worse than a rebuilding team. The upshot is that they finished with a winning record at home in their first year in the new arena, but there wasn’t much else to write home about this year and next year isn’t certain to be much, if any, better. Three players have transferred, Darren Govens and Garrett Williamson graduate and only two seniors will be on next year’s roster.

2010-11 Atlantic 10 Outlook

As good as this year was, next year could be even better for the conference. Ten all-conference players return next year, including four of five from the first team, as well as a strong crop of players that comprised the All-Rookie team. Stability is ever-present with many teams, especially from a coaching standpoint. Teams that lose key players won’t drop all the way back; Xavier and Temple will be fine, as will Dayton despite graduating several starters. Richmond shouldn’t be a one-year wonder, and Jim Baron appears to have Rhode Island in a good place although they’ve fallen agonizingly short of the NCAA Tournament a couple of times recently. Saint Louis, St. Bonaventure and George Washington appear to be on the way up, although a few teams don’t look to be on the rise right now. The immediate future for some middling programs like Charlotte, Duquesne and UMass is a little tough to figure right now.

A year ago, the conference’s move to Newport News, Virginia seemed like an odd destination given the conference’s geographic footprint. It had to make one wonder what the future of the conference would look like. Right now, the future looks quite positive based on the season just completed and what the season ahead could look like.

Quick Hitters – May 25, 2010

Quick hitters as we approach the middle of the week:

• An already bad off-season got worse for Providence last week when they kicked Jamine Peterson off the team. The Friars’ leading scorer and rebounder last season, Peterson was a black hole on offense and had a penchant for putting up questionable shots, but he produced points and rebounds. At times, he got both by cleaning up another player’s miss. With two non-seniors already gone from the team for next season from an off-court incident last month, this was an even less welcome development than it is by itself.

• Khem Birch (6’10” So. PF-C, Pierrefonds (Que.)) has quite a bit going on right now. The long big man recently opted for Notre Dame Prep next year and has had a good spring as his body is maturing. He also has an invitation to the National Basketball Association Players Camp next month and recently was invited to try out for the Canadian 17-under national team.

• Birch isn’t alone among New England players trying out next month for the Canadian 17-under national team. Rodell Wigginton (6’4” So. SF, Halifax (Nova Scotia) Boston Trinity Academy) will also try out for the team. Wigginton is an athletic wing who can rebound from that spot, and he helped Boston Trinity Academy win the NEPSAC Class D title this season.

• Although he’s not a big-time prospect, Cleveland Melvin (6’8” SF-PF, Baltimore (MD) Notre Dame Prep) could prove to be a very nice pickup for DePaul. Part of it is because it comes late in the spring, but another part is that he will fit Oliver Purnell’s pressing style. Melvin is an athletic forward who runs the floor well, and he could eventually be a poor man’s James Mays in the press.

• Maine also made a nice late addition in point guard Raheem Singleton, who did two years at Monroe Community College. A tough point guard who does things to help his team win, Singleton will team with Gerald McLemore in arguably the best backcourt in America East next year.

• A big thumbs-up to the NCAA for granting waivers allowing Texas A&M to do something for Tobi Oyedeji, who was tragically killed last Sunday morning. As a result, they were able to visit with his family, attend a charity basketball game held in his honor and go to his funeral on the athletic department’s dime.