Underclassmen Featured Near Nation’s Capital
DISTRICT HEIGHTS, Md. – The Charlie Weber Fall Invitational showcased underclassmen more than any other group of players, and it was a good group. A number of teams in the 17-under division had underclassmen play up with their teams, with a few teams bringing their entire 16-under team and playing them there. It was held at the new Capital Sports Complex, a nice facility with ten basketball courts and a sizeable weight room area, along with a track that went around six of the courts.
The 17-under championship was a battle of powerful teams from the nation’s capital, although neither had all of their best players this weekend. After Triple Threat took an early second half lead, D.C. Assault went on a run to regain the lead and never looked back, taking home a 50-30 win in a game called via the slaughter rule. Terrance Boyd led the winners with 19 points, while Jostyn Thomas had 13 points for Triple Threat in the losing effort.
In the 16-under championship, the Brooklyn-based Student Athletes Broncos were running early against Filly Sol, but couldn’t break the game open due to some missed layups. Filly Sol gained momentum to end the first half and at the beginning of the second half, but the Broncos reasserted control with a run of six straight points and held them off in a 54-46 win. Norron McDonald scored 19 points to lead the Broncos, while Filly Sol got 15 points from Khalif Wyatt.
The 15-under final was won by North Carolina-based D-One Sports, 48-47 over D.C. Assault.
Player Notes
Jamar Abrams (6’6″ Sr. SF, Highland Springs (VA) High) Athletic wing didn’t shoot the ball well, but his talent can be seen and he may not be done growing yet. He won’t wow observers with his ability, but is a high-major sleeper prospect.
Brandon Baylor (5’10” Sr. PG, Baltimore (MD) Mt. Carmel HS) Well-built point guard had a quietly good showing, as he won’t wow you with anything in particular. He runs the team capably, generally making good decisions with the ball.
Idell Bell (6’2″ Sr. SG, Lakeland (FL) Kathleen HS) Active guard was around the ball often and is an energy player. Offensively, he’s an athletic slasher whose jump shot looks questionable, but looks like he can flourish in an up-tempo game. Mid-major prospect.
Terrance Boyd (6’5″ So. SF, Norman (OK) Oak Hill Academy) Athletic wing has a good frame and had stretches where he played very well. He will drive aggressively and we saw him also hit from mid-range.
Chris Braswell (6’8″ Jr. PF, Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha HS) In short, he didn’t play well at all this weekend. He missed shots close to the basket, and didn’t create scoring chances with post moves. He did reach double figures in two games, but generally was not a factor.
Jeff Brito (6’5″ Jr. SF, Lynn (MA) Tech) Well-built wing played well as his team nearly pulled off a big win in pool play. He battled inside and scored on close shots to the tune of 14 in the tough loss, while going for 21 in a win right after it. He has to be a worker since he doesn’t look overly skilled or athletic, and he was definitely that for his team this weekend.
Sean Carter (6’10” Sr. C, Fayetteville (NC) 71st HS) Lanky post player looks like a better player than he showed. He had a quiet 12 points in a loss, where his touch on close shots wasn’t there and he showed some mobility inside but not quick moves, and he wasn’t the overall factor he should have been against a team whose tallest player stood 6’5″. On the plus side, he did knock down a three-pointer.
Jason Clark (6’2″ Jr. SG, Arlington (VA) Bishop O’Connell HS) Thin scoring guard is quick and scored well off the dribble. He went for 20 points in a semifinal win, scoring from mid-range off the dribble and on closer shots near the end of drives.
Paul Cooper (6’8″ Jr. PF, Auburndale (FL) High) A steady post player, he has a good body inside and did well converting some good passes he received into close baskets while also showing a little touch from mid-range. He went for 10 points in one game and was a key inside player on a well-balanced team.
Ed Davis (6’9″ Jr. SF-PF, Richmond (VA) Benedictine HS) Lefty forward looks to have gained strength since the spring, which he certainly needed to do. He’s a prototypical example of a player who just scores, with no one way that he does it more than others. He doesn’t do much else exceedingly well and his scoring doesn’t change games right now, but with his size and scoring ability, the potential is certainly there to do more.
Erick Davis (5’9″ Fr. PG-SG, Raleigh (NC) Millbrook HS) We really like how this undersized shooting guard maneuvered to get shots. He’s athletic and will find a way to get a good look at the basket from short range.
Roscoe Davis (6’10” Jr. SF-PF, Upper Marlboro (MD) Henry Wise HS) Long and athletic forward showed signs of his potential, as usual, but needs to come to play consistently. There’s no question the potential is there.
Justin Edwards (6’7″ So. SF-PF, Lakeland (FL) High) Right now, he looks to be more of a power forward, but it’s not inconceivable that he plays away from the post down the line. He played well within the team concept, not forcing anything or trying to do too much, while showing a touch from mid-range and above average athleticism.
Kim English (6’6″ Sr. SF, Baltimore (MD) Lake Clifton HS) Lanky athletic wing had a nice scoring game as his team barely came away victorious. He went for 19 points on close baskets and some jumpers, including a couple off the dribble and one from long range.
C.J. Gardner (5’11” Jr. PG, Silver Spring (MD) Springbrook HS) Lefty point guard is quick and can get off the ground, as we saw him nearly dunk after a play was over. In one game, he hit a clutch three-pointer, where his range extends. Must get stronger for the next level.
George Harper (6’6″ Fr. SF-PF, Philadelphia (PA) Prince Christian HS) Active forward had a nice game in the final despite his team losing, as he was around the ball often and especially on the boards. A plus athlete with a relatively mature body, his jumper looked shaky off the dribble although he can shoot it. He scored ten points in both the semifinal and final.
Daniel Heppert (6’4″ Sr. SG, Richmond (VA) Benedictine HS) Good role player is a plus athlete with a good body. He seems to have a motor that keeps going at both ends, and he blended in well on his talented and balanced team. Committed to Mississippi.
C.J. Leslie (6’5″ Fr. SF-PF, Holly Springs (NC) High) Very active forward is a fun player to watch because he makes so many plays. He was around the ball often, especially on the glass, really using his athleticism to play bigger. Right now, he’s a little lanky and his ball skills will need work, but he comes to play and his skills and body maturity will come in time.
Nurideen Lindsey (6’3″ So. PG, Philadelphia (PA) Overbrook HS) Nice floor leader has some quickness and handles and penetrates well. Though he looks to run his team first, he can score and we saw him hit a three-pointer en route to 14 points in his team’s semifinal win. He will need to get stronger for the next level.
Tyler Mavity (5’9″ Fr. PG, Raleigh (NC) Millbrook HS) Quick point guard very capably ran the show with a talented and balanced team. He made his team go and also showed a touch from mid-range off the dribble.
Rodney McGruder (6’4″ So. SF, Washington (DC) Archbishop Carroll HS) Athletic wing has a decent frame and was active at both ends of the floor. In the first game of Saturday, he went for 18 points and grabbed several rebounds and was around the ball often.
Kenny Moore (6’6″ Sr. SF, Philadelphia (PA) University City HS) Athletic wing has a good body and runs the floor well. He made some mid-range shots and has decent ball skills, going for 15 points in a playoff game. In one game, he picked up a technical foul. Mid-major prospect.
Kevon Moore (6’2″ Jr. SG, Severn (MD) Archbishop Spalding HS) Lefty wing played well, as he was aggressive at the offensive end. He’s athletic and has a decent frame, and scored mainly on drives and in transition, although he did mix in at least one from long range we saw.
Dominic Morris (6’5″ So. PF, Caravel (DE) Academy) Undersized power forward is very well-built and battles inside. When he steps out, he doesn’t look to be a small forward, instead making some nice passes and showing a little feel for the game.
Miguel Paul (6’1″ Jr. PG, Lakeland (FL) Kathleen HS) Quick floor leader showed a solid basketball IQ with good drives and passes, while making plays at both ends of the floor. He is the key to his well-balanced team, as he got everyone involved while still scoring a few points.
Ahyaro Phillips (6’8″ Sr. PF, Richmond (VA) Douglas Freeman HS) A Louisiana native who relocated after the hurricane last year, this athletic shot-blocker is an undersized post player who is very raw at the offensive end. At the offensive end, he lacks the moves and touch on short shots right now, and like a lot of young shot-blockers, he can get into trouble from trying to block everything. High-major minus/mid-major plus prospect.
Travis Robinson (6’3″ Fr. SG, Philadelphia (PA) Penn Charter HS) This athletic slasher will drive to the basket all day trying to score, and he was pretty good at it when we saw him here. He’s not overly quick, but maneuvers well in traffic and near the basket to get a shot and finishes well. Although he did hit from mid-range, he looks clearly like more of a scorer than a shooter right now.
Brandon Rozzell (6’2″ Sr. PG, Highland Springs (VA) High) Speedy guard really makes his team go from the point, especially in transition. He handles very well and made a number of nice passes, especially on the move, and was still a scoring threat. High-major minus prospect committed to East Carolina.
Henry Sims (6’10” Jr. PF-C, Baltimore (MD) Mt. St. Joseph HS) Good size post player had a mixed bag as his showing here goes, but there is definitely plenty of potential. His hands look like a question mark, but he’s not soft despite needing to gain weight, showed some ball skills and knocked down a three-point shot. On the down side, he wasn’t the factor inside at either end that he could be at his size.
Jostyn Thomas (6’6″ So. SF-PF, Camp Spring (MD) Progressive Christian HS) Well-built forward looks like an undersized post player but does run the floor well and is active. He is athletic enough to play the small forward spot one day.
Darryll Traynham (5’9″ Fr. PG, Upper Marlboro (MD) Dr. Henry Wise HS) Small point guard is slight but has decent strength. While not a jet, he is determined to get to the basket and will get there for a shot or pass to a teammate.
Bradley Wanamaker (6’4″ Sr. SG, Philadelphia (PA) Roman Catholic HS) Well-built wing had a good showing, as he’s very active and will defend. His jumper wasn’t going, but he can slash effectively and isn’t afraid of contact. Though not a big scorer, he did go for 14 points in two games. High-major minus prospect committed to Pittsburgh.
Chaz Williams (5’9″ Jr. PG, Brooklyn (NY) Bishop Ford HS) His feel for the game is impressive, as he seemed to know when to push it and when to slow it down. He’s a quick, pass first point guard who also played some pesky defense and shot well from the foul line in the championship game.
Khalif Wyatt (6’3″ Fr. SG, Norristown (PA) High) His long range shooting impressed, especially as he hit several clutch three-pointers en route to 16 points in his team’s semifinal victory. Though he’s not very quick, his shooting should help other facets of his offense come along.
Other players we liked here:
C.J. Aikens (6’8″ Fr. SF-PF, Philadelphia (PA) LaSalle Academy)
Rodney Bennett (6’3″ Sr. SG, Cheltenham (PA) High)
Peterson Bernard (6’7″ Jr. PF, Roxbury (MA) Madison Park HS)
Marcus Capers (6’4″ Jr. SF, Eagle Lake (FL) Lake Region HS)
Shamond Cox (6’2″ So. SG-SF, St. Petersburg (FL) High)
Zach Crimmins (7’0″ Sr. C, Arlington (VA) Bishop O’Connell HS)
Darnell Dodson (6’5″ Sr. SF, Greenbelt (MD) Eleanor Roosevelt HS)
Kashief Edwards (6’6″ Sr. SF-PF, Philadelphia (PA) Imhotep Charter)
Dakotah Euton (6’7″ Fr. SF-PF, Ashland (KY) Rose Hill Christian School)
Kevin Foster (6’7″ Jr. PF, Lakeland (FL) Kathleen HS)
Danny Jones (6’6″ Sr. PF, Herndon (VA) High)
Kevin Jones (6’6″ So. SF-PF, Arlington (VA) Bishop O’Connell HS)
Tevin Jones (6’7″ Fr. PF, Raleigh (NC) Enloe HS)
Wallace Judge (6’8″ So. SF-PF, Bladensburg (MD) High)
Ryan Kelly (6’7″ So. SF-PF, Raleigh (NC) Ravenscroft HS)
Nikita Meshcharkov (6’7″ Sr. PF, Washington (DC) St. John’s Prospect Hall)
Afam Muojeke (6’7″ Sr. SF, Mendenhall (MS) Genesis One Prep)
Kevin Powell (6’6″ So. SF-PF, Fayetteville (NC) 71st HS)
Danquah Rawlins (6’3″ Jr. SG, Cambridge (MA) Boston English HS)
Courtney Stanley (6’1″ Jr. PG, Philadelphia (PA) Roman Catholic HS)
