Rumble in the Bronx Recap
BRONX, N.Y. – Annually the best team tournament in June, the Rumble in the Bronx almost lived up to its name in the wrong way. But all in all, the tournament saw the usual competitive games along with some elite individual talents.
In the 17-under Silver final, LA Dream Team jumped out early, but Hoop Magic stayed within striking distance for much of the half and trailed by ten at the break. But early in the second half, LA Dream Team broke the game open, leading by over 30 in the final minutes in a 99-66 win. Jordan Hamilton (6’7″ Jr. SF, Compton (CA) Dominguez HS) led the winners with 23 points, while Antonio Bigalow (6’0″ Jr. PG, LaGrange (GA) Sound Doctrine HS) added 16 points and Erik Swoopes (6’4″ So. SF, North Hollywood (CA) Harvard-Westlake HS) added 14.
The 15-under final was a dandy, as Upstate Elite had to hold off late charges from Team Philly in a 43-41 win. Early on, both teams were sluggish and looked like teams that had just played with no break between games. Upstate Elite took a 20-16 halftime lead thanks to strong play late in the half, and at one point got the lead up to eight in the second half. Team Philly got within two on a couple of occasions late in the game, but could never get over the hump. Javon McCrea (So. PF, Newark (NY) High) led Upstate Elite with 19 points to go with a number of rebounds and blocked shots, while David Appolon (Fr., Philadelphia (PA) Imhotep Charter) led Team Philly with 17.
Now, we take a look at some of the players who competed.
Emarri Bailey (6’6″ Jr. SF, Jacksonville (FL) Arlington Country Day School) Intriguing prospect has played on some balanced teams, which means he doesn’t often stand out or put up big numbers. Here, he played well to lead his team to the semifinals, including a big 19-point game with three three-pointers. His body isn’t fully mature yet, so there’s certainly some upside for him.
Antonio Bigalow (6’0″ Jr. PG, LaGrange (GA) Sound Doctrine HS) This thin but quick point guard was probably the most impressive player on a team that featured big-time prospects Renardo Sidney and Jordan Hamilton. The lefty scored often, driving to the basket for layups and getting transition hoops as well as a couple of three-pointers, going for 20 in one game we saw. High-major/high-major minus prospect.
Ashton Broyld (Fr. SF, Rochester (NY) Martian HS) An excellent quarterback on the gridiron, he’s athletic and has a good body and good size for the wing. He’s very much a work in progress on the hardwood, as he helped his team win but missed his share of shots in the title game.
Tywon Clark (6’2″ Jr. PG-SG, Woodstock (CT) Hyde School) Steady guard can play the point, but generally played off the ball this weekend and played well. He has a good body but needs more lower body strength, plays bigger than his size and rebounded well from the guard spot, and reached double figures at least twice this weekend with outings of 15 and 16 points that we know of. Mid-major prospect.
Ben Crenca (6’9″ Jr. PF, Exeter (RI) Worcester Academy) In his team’s tournament-ending loss, he was unstoppable when he got the ball inside. He used his big body inside, throwing his weight around and daring opposing defenders to take the abuse, which they didn’t. His post moves are showing some improvement, though he’ll need to continue working on making moves where a dribble is required. Mid-major prospect.
Jovan Dawson (6’7″ Jr. PF, Cordele (GA) Crisp County HS) An undersized but bulky power forward, he didn’t post up as much as one would hope given his size. He showed some ability facing the basket, finding a teammate a couple of times and not trying to be a wing, which he isn’t.
Richie Edwards (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Lakeland (FL) Senior HS) A solid blender player, we like that he’s not the most athletic player but finds a way to be effective. There isn’t any one thing he does very well, but he can handle the ball, shoot, rebound and make plays at both ends of the floor. He won’t put up huge numbers, but he’s always a valuable player on his team. Mid-major plus prospect.
Joe Efese (6’7″ So. PF, Montvale (NJ) St. Joseph’s HS) A solid post player who put up 20 points and got his share of boards in an early game, he has a good body and played some physical basketball inside. Although he wasn’t afraid of contact, his effort at times looked a bit questionable as he didn’t always look like he was playing as hard as he could.
Anton Fortunado (6’5″ Jr. SG-SF, Miami (FL) Dr. Krop HS) Active wing plays a lot like a big guard, as he can handle and score with his jumper and off the dribble. Not the most athletic player but not lacking in that category, he’s fairly mature physically and also posted up a smaller player for a basket, and generally showed a nice basketball I.Q.
Davon Gavin (Fr. SG, Rochester (NY) Wilson HS) A quick guard, he had a key role in his team’s championship despite getting shaken up from a bad fall on his back in the title game. He hit a couple of clutch three-pointers in the second half, helping his team open up a lead they would never relinquish.
Winston Graham (6’1″ Jr. PG-SG, Bronx (NY) All Hallows HS) Early on in one game, he got hot shooting the ball from long range, and he continued to show a good touch from long range later on. He’s capable of playing both guard spots and his body isn’t mature yet.
Tucker Halpern (6’8″ Jr. SF-PF, Needham (MA) Noble & Greenough School) While he didn’t have the kind of showing that he had a year ago at this event, let’s recognize what he’s done this spring. He entered the spring as little more than a big catch-and-shoot wing, one that left us wanting to see a little more. Well, he’s done that, as this weekend, he did what he’s done throughout the spring in making basketball plays at both ends of the floor. He hasn’t transformed his game, but there’s been a definite improvement. Mid-major prospect.
Jerome Hamilton (6’8″ Jr. PF, Worth County (GA) High) Post player has a strong upper body in helping him play inside, scoring close to the basket. He went for 17 in a game we saw, and it was a quiet but effective offensive outing and a game that suggests he has better days ahead.
Jordan Hamilton (6’7″ Jr. SF, Compton (CA) Dominguez HS) While he continues to score well, going for 25 points in one game we saw, this athletic wing seems to be focused more on being a good teammate. He’s handling the ball more and not looking for his offense as much, and he seems to be getting better at finding the happy medium between the two. Big-time prospect.
Nate Hutcheson (6’7″ Jr. SF, Linn-Marr (IA) High) He’s a bit slight and not overly athletic, but very capable of knocking down long range jumpers and has good size for that. In one game, he went for 16 points with four three-pointers.
Jamee Jackson (6’8″ Jr. PF, Jersey City (NJ) St. Anthony’s) Well-built forward is a plus athlete and has a good body. The lefty wasn’t a star, but helped his team with good play inside and went for 16 in one of his team’s wins.
Dan Jennings (6’9″ Jr. PF-C, Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy) It’s a shame that he had the involvement he did in Sunday’s melee between his team and the Juice All-Stars, because as a player he has some talent. He’s well-built and has a good upper body, and the lefty finishes strong close to the basket and is a presence defensively and on the boards. Unfortunately, one has to wonder about his character given what transpired on Sunday. Reportedly, he may be heading to a prep school next year.
Karron Johnson (6’6″ Jr. SF, Richmond (VA) Mt. Zion Christian Academy) Now more mature physically, he showed some of the same offensive abilities we’ve seen from him before, but he was overall non-descript. He didn’t look like the special player his early success in high school suggested he had the potential to be, although having a selfish teammate in Lance Stephenson didn’t help him here. High-major prospect.
Dominique Langston (6’3″ So. SG, Bridgeport (CT) Kolbe Cathedral HS) Athletic wing had a big game in his team’s win over a talented DC Assault team, coming through in the clutch as well as leading an early rally. He scored often in transition and posted up a smaller player for a basket, while also knocking down a clutch jumper late in the game. He has some physical maturity to this point, but his body isn’t done yet.
Omari Lawrence (6’4″ Jr. SG, Bronx (NY) St. Raymond’s HS) Very athletic lefty was basically unstoppable against the stacked LA Dream Team, getting to the hoop almost whenever he wanted to. That he had just 15 points was more a reflection of him not getting the touches he should have. He has a mature body and can shoot, but he’s so good at getting to the basket that he doesn’t take many jumpers. High-major prospect.
Matt Lyde (6’6″ Jr. PF, New Rochelle (NY) Iona Prep) Though undersized for the power forward spot, he has a good body and is active. A role player on his team, he was around the ball often and contributed without putting up big numbers.
Rayshon Mack (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Crestwood (GA) High) A long athlete, he looks to have some combo forward ability but hasn’t settled on a clear position between the two. He showed the ability to score on a post move, while also being active at both ends and showing a little nose for the ball.
Javon McCrea (So. PF, Newark (NY) High) He’s a young sophomore, but already has a mature body that he uses well inside. In the 15-under final, he was an enforcer inside as he owned the boards and blocked several shots. Offensively, his post game needs work, but he made several nice interior passes and faced the basket well.
Mike McFadden (6’7″ Jr. PF, Newark (NJ) Technology HS) An aggressive forward, he has a good upper body and knows how to get to the hoop to score. Not really a small forward, he can score on the post and going to the basket from a few feet away with a dribble or two. Mid-major prospect.
Rodney McGruder (6’5″ Jr. SF, Lanham (MD) Archbishop Carroll HS) An active athlete, it’s already known that he plays bigger and rebounds very well for a wing. This weekend, he showed signs of an improving offensive game, notably his jump shooting as he knocked several down en route to 26 points in a tough loss. High-major/high-major minus prospect has committed to Kansas State.
Javon Mitchell (6’5″ Jr. SF-PF, Woodstock (CT) Hyde School) A live body, he was a solid garbage man in collecting rebounds and getting stickbacks and baskets off loose balls. He’s undersized for the power forward spot, but is a plus athlete for the position and may be able to transition to the small forward spot.
Javon Nash (6’7″ Jr. SF, Waterloo (IA) East HS) A player who has the look of a “potential” guy, he’s long and athletic with a very thin lower body. A good plus is that he showed the ability to finish with contact instead of shying away from it.
Rod Odom (6’8″ So. SF, Ringe (NY) Middlesex School) Long and athletic, he’s got some work to do but looks like he has a chance to be a solid prospect. While his body has a ways to go and his skills need upgrading, he showed a nice touch on jumpers, especially stopping and popping from mid-range, and he’s active and around the ball often and a capable rebounder.
Kevin Parrom (6’6″ Jr. SF-PF, Bronx (NY) South Kent School) At this event, he played the best we’ve seen him play, and he looked more like someone who could play the small forward spot and less like a power forward trying to be a small forward. Here, he shot it well from long range, including five three-pointers en route to 28 points in a playoff game, and showed that he might have the ability to take over games. High-major minus prospect.
Jayvaughn Pinkston (6’6″ So. SF-PF, Brooklyn (NY) Bishop Loughlin HS) Well-built forward already has a man’s body and can use his strength. Though still a little in between positions, he has some ball skills and should be able to upgrade them further to play the small forward spot.
Brandon Romain (6’2″ Jr. SG, Brooklyn (NY) Boys & Girls HS) Athletic lefty still has some physical maturing ahead, especially with his thin upper body. He has some ball skills, which he’ll need to continue upgrading.
Renardo Sidney (6’9″ Jr. PF, Los Angeles (CA) Fairfax HS) Blessed with tremendous physical gifts, he has the potential to be a special player. He has a big body that he moves well, along with the tools to dominate inside and be effective on the perimeter, but he doesn’t always give the necessary effort. As such, he often leaves you wanting more and feeling like he’s not showing just how good he can be, seemingly playing on only his talent and potential and having no motor. Big-time prospect.
Chris Smith (6’4″ Jr. PG-SG, Toluca Lake (CA) John Burroughs HS) Although he often brought the ball up for his team, he doesn’t look like the most natural point guard. He can handle the ball, but isn’t overly quick and doesn’t appear to have just good weight on his mature body. He also struggled shooting the ball, looking more like a scorer than a shooter.
Russell Smith (5’10” Jr. PG, Queens (NY) Archbishop Molloy HS) A baby physically, he had a solid showing as he made things happen offensively for his team. He fearlessly drove to the basket and ran the show for the team that ultimately won the tournament.
Billy Soriano (5’8″ Fr. PG, Providence (RI) Mount Pleasant HS) Small point guard really saw his size not help him and showed that he’s still got some learning to do at the position. In a key game for his team, he constantly dribbled into trouble inside and ultimately turned the ball over, as he had nowhere to go and couldn’t get the ball to a teammate or get a shot off. It’s a reminder that while talented, he’s also a baby physically.
Lance Stephenson (6’5″ Jr. SG-SF, Brooklyn (NY) Lincoln HS) Not unlike Renardo Sidney, this well-built wing athlete has a real knack for leaving you wanting more. His undoing is often that he forces things that aren’t there and tends to be selfish, and that was seen again in one game we saw this weekend along with fouling out. The talent is there, but the feel for the game is sorely lacking. Big-time prospect.
Eric Swoopes (6’4″ So. SF, North Hollywood (CA) Harvard-Westlake HS) A thick wing, he’s more athletic than he looks and has a mature body. On a team loaded with scorers, he didn’t put up big numbers, but was a fine blender player en route to his team winning the silver title.
Daryl Traynham (5’9″ So. PG, Fort Washington (MD) Vance HS) This small, quick point guard has flown under the radar in a class loaded with solid prospects at the position. He knows how to play at his size, as he’s excellent stopping and popping for mid-range jumpers and can score and involve teammates. On a couple of occasions, he also showed a nose for the ball by going inside at the defensive end and getting loose balls off missed shots.
Dion Waiters (6’2″ So. SG, Philadelphia (PA) South Kent School) Very talented in terms of physical gifts and skills, his play this weekend left us wanting more. When we see plays like drives right by defenders for layups with either hand, as well as a clutch three-pointer, we expected more. But we didn’t quite get it from him, as he went for just 11 points in a loss that ended his team’s weekend. Committed to Syracuse.
Jonathan Williams (6’3″ Jr. SG, New York (NY) Rice HS) Steady guard played well throughout the weekend, putting up some good scoring games. One of them was a 25-point outing in a losing effort to end the tournament, which included five three-pointers.
Other players who caught our attention:
Anell Alexis (6’6″ Jr. SF, Newark (NJ) St. Benedict’s HS)
David Appolon (Fr., Philadelphia (PA) Imhotep Charter)
Zach Bohannon (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Linn-Marr (IA) High)
Lance Brown (6’3″ Jr. SG, Paterson (NJ) Catholic HS)
Trevor Clemmings (6’6″ So. PF, Paterson (NJ) Catholic HS)
Andre Drummond (6’9″ Fr. PF-C, Hartford (CT) Capitol Prep)
Sterling Gibbs (5’10” Fr. PG, West Orange (NJ) Seton Hall Prep)
Andre Gillette (6’8″ Jr. PF, Philadelphia (PA) St. John Neumann Goretti)
Greg Jacques (5’10” Jr. PG, Needham (MA) St. Sebastian’s)
Wallace Judge (6’9″ Jr. PF, Bladensburg (MD) Arlington Country Day School)
Mike Marra (6’4″ Jr. SG, Smithfield (RI) Northfield Mount Hermon)
Javier McKenzie (6’6″ Jr. SF, New York (NY) Park West HS)
Shawn Oakman (Fr., Lansdowne (PA) Penn Wood HS)
Demetrius Perkins (6’3″ Jr. SG, North Hills (CA) James Monroe HS)
Raheem Reynolds (8th grade, Rochester (NY) Wilson HS)
Steven Samuels (6’4″ So. SG-SF, Windsor (CT) High)
Ameen Tanksley (Fr., Philadelphia (PA) Prep Charter)
Hakeem Valles (Fr. SF, Sicklerville (NJ) Peddie School)
