Sean Lloyd, here in action with The Haverford School, is having a very strong summer. (Photo: Josh Verlin)

Andrew Koob (@AndrewKoob)
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Hampton, Virginia was filled with talent as the Hoop Group’s Southern Jam Fest was held this past weekend. Plenty of players and teams stepped up, but these 10 players really stuck out with their play and tenacity on the court.

Tykwan Garner (2014/Team Phoenix (NC) 17U)
Eastern Guilford High School (NC)
A 6-foot-8 forward, Garner abused his opponents on Friday night in the post, scoring 11 points and fighting for every rebound on both the offensive and defensive glass. The 2014 forward is fairly slender so an extra few pounds wouldn’t hurt, but the hustle that he showcased over the weekend should definitely catch the attention of some low to mid-major Division I schools.

Cameron Gottfried (2014/Garner Road (NC) 17U)
Broughton High School (NC)
The son of N.C. State head coach Mark Gottfried, the 2014 guard scored from under the basket and outside the three-point line with ease. Gottfried was a big reason why his AAU team, Garner Road, was able to make it into the 17U championship game, where they lost to Trimble and DC Assault.

Sean Lloyd (2015/Team Philly 16U)
The Haverford School (Pa.)
In a blowout that saw Team Philly win by over 50 points on Saturday, Lloyd could not be stopped. The 2015 guard from the Haverford School, on several occasions, fought through contact to convert and-ones and showed off some major hops with a few dunks. Lloyd said on Saturday that he is drawing interest from Miami, Syracuse, Temple, St. Joe’s, Villanova and Quinnipiac.

Thon Maker (2016/Boo Williams)
Carlisle School (Va.)
Maker is a name you’ll want to remember in a couple years because it will be one that every school wants. A 2016 center, Maker already stands at 7 feet tall and has a decent jumper to go along with his low-post game. He’s very slender at 200 pounds and needs to add some bulk, but he will certainly be a household name moving forward.

JaQuel Richmond (2014/Team Loaded (NC) 17U)
Wesleyen Christian Academy (NC)
Team Loaded (N.C.), which includes VCU commit Jonathon Williams and Caleb and Cody Martin, twins committed to N.C. State, is filled with talent. Richmond certainly fits the mold with the rest of his AAU teammates, showing off a nice jumper and the ability to finish at the rim with force. The 2014 guard lists his Top 5 (in no particular order) as N.C. State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Florida State and Tennessee.

Clint Robinson (2014/Virginia Assault 17U)
Charles H. Flowers High School (Va.)
While Robinson is currently without a Division I offer, the 2014 big man generated plenty of buzz over the weekend. He’s a little slender, but was able to become  force in the post and, in a game against Sports U IZod and highly-regarded big man Quadri Moore, he was able to force bad shots and block a couple as well. Robinson is currently drawing interest from Xavier, Howard, Richmond, Towson, Wyoming and Central Connecticut State.

Devin Robinson (2014/Squires Richmond (Va.) 17U)
Christchurch School (Va.)
Robinson was most likely the player who saw his stock rise the most since the Pitt Jam Fest back in late April. The top-50 recruit in the 2014 class netted numerous 20-point performances over the weekend, which have included great intensity on the boards. Many schools have taken notice, with Robinson holding offers from Cincinnati, Xavier, Florida State, VCU, UConn, Notre Dame and Southern Cal. 2013 NCAA champion Louisville reportedly very close to offering.

Aaron Simpson (2015/Greensboro Warriors (N.C.)
Ben L. Smith High School (NC)
The 2015 guard from Greensboro, NC, in his opening game on Friday night, carried the team on his back. Simpson scored 20 points, 15 coming off of shots from beyond the arc, in a two-point, last-second victory. The sweet shooting touch was nice but, at 6-foot-1, Simpson still needs to develop to take his game to another level.

Melo Trimble (2014/DC Assault)
Bishop O’Connell (Va.)
Trimble, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound guard, already verbally committed to play at Maryland, had already impressed at both the Pitt and Philly Jam Fests a few weeks ago. But he really put his mark at the Southern Jam Fest, showing a beautiful stroke from beyond the arc and the ability to cut through the lane for in-close buckets with ease.

Michael Watkins (2015/Team Philly 16U)
Bartram High School (Pa.)
Lloyd wasn’t the only one who impressed for Team Philly’s 16U squad. Watkins, at 6-foot-8, was absolutely dominant, swatting away shots and corralling rebounds left and right. The 2015 center also put his stamp on the scoring game, contributing a team-high 23 points in that blowout victory. Watkins has drawn interest from Temple, Drexel and Penn State, but if he continues to play like he did over the weekend, expect plenty of other schools to get in the mix.

Yohanny Dalembert (center), with father Emanuel and sister Severine, after announcing his commitment to JMU. (Photo: Josh Verlin)

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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Before he announced his college decision, Yohanny Dalembert reflected on the journey he’d taken.

After all, he’d come quite a ways. First was 1,500-mile trip from his hometown in Haiti to the suburbs of Philadelphia, escaping the devastation of the 2010 earthquake. Then, he had to learn how to play the sport that would earn him a scholarship.

“When I first got here, I didn’t even know if I wanted to play basketball,” he said at the podium in Lower Merion’s Kobe Bryant Gymnasium, with his father Emanuel and sister Severine at his side. “I did it at first because my brother [NBA center Samuel Dalembert] did it. But over the last three years, I learned to love the game. It has become a huge part of my life,”

In the span of three years, Dalembert went from having never picked up a basketball to accepting a scholarship to James Madison University. The 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward donned a purple-and-gold JMU cap in front of a crowd of around 50 family and friends on Monday afternoon, ending one part of a long trip and beginning another.

Dalembert made the difficult decision to leave his home before high school, moving up to the Philadelphia suburbs for a better education and a hope of the American dream. At first, attending a new high school in the wealthy Main Line suburb was as difficult as could be expected for a fairly shy kid from one of the world’s poorest countries.

“That first year was tough, I have to admit, it was really tough, to just adjust to different things and different cultures,” he said. “Haiti will always be in my heart, it will always be home, but at the same time many people here welcomed me and made me feel like I was at home. They helped me get to where I am today.”

It was in that first year at the school that Dalembert went out for the basketball team, trying a sport he knew his brother played at the highest level but one he otherwise knew very little about. A soccer player his whole life, he began kicking the ball around his first time in the gym.

The first time he saw Dalembert, Lower Merion coach Gregg Downer had a feeling he had something special on his hands.

“He couldn’t make a layup and didn’t really know what to do….but he bent down and picked up the basketball like this,” Downer said, mimicking palming a ball straight off the ground. “He made it look like it was a grapefruit, and I liked the looks of that.”

And while the sport might not have grabbed him the first time he hit the hardwood, eventually Dalembert’s competitive side kicked in.

“I got dunked on, I got backed down and posterized a couple of times, and I was just like ‘enough,’” he said. “Now I’m the one doing the same things that they did to me when I first got here.”

Downer said Dalembert has improved more than any other player in the history of the Aces basketball program–though, as the longtime coach admitted, he was starting with a “blank slate.” He gave a lot of credit for Yohanny’s credit to former teammate Darryl Reynolds, a 6-9 forward who graduated from LM last year and attended Worcester (Ma.) prep school this season before committing to Villanova several weeks ago.

“They were very close friends off the court and when Darryl started having some success I thought that kind of rubbed off on Yohanny,” Downer said. “When you’re in our basketball program and you start having some success and playing in front of some big crowds and stuff, you can pretty quickly see that this can be a lot of fun.

“Where he has come as a player in the past three years is amazing, and I really think his best basketball is ahead of him. He literally had never touched a ball, and I think James Madison’s getting a steal. I think he’s going to have a great career there.”

Yohanny Dalembert (40) averaged nearly a double-double in his senior season. (Photo: Josh Verlin)

In his senior season, the athletic forward averaged 11.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.1 blocks, helping lead his team to the PIAA Class AAAA championship. He was named to the second team in both the All-State and All-Southeastern PA honors and was named to the first team in the All-Central League and All-Main Line awards.

Dalembert’s recruitment had taken a number of twists and turns as his senior season wound down, with schools like Temple, VCU, Memphis, Middle Tennessee State and Villanova all showing varying amounts of interest. Eventually it came down to Drexel, James Madison and Hofstra; other colleges wanted him to take a year of prep school first, but he felt that he was ready for college this year.

In 2012-13, James Madison went 21-15 under head coach Matt Brady, winning the CAA tournament title and earning a 16-seed in the NCAA tournament. The Dukes beat LIU-Brooklyn 68-55 in a play-in game before losing 83-62 to top-seeded Indiana.

In addition to four graduating seniors, JMU will also lose sophomores Enoch Hood and Arman Marks to transfer, meaning there is certainly an opportunity for Dalembert to earn minutes right away.

By accepting the scholarship he fulfills a goal set not just by himself but by his father as well, though the elder Dalembert realized they might have slightly different reasons for being happy that day.

“I’m very proud of him, I’m very happy,” Emanuel Dalembert said. “As a parent, I think everybody wishes the best thing for their kids–so you want them to go to university, to college, to play basketball, as the first thing for him. But the first thing for me is to achieve his degree at a university.”

In going to the Colonial Athletic Association, Dalembert does ensure at least two trips per year up to the Philadelphia region when James Madison plays conference members Drexel and Delaware. Being just a few hours away from home–close, but not too close–was an important factor.

“I like to be able to come home, and a lot of people are going to come see my games,” said Dalembert, who plans to major in either business or communications and will head down to the school in July. “I’m in love with the campus, it’s a beautiful campus. I just can’t wait to see myself there.”

Ramone Moore led the Owls in scoring and was 3rd in the A-10 with a 17.3 ppg average in 2011-12 (Photo: Josh Verlin)

Evan Cross (@EvanCross)
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Since graduating from Temple University last spring, Ramone Moore has played for four professional basketball teams in three different countries. The past year has been crazy for Moore, and he hopes that he will improve with more stability.

“It was okay,” Moore said of the past year. “Could have been better. A lot of ups and downs.”

Moore’s first professional action was with the Chicago Bulls in the Summer League last year. Playing alongside NBA players Jimmy Butler and Marquise Teague, Moore averaged 5.0 points per game on 27 percent shooting and 1.8 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game.

He did not make the team, and later signed with Angelico Biella in Lega Basket Serie A, which is the top league in Italy. He played in five games for Biella in September and October 2012, averaging 6.4 points on 44 percent shooting and 2.6 rebounds in 24.2 minutes a game.

After being released from Biella, he signed with Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israeli Basketball Super League, the highest league in Israel. He only played one game for Tel Aviv, playing 5 minutes and missing all three of his shots. He left Israel soon after this game due to the danger of living in Israel, which at the time was being hit with missiles launched from Palestine.

“It was difficult,” Moore said. “My family were worried. It was just an experience I had never witnessed before. It was very, very difficult at the time. I had my daughter at home. I had other family members worried about me. It was kinda hard to focus on life and basketball at the same time. I just decided it was best for me to come home.”

He came back to Philadelphia on Thanksgiving and signed with the Springfield Armor, the NBA Development League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, in December 2012. He played in 37 games for the Armor, starting 13. He averaged 9.2 points on 42 percent shooting and 2.3 rebounds in 23.9 minutes a game. Moore said it was a big adjustment going from the skills-heavy Xs-and-Os European style to the fast-paced NBA game.

“I think playing in the D-League has helped me prepare for the NBA game,” Moore said. “Overseas and the NBA game is very, very different. I’ll have a better year this year, just being able to understand the little things. The schemes, the defense, little things that the NBA game has to offer.”

Moore will continue his NBA experience with the Orlando Magic in this year’s Summer League. He said he will attend a minicamp from June 15 to 19, followed by league play in July.

“Just the Nets and the Magic expressed interest [in signing me],” Moore said. “[The Magic] showed the most interest. My agent contacted the Magic, and they wanted to have me on their team right away. That was the situation I was in, and we decided to go to Orlando.”

In the meantime, Moore will stay in Philadelphia, working out and staying in shape. He attended the second night of the Battle of Brotherly Love, a two-day tournament featuring the best players from the city and suburbs, at Ben Franklin High on Wednesday, May 15.

“It’s good to see that it’s continued,” Moore said of city all-star tournaments. “A lot of older guys did the same thing when we were younger. We’re the older guys coming back to show the younger guys some respect, coming here and watching them play. It’s a great thing.”

Despite the low expectations for Temple in the upcoming season, Moore thinks his alma mater can surprise some people.

“Hopefully they do well,” Moore said. “I haven’t seen any of the new recruits. Last year, with me, Juan [Fernandez] and Michael Eric leaving, people didn’t think they could be that good, but they almost made it to the Sweet 16, so the sky’s the limit. Hopefully those guys go in there, listen to Coach [Fran] Dunphy, and they’ll do a pretty good job.”

Moore is looking forward to the next year. He hopes he won’t have as many distractions as last year.

“I think I finished out strong,” Moore said. “I’m just trying to be prepared and have a better year this year.”

Rashaan Armstead-Holloway (right) was one of several standout performers at the Big Shots event. (Photo: Josh Verlin)

Teddy Bailey (@TheTeddyBailey)
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The final day of this weekend’s Big Shots event, hosted by Team Final , was played on Sunday. A few recruiting notes on the play at Archbishop Carroll, click here for a recap of the day’s events:

–Rashaan Armstead-Holloway (2014/Philly Ballhawks) has captured attention of the local schools, and rightfully so. The 6-foot-9, 285-pound forward claimed offers from Temple, La Salle and Drexel, and has visited all three; he’s also visiting Richmond on June 17.

“Temple, they’re a good school, and I feel like I could put myself there,” he said. “With La Salle, it’s a smaller campus, I go to a smaller school.

“I just want a good environment and to fit in, basketball wise.”

The Schalick (N.J.) forward said could make his decision before his senior year starts in the fall.

“I like to post-up, and I have a pretty good mid-range jumper,” he said. “I can also shoot the three.”

Holloway had himself a solid game in the Ballhawks’ 64-52 loss to Team Final in the 17U Semi Final  scoring 12 points while collecting six rebounds.

Samir Doughty (right) has caught the attention of a number of schools this summer. (Photo: Josh Verlin)

–Philly Pride 16U’s Samir Doughty was fairly successful on Sunday, to say the least. The 6-foot-3, 177-pound guard scored a game-high 30 points in his team’s 87-57 routing of Team Suspect in the 16U semifinal game. Doughty, four hours later, scored 26 points in the losing effort against a very talented Team Final (Del.), 71-65.

Doughty, who will be playing for PET next season due to Comm. Tech’s closing, was the leading scorer in the 16U age group this weekend, averaging 24 points per game.

“I think I played alright in the last game,” Doughty said. “But I could have played better.”

The combo guard has a plethora of schools interested in him, most notably Temple, Villanova, La Salle, St. John’s, and Xavier, but doesn’t have any offers yet.

–Talent was not hard to come by on Sunday afternoon, and the 17U Bracket featured arguably one of the top juniors in the state of New Jersey with We-R-1′s Kaison Randolph. The speedy point guard has been living up to the hype, and was on full display at Archbishop Carroll this weekend. Although Randolph was fairly quiet in his team’s 64-52 win over Philly Pride, scoring only two points, his game has attracted a number of Division I offers.

“I just ball and I’m athletic,” he said. “However my team needs me to score, I do it.”

Randolph’s recruitment has picked up as of late, and the Pennington School guard has a variety of offers to choose from, claiming offers from “Cincinnati, Iowa State, Seton Hall, Drexel, Wagner, Buffalo, Towson, and Saint Joe’s.” Recently, he said he’s been hearing mainly from “St. Joe’s, Drexel, Buffalo and Towson,” which is the area he’s likely to land in at the next level.

“I took a visit to Saint Joe’s and Seton Hall,” Randolph said. “I like Saint Joe’s and I’m cool with the coaching staff. I’m from the city, so I’d like a city feel.”

Austin Tilghman, has offers from La Salle and Stony Brook. (Photo: Josh Verlin)

Randolph also said that he plans to visit Seton Hall, Towson, and Saint Joseph’s all officially, and will narrow his list and potentially make his decision before his senior season starts.

–Austin Tilghman (2014/St. Andrew’s), a solid 6-1 point guard, has offers from La Salle and Stony Brook. He’s certainly interested in the idea of being an Explorer.

“La Salle, I like them a lot,” he said. “They play four guards, which I like, and they’ve got big men down low. They get up and down the court, I like that.”

Tilghman said La Salle’s Sweet 16 run “definitely” piqued his interest in the school, but added he likely wouldn’t be making his decision until sometime after the fall, around when his senior season starts. A good shooter, he would fit in well in the Explorer’s uptempo, guard-based offense as someone who can score and create.

Team Final Black won the 16U title at the Big Shots event. (Photo: Josh Verlin)

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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The Team Final-hosted Big Shots tournament wrapped up on Sunday, with all the action converging at Archbishop Carroll for the 15U, 16U and 17U championship games.

For recruiting notes from the final day of the two-day event, check out Teddy Bailey’s notebook. Keep reading for recaps of the championship games:

15U–Team Final (Pa.) vs. Philly Pride 
Philly Pride got a measure of revenge against Team Final, jumping out to a big early lead and holding on for a 57-47 victory.

Jabri McCall (2016/Martin Luther King) led all scorers with 16 points, connecting on 4-of-6 from the floor and 7-of-10 on free throws, while backcourt mate Jaekwon Carlyle (2016/Imhotep) added 14 on 5-of-8 shooting.

It was a 24-10 lead ten minutes into the first half, and Team Final would have issues getting any closer than eight the rest of the way. Philly Pride dominated on the boards, winning the rebound battle 36-15 thanks a pair of Imhotep freshman in Carlyle (eight) and forward Rasool Samir (12).

Team Final needed overtime to win the last time the two teams played, one week prior at the Mid-Atlantic Regional championship down in Chichester in a 49-47 victory.

“It felt really good,” McCall said about getting some revenge for the loss. “We just fought harder and played better, went after everything on D.”

If these two teams stay together for the next few years, expect the series to get more and more intense–especially as competition for college scholarship heats up between two squads loaded with future Division I talent.

16U–Team Final Black (Pa.) vs. Philly Pride
It wasn’t the Team Final squad that many expected to be playing in the championship game, but after dispatching the Blue squad earlier in the day it was Team Final Black that impressed in a 71-65 victory over Philly Pride.

Athletic wing Donte DiVincenzo (2015/Salesianum) capped off a solid weekend with a 21-point, six-steal, four-assist performance in the title game, hitting 8-of-17 from the floor. DeVaughn Mallory (2015/Poly Tech) chipped in 20 and 11 rebounds, while John Middleton added 16 for the victors.

“Donte Divincenzo’s our leader, John Middleton’s really turning into a big-time player, and our bigs, DeVaughn Mallory really showed himself today,” Team Final coach Jamal Hunt said.

The biggest shot of the game came from Matt Walsh (2015/Manheim Central), who buried a 3-pointer from the left corner with 2:45 left that extended the lead to 62-54. It came off a save by DiVincenzo, who threw the pass as he was falling out-of-bounds after he lost the ball on his way to the hoop.

“I saw him out of the corner of my eye as I was driving, but then the ball was knocked out of my hands” DiVincenzo said. “I tried to save it and Matt was luckily in the right position.”

“That shot was a back-breaker,” Hunt added.

It was a rematch of an earlier game in the tournament, which Philly Pride won convincingly, 78-52 at Shipley on Saturday. They couldn’t shut down Team Final’s offense two games in a row.

“We played them one time and they took advantage of our weaknesses,” DiVincenzo said. “So we talked about it after the first game, and we came together as a team and made sure that we didn’t make the same mistakes we made the first game.”

For Philly Pride, Samir Doughty (26 points on 10-of-26 shooting, five rebounds) and Chris Clover (22 points on 9-of-14 shooting, seven rebounds) were the only two players on the team with more than Gemil Holbrook’s six points. Doughty (24.0 ppg) and Clover 21.3 ppg) ended up as the top two scorers in the 16U division for the tournament.

JaQuan Johnson had a big 3-point play in the closing minutes of Team Final’s win. (Photo: Josh Verlin)

17U–Team Final (Pa.) vs. We-R-1 (Del.)
It was an entertaining finale to the Big Shots event as Ja’Quan Newton (2014/Neumann-Goretti) and Mikal Bridges (2014/Great Valley) led a shorthanded Team Final against We-R-1.

JaQuan Johnson (2014/Lower Merion) had a key 3-point play with two minutes left as Team Final–who trailed most of the game–held on down the stretch for a 70-66 win.

Team Final was playing without two usual starters in Malachi Richardson (2015/Roselle Catholic) and Shep Garner (2014/Roman Catholic), as well as reserve big man Eric Carter (2014/Jackson Memorial), another D-I recruit. We-R-1 was without forward Ben Bentil (2014/St. Andrew’s), who was out with an elbow injury.

“They were all depending on me to step up, we only had six guys,” Johnson said. “I had pretty big shoes to fill.”

So Johnson slid into the starting role and more than held his own, even before making the decisive bucket. With 2:04 remaining, he split two defenders for a tough layup in traffic, drawing the foul and hitting the free-throw to give Team Final a 65-62 lead after they’d trailed the vast majority of the second half. They wouldn’t trail again.

“When (Johnson) looks to score, because he’s so unselfish, we’re a better team,” Team Final coach Derrick Bobbitt said. “Because he already gives the ball up and he puts a little pressure on the other team.”

The game was won at the free throw line, as Team Final made 17-of-27 (63.0 percent) while We-R-1 went just 7-of-15 (46.6 percent); Team Final also won the rebound battle 24-16.

Newton had 18 points, Bridges 16, Johnson 11 and Tony Toplyn (2014/Neumann-Goretti) 10 as the four members of Team Final in double figures. Nana Foulland (2014/Berks Catholic) added nine points and eight rebounds for the winning side.

We-R-1 also had a very balanced scoring output: Todd Hughes (2014/Sanford School) had 14 points, Austin Tilghman (2014/St. Andrew’s) had 13, and James Kirksey (2014/Chester) and Kaison Randolph (2014/Pennington School) had 10 apiece.

Chris Clover (right) impressed with a 31-point outing on Saturday. (Photo: Josh Verlin)

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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A few notes from this weekend’s Big Shots event, hosted by Team Final. Took in games at Archbishop Carroll (17Us) and Shipley School (16Us) on the first day of competition:

*All stats courtesy of Big Shots*

–If the way he’s been playing lately is any indication, St. Joe’s Prep fans are in for quite a season from rising junior Chris Clover (2015/Philly Pride). After spending two years as a contributing part on a team dominated by Miles Overton (Wake Forest) and Steve Vasturia (Notre Dame), Clover is showing this summer just what he’s capable of.

The 6-foot-4 wing had likely the best game I’ve ever seen him play on Saturday, dropping 31 points in a win over Team Final Black, hitting 9-of-18 from the floor and 11-of-11 on free throws. He showed a willingness and ability to attack the basket that he didn’t have just a few months ago, and looks ready to be the offensive focal point for Speedy Morris this year.

“Just been working out, playing a couple of games with the Prep, and AAU’s going well for me this year,” Clover said. “I’ve been working on my handles, because I think I’m going to be a guard–I don’t think I’m going to grow any more, so I’ve got to prepare for college as a guard.”

Clover said that coaches from Drexel, Xavier, La Salle, St. Joe’s, Holy Cross and some other local schools have been in contact with his AAU and high school coaches; college programs aren’t allowed to directly contact rising juniors until June 15.

–One of the most athletic kids I’ve seen all summer, Donte DiVincenzo (2015/Team Final Black) is a high-flying guard who opened eyes all over the gym. A 6-3 sophomore from Salesianum (Del.), DiVincenzo has a nonstop motor and a massive vertical leap that caused issues on both ends of the court.

“I try to use my athleticism to my advantage,” he said. “If I see an advantage for me against an opponent, then I’m going to exploit that, and I try to attack the rim as much as I can.”

In a game against Philly Pride, he had 17 points, hitting 4-of-7 on threes, adding five rebounds and two blocks. No longer content to just utilize his athleticism, he’s working on his skill set to prepare for a potential Division I scholarship.

“At my height in college you’ve got to have good ball handling skills,” he said. “You’ve got to get stronger, quicker, so I’m trying to work on everything and use my head during the game.”

Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman is picking up a lot of mid-major offers. (Photo: Josh Verlin)

–One word to describe Central Catholic guard Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman (2014/Team Final) would be “smooth.” A 6-4, 175-pound combo guard, he seemed to float through the air as he glided to the basket on the break, scoring 11 points in a win over SJ Ballers. Abdur-Rahkman claimed offers from “Lehigh, Bucknell, Harvard, VCU, George Mason, Robert Morris, Drexel and Delaware,” with added interest from “Villanova, Pitt, St. Joe’s, Xavier, and Temple.” Though he usually doesn’t much of a chance to shine on a team that has Ja’Quan Newton and Shep Garner at the two-guard spot, Abdur-Rahkman is more than capable of holding his own.

–A 6-foot-9, 230-pound forward, Nana Foulland (2014/Team Final) is a back-to-the-basket post with decent hands who’s working on his quickness and his athleticism. A rising senior at Berks Catholic in Reading, he’s certainly a mid-major power forward, capable of scoring with either hand around the basket. Foulland claimed offers from “Colonial and Patriot schools,” naming “Bucknell, Delaware, George Mason, Rider, and Boston University.” He said he’s also hearing from “Wake Forest, Seton Hall,” and other higher-conference schools, and doesn’t have a timetable on his decision.

Vaughn Covington (Neumann-Goretti) is part of a talented Team Final 15U squad. (Photo: Josh Verlin)

Garrett Miley @GWMiley
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The Big Shots AAU circuit is coming to the Philadelphia area this weekend. Team Final is hosting the event, which will feature 14/15U, 16U and 17U divisions playing games on Saturday and Sunday.

Tournament games will be held at The Shipley School, Archbishop Carroll, and Neumann Goretti on Saturday and Sunday.

Play will get underway around 9:00 am on court one at The Shipley School when Philly Pride’s 16U team takes on Team Hines (NJ).  Standouts Sam Foreman (Vaux) and Samir Doughty (Comm. Tech) highlight Philly Pride’s 16U roster, which has a great chance to make a deep tournament run.

Philly Pride’s 17U team, also stocked with local talent, opens with a game against bRock (NJ).  Father Judge’s Malik Robinson, MCS’ Lous Myers and Bishop McDevitt’s Tyrell Long make Philly Pride’s 17U roster a competitive one with the top programs in the area.

The Philly Pride 15U roster features top freshman talent in Friends’ Central’s DeAndre Hunter and MLK’s Jabri McCall. They also open the tournament at 10:10 am, but they’ll be playing at Neumann Gorretti on court one.

Team Final Blue’s 16U roster matches up against Team FOE on Shipley court one at 10:10 am. Team Final Blue may be the most talented of the 16U rosters in the bracket, as they boast names like 2015 Haverford guard Shawn Alston, 2016 Gill St. Bernard guard Tyus Battle, and 2015 Roman Catholic forward TreVaughn Wilkerson. Alston’s availability is questionable due to a wrist injury he suffered a few weeks ago, but other standouts like 2015 Constitution forwardAhmad “J.R.” Gilbert and 2015 Neumann-Gorretti guard Lamarr Kimble should be able to continue to fill the void left by the talented point guard.

In the 17U bracket, Team Final doesn’t take the court until 1:40 pm when they play the South Jersey Ballers (NJ) on court one at Archbishop Carroll. Their starting five consists of Shep Garner (2014, G, Roman Catholic), Ja’Quan Newton (2014, G, Neumann-Goretti), Mikal Bridges (2014, G/F, Great Valley), Tony Toplyn (2014, F, Neumann-Goretti), and Nana Foulland (2014, F, Berks Central Catholic), all of whom are talented members of the 2014 class.

All games on Sat., May 18
14U/15U Bracket

Game  Time              Location                                Teams
P1       10:10 AM       Neumann Goretti Ct 1          We R 1 15                       Philly Pride 15 (PA)

P2       12:30 PM       Neumann Goretti Ct 1          Team Final 15 (PA)     Team Hines 15 (NJ)

P3       2:50 PM         Neumann Goretti Ct 1          We R 1 15                     Team Hines 14 (NJ)

P4       5:10 PM         Neumann Goretti Ct 1          bRock 15 (PA)              Team Final 15 (PA)

P5       6:20 PM         Neumann Goretti Ct 1          Team Hines 14 (NJ)   Philly Pride 15 (PA)

P6       8:40 PM         Neumann Goretti Ct 1          Team Hines 15 (NJ)   bRock 15 (PA)

16U Bracket
Game  Time              Location                                Teams

P1       9:00 AM       Shipley School Ct 1          Team Hines 16 (NJ)          Philly Pride 16 (PA)

P2       10:10 AM      Shipley School Ct 1          Team Final Blue 16 (PA)     Team FOE 16

P3       11:20 AM      Shipley School Ct 1       Team Suspect 16 (PA)      Team Final Black 16

P4       12:30 AM     Shipley School Ct 1         Team Final Black 16     Team Hines 16 (NJ)

P4       1:40 PM        Shipley School Ct 1           Team Flight DC 16       Team FOE 15 (PA)

P5       2:50 PM       Shipley School Ct 1       Team Suspect 16 (PA)  Team Final Blue 16 (PA)

P6       4:00 PM      Shipley School Ct 1           Philly Pride 16 (PA)          Team Flight DC 16

17U Bracket
Game  Time              Location                                Teams

B2       10:10 AM      Archbishop Carroll Ct 1    Philly Pride 17 (PA)       bRock 17 (NJ)

B1       11:20 AM     Neumann Gorretti Ct 1   Philly Reach 1 Teach 1 17  NJ Got Game 17

B3       11:20 AM      Archbishop Carroll Ct 1    We R 1 17     King of Prussia Patriots 17 (PA)

B4       12:30 AM     Archbishop Carroll Ct 1    PAL Delaware 17 (DE)  Team New Jersey Elite 17

B5       1:40 PM       Archbishop Carroll Ct 1     Team Final 17 (PA)    South Jersey Ballers 17

B6       2:50 PM      Archbishop Carroll Ct 1      Threat 220 17 (DC) Philadelphia Black Hawks 17

B7       4:00 PM      Archbishop Carroll Ct 1    South Jersey Gym Rats 17   Team Insane 17 (PA)

B8       5:10 PM      Archbishop Carroll Ct 1    Team Turner Basketball 17 (DC)  Philly Ballhawks 17 (PA)

B14       5:10 PM      Shipley School Ct 1           Bracket Loser B3         Bracket Loser B4

B9       6:20 PM      Archbishop Carroll Ct 1      Bracket Winner B1        Bracket Winner B2

B15       6:20 PM      Shipley School Ct 1        Bracket Winner B3          Bracket Winner B4

B10       7:30 PM      Archbishop Carroll Ct 1       Bracket Loser B13     Bracket Loser B14

B13       7:30 PM     Neumann Gorretti Ct 1        Bracket Loser B1     Bracket Loser B2

B16       7:30 PM      Shipley School Ct 1          Bracket Loser B7        Bracket Loser B8

B11       8:40 PM      Archbishop Carroll Ct 1        Bracket Winner B5      Bracket Winner B6

B12       8:40 PM      Shipley School Ct 1         Bracket Winner B7      Bracket Winner B8

Friends’ Central freshman DeAndre Hunter looks destined for Division I hoops. (Photo: Tug Haines)

Evan Cross (@EvanCross) &
Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
–

Second night of the 2013 Battle of Brotherly Love took place Wednesday night at Ben Franklin HS. Here’s some recruiting notes and quotes from the event; for a recap of the championship events, click here.

–Greg Dotson (2013/Germantown Academy) was excited to walk away with the championship trophy.

“I’ve played in this the past three years, and this is the first time I’ve got to a championship,” Dotson said. “Probably the best feeling I’ve had in one of the all-star games.”

The 6-5 guard scored 15 points in the championship game, many of which were the result of driving the lane. Dotson is a strong player who wasn’t afraid to get hit.

Though he was hoping to attend Penn, Dotson didn’t quite get the ACT score needed to attend the Ivy institution. Instead, Dotson said he’ll be visiting visiting James Madison, Northwestern State and Sacred Heart later this month, and will make a college decision by the end of May.

“I’m not sure yet,” Dotson said. “I’m still undecided.” –EC

Michigan native Kyle Kuzma has a variety of mid-to-high major offers. (Photo: Tug Haines)

–While he isn’t as well known as some of his teammates on the County team. Kyle Kuzma (2014/Rise Academy) looks poised to make a splash in Philadelphia high school basketball.

Kuzma, who hails from Flint, Mich, scored 10 points in the championship win against North Philly, bringing his total points in the tournament to 27. The 6-foot-7 forward hit five three-pointers on Tuesday night, showing his versatility. He scored most of his points on Wednesday in the low post.

“It’s challenging because we don’t really play with each other that much,” Kuzma said. “We played good enough as a team, even though we don’t know each other like that.”

Kuzma said he has offers from Texas A&M, Rhode Island, Utah and Virginia Commonwealth. He has also had interest from Villanova, St. John’s, Missouri, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Providence, Arizona State and USC.

“Hopefully by December [I’ll decide],” Kuzma said. –EC

–On a court filled with some of the top seniors in the area, DeAndre Hunter (2016/Friends’ Central) didn’t shy away from the competition. The lanky wing hit three triples as part of his 15 points playing against McDonald’s All-American Rondae Jefferson and the County team in the final.

“I think it was a good experience, being the only freshman playing against the top seniors in Philadelphia,” he said. And what did he take away from his first time playing with Jefferson, Rysheed Jordan and Brandon Austin? “They’re pretty good.”

In his first season at Friends’ Central, Hunter averaged 11.8 ppg as a key cog in Ryan Tozer’s 20-8 squad that took home the Friends’ Schools League regular-season title. In order to keep improving, he said he talks a lot with FCS grad Amile Jefferson, who just finished his first year at Duke.

“He said ‘you’re only going to get better, you’re never going to get worse, so you’ve just got to work hard and put the work in,’” Hunter said. –JV

-The South/SW Philly team came in last, losing both games in the tournament. Lou Myers (2014/Math, Civics & Sciences) led the team in the consolation game, scoring 31 points, which made up more than half of the team’s 60 total points.

The 6-2 Myers carried the team, which did not have any bench players (as opposed to their West Philly opponents, who had 10 players total). Despite not getting a break, Myers pushed the ball up the floor and fearlessly drove to the basket.

After playing at South Philly High for two seasons, Myers transferred to MCS, where he came off the bench of the deepest team in the state. He should start this year, playing alongside Sam Foreman, a junior transferring in from closing Roberts Vaux, as well as juniors Tyheem Harmon and Tyrese Hester.

If he scores like he did tonight, Myers has a chance at a Division I scholarship–but he really has to step up and earn it. –EC

Arizona-bound Rondae Jefferson’s arrival pushed County to the Battle of Brotherly Love title. (Photo: Tug Haines)

Evan Cross (@EvanCross)
–

Second night of the 2013 Battle of Brotherly Love took place Wednesday night at Ben Franklin HS. Here’s a recap of the championship events; for some recruiting notes and quotes from the event, click here.

Championship Game: North Philly vs. County
In a tournament pitting areas of Philadelphia against each other, the team from outside city limits won it all.

County defeated North Philly 93-88 In the championship game of the Battle of Brotherly Love behind 19 points from Arizona-bound Rondae Jefferson (2013/Chester) and 15 points from Greg Dotson (2013/Germantown Academy).

“I’ve played in this the past three years, and this is the first time I’ve got to a championship,” Dotson said. “Probably the best feeling I’ve had in one of the all-star games.”

County was also boost by Kyle Kuzma (2014/Life Academy), who had 10 points. Kuzma provided consistent buckets from the post.

“It feels good to get a team victory and beat North Philly,” Kuzma said. “I know they win a lot.”

North Philly was paced by 23 points from St. John’s-bound Rysheed Jordan (2013/Roberts Vaux) and 17 points from future Providence Friar Brandon Austin (2013/Imhotep Charter). Jordan and Austin were likely the two most talented players in the tournament aside from Jefferson, a McDonald’s All-American.

“It was awesome,” Kuzma said of playing them. “They’re competitive. They bring the best out of you.”

The County team encompasses a much wider area than the North Philly team, so the players are not as familiar with each other. That wasn’t too big of a hurdle to jump over.

“It’s hard at first, but we know all these guys can play,” Dotson said. “They have smart IQs. We just start playing and then we get used to each other.”

Yosef Yacob (2013/Archbishop Carroll) tied Jefferson for the team lead in points with 19. Jared Price chipped in with 13 points.

“We played good enough as a team, even though we don’t know each other like that,” Kuzma said.

North Philly only had six players, putting them at a disadvantage to the 10-man-deep County squad. As a result, five of the six North Philly players scored in double digits. Besides Jordan and Austin, it got 15 points from DeAndre Hunter (2016/Friends Central) 16 points from Amir Butler (2013/Roberts Vaux) and 12 points from Don Barnes (2015/Strawberry Mansion).

Consolation Game: West Philly vs. South/SW Philly
In a sloppy consolation game that began an hour and a half late, West Philly defeated South/SW Philly 72-60.

West Philly, featuring Ja’Quan Newton (2014/Neumann-Goretti) pulled away late after being up just three points with 5:24 to go.

“I played all right,” Samir Doughty (2015/Communications Tech), who led the team in scoring with 16 points, said. “I could have played better, but it was an all-star game.”

Penn State junior guard and honorable-mention All-Big Ten selection Jermaine Marshall has decided to forgo his senior season of eligibility and pursue a professional career.

Marshall, who will finish his academic work and is on pace to earn his degree from Penn State after completing the second summer academic session, was the second leading scorer on the team at 15.3 points per game.

“It was a very, very difficult decision,” Marshall said on a conference call with reporters on Wednesday. “Just to try to move on with things and move on in life. I love everything about Penn State. I love the coaches, I love my teammates.”

The 6-foot-4 combo guard made the decision in the best interest of his family, most notably his son.

“I just made the decision based on what’s best for my family and my son,” Marshall said. “I feel like this is best for my son.”

While the NCAA does provide some services to student-athletes with a child, it’s not enough to provide for a family with the everyday necessities of life.

“Jermaine does get Pell Grant for his – service provided through the NCAA when you do have a child so there’s additional funds there, but obviously not the funds you need to support a girlfriend and a child and yourself,” head coach Pat Chambers said in the conference call.

So, if the NCAA provided the sufficient funds for student-athletes, would there be a chance that Marshall would return for his final year of eligibility?

“Yea, I think that’s why he made the decision,” Chambers added. “If the NCAA could help out in the situation where Jermaine has a son, if they could give more money, yeah, I mean yeah, I would be all for that. You know it’s unfortunate, but you know he has a son and his son is great, he’s a great kid. If the NCAA could give up some money I think he’d still be a Nittany Lion.”

While the decision was difficult for Marshall, he has some guys he can talk to about the move overseas. He’s been in contact with former Nittany Lions – Jeff Brooks and Talor Battle – who are both playing professionally in Italy, both who can help the transition Marshall is about to embark on.

With Marshall wrapping up his final class and his internship before graduating, the conversation now moves forward as to how Penn State will replace the sixth leading scorer in the Big Ten conference.

It’s not like Penn State isn’t used to figuring out how to replace one of their top players. They did it just this past season when Tim Frazier missed all but four games after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon early on in a game against Akron. Frazier posted 18.8 ppg in the 2011-2012 season.

D.J. Newbill stepped up with Marshall to shoulder the offensive load. The Philly native led the team in scoring at 16.3 ppg while splitting point guard duties with Marshall. Newbill will be in his comfort zone now as he’ll be asked to focus on scoring the rock with Frazier orchestrating the offense.

More should be expected from Pitt transfer guard John Johnson, who was brought in to provide a spark off the bench. With Marshall departing, it’s very possible to see a three-guard lineup of Frazier, Newbill and Johnson, with Johnson replacing Marshall.

With Marshall heading pro, a roster spot now opens up and Chambers and his staff are exploring all options.

“You know what we’re gonna investigate,” Chambers said. “We’re gonna – potential fifth year guys or potential transfers, but we were doing that anyway…But I still feel pretty good about my team. Still feel pretty good about where we are and sometimes the best decisions are not making any and not bringing in anybody. We’re gonna investigate and we’ll see how things turn out.”

After a miserable conference season, the loss of Marshall, but the return of Frazier, all there’s left to do is see how this plays out.