Archbishop Wood incoming freshman Tyree Pickron (above) and many other 2018s impressed at the Jr. All-City Classic. (Photo: Josh Verlin)
Jeff McDevitt (@JeffMcDev) &
Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
–
The third annual Jr. All-City Classic brought the best rising freshmen in Philadelphia together on the courts at Imhotep Charter for a two-game affair on Tuesday night.
Though the action was up-and-down, with little in terms of ball movement or even what one would call lockdown defense, it was still a chance to get to see the best the Class of 2018 has to offer in this area get out on the court in front of a few hundred spectators and show what they can do.
And indeed, this 2018 class is shaping up to be yet another talent-filled group as they prepare for their high school careers. There are high-scoring guards, athletic wings,
Here are several standouts from the event, as well as quick hits on a few other players that will be dotting rosters throughout the eastern half of Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey over the next four seasons:
Justin Anderson (SCH Academy/Team Final)
The lefty wing’s range was on display at Imhotep on Tuesday night. While many of these eighth grader’s three-point shots are still being developed, Anderson showed he can knock down a 3-pointer with consistency already, hitting a game-high three treys on his way to 12 points. A member of SCH Academy’s undefeated eighth grade team this year, expect Anderson to step right in for Jame Chadwin’s squad next year and be able to score effectively, as he can also get to the rack well to go with his shooting touch.
Antwuan Butler (Roman Catholic/WE R1)
The best point guard on the floor Tuesday night in either game was Antwuan Butler. “Booty,” as he is affectionately nicknamed, showed off an impressive handle that made him a tough check for any of the opposing guards. Butler, who will carry on the strong guard legacy at Roman Catholic this fall, scored 11, including two step-back threes in the second half. Butler also played intense and inspired defense, even for an all star game. strong frame could help him see minutes next year for Roman, who lose two senior guards in Shep Garner and Rashann London to graduation.
Chris Cropper (St. Elizabeth’s/WE R1)
A tough, athletic wing, Cropper had 11 points to help the Red team to victory in the second game. He’s got a good enough handle to create for himself off the wing, but his jump shot isn’t very reliable at this point, so he really likes to attack the basket and either draw contact or finish around the rim. His athleticism is certainly very impressive, as the 6-3 wing had several blocks on players with a few inches on him, rising up and swatting away quite a few shots in the paint. Reminds us of Lamar Stevens as a rising freshman, with a solid body and high motor that will have him playing big minutes right away.
Bernard Lightsey (Imhotep/Philly Triple Threat)
A stout, 5-10 guard, Lightsey showed the ability to knock down a jumper off the bounce on his way to 15 points. Imhotep struggled to score last year, so anybody that can fill it up will be a welcome addition. Lightsey especially flourished in transition, where he was fearless and used his strong body to create space in the air. If Lightsey can grow a couple more inches, his ever-expanding offensive game will only develop more.
Marcus Little (Academy New Church/Team Final)
The one thing ANC lacked this season was size, and they’re getting a good dose of that in the aptly-named Little. The post man stands around 6-7 and easily could get to 6-10 by the time he’s done growing, and he’s got a solid 210-lb. frame as well. Little has good hands and a solid motor, though he didn’t display a ton of post moves; he was a good deal taller than most of his opponents, and certainly used that to his advantage in this game. Though he’s not the most hyper-athletic big man, he runs the court well and does a good job on both the offensive and defensive glass. Physically, he resembles Vermont Academy’s Sedee Keita, though his game has a ways to go to match the high-major 2016 recruit.
Jayshun Ramsey (Central Dauphin East/Advanced Hoops)
One of the standouts from the first game, this solid-bodied shooting guard finished with eight points on the victorious Red team, which romped to a 73-38 win. One of a few District 3 players who made the trip an hour and a half east from Harrisburg had a few tough finishes around the rim with his left hand, including a nice floater in the lane; he certainly doesn’t mind taking contact and has good body control in the air. He doesn’t have the classic lanky frame that suggest a big growth spurt in his future, but if he gets up to 6-1, his strength should have Division I schools looking at him.
Cameron Reddish (Haverford School/Team Final)
It would be fitting to say the game seems to come easy to Cameron Reddish. The 6-4 wing can do it all on the court, and seemingly with relative ease. The only player on the court Tuesday with varsity experience from his time contributing for the Haverford School this past winter, Reddish let the game come to him and got his teammates involved early, before looking to create his own shot as the night progressed. Already 6-4 with what would seem to be a few more inches of growth possible, Reddish can handle the ball, shoot it, and has the athleticism to rebound with the bigger guys. For several possessions he was matched up on 6-7 Marcus Little, using his length to handle the bigger post player.
Jamal Whittlesey (Salesianum/WE R1)
Though he looks more fit to play defensive line than guard the post, Whittlesey is a talented big man with some real upside. He stands 6-4 but is well north of 250 lbs., and certainly has a long way to go in terms of shaping his body. But he’s got vacuum-like hands that scoop up everything in his direction, and he threw several great outlet passes down the court to start his team on the fast break. Going to be interesting to see where he fits in at the next level, as he’s not quite tall enough to guard true post players, and his conditioning will certainly have to be monitored.
Other Names to Watch
–Casey Caruso, a scrappy 5-10 wing guard, had 11 points for the red team in teh first game. He’ll be going to Susquehanna Township, a District 3 school, this fall.
–Sean Good, a lanky 6-7 forward, will be going to Trinity HS this fall. Trinity loses do-everything forward Josh Trumpy (West Chester), so an infusion of size will be a big boost.
–James Leible, a strong combo forward who stands around 6-5, is headed to Bensalem this year. Tough, rugged rebounder who can lead the break as well.
–Keyohn and Stephon Maddox, a pair of 5-8 shooting guards, will both be attending West Catholic. Both of them are aggressive scorers who aren’t afraid to fire from all over.
–Dymir Montague, a lanky 6-2 wing, will attend Neumann-Goretti next year. If the Saints want to continue their dominance in the Catholic League, they’ll need a newcomer like Montague to step in a play a big role.
–Seth Pickney, a 6-7 forward who needs to add some serious muscle to his frame, will be attending Archbishop Wood, along with 5-6 point guard Jaron Flowers, 6-2 wing Tyree Pickron and 6-3 lefty forward Karrington Wallace
–Tamir Reed, a 5-5 point guard going to Constitution, is undersized but has the ball on a string. Reminds us of current Archbishop Carroll point guard Josh Sharkey
–Sam Sessoms, a sharpshooting 5-8 combo guard, will be going to Shipley this fall
–Ahmad and Ahmin Williams, two talented 6-1 guards, are deciding between Cardinal O’Hara, Archbishop Wood and Valley Forge
