West Roxbury's Gerard Coleman Commits to Providence College

The PC Friars have gotten a verbal committment from Gerard Coleman, who is a big time high school basketball prospect from West Roxbury, Mass. Coleman is a 6'3, 185 pound shooting guard who is considered the 63rd best player in the high school class of 2010 and the 18th best SG overall, according to ESPN.

They also give Coleman an overall grade of 94, which means he is a "high major prospect", who "has the potential to significantly contribute as a freshman for most national programs. He could be a three- or four-year starter and have an opportunity for all-league honors."

Here are some scouting reports on Gerard Coleman, via ESPN:

April, 2009: Gerard is a lean lefty that plays efficient and smooth. Offensively he is a very good shooter beyond the arc and consistently shot the ball well from deep at the Boo Williams Nike invitational. He is very good off the bounce and slashes to the basket where he uses his athleticism and creativity to finish in traffic. His mid range game is a solid part of his game. His ability to drive to the rim, set up his mid game, where his quick leaping ability and use of angles allow him to score. Already a very good one on one player, if he can improve his mid game he has the potential to be a good scorer at the collegiate level. He has the physical tools and ball handling skills allow him to score in bunches, particularly in transition. Defensively he has quick feet and showed a tenacity to defend both on and off the ball. Improved strength and maturation will add to his overall game.

January, 2009: Coleman has a playing style, body-type, and on-court demeanor that closely resemble former NBA great Eddie Jones. Coleman, a southpaw, has range that extends out to the 3-point line and gets very good lift on his jumper, a testament to his very good leaping ability. He would enjoy more accuracy from distance if he keeps his shooting wrist cocked on the catch, creating a 90 degree angle with his arm, which would help to improve his follow-through. Coleman has good body control and a quick first step, getting to the basket with relative ease. He also uses his leaping ability to hang and adjust in air when he gets to the rim. Coleman has to add to his middle game by incorporating a pull-up jumper as a well as get significantly stronger in order to finish at the rim on the next level. When he dedicates himself, he does a very good job of moving his feet and using his long wing-span to pressure opposing ball-handlers. With added strength, he would become an even better on-ball defender. He has very wide shoulder which shots that he could get stronger and add more muscle to his wiry frame. Similar to Eddie Jones, he also plays passing lanes and anticipates for steals very well.

August, 2008: Gerard is developing into a prolific scorer. He knocks down the 3-point shot at a fairly consistent basis. When he gets into the paint he shows an under control middle game as he elevates over his defender. This lefty can get all the way to the rim and finish with his wiry strong body. At the basket he can take contact and score the ball or see the help defender and slither his way around to avoid the defense. In the open floor Gerard excels as he runs the break with scoring in mind always attacking with his eyes on the rim. He doesn't take many bad shots and is a willing passer. He goes to the offensive glass looking for put-backs or tip-in dunks with his strong athletic ability. Defensively he gets on the glass and shows the ability to rebound the ball and handle it on the break. On the perimeter he has the ability to keep his man out of the lane and needs to concentrate on that aspect. With his length he could be a disruptive defender.

July, 2008: Coleman really made his presence felt on the BABC team with his ability to score. He is a long thin lefty that is wiry strong. Coleman sprints the wing in transition and is a threat to not only get to the rim but he can shoot the three off the catch as well. His stroke looks good, he has a high release and good follow through. From the wing he is a slasher. Coleman likes to drive right to get all the way to the rim and left to shoot his floater in the lane. He is a good athlete that can elevate and he has touch to arc the ball over outstretched hands. He is also a pretty good ball handler and passer with the ability to penetrate and kick to an open teammate when the defense cuts him off. Coleman is a decent defensive rebounder but could be better with the speed and quickness he possesses. Defensively he is athletic enough to guard both guard positions. He must add strength but has all the tools to be an excellent college player. One of the true sleepers I saw this summer.

May, 2008: Long, young, athletic and very talented. Gerard is a work in progress. You can see how with maturity in the next two years he will continue to get better. He can shoot, dribble, pass and rebound. He plays very smooth and is under control. He does everything right. A good decision maker on the break, runs and jumps. Strength will help him in his progress. He needs to hit the weight room. Defense is an area he must work harder on and learn to play the ball hard and use more of his athletic ability to cause turnovers, steals and deflections. Unlimited potential for a sophomore.

December, 2007: Gerard is a very talented, but still somewhat raw offensive player. His greatest improvement needs to come in his overall consistency as he can dominate certain games and disappear from others. The lefty has a good looking jump shot that he can knock down from the three-point line and in. While he has a quick first step and a good enough handle to get past his man he is often bumped off the line off his drive thanks to his lean physique. His lack of upper body strength can also make finishing at the rim a challenge. Defensively, he is plenty quick laterally and extraordinarily long and consequently able to be very effective. Overall, he is a player with a high upside who needs more playing experience and increased muscle mass.

The Real Son of Sam Horn

Remember Sam Horn? Well, his son plays baseball for North Kingston High School and he is trying to follow in his father's footsteps, via ProJo's High School Game Time:

The Sons of Sam Horn is a well-known, online-message board focusing on the Red Sox and named in honor of one of the more enigmatic players to play for them.

But Jamale Horn?

He's the real son of Sam Horn.

And on this afternoon he is playing left field for North Kingstown High School against Portsmouth, a big-rangy kid with his own baseball dreams.

Once upon a time, way back in 1982, Sam Horn was the number-one draft pick of the Red Sox, billed as the franchise's power hitter of the future, the California kid with the big dreams. In 1987, he was tearing up the International League as a member of the PawSox. Called up by the Red Sox in July, he went on to hit 14 home runs, one of the few bright spots in a lost season. That was back when he thought baseball always was going to be as easy as a batting-practice fastball.

He was big, he was left-handed, and when he crushed one you could see what all the fuss had been about, could close you eyes and see him seemingly doing this forever. Back before he learned that baseball can be a cruel mistress, back before the negatives began to pile up like some bad credit rating. Back before the roller-coaster ride began for Sam Horn, three years with the Orioles, in the Indians' farm system with Manny Ramirez, then with the Pirates, Rangers and Yankees.

Have bat, will travel.

So by the time he showed up in North Kingstown in 2002, his career was over, and he had an indoor baseball facility off Route 2 called Around the Horn.

Jamale Horn was 6 years old.

"I grew up in Around the Horn," he said.

Interestingly, he says he doesn't really know a lot of the specifics of his father's career, other than the fact his father wasn't around a whole lot when he was a child, Sam Horn playing overseas at the time. Nor has he ever gone on the Sons of Sam Horn Web site, even though he's heard of it.

But from the beginning, he was always Sam Horn's kid, a big thing in a small town where you are playing Little League and no one else's father ever played in the big leagues. And as he grew up playing sports, the ramifications of that became heavier. The Son of Sam Horn.

It was after his recent high school game, and he was sitting on a row of bleachers. He is 6-foot-5 and lanky, a different body than his father had when he first came into professional baseball, not as big, not as powerful, but you can see the young Sam Horn in his face. He was asked if he ever felt any pressure being Sam Horn's son.

"I feel pressure all the time," he said.

He feels pressure because his father was a major-league baseball player, and because of that he is somehow viewed differently, real or imagined.

He feels pressure because he's now got his own baseball dreams, and he's now a senior in high school and his future will soon start. Next year he will go to a Georgia junior college, the first stop on what he hopes will one day take him down the same path his father once walked.

"He's got skills baseball-wise that you can't teach," said his coach, Kevin Gormley. "He's got five-tool talent."

But becoming a professional baseball player is a long process, takes more than just talent and potential. It takes hard work and determination, and often a little luck, too. If you can see the talent on a high school baseball field in Rhode Island, can see the potential, it's still little more than the first step in the process.

So it is with Jamale Horn.

"He's never really committed himself to baseball," Gormley said.

One theory is that he liked basketball better, and, in truth, Horn was a very good Rhode Island high school basketball player, one of North Kingstown's best. To the point that last summer, he didn't play legion ball, taking the summer off from baseball.

Another?

Baseball was just something he did, something he was good at, certainly, but nothing that defined him. One senses that has changed, that it's now time to get serious. Gormley thinks so, anyway.

Maybe it was the Cincinnati Reds coming down one day to watch him take batting practice. Maybe it was the realization that he's 6-5 and athletic, the kind of size that jumps out at you on a high school baseball field. Maybe it's simply that he wants this to be his future.

Whatever the reason, Jamale Horn is now serious.

"He's a special talent," Gormely said. "I think he's got a shot."

Like father, like son?

We'll see.

For a lot of people still remember Sam Horn, a name that lives on through the Sons of Sam Horn website.

But only Jamale is the real Son of Sam Horn.

2009 Providence Journal Rhode Island Boys Basketball All-State Team

2009 Providence Journal Rhode Island Boys Basketball All-State Team

Ashton Watkins, Senior, Classical: One of two repeat first-team selections, Watkins led Classical to a 22-3 record overall and its second Division II championship. In the playoffs he scored 26 points against West Warwick in the quarterfinals, 15 in the overtime semifinals victory against Scituate and 13 in a 20-point rout of Narragansett in the finals. He averaged 17.3 points while being double- and triple-teamed most of the season. He went over 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in only 2 ½ seasons with the Purple after transferring from Hope. "He learned to make us a better team without his scoring. When teams took his scoring away, he did other things, like rebound and play defense. He came up with huge rebound after huge rebound. When he had to step up and make big plays, he did. To me, Ashton is the most dominant player in the state. He was double-teamed every time he got the ball. You can't play him straight up," coach Todd Keefe said. And Watkins shared the glory with his teammates. Junior Michael Palumbo was hot during the playoffs, scored 22 points in the finals and was the tournament MVP. "A lot of kids would have forced stuff the last couple of games. He didn't. He put the team first," Keefe said of Watkins.

Billy Baron, Senior, Hendricken: Perhaps the best player in the state this season, Baron repeats as a first-team choice partly because he was at his finest in the big games. In January he scored 42 points in a loss to Mount Pleasant, the only Rhode Island team that beat the Hawks (22-3) this season. He scored 38 in the first of two games against Cranston East, a three-point win, and 36 in the second meeting, a three-point overtime victory at the end of the regular season. In the playoffs he scored 23 in a blowout of Hope in the quarterfinals, 24 in the semifinal rout of Cranston West and 25 points in the championship game against Mount Pleasant. He averaged 23 points for the season. Baron can score from way outside and on layups after daring slashes to the basket. He is a good passer and defender. He won three state championships after playing on the junior varsity as a freshman. "He's a big-time player. He makes the jumper. He goes to the basket. He finds a way to get his shot off in traffic. He goes to the foul line and makes his free throws. He'll be sorely missed," coach Jamal Gomes says.

Billy Soriano, Sophomore, Mt. Pleasant: A dynamic player who can take over a game with his scoring (17.1 points per game), passing (6.5 assists) and defense (2.5 steals), Soriano is quick and has superb court sense. Teammates must always be on alert because of his pinpoint passing, and opponents must be prepared for his shooting. He scored 15 points against La Salle in the quarterfinals, 26 against Cranston East in the semifinals and 25 in the championship game loss to Bishop Hendricken. He led the Kilties to a 22-4 record. "As the games get more important and the stage gets bigger, he thrives on that. He enjoys getting out in front of as many people as he can get in front of," says coach Chris Coleman. "He pushes himself. He compares himself to the best in points, assists, steals, whatever. He wants to be the best. He wants to show everybody what he can do. He's the best pure point guard in the state, in my opinion. What he sees on the court, you can’t coach."

Mike Juarez, Senior, Cranston East: This quiet and respected leader averaged 18.1 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He broke the school's career scoring record and finished with 1,557 points. He and the Bolts finished with a 20-5 record, played tough in two three-point losses to Bishop Hendricken, the second in overtime, and almost upset Mount Pleasant in the tournament semifinals, losing by three. Cool under pressure, he didn't hesitate to take the last shot in the semifinals, his 35-footer at the buzzer caroming off the side of the rim. A true leader, after collapsing to the floor in disappointment, he pulled himself together and led his teammates through the postgame handshake line. He scored 22 points in that game. "I've coached a lot of kids in 33 years, and he's one of the nicest," says coach Bill Monigan. "He has been the hardest worker and the leader of this team since he was a sophomore. He's not a loud leader but a leader by example. His fellow players respond to him because he says, 'Yes, coach,' he runs the drills the hardest, and he's never late for practice or the bus. "He has really improved his game. He was always a good shooter, but now he's a very good shooter, he drives to the basket, he's our leading rebounder, and he's a very good defensive player. All the things he improved on he did by hard work and by listening."

Frank Robinson, Senior, Mt. Pleasant: Returning to Mount Pleasant after two years at East Providence High School, Robinson added experience to a team that lost eight players to graduation but welcomed members of the 2008 state junior varsity championship team. A solid player who can get to the basket or sink outside shots, he led the Kilties in scoring (20.0 ppg) and averaged four rebounds and two assists per game. His floater over Mike Juarez in the last minute beat Cranston East in the semifinal. He scored 13 points in the quarterfinals, 23 in the semifinals and 18 in the finals. He had 26 points in the Jan. 13 victory over Hendricken. "His all-around play helped us all season. He was our high scorer most of the games and was consistent all year. We would not have gotten as far as we did without him," said coach Chris Coleman.

Classical Wins RI Boys Division II Basketball Championship

The Purple defended their state title yesterday by destroying Narragansett, congratulations fellas, via High School Game Time:

They had both produced nearly perfect seasons, each winning their respective divisions with a 17-1 record. But only one could leave the court Saturday with the added distinction of being named Rhode Island Interscholastic Division II state champion.

Led by a 22-point effort from tournament MVP Michael Palumbo, the II-North champions successfully defended their title, defeating II-South champion Narragansett, 69-49, in the Division II final of the Credit Union Basketball Championships, yesterday at the Ryan Center.

"This is what I’ve looked forward to all my life," said Palumbo, a junior. "And then doing it, it’s just crazy. Unbelievable."

"Winning back to back -- the second year is unbelievable," agreed Purple coach Todd Keefe. "It’s certainly harder the second year, but it never gets tiring, I can tell you that."

Even though Classical was beating teams by 20 points or more on a regular basis, there was a point late in the season, admits Keefe, when he wasn’t quite sure another title was in the cards for his team.

"I felt like the kids started taking things for granted," he said. "Then we walked into Shea and they knocked us off, and I told them, 'If you guys really want to get through, you’re going to have to buckle down.' "

Buckle down they did. That loss to Shea would be Classical's last, and Saturday the Purple put the finishing touches on yet another championship season.

After trading the lead with Narragansett about a half-dozen times over the first several minutes, Classical took the lead for good, thanks to a driving layup by Palumbo with 9:03 remaining in the first half.

Although the Mariners would threaten to overtake the Purple a few times, the junior guard helped make sure they did not succeed, picking up 17 more points in the second half, including a run of eight at the start of the period.

"Coach just told us to keep doing what we were doing in the second half," Palumbo said. "Then I hit a couple three’s, Ashton (Watkins) started getting to the basket, Lavon (Waite started making some baskets). Everyone just started doing everything a little bit better."

"During the course of the playoffs, (Palumbo) started to play better and better, and he shot the ball extremely well in practice," Keefe said. "We knew they were going to double down on Ashton . . . and we needed somebody else to step up. (Palumbo’s) small in stature, but he turns the corner and gets to the basket. He just makes us a much better team."

Even with the added attention from Narragansett’s defense, Watkins had a nice day for himself, as well, as the 6-foot-5 center finished with 13 points and 17 rebounds, surpassing the 1,000 career mark in both categories.

Junior Jordan Jones contributed 15 points for the Purple, and Waite, Classical’s other senior co-captain, chipped in with 11.

Senior forward Nate Patterson – the Credit Union Player of the Game for Narragansett – finished with 12 points and 6 rebounds for the Mariners. Senior guard Jay Jeannotte netted a team-high 17 points and Brendan Kenny had 12.

More: Classical High School

Classical Sneaks Past Scituate, Will Face Narragansett In Division II Basketball Finals

Classical High School survived a big scare from Scituate and will now face Narragansett in the RI Division II Basketball finals, via High School Game Time:

Classical, the reigning Division II champs, avoided an embarrassing upset last night in the Division II Boys Basketball Championships semifinal at CCRI by edging Scituate, 53-49, in overtime. The Purple's Ashton Watkins broke a 49-49 tie with a layup with 31.3 seconds to play in the extra period and Michael Palumbo, the game-high scorer with 17, provided insurance with a pair of free throws with just three seconds remaining. Classical now moves on to play Narragansett in the Division II finals at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Ryan Center.

Classical Advances To RI Division II Basketball Semifinals

Classical defeated West Warwick 75-63 and will now face Scituate in the semifinals on Wednesday night, via High School Game Time:

The dream final between once-beaten Classical and once-beaten Narragansett is two victories from occurring Saturday afternoon at the University of Rhode Island’s Ryan Center.

For it to happen, Classical must beat Scituate on Wednesday night at 8 at CCRI in the semifinals of the Credit Union Division II Boys Basketball Tournament. And Narragansett has to eliminate Coventry in the 6:30 semifinal.

Classical (18-1), the defending champion, defeated West Warwick, 75-63, in the first quarterfinal of a long basketball Sunday. Scituate rolled over Portsmouth, 67-42, in the last quarterfinal.

Coventry (13-7) upset Shea (15-4), 73-51, and Narragansett (18-1) shook off a slow first half and beat Westerly (11-9), 72-57.

Classical seniors Ashton Watkins and Lavon Waite, the only regulars back from the 2008 team, paced the Purple yesterday. Watkins, the center, started strong with six points in about five minutes, but picked up his second personal foul and sat for the rest of the half. Waite, a guard, took over and scored 10 points before the break. Watkins, the 2008 player of the year in Rhode Island, returned for the second half and scored 20 points before sitting down with the rest of the starters with about a minute to play. He finished with 26 points, Waite with 12

“For the most part, we get what we want on offense. It’s a matter of knocking down shots. Having Ashton Watkins helps,” Classical coach Todd Keefe said.

West Warwick senior Richard Lizotte scored 19 points in his high-school finale, but only 6 came in the second half. Freshman guard Max Motroni established himself as a player to watch by scoring 18 points, 15 after the break.

Classical High School Favorites In RI Division II Basketball Quarterfinals

Classical, my old high school, is the favorite to win their Quarterfinal matchup with West Warwack... eh I mean West Warwick, yay-yay! Via, HighSchoolGameTime:

The preliminaries of the 2009 Credit Union Boys Basketball Tournament settled, the best teams in Rhode Island will battle each other at CCRI in Warwick for the next six days to earn a trip to the Ryan Center at URI and a chance to play for state championships on March 14.

Here’s a look at the quarterfinalists.

Division II

Classical and Narragansett set out for what could be a showdown between once-beaten teams for the Division II title.

West Warwick (11-8) vs. Classical (17-1)

They meet for the first time since their DII championship game last March. The Wizards earned this QF date by beating Tolman by five in the preliminary. Ashton Watkins, the 2008 player of the year, is having another strong season (17.3) for the Purple. Lavon Waite (14.7), Michael Palumbo (14.4) and Jordan Jones (9.7) are the other scorers. Richard Lizotte (15.2) and Reuben Paygai (10.7) lead WW.

Advantage: Classical

Westerly (11-8) vs. Narragansett (17-1)

The Mariners won three close games at the end of the season, one of them a 68-67 squeaker over Westerly. Their only loss was to Coventry. Jay Jeannottee (22.3) is their leader. Joe Sciro (11.7) leads the Bulldogs’ balanced attack.

Advantage: Narragansett

Coventry (12-7) vs. Shea (15-3)

Coventry lost three of its last four in the regular season but blew out Pilgrim in the prelim. Sean Finnegan (7.5) scored 32 in that one. Trevor DiMicco (15.1 in the top scorer. Shea chased Classical all season behind Malcum Moniz (20.8) and Kelvin Walker (15.5).

Advantage: Shea

Scituate (15-4) vs. Portsmouth (13-5)

Scituate is on a nine-game winning streak. Zach Caron (17.1) is the leading scorer. Portsmouth snapped a three-game losing streak at the end of January and won six of its last seven. Andrew Chrabascz (17.8) leads the Patriots.

Advantage: Scituate

South Kingstown's Erik Murphy Headed To Florida - Scouting Report

I completely forgot that Erik Murphy is the biggest basketball recruit to come out of Rhode Island since Marvin "Bad News" Barnes. He's headed to Florida and has a rating of 96, which means he has the potential to significantly contribute as a freshman for most national programs. He could be a three- or four-year starter and have an opportunity for all-league honors, according to Scout, Inc's grading system. Since he's 6'10 and headed to Florida, which is a major program, you have to figure he has a great shot at making the NBA one day. Hey, if you are 6'10 and can shoot from the outside, I'm sure you are going to get a long look by the NBA. Murphy is ranked as the 22nd best player in the class of 2009 and the 7th best PF, but unfortunately was not selected to play in McDonald's All-American game.

Check out the complete scouting report on Murphy, via Scout's Inc.:

January, 2009: Murphy has very good touch and finishes very well around the basket, using either his right or left hand for hoops in the paint. He has impeccable footwork around the basket. He has a great feel for the game, but he will have to get significantly stronger for the next level, which will not only make him a better finisher, but also will keep defenders from getting into his body when he gets the ball on the low block. Murphy will shoot jumpers and can make a living hitting jumpers in transition as a trailer as well as in pick-and-pop sets. He has range that extends out to the 3-point line, though he does not have a quick release. Murphy does a good job of running the floor and will fit perfectly in the up-tempo style of play that Florida employs. Murphy does not block shots at a high rate, therefore he needs to be paired with a more rugged big man when he plays on the next level.

November, 2008: Murphy will have to increase his strength level, but he has a dazzling collection of skills that will take him a long way in college. He has very sound footwork in the post and does a good job using counter moves as well as either hand in the post to finish with jump hooks. He also does a very good job of keeping the ball high when he gets it in the post or when he rebounds the rock. Murphy also has enough quickness to exploit slower big man on the perimeter by driving past them. If the big that guards him does not want to come away from the paint, Murphy will connect on jumpers with range that extends out to the 3-point line, which will help to stretch defenses and bring shot blockers away from the rim, thus opening up driving lanes. His shooting ability as well as his passing skills makes him perfect for high-low alignments on offense as well as offensive sets that utilizes the pick-and-pop, which more teams now run in college. Murphy also has the ability to handle the ball on the break and spot open teammates, a valuable tool considering that he will play at Florida next season where they rely heavily on the fastbreak. Murphy also understands the game very well and has a great feel for basketball and a high basketball I.Q.

August, 2008: Murphy is a skilled face up power forward. He is long, wiry and athletic enough to get your attention. Murphy plays with good effort, toughness and he competes. He has a great feel for the game on both ends of the floor. On offense he does all the little things like attempting to set screens and helping to defend multiple screening actions like on ball screens and down screens on defense. In transition he runs the floor well and can finish above the rim. An excellent reader of guard penetration and knows how to make himself available in an area the he can be affective with his mid range jumper or swing step to the rim along the baseline. Murphy has an excellent touch around the basket and can score with either hand and with his jump hook but must be a more consistent finisher. He handles the ball well on the wing and in the open court which allows him to score on drives and slashes to the rim. A good defensive rebounder mostly because of his consistent effort to hit the glass and can block shots mostly coming in from the weak side. Must get stronger in order to add the physical part of the game to his mental assets. Great upside and should improve rapidly when he gets to Gainesville.

June, 2008: Murphy was one of the more intriguing prospects I saw over the weekend (2008 Fullcourt Press Showcase). During the shooting drills he was lights out. His stroke is very smooth and he has range out beyond 20-feet. He has a solid looking frame with fairly long arms and overall ideal length for the 4/3 position. However, he needs to get considerably stronger for him to be an impact player during the 2009-10 season. During the scrimmage he got bounced around the paint area and struggled scoring in traffic%u2014not too mention he shied away from contact on more than one occasion. He does have outstanding face-up 4-man skills but he needs to become a much more aggressive player on the inside to make his game complete.

December, 2007: Son of former Boston College standout, Jay Murphy, Erik Murphy is a multi-dimensional power forward who can score from the perimeter and the post. He is a very active floor runner and owns a good pair of hands. His court IQ is excellent and his unselfishness makes him a fine teammate. This ambidextrous finisher is a weight program away from being a complete player.

November, 2007: Erik is a skilled post player that can step out and hit 17 to 19 foot jump shots with his feet set. He is the son of former Boston College great and NBA player Jay Murphy. Erik has gotten stronger over the past 6 months. He was injured in June and did not play a lot over the summer. He has good skills for a post player and has been well taught by his father. He is a decent defender but not a shotblocker. He has decent basketball athleticism. Erik is a good scorer on the block. He does not move as well as he did before he got bigger but he is still solid in that area. Erik is a top 75 player nationally in the class of 2009.

Smithfield's Mike Marra Headed To Louisville - Scouting Report

Smithfield, RI native Mike Marra is headed to Louisville to play for Rick Pitino. He has an overall rating of 88, which means he could contribute for three or four years at a high-major program or have a significant impact as a freshman at a mid-major program., according to Scout, Inc's grading system. Marra is 6'5 and is ranked as the 50th best shooting guard in the class of 2009. It looks like the NBA could be a possibility for Marra based on his skill level, especially since he already has NBA range, but he would have to develop his game in other areas first. Pitino himself said the following about Marra: "He's the best high school shooter I have seen in my life," Pitino said. "I know that's quite a statement."(Courier Journal) Quite a statement indeed.

Check out the complete scouting report on Marra, via Scout's Inc.:

February, 2009: Marra has to continue to increase his strength as he matures in order to become more than a jump shooting specialist at Louisville. He also needs to become a better ball-handler in addition to adding a mid-range pull-up to his offensive arsenal. Marra should have success adding a middle game given his very impressive leaping ability. At this point, he prefers to shoot the 3-point shot with his almost unlimited range. Marra sometimes shoots deep, contested 3s and can get streaky due in large measure to his shot-selection, which can improve for the next level. Marra does a great job of curling off screens for jumpers, effectively squaring his body to the rim and making good use of his lighting quick release on the jumper. He also will need to increase his focus and dedication on the defensive end for college. Marra can also pass the ball when he applies himself in this area and making more good passes will make his shot attempts easier as the defense will have to honor him for the pass and the shot.

November, 2008: A pure shooting guard with NBA range who will stretch out defenses. He has great size as he looks over defenders while he focuses on his target from deep. He demonstrates the ability to break open a game with his 3pt shooting as he will shoot it often and with confidence in transition or in the half court. When you watch his jumper you see how he gets good elevation from his lower body and finishes with a high release and freezes on his follow through. On his teammates dribble penetration he spots up to a passing lane along the 3pt with vision. Setting multiple screening action is another way in which he gets his 3's. With such a lethal shot he needs to use his shot fake more into a dribble pull up. Opponents that are trying to stop him must have two simple rules: never leave him and make him dribble to a shot. In the 2008 National Prep Showcase, he went 9-17 from 3's, (53%) that is remarkable. Louisville got themselves a big time shooter.

October, 2008: Marra looks like he has gained more muscle, but he has to work to become stronger as he has problems when he tries to drive the ball to the rim and stronger guards can thwart his penetrations attempts by knocking him off-balance. Marra also has problems on the defensive end when stronger guards can overpower him on their way to the rim. He will also do better on the defensive end if he devoted the same focus and intensity defending that he does to shooting the ball. Marra loves to shoot the 3-ball with range that starts as soon as he steps in the gym. He sometimes falls in love with the 3 too much and opts for it almost exclusively, shooting ill-advised, contested 25-footers at times. Due in large part to his shot selection, Marra can become streaky from deep and hit three in a row followed by four consecutive misses. When he does stroke it from 3, Marra can surprise defenders by using his quick release to catch defenders off balance. He has good leaping ability and quickness, which he should use to become a better in-between player, utilizing his good shooting mechanics in the mid-range area. He also has decent passing skills and should use those to make himself more versatile on the offensive end, which would make him tougher to defend.

September, 2008: Marra has established a reputation as one of the nation's premier outside shooters. He impressed Coach Rick Pitino enough that Louisville accepted a commitment from Marra last February. Marra made his shots, and displayed well-polished backcourt skills while making the all-star game at the elite Reebok All-American Camp in Philadelphia last July. Earlier, he had a very good shooting performance at the Pittsburgh Jam Fest in April. Marra is an excellent catch and shoot player, and excels at coming off screens, and knocking in trifectas. He has a quick release, and very deep range. However, in watching him perform at the 17-Under Super Showcase in Orlando, Fla., in late July, Marra struggled to make his shots when pressured by defenders. He appeared to lack lateral quickness. He has been working to improve in this area, which would certainly enhance his playing opportunities at Lousiville. This deficiency causes him problems defensively against quicker, more athletic wing guards. During his final year at Northfield-Mt. Hermon, playing against top prep school competition, Marra must focus upon improving his ballhandling skills, become more adept at creating his own shot and emerging as a much better defensive player. In summary, he needs to round out his entire game, rather than being focused primarily as an outside shooting specialist.

February, 2008: Marra may be the best pure shooter in the high school ranks. He can knock down the 3-ball with NBA range. Marra needs to improve in two areas to play at the highest levels of college basketball. He needs to improve his handle and ability to bring the ball up versus pressure and create his own shot. In addition he must make a better effort to defend and take on the challenges of guarding the other team's better players in high school in order to get him ready to defend at the college level.

December, 2007: Mike is a tremendous outside shooter who has extremely deep range and needs very little room to get his shot off thanks to quick release. Like many other great shooters he is extremely self-confident which enables him to shoot his way through cold spells. He is also equally effective shooting off the catch or the bounce. Marra is also a very impressive athlete who can get up well above the rim when finishing on the break, and even dunk through contact from time to time. However, he lacks the ability to create his own shot off the dribble and isn't able to attack close-outs on most occasions. Physically, he has good height and size for the perimeter although he needs to add muscle to his frame. He is an average defender at best whose limited lateral quickness can be exposed against smaller and quicker guards. Overall, his ability to make contested shots from far distances is matched by few others in the country.

November, 2007: Shooter, stroker, gunslinger - take your pick, but more importantly, he is a maker. Marra has NBA range now. Therefore, he won't have to adjust as much as some players when the three-point arc is inched further back. Mike must show more versatility by adding strength and better ball skills to his game. More athletic than he might appear.

Mount Pleasant High School's Billy Soriano - Scouting Report

I kind of stumbled across this on accident, but apparently Billy Soriano is a pretty decent college basketball prospect according to the scouting report over at ESPN's Scouts, Inc.:

Soriano, though small, plays with a big heart and gets the most out of his ability on the court. He has good quickness and cunningly changes speeds with the dribble, which keeps bigger defenders from getting into his chest and knocking him off-balance. Soriano has an awkward release, but he connects on jumpers with range that extends out to the 3-point line. He really impresses with his passing ability, easily getting to the paint and finding open teammates for scoring chances. Soriano also gets extra scoring chances for his team by anticipating in passing lanes for steals. He needs to do a better job of playing position defense instead of allowing the dribbler to get past him and gambling for steals from behind. Soriano will benefit from adding a nice floater to his offensive toolbox.

They gave him an overall grade of 75 and here is an explantion of what that grade means:

73-76: Low-major prospect: Player should be a solid contributor and two- or three-year starter at a low-major program.

So basically that means Soriano should be able to play for teams in a lower conference, which is generally a team that comes from a conference that gets only one bid. A team the caliber of a Vermont, Kent State, or Holy Cross for instance might be the highest level of team he could play for. Worst case scenario, he would end up playing in one of those conferences that get ranked as the 15th or 16th seeds in every NCAA Tournament, like a Morgan State, Robert Morris, American, or Belmont. Since he's from Rhode Island, my guess is that if he doesn't end up in the Big East or A-10, then he will probably end up in one of the following conferences: America East, Northeast, Patriot, Colonial Athletic, or MAAC. He is still just a sophomore too, so if he continues to develop then his rating might increase, which would make him more attractive to some bigger name schools.

Basketball Is A Bond For Students At Juanita Sanchez High School

Nice story here about the boys and girls basketball teams at Juanita Sanchez High School in Providence, via High School Game Time:

The Juanita Sanchez boys are fighting for a playoff berth in the Division III basketball tournament next month, while the Sanchez girls wind down their second consecutive season without a victory.

But a visitor to the dual school complex on Thurbers Avenue would never know the difference. Brenda Reyes and Joseilys Portes, seniors who have not won a game since they were sophomores, were just as excited about their basketball as Kirby Verlus, a senior on the boys team who started in the playoffs last year and expects to do the same in a little more than two weeks.

The Sanchez boys were 7-8 overall and 6-6 and fifth in Division III heading into their game with first-place Central Falls (14-2, 11-1) on Friday night. The girls were 0-14 overall, 0-11 in Division III, before their home finale Friday afternoon against Davies.

But basketball is more than winning and losing for these kids.

“We’re like a family,” Reyes said late last week. “We’re always learning how to work with people. Everybody loves to play and have fun.”

Basketball has taught Portes the value of teamwork and accepting the responsibility of coming to practice on time and playing hard. Basketball has provided senior Dekontee Azzam, a hoop rookie, with a team experience.

“It’s not about winning games all the time,” she said.

Verlus joined the Cavaliers’ boys halfway through the 2008 season and made such an impression that he is captain this season. He attended Del Sesto High for two years and played basketball for Mount Pleasant because Del Sesto did not have a team. When Del Sesto closed, he transferred to the William B. Cooley Health, Science and Technology High School in the Juanita Sanchez Complex. The Providence Academy of International Studies occupies the other wing of the complex.

“I heard this is a good school, and I knew they had a basketball team,” Verlus said. “I like the school. It’s not too big. Everybody knows everybody and is friendly.”

The Juanita Sanchez Complex, named for the Hispanic community leader who died in 1992 at the age of 39, opened in September 2003. Willie Washington, the former Central High and Rhode Island Junior College star and a resource specialist, directed a club basketball program that first year. In 2004, Steve Nadeau, the former St. Raphael football star and a special-education teacher in the Providence system, became the first coach of the boys varsity and is still calling the plays.

The Cavaliers won the 2007 Division III championship and reached the semifinals in 2008. This has been a rebuilding year, and Nadeau has started four sophomores with Verlus.

“We’re having some fun. We’ve had to teach them everything,” Nadeau said of assistant coach Kristen McCall and himself. Verlus said he was helping the young players just as the seniors last year taught him.

“It’s like kindergarten sometimes,” he said with a smile.

Sophomore Ramon Quinonez (16.8 points per game) is the leading scorer, followed by sophomore Malcolm Scott (12.9), Verlus (9.9) and sophomores Kevin Hernandez (7.6) and Angel Candelier (7.4).

The Sanchez girls made the playoffs in their second year and earned a sportsmanship award in 2007 but have struggled since. The team is playing this winter because Dan DeCataldo, a teacher, and Ricky Bozzer, the boys cross-country and baseball coach, stepped in at Thanksgiving and volunteered to coach. They held tryouts, 30 girls showed up, and 26 remain, split evenly between varsity and junior varsity.

DeCataldo and Bozzer had to start with the basics.

“At the beginning, everybody seemed lost and out of position. No one knew how to dribble. We didn’t know where to go,” Portes said. Azzam had no skills at the start of this season, DeCataldo said, but now she “dribbles with both hands, anticipates and makes steals.”

“I’m really happy with the team as a whole. I feel we’re becoming better,” Azzam said.

Reyes recalled her struggle as a backup point guard last year and said that she was more determined this year and understood that “I have teammates to help me.”

Team defense improved, but scoring remains a problem. Sanchez has scored 20 points twice, a 57-26 loss to Central on Dec. 29 and a 44-21 loss at South Boston on Feb. 9, and managed only five points against Fatima on Dec. 18 and two at Mount Pleasant on Jan. 6. But the Cavaliers outscored Hope, 12-10, in the second half of a 27-18 loss on Feb. 10 and were proud.

These girls have overcome more than a lack of ability to play basketball. Reyes dealt with family issues early in the season. Portes juggles a job at Wendy’s with dribbles at Sanchez. And Azzam was on the verge of quitting basketball to keep her job in the dietary office at Rhode Island Hospital. “I didn’t want to quit the team, but I needed that job,” she said. In the end, her supervisors worked with her, and now she plays basketball, works at the hospital and still takes Advanced Placement courses.

The best news from these four Sanchez seniors? Each plans to attend college.

More: High School

Mount Pleasant's Billy Soriano Has Big-Time Hoop Dreams

Nice story right here on the Hoop Dreams of Mt. Pleasant High School's Billy Soriano. We all know that some kids put all their stock into their hoop dreams the same way others put it all in their street dreams, so let's hope this kid has success in hoops, but also get that college degree as well. Story is via Bill Reynolds of ProJo Sports:

PROVIDENCE — The basketball dream starts early.

It started for Billy Soriano back when he was just a young kid in South Providence, back before his mother died, back before he began to see things no kid should ever see, back before all the AAU teams and all the people were in his ear, back before all the dreams that now lie out there in the distance like the Emerald City.

It started for Billy Soriano back before he could handle the ball as though it’s a yo-yo attached to his hand, back before he learned to throw passes that speak of some gifted basketball IQ.

The basketball dream starts early.

It started for him when he was only 5 or 6. He had been born New York, but already was living here by then, the son of a Dominican father and a Puerto Rican mother. He was going to be a basketball player.

No matter that he was small and slight, just a wisp of a kid. No matter that the inner city is full of kids whose basketball dreams are sacrificed on the altar of crime and dysfunction, a Darwinian world of no grades and limited opportunity.

Virgilio Soriano, whose mother always called him Billy, was going to be a basketball player.

“My mother died when I was nine, and one of the last things I said to her was that I was going to be rich and famous and be on television some day,” he said. “I remember it like it was yesterday. This is why I’m doing what I do. I’m doing it for her.”

The words come out in a verbal fast break, the words all but tumbling over themselves. It was Thursday night, minutes after his Mount Pleasant team had beaten Central, a game the sophomore hadn’t played in because he had missed practice the day before.

For the basketball is just part of it in the Billy Soriano story.

The easy part.

Even if to be a kid now with big basketball dreams is to be in maze, a complicated journey that includes AAU teams and showcase tournaments and college recruiters with the power to change lives. A journey that can be a minefield even in the best of times, not just for an inner-city Providence kid who lives with a father who speaks Spanish.

The basketball dream is complicated.

But it’s the real life that’s the most difficult.
Extra
Video: Soriano, Mount Pleasant dismantle Cumberland

Three years ago, Soriano played for an AAU team called Team Providence, one whose mission statement was to increase the classroom skills of inner-city youth, a team that was all about trying to get their kids to understand that education is the passport to a better life, not basketball.

He surfaced a year later in a column colleague Bob Kerr wrote about a Providence middle school team called UCAP that beat a South Kingstown middle school team called Broad Rock for the state title, even though UCAP had no gym. Seems the team had been on their way to the game when Soriano discovered he’d forgotten his sneakers. So they turned around, went back and got Soriano’s sneakers, arrived just minutes before the game started, shedding clothes as they walked into the gym, and won the game.

And Soriano?

“He is rail thin and incredibly quick, and he just kept driving through the Broad Rock defense,” Kerr wrote. “He is a player to keep your eye on.”

The basketball dream is a long process.

Soriano had missed practice last Wednesday because he had been at Notre Dame Prep, the Massachusetts school that is one of the region’s pipelines to college basketball. Suffice it to say that Chris Coleman, the Mount Pleasant coach, hadn’t been overly thrilled with the news.

“I’d like him to take things a little slower,” Coleman said. “He’s out there. Everyone knows him. It’s going to be there.”

Then again, it’s probably not surprising Soriano’s in a rush.

“I became a man before I should have been,” he said. “When I was 12 on the playground, I was playing with gangsters, guys who had been in jail. But basketball was my savior. It kept me out of trouble. It kept me out of gangs. It kept me off the street. Instead of going out, I’d run suicides by myself. I’d work on my handle.”

Basketball as life raft in a swirling societal sea.

He pauses, and again the words come out in a flood.

“I can’t be here,” he said, looking around. “Too many distractions. And I get so easily distracted. I’ll be sitting there in class and someone will tell a ‘yo mama’ joke’ and I’ll just go off. There are just too many things going on in my neighborhood. I’ve had coaches tell me I’ll never make it because I’m too ghetto, too in-the-street.”

The men around him, the ones who coach him, say it’s not a matter of ability, only a matter of maturity. From his high school coaches, to Jason Elliott, who coaches the Rhode Island Hawks AAU team, they see his basketball gifts, his quickness, his ability to pass, the things you can’t teach. They see the potential, even if he’s only 5-foot-9, and that might be on a good day.

“He has a very high basketball IQ,” says Tom Conner, the former La Salle All-Stater who is the Mount Pleasant assistant coach. “He’s got the ability to create. But he’s got to listen to the people trying to help him, and not just the people talking to him.”

They all know it’s all about maturity for him now, both off and on the court. To make good decisions. To realize it might be more important what you do off the court than on it. To realize that the line between those who make it to college basketball and those who don’t can be a very thin one, one that often has little to do with whether your jump shot goes in or not.

The basketball dream is not an easy dream.

Even for kids who have grown up with it.

“I’m going to make it,” says Billy Soriano. “It was the last thing I said to my mother. And she’s always in my memory, always in my head.”

The words seem to hang in the empty gym.

Classical Wins Without RI Gatorade Player of The Year Ashton Watkins

It looks like the basketball team at my old high school could be on it's way to another state championship, via Projo Sports:

PROVIDENCE –– The odds seemed to be stacked against Classical last night. The Purple’s leading scorer, Ashton Watkins, last year’s Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year (20 points, 19 rebounds per game), injured his knee against Pilgrim on Monday and did not suit up. In addition, head coach Todd Keefe missed the game with the flu, and sharp-shooting point guard Michael Palumbo played despite having a lingering left-knee injury. The defending state champions were playing a Shea team that was focused on moving into a first-place tie atop the Division II-North standings with a victory over the undefeated Purple. But Classical (6-0) wasn’t ready to lose its first league game in more than a year. Despite a heavy protest by the upset-minded Raiders (4-2), Classical survived a thrilling, 86-81 overtime contest. “It was a good win but we never should have been in that position to begin with,” Classical assistant coach John Kavanagh said. “We should have been able to take care of it in the second half, but they really put the pressure on, pulled up on the lead and we couldn’t close it out then. Give Shea credit: they played a great game. They fought hard.” Kavanagh said he was proud of his players because the Purple beat a good team without Classical’s best player. “Ashton is a really good player, but we are not just a one-man team,” Kavanagh said. “We have other options and I think we showed that tonight. Ashton Watkins is a really good player, but we have five or six other guys on this team who can get it done to.” Palumbo, who was carried out of the gym by the fans who rushed the court chanting “M-V-P,” scored 22 points, as did Jordan Jones (14 rebounds). Lavon Waite (16 points) and Marquise Frazier (14 points, 16 rebounds) also starred for Classical. After trailing almost the entire game, the Raiders nearly stole it in the final minute of regulation. Shea overcame a 14-point deficit with six minutes to go to send it into overtime, thanks in large part to Kevin Walker (19 points), Malcum Moniz (18 points), Orlando Whitaker (13 points) and Bravilio Silva (11 points). “Moniz and Walker are both tough guards,” Kavanagh said. “Moniz is an aggressive guard who can shoot it from the outside, and Walker is athletic.” Rudy-Louis Brito (9 points) drilled a 3-pointer from the left wing to give the Raiders a 68-66 lead with 43 seconds remaining in regulation. Frazier scored on a tip-in with 21.1 seconds left, and Shea called a timeout with 10.7 seconds left to try to draw up the game-winning shot. Brito received an inbounds pass on the right baseline and beat his defender to the basket, scoring on an acrobatic layup with 5.4 seconds left to put Shea ahead, 70-68. Classical got the ensuing in-bounds pass to Palumbo, who dribbled the length of the court and connected on a 12-foot pull-up jumper at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. The two teams went shot-for-shot in the early portion of overtime, but a crucial foul with Classical in the bonus, along with a technical foul for arguing the call, gave the Purple the momentum it needed to go on and win the game. Gregory Holt knocked down the technical free throw and Palumbo added two more to give Classical a 78-72 cushion with 2:10 remaining in the game. Classical made 10 of 12 free throws in the extra period to seal the victory. “Shea is an athletic team and they shoot the ball well from the outside, so I told the guys at halftime that we had to get back in transition and we had to box out, and they ended up getting a lot of easy layups and second-chance points in the second half,” Kavanagh said. “We have to do a better job in transition and boxing out.” Shea will look to bounce back against Toll Gate tomorrow at 7 p.m., while Classical looks to remain perfect tomorrow when the Purple visit North Providence.