What a big week of basketball. I got a chance to see some of the best eighth graders in the area. Then I enjoyed watching the Academic Elite camp and lastly I received a lot of feedback regarding the Junior Nationals.
 
First I had a chance to watch some of the better eighth graders in the area. I have seen all the best incoming freshman. I’m sure some will complain that I have missed a few. I believe there are 3 impact freshmen in the Shore Conference. There are some freshman who will be factors before they are done with their high school careers. I will start with the impact players in the Shore Conference.

 
Kelly Hughes- Pt Boro High School- Kelly is clearly a major impact player. Kelly is easily the best pure shooter I have ever seen….I said ever! Listen to this stat. In the Nationals this year, Miss Hughes got to the foul line 100 times….yes folks I said 100 times. Now you may ask how that is possible. It’s simple, people run at her when she is open! You simply can’t allow her to shoot. This results in people fouling her! She made 93 free throws…you heard right 93 of 100….oh yeah she did it in 8 games! Recently she had 22 pts against Neptune in a summer league game. Kelly Hughes is the real deal and will no doubt be the most talked about and watched freshman. She will see double teams, box in ones and will be the focus of every opponents scouting report. Her high school coach will have his work cut out for him. He will need to be crafty and design ways to free Kelly up. The pressure on her will be enormous. Kelly Hughes will be a great player in the Shore Conference! How good will she be? The sky is the limit. Her passing skills and understanding of the game make her a unique and special player.
  
Ivy Harrington- Neptune High School. This young lady has come out of nowhere. I was shocked watching this girl play. How can she be so under the radar? Ivy is quick and strong. She has great size for a guard at 5′9″. Watching her battle Kelly Hughes this week was a treat. Both players showed sportsmanship and the ability to raise their games. Ivy gives Neptune another major player next year. The question is how to find time for her. If she was at any other school, she would be a starter. I believe she has major college potential. Coach Brown now has a longer bench and additional scoring. Now remember Ivy may not put up big numbers due to the great guard play at Neptune. Coach Brown has a couple of fair players named Davis, Brown, and Allen…lol. But she will be part of the rotation. What I like most about her is that she is humble and coachable. This is a kid that will fit into the Neptune family and not rock the boat. She will not concern herself with starting. Her family will be low key and will trust Coach Brown. Ivy makes Neptune down right scary! To think Neptune could add a player like this seems unfair!
  
Mary Kate Caverly - of Red Bank Catholic is a very crafty player. Her understanding of the game is way above most freshmen. Mk has great passing skills. She will knock down open shots and will get in the lane with sneaky quick moves. Now here is the part I like most about Miss Caverly, she was the most competitive player in camp. This young lady hates to lose or have anyone get an edge on her. There is no doubt Joe Montana is getting one of the better freshman in the area. She will push his seasoned underclassman for time. Joe has a lot of young guards with experience to lean on, so where will Mary Kate fit in? I don’t have the answer to this. But it’s a nice problem to have! I expect Mary Kate to have a nice varsity freshman year! The fact that she is such a hard worker is the x-factor! In the long run she will be an outstanding combo guard for RBC…the rich get richer!
 
 
Danille Padovano - of South Brunswick. This is exciting news for Middlesex County. There just doesn’t seem to be a lot of young talent coming out of this area. This young lady was flat out great all week. She will be a 4 year starter for S. Brunswick high school. She is long, tall (5′11) and athletic. She will no doubt be an all county player at some point. Div 1 schools one day will battle for her services. This young lady has a work ethic to go along with talent. This makes her a dangerous player. The big “D” can play the 4 or 5 position. Her ability to step out and shoot makes her a difficult match-up for most teams. She will no doubt need to get stronger. Right now she relies on her talent and work ethic!
  
Now I come to the most interesting player in the camp… Theresa Salud. How good is this kid? There were some coaches who believe she was the best player in the camp!!! This kid is lighting quick. She reminds me of Jackie Kates of SJV. She can defend and makes everyone around her better. Then she knocks down all open shots. This kid is the real deal. She would be a team changer for any school in the Shore Conference. Now here is the twist. She will be attending boarding school in Rhode Island. This is a major blow for Marlboro high school. She would have been among the best pt guards in the Shore Conference as a freshman. Theresa’s work ethic and raw talent will be missed by the Shore Conference. College coaches learn her name now. This is a Div 1 pt guard down the road. I am shocked by the talent in Monmouth County. Every high school should make a donation to Mid Monmouth basketball. It simply may be the best girl’s basketball feeder system in the country…..yes the entire country!
  
There were some other eighth graders that caught my eye
 
Jessica Harvey of Rumson- This quick and sharp shooting guard is the future for Rumson. She will take a season to learn the Sourlis way. But down the road she will be counted on to run the Rumson attack. Let’s be honest, everyone in this program develops.
  
Nicki Armstrong of Rumson- yup! Paige Armstrong’s little sister. She is tough and plays defense already. This kid plays hard all the time.
  
Hanna Miller- Rumson. Yes another Miller! Like all kids that go to Rumson Hanna will take time to learn the system. I watched her in a summer game and I can tell she is learning the Rumson way. Make no mistake about a few things. She is lighting fast, tough as her older sister and will only get better. Kept in mind she is in the perfect position. Why you ask? Coaching!! It’s that simple. Kids simply get better in this program. I look for Hanna to get better each night.
 
Stephanie Mason of Jackson Memorial - People this kid could wind up being one of the best players in Jackson before she is done. Coach Goodale has a player that can do it all. She can knock down threes, get to the rim, rebound and lastly give your team toughness, all from the guard spot.  This kid is long and has size. The Jackson team is scary. You have Evans and Costello, people make no mistake Costello is one of the best guards in the shore. We will talk about her at a later date. Throw in Caitlyn Testa and you have the perfect inside outside team. Stephanie will give Goodale the addition scoring and rebounding she lacked last season. One more thing about Stephanie… she plays fearless, I watched her against St. Rose and Rumson and this kid looked like a season veteran.
 
 
Marie Ballacco of RBC was the most interesting guard of the week because she is very quick and can defend. She reminds me a lot of the type of kids Rumson tends to get. I am curious to see how Joe Montana will use her this year. She has a lot of skills and nice talent. Can she make it through the maze of young talent at RBC? Many times a player is good enough but does not get a chance because of the numbers game. We will see how this plays out. Joe is a master at playing the numbers game!
  
There were other good freshman at this event but these are the ones that stood out. There was one special 7th grader who I will discuss at a later date.
  
Lets  talk about the Academic Elite Camp. This was a first time event run by the Hoop Group for girls. No doubt this will be a must attend event next year. This year’s event was small (54 players) but very effective. Some of the schools in attendance were…U of Penn, Hofstra University, Bryant University, Columbia University, Monmouth University, Colgate University as well as other schools. (22 total)
  
 Before I go into the players, I want to first talk about Monmouth University. Has anyone notice what Monmouth University and Coach Gaitley are building. They are showing players and coaches in the area that they want Jersey Shore girls. At the Academic Elite they clearly wanted everyone to know they want not only the good players but the best players as well. People have long complained MU has not recruited or kept the local kids at home. First let’s talk about Coach Gaitley and what her staff have accomplished to this point. They have organized coaching clinics, skills clinics for kids; have spoken at local events as well as inviting local teams to game day events at Monmouth University. THEY HAVE FULLY SUPPORTED THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS AND AAU TEAMS! These things take time and energy, the Monmouth staff has made a total commitment to Monmouth County! This is what you call giving back to the community. So many coaches talk the the talk but don’t walk the walk! So many take out without putting anything back in! Coach Gaitley and her staff are letting their actions speak louder than their words. Now think about Coach Gaitley’s track record. She has been successful at every stop along her coaching career. If the past is the best predictor of the future…Then Monmouth has hit the jack pot…Stephanie Gaitley built a powerhouse at St. Joe’s, then she went to Long Island University and dominated the NEC. People nobody is suppose to win at LIU. It’s in the middle of Brooklyn with no campus. Gatiely found a way. She even did it with a few Shore kids. The women knows how to build programs. I have watched her from a distance to see if see truly wanted Shore players and the answer is yes!! Mrs. Gatiely and her staff are role models for any young lady. Now we will see!! Will the high school coaches help her land the great players? Do the AAU coaches see her vision and educate their kids about Monmouth? Do they get the major college player?  You know the kid that can play anywhere in the country? If this happens we will see Monmouth become the dream program the shore has talked about for so long. We will see if the players understand that they can turn Monmouth into a National power house. The new Field house is amazing and the education at Monmouth can rival any non Ivy. Everything is now in place for Monmouth to finally become what many have been waiting so long for, ….stay tuned, because now the coaches, players and community must step up to the plate….no excuses!! Monmouth now has a coach who is the total package, now we will see if the local coaches and players will give back!! Remember it’s a two way street!!….oh yeah one more thing.. Monmouth was the ONLY local division 1 school in the gym Sunday….ENOUGH SAID!
 
Now let’s talk about the Elite Camp. First of all Allison Sweeney’s stock is raising faster than a jet airliner. Every coach in the gym wanted to know one question, can I get involved with Miss Sweeney? To think a players stock could rise this fast is amazing. She caught a break playing with the Chambers/ Bowler Hawks this july. This gave her new found exposure. Then she did her part by playing well.
  
Sami Clarke is a major college player that every big time school is interested in. I have spoken to Sam about her future and it’s clear the family will move slow and listen to everyone. Her mom is in the Monmouth University Hall of Fame. Rutgers and Seton Hall both will recruit her heavily. Yet I believe Monmouth may be the only non BCS school to get involved
  
Then we have Christa Evans. Let me say this! Let the war begin. Yes every college in the gym wanted her…she will be one of the most recruited players in the Shore next year. She’s a great student that Ivies and Patriot conference schools will die for. Yet, Big East schools will also have an interest. This young lady may end up being the best player in the Shore Conference!
  
Liz West of Shore Regional was also well talked about. One coach called her sneaky good. The young lady is not flashy but just gets things done.
  
Sarah Olson of Howell confirmed that she will be lacing them up for a Div 1 school in the near future.  Coaches just love players who work hard and get better. I personally am very happy for Sarah.
  
Alexx Hall of St. Rose caught the interest of some of the smaller div 1 schools and is a Div 2 steal. I look for Hall to make a decision some time in August. I was shocked to find out two schools flew across the country to watch her play.
  
Kathryn Campbell who has been under the radar may have peaked her head out. Several Ivy schools asked about her this weekend. Here is a great kid that will clearly make somebody happy. Campbell is a player you must pay close attention to if you want to appreciate her game.
  
Nicole Lentini of Raritan was, for me, the best kept secret in the gym. I thought she played well the entire day. It should be interesting to see how many schools will call her on Aug 1, the first day college coaches can call!
  
Marielena Byrnes of Rutgers Prep had a great showing. Coaches were buzzing about her aggressive style of play. She no doubt put herself in a good position to jump start her recruiting. Many coaches at the USJN, commented how they missed her at that event. She more than made up for it Sunday.
 Meghan McGuinness of Middletown South, I could go on forever about! The coaches have found a new star. I will do a special on Meghan in my next Blog. Meghan is no doubt a great story…
  
All in all this was a solid event. The shame of this event was many college coaches were asking me about players who did not attend. I believe all players should play in as many events as possible during the July recruiting period. I know there is a big event at Manhattan College on July 31. I hope the girls looking for exposure get to it. I will post the name of this event when I find out more about it!
  
Now the big story of the month….The USJN in Washington DC 17u silver bracket champions resides in Monmouth County New Jersey. Mary Beth Chambers/ Bowler and her staff has proved they are the best in the business at putting together a AAU program. She understands player development, team chemistry, importance of exposure  and then her kids win to boot! All these things go hand in hand in producing a top notch AAU program. She simply is the best and now has the trophy to prove it. College coaches follow this team like love sick teenagers. Every kid in the program is being recruited by colleges. They make sure the kids that they add to their roster fit in. Sweeney and Hall joined them in late july and fit like gloves. The parents act like family. This is how an AAU program should look…message to the NCAA call Chambers/ Bowler and ask her for the blue print….
  

In closing I hope everyone enjoys their time off and is safe
 
  
 
 

As we are coming up to half way through our summer here at Hoop Group Skills Camp, we are not missing a beat. Every camper still leaves camp having a FIRE (Fun, Instructional, Rewarding Experience). Once again, campers packed out the early bird optional workouts, which shows that our campers pride themselves in coming to camp to get better and improve. For the second week in a row, the NBA Championship game ended at the buzzer. “Playoff Thursday” was competitive and every game came down to the wire. Hoop Group Skills Camp, once again, did not disappoint anyone.

 
ACC Division

 
1^st seeded Maryland avoided a scare from 4^th seeded UNC in the opening round of the playoff game to then take the championship over Duke. In their opening round game, Maryland came from behind with under 1 minute left thanks to a low post move by David Roberts, and a defensive steal by Andrew Heck. Andrew Heck, a sharpshooter all week who led the ACC in 3 pointers, calmly knocked down two freethrows with 3 seconds left to seal the win for Maryland. UNC was led by Matt Healy, a guard who had an ability to break down the defense and find the open man all week. Andre Williams, another solid player from UNC, was a guard who had a good mid-range game and was great on the boards.

 
In the other opening round game, 2^nd seeded Duke held off a late push by Wake Forest to hold on to the victory. Ryan Gaynor sank two freethrows with 4 seconds left to put Duke up two. A half court-heave at the buzzer failed for Wake, and Duke stormed the court and celebrated their victory. Matt Ross from Wake Forest, a guard who is good with both hands, was also extremely quick in the passing lanes and was able to get out and start the fast break. Dean Criscitello, a guard with great ball handling skills and a great floor general helped Wake Forest control tempo all week.

 
In the championship game, league MVP Jordan Heck stepped up with a lot of big plays for Maryland. After suffering from a cold all week, Jordan made every big play that Maryland needed to come out with the victory. Josh Martinez, an all around athletic player, also made a big basket under a minute to seal the victory for Maryland. For Duke, Nicholas Dover, brought energy and life to the team all week in huddles and on the defensive end. RJ  Franklin, the league Most Improved Player, was a bigger guard who used his body all well and his strength to get into the paint and score.

 
Other Players to Watch (ACC)

 
Dave Roberts

Josh Martinez

Andrew Heck

Jordan Heck

Matt Healy

Cormac Ryan

Eric Savage

Andre Williams

Ryan Gayner

Richardson Franklin

Jack Tobin

Nick Dover

Matt Ross

Cooper Fink

Mark Basista

Dean Criscitiello

 
 
Big East Division

 
Syracuse took home the championship led by league MVP Nick Vrahimis. Nick, a bigger guard who had handle like a point guard, used his basketball knowledge all week and especially in the playoff and championship game to help his team to victory. Jair Bolden, Syracuse’s big man, was excellent on the boards and a tenacious rebounder. David Clowney, a younger guard playing up, controlled tempo all week for Syracuse.
 
For UCONN, Will Boman helped lead his team to 2^nd place and runner-up in the championship. Will, a big man with smooth post moves, also helped his team on the defensive end. He was always a presence on the defensive end and altered shots. Ray Dover helped his team by being a solid guard and finding the open man in transition.
 
Nigel Long from Georgetown, a small guard who handled the ball well and was a great defender. KJ Williams can rebound the basketball and is very athletic.
 
Villanova, led by Cal Whaley, who was very good in the open court was able to find his teammates all week.  Drew Thorpe, described by his coach as a “great kid and player” was a consistent rebounder and had an ability to score all week.
 
Other Players to Watch (Big East)
 
David Clowney
Ryan Hudock
Nick Vrahimis
Jair Bolden
Charlie Tulchin
Nigel Long
KJ Williams
Tom O’Neill
Travis Stoller
Will Boman
Kyle Smith
Ray Dover
David Runcie
Quemon Jefferson
Drew Thorpe
Cal Whaley
Malcolm Manning
 

NBA Division

 
For the second straight week, the championship game ended at the buzzer. League MVP Rayquan Johnson from the Nuggets hit a half court shot as time expired to give his team a three point victory. Coach Mutzman after the game said, “I just was excited it didn’t go into overtime. Rayquan was super athletic and really thrived in our dribble hand-off offense”. Yuta Kobayashi controlled the point all week for the Nuggets and was able to initiate the dribble drive offense.

 
The Lakers, runner up for the week, was led by Mike Silverthorn, a rising 8^th grader who is very skilled. Mike has the ability to score in the paint and from the outside. Sean Moore, an Irish import, was very scrappy and got all his points from playing hard and outworking his opponents.
 
David Vance, from the Bluegrass state of Kentucky, had great post moves and was a force on the inside for the Cavs. Greg Nicoli, a shooter from Pleasantville, stretched the defense with his ability to knock down the long ball.
 
Other Players to Watch (NBA)
 
Yuta Kobayashi
Raquan Johnson
Supreme Hannah
Paul Lowther
Mark Blanchfield
Glen Robinson
Max Tabatsky
Jacob Battle
Mike Silverthorn
Quai Jefferson
Nick Allen
Sean Moore
David Vance
Cian Quinn
Greg Nicolai
Paul Caffrey
 
Congratulations to the Award Winners!
 
ACC
 
Team Champs- Maryland
All Star MVP- Matt Healy
Hot Shot Champ- Andrew Heck
Free Throw Champ- Dakota Kross
1 on 1 Champ- Matt Ross
MVP- Jordan Heck
League MIP-  Richardson Franklin
 
Big East
 
Team Champs- Syracuse
Allstar MVP- KJ Williams
Hot Shot Champ- Nick Vrahimis
Free Throw Champ- Robbie Kennedy
1 on 1 Champ- Will Boman
League MVP- Nick Vrahimis
League MIP- Ryan Hudock
 
NBA
 
Team Champs- Nuggets
Allstar MVP- Yuta Kobayashi
Hot Shot Champ- Mike Silverthorn
Free Throw Champ- Yuta Kobayashi
1 on 1 Champ- Raquan Johnson
League MVP- Raquan Johnson
League MIP- Gerald Tidgol
 
Hope you had a great time at camp! We still have many camps still available. Please do not hesitate to call us at 570-992-6343 to register or inquire about camps.

Hoop Group Skills Camp kicked off their 2^nd point guard weekend of the summer with St. Patrick’s legendary coach Kevin Boyle as camp director. Kevin Boyle, as always, led stations and was very hands on. Coach Boyle got campers involved and motivated them to work hard. Every camper left this two-day with more knowledge of point guard skills, and very exhausted after working hard for 48 hours. Coach Boyle stressed to each camper the importance of working hard on your game at home and in the summer to improve for your season in the winter.

  

ACC Division

  

Players to Watch

  

Robby DePerza

Nick DePerza

David Kachleries

RJ Franklin

JJ Lorenzo

Alex Mango

Robert Gialanella

Tommy Damiano

Matthew Stranzl

  

Big East Division

  

Players to Watch

  

Darrien White

Rob Heller

Alex Tarowsky

Parker La Londe

Khalleq Everett

Jake Harris

Chris Turnball

Alec Mortillaro

  

NBA Division

  

Players to Watch

  

Jason Boswell

Kyler Grisby

Cody Dalziel

David O’ Beirne

John Cusate

Anthony Guisti

Ace Derecho

Bob Gomulka

Max Reyes

Ryan Rust

  

If you missed out this time, we have a Kevin Boyle Skills Camp that runs from August 23^rd-27^th. If you would like more information, or would like to register, please call us at 570-992-6343.

I hope everyone is enjoying there summer. It seems so much is going on these days. Now where do I start? I could start out with the 2nd part of the recruiting period or maybe talk about the transfers or even the eighth graders that will impact their high schools this coming season. 

I will start with JT leaving Colts Neck for Central Regional. This is a major a blow to the Colts Neck program. JT and his players had found a groove together and were my pre-season pick to win the Shore Conference. A new coach no doubt will want to bring in his or her own basketball philosophy. This will surely affect the team. How long will it take for them to adjust? Who will lose a role? Who will gain a role? There are many questions. I feel players like Clarke and Hampton can adjust to any style. It’s the role players who have the most difficulty adjusting. We will see how this plays out. Losing a seasoned coach is never easy. Finding one to replace him will be even more difficult. This is a program that now expects to contend for a state championship. I wish JT the best. I have great respect for what he has accomplished at Colts Neck. 

It’s official. Michaela Mabrey and Chyna Golden will both transfer to new schools. Now first let me say that both of these young ladies and their families made decisions that were in, what they believe, was in their childs best interest. I hope both find what they are looking for! Chyna moving to Neptune makes them the number 1 school in the state in my mind. Neptune now has Great guards and an offense post player. Throw in quality coaching and Neptune is the team everyone will be trying to catch. Mabrey moves to Manasquan. She no doubt will be in a different situation. Manasquan is in a major rebuilding mode. She will put up big numbers as she will get more shots, and will be the go to player she wants to be! I think she can make a difference in the future of this program. Many local kids may now decide to stay home. She will also have the US Hoops basketball family with her. The Manasquan coaching staff will be made up of US Hoops coaches. These are the same coaches that coach her during AAU. This will make things easier for Mabrey to adjust to her new home. Now how does this affect RBC and SJV? My answer will shock people. Neither transfer will affect either program long term. RBC has lost many great players over the years and the same for SJV and yet they are still among the top 5 programs in the state. SJV won lots of games before Mabrey arrived. They will continue to win many games and be one of the best teams in the state despite her departure… RBC with Chyna was rebuilding and next year they will continue to move forward. Remember good players will always go to these schools. It’s the name on the front of the jersey that matters the most… not the one on the back. Let’s hope for the best for all parties involved! 

Let’s talk a little recruiting. First there are a few girls who simply have the college coaches buzzing. Stephaine Cardamone is having a great summer. Div 1 coaches have simply feel in love with the sweet shooting athletic wing player. She no doubt will have many choices. The interesting thing about Cardamone is her work ethic. This has separated her from other players. The work she did with Don Hampton has elevated her game. This is a great example of what happens if you work hard. You don’t have to play for a great high school. She won’t win awards like All Shore or All State. But she will go to school for free. College coaches will find you. 

Megan McGuiness may be playing as well as any body in the Jersey Shore this summer! How good do you ask? A coach told me Megan was the Central Jersey Hawks best player in the first recruiting period. Now that is a heck of a statement when you understand the talent on that team 

Christa Evans, remember her? Jackson Memorial was flying high last year when she got hurt. Well a Big East coach sent me a text a week ago and said she one of the best post players in the state of New Jersey. Evans is blessed to be coached by Rachel Goodale, one of the best young coaches I have seen in years. She also has the master teacher Don Hampton watching and teaching her in the summer. Evans has a team around her that makes her an in demand player. College Coaches from coast to coast will battle for her services in two years! Once again remember she is a hard worker. 

Allison Sweeney is proving she is clearly a Div 1 player. Her size and athletic style of play make her a must get player for Mid Majors. Allison’s stock has risen quickly. It will be very interesting to see where she attends college. I for one believe she will be a better player in college with weight training and the one on one training College programs give you! I believe before this thing is done she may be an Atlantic Ten level player. The question is, will she be willing to play out the season or will she settle on a mid major. Her recruiting started late so she may be a little tight about playing out the season! She just seems to be getting better every night. I watched her in a scrimmage against Jackson and Rumson. She played lights out! 

Ashley Cooper is playing great. George Sourlias is shocked how she has improved. How good is she playing? She may be one of the best players in the Shore Conference. She no doubt has turned the corner as a player. 

Speaking of Chyna, I have bad news for the mid major schools of the world. Many top 50 programs are now in the Chyna Hunt. NEC, MACC and Patriot schools for example need to sign a player like Chyna to get to the next level will find their jobs just got a little harder! One NEC coach told me they are “in it to win it”, and are not afraid to recruit against anyone….that’s the spirit! 

Now here is something interesting. Rutgers University will try and nab 3 Shore Conference players over the next 3 years. First they will try and land Neptune’s Richardson and Davis. I will make a prediction. If Davis and Richardson go to Rutgers, it will be one of the most exciting shows in College basketball anywhere. Rutgers is always a Top 10 program. But these ladies would make it an event to attend these games. This could be the perfect storm brewing! The right style of play to go along with the right players. Get your season tickets early if this whole puzzle comes together. Coach Stringer’s 55 press with two Jersey girls leading the way. This state would explode with excitement! Stay tuned! Rutgers will also make a play for 6′3′’ Sam Clarke of St Rose. Clarke is becoming one of most talked about players in the state. She is very quiet and unassuming, but she has the tools to become very special. 

Jackie Kates has proven this summer that she may be one of the best floor generals in the state. Ivys and Patriot Schools get ready to rumble…Missy Repoli in front of 50 college coaches put on a show at Penn State…she too is an ivy type student who the patriot schools will be fighting to sign….lets go Colgate! SJV has to be given a nod for having so many great students and athletes.  

Speaking of recruiting, I just can’t understand how the NCAA works. It’s clear to me the NCAA wants to shut AAU basketball down. The NCAA wants to focus on the rag tag AAU programs. You know the ones that change their roster every week. The ones where the kids are afraid to tell the coach they want time off. The one’s where coaches are dragging mid major players all over the country. I say focus on teams like the Mary Beth Chambers Hawks where they run practices that benefit the kids or Don Hampton where the kids get better and more importantly are seen by college coaches. These people understand how things work. The NCAA should have a summit with these types of AAU coaches and figure out what works for everyone. One more thing, can someone please limit the number of games a kid can play in the summer!! Some AAU coaches think they are more important than the high school coaches. Fewer games, mean more time in the gym working on skills or practicing with there high school teams. This will make the the NCAA happy as well as the college coaches. Why is this so hard? 

This week I will get a chance to watch the best eighth graders in Monmouth and Middlesex County at the Hoop Group Jr. Elite camp. It should be very interesting. I’m sure there will be a few surprises as always. Those of you who have not seen Kelly Hughes will be in for a treat. There may be another freshman who may be just as good. She will be attending Neptune (that’s a tease). I will break down the impact kids next week on my blog. If you are an eighth grader and would like to attend this event you can do show up Monday. The event is open to all advanced 8th grade players.  I do believe RBC and Neptune appear to have some of the better incoming freshman, but let’s wait and see. There is always a kid under the radar. Kelly Hughes staying in her hometown no doubt was big! She would have had major impact and tipped the scales in favor of one of the top programs. 

The Battle of the Boardwalk is shaping up to be a great event next year. We hope to have the line up very soon!  

Quick notes- Danielle Pankey tore her ACL but is expected to play this season for FDU….Jackson Memorial may be the sleeper team in the Shore Conference…. a Shore coach recently told me” KC Chambers may be the key to the St. Rose season”. I agree if they play better defense! 

 THE HOOP GROUP ACAMDIC ELITE CAMP ON JULY 26TH IS STILL TAKING APPICATIONS. THIS EVENT WILL BE ATTENDED BY DIV 1, DIV 2 AND DIV 3 COACHES. I URGE ANY GOOD STUDENT TO ATTEND THIS EVENT. ANYTIME YOU GET IN FRONT OF A COACH IT’S A GOOD THING…GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE DURING THE NEXT 2 WEEKS 

 

Hoop Group Skills Camp opened up their second week of skills camp on July 12^th. Once again, Larry Brynes, former coach of Collegiate, ran camp. Over 120 campers attended this week. This camp was the most competitive camp so far in the summer, as just about every game came down to the wire and was decided in the last two minutes. The competitive balance was seen as the bottom seed in the NBA (Cavs) took the championship, and the 3^rd seeded team in the ACC (Maryland) with only two wins all week got to the championship and gave the top seed (Duke) a run for their money. As always, every player left with more knowledge of the game thanks to an experienced coaching staff and a lecture by Tobin Anderson, head coach of Hamilton College. Coach Anderson showed dribbling and ball handling drills to do at home.

 

ACC

 
The youngest division at camp showed to be some of our hardest workers at camp. Over 50% of our early bird workout was attended by the ACC. Duke, coached by rookie and former Hoop Group Skills Camp player Flynn McFadden, held off 3 seeded and 2 win team Maryland in the Championship. League MVP Corey Grant had over 30 points in the championship game, and two clutch free throws by Josh Zemlock with one second remaining gave Duke the two point victory. Corey Grant’s ability to get to the rim and finish in the lane with both hands helped his team all week. Maryland, led by guard George Elghoul, a Shore shot player who has the ability to get to the rim led Maryland through the playoffs and into the Championship game. Kevin Charos hit two free throws with about 15 seconds left to tie the game for Maryland before Maryland committed a foul and Josh Zemlock calmly knocked down a pair. Liam Donohue from Maryland, following in the footsteps of his two older brothers who went through HG Skills Camp, rebounded well all week for Maryland.

 
UNC was led by forward Josh Christ. Josh is an athletic big man who can score from the paint. His ability to score in the post helped his team all week. Guard Zach Ashford, a quick guard, was very explosive on the offensive end. Defensively, he was able to stay infront of any other guard in the league this week. From Wake Forest, brother of Corey, Jason Grant was a solid defender and shooter.

 
 
Other Players to Watch (ACC)

Aaron Ball

Jesse Neighbor

Chris O’Briske

Lyle Bennett

Lucas Burkhardt

Malcolm Butts

Zach Ashford

Steve Johnson

Liam Donohue

Kevin Charos

Jared Agee

 

SEC

 
2^nd seeded Tennessee coached by Brendan Malone, upset the dominant 1 seed Georgia all week in the Championship. League MVP Ryan Dunleavy, a guard/forward swingman was able to run the point or play off the ball. His size and athleticism allowed him to get to the rim and he was able to knock down the outside shot. Asaf Davidod, an athletic big man, rebounded well for the championship team and was able to score easy points in transition.

 
Georgia was led by Marshall Borden. Marshall, described by his coach as, “a perfect teammate”, led his team by his actions on the court. His all around ability to play the game of basketball gave his team the dominance during the regular season. Alex Tarowsky, a hoop group veteran, a solid big man with good rebounding skills and can score inside. Alex has the ability to alter shots on the defensive end.

For Kentucky, Elliot Gorden, was a combo guard who was able to shoot or put it on the floor. Brian Heath controlled the boards for Kentucky and was “the man in the middle”. From Florida, Jon Diller was a pointguard who had an ability to shoot and knock down shots from deep. Liam Tow, was a smart big man who always made the right decision on the court.

 
Other Players to Watch (SEC)

 
Seth Meade

Jake Smith

Kenny Alston

James Agee

Ryan Lynn

Billy Carrangelo

Donte Peeples

Tre Butts

 
Big East
 
Villanova coached by Praha, took home the championship at camp. After a competitive division all week where the top seed finished 5-4 and the bottom seed finished 4-5, Villanova cruised in both playoff games. League MVP Nate McKnight had the ability to score when he wanted. Chris Warren, an 8^th grader playing up, has a good left hand and is a great finisher around the rim. Also from Villanova, Alec Mortillero, a point guard from The Franchise AAU, was a solid point guard who distributed the ball to his teammates and looked for his shot second.

Runner-up Louisville got contributions all week from Zach Mrozek. A guard who is a hound on defense, Zach also has the ability to shoot and knock down open looks. His ability to shoot opened up the lane for other guard Jake Harris, a natural point guard who is able to control tempo. David Clowney from Georgetown, a solid guard who made things happen on the defensive end. His ability to get steals and create opportunities for his teammates helped Georgetown all week. James Drury from Syracuse was a player who is very smart with the basketball and can flat out score. Kyle Watson, also from Syracuse, was a beast on the boards and had the ability to alter shots.

 
Other Players to Watch (Big East)

 
Connor Hicks

Kevin Gross

Nate McKnight

Justin Glover

Nick Vrahimis

Jacob Battle

Derrick Kemp

Dan Brinjar

Tyler Brown

 

NBA

 
Wow! What a game! In what was definitely the game of the summer, 4^th seeded and 1 win Cavs coached by Muir Haman won at the buzzer over the Nuggets. After coming back from 15 down, the Nuggets tied the game up with a Kareek Best bucket with 5 ticks remaining. With no timeouts remaining, David O’Berine threw a superb baseball passed to fellow Irishman Cian Quinn running the lane who scored an open layup at the buzzer and gave the Cavs the victory. Nate Barker, League MVP, truly stepped up on playoff day and made the right decision and right play. Matias Haller, a French-import and a moveup from the Big East, won the league most improved player award and it was well deserved. Working hard all week showed on playoff day. Matias was able to score at will in the championship game. Haywood Mitchell and big man David O’Beirne was solid all week for the Cavs.

 
Kareek Best led the Nuggets all week. With his ability to get to the rim and find his teammates, Kareek is a natural pointguard. Justin Rosa is able to knock down open shots.

 
Another Franchise AAU player Glenn Taggert, a solid guard who is able to put it on the floor and get to the rim. He is able to create for himself and his teammates. Paul Caffrey, a scrappy Irish player was able to knock down open shots and controlled tempo for his team. Matt Anderson had a steller week. His ability to defend and create things for his teammates helped the Magic.

 
Other Players to Watch (NBA)

 
Mark Blanchfield

Kevin Ashton

Tyler Blank

Darnell McDuffy

Drew Waltz

Yuta Kobayashi

Kareek Best

Alvin English

Sean Moore

 
Congratulations to our Award Winners!

 
ACC

 
Team Champs- Duke

All Star MVP- Josh Christ

Hot Shot Champ- Malcolm Butts

Free Throw Champ- Josh Christ

1 on 1 Champ-  George Elghoul

MVP- Corey Grant

MIP- Liam Caswell

 
SEC

 
Team Champs- Tennessee

All Star MVP- Marshall Borden

Hot Shot Champ- Zach Hann

Free Throw Champ- Alex Tarowski

1 on 1 Champ- Elliot Golden

MVP- Ryan Dunleavy

MIP- Billy Carangelo

 
Big East

 
Team Champs- Villanova

All Star MVP- James Drury

Hot Shot Champ- Alec Mortillaro

Free Throw Champ- Derrick Tannous

1 on 1 Champ- Connor Hicks

MVP- Nate McKnight

MIP- Max Parauda

 
NBA

 
Team Champs- Cavs

All Star MVP- Glenn Taggart

Hot Shot Champ- Justin Rosa

Free throw champ- Cian Quinn

1 on 1 Champ- Kareek Best

MVP- Nate Barker

MIP- Matias Haller

 
It truly was a great week of camp! We hope to see you again this summer! If you would like to come back or have any questions about our remaining camps, please call us at 570-992-6343.

Hoop Group Skills Camp came back from their July 4^th break to open up their first of five traditional “Skills Camps”. The skills camps truly display the foundation of Hoop Group Skills Camp which is “the number 1 fundamental teaching camp in America”. Under the leadership of program director Larry Brynes, former coach of Collegiate, along with other prominent high school coaches, this camp showed to be a great camp where the players were very enthusiastic and passionate about each day of camp. The early-bird workout numbers were over 50% each day, which shows the passion each player in camp had to get better and improve.

 

ACC Division

 
In our youngest division, UNC coached by Mike Zito won the championship over Maryland. Maryland played very chippy and with James Finnegan’s ability to score, Maryland kept it close against top seeded UNC. However, UNC pulled away in the second half led by league MVP Patrick Bathon and his ability to shoot the ball and defend. Bathon made big plays on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball to help his team capture the championship. Aalim Jones, winner of the 1 on 1 contest, showed his ability to get to the rim in the championship game and to find his open teammates.

 
The division was very competitive. Last seeded Duke gave UNC a run for their money in the opening round game. Led by Quadir Palmer and his ability to score in the paint, Duke gave UNC all they had. Jack Finnegan, had a knack to shoot from deep and keep his team in games. 

 
3^rd seeded Wake Forest was led by Jamil Gambari. Jamil was a solid big man who had the ability to score in the post. He was also a force to be reckoned with on the offensive and defensive glass.

 
Other Players to Watch (ACC)

 
Logan Schonweiss

Brian Halloran

Mark Jensenig

Chris O’ Briske

Brendan Halloran

Richie Minford

D’jon Williams

Ethan Borden

Greg Drillock

Malik Wilcher

 

Big East Division

 
St. Johns led by rookie coach and Bard College standout Justin White, pulled away from rival Syracuse in the final few minutes. Led by league MVP Juwan Carter from Patterson, Juwan had ability all week to dominate both sides of the floor. He was very versatile and was able to shoot from the outside and get to the rim. Isaiah Briscoe controlled the point guard position for St. Johns’ and his ability to run an offense all week gave St. John’s an advantage over other teams. Chris Volpe’s improvement all week helped him earn league Most Improved Player award, but was also crucial to St. John’s success. Syracuse led by Robbie Kennedy, a rising 9^th grader from Spring Lake who is a real good defender. Robbie made things happen on the defensive end, which turned into easy points in transition for his team.

 
From Georgetown, Matt Moros, a crafty guard from NY Empire AAU, was deadly from outside. He’s a smart player who understands the game. Jamod Davis, also from Georgetown, showed his ability to get to the rim and finish all week. It was even demonstrated in the 1 on 1 contest which he won for the Big East.

 
Xavier Fullmore, another stud from Patterson, helped Pittsburg all week with his sharp-shooting ability. Xavier also won the Hot Shot Competition for the Big East. James Leyden, a versatile player who can shoot and put the ball on the floor truly gave Pittsburg an advantage all week.

 
Other Players to Watch (Big East)

Denzel Rodriguez

Jack Eisenburg

Brian Crupi

Tony Minford

Tanner Brandt

Owen Henry

Kyle Mills

 

NBA Division

 
The Nuggets coached by Pedro Morales cruised all week with only 1 lost in the regular season to capture the NBA championship. Led by League MVP Chantz Delgado, the Nuggets avoided a scare from the 4^th seeded Lakers in the opening round of the playoffs before defeating them and then beating the magic to take the crown. After getting up by as many as 15 early in the championship game, Coach Voelkel of the Magic changed game plans. Whenever Chantz Delgado had the ball, all four other defenders must be in the paint ready to help. This brought the Magic back into the game. Paul Caffrey and Brett Director shared defensive responsibility on Chantz, but it was an overall team defense to bring the Magic back into the game. Sharpshooter Justin Rosa knocking down long range shots kept the Magic into the game. After cutting it to 4 with 3 minutes left, Chantz Delgado scored twice by getting to the rim. This sealed the game for the Nuggets.

 
Kyle Walker, League Most Improved Player, got better as each day went on. This was important for the Nuggets success all week. Cian Quinn, an Irish shooter, knocked down open 3s all week from kickouts from Chantz and Nasir Crawford.

 
Big man Brendan Donohue was an inside presence all week for runner-up Magic. His ability to score inside helped the Magic all week. Another big man who exploited his opponents all week was Irish player David O’Berne from the Cavs. David had the ability to score and dominate the post.

 
From the Lakers, St. Ray’s guard Jerome Jackson helped his team all week with the ability to get to the rim. Jerome is quick and explosive with an ability to get into the paint. Dustin Sodano, a solid defender, was responsible for guarding the other team’s best player all week.

 
Other Players to Watch (NBA)

Sean Moore

Paul Caffrey

Paul Lowther

Bernard Mokum

Sam Riddick

Wahlik Watson

Haywood Mitchell

 
Congratulations to our award winners:

 
ACC

 
Team Champs- UNC

All Star MVP- James Finnegan

Hot Shot Champ- James Finnegan

Free Throw Champ- Malik Wilcher

1 on 1 Champ- Aalim Jones

MVP- Patrick Bathon

League MIP- Nick Panucci

 
Big East

 
Team Champs- St. Johns

Allstar MVP- Tanner Brandt

Hot Shot Champ- Xavier Fulmore

Free Throw Champ- Jack Eisenburg

1 on 1 Champ- Jamon Davis

MVP: Juwan Carter

League MIP: Chris Volpe

 
NBA

 
Team Champs- Nuggets

Allstar MVP- Bernard Mokum

Hot Shot Champ- Kian Quinn

Free Throw Champ- Kian Quinn

1 on 1 Champ- Chantz Delgado

MVP: Chantz Delgado

League MIP: Kyle Walker

 
Thank you for coming to Hoop Group Skills Camp I. If you missed out on Hoop Group Skills Camps, or would like to attend another session here are our remaining skills camps.

 
Skills Camp II (Currently in session) July 12^th-16^th

Skills Camp III- July 19^th-23^rd

Skills Camp IV- July 26^th-30^th

Skills Camp V- August 10^th-14^th

 
Please call us at 570-992-6343 for further questions or if you would like to register.

by Alex Schwartz of Northstar Basketball

The Hoop Group Elite Team Camp’s second day featured some great action in front of many Division I coaches. Georgia Tech Head Coach Paul Hewitt was on hand to watch Kyrie Irving ‘10 of St. Patrick’s, as were coaches from Seton Hall and Notre Dame. Many other programs, such as Columbia, Colgate, and Bryant had coaches at Albright College too. A number of players seized the chance to show what they can do in front of the coaches. The standout performers from the teams that I watched play, from both the National and American Divisions, are listed below:

Kazembe Abif ’11, The Pennington School (NJ)
Zaahir Allen ’10, Penn Wood (PA)
Darian Barnes ’11, Penn Wood (PA)
Kevin Boyle, Jr. ’10, St. Patrick’s (NJ)
Nate Britt ’13, Gonzaga (DC)
Aaron Brown ’11, Penn Wood (PA)
William Brown ’10, Penn Wood (PA)
Jared Carithers ’10, Bowie (MD)
Randall Castleberry ’10, Bowie (MD)
Patrick Connaghan ’10, Chestnut Hill (PA)
Todd Cramer ’10, Chestnut Hill (PA)
Chandler Fraser-Pauls ’11, The Pennington School (NJ)
Lamin Fulton ’11, Neumann-Goretti (PA)
Anthony Gaffney ’11, The Pennington School (NJ)
Joe Godette ’10, New Rochelle (NY)
John Golden ’10, Peddie School (NJ)
Anthony Goode ’10, Milford Mill (MD)
Kyrie Irving ’10, St. Patrick’s (NJ)
Kris Jenkins ’13, Gonzaga (DC)
Mustafa Jones ’10, Neumann-Goretti (PA)
Kyle Jordan ’10, Bowie (MD)
Stan Laurent ’10, New Rochelle (NY)
Cedrick Lindsay ’10, Gonzaga (DC)
Isaiah McCrary ’11, Milford Mill (MD)
Shawn Oakman ’11, Penn Wood (PA)
Chase Plummer ’10, St. Patrick’s (NJ)
Bill Shank ’12, Neumann-Goretti (PA)
Temlade Shonibare’10, Bowie (MD)
Danny Stewart ’10, Neumann-Goretti (PA)
Brandon Washington ’11, Bowie (MD)

Of these ballers, a few of them were the best of the best on this day. Aaron Brown ’11 from Penn Wood (PA) was fantastic. The 6’5 wing did a fantastic job of scoring the ball, and even outperformed more highly-touted class of 2011 teammate Shawn Oakman. Brown filled much of the scoring void that was left by Tyree Johnson ’10, arguably the squad’s best player, being absent from camp. The other elite performer on the second and final day of camp was none other than Kyrie Irving ’10 of St. Patrick’s (NJ). The 6’2 point guard showed why he is so highly ranked and so heavily recruited. Irving knocked down shots from beyond the arc, got to the hoop with outstanding athletic ability, and dished out some great passes. He is the next great player from St. Patrick’s, which has some others (Michael Gilchrist ’11, Derrick Gordon ’11, Dennis Green ’12, Austin Colbert ’13, Jason Boswell ’13) right behind him on that list. The other big-time performer was Cedrick Lindsay ’10 of Gonzaga (DC), who just scored whenever he wanted. The 6’0 guard was unstoppable when he drove to the cup, and was the key player for the team from the nation’s capital.

I had a chance to watch 6+ games on Friday, and I’ll give a brief rundown on each of them. I began my day by watching Chestnut Hill (PA) take on Bowie (MD) in the semifinals of the American Division, and it was a hard-fought back-and-forth battle. Randall Castleberry ’10 led his Old Line State squad to championship game when it was all said and done, winning 46-42. I also caught the final few minutes of the matchup between the Peddie School (NJ) and Prep Charter (PA), which the Garden State team won 48-43. The next game I checked out was Pocono Mountain East (PA) squaring off against New Rochelle (NY), whose best player is Antoine Mason ’10, the son of former NBA player Anthony Mason. The game was never in question, as New Roc was dominant from start to finish, despite the best efforts of Kyheim Hall ’10, winning 63-44. I then took in the National Division semifinal matchup between Penn Wood (PA) and Milford Mill (MD). Led by Aaron Brown ’11 and Darian Barnes ’11, the defending PIAA Class AAAA state champions outlasted Milford Mill by a final score of 52-42. The game was closer than the final score indicates, as Anthony Goode ’10 and Isaiah McCrary ’11 kept the top-notch Maryland squad in the game.

Upon the conclusion of the PW/MM game, it was time for the first championship game, as The Pennington School (NJ) met Bowie (MD) for the American Division title. The first half was tight and neither team could really take control. Bowie was up 25-21 at the break behind nine points from Jarid Carithers ’10, while TPS’ Chandler Fraser-Pauls ’11 was the top man with 10. Bowie began to jump out ahead in the second half, but Pennington would not go away. Yet, when the NJ team’s shots stopped falling for a bit, Bowie jumped out to a 14-point lead and it was too much to overcome. Bowie ended up taking the American Division crown by a final score of 59-55. Jared Carithers had 17 points and Brandon Washington had 10. The game’s leading scorer was Kazembe Abif ’11 of Pennington who had 21 points, almost all of which were in the second half, while Chandler Fraser-Pauls chipped in 17.

St. Patrick’s (NJ) vs. Neumann-Goretti (PA) was the next affair I took in, and it was never a game. The Celtics dominated the entire game. Kyrie Irving ’10 had 17 points in the first half, including five threes. He finished with 19 points, as he did not really need to score the ball in the second 16 minutes of play. Irving also dished out a handful of assists, and was aided by Chase Plummer ’10, Kevin Boyle, Jr. ’10 (15 points), and Austin Colbert ’13 (11 points). Neumann-Goretti, which did not have Tyreek Duren ’10 and Wake Forest-pledge Tony Chenault ’10, got 12 points from Bill Shank ’12 on four treys and 10 points out of Lamin Fulton ’11, who hit two trifectas.

The last game that I watched was also the final game of camp. Gonzaga (DC) squared off with Penn Wood (PA) in the National Division title tilt. Gonzaga featured Duke-bound Tyler Thornton ’10, but it was other players who really stood out Friday. Nate Britt ’13, a 6’0 guard, completely locked up on D, and has a chance to be very, very good. Kris Jenkins ’13 is another rising freshman at Gonzaga, and the 6’5 big man has the look of a big-time baller, and he certainly showed some flashes on this day. Penn Wood was very reliant on Aaron Brown ’11, who played as well today as I’ve ever seen him, as well as William Brown ’10 and Zaahir Allen ’10, for both of whom the same can be said. Shawn Oakman ’11 was good, but not great, and Penn Wood just did not have enough firepower. Gonzaga led almost the whole game, but it never got out of hand, and Penn Wood never fell out of contention. When it was all said and done, Gonzaga had won the championship 59-51. Cedrick Lindsay accounted for 23 points, while Tyler Thornton contributed 11. Aaron Brown dropped 21 for Penn Wood, and William Brown had 11.

I also spoke to a couple of players during the course of the day too to get school lists.

Kyheim Hall ’10, Pocono Mountain East (PA): Boston University, St. Bonaventure, and Radford
                                 Favorite: Boston University
                                 Dream School: None

Anthony Goode ’10, Milford Mill (MD): Virginia Commonwealth, South Florida, Towson, Loyola (MD), Robert Morris, Stonehill (DII), and Bowie State (DII)
                                         Favorites: None
                                         Dream School: Virginia

Congratulations to Gonzaga (DC) and Bowie (MD) on winning championships at The Hoop Group Elite Team Camp, and representing the DC-metro area very well.

Alex Schwartz is the President, Chief Scouting Officer, and Writer for Northstar Basketball. For more on the world of high school/grassroots hoops from Alex, check out http://blog.northstarbball.com/

by Alex Schwartz of Northstar Basketball

As the July Live Evaluation period rolls on, The Hoop Group Elite Team Camp has begun, and there are some big-time programs here at Albright College. The National Division features three of the four defending PIAA state champions (Imhotep Charter in AA, Archbishop Carroll in AAA, and Penn Wood in AAAA), the defending Philadelphia Catholic League champion (Neumann-Goretti), and the defending NJSIAA Tournament of Champions winner and a top 10 team in the nation (St. Patrick’s). That’s not to mention a defending NYSAA state finalist (Jamesville-DeWitt), a team that finished top 10 in the nation two years ago (Gonzaga), two of New York City’s best teams (St. Raymond’s and Boys & Girls), a tradition-rich powerhouse (Roman Catholic) and many more. The American Division is not too shabby either, as it includes a defending county champion and state finalist (The Pennington School), a top-notch Pennsylvania Independent School (Chestnut Hill), a county finalist and sectional semifinalist in the state’s toughest public school bracket (Ridge), the alma mater of two top 10 NBA Draft picks (St. Joseph’s Metuchen), and a defending NJSIAA state finalist (Asbury Park).

With 64 teams—six states, plus DC, and two other countries are represented—competing in the camp—32 in each division—there are clearly a lot of extremely talented players in the gym, which is why coaches from schools such as West Virginia, Penn State, Richmond, La Salle, Boston University, Marist, Temple, and more. Which players that I saw shined the brightest, from both the National and American Divisions?

Kazembe Abif ’11, The Pennington School (NJ)
Matt Banas ’12, Hershey (PA)
Harold Brantley ’13, Hershey (PA)
Nate Britt ’13, Gonzaga (DC)
Erik Copes ’11, Imhotep Charter (PA)
Chandler Fraser-Pauls ’11, The Pennington School (NJ)
Johnny Davis ’13, Neumann-Goretti (PA)
Joey De La Rosa ’11, St. Raymond’s (NY)
Herbert Dennis ’10, Sussex Tech (DE)
Travis Gill ’11, Xaverian (NY)
Derrick Gordon ’11, St. Patrick’s (NJ), Western Kentucky
Davon Hill ’11, Paul VI (VA)
Patrick Holloway ’12, Paul VI (VA)
Reese Jackson ’10, Schenectady (NY)
Kris Jenkins ’13, Gonzaga (DC)
Coleman Johnson ’12, Paul VI (VA)
Cedrick Lindsay ’10, Gonzaga (DC)
Anthony Mayo ’10, Roman Catholic (PA)
Derrick Millinghaus ’11, Schenectady (NY)
Devonte Millinghaus ’11, Schenectady (NY)
Shadell Millinghaus ’12, Schenectady (NY)
Asa Smith ’11, Paul VI (VA)
Harold Spears ’10, The Pennington School (NJ)
Derrick Stewart ’12, Neumann-Goretti (PA)
Chali Thomas ’11, Gonzaga (DC)
Immanuel Thomas ’11, Xaverian (NY)
Shane Thomas ’12, Neumann-Goretti (PA)
Tyler Thornton ’10, Gonzaga (DC), Duke

There is absolutely no question as to why the top performer on the day was: 5’10 point guard Derrick Millinghaus ’11 of Schenectady (NY). A blazing fast floor general that can not only distribute the rock, but score it too, Millinghaus had a great day. The New Yorker gets to the hole easily due to his outstanding quickness and ball handling, and can also knock down a J. Millinghaus scored 20 points in the first half against St. Patrick’s (NJ) and finished the game with 26 points and, unofficially, about 12 assists. He was the best player on the floor for those 32 minutes, no doubt about it.

One would think that despite Millinghaus’ great performance, his squad still fell to Schenectady. Well, that would be incorrect. No, that is not a misprint. In a first round National Division game, the defending champion at this camp, was not only defeated by the small public school in upstate New York, but was thoroughly outplayed from the get-go. Trailing by 20+ at one point in the second half, St. Patrick’s was totally out of sync, and eventually lost to Schenectady by a score of 69-55, in what amounts to a 16 seed—Schenectady was just 12-10 last year—defeating a one seed—St. Patrick’s lost just three games, won the TOC, and was ranked top 10 in America. Granted, the Celtics did not have their two best players in Kyrie Irving ’10—he came late and played in the team’ second game—and Michael Gilchrist ’11, yet this very same roster still defeated one of the top teams in New Jersey, Seton Hall Prep, by double digits just a week and a half ago in the semifinals of The Hoop Group HBC Metro Summer Showcase.

The Celtics struggled the entire game and the final margin of defeat, 14, does not show the real way this game went. Derrick Millinghuas lit St. Pat’s up, and in fact at one point late in the first half when it was 33-20 Schenectady, he has as many points as the whole Celtics squad. “I talked to my team [and told them that] everybody is doubting us.  . . . In New York nobody knows about us and we wanted to come down here and make a name for ourselves and get everybody college looks. . . . During timeouts I told everybody to keep the intensity up,” stated Millinghaus on how the team was able to stay unafraid and play so well.

As for some of the game results from today, the semifinals of the American Division are set, and The Pennington School (NJ) will meet Bishop Kearney (NY), and Chestnut Hill (PA) will face Bowie (MD). Just two of the semifinalists in the National Division are set. Imhotep Charter (PA) will square off with Gonzaga (DC) for the right to make the title game. Some upsets besides St. Pat’s/Schenectady included Bishop McNamara (MD) falling to Pocono Mountain East (PA), Paul VI (VA) defeating Neumann-Goretti (PA), both in National Division first round action. Neither McNamara nor Neumann had its full squad.

During the day I had time to catch up with a quartet of players to get school lists:

Matt Banas ’12, Hershey (PA): Rutgers, West Virginia, and Penn State
                               Favorites: None
                               Dream School: “I’m an ACC guy, [but the] Big East isn’t bad either. . . . I like the ACC and Big East, they’re both good.

Cedrick Linday ’10, Gonzaga (DC): Penn State, Davidson, Brown, and Richmond (that is his top four)
                                      Favorites: None
                                      Dream School: “No, not really, but I once wanted to go to Tennessee.”

Daiquan Walker ’12, Roman Catholic (PA): none
                                         Favorites: n/a
                                         Dream School: UConn
                                         Note- Walker is transferring into Roman Catholic from American Heritage (FL), as he is originally from Philadelphia.

Daily recaps will be posted right here, and you can also follow the action on Twitter through TheHoopGroup and NorthstarBball. Be sure to stay tuned!

Alex Schwartz is the President, Chief Scouting Officer, and Writer for Northstar Basketball. For more on the world of high school/grassroots hoops from Alex, check out http://blog.northstarbball.com/.

by Alex Schwartz of Northstar Basketball

Session I of The Hoop Group Elite Camp at Albright College has come to an end, and it was certainly a success. On day four, I was able to watch the final fives team I had yet to see, in addition to a few squads for the second time, and one—the eventual team champion—for a third time. Many more DI programs were represented today, as coaches from schools such as Auburn, Clemson, North Carolina State, and TCU were on hand. In front of these coaches, and many more as well, a handful of players on the teams I saw stood out as top performers during the playoffs (each team had two playoff games before the all-star contests).

Jonathan Angstadt ’11, Holy Name (PA)
Ike Azotam ’10, Marianapolis Prep (CT)
Melsahn Basabe ’10, St. Mark’s (MA)
Alex Bates ’10, Eleanor Roosevelt (MD)
Trivante Bloodsman ’11, Wadleigh (NY)
Shonn Brandon ’11, North Mecklenburg (NC)
Jvonte’ Brooks ’10, Foothills Christian (CA)
Jate Chesul ’11, Holy Spirit (NJ)
Cole Daley ’10, New Hanover (NC)
Rich Dobin ’10, St. Patrick’s (NJ)
Fran Dougherty ’10, Archbishop Wood (PA)
Eric Fanning ’11, Trenton Central (NJ)
Andrew Frowine ’11, North Mecklenburg (NC)
Derrick Gordon ’11, St. Patrick’s (NJ), Western Kentucky
Richard Hall ’09, Bay Shore (NY)
DJ Irving ’10, Archbishop Carroll (PA)
Armand Leaks ’10, The Shipley School (PA)
Ryan Lubreski ’09, Blair Academy (NJ)
CJ Meyer ’10, Lenape (NJ)
Matt Milk ’10, Upper Room Christian School (NY)
Pat Moore ’10, Notre Dame (NY)
Khalil Murphy ’09, APEX Academies (NJ)
Mike Poole ’10, St. Benedict’s (NJ)
Karim Rowson ’10, Wadleigh (NY)
Lamount Samuels ’09, Boys & Girls (NY)
Cory Schmidt ’10, Mercersburg Academy (PA)
John Schoof ’11, WT Woodson (VA)
Aishon White ’10, NIA Prep (NJ)
Jhamir White ’11, Paterson Catholic (NJ)
Jake Wiegand ’11, Chantilly (VA)
Dashaun Wiggins ’10, Wings Academy (NY)
Brandon Williams ’10, Boys & Girls (NY)

There was really one player out of all of those who shined the brightest, and it was Karim Rowson. The Big Apple baller can really play. A 6’5 wing, Rowson makes getting to the hole looks simple. In addition, he can shoot the rock, and is a deadly offensive player. Rowson is one of those true tough New York players who plays the game with passion and intensity.

The championship game in the NBA East was a matchup between two squads that pulled upsets in the semifinals. Kevin Sullivan, an assistant coach at Lawrence Academy (MA), led Team 2 to the finals, with Bishop McNamara (MD) Head Coach Marty Keithline took Team 3 to the title tilt. Team 2 was led by Western Kentucky-commit Derrick Gordon ’11 of St. Patrick’s (NJ), Shaq Duncan ’10 of Frankford (PA), Ike Azotam ’10 of Marianapolis Prep (CT), and Pat Moore ’10 of Notre Dame (NY) throughout the course of the camp. Melsahn Basabe ’10 of St. Mark’s (MA) and Maurice Harkless ’11 from Forest Hills (NY) were the main men for Team 3 at camp. Team 2 led for much of the game, but could not really pull away until the fourth quarter when Pat Moore just took over, repeatedly scoring around the hole. When all was said and done, Team 2 walked away with the title, knocking off Team 3 by 15+. The players were given Team Champion t-shirts at the Award Ceremony.

Speaking of the award ceremony, here is a rundown of some of the honorees:

NBA East Most Improved Player: David Wishon ’10, First Assembly Christian (NC)
NBA East Most Outstanding Prospect: Derrick Gordon ’11, St. Patrick’s (NJ), Western Kentucky
NBA East Most Outstanding Player: Melsahn Basabe ’10, St. Mark’s (MA)
NCAA Most Outstanding Player: Marcus Maye ’12, Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy (FL)

I completely agree with the choice of Basabe as The Hoop Group Elite Camp Session I Most Outstanding Player. The 6’7 big man, who is actually from New York, was great all week and led his team to the championship game. Congratulations to all three of these players, as well as all the other award recipients.

Once they were done giving out the awards, the All-Star selections were announced. Check out list of the players who were the elite performers in the games themselves. A complete list of the all-stars will be coming soon!

NBA East Top 20 Game
Melsahn Basabe ’10, St. Mark’s (MA)
Jamir Hanner ’10, South Philly (PA)
Bernard Sullivan ’11, North Mecklenburg (NC)

NBA East Senior Game
Cameron Gunter ’10, Ridley (PA)
David Samuels ’10, Blessed Sacrament (NY)
Anthony Taylor ’10, Egg Harbor Township (NJ)

NBA East Underclassmen Game
Darion Atkins ’11, Landon School (MD)
Deon Jones ’11, undecided
Scott Slade ’11, Monsignor Bonner (PA)

In the Top 20 Game, which was the final contest of Session I, Jamir Hanner was selected as the MVP, helping lead his Blue squad to a 93-73 victory. The 6’7 power forward had 12 points and 11 rebounds. In the Senior Game, it was 6’7 big David Samuels who was chosen as the MVP, as his Blue team won 87-80. Darion Atkins was chosen as the MVP of the Underclassmen Game, as the 6’7 big man’s squad won 92-75. Interestingly, all three MVPs were big men, despite the fact that all-star games are usually all about the guards.

During the day I was able to collect a half dozen schools lists.

Mike Poole ’10, St. Benedict’s (NJ): Providence , Kansas State, Iona, Florida International, Rhode Island, Seton Hall, USC, Norfolk State, and Duquesne
                                Favorites: Providence, Iona, Duquesne, and Kansas State
                                Dream School: UConn

Karim Rowson ’10, Wadleigh (NY): Providence, Manhattan, Hofstra, and Binghamton
                                      Favorites: None
                                      Dream School: Marquette

Oliver Ellison ’11, Gonzaga (DC): Boston College
                                   Favorites: n/a
                                   Dream School: Syracuse

Pat Moore ’10, Notre Dame (NY): Colgate, Columbia, Bucknell, Davidson, Siena, Fairfield, Iona, and Harvard
                              Favorites: Colgate and Siena
                              Dream School: None

Alex Bates ’10, Eleanor Roosvelt (MD): LIU, Elon, Navy, Army, St. Francis, Quinnipiac, Niagara
                             Favorites: Elon and Navy
                             Dream School: None
                             Note- Bates was not 100% sure as to whether it was St. Francis of PA or St. Francis of NY that is recruiting him.

Bernard Sullivan ’11, North Mecklenburg (NC): Clemson, Florida, Georgetown, Davidson, North Carolina State, and South Carolina
                                         Favorite: Clemson
                                         Dream School: North Carolina

The Hoop Group Elite Camp Session I came to an end on day three of the July Live Evaluation period. It’s now time for The Hoop Group Elite Team Camp on the 9^th and 10^th, which will also be held at Albright College. Daily recaps will be posted right here, and you can also follow the action on Twitter through TheHoopGroup and NorthstarBball. Be sure to stay tuned!

Alex Schwartz is the President, Chief Scouting Officer, and Writer for Northstar Basketball. For more on the world of high school/grassroots hoops from Alex, check out http://blog.northstarbball.com/.

Whenever a legendary coaches’ name such as Bob Hurley of St. Anthony’s is attached to something, it always brings out excitement and anticipation. Well, Bob Hurley Skills Camp at Pocono Invitational was no different. Hoop Group Skills Camp was anticipating a great week of camp of instruction and competition. Coach Bob Hurley and his son Danny Hurley, head coach of St. Benedicts, ran all station and drill sets. Danny Hurley also ran every early bird workout, which consists of 7:15 optional morning workouts to continue advancing on your game and getting to the next level. Over 50% of camp filed out each morning to workout, a testament to the players and the Hurleys.

 

ACC Division

Our youngest division showed a lot of pure talent and basketball ability. Maryland, coached by Craig Mutzman pulled out a championship win by 5 points over Wake Forest. League MVP Derrick Leobhner helped carry his team all week as the #1 seed and to the championship. Derrick was a stronger guard who had the ability to muscle his way with smaller guards. Jimmy Panzini, a tough guard from Spring Lake, also was an important asset to help Maryland to the championship. Jimmy’s ability to stretch the defense with his shooting ability made defenses go crazy all week.  Wake Forest was led Jahvon Quinerly, a guard with quick hands and feet who was able to get into the lane and find the open man. Matt Stranzel, a sharpshooter, knocked down shots all week for Wake Forest and was a solid defender. Clark Yarborough was solid inside all week grabbing rebounds and playing solid post defense. Clark also had the ability to finish around the rim.
From Duke, Joey Krempa was a force. Joey was one of the smallest kids in camp but played with the most heart. Joey did not back down to anyone, especially the ACC big guys when he was able to beat his man off the dribble and get to the rack. Isiah Taylor, a long, athletic wing who was very good with the ball. He had the ability to run the floor and finish in the open court.
Zach Radz from UNC was a solid guard all week that made things happen on the defensive end. He had the ability to break his man down, which was evident in his ability to capture the ACC 1 on 1 contest. Zach also took down the Free Throw Championship as well. Alex Lanfrank, also from UNC took the Hot Shot Contest from the ACC.

 

SEC Division

Florida took the SEC Championship. Led by coach Jyron Brooks, Florida had a solid 1-2 punch of League MVP Nick Ruthsatz and Jesse Warech. Nick Ruthsatz is a coaches’ dream when it comes to being a floor general. A very unselfish player, Nick always looks to get his teammates involved first before looking for himself. Jesse Warech, a big versatile wing, was able to create his own shot.
Other players to watch in the SEC
Chandler Rhode

Mike Alleyne

Austin Rocheo

Joey Slattery

Alex Torowski- Free Throw Champ

Daniel Barnett- Hot Shot Champ

Evan Barnett- All Star MVP

 

BIG EAST Division

The championship game of the Big East was clearly the game of the week. Back and forth with several lead changes, top seeded Villanova forced overtime in the closing seconds. However, in overtime, 3^rd seeded Pittsburg coached by Zach Ward led by the post play of Mark Jazbik and the penetration of Jashon Woodard led the Panthers to an upset over top seeded Villanova. Tyler Sayre hit two clutch freethrows down the stretch to seal the deal for the Panthers. Hallice Cooke, future St. Anthony’s guard who played on Villanova, was solid all week which earned him League MVP honors.
Other Big East Players to Watch
Taryin Smith- An 8^th grader playing up all week. A solid NJ Shoreshots guard who is a true point guard and looks to get his teammates involved first.
Devyn Wilson- another 8^th grader playing up all week, guard from Brooklyn Ballerz who is very quick and explosive. He is very difficult to guard and keep in front.
Dave Stephens- a quick, explosive guard who is able to get to the rim
Ian Rhode- Big man who has a great skill set in the post. He is able to finish around the rim with both hands
Akrum Wadley- future St. Anthony’s guard who took down the Big East 1 on  1 Championship
Nate Robinson- big man from upstate NY, has the ability to shoot a little from the outside. Great post defender and post offensive player
Jamar McClouster- Future St. Anthony’s big man. Very Athletic and threw a few down during the week
Chris Rogers- Future St. Anthony player who is very good at getting to the rim and one on one moves.

 

NBA Division

In the oldest division, the Cavs coached by Terrence Florence took the championship. League MVP Xavier Munford, from St. Benedicts, displayed all week why St. Benedicts was one of the top high school programs in the nation. Whenever his team needed a big shot, Xavier stepped up to the plate and knocked a shot down. Chantz Delgado, a standout from Cardinal Hayes, a combo guard who has great strength and quickness. His ability to get to the rim helped the Cavs win the championship. Craig Davilla, another St. Anthony’s player, had the ability to knock down open shots all week for the Cavs.
Other NBA Players to watch
Najae Brown- St Anthony’s guard who can really fill it up. Explosive sophomore who can play both the point guard or shooting guard position.
Tyuan Williams- A great leader and post player from St. Anthony. Developing junior who will continue improving under Coach Hurley
Francis Arnold- Strong point guard from Francis Lewis HS. Great floor vision and leading ability. Has an ability to get to the rim.
Eric Katenda- French import via the City Rocks. 6 foot 9 swing man who can knock down the outside shot and play inside. Tremendous athleticism and talent. 1 on 1 champion in the NBA. Future Division 1 college talent.
Jerell Scott- Another City Rocks player- 6 foot 5 point guard with great length and athleticism. Great knowledge of the game.
Amir Gilliam- Science Park HS- great athlete who can score.

Congratulations to our Award Winners

ACC

Team Champs- Maryland

All Star MVP- Joey Krempa

Free Throw and 1 on 1 - Zach Radz

Hot Shot Champ- Alex Lanfrank

MVP- Derrick Leobhner

MIP- Jacob Carver

SEC

Team Champs- Florida Gators

Allstar MVP- Evan Barnett

Hot Shot Champ- Daniel Barnett

Free Throw Champ- Alex Torowski

1 on 1 Champ and MVP- Nick Ruthsatz

MIP- JP Garcia

Big East

Team Champs- Pittsburg

Allstar MVP and League MVP- Hallice Cooke

Hot Shot Champ- Michael Supron

Free Throw Champ- Devyn Wilson

1 on 1 Champ- Akrum Wadley

MIP- Jamal McClouster

NBA

Team Champs- Cavs

All Star MVP- Francis Arnold

Hot Shot CHamp- Mark O’Leary

Free Throw Champ- David Watson

1 on 1 Champ- Eric Katenda

MVP- Xavier Munford

MIP- Lucas Wager
If you missed out on this opportunity to come to camp or would like to come back to another week, do not worry. Coach Bob Hurley is running another camp August 16^th-20^th here in the Poconos. Please call us at 570-992-6343 to register.