LaSalle University ran the first team camp of the Ashley Howard era on June 22nd & 23rd at Tom Gola Arena on campus. These were some of the standout players from the event:
Avery Ford 6’5” ’21 Paul VI Catholic HS, VA – Ford was a bit of a surprise being so young and at the same time pretty productive. He showed real ability to rebound on both ends and he had good instincts to outlet the ball to start the transition game then run the floor looking to clean up if necessary. His touch was excellent in the game I viewed as he hit 7-10 from the field for 14pts and added a couple assists as well with some really nice dishes. Defensively he battled bigger and more experienced opponents and held his own and as he adds some bulk to his somewhat thin frame I suspect he’ll improve in that area as well. For now let’s just call him one to watch in the future.
Christian Ray 6’6” ’19 Haverford School – Ray as I’ve said before is your typical blue collar banger who will run through a brick wall to make a play for his team. With interest in his services picking up as we head into July he seemed to be enjoying getting on the floor with his teammates at these team camps and today was no different as he crashed the boards for putbacks on the offensive glass or sealed off his man to grab them defensively then either kick it out to start the break or take it himself on the coast to coast foray to the bucket which got him 2 or a trip to the line. This young man has quite a motor and it shows in all aspects of his game including on the defensive side where he is a workhorse inside despite his lack of height. In the game I caught he had half of his teams points in the contest and dished 4 assists too. With a huge July I can see his recruitment picking up some serious steam as he heads into his final season of HS hoops for sure.
Jordan Longino 6’4” ’21 Germantown Academy – For the first time in a long time GA was not at the top of the Inter-Ac league standings but with Longino running the point and some key pieces returning with more experience I suspect that coach Jim Fenerty and his Patriots will soon be at the top within the next two seasons. Jordan is a PG who can see the floor with good instincts to set up his teammates for scoring opportunities as well as beat you off the dribble to get to the rim. He delivers crisp on the money feeds with an uncanny sense of timing. He can pull up and bang in a pretty jumper with great lift and his range is out to the arc. He rebounds well from the guard position and is comfortable in the running game or the half court set offense. Defensively he uses his court instincts to play the correct angles to disrupt passing lanes and has quick hands and feet to guard smaller opponents and is not afraid to use his body to keep bigger foes in front of him. In the game I viewed his shot was a bit off but Longino kept battling and in the games closing seconds delivered a laser of a pass to a teammate for the game winning basket in a one point win. This young man is fast becoming a must see prospect at the mid major level but should rise higher when all is said and done.
Donta Scott 6’7” ’19 Imhotep Charter – I’ve been high on Scott since his freshman season and still believe coaches are sleeping on him. This young man does it all on a strong Panther squad that has won back to back 4A state titles. Because Imhotep plays as a team and no one goes on the floor to get theirs as they say sometimes you think he could do more but that’s just it if you ignore certain stats (points etc.) you realize how much he impacts the game. If coach Noble needs rebounds Donta boards at a high level too. He gets up with some serious hops on both ends of the floor and has been known to block some shots on defense as well. If he needs him to run the show Donta has no problem passing the ball to open teammates and with his impressive floor vision he has become quite the surprising facilitator when called upon. His handle is quite good and he’s been used often to break pressure as he can pass over opposing defenses or dribble by them to set up a teammate in a position to make a play. If you take that all into consideration then guess what oh yeah he plays lock down defense and what college coach doesn’t love that. While stats are what people go by one look at Scott in the two games I watched sums up his basketball persona and that was 17pts 3asts 3stls in a 19 point win then coming back with 7pts 9reb 4stls in a tight 2 point triumph in game 2. He made plays in both games according to what the team needed and that should make him a coveted prospect at the HM level.
Jay Heath 6’1” ’19 Woodrow Wilson HS – DC – In 2 games Heath had mixed results but this recent Boston College commit still showed people why the Eagles coveted him so much. He has that combo thing going where he can score the ball or dish it depending on the situation. In a game one loss to Imhotep Heath started hot hitting 4 of his first five jumpers two of them beyond the arc beauties off the catch which brought out the defensive fire in the Panthers to pay a bit more attention to him from that point on. Jay adapted by playing more of a lead guard role but on a night when shots weren’t falling for anyone on his squad some of his best passes were for naught. He has consistently shown me an ability to handle under pressure and did an admirable job against Imhotep’s relentless pressure and he really made some spot on feeds that turned into missed opportunities. He ended game one with 12pts 3asts and he played some tough defense of his own. In game 2 he played more in the lead guard role as rising Jr. Domingus Stevens caught fire dishing up 5asts in the teams 16 point win. While some aspects of his game need refinement like shot selection and handling vs. pressure and defensive intensity he has a nice upside and it’s easy to see why BC is so enthralled.
Domingus Stevens 6’5” ’20 Woodrow Wilson HS – DC – First caught Stevens at the Hoop Group Future All American camp last August and came away impressed. While I only caught one Wilson game last season nothing has changed in my thoughts on his emerging game and while he struggled as did many of his mates vs. Imhotep he was downright electrifying vs. NJ power Immaculate Conception in game 2. He went off for 25pts hitting 5 treys and making it look easy with a balanced and pure stroke from the arc and some slick drives into the paint where he could pull up or get to the rim for the finish. He can score it from all three levels and clearly is a valuable weapon for this DC based conglomerate. His handle especially vs. pressure needs work as he was victimized in the two games a few times with over dribbling or driving into traps but he does possess the ability to deliver pinpoint passes to cutting teammates so he can improve in this area by simply making better decisions. Anyway you slice it though Stevens is filled with upside and his recruitment should see an uptick moving forward.
Adrian ‘Ace’ Baldwin 6’0” ’20 St. Frances Academy MD – Ace has been on the recruiting radar for a couple years now and it’s easy to see why coaches are following him around. He is a PG who values the basketball which seems to be a rare commodity these days as he sees the floor well and shows the ability to deliver the rock to his teammates in scoring positions. He can really handle the ball in the open court and drives opponents crazy in pressure situations with the ball appearing to be on a string like a yo-yo. He can motor up and down the court in a fast paced tilt or he can slow it down a bit to carve up his opponents like a steak at the dinner table. If he needs to score the ball he can penetrate and get to the basket with a quick burst by an unsuspecting defender or pull up for a midrange jumper. In the amount of times I’ve seen him the one aspect of his offensive game that could use improvement is his perimeter jump shot. In the two contests I viewed over the two days he was inconsistent from deep getting 16pts in a win over St. John’s College HS then coming back on Sat. with 7pts in a loss to Neumann-Goretti. He did post 8asts in the two games and played tough hard nosed defense in both matchups. With some HM offers already on the table it will be interesting to see if his recruitment ends early or if he draws it out a bit to find the right fit. With his pass first attitude being at the forefront of his game I think he could fit in with any number of programs rather easily.
Amare Marshall 6’1” ’21 Immaculate Conception HS – NJ – Over the two days at the Ashley Howard team camp at LaSalle whenever I caught some of IC’s action (1 full game and 2 partials) Marshall was always on his game. For the record this group looked tired to me both days but especially in theirFriday night loss to Woodrow Wilson. Marshall however seemed to be the lone bright spot which of course doesn’t mean much in June but time and again he made hustle plays or got a bucket off a nice feed with an athletic move or a sweet looking J. he led the squad with 15pts and managed 5reb to help out on the glass. With all young players consistency is paramount and Marshall had some lapses in defensive intensity and in dishing the rock but with only 8 players present the coaches let them play through their mistakes and that will prove invaluable when the real games start in December. Marshall is a young guy with considerable upside and being he’ll only be a Sophomore in the fall has plenty of room to grow and with that growth will come the inevitable rush of college coaches vying for his services. I for one will put him at the top of my must see list for class of ’21 youngsters to monitor.