Class of 1998,  1999,   2000,   2001,  2002, 2003, 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2010

Class for 2009

5/20/06 Metro Hoops: Class of 2009 Top 100 Players in the Metro Region.

9/7/05 Mr. Jones: 'Russ Smith of the class of  '09 will not be attending Lincoln he is going to Molloy.'   

9/7/05 Paul Vigoda: 'I got word today that Stephon Hodges mentioned  in the class of 2009 will be attending Thomas Edison High School.' 

7/19/05 There are two players' lists below - those with no school name and those with a high school. Please send email to nycnjhoops@aol.com for corrections and additions. 

Derick Colvin 6'2,   Juan Diaz 5'9, Travis Farrell, Chris Hampton, Josh Malone 5'9, Vernordo McCoy 6-0, Sean McPaul a 6'6,  Jesse 'Pop' Moorehead,  Marion Smith

Rasheem Smith, Devon Thomas, Andre Tucker, Dante White, Dondre Whitmore.

Anthony Baskerville - St Patrick, Tevon Baskins - Trinity Catholic, Ct?, Paris Bennett - St Patrick,   Josh Behagen - FDA. Paul Bilbo - St Dominic or LI Lutheran, Tim Breaker - Schalick, Justin Brogsdale Eastern Regional, Kevin (KJ) Brown - Living Faith Christian Academy,  Kevin Brown 6'1 - Elizabeth NJ, Jimmy Burke - Seton Hall Prep,  Dominic Cheeks - St Anthony

O'dayne Clarke 6' 2 - Mt Vernon, Justin Crosgile - DePaul, Marcus Davis - Woodbury, Robert Dean - Mt Vernon, Ryan Dillon - Molloy, Darwin Ellis - Lincoln, Anthony Erksine 6' 2 - Mt Vernon, Gio Fountain 5'7 - St Anthony, Jacky Francois - Newark Central, James Frazier - Elizabeth

Raymond Graham  - Elizabeth, Tyshawn Good  - Darlington School (Rome, Ga), Bilal Gordon - Newark Central, Ron Guilford 5'10 - Frederick Douglass, Trevon Hamlet - Bishop Loughlin, Sean Harris 5' 2 - Mt Vernon, Leonard Hayes - Lawrenceville Prep, Rudy Hernandez 6'0 - Bellvelle NJ, Stephon Hodges - Thomas Edison, Jin Hong - Molloy, Tamir Jackson - St Benedict, Rashad James 5'10 - White Plains

Delton (Big Boy) Johnson.- Cardinal Hayes, Rahmeel Johnson - Science (Newark), Lamont (MoMO) Jones - Rice, Christopher Kim 5' 6 - Mt Vernon, Doron Lamb - Loughlin, Chris Larmond - FDA, Omari Lawrence 6'1 - St Raymond, Kelvin Lewis 6'2 - Frederick Douglass, Mike McFadden 6'2 - Newark Tech, Floyd Melvin - St Benedict

Chris Morris - Bloomfield Tech? Kevin Morris 5'7 - Shabazz, Patrick O'Boyle- 5'11" -  Mater Dei (NJ), Brian Oliver (moved to Delaware), Kenneth Ortiz - Science (Newark), James Padgett - Xaverian, Kevin Parrom - St Raymond, Stephon Patterson - All Hallows, Durand Scott - Rice

Brandon Sileck   Horace Greeley, Russ Smith - Molloy. Keith Spellman - Thomas Jefferson, Lance Stephenson - Bishop Loughlin, Jordan Stevens 6-4 - Saratoga Springs, Dexter Strickland - St Patrick, Armand Thomas 6-4 - St Raymond, Anthony "Cheese" Vega - St Anthony, Aaron Walton - Camden, Kyle Wehner 5’11”  Northfield Mount Hermon

Chad Williams 5-6 point guard, Bishop Ford, Khalif Williams 5'8 - Newark Central,  William Williams - Mt. St Michael,  William Williams 5'9, Bryan Wilson - Trinity Pawling, Sherrod Wright - Mt Vernon.

6/25/05 This alphabetical listing of  47 of the top class of 2009 players was compiled by referencing Hoop Scoop and by watching play at IS8,  UDC, Metro Hoops and showcase tournaments.  John P Miciotta and others on this site contributed to the profiles and player evaluations, but we won't rank the players this class until after their freshman year. These children are mostly New York City, northern New Jersey  kids, who play for the Metro Hawks, Team Next, the Playaz or other prominent AAU clubs. This listing should be taken very, very lightly. These players are children, most will grow another six inches plus. Listing them here is primarily a reason to profile currently prominent players from this class in one place on this site.  If you're not on this list but should be, count yourself lucky; keep practicing and studying. For comments and suggestions please email nycnjhoops@aol.com.

Anthony Baskerville 5'11, Tevon Baskins 6-2, Paris Bennett 6-5, Paul Bilbo 6'6, Tim Breaker 5-8, Justin Brogsdale 5'6, Kevin (KJ) Brown 5'5,   Jimmy Burke 5-8, Armani Cardwood 5-9, Dominic Cheeks 6-3, Derick Colvin 6'2, Justin Crosgile 5-10, Marcus Davis 6'4, Juan Diaz 5'9, Ryan Dillon 6-1.

Darwin Ellis, Travis Farrell,  James Frazier,  Raymond Graham 5-7,  Tyshawn Good, Chris Hampton,  Jin Hong, Trevon Hamlet 6-5, Leonard Hayes 6-1, Stephon Hodges, Tamir Jackson 5'11, Doron Lamb 5'7, Chris Larmond, Omari Lawrence 5-10, Lamont Jones 5'9,

Josh Malone 5'9,  Floyd Melvin 6-3, Brian Oliver 6'3, James Padgett 6-6, Kevin Parrom 6'2, Durand Scott, Marion Smith, Rasheem Smith, Keith Spellman , Lance Stephenson 6'3, Dexter Strickland 6-3, Andre Tucker, Aaron Walton 6'0, Kyle Wehner 5'9, William Williams 5'9

Brian Wilson 6-5, Sherrod Wright, 6' 3.

Anthony Baskerville 5'9 wing Plainfield, NJ  6/14/05 Metro Hoops Junior All Star Camp recap for 8th graders - 'Baskerville was an offensive force on his camp squad. Instead of settling for jumpers he attacked the basket and used his strength to convert in the trenches.'  3/15/05 Metro Hoops: 'Best Backcourt: Raymond Graham and Anthony Baskerville (Team NJ Elite) they feed of each other like Siamese Twins.  12/3/04 Metro Hoops: 'Generation Next.--  Baskerville holds the title as this class best pure shooter. The lefty has a strong crossover and quick release which allows him to get a clean look on most attempts. If you press Anthony his dribble drives will eat you alive. When assigned to the point position Baskerville loves to drive, draw and dish to teammates.'

10/11/04 Hoop Scoop national  top 175 8th graders # 94. 2/4/04 tbone: 'I have a name for you for the class of 2009... Anthony Baskerville 5'9 PG, Maxson Middle School.. Plainfield NJ... Averaging 19ppg, very strong with the ball for his age. Plays AAU with the MSU Skyliners. Coach Kevin Boyle of St. Patrick has mentioned to people he's the top 8th grader in New Jersey he's seen so far. (Ant plays at his camp).' 

Tevin Baskins 6-3 forward. 2/05 Tevin is playing for the Gauchos at the IS8 Winter League and ProStyle, starring for their Midget entry. He's long, agile, a great leaper and already has a solid handle. Tevin, a Connecticut native, is leaning towards Trinity Catholic for high school.

Paris Bennett, 6-5 forward NJ. 6/14/05 Metro Hoops Junior All Star Camp recap for 8th graders - 'Bennett arrived a little late but went right to work. He had the fade away jumper working and used his left hand floater to toy with defenders. The kid is extremely polished for his size and age.'  12/3/04 Metro Hoops: 'Generation Next.-- Paris is the most polished post player in NJ’s 2009 class. He has a soft touch and great footwork. When Bennett is motivated he can dominate any game. Paris controls the boards and loves running the floor with the guards. On defense Bennett’s long arms and body mass gives opponents the fits.'

11/27/04 Metro Hoops: Battle of The Bridge Recap - 7th and 8th Grade. 'Big Paris did his thing at the BOTB. He hit the boards like a true big man, and ran the floor like a guard. Bennett showed an elegant touch around the basket that baffled the New York big men. I don’t know his rank in the country is but he just boosted it after this performance. Keep working hard kid. '  11/22/04 Terence T-Bone Johnson: 'Parris Bennett added 10 pts and 7 rebounds.' 

Paul Bilbo 6'6 center NYC.  6/21//05 John P Miciotta: 'At this year’s Right Bounce Classic Paul showed that his coordination is beginning to catch up to his early growth spurt.  He’s still primarily a force on the defensive end.  Slowly but surely he’s becoming a more confident finisher, particularly following offensive rebounds.'  6/14/05 Metro Hoops Junior All Star Camp recap for 8th graders - 'Bilbo still needs to work out a few kinks on offense but on defense he was a stud. He clogged up the lane and swatted anything that entered his domain.'  3/16/05 Coach Torrel Harris: 'Unique All-Stars 13 and under easily defeated the New Jersey Lightning 54-35 for the Best of the Best tournament put on by Metro Hoops in the semi-final game.  Paul Bilbo once again was a monster with average of 19 points 15 rebounds and 6 block shots. 7/5/04 Hoop Scoop top NYC sixth graders are # 5 Paul Bilbo 6 '4.  10/27/04 Gauchos Roundball Classic 12’s Special Awards: Most Blocked Shots Paul Bilbo.

Tim Breaker 5-8 point guard Glassboro NJ.  Hoop Scoop # 9  for Philadelphia/South Jersey/Eastern Pennsylvania: 6/6/04 Coach, Chris Jackson: 'Tim Breaker is the younger brother of arguably the #1 8th grader in South Jersey, Justin Breaker. Tim is a pure point guard, 5'8" 135lb. good penetrator, real tuff, strong kid, very quick with the ball, excellent court awareness. Tim averaged 16.points & 8 assists this year at Glassboro Middle School playing along side Justin who led the team in scoring with 38 points per game. 15-1 team record.'

Justin Brogsdale 5'6 PG Cherry Hill NJ  10/11/04 Hoop Scoop national  top 175 8th graders  # 118.  12/24/04 Coach James Paga: 'Justin Brogsdale is an eighth grader at Voorhees. We played them last week and I have never seen anyone with a faster first step. He was sidelined because of silly fouls but is almost impossible to stop one on one. In addition, he seemed like a very nice kid after the game.' 

Kevin Brown 5'5, PG Vorhees NJ Faith Christian  7/13/04  Kevin Brown: 'Kevin (KJ) Brown is not a member of the class of 2008. He is a member of the class of 2009. Allen Rubin said he will be making the correction in his next posting. KJ has been invited to the Adidas Jr. Phenom camp. His AAU team the Cory Erving All Stars won the West Philadelphia YMCA league and the Debose and Pembleton "Best of Philly" tournament. They also won the Boro Blitz Tournament in May. They qualified for the DII AAU nationals and the Youth Basketball of America Nationals.'   3/31/03 Hoop Scoop Top 7th graders from Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey (class of 2008 )  #12 Kevin Brown.

Armani Cardwood, 5-9 forward Metro Hawks. 8/8/04 Coach Wee Francis: 'The kid you saw playing today is Armani Cardwood not Antonio Cardwell. I went to Brooklyn this weekend to watch him play for the NYC Panthers (playing up) and Brooklyn USA . He was ranked by Hoop Scoop as # 96 in the nation but I expect him to move up this year. I hope you can correct the spelling. The coach who coached him today was introduced to him today. Tommy usually coaches him but Tommy and Kenny Pretlow were not available today. This kid is going to be a future star for the Hawks.

 

Dominic Cheeks 6-3 forward Paterson, NJ. 6/05 Dominic and Robert Nunez are the frontcourt duo who team with the Playaz awesome backcourt tandem of Tamir Jackson and Justin Cosgile to give the 8th grade Playaz squad talent and balance. Dominic is headed to St Anthony this fall.

 

Ethan Clare 5-10 guard, NYC. 6/20/05 Cleon Hyde: 'Week 1 results -- Desert Storm 58, Team Nike 41.  Ethan Clare 31 pts'   2/27/05 IS8 Winter Classic 2005 -- Starrett City will play in next Saturday's semis as SC. led all the way taking the Unique All Stars 60-50 and getting balanced scoring from center James Padgett (16), wing Ethan Clare (16) and point guard Devante Cutler (13).

 

Derick Colvin 6'2 C Rahway, NJ  10/11/04 Hoop Scoop national  top 175 8th graders # 108.  

 

Justin Crosgile 5-10, NJ  6/05 Justin teams with Tamir Jackson to give the Playaz 8th grade team a great backcourt. They won the June Blow Up for their division.

 

Marcus Davis 6'4 C Woodbury NJ  12/3/04 Hoop Scoop: Top Philadelphia/South Jersey/Eastern Pennsylvania 8th graders: # 10 Marcus Davis. 10/11/04 Hoop Scoop national  top 175 8th graders # 92. 

Juan Diaz 5'9 point guard Bronx, NY. 10/04 Hoop Scoop # 68 nationally.

 

Ryan Dillon 6-0 forward Sacred Heart, NY. 2/05 Ryan is a lefty wing playing for Team Odom at IS8 and leading them in scoring. He's got a nice controlled game and is heading for coach Jack Curran and Molloy this fall.

Darwin Ellis 5’7” PG ( Brooklyn )  6/22/05 Cleon Hyde: Darwin is playing at Conrad McRae for Coney Island with Lance Stephenson, Phil Taylor and Isiah Morton.  6/21//05 John P Miciotta: '“Buddha” has exceptional speed with the dribble.  He can pull up on a dime and make the jumper or the pass.  Plays hard at both ends and is an outstanding defender on the ball.'

Travis Farrell (Jersey Shore Lightning)- 6/21//05 Metro Hoops Junior All-Star Camp Recap 8th Grade: 'Farrell outside shot helped him earn an All-Star invite. He’s a pure shooter and will pull with confidence from anywhere. Farrell was probably the best a catch and shoot prospect in attendance. Once he receives the ball and sets his feet the results were usually money in the bank.'

James Frazier Jersey Shore Lightning 6/21//05 Metro Hoops Junior All-Star Camp Recap 8th Grade: 'Frazier represented himself well on day 1, he has many moves off the dribble and plays with enormous energy. I love the bounce and swagger that his game carries on the court.  Frazier brought his athleticism again for Day 2. He attacked off the dribble and converted on the break. He is truly a multi-dimensional player.'

Raymond Graham 5-7 guard Elizabeth NJ. Team NJ Elite)- 6/21//05 Metro Hoops Junior All-Star Camp Recap 8th Grade: 'Raymond court vision set him apart from the opposition on day 1. He was a wiz in the open floor and seemed to play under control most of the time. Graham had his team in fast break mode all day. Graham put on a show in the All-star Game by forcing the action and dropping numerous dimes. He used his new bulked up frame to power to absorb contact as he powered his way through traffic.'  6/05 Raymond was on the and1 Elizabeth roster. 

Tyshawn Good 5’10” PG ( Queens )   6/21//05 John P Miciotta: 'He’s quick and always around the ball on defense. Can finish in transition as well.'

 

Trevon Hamlet 6’5” PF/C ( Brooklyn )   8/26/05 Coach Carlton Screen (FYA): Trevon Hamlet 6'6 will be attending Bishop Loughlin this fall as a freshman. I feel confident he will be treated as a person first, under the guidance of head coach Khalid Green and his staff. Trevon will fit in to their style of play and most important he will get prepared for college.'  6/21//05 John P Miciotta: 'Trevon is unusual for a big kid his age because his best attribute may be how well he passes the ball.  He’s comfortable finishing plays in transition, but not around the basket in a more structured setting.  He’s long and thin and although he runs well he’ll need to work on his feet to improve his lateral movement on defense and effectiveness around the basket offensively.'

 

Chris Hampton 5’10” G ( Queens )   8/05 Chris played the wing for the Team Next biddies entry at UDC  .6/21//05 John P Miciotta: 'Solid all around guard who scores in transition and plays well without the ball.  He’s a good team defender as well,'

Leonard Hayes 6'2 2G Cherry Hill NJ.  12/3/04 Hoop Scoop: Top Philadelphia/South Jersey/Eastern Pennsylvania 8th graders: # 1 Leonard Hayes, 10/11/04 Hoop Scoop national  top 175 8th graders  # 15. 12/24/04 Coach James Paga: 'We played against LFCA with Leonard Hayes and they are unstoppable. I was very impressed with how much Leonard has improved since last year; he is a one man wrecking crew. We do not have any player in the Camden County League that can compare to him. His game is much more advanced than any of the Marlton big men from last year.'

Stephon Hodges 5’10” wing ( Queens )  6/21//05 John P Miciotta: 'He’s another quick and aggressive wing player who can score, defend on the wings and rebound.  He’s got a nice floor game as well,'   4/13/05 Coach Paul Vigoda, M.S. 216: 'Stephon Hodges has been selected to the 2005 Right Bounce Basketball Showcase. The games will be held on June 4-5 at LIU. It includes some of the top rising 8-10th grade boys in the East Coast.'

Jin Hong 6’4” forward ( Long Island )   6/21//05 John P Miciotta: 'He is perhaps the most polished of the potential post prospects in this class.  He has good feet, nice hands and is very poised.  His name has been linked to some of our region’s best programs though nothing is confirmed just yet.  Whichever program lands him will have an excellent player and a very good kid.'  

 

Tamir Jackson, 5-11 guard St Benedict NJ.   3/15/05 Metro Hoops: 'Best All Around Player: Tamir Jackson (Playaz) did whatever he wanted on the floor. 12/3/04 Metro Hoops: 'Generation Next.-- Tamir plays the game with great passion and determination. He loves to play defense and attack the basket. I expect this kid's stock to rise over the next year. When Jackson plays under control his potential is obvious. Look for some great things from Tamir.'  11/27/04 Metro Hoops: Battle of The Bridge Recap - 7th and 8th Grade. 'Tamir had an off night shooting but you couldn’t deny his willingness to attack and play defense on Stephenson. Jackson has the killer instinct that is needed to play at the next level. Once this kid develops all his skills, the sky’s the limit. 11/22/04 Terence T-Bone Johnson: 'Lance showed everyone in attendance why he's the best 8th grader in the nation, but NJ was not backing down. St.Benedict's 8th grader Tamir Jackson stripped Stephenson two times in a row for buckets.'

 

Lamont (Momo) Jones 5'9 NY,  7/16/05  NY Hoops: Proflile Lamont "MoMo" Jones.  6/21//05 John P Miciotta: 'He’s exceptionally strong for his age. Very good shooter both off the catch and off the dribble.  His playmaking and defense are improving nicely.  Reportedly will head to Rice in September,'  6/05 Rumble in the Bronx - the eighth grade guard plays for the Metro Hawks 16's. 9/1/03 Coach Wee Francis: 'Wee All-stars took the chip at the Ron Artest tournament 13 & under division against Brooklyn Bridge. This game show cased some of the best 13 & under talent in the city. I want to thank all of the Wee All-stars for their hard work and get ready to hit the books and keep those grades up at all times!  Lamont Jones aka. Momo, 23 pts and MVP.  10/28/02 Coach Kenny Pretlow: 'The Nike Riverside Championships were played yesterday at Roberto Clemente State Park. The 5th& 6th grade was between Riverside and the Gauchos a fast paced up and down game which Riverside won 48-38. Riverside was led by Lamont Jones with 28. Lamont was MVP.

 

Doron Lamb 5'9 guard. 6/14/05 Metro Hoops Junior All Star Camp recap for 8th graders - Lamb's slow dribble and quiet demeanor will rock some defenders to sleep, but when his step back jumper drops through the net the crowd noise should wake them back up.  10/11/04 Hoop Scoop # 45 nationally. 8/15/04  Biddy champs - Team Roc 58, Gauchos 44.. The Gauchos got a game high 19 from Doron Lamb but he cooled in the second half after being perfect from the field in the first half. Doron can hit the trey but what he does best is to hit a medium range jumper off the dribble - a very unusual talent for a player this young. 5/26/03 They're playing the Metropolitan AAU regional championships today at Island Garden - The 11 under, division I Unique All Stars (pictured) won 57 - 47 over the Gauchos as Steve Whittingham (21), Devon McMillan (16) and Tobias Harris (10) outlasted the 'chos Doron Lamb (18).

Chris Larmond 6’4” PF ( Queens )  6/21//05 John P Miciotta: 'Chris runs the floor really well and with good balance. He rebounds hard and has good hands and when he doesn’t rush in traffic he can be an effective scorer around the hoop.'

 

Omari Lawrence 6-2 guard, NYC. 6/21//05 John P Miciotta: 'His development closely mirrors that of Paul Bilbo.  He’s big and active and at the moment makes his primary impact on the boards and as a defensive presence near the basket.  Offensively his progress is slower but coming along.  With patience and hard work, he’ll develop into a fine prospect.'  6/14/05 Metro Hoops Junior All Star Camp recap for 8th graders - Lawrence brought his A game down from the Bronx. The southpaw was exceptional in transition even catching a one hand flush. He’s definitely one of the top players in the country in this class.  6/12/05 Omari Lawrence is the eighth grade Team Roc wing who is heading for St Raymond this fall.

 

Josh Malone 5'9 Long Island  3/03 Josh is playing for the NABC Bulldogs biddy team (1-2 after three games) at Pro Style this winter and has led them in scoring each game with 14, 17 and 10 points and for North Babylon at IS8.

 

Vernordo McCoy 6-0 wing, NY. 8/05 Vernordo McCoy played a great wing for Phat & Juicy in the Conrad McRae tournament but they lost in the semis to league leader Desert Storm.

 

Floyd Melvin 6-3 forward, South Orange, NJ. 2/7/05 Frank McCree: 'Remember the name Floyd Melvin of South Orange, N.J. I saw the 6-2" 13 year old 8th grader score 31 points and pull down 13 rebounds for South Mountain YUMVA in a 77-65 win over a very good Gloucester NJ YMCA team Friday night in Maplewood, N.J. Floyd has a complete game.  Reminds me of a leaner Mark Curry. Floyd's dad is considering St. Benedict, Blair, Seton Hall and Columbia, among others.

 

 

Jesse 'Pop' Moorehead  6-0 wing, Checks & More. 8/05 Jesse is the star wing for the Checks & More entry at Conrad McRae. He was one of the tournament's high scorers.

 

Brian Oliver 6'3 WF Glassboro NJ.  10/11/04 Hoop Scoop national  top 175 8th graders # 18.  

 

Aanali Okoloji, 6-6 center, power forwad Poly Prep, NY.  8/05 Aanali is playing center for the Checks & More team that lost in the quarterfinals at Conrad McRae.

 

James Padgett 6-6 center NYC. 6/21//05 John P Miciotta: 'James is a particularly intriguing prospect not just because of his size but because he’s a bit younger than most of his basketball contemporaries.  He does not turn 14 until August.  He’s got long arms, a nose for the ball and very good hands. At Right Bounce he showed an improved ability to play through contact.'  3//05 James played for Starrett City at IS8 this winter and dominated in the paint, leading his team into the semis. He's long. agile, focused and poised. His team lost to the Playaz' in the semis but James still looked good. Coming out for the second half Jimmy Salmon yelled at him, 'Hey big fella, got any family in Jersey?' James was cool, he just smiled. Supposedly, James is headed for Xaverian this fall, which should keep coach Alesi happy.

 

Kevin Parrom 6'2 WF Bronx, NY 10/11/04 Hoop Scoop # 29 nationally. 3/2/03 80 Park trailed the Gauchos by four in the fourth quarter at IS8 but point guard William Williams (17 and pictured with his MVP trophy on the left) sparked the comeback. The Gauchos were led by center Kevin Parrom (16 and pictured with his Sportsmanship trophy on right).

Durand Scott  6’1” WF/SG (Bronx) 6/21//05 John P Miciotta: 'He’s very long and can take the ball all the way to the rim with his dribble.  He shoots the ball well from distance but needs time to set his feet.  If he continues to improve his footwork his mid-range game and defense will get better and he should be a very good prospect.'

Marion Smith  5’8” SG ( Queens )   6/21//05 John P Miciotta: 'Marion is quick and active at both ends of the court and has a pretty good floor game. Scores primarily on the drive and he’s capable of making the jumper as well.'

Raheem Smith 6’1” wing ( Staten Island ).   6/21//05 John P Miciotta: 'Raheem was the only Staten Islander selected for the Right Bounce 8^th graders game and he did a nice job. He’s aggressive at both ends of the floor and athletic enough to defend on the perimeter and help on the boards.'

Keith Spellman 6’ SG ( Brooklyn )  6/21//05 John P Miciotta: 'This year’s Right Bounce Classic 8^th graders game was primarily a tremendous display of athleticism by some very young players. Keith stood out in that game primarily for his poise and savvy in a game that was quickly paced and  loaded with talent.  Don’t get the idea that because he’s a High Hoops IQ guy that he’s not athletic, because he is.  He keeps players in front of him on defense with quick and long steps, he penetrates well and can pass and shoot.  He also moves well without the ball and, in a game where he and his teammates had not practiced a lot together he always seemed to be where he was supposed to be. Will reportedly head to Thomas Jefferson.'

 

Lance Stephenson 6'3 Brooklyn, NY.  7/12/05 Basketball Beat: Lance Stephenson had a coming out party at The ABCD Camp. 7/8/05 Newsday: ABCD Notebook - Lance Stephenson, OJ. Mayo one-on-one.   7/7/05 Newsday: Shaky Stephenson 'couldn't get in a rhythm'  7/6/05 NY Post: Lance Stephenson -- He's the city's best and he's 14!    6/21//05 John P Miciotta: 'I first saw him at IS8 as a 5’7” 7th grader and he was a great player then.  At 6’3” he’s phenomenal and routinely excels against older more experienced players.  I position him at both guard slots because he sees the floor and delivers the ball like a point guard but also is a superb scorer who thrives in clutch situations.  He’s almost unanimously considered the top kid in this class nationally and deservedly so. He has exceptional ability and is an exceptional competitor for his age.    Headed to Bishop Loughlin in September.'

5/23/05 Basketball Beat: Lance Stephenson - He got next.   11/27/04 Metro Hoops: Battle of The Bridge Recap - 7th and 8th Grade. Stephenson gave the crowd what they paid for. Lance showed the being rated the #1 8^th grader in the country is well deserved. Stephenson was a man amongst boys this night. He showed his total arsenal including dribble drives and post up moves. The only person that could hold this kid back would be Lance Stephenson himself.  10/11/04 Hoop Scoop # 2 nationally. 10/27/04 The Hoopstown Top 25 Underclassmen # 4. Lance Stephenson – One of the most versatile and skilled amateurs in the country and possibly the top 8th grade hoops star in the country… At his competition level can play any position, though at higher levels is best suited at the wing forward slot… He can drive to the basket like a high school senior, with utter aggressiveness and determination… Good defender and rebounder… Great court vision and passing skills. 

7/4/04 NY Post: Lance Stephenson - the next Telfair.  6/04 Lance is pictured with his father at Rumble in the Bronx.  2/29/04 IS8 Midget division (14 and under)-- Team Next extended a six point halftime lead to sixteen after three quarters and held on for the 81-75 victory behind a game high 27 points from their MVP point guard, Erving Walker. Teammate Lance Stephenson scored14 points and is a grade lower than the other players. Pete Edwards is already referring to him as a 'lottery pick'.  3/03 Lance plays for Team Next - he usually plays up a division. This winter he's leading the Team Next biddies at Pro Style averaging 17 points per game and scoring double digits for the Team Next midgets at IS8.9/22/02 A good day for young New York City hoopsters at the Hoop Group as four different city organizations won championships. Team Next won the 8th grade division 60 - 49 against Sam Rines as Erving Walker went off for 29 points including 6 treys. As usual Rhakee Begun (14) and Lance Stephenson (9) chipped in.

5/11/02  PRO STYLE  The Biddy championship game was the only blowout of the day as Long Island Lightning led wire to wire for a 47 - 25 victory over Team Next.  MVP Malik Boothe led LIL and all scorers with 11 points while fifth grader, Lance Stephenson (pictured) had 8 for Team Next.  

 

Dexter Strickland 6-1 forward NJ.   6/14/05 Metro Hoops Junior All Star Camp recap for 8th graders - 'Strickland did his usual damage by nailing a couple pull ups and slashing through the lane for buckets. He also gave the crowd an air show by finishing a lob pass with a two handed flush and tomahawking a glide dunk down the lane.'  3/15/05 Metro Hoops: 'Most Athletic: Dexter Strickland (Team New Jersey Elite) He plays above the rim on many occasions.  1/23/05 Metro Hoops: 'Jersey’s finest represented himself dropping 26 against state rival JC Boys Club. Dexter continues to expand by being more confident while shooting his jumper.'

12/3/04 Metro Hoops: 'Generation Next.-- Rated the #1 8th grader in the state and #9 nationally, Strickland is the real deal. Dexter presents match up problems for opponents because of his size and versatility. His athleticism alone sets him apart from the rest of the class. Strickland runs the floor like a deer and jumps out the gym. He has an excellent pull up and can create his own shot.' 10/11/04 Hoop Scoop # 9 nationally. 8/22/04 Walt Wehner: 'I would like to correct the graduating date of three players from New Jersey. They are listed in the class of 2008 but they are actually class of 2009. The three attended the Adidas Jr. Phenom Camp in San Diego 2 weeks ago and all three performed very well. They are Kevin Brown from Corey Irving All Stars, Dexter Strickland from Team New Jersey and Kyle Wehner from the Bayshore Bulldogs. At the Adidas camp, Dexter played in the All-Star game and Kyle led his team in scoring in 3 games scoring a team high 17 points in his teams only win. In the picture attached, Dexter is on left, Kevin is center and Kyle to the right.'

 

Armand Thomas 6-4 center St Raymond, NY.  8/05 Armand played center for the Team Roc midget team, which won the 'chip at UDC. Armand and Roc teammate, Omari Lawrence will be joining Kevin Parrom as part of St Raymond's impressive freshmen class this fall.

 

 

Devon Thomas Trenton Hurricanes.  6/14/05 Metro Hoops Junior All Star Camp recap for 8th graders - Thomas handled the rock strong and drained jumpers on a consistent basis. He used his body and court awareness to make a difference in each game.

 

Andre Tucker forward NJ.  12/11/04 12/3/04 Metro Hoops: Andre Tucker 8th Grade (Jersey City Boys Club)- Tucker who will eventually play the guard spot, did most of his damage on the inside. Andre used his quickness to control the boards on both ends of the court. Tucker's strength allowed him bang and finish against the taller opposition.

 

Aaron Walton 6'0 2G Camden NJ  10/11/04 Hoop Scoop national  top 175 8th graders # 76. 

Kyle Wehner 5'11 point guard NJ.  6/27/05  Walter Wehner: 'I would like to update the information you have regarding my son, Kyle Wehner.  He is currently 5’11”” he just graduated from Shore Christian Academy where he was named Player of the Year in the CJAC.  He plays AAU for the Troy Murphy Jersey Shore Warriors  coached by Joe Fagen.  He will be attending Prep school in Massachusetts in the fall (Northfield Mount Hermon School).  6//9/04 From this region the adidas Jr. Phenom Camp in San Diego for 8th graders has invited Brian Oliver (6'3 Pennsauken Blaze), Dexter Strickland (6-1 Team New Jersey), Kevin Brown (Cory Erving), Kyle Wehner (5'9 Bay Shore Bulldogs), Sinclair Fabor (5'10 GC Ballers) and William Robinson (5'8 GC Ballers).  

Dante White, Jersey Shore Lightning.  6/21//05 Metro Hoops Junior All-Star Camp Recap 8th Grade: 'White loves passing the rock and baking defenders off the dribble. He gets anywhere he wants on the floor and has command of the ball with both hands.'

Dondre Whitmore Jersey Heat.  6/14/05 Metro Hoops Junior All Star Camp recap for 8th graders - 'Whitmore turned up the heat on both ends of the floor. He sliced through the lane like a hot knife through butter and knocked down open jumpers. He had an outstanding opening day.'

 

Chad Williams 5-6 point guard, Bishop Ford, NY. 8/05 Chad is the clever point guard headed to Bishop Ford who has Team Hersh in the semis at Conrad McRae.

William Williams 5'7 WF NY,  6/21//05 John P Miciotta: 'Heady guard who has demonstrated good poise, vision and shooting ability .'  10/11/04 Hoop Scoop # 59 nationally. 3/2/03 80 Park trailed the Gauchos by four in the fourth quarter at IS8 but point guard William Williams (17 and pictured with his MVP trophy on the left) sparked the comeback. The Gauchos were led by center Kevin Parrom (16 and pictured with his Sportsmanship trophy on right).

Brian Wilson 6-5 center NYC. 2/22/05 Metro Hoops: '8th Grade Championship -- In the 8th Grade finale Bingo All Stars defeated the Hurricanes 50-33. Brian Wilson led Bingo with 13 points while Brian Neller dropped 10 points for the Hurricanes in the loss. Brian Wilson (Bingo Allstars) -- Wilson was the focal point of the offense and delivered. He used his size and athleticism to dominate on both ends of the floor.' 

Sherrod Wright, 6' 3" NY. 2/7/05 Coach Dwayne Murray: 'Sherrod Wright from the class of 2009 is now a member of the Mt. Vernon HS Boys Varsity Basketball Team as an 8th grader.  Bob Cimmino brought him up last week.' 11/4/04 Coach Dwayne Murray: 'Played with the 8th grade Jr. Knights team as a 7th grader. Now is on his way to playing for JV Coach Brian Pritchett at Mt. Vernon HS. Awesome ball handling, great hops, blocks shots in bunches, and can score whenever he wants. Has the natural talent and ability be the next great player to come out of the Mt. Vernon program. If he continues to work hard, it would not surprise anyone if he's called up to the varsity towards the end of the year. He's young, but he's that good. An Honor Roll student.'

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Earlier News

7/21/05  Shawn McRae, Zoo Crew: 'Rajohn McClendon and Damian Moore you have listed attending Newark Central in the fall are actually in the class of 2008 and will be sophs this year at Central.'

7/14/05 Coach Joel Shapiro  M.S 113/New Heights: 'You have forgotten two of the top players in the class of 2009.  They are 5-11 Stephon Patterson and 6-0 Delton (Big Boy) Johnson.  These two players were co-Bronx players of the year in the Bronx public middle school basketball league.  They won back to back Championships in a league that featured top players such as Durant Scott and Steven Whittingham.  Stephon and Delton were all stars  as 7th and 8th graders and helped M.S.113 to a 37-2 record over a two year span.  They helped our school program receive national recognition. Both players play for New Heights. Stephon will be attending All Hallows in the fall.  Stephon is a complete player on both ends of the floor and a great leader.  Coach Gonzalez is getting a special player .Delton will be attending Cardinal Hayes in the fall.  Delton is a gifted scorer and as strong as anyone in his class.  Both of these kids were a pleasure to coach and I wish them the best of luck at the next level.'

7/15/05 Hoop Scoop NYC top 8th graders are 1 Lance Stephenson, 2 Durrant Scott, 3 Lamont Jones, 4 Doron Lamb, 5 Paul Bilbo, 6 Josh Malone, 7 Kevin Perron, 8 Omari Lawrence, 9 Russell Smith, 10 Tyshawn Goode, 11 Maurice Hicks and 12 Rasheen King.

6/27/04 Shawn McRae, Zoo Crew: 'I'm pretty sure all kids don't attend the showcases and play for the powerful AAU teams, but there has to be a better way to put kids on some of these list. A lot of kids on these rankings list aren't better than a lot of kids that don't get seen, some get seen but are overlooked because of the teams they play for. Just to name a few in the Newark area that aren't on your current list but should be --  Kenneth Ortiz 5'9 (Newark Rams), Daniel Gibson 5'11 (Newark Rams), R. Johnson 5'9 (Newark Rams), Chris Morris 6'1 (Team NJ), Bilal Gordon 5'11 (Zoo Crew), Khalif Williams 5'7 (Zoo Crew), Jacky Francois 6'0 (Zoo Crew). Every ranking list I see in the metropolitan area has the same kids on the list. Some of the so called basketball experts need to travel to other areas.' 

6/27/04 Dwayne "Coach D" Murray: 'Robert Dean 5' 9   O'dayne Clarke 6' 3"  both Mt. Vernon HS. Brandon Sileck  5' 10  Horace Greeley HS   All three are playing for the Junior Knights this summer.' 

6/27/04  Steve Grandin: ' Jordan Stevens (Saratoga Springs) is the best 8th-grader in Section 2 since Tiki Mayben.  He's 6-4 and plays in a Class AA league; he averaged 13.1 points per game, hitting for double figures in 14 of the final 16 games (Schenectady was one of the two that kept him below double figures); hit for over 20 four times, including season-high 27 against Class A sectional champ Burnt Hills.  He's for real.'

6/31/05 Frank McCree: 'The recently graduated Liberty Academy Charter point guard, Anthony 'Cheeze' Vega, started for Saint Anthony last evening in a summer league loss to the Bayonne High School varsity. This St. Anthony team is made up of sub varsity players and at least one incoming 9th grader, Cheese, who played many minutes, including the entire second half. Though he did not make the class of 09 prospect list, he bears watching.'

6/14/05 Metro Hoops Junior All Star Camp recap for 8th graders includes Paul Bilbo (Unique Allstars), Anthony Baskerville (Team NJ Elite), Omari Lawrence (Team Roc), Tamir Jackson (Playaz), Dexter Strickland (Team NJ Elite), James Frazier (Jersey Shore Lightning), Paris Bennett (Team NJ Elite), Dante White (Jersey Shore Lightning), Raymond Graham (Team NJ Elite), Doron Lamb (Team Next) and Travis Farrell (Jersey Shore Lightning).

5/8/05 Coach Sean Atkins: 'I just wanted to let everyone know that 5’8’’ point guard Brian Jones should be classified in the class of 2009. Brian is a smooth, silky, guard who plays both ends of the floor. He should be in the top his class. Currently, he’s in 8th grade and attending the Rectory School and tearing up his league. This summer he will be playing for Team ROC. Lookout for this kid he’s special.'

2/22/05 Metro Hoops: '8th Grade Championship -- In the 8th Grade finale Bingo All Stars defeated the Hurricanes 50-33. Brian Wilson led Bingo with 13 points while Brian Neller dropped 10 points for the Hurricanes in the loss. Brian Wilson (Bingo Allstars) -- Wilson was the focal point of the offense and delivered. He used his size and athleticism to dominate on both ends of the floor.' 

2/7/05 Frank McCree: 'Anthony "Cheese" Vega, 5-4 Jersey City 8th grader has enrolled at Saint Anthony for his freshman year.'

12/24/04 Coach James Paga: 'Justin Brogsdale is an eighth grader at Voorhees. We played them last week and I have never seen anyone with a faster first step. He was sidelined because of silly fouls but is almost impossible to stop one on one. In addition, he seemed like a very nice kid after the game. 
We also played against LFCA with Leonard Hayes and they are unstoppable. I was very impressed with how much Leonard has improved since last year; he is a one man wrecking crew. We do not have any player in the Camden County League that can compare to him. His game is much more advanced than any of the Marlton big men from last year. KJ Brown, who plays with Leonard, was not as impressive. He still has a great handle, but has not yet found a consistent outside shot.'

12/3/04 Hoop Scoop: Top Philadelphia/South Jersey/Eastern Pennsylvania 8th graders: # 1 Leonard Hayes 6'2 two guard Cherry Hill NJ,  # 7 Quran Pratt 5'6 point guard Palmyra NJ, #  9 Aaron Walton 6'0 two guard Camden NJ, # 10 Marcus Davis 6'4 forward Woodbury NJ, # 15 Justin Brogsdale 5'6 point guard Cherry Hill NJ, # 17 K.J. Brown 5'7 point guard Cherry Hill NJ, # 25 Dylan Bowman 5'7 two guard Mullica Hill NJ, # 26 Landrus Lewis 5'7 point guard Cherry Hill NJ and  # 28 Tim Breaker 5'7 point guard Glassboro NJ.

12/3/04 Metro Hoops: 'Generation Next.-- Anthony Baskerville 5’7 Guard - Plainfield, Dexter Strickland 6’2 Guard - Rahway, Paris Bennett 6’5 Forward - Linden, Lorenzio Santos 5’7 Guard - Trenton, Tamir Jackson 6’1 Guard (St. Benedict Prep), Tyler McNeely 6’3 Forward (Hun) and Jahseer Bronson 5’10 Guard (Life Center).

Santos will be a future floor general for some lucky high school coach. Lorenzio makes smart decisions with the ball and rarely turns it over. Once he develops the strength to go along with his court savvy he will blossom. 

Tyler plays like a warrior and rebounds with no fear. McNeely shoots comfortably in the 12 to 15 foot range. He does all the intangibles needed for his team to be successful. A few inches and enhanced perimeter skills are the only obstacles in McNeely path to stardom.

Bronson is a name you will hear soon on the high school scene. Jahseer is quick as lightning and enjoys setting up teammates for sizzling passes. Bronson seems to raise his game when playing against good competition. This unselfish guard is a joy to watch.'

11/27/04 Metro Hoops: Battle of The Bridge Recap - 7th and 8th Grade.

11/22/04 Terence T-Bone Johnson: 'They came, they saw, they won. The Top 6th, 7th and 8th graders from New York all came to win their games after trailing at the half Sunday at Paterson Catholic. The gym was filled with people from NY and NJ waiting, watching and wondering who was going to claim the Bridge. After the 7th grade, that's when the anticipation started. Team New York was all ready to take the floor for its 8th grade game vs NJ and it was about 8 minutes on the clock before the start. Mousey was there ready to coach the city boys, legendary AAU coach in NJ Brian Crawford was drawing up plays on the clipboard, and I myself was eating a beef hotdog (which I have not had in about 10 years) and out of the blue, the crowd started talking loud, DJ stopped the music, and someone was signing autograph's by the door. No, it was not Tim Thomas (Paterson's finest), or Starbury (Brooklyn's finest), it was him, it was the next. The MC simply said, "Lance Stephenson has entered the building!". The buzz this created was something I have not seen since Lebron James was cleared to play at the Prime-Time 2 years ago. It was no need for introductions in this one. Lance Stephenson, Durant Scott, NYC, Tamir Jackson, Ken Ortiz, Anthony Baskeville, Terez Strickland, Parris Bennett NJ. Lets get ready to rumble! Lance showed everyone in attendance why he's the best 8th grader in the nation, but NJ was not backing down. St.Benedict's 8th grader Tamir Jackson stripped Stephenson two times in a row for buckets, but that only got Lance more heated. He finished with 30 pts and 11 rebs. NJ was led by Ken Ortiz with 18 pts. Parris Bennett added 10 pts and 7 rebs. Thanks to Sam White and John James for putting this game together.'

11/20/04 Andre Calloway: Emmanuel Smith is a real sleeper. He is only 5'0 but he can knock down the three and penetrate at will. He plays alongside Lamont (MoMo) Jones in school play and CYO. They both attend St. Charles. He is currently playing for Team Roc. Watch out for him he should be added to the class of 2009.'

10/11/04 Hoop Scoop national  top 175 8th graders include from this region # 2 Lance Stephenson 6'3 WF Brooklyn, # 9. Dexter Strickland 5'10 2G Rahway, NJ, # 10. Lamont Jones 5'9 2G NY,  # 15. Leonard Hayes 6'1 2G Cherry Hill NJ, # 18. Brian Oliver 6'3 WF Glassboro NJ, # 29. Kevin Parrom 6'2 WF Bronx,  # 37. Durand Scott 6'1 WF Bronx, # 45. Doron Lamb 5'7 WF New York, # 68. Juan Diaz 5'9 PG Bronx, # 76. Aaron Walton 6'0 2G Camden NJ,  # 83. Russell Smith 5'4 2G Brooklyn,  # 92. Marcus Davis 6'4 C Woodbury NJ,  # 94. Anthony Basketville 5'11 WF Plainfield, NJ, # 108. Derick Colvin 6'2 C Rahway, NJ, # 118. Justin Brogsdale 5'6 PG Cherry Hill NJ, # 130. Josh Malone 5'8 2G Wheatley Heights, NY, # 144. Kevin Mackey 5'9 PG Spring Valley, NY, # 149. Justin Umpire 4'7 PG Bronx, # 152. Maurice Hicks 5'9 PG NY and # 169. Rasheen King 5'9 2G Brooklyn.

11/4/04 Coach Dwayne Murray: 'The Mt. Vernon Junior Knights are the proud feeder system to the 2004 New York State and Federation Champions Mt. Vernon Knights HS basketball team. Our program continues to prepare kids for basketball at Mt. Vernon HS. Here are our latest Class of 2009 prospects.

O'dayne Clarke, 6' 2", 8th grader, has put a smile on the faces of Coach Cimmino and JV Coach Brian Pritchett with his commitment and work ethic during the off season. He's developed great footwork in the post, and like our freshman prospect, Kevin Jones, has developed a nice jumper with range, and he's growing by the minute. Maybe the best physical rebounder to come out of the Jr. Knights/St. Ursula program since Dexter Gray (St. John's). He plays for the Jr. Knights 8th grade team, the Davis Middle School modified team, and will play for the Metro Hawks-Mt. Vernon squad in the spring/summer. And most importantly, is a great student, coming off an "A" Honor Roll effort last year.

Sean Harris, 5' 2", 8th grader is quickly following the path of point guards in Mt. Vernon set most recently by the likes of Jomo Belfor (James Madison) Chris Lowe, Michael Coburn and Ketema Brooks. A tremendous shooter with great range. Great one on one ball skills. Spent entire summer absorbing tips from the varsity guards. He plays for the Jr. Knights 8th grade team, will play for the Davis Middle School modified team, and will play for the Metro Hawks-Mt. Vernon squad in the spring/summer. An Honor Roll student.

Christopher Kim, 5' 6", 8th grader, our best defender. No one has more intensity on the court than "CK" as he is known. Great ball handler who loves to drive to the basket with speed and power. Can play the point or shooting guard position. A leader in every sense of the word. He plays for the Jr. Knights 8th grade team, and will play for the Metro Hawks-Mt. Vernon squad in the spring/summer. A full scholarship student to the prestigious Rye Country Day school. Certain to go to college for free either academically or athletically.

Anthony Erksine, 6' 2", 8th grader. A fluid post player with a soft touch. Has great timing in blocking shots in conjunction with great leaping skills. Plays for the Jr. Knights 8th grade team, should play for the Davis MS modified team, and will play for the Metro Hawks-Mt. Vernon squad in the spring/summer.

Sherrod Wright, 6' 3", 8th grader. Played with the 8th grade Jr. Knights team as a 7th grader. Now is on his way to playing for JV Coach Brian Pritchett at Mt. Vernon HS. Awesome ball handling, great hops, blocks shots in bunches, and can score whenever he wants. Has the natural talent and ability be the next great player to come out of the Mt. Vernon program. If he continues to work hard, it would not surprise anyone if he's called up to the varsity towards the end of the year. He's young, but he's that good. An Honor Roll student.'

11/4/04 Paul Vigoda: 'I have two players for you to at least consider for your class of 2009 (8th graders) which I know is taken lightly. I coach at Ryan M.S. 216 in Queens and for the L.I. Lightning 17U. The two players are Stephon Hodges, 5'9 small forward and Ashir Nelson, 5'2 point guard. As a 7th grader Stephon netted 22 per game. In Ryan's two blow out victories this year he went for 22 and 29 pts, 7 steals in an average of 17 minutes per. He can has handle like a point guard, can rebound like a center and has some of the best footwork I've seen at any level. Ashir  is a 93 average student with similar smarts on the court. He runs an offense and a press like a poised veteran, averaging 10 pts, 7 asst and 6 steals per game. He also traveled this summer with the Panthers AAU 13U. Both are getting interest from local HS coaches. Stephon is hands down the best player in District 26 and probably Region 3 in the Queens NY. He is undecided on an AAU team thus far but I expect he will be highly touted.'

10/27/04 Gauchos Roundball Classic 14’s All Tournament 1st Team - Durand Scott (Gauchos Black). 2nd Team - Lamont Jones (Metro Hawks White), Kevin Parrom (Gauchos Orange). 

7/6/04 Frank McCree: 'St Ants likes my 7th grader Anthony "Cheese' Vega 5-3, as perhaps the best 7th grade point guard in Jersey City.'

7/5/04 Hoop Scoop NYC top 7th graders are 1 Lance Stephenson 6'3 WF, 2 Lamont Jones 5'9 2G,  3 Doron Lamb 5'7 WF,  4 William Williams 5'9 WF,  5 Kevin Parrom 6'2 WF, 6 Russell Smith 5'4 2G, 7 Harold McBride, 8 Josh Malone 5'8 2G,  9 Kevin Mackey 5'9 WF,  10 Justin Umpierre 4'7 PG,  11 Maurice Hicks 5'9 PG,  12 Rasheen King 5'9 2G.

2/6/04 Hoop Scoop:  Nation's top 100 7th graders (class of 2009) includes # 5. Lance Stephenson 6'3 Brooklyn, # 7. Lamont Jones 5'9 NY, # 19. Dexter Strickland 5'10 Rahway, NJ, # 31. Chris Foche 5'6 Bronx,  # 47. Anthony Baskerville 5'11 Plainfield, NJ, # 57. Derrand Scott 5'11 Bronx, # 63. Brian Oliver 5'11 Camden, # 65. Juan Diaz 5'6 Bronx, # 66. Jamel "Buddha" Fields 5'7 Albany,  # 70. Doran Lamb 5'7 New York, NY, # 75. Maurice Hicks 5'9 NY. # 96. Arman Cardwood 5'9 Brooklyn, NY and # 99. Justin Brogsdale 5'6 Cherry Hill (Holy Rosary) NJ.

2/4/04 tbone: 'I have a name for you for the class of 2009... Anthony Baskerville 5'9 PG, Maxson Middle School.. Plainfield NJ... Averaging 19ppg, very strong with the ball for his age. Plays AAU with the MSU Skyliners. Coach Kevin Boyle of St.Patrick has mentioned to people he's the top 7th grader in New Jersey he's seen so far. (Ant plays at his camp).'

12/6/03 Hoop Scoop for Philadelphia/South Jersey/Eastern Pennsylvania: # 5 Justin Brogsdale 5'6 PG Cherry Hill, NJ,  # 7 Dylan Bowman, 5'7  2G Mullica Hill, NJ and # 9 Tim Breaker, 5'7 PG Glassboro NJ.

11/5/03 Hoop Scoop:  Nation's top 85 7th graders (class of 2009) includes # 6. Lamont Jones 5'9 NY, # 7. Lance Stephenson 6'0 Brooklyn, # 16. Dexter Strickland 5'10 Rahway, NJ, # 18. Chris Foche 5'6 Bronx, # 44. Derrand Scott 5'11 Bronx, # 50. Brian Oliver 5'11 Camden, # 52. Juan Diaz 5'6 Bronx, # 53. Jamel "Buddha" Fields 5'7 Albany,  # 60. Derick Colvin 6'2 Rahway, NJ and # 75. Maurice Hicks 5'9 NY.

5/5/03 Pro-Style Biddy Division Final Fours - Gauchos (Black) 44, F.Y.A. (39). Players of the game - Gauchos (Black): Kevin Parrom - 13 points, F.Y.A: Chris Ginda - 16 points.

3/03 Gameball's New York City Top 6th Grade Boys (Class of 2009)

1. Lance Stephenson 5'7 2009 WF Bklyn NY

2. Josh Malone 5'6 2009 WF L.I. MY

3. Brian Jones 5'2 2009 PG Qns NY PS 13

4. Rashaun Stores 5'4 2009 PG Bnx NY St.Raymonds MS

5. Troy Collins 5'4 2009 PG Man NY PS 145

6. Danny Kenny 5'4 2009 PG L.I. NY St. Aidan's Chaminade HS

7. Tavor Dickenson 5'4 2009 PG Bnx NY

8. Shane Southwell 5'6 2009 WF Man NY St. Charles (Note: Shane is in the class of 2010.)

9. Doron Lamb 5'5 2009 2G Man NY Our Lady of Pompeii

10. Shagell Stokes 5'4 2009 PG NY NY

12/31/02 Brooklyn Scout: 'Entertainers Basketball Classic ("EBC") Youth Holiday Tournament at Minisink gym -- In the 11-under championship game, the Gauchos took control in the third quarter with a 13-2 run and held off Team Roc 47-41. Kevin Parrom was named MVP for the Gauchos following his 10-point, 14-rebound performance while Tyreak Johnson scored 13 points and Doron Lamb added 11 points and 9 rebounds for the winners.'

10/1/02 Reginald Murray: Brooklyn Rams' Future: Class of 2009: Kadeem Gonzales, Kenton Chan-Man and Qwasie Reid have entered the 6th grade class of Shellbank IS 14 in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn.'

6/01/02 GameBall Magazine, New York City's Ultimate Basketball Beat -- "We Balance The Books And Ball"

New York City Top 6th Grade Boys (Class of 2009)

Rank Name Ht. Class Position Area State JH School High School

1. Lance Stephenson 5'7 2009 WF Bklyn NY

2. Josh Malone 5'6 2009 WF L.I. MY

3. Brian Jones 5'2 2009 PG Qns NY PS 13

4. Rashaun Stores 5'4 2009 PG Bnx NY St.Raymonds MS St.Raymonds

5. Troy Collins 5'4 2009 PG Man NY PS 145

6. Danny Kenny 5'4 2009 PG L.I. NY St. Aidan's Chaminade HS

7. Tavor Dickenson 5'4 2009 PG Bnx NY

8. Shane Southwell 5'6 2009 WF Man NY St. Charles

9. Doron Lamb 5'5 2009 2G Man NY Our Lady of Pompeii

10. Shagell Stokes 5'4 2009 PG NY NY

11. Jamar Jones 5'2 2009 PG Bnx NY Mt. Carmel

12. Daniel McFadden 5'2 2009 PG Qns NY

13. Chaz Williams 5'2 2009 PG Bklyn NY

14. Richard Williams 5'2 2009 PG Qns NY PS 198

15. Devande Cutler 5'3 2009 PG Bklyn NY

16. Justin Spalding 5'3 2009 PG Qns NY

17. Antoine Slaughter 5'3 2009 PG Bklyn NY

18. Anthony Allen 5'5 2009 WF Bklyn NY

19. Terrell Ratliff 5'7 2009 C Bklyn NY

20. Tevin Kelly 4'8 2009 PG Qns NY PS 132

21. Shaquille Cunningham 5'3 2009 PG Bklyn NY

22. Darren Wells 5'3 2009 PG Bklyn NY

23. Sean Baucom 5'2 2009 PG Bklyn NY

10/02 Hoop Scoop lists six children for the class of 2009 including # 3. Lance Stephenson 5'7 Brooklyn, NY  and # 5. Josh Malone 5'6 Long Island, NY.

9/01 GameBall Magazine, New York City's Ultimate Basketball Beat -- "We Balance The Books And Ball" New York City Top 5th Grade Boys (Class of 2009)

Rank Name Ht. Class Position Area State JH School High School

1. Lance Stephenson 5'7 2009 C Bklyn NY

2. Brian Jones 5'2 2009 PG Qns NY PS 13

3. Daniel McFadden 5'2 2009 PG Qns NY

4. Chaz Williams 5'2 2009 PG Bklyn NY

5. Richard Williams 5'2 2009 PG Qns NY PS 198

6. Devande Cutler 5'3 2009 PG Bklyn NY

7. Devon McMillan 5'3 2009 PG Bklyn NY

8. Justin Spalding 5'3 2009 PG Qns NY

9. Antoine Slaughter 5'3 2009 PG Bklyn NY

10. Anthony Allen 5'5 2009 WF Bklyn NY

11. Terrell Ratliff 5'7 2009 C Bklyn NY

12. Tevin Kelly 4'8 2009 PG Qns NY PS 132

13. Shaquille Cunningham 5'3 2009 PG Bklyn NY

14. Darren Wells 5'3 2009 PG Bklyn NY

15. Sean Baucom 5'3 2009 PG Bklyn NY