Waynesword on Hoop: Section 2 High School
Post-Season Commentary, 2010—
(Partially revised: June 16, 2010)
*CBA Ascends To The Summit of State Hoop
*Waynesword’s Top Twenty Players
Who Didn’t Make the Channel 13 All-Stars
Top Ten…*
This sees like a momentous version of Waynesword on Hoop…I’ve been thinking about this one a lot in advance—my Hoop writing has become more deliberative, less reactionary. If I were to let loose all the resentment I felt and detailed my recurrent criticisms of bad coaching, horrendous reffing, & selfish hoop teammates this would have been a bitter diatribe— maybe “Some othah time” as Ben Wallace once said in a commercial I loved, as he trudged up some desolate back stairway in defeat when one young kid comes up to him for an autograph. (Was it a Pepsi commercial? I think he lightened up when he took a swig…) But I decided to go in a more positive direction and focus on what I still love about this kids’ game, which adults and many coaches try their best to mess up. Only in a few places does the season go so well that almost everyone associated with the program ends up feeling good about it—this year those places were schools like Burnt Hills, Fonda, Maple Hill, Shenendehowa, maybe Lansingburgh, and to a lesser extent maybe Scotia, Hoosick Falls, and Ichabod Crane, teams who over-achieved a bit perhaps. But the one team that dominated in a season where maybe they weren’t supposed to… well that team was obvious to anyone in the area.
One of the things I feel most ambivalent about is the recent success of CBA, a machine of a team that has been a recurrent hoop nemesis of my son’s high school squads at CCHS for 4 years, and with his small band of warrior brothers at St. Gregory’s for two years before that. Along with almost everyone else in the Big 10 and the top tier of Section 2 hoop, we could never quite gain a victory over them. (The only team that did during this past season, until the bitter end, was Westhill Academy, a B school from the Syracuse area.)
I am ambivalent as someone would be when your kid’s team has been beaten over and over again by the same unlovable bunch of hand-picked all-stars, lorded over by a devastatingly good but also unlovable coach—you enjoy rooting against them whenever given the chance. For 8 straight years they have been to the Section 2 AA Finals in Sectional play, this is well-documented, and has become monotonous. When Bishop Maginn finally beat them in the Finals in Talor Battle’s senior year, and Taran Buie’s sophomore year, I cheered as loudly as any Maginn fan. It was like seeing street-swagger win out over corporate dominance. When CBA squeaked past Shen last year in the semis, and then pasted an equally arrogant Albany Academy squad who expected to advance to Regional and State play, I began to realize just how powerful their program was. At a Koubek Camp up in Brant Lake the prior summer I had heard some naïve player say, “CBA is gonna be down this year…” I heard that same phrase this past summer and just shook my head—you guys don’t know what you’re talking about, don’t know what a Juggernaut is being built there.
As I began to write this the Juggernaut had just completed a stretch where they beat Shenendehowa, Cicero-North Syracuse, Newburgh, and Half Hollow Hills to complete a run to the top of the State Championship mountain, which is certainly a stunning achievement, complementing Maginn’s similar run from two years ago, when Buie was still playing ball in the area. What CBA did was all the more impressive given that none of the above games was really close—they dominated each of those critical games.
I found myself cheering—loudly!? Me? For CBA?-- as they ran away from Newburgh up in Glens Falls in the semi-finals on a late Saturday in March. Newburgh was last year’s State Champion in double-AA ball, and they had just pounded the perennially strong Mount Vernon team downstate. They did not come north expecting to get beat by 21 by a team from Albany which a lot of people thought was over-rated at #3 in the State polls. But they did—they got whomped by the dastardly Brothers, just like most of the rest of us in the Capital District did.
I found myself thinking back to early January, when there were still hopes of redemption in the CCHS hoop season. Our guys were at home and played their best first half of the year against the Juggernaut. We were ahead 26-19 with just under 3 minutes left in the half. Miles had shut down Ritter at that point but had gone to the bench with his second foul, yet the offense was clicking. Doemel was steaming and clenching his fists, stalking the area in front of the bench like Rumplestiltskin throwin’ a tantrum. Kevin Wilkes was killing them inside, time after time, and that usually doesn’t happen to CBA teams. Then something seemed to wake up Gilal Cancer, and he snaked his way to the hoop and Ritter scored a late hoop and suddenly it’s a 26-26 tie at the half, and Coach Doemel escorted his team off the court like they were down 20 to the Little Sisters of The Poor, and he was going to give them the ass-kicking of the season. I must admit chortling-by-text to my buddy Joe at halftime that our woebegone CCHS varsity was tied with the Juggernaut at the half, and that Mr. Doemel was not particularly happy about it. His classic crusty response: Good Make Him Cry. We almost did.
Even through the third quarter, our guys played them tough, and were down only 5. At one point the CBA star’s father’s friend, who was rooting raucously for the Brothers in the midst of our team’s cheering section behind our team’s bench, said—“Who are these guys anyway? What’s their record?” We were 2-&-8 at that point, having just lost to mighty Maginn by a deuce in another game that was oh-so-winnable. Our boys were the best 2-8 team in the State, I was convinced.
But then came a disastrous stretch when one player
on our team, a would-be point forward who shall go nameless (but not blameless—there’s a clue below), started throwing the ball away recklessly, seemed to end up with the ball in his hands every time down the floor, and was allowed to do so by the coaching staff 6 out of 7 trips down the floor—missing a wild baseline chuck the only time he didn’t turn it over. It almost seemed willful, deliberate, and was unreal to watch, and by the time the flurry of miscues was done, the game was all but over—CBA exhibiting their killer instinct whenever the other team faltered-- and we would end up losing by 22 points, an ironic number, rendering our early success meaningless. This was just one example of our team being out-coached, but then Doemel does that to just about everyone, finding the other team’s flaws and exploiting them. On some teams—(even in the NCAA Tournament I’m seeing this pointed out a lot)—no matter what the level of play, the wrong players are often allowed to make the decisions at crunch time, and try to over-assert themselves, beyond their ability to do so. And the result is frequently a demoralizing loss for their teammates. But this is part of the learning process of going through a tough varsity season—nothing is perfect, and psyches evolve at a different pace. For all the talk of chemistry and team spirit, it is still a very tenuous state to achieve.
Now, looking back does no good-- it’s all just history and conjecture—what could have been?—as the season fades into the rearview mirror… but anyone who was there in January knows that our boys from CCHS, who would finish with a 6-14 record overall, were tied at the half, and hanging tough with the eventual State Champs of New York in the highest classification of hoopdom….another brutal night in the Big 10.
*****
Flash forward to the 3rd Saturday in March. The arch-enemy’s squad is now jousting with Newburgh, and turning them into pulp, even worse than they had done to the almost-equally unlikable Shen team eleven days earlier in the Section 2 Finals. I found myself cheering for them—for CBA!—because even though some of their players talk trash and act more arrogant than they have a right to, they are still from our tribe, from the Capital District, and they are/and were representing the quality of Section 2’s upstate basketball against the swarming hordes from the south, the river-town hoopers who feel they are as bad as the big City dudes down where the river hits the seawater.
I found myself awed by Max Weaver’s and Kam Ritter’s accurate shooting prowess on the big stage of Glens Falls Civic Center’s floor, by Ritter’s stealthy long-armed defense & scores off steals, and by Gilal Cancer’s smooth ball-control and driving, his surprisingly consistent rebounding, putbacks, and foul shooting. Those three seemed to coordinate the attack, and deal the most devastating blows. Ritter is a “bonus-year” senior, but the other two are juniors who seem wise and seasoned beyond their years. All three have extensive City Rock experience and thus exhibit cool under any kind of pressure. Weaver’s older brother (Luke) was a CBA star who played alongside Greg Holle, and a lot of people recall how many clutch shots he hit just a few years ago, and keep telling me that Max is nowhere near as good—but I would now dispute that, given what I seen in the past month. Max Weaver may not have been a big factor in the direct match-ups I saw in CCHS games, but I saw him firsthand kill Albany, slay Shen, shoot Newburgh to pieces, and I heard he did more of the same—all three did—to help beat Half Hollow in the State Final. More on him below…
I thought the role players for CBA were all great that day—Jack Reilly a critical force of strength in the middle, who had two early hoops against Newburgh as well; Josh Dennis nailing open shots and never taking a bad one, moving the ball briskly when it was not his opening; Dan Cusato providing spark off the bench as a player who’d be starting at point if Gilal were not ahead of him in the lineup; Taylor Mulvey providing the back-up strength and size when Reilly needed a break; Joe Krong as the key shooter who comes off the bench, and plays significant minutes in each game I’ve seen. Only a soph at this point, he rebounds bigger than he looks, and though he did not hit a thing against Newburgh, is usually deadly from mid-range and 3-pt. land. Chaz Lott is another speed demon off the bench, and also a great defender. Christian Signor is one of the area’s purest deep shooters as a junior, and barely gets time, this team is so deep. They could probably play their third team and beat most A, B, or C teams in the area, and would decimate any of the D’s…especially with Mssr. Doemel coaching his system.
I will sing their praises in one more way, much as I hate to—when we were watching that CBA game at our place, my 12 year-old daughter turned to me and commented: They just pass the ball so fast and move it so well—they always seem to get open shots… Out of the mouths of relative babes comes the truth. Our son’s team had enough selfish cogs to slow down the ball movement, and the contrast to her eyes was striking.
CBA in the 2010 season was a truly unselfish team, and no one seemed to look to dominate or play the star role, which was admirable after all. Kudos to them for their long-awaited Championship, much as it kills me to heap praise on them. They are a hard working bunch, and Coach Doemel is the most diligent scout of all Big 10 coaches—I have seen him at future opponent’s games more than any other head coach in the area, not just relying on tape but seeing games first hand—his success is rooted in fulltime commitment to his task, and taking nothing or no one for granted.
The only thing I noticed that detracted from the greatness of their accomplishment in winning the State Public School Title in the AA’s of boy’s hoop was that there was no huge groundswell of support and joy for the team, other than the normal retinue of their own school’s male students, parents, alumni, and followers. The crowd was somewhat sparse in Glens Falls for the game I attended when they beat Newburgh, and not much bigger if at all when they beat Half Hollow the next day, from what I heard. In contrast, I had been in the same Civic Center in 2001 when Schenectady made the same kind of rousing run to the Finals and the place was packed to the rafters (over 7000 in paid attendance), four-deep at the railing all around the oval, and rollicking with every great play. I saw none of the same passion for a private school as I did for a public school like Schenectady High which seemingly had its whole city and most of Section 2 rooting for them to go all the way back in the day.
Similarly, when Glens Falls had Jimmer Fredette leading them in 2006 toward the Class A Title, the place was raucous and passionate about their local heroes, and understandably so. CBA just didn’t have the same outpouring of fervor or adulation on their behalf—you can’t have everything I guess.
Here’s one more thing to consider, as we close the season on Section 2 basketball for 2010:
CBA MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE TOP TEAM IN SECTION 2 MUCH LESS THE STATE CHAMPS HAD TARAN BUIE & TRAHSAN BURRELL & RAJA JOHNSON REMAINED AT BISHOP MAGINN, AND IF RICH HURLEY WAS STILL THEIR COACH! THINK OF THAT—WHAT PITCHED BATTLES THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETWEEN THOSE TWO TEAMS… DESPITE THE CRAFTY COAXING AND COACHING OF DAVE DOEMEL, I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE GIVEN THE EDGE TO MAGINN IF THAT BUIE/BURRELL (DUAL D-1 TALENT) TANDEM ALONE HAD RETURNED, JUST MY OPINION, BUT NOW WE’LL NEVER KNOW….
Postscript: CBA went on to lose in the first round of the Federation Tournament to Christ The King, so there was no climactic achievement after the State Tourney Finals. No Section 2 Team has won the highest level Federation Championship on the AA or A level… not Schenectady, not Maginn, not CBA. There is always seemingly at least one New York City team or another in the way of that. Saint Raymond’s of the Bronx (with Julius Hodge) stopped Schenectady in the Federation Final after they’d gotten past Quincy Douby’s Grady team from Brooklyn, in 2001. Taron Buie’s Maginn team in 2008 beat Henninger, Mount Vernon, and Niagara in succession, only to lose to Rice in the Federation’s first round. And CBA could not get past Christ the King, a team that had been beaten earlier in the season by a Half Hallow Hills team that CBA had just pounded up in the State Final. So it goes—the road to the top of the State Hoop Ladder is nasty and tough.
But to have those 3 teams (all from the Big 10) claim NYSPHSAA Crowns for AA Hoop within the last 9 years speaks volumes for the level of basketball played in the Capital District of upstate New York, period.
*****
Waynesword on Hoop:
The Top 25 for 2010
Who Did Not Make the Area Top 10…
Don’t get me wrong—I’ve not got a problem with anyone that Channel 13’s (WNYT—Albany) Roger Wyland and his panel of local experts chose to be in the Top Ten among the Boys Section 2 Hoopers… and though I once aspired for my son to be among them, I don’t feel sour grapes about that anymore. There is a lot of talent to be admired in the hoop world around here, and I apologize in advance to any great talents in the area that I might have left off the list, or have not seen play. I am not a full-time scout and do not claim to know everyone out there.
But if I were the dad of any of the following basketball athletes, I might feel that my kid was slighted— though admittedly it is hard to pick just 10 palyers when you are drawing from with over 90 public and private schools in Section 2—from Lake George and Whitehall in the north to Germantown and Hudson in the south, from Canajoharie and Cobleskill in the west to Berlin and Cambridge in the east. Despite the distances covered, the bulk of the great players in the area these days tend to come from the core urban areas—Albany/Schenectady/Troy—with rare exceptions, duly noted.
Those already named on the Channel 13 list for 2010 were (as close as I can remember for the order chosen):
--Derrick Millinghaus, Schenectady High
--Kameron Ritter, CBA (Albany)
--Jerel Scott, Bishop Maginn (Albany)
--Matt Miner, Shenendehowa (Clifton Park)
--David Benocs, Albany Academy
--Gilal Cancer, CBA (Albany)
--Mike Murray, LaSalle (Troy)
--John Scurry, Bishop Maginn (Albany)
--Terrell Winne, Scotia/Glenville
--Kevin McMahon, Hoosick Falls
None of these guys didn’t deserve to make it, all were legit choices. And I say that having seen the top eight play in person a lot more than once, but the last two not at all, I’m sorry to say. They are all worthy candidates but the level of competition the last two faced was different than that of the top eight, that’s all I will say. Would Terrell Winne have been the top scorer in the area had he played in the Big 10? Believe me, the simple answer is No. Miner on the other hand is the only player not in the Big 10 (which should include Academy) among the first 8 of the above list, but he proved he could score his average or better against them in the Sectionals, so we will leave it at that.
These guys have all gotten plenty of hype before this, so I am now about to concentrate on the rest of my list…just a slight notch below the Top 10 from my point-of-view, among players that I actually SAW PLAY at some point (again, in no particular order or rank), with commentary below:
--Zach Morton, Burnt Hills
--Shadell Millinghaus, Schenectady High
--James Vice, Bishop Gibbons (Schenectady)
--Greg Williams, Troy High
--Tyler Hammett, Lansingburgh
--Kevin Wilkes, CCHS
--Max Weaver, CBA
--Ethan Mackey, Voorheesville
--Manny Hernandez, Shenendehowa
--Nolan Hart, Albany Academy
--Jeremic Bennett. Albany High
--Chris Hooks, Shaker High
--Mike Branche, Colonie High
--Brandon Mercado, Fonda/Fultonville High
--Seth Hidde, Fonda/Fultonville High
--Malcolm Mathias, Gloversville High
--Ian Yost, Johnstown High
--Jordan Greene, South Glens Falls High
--Andre Gaddy, Albany High
--Shavar Fields, Bishop Maginn
--Reece Jackson, Schenectady
SOME RANDOM NOTES ON EACH OF THE ABOVE:
Zach Morton played with Miles 2 years ago on the City Rocks 16U B team, and he proved with that team how tough he could be inside with his “defensive end” build, his highly effective elbows, and his ability to take a hit and still finish. Against Lansingburgh in the Class A Sectional Finals, he outplayed 6’10” Tyler Hammett though he gave up 5 inches in height and a lot of heft. Without him, Burnt Hills would not have gone anywhere in the post season, and with him, as a 7th seed, they won the Section and their first Regional game, until getting crushed by the Crème of NYS Class A ball—the perennial powerhouse Jamesville-DeWitt from the Syracuse area. The big lefty senior with a soft touch from 15 feet will be playing football for U. Albany next fall, as far as I know.
***
Shadell Millinghaus, a 6’2” or 6’3” shooting guard from Schenectady, was the one of the two or three best natural scorers among a very talented sophomore class in the Big 10. I saw him drill shots from outside, and climb over people on the offensive glass to score inside in both games that CCHS played against Schenectady this year, before the unfortunate dismissal of him and his more celebrated brother Derrick from the Schenectady team late in the season. While Derrick was a blisteringly fast point guard who led the area in scoring until a fateful game versus CBA that precipitated their departure, I thought the younger brother had the better build and jumper for D-1 ball, though both were potential college players if they kept grades up and attitudes in check. I still think so, though I am not privy to what’s in their future, and will not comment on the situation that led to them not finishing the season with Mark Sausville’s Schenectady squad this year. His brother Devonte, who also started for the Patriots, was a defensive stopper on that team, and a complement to his brothers’ more high-scoring tendencies.
James Vice (a muscular 6’1”) was also a high-scoring soph 2-guard in the Big 10, who unfortunately for him was a member of a team who went without a win in the toughest league in the area. Their team was young and without a true big man, but they were scrappy as hell, and James had the green light to create his own offense, which he did well. Twice he scored over 20 against CCHS this year, and no one else to my knowledge did that. In the first game, he hit three ridiculous threes, from past half court at the very end of the first half, at the buzzer of the third quarter, and another deep jumper late in the fourth to bring them close. If Shadell (above) should happen to transfer to Gibbons, which was rumored earlier in the year, the balance of power in the Big 10 may begin to change, and young Mr. Vice could be part of one of the scarier backcourts in the area. Even without any new blood I thought Bishop Gibbons had a few good underclassmen—but need to show cohesiveness and temper control to improve their prospects next year and beyond.
Greg Williams (6’5”) of Troy High did not have the stats to merit inclusion in the top ten, but against CCHS on Senior Nite he also looked like a D-1 two-guard to me, with the size, savvy, and shooting touch to score from deep at any level. Like the other two above him on this list, if he keeps his head together, works on his handle on drives, and teaches his team how to win big games he could have a great hoop future. His team already has the components it will need to make a deep run next year. Fellow soph Kareem Brown (6’7”) and freshman Javion Ogunyemmi (6’8”) form an imposing front line from this point forward, while the quick PG Elijah Jenkins, fireplug guard Kevin Phillips, and wing John Pompey are juniors who return as well. In addition, soph guard Raheem Felder laid claim to being one of the best small defenders in the area after giving D. Millinghaus a hard time back in the dead of winter. Shooter Dan Danehy will return from injury; if he finds his stroke he will have to get some minutes. One way or another, Troy could be truly nasty next year, but Williams seems the one who can really be a stud.
Tyler Hammett is one of the few kids I’ve seen who had to duck to get through the main entry doors of the CCHS gym, as I remember 7’1” Jameson Keefe did a couple of years back when he played for Troy High. Hammett was almost as big as Keefe but a whole lot more mobile, and more varied in his ability to score inside. When CCHS played Lansingburgh in the first game of the season he did not score a point but blocked 10 shots, some of them just by holding his position straight up and not going for fakes. Even though Burnt Hills beat them in the A Finals, Hammett had 18 or 19 pts. that night and did his best to secure the win. I can’t believe there would not be a decent D-2 program that couldn’t use a 6’10” strongman like him to move along as a project during a four-year career. I believe he got much better as the year went on. His two junior teammates who were co-high-scorers this year—Sajae Pryor and Salaam Knight—were also terrific players and athletes – will merit attention for the Top 10 list next year, no doubt, if they continue to work on their games.
Kevin Wilkes was by far the most consistent player on the CCHS team this past year—scoring between 12-18 points in nearly every game-- and it annoys me that he has drawn no interest in year-end all-star discussions. At a slender 6’4”, he was frequently called upon to compete against bigger, burlier players inside, playing out of position in the post when he much preferred operating on the wing. As it was, he would often draw the big men outside when he was dropping 3s with moonball shots from the corners or deep elbows. He’d score inside with either hand and often hit from the line. His defense and rebounding was steady, and he often emerged with the ball in traffic. He will be likely to walk-on to play D-3 ball at Western New England College, but he is still pursuing AAU ball and always performed well on that stage as well. Miles always enjoyed playing and hanging out with “Wilkes” and we wish him well in the future.
Max Weaver is the single player who gained the most respect from me as the HS schedule progressed. Because his teammates Ritter and Cancer seemed like automatic members of that Top Ten List, Weaver did not get the support he might have deserved, based on regular season stats and status. His performances against Albany, Shen, Cicero North, and Newburgh, however, in the postseason run cemented his position as one of the great clutch shooters in recent Section 2 history. He drained 3s so calmly and efficiently that I was reminded of Andy Rautins as a junior for Jamesville-DeWitt when he played at Glens Falls in big games for the State Championship. He made few mistakes, often covered bigger guys, and like fellow junior Gilal Cancer frequently scored inside on nifty drives, or came up with gritty rebound putbacks. I didn’t see the State Finals against Half Hollow but what I saw against Newburgh was enough to convince me that Ritter should probably have shared the MVP award with both Gilal and Max—the three-headed monster of CBA guards and interchangeable wings.
Ethan Mackey (6’7” senior) of Voorheesville was clearly one of the best big men in the area, but did not benefit by playing for a small school in the Colonial Council, and in the Class C Sectionals, where they were bumped off early on. He could dunk off baseline drives or hit 3s from the corner, as
we saw him do a couple of years in a row in AAU ball. He could finish creatively around the hoop or could cram two-handed off the break. Mackey was often high-scorer on that City Rocks 16U “B” team I mentioned earlier, and scored a ton against Miles’s Hoop Nation team in a loss for his school team at Spa Catholic last spring. He dominated Tyler Hammett in league games against Lansingburgh, but also saw his team lose to teams like Watervliet which did not feature anyone his size. At last check he had heard some offers from D-2 schools in Massachusetts like Assumption, but reportedly prefers to play locally, perhaps at St. Rose, Union or RPI. His dad was always a pleasant guy with a smile, and a supporter of my son during their one year together in AAU, and we wish Ethan & his family well.
Manny Hernandez (6’3” senior) was the frontline player that made Shenendehowa the powerhouse it was this year and last, with a leaping ability far beyond his size. I never thought this year’s senior class would recover from Shen athlete Ryan Wilkins changing sports and choosing volleyball fanaticism over hoop, but Hernandez filled the void in a way not many others could have. He blocked shots, gave Joakim-Noah-like energy on the boards, and swooped in for rebounds and slams like few others in Section 2 this year. While Miner was clearly the star of the Shen program, Hernandez was the engine that made Shen go—they would’ve been a poorer team without him, especially in the rebounding and defensive departments. In the Semi-Final game in early March at the Times Union Center, he added to his game by lighting up Bishop Maginn for two unexpected clean-swish 3s in the first half, and consistently outplayed the more highly-touted Maginn frontline, with hustle and speed to the ball. The more I think about this, in fact, I come to the conclusion that in terms of sheer basketball athleticism and production on a high level, Hernandez should be on the original Top 10 List, period.
Nolan Hart (5’10”) of Albany Academy should also have been in the discussion for the Top 10 list. He started and often starred for 2 full years of extremely high-level competition in high school ball, as his independent school traveled outside the area to face some of the top teams in the country more than any other squad in Section 2, no doubt. Yes, he is the son of one of the most notable and successful AAU coaches around—co-founder and overlord of the famed Albany City Rocks program, who also happened to be an assistant coach at Albany Academy, alongside head man Brian Fruscio. Nolan Hart has been an exceptional shooter since I first saw him as a 10 year-old, and he had the green light to pump them up as he saw fit. I always envied him that, but his percentage was probably higher for these last two years than anyone in the area. His game expanded to include clever passing and feeding of the post, sneaky defense in their zone, spin-moves to the hoop and step-back threes. Those critics who called him a one-dimensional spot-up shooter were not seeing the games I saw. He put up some great numbers in boxscores I saw when they played out-of-town monster teams, and hit 32 I believe against Albany High, who were aggressive defenders both times we saw them. If Nolan plays college ball it will not merely be due to his dad’s connections, though that will help—he has developed into a fearless competitor and a feisty scorer. (Indeed, by the time I post this it has become common knowledge that Nolan is going to Syracuse to play as a walk-on for Jim Boeheim, a good friend of AAU City Rocks guru Jimmy Hart. So, ultimately, he will be at the highest profile D-1 program of anyone in the local class of 2010, including the departed Taran Buie.)
Jeremic Bennett (6’0”) of Albany would be near the top of the entire list if And-1 Summer Ball style points were used as the scoring system. This dread-locked ballhandler probably led the area in braid-fakes, shoulder jukes, and nasty cross-overs, and could drill the 3 with the best of them when he was on. He had one game against us where he must have been in the doghouse or ill as he played very little and was a non-factor, and then another whne he was brilliant and deadly and won the game late at the line for his Falcons’ team. But against CBA in the Semi-Finals you saw the extreme swings of Bennett’s game compacted into one half—he shot the lights out early and had 13 points as I recall in the first quarter, but when his shot was not available after his one-on-one moves came to rest, he would casually discard the ball as if no longer interested if it wasn’t him who would score. He ended up leading his team in both points and turnovers, a stat line only the top dogs can maintain, as I saw T. Buie prove on several occasions. Jeremic will probably rule the Albany playgrounds or Y leagues for a decade to come, but I hope he plays some college ball too and learns to discipline his already stunning game.
Chris Hooks (6’2” senior) from Shaker High School in North Colonie has long been noted, like Nolan Hart, as a drop-dead spot shooter who can drill threes. When I saw him play against Saratoga HS at their gym this year, 3 of his first 4 hoops were on drives or inside putbacks, one of them a great reverse spin move off the dribble that I’d never seen him pull off before. He had progressed beyond his stereotypical role as a “mere” outside shooter, though in the second half he lit up the Blue Streak “D” for 3 quick jumpers in an 8-point flurry. Then for some reason, in a close game and with no foul trouble, he was sitting at the beginning of the 4th quarter and Shaker’s coach let a lead slip away while Saratoga rallied and his troops got rattled. Why a blue-chipper like Hooks would sit at all was puzzling to me. He’s been a mid-teen to low-20s scorer for the better part of the past two years.
Mike Branche (6’3” senior) of Colonie High recently completed a 3-year varsity career on what is traditionally one of the strong squads in the Suburban Council, and this year he was the best player on a team that wasn’t as deep or impressive in record as the previous two years he saw there. Still this 3-sport star (in football and baseball as well) more than held his own against the bigger frontlines of Saratoga and Shen and Burnt Hills. On the City Rocks 16U team he turned into more of a 3-man which suited him better than the 4- or 5. Always a steady scorer, cagey defender, and Dave DeBusschere-type rebounder, he hustled nonstop and was fun to watch in AAU. As with Mackey and some of these others, I never did get to see him play in a high school game in his senior year, but followed his stats, and heard good things about him. From a great family and a talented, athletic line of brothers, he will do well no matter what field he enters.
Brandon Mercado (6’1” senior) and Seth Hidde (6’4” senior) from Fonda-Fultonville both impressed me last summer at the HVCC Summer camp, and again at the end of the season during their run to the Sectional “B” Championship, in games played up at Glens Falls. I didn’t see them in between, but knew that they had an undefeated season going and were something like 23-0 after I watched them destroy a real good Watervliet squad in the Semis at GFCC. In the summer league games, Mercado was dominant; at GFCC it was Hidde who took over. Their whole team played with cohesion and unselfishness but these two were the standouts, no doubt. Mercado was the best guard I saw in the area outside of the Big 10 or Matt Miner in the Suburban. He had great handle, good decision making when he distributed, and defended well. He could stroke 3’s or drive all the way to the rack. Athletically, he could’ve played in the Big 10 himself, which I would rarely say about a player from the WAC, where the competition is nowhere near as intense. He looks like a pure hooper and seems like he’d be a lock to play somewhere on the college level.
Seth Hidde likewise was a full notch above anyone else in his league—he rebounded like a man against ‘Vliet’s tough bigs, and consistently beat them down the court, running nonstop and finishing on the break repeatedly. A solid mid-range shooter and good scorer inside, I would not be surprised to hear that he was playing hoop at a 2-year or small 4-year school somewhere next year, though he would likely move to the wing, or bulk up to continue playing inside. As a 3-sport athlete however, he may have other plans, I’m not sure.
I congratulate these two players from Fonda and their fine team for their excellent season.
Malcolm Mathias (senior, 5’9”) from Gloversville HS was likely the second best player in the Foothils this year, after Terrell Winne from Scotia, who won area scoring honors and made the Top Ten list. What I saw from Mathias was a jitterbug quickness and handle that is not normally seen in leagues other than the Big 10 (there, I’ve said it again, but that’s the last time), and a creativity of moves that show someone to be a true baller, no matter where they’re from. Unfortunately, during his team’s game versus Burnt Hills up at the Glens Falls Civic Center, he was not dropping his shots and looked quite discouraged toward the end, but I knew he had just hit 31 in his previous game, and took that into account. He penetrated at will, just could not connect. His threes were rimming out, but his form was good. With better scoring results from him, Gloversville may have beaten BH-BL, but in truth the latter was a better team, and played tough D on this kid. He looks like the type of guard who will keep playing somewhere on the next level, as his skill set was obvious.
Ian Yost (6’3” Senior) from Johnstown HS was a bruiser and a relentless scorer when my son’s Hoop Nation AAU 17U team played against his team last spring out at their place. He drove consistently against our 6’8” center and muscled his way inside tiem and again, scoring 21 or so, and showing a deft baseline touch as well. He didn’t miss much, and his team nearly surprised us. I never saw his play a high school game, but based on his stats and reports I heard, I would have to place him on this list of those who achieved their potential in scholastic ball.
Jordan Greene (6’5” junior) at South Glens Falls has grown in stature and reputation in recent years to the point where he may well be Top Ten material next year. He was one of three talented players (Kevin Donahue and Nate Uline being the others) on a scrappy Bulldog team that gave Scotia High their only home loss of the season (I believe) in the Foothills Division, and I saw him excel numerous times in AAU ball, playing for the Ballston Blizzard a year up in 17U ball last year. He is rangy, long and quick and plays sneaky defense, and can finish well in the lane and around the hoop. His outside shooting was never his forte, but I suspect with work it will improve, and he’s got the gracefulness and size to possibly make the grade as a D-2 player or better at the next level. He is the kind of kid I wish Miles had gotten to play with, instead of against, in AAU or HS ball, but I guess that’s not meant to be—yet we wish him well as his career develops.
Amari Gaddy (6’2 junior) of Albany High scored over 30 in one late season game, and the more I see of high school ball in this area, the more impressive that benchmark becomes—not too many are capable of it. Albany has so much talent, and the Big 10 is loaded with quick, talented guards overall, so that it is sometimes hard for players to stand out, or to be consistent every game. I thought that Gaddy was a deadly shooter in the games he played against CCHS, but he was just one of the weapons they had, not dominant. Yet against CBA on the big stage at the T-U Center I thought he did not get enough touches to have an influence in that game, and really Jeremic Bennett did not look to share the limelight with him at a time when Albany could’ve used a second strong scorer. Perhaps his chance to shine will come next year, so keep an eye on this kid then.
Shavar Fields (6’8” senior) has perhaps the most raw talent of anyone on this “Almost” Top Ten List, and is a player who figured to be a cinch on that list at one time. Bishop Maginn gained greatly when Albany Academy let Shavar go after his tumultuous tenure under Coach Fruscio, where I thought he was badly underused during his sophomore and junior years there, playing behind Chris Pelcher in that era. Here was a lanky, athletic kid who looked to me like a lock for some kind of D-1 ball back in 7th, 8th, and 9th grade when he was way ahead of his classmates in height, jumping ability, shot-blocking and rebounding. He could finish well around the hoop but always looked like he needed just a bit more polish, and a bit more focus and intensity in his game. During his senior year he would have stellar moments followed by long stretches where he would disappear and not be a factor in the game. He was often out-hustled by his own teammates John Scurry and Chris Jeffers on the boards. Yet he could tip-slam or tommyhawk dunk in a way that could make you gasp, which should have put him in the stratosphere of local talent. Of all the players named on this list, he probably fell the furthest off the radar screen of anyone in terms of not meeting his full potential, and I don’t pretend to know the reasons for that. A complicated psyche was perhaps masked by an attitude that led some to conclude he didn’t care but I tend to think that, as with my own son, a different, more simpatico coach, could have brought out a lot more expression of talent than he was ever coaxed or allowed to show. I always liked Shavar, and feel he may still succeed at college ball somewhere, and wish him well.
Reece Jackson (6’5” Senior), Schenectady High—This 4-year varsity member for Mark Sausville’s Patriot squad, along with Shavar Fields, mentioned above, would have seemed like a lock for the Top Ten list if you were judging the respective talents of the Class of 2010 a few years ago. Reece logged significant minutes as a frosh and sophomore in Big Ten competition, and possessed a smooth outside jumper to go along with good jumping ability, grace with the ball, and a ability to score points in bunches. As a junior, he formed a tandem with Mark Blair, a 2009 grad, up front that was tough to beat when they were both motivated to play, and seemed primed to take over the leadership role before his senior season. But, unfortunately he had ankle and foot problems that waylaid his final season of HS ball, and it cost him the early part of the campaign—and when he did come back, he did not seem to be the same dominant player he’d been projected to be, and the chemistry of the team was already deteriorating due to conflicts between the coach and some of the players, who were subsequently dismissed from the team, sabotaging a season in which they could seemingly have competed for, as Ludicrus once sang—That Numbah-One Spot. Even more than our mis-managed collection of talent at CCHS, the parents and fans of Schenectady had a right to believe that great things could have happened in ’09-’10—but they didn’t end up that way.
If you had seen Reece play in summer ball (a perennial at Greg Koubek’s Brant Lake Camp, and the Shen League) or AAU ball, you would have thought he was definitely Top 10 talent among area schoolboys. Though some thought he shot from outside too much instead of using his inside game, and others thought he coasted a bit and complained when he didn’t get enough shots, his skills were still obvious. I always found him to be an affable, good-natured kid off the court, and thought that a motivational, non-confrontational coach could have brought out his best. His stats during his ultimate season on the varsity level did not—as with my own son—indicate his true talent level, and the timing of his 2009 surgery on his ankle (or foot, I was never quite sure) did not do him, or his team, any good. I feel that he will likely re-emerge in college ball and perhaps still hit his peak. I have no idea where he
might be headed, but perhaps a local community college might benefit from his presence, and he would get his feet under him again, so to speak. In any case, I wish Reece Jackson well.
That concludes my list of “those that could have been Top 10…” and there are actually 21 mentioned. Some of them are young and still might make it if they keep improving and are nurtured properly; others over-achieved and squeezed all they could out of their talent; while others, like Reece, were injured at the wrong time, or did not quite fulfill the potential some believed they had.
2 TROY YOUNGBLOODS 2 WATCH OUT 4….
I haven’t figured out yet which category to put these two
early-in-their-career stud big men who both happen to attend and play for TROY High, so I am putting them here in their own category. Kareem Brown was a 6’8” soph who started out raw but became an accomplished low-post player by mid-year in the tough Big 10. His stats were not huge overall but I can tell you his impact on the boards was demoralizing, with putbacks all too common. Later in the season he was joined by—and almost eclipsed by—Javion Ogunyemmi, a 6’7” freshman phenom who was too good to stay on JV. In games I saw they would not always be on the floor at the same time, but if they were, made for tough match-ups one way or the other. If they continue to work on their strength and their footwork and shooting, and stay devoted to improving their games, they could be absolutely devastating in this area, and Troy may pose the most serious threat to CBA of any local opponent for the next two years, including Maginn.
HONORABLE MENTION
Corey Sumpter, (6’ guard, Amsterdam)—developed into a great shooter who was hitting his peak toward the end of his senior season. Amsterdam took a lot of lumps in the Big 10 but he always competed well, from what I saw. Nailed about 28 points against CCHS in a losing effort at the end of the regular season, and looked like Stephan Curry that night.
Elijah Jenkins (5’8” guard, Troy)—a lightning quick junior penetrator and slinky inside-&-out scorer, will do well next year in leading Troy’s improving and huge team. Will likely be among the top returning guards in the Big 10 next year, and along with some of the other big talents from Troy High I’ve mentioned here should prove to pose a threat to the perennial powers in that league, which I would pay to see.
Marquis Campbell (6’1” guard, LaSalle)—a crafty penetrator who was capable of sticking a three now and then, this point guard was one of the tough competitors my son went up against for several years in both summer and winter ball, and I always thought he was a good kid and an intense player. Some criticized him for not being enough of a passing point guard but I still liked his game, and wish him well in future endeavors.
Nick Keefe (6’1” guard, Columbia High)—always a deadly 3-point shooter, was sorry to see he had an injury that kept him from playing against Miles when we scrimmaged his team this past winter— Nick and his classmates had great battles in the CDYBL days between East Greenbush and our Saratoga bunch. His stats for his senior year were impressive, and he became one of those kids who was the best player on a team that was hit hard by defections, transfers, and talented kids playing other sports.
Chris Coughlan (5’11” senior, Queensbury)—a good shooter from deep and a steady ballhandler who played well on last year’s Hoop Nation AAU team with Miles and was the best player on his varsity team, leading them to an upset of SSHS in the Sectionals, on Saratoga’s home floor. Chris was a cheerful, upbeat kid who exhibited a love for the game that was contagious, and I believe will be pursuing a D-3 college career.
Justin Barnett (5’7” senior, Shen)—also a key contributor on Hoop Nation’s stalwart AAU team last year, and likewise on Shen’s powerful varsity this year. Perhaps the quickest hands of any defender in the area, and likely led the area in steals-per-minute, and game-changing moments, if there were stats for such categories. Headed to Oneonta State where he hopes to make the team as a walk-on, and with his passion, drive, speed, and intensity, I would not bet against him.
Lucas Wager (6’8” senior, Doane Stuart)—A dominant force in D ball and one of the leading scorers in the area, I think it would’ve been interesting to see how he fared against Ethan Mackey or Tyler Hammett or Troy High’s two big men if he had played up in a more competitive league. Still, in AAU ball he more than held his own against some tough competition, and always shot a high percentage from the field and the line. Lucas was a brilliant student too, and as such may play Ivy League ball next year, so keep your eye on his progress from here. Miles and Lucas had actually played together in Rec League about 8-9 years ago, and formed a team that beat all the teams a year up from them, and then played a couple of years together on Saratoga’s Travel team as well, but both went the private school route, in different directions.
Tony DeLoatch (6’2 Senior) was considered by many observers to be the best Section 2 football player in the area this past season for the Double-AA Sectional Champs of Saratoga Springs HS. He played varsity hoop as a soph, and yet was not taken on the team for his junior season, for reasons known only to the Saratoga coaching staff. Yet when he came back to the team for his senior season, he was one of the most heavily-used forces on that team-- at one point was ranked in the Top Five among area Big Schools-- which I thought was a big deceptive, given their good record against a weakened Suburban Council, other than Shen, to whom they lost twice.
Tony was a powerhouse inside player in a league that didn’t have a lot of power inside, other than players mentioned here like Manny Hernandez and Zach Morton. Without a lot of height, he was Barkley-esque at times in moving taller players out of his way, and was extremely accurate around the hoop. Yet he also hit 5 threes in one game during his sophomore year, playing alongside Jordan Stevens. Miles has played with and against Tony since they were 7 or 8 years old in local Rec Leagues, and also played well together on various Travel and AAU teams (Wilton Hornets 14U and Hoop Nation 15U) over the years…so I’ve seen Tony play perhaps more than any other kid on this list. But what made me put him on this list is that, number one, he happened to hit 26 points (his career-high) in one game I saw this year against Shaker; and number two, Saratoga Springs would not have done anywhere near as well this year as they did without him on the squad. We wish him well in his impending football career, and presumably you’ll be hearing about his feats as a running back or return specialist at a D-1 college in a year or two.
Anthony Luciano (6’3” wing, Saratoga Springs)—along with some guys I will mention below, Anthony was likely one of the most under-used talents in the area the past two years. He and my son formed a lefty-righty combination in the backcourt from CDYBL days up through last year’s AAU team that was hard to beat, but they never got to play together in HS ball for reasons I won’t go into here. I’d seen Anthony drill as many as 8 threes in a game, and on numerous occasions hit 3 or 4 in a row when Miles was nailing him with set-up passes. But then to see him go scoreless and largely ride the bench for Saratoga on Senior Night seemed a horrible waste to me. But as his Dad and me have discussed many times, they’ve given us great times to remember for the past 10 years, and it’s more important that they do well in life than in a flawed HS basketball program. I know, I know--Mikey McElroy and Zach Arpey of Saratoga Springs Varsity both had better seasons statistically than Anthony this past season, but I saw Anth do things in AAU ball against stiffer competition than the Suburban Council would offer that neither of them will likely match, and conversely, in my brief glimpses of their season, I saw the other two commit tactical mistakes and exhibit selfish play that Anth would never have made nor shown. This is where the arbitrary whims and favoritism of a coach come into play—some kids are given free rein to run and gun up and down the court; others are yanked on a moment’s notice, and sit on the bench wondering what they—or maybe their fathers—did wrong. Anthony was leaning towards Siena at first but tending toward U. Buffalo last I heard, and will do well wherever he goes.
Matt Berthiaume (6’5” junior, Waterford-Halfmoon) – an affable but tough kid who also played well (and a year up) for the Hoop Nation team last year, and was among area leaders in Section 2 for field goals scored in the past season. He may well dominate the C Division next year—a good shooter, rugged rebounder, and a capable defender. He played well against bigger guys in AAU—tougher comp than he is likely to see in any of his league or regular season games next year.
Peyton Stahler (6’5” senior, Canajoharie) – I only saw this
player once, in AAU ball, so it’s hard for me to judge how good he really is or was, but his stats speak for themselves: 21.0 ppg and second in area scoring, top ten in both field goals made and free throws. You’d think he would’ve gotten some Top Ten buzz but he just plays so far to the west that not many Cap District fans see him play, as with Kevin Hansen last year.
Kevin Donahue (6’3” Senior, South Glens Falls)— A wicked streak shooter with classic form and release, he also developed some slinky driving ability during the year I saw him play on the City Rocks 16U B team. Along with Jordan Greene and strong pivot Nate Uline (Clarkson-bound) he formed a tough nucleus for arguably the second-best team in A ball—the team that knocked #1 Scotia-Glenville from the undefeated ranks on their own court this past winter.
Scott Seiter (6’4” senior, Shaker HS) This kid was not really
on my particular radar screen until I saw him play an inspired game against Saratoga High at their place this winter. Against SSHS’ much heftier frontline he showed scoring, toughness, and rebounding ability which was almost enough to provide an upset that night, were it not for some questionable calls by the refs, and the fact that Shaker’s other stellar player, Chris Hooks, was on the bench while Saratoga made their comeback.
That being said, Mr. Seiter was impressive on that occasion, and must have done pretty well when Shaker played Maginn tough in the first round of the playoffs later in the season.
Chris Britt (6’2” senior, Rensselaer High) This was a high-scoring player whom I saw play more in AAU ball than HS ball, but who had some great stats in high school from what I saw in the box-scores. A tough urban-styled player who could hit when closely-guarded, I felt his team would do much better in C level competition but some unfortunate off-court happenings involving one other prominent player on his team this past year likely sabotaged their chances, let’s just leave it at that. I would think that Mr. Britt still has the talent to play at a junior college or community college if he wants to keep developing his game beyond the high-school ranks.
Kyle Pelozzi (6’3, senior, Hoosic Valley) Another great shooter who I’ve seen play since he was a much shorter kid, mostly in spring and summer AAU, and even in CYO ball back in the day, I believe. Playing for a small school team where he was free to carry the load and take the bulk of the shots, he was among area leaders in threes and his scoring stats were good, albeit in a Class C environment. He was a zone-buster from Day One, and why opponents would leave him open, I can’t figure.
Danny Lee (6’3” senior, Shen) Also one of the top 5 shooters in the area based on number of threes made, he was anointed early by the Shen coaches as a carte blanche outside stroker, but the consensus among some local pundits was that he became somewhat one-dimensional as a result. Unlike his more-heralded teammate Miner, he was not prone to driving and slashing as much, or mixing it up inside, and didn’t seem as interested in dishing, rebounding or D… all things that would have put him higher in the rankings, at least based on the few games that I saw him play. I’ve heard he is on his way to Oneonta State to play D-3 ball there.
Cullen Overholt (6’2” senior, Loudonville Christian) Cullen was a talented scorer brought up in the Ballston Spa system who chose to go the private school route on a D ball level, where he was encouraged to be the go-to guy for the past 2-3 years, and racked up a lot of points in the process. It’s always a bit disingenuous to compare stats between AA school players and D players, as I’ve said many times, but he managed to get into the upper echelon of scoring leaders, field goals made, and free throws made, so for him the switch was productive.
Mark Seager (5’9” senior, Ballston Spa) A tough competitor at basketball and football, he is feisty enough that I would have to bet he will do well in life as well—a leader in area 3-point shooting during his junior year, he once hit 8 threes in a game against Saratoga, I believe. He and Miles had great battles in the past when Saratoga’s Travel or AAU teams would clash with Ballston Spa’s equivalent, and I always admired his ballhandling, shooting, and fighting spirit. But the latter must have been tested severely by the travails of his school’s program in the past two years, though he remained a stalwart
in spite of the defections and distractions around that team.
Maple Hill HS, as a team: In looking over this list I realize that this team had probably enjoyed greater success than any other team mentioned here, WITHOUT having any one individual player named as a stand-out who deserved consideration as being among the best in the area. For two years in a row they advanced to Glens Falls in Sectional play in the C division and got a lot of ink locally as the area’s last undefeated team in Section 2. The threesome of 6’5” Sean Danaher, 6’2” David Briggs, and 6’0” sparkplug Christopher Despart—all seniors this past year—were the prime reasons why, along with a coach named Scott Hanrahan, who apparently knows how to get the most out of his players’ talents…an increasingly rare skill. There are a whole lot of schools that could use such a coach, and damn few of them to go around.
*****
There are also some members of the Class of 2010 who had played some serious ball with or against Miles at one time or another that I want to name-drop as well—guys like Ryan Wilkins (Shen), Julian Wukitsch (St. Catherine’s/Bethlehem), Dylan Tully (Maginn), Lucas Marino (City Rocks AAU), Raja Johnson (Albany High/ Maginn), Suhayb Banks (Shen), Moo Inman (Albany Travel/City Rocks), Tony Lewis (Schenectady High/ City Rocks), Joey Cavallo (Albany Travel/LaSalle), Rich Smith (East Greenbush/LaSalle), Dom Denofio & Nick Stasolla (Ballston Spa), Jordan Meeks and Frank Lombardi (Colonie High), Corey Carmello, Chris Bogdan, and Eric Sinko (Shaker), Bennett Knowlton (who moved to Massachusetts) & Guy Waltman (Niskayuna), Matt Bynum (Burnt Hills), Jack Reilly (Niskayuna/CBA), Darryl Chan (Clifton Park Travel/AAU Ball), Zach Zaloga (Saratoga Travel/CBA), Brennan Haley, Shawn Sweeney, Max A’Hearn, Nick Leone (Saratoga/Hoop Nation/Wilton Hornets), Ben Van Earden (Saratoga Travel/AAU Celtics), Zach Zaloga (Saratoga Travel/CBA, who goes all the way back to elementary school days with Miles), Kyle Lovelady (Albany Travel/City Rocks), Owen Daniels (St. Catherine’s/Albany High/City Rocks), and no doubt several others I am forgetting… who were all great kids in their own ways, and were fun to watch. Most of the guys on the above list either moved away, changed to another sport, gave up organized hoop, or were marginalized on their HS teams to a point where they were not heard from as much as I thought they would be. Out of all the above, Jack Reilly was the highest profile, as center for CBA—but was more notable perhaps as a defensive end in football and a killer lacrosse player. Some of the others on the list…I’m not sure what became of them all.
Also want to shout out to the Seniors of 2010 from the fabled Saint Gregory’s Class of 2006, who made that year so much fun under the aegis of brilliant Coach Roger Powers: Tim DiStefano, Peter Alley, Kevin Finin, Max Macielak, Ian Teal, Anthony Clemente, Daniel Anyaegbunam, Bradan Liberty, and Brian Kunkel, as well as Liam Doyle, who will be Class of 2011 (LaSalle). 2006 was a great year in CYO Hoop and academics at St. Gregory’s School for Boys in Loudonville, and we’ll always think fondly of you guys…
And to the seniors of 2010 at CCHS—notably Keaton Woods, who will attend LeMoyne with Miles and others from Catholic Central next year; Shiva Senthil, who will attend Hartwick to play some ball and drill some threes next year; and Ben Hannibal, who will be heading to George Washington U. this fall—we wish you well…
With that, I conclude my long-winded summation of the 2010 season and a host of players I noted along the way. I know there were some good ones here and there I may not have mentioned or remembered, or never saw play. But this is just one man’s opinion, and no one is paying me to perform this analysis. I admit is highly subjective
I doubt I will ever go into such detail on this website again regarding a basketball season’s overview, and now that my own son is graduating from Catholic Central and heading off to LeMoyne College, I may be taking more note of college ball in the future, or other sports that my other two children are involved with—or just focus on books I’ve yet to write.
It’s been a great ten or eleven year ride, following not only my son’s advancement through the ranks from Rec League to Varsity and everything in between, but also watching all manner of high school hoop and then AAU since the year 2000 with my son alongside for 90% of that time. I enjoyed most of the viewing experience, though there has also been a lot of frustration and disappointment along the way, just as in real life. For those of you whose sons are still involved with the journey, I wish you well, and for those of you who are still playing with fervor and belief and love of the game, I say get the most out of every minute of your high school and AAU careers, and never take it for granted, because someday it will be over and you will then be on this side of the court, as a spectator, looking back on the great times you had, with a ball in your hands, and the clock still running….
Take care, from a fellow fan,
Wayne Perras
Copyright 2010 Wayne Perras
www.waynesword.com/HoopPosted Sunday, June 13, 2010 Reposted Monday, June 21, 2010