Tom Crotty Memorial Tournament Recap
There is often the debate over what is better: college basketball or the NBA. Well, I’d like to throw my 2 cents into this argument (and since it’s my article, I can!). Even better than both has become high school basketball. Ok, I know that there will be some skeptics out there that will immediately scream out that there is some terrible high school ball played throughout the United States. Fair enough, but there is atrocious college ball (for example: Savannah St., who is currently 0-24) and some horrendous NBA play (see the New Orleans Hornets and Atlanta Hawks).
Now that we’ve thrown out the worst of the worst, it’s more about the crème de la crème. NBA play has become diluted by the lack of shooting prowess and the recent lore of AND1 Street ball. College ball keeps losing players to early declarations for the pros. High school ball, ahh, the fun of it. With AAU programs getting these kids prepared earlier and with workout plans that turn 16-year-old boys into sculpted little “men”, high school basketball has become a powerhouse.
This past Sunday, I attended the 2nd Annual Tom Crotty Memorial Tournament at St. John’s in Queens, NY. This tournament is in memory of the many people near and dear to basketball in the Tri-State area that were lost on 9/11. Just like last year, the Crotty was a huge hit, with some major players. Rather than breakdown just the games, I’m going to give you a look into some of the individual studs that performed for a near packed house at Lou Carnesecca Hall.
Danny Green, a senior wingman of St. Mary’s in Manhasset, was probably the most complete player. Already signed with the University of North Carolina, the question as of late is: will this kid ever make it Chapel Hill? He was one of the top rated players at this past summer’s Reebok ABCD camp, and he has continued to blow away his competition. The NBA is definitely a possibility. He has a soft touch from outside, can leap out of the building, and has the court vision of a point guard. Don’t forget, this kid is a legit 6-5! He ended his game against Xaverian with 17 points, 9 rebounds, 7 blocks, and 4 assists. Green has superstar written all over him. Watch out ACC, if Danny does indeed become a Tar Heel, he will be dangerous.
The final game of the day had the most future stars on one court. Starting with St. Patrick’s junior forward Derrick Caracter, it was a fantastic showcase of talent. I’ve written about him previously, and from this summer to now, his body has matured. He has lost about 15 pounds, and is beginning to look like he is building some muscle. After sitting out some early season games due to transfer issues, D.C. has come on strong and is getting back to form. The most impressive feature of his game is his hands. He’s got these big, huge mitts that catch everything thrown his way, and continues to be a force to be reckoned with.
His sophomore teammate, Corey Fisher, is a dynamo. He is a Bronx native that definitely has that “New York flare.” At 6-1, he’s already a perfect size for a point guard. He is lightning quick, has a good shot, and never shies away from a challenge. He went at it with fellow sophomore guard Michael Coburn of Mount Vernon. Fisher ended the game with 17 points, 5 rebounds, but also had 5 turnovers. Coburn notched 19 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds, and 7 turnovers. The meeting was pretty equal, but Coburn’s squad got the win. Michael has a strong body, with very wide shoulders. I wouldn’t be surprised if he grows to about 6-4 from his current 6-0 frame. Colleges vying for his services include: UConn, Syracuse, St. John’s, and Seton Hall.
Mt. Vernon senior point man Chris Lowe looks to be headed to Fordham. A local scout was quoted as saying: “Lowe reminds me of a poor man’s Chris Paul.” Lowe took control of the game when it needed to be controlled. His shooting is a little sketchy, but his handle and ability to see the court was probably the best I saw on the day.
Lowe’s teammate, junior 6-7 forward Jonathan Mitchell, is being heavily recruited by all Big East schools, as well as Kansas and Kentucky. Mitchell also looks like he’ll grow a bit more. He’s a lefty, which right off the bat makes him a tougher player to guard. Mitchell has a very strong upper body and good enough touch around the rim. He may turn into a big-time college player.
Xaverian had two excellent players as well. Senior point guard Levance Fields has already signed with Pitt. Fields is the type of player that has never seen a shot he does not like. If he was 4 to 5 inches taller, he’d be one of the most dominant players in the nation; at 6 feet, he will need to adjust to being a playmaker in college. He’s got quick feet and hands and a stocky body. Pitt has gotten themselves a tremendous player.
Saiqon Stone has sort of gone unnoticed. He’s a bit undersized to play power forward (which is his natural position) at the next level, but he is a great athlete. He’s looking at Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Fairfield, Hofstra, and St. John’s. On Sunday, he had 17 points, 10 rebounds and 4 steals. He is often overshadowed by Fields, but has some raw talent that, if used correctly, can turn him into a very good college player. Moving over to the small forward position would make him so much more dangerous.
Curtis Kelly of Rice is only a junior, but is already considered one of the best players in the nation. He stands 6-9 and weighs in at 215 pounds. If you want an inside game, he can give that to you. Oh, you want a player that can step outside and knock down the 18 footer? Kelly can do that, too. He’s another kid that depending on his development over the next year and a half, may attempt to make the jump to the NBA.
Edgar Sosa, also of Rice, put on a show. His stat line read like this: 23 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds. Sosa is also just a junior and at 6-2 has the makings of a perfect point guard on the next level. Edgar is definitely someone worth taking note of and paying attention to his progress.
Ahmad Nivens of St. Anthony’s (NJ) is a 6-10 beast. You might as well call him “Sir-Dunk-A-Lot.” Nivens plays the game like a man amongst boys. Don’t get it twisted though; Ahmad is not just a dunker. He’s got a smooth game, can shoot out to about 16 feet, and runs the floor like a guard. I love this kid’s game. Ahmad has signed with St. Joseph’s. His senior point guard teammate, Sean McCurdy recently had surgery on his foot. More than likely he is out for the season, but he is another stellar guard. Sean recently signed with Arkansas.
6-8, 260-pound forward Tyrell Biggs is headed to Pittsburgh. Biggs is nimble for a large boy. His inside presence is continuously felt. If you want a comparison, think Brandon Bass of LSU. Ty knocked down an efficient 26 points (10-14 from the field) and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 1-point victory over Holy Cross.
Other players of note, in no particular order included:
Ricky Torres, St. Raymond’s: 6-5 senior guard (signed with St. John’s)
Chris Bethel, St. Raymond’s: 6-5 senior forward (signed with Fordham)
Victor Morris, Cardozo: 5-11 senior guard (signed with Hofstra)
DaSean Butler, Bloomfield Tech: 6-7 junior forward
Derrick Mercer, St. Anthony’s: 5-8 senior guard (signed with American)
Tyson Johnson, St. Mary’s: 6-7 senior forward (signed with Monmouth)
Tyrone Hanson, St. Mary’s: 6-7 senior forward (signed with Monmouth)
Yves Mbala, St. Patrick’s: 6-6 junior forward (every Big East school is looking at him)
Jeff Robinson, St. Patrick’s: 6-5 sophomore forward (UConn, Syracuse, or Wake Forest)
