Charlie Weber Easter Hoop Fest Recap
WASHINGTON – The 2006 Charlie Weber Easter Hoop Fest was among the tournaments in the first weekend sanctioned for Division I coaches to attend. Not surprisingly, there was a large contingent of east coast coaches present, along with some from the southeast. They all got to see some good basketball, as we all have come to expect from Charlie’s tournaments.
The championship game was a controversial one in the closing seconds, as a close foul was called that resulted in game-winning free throws as Mount Royal-Team Melo pulled out a 60-59 win over Team Jersey Elite. Malcolm Delaney (6’3″ Jr. SG, Towson (MD) Catholic HS) capped a nice weekend by leading Team Melo with 17 points, while talented sophomore Sean Mosley (6’5″ So. SG-SF, Baltimore (MD) St. France Academy) added 12 points and Syracuse-bound Donte Green (6’10” Jr. PF, Towson (MD) Catholic HS) added 10 to cap a good weekend. Team Jersey Elite was led by 22 points from Idriss Hilliard (6’6″ Jr. SF, Princeton (NJ) Hun HS) and 12 from Paris Horne (6’2″ Jr. SG, Middletown (DE) High).
Three other playoff brackets were formed based on pool finishes. The finals of each went as follows:
- New York-based Team Odom capped a weekend of good, balanced basketball with a 60-51 win over DC Assault. Robert Hampton led three Team Odom players in double figures with 14 points.
- Virginia-based Triple Threat picked up a 72-71 win over New York-based Bingo’s All-Stars in a game with a wild finish. A botched inbounds pass led to a layup by Bingo’s guard Joshua Spivey to give Bingo’s a 71-70 lead in the closing seconds. But Adrian Bowie quickly took the ball the length of the floor for a layup, the final two of his 19 points, to give Triple Threat the win. Jeff Jones led Triple Threat with a game-high 24 points, while Spivey led Bingo’s with 20.
- In another dramatic finish, the final game of the tournament saw a big surprise as South Jersey Select picked up a 59-56 win over the powerful Playaz in an in-state battle. After a dunk tied the game at 56, Anthony Raffa scored the biggest three of his 12 points with a one-handed shot from the wing as time expired to give South Jersey Select the win. Dante Bailey led South Jersey Select with a game-high 18 points.
Unsigned Seniors We Liked
Jeff Allen (6’7″ SF-PF, Washington (DC) Oak Hill Academy)
Marcus Ashton (6’2″ SG, Brandywine (MD) Gwynn Park HS)
Evann Baker (6’3″ SG, Washington (DC) Archbishop Carroll HS)
Cody Boone (6’9″ PF-C, Bald Eagle Area (PA) High)
Jon Boyer (6’1″ PG, Hollidaysburg (PA) High)
Trevor Charles (6’6″ SF-PF, Brooklyn (NY) Grady HS)
Andrew Cunningham (5’10” PG, Toronto (Ont.) Eastern HS)
Cliff Dixon (6’9″ PF-C, Suitland (MD) High)
Wayne Dorsey (6’7″ PF, Baltimore (MD) Southwestern HS)
Jamel Ferguson (6’5″ SF, Syracuse (NY) Milford HS)
Curtis Fitch (6’6″ PF, Thompson (CT) Marianapolis Prep)
DuJuan Goodwin (6’3″ PG-SG, Baltimore (MD) Mt. St. Joseph’s HS)
Robert Hampton (6’4″ SG, Queens (NY) Christ The King HS)
Cortlin Lewis (6’5″ SF, Chesterfield (VA) Lloyd Bird HS)
Michael Luby (6’11” C, Toronto (Ont.) West Hill HS)
Antonio Reese (6’1″ PG, Chesterfield (VA) Lloyd Bird HS)
Underclassmen
Jamar Abrams (6’6″ Jr. SF, Highland Springs (VA) High) Lefty wing is very athletic and active. He tried to do too much a couple of times and looks noticeably slower going to his right, but showed a little touch shooting the ball in addition to getting out in transition.
Nasir Austin (6’6″ Jr. SF-PF, Capitol Heights (MD) Notre Dame Prep) Athletic forward looks a little more like a power forward, as he has the body for it and didn’t distinguish himself on the perimeter.
Jonas Behre (5’11” Jr. PG, Toronto (Ont.) Fr. Henry Carr HS) He has a slight frame and isn’t jet-quick, but he penetrated well to create opportunities for his team. His size works against him some as well.
Malik Boothe (5’9″ Jr. PG, Queens (NY) Christ The King HS) He’s a small but tough floor leader who doesn’t have the best physical tools, instead doing it by playing the game the way he does. He plays hard, he’s scrappy, and really showed a knack for creating for his teammates. Most importantly, his team won games this weekend and he had a lot to do with it. If he was 3-4 inches taller, we would be talking about a solid high-major recruit; instead, he looks like a high-major minus/mid-major plus prospect.
Adrian Bowie (6’3″ Jr. PG-SG, Rockville (MD) Montrose Christian Academy) Lefty guard isn’t a jet, but has some quickness and can get to the basket. He played the point some this weekend on a team without a natural point guard, and went for double digits a couple of times along the way.
Chris Braswell (6’8″ So. PF, Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha Catholic HS) Promising post player has a big body and can run the floor, but he’s as yet unpolished offensively and got few touches this weekend.
Zach Crimmins (7’0″ Jr. C, Arlington (VA) Archbishop O’Connell HS) Skilled post player looks like he has a decent face-up game and can operate in the high post. He’ll certainly need to get stronger for the next level.
Roscoe Davis (6’9″ So. SF-PF, Washington (DC) St. Mary’s Rykien HS) One of the best prospects on the DC Assault team, he’s long, athletic and bouncy. He got some baskets driving and also showed a touch from mid-range, and as his body matures the former aspect of his game should only get better.
Malcolm Delaney (6’3″ Jr. SG, Towson (MD) Catholic HS) Athletic scorer had a very good weekend consistently hitting double figures in scoring. Although he seems to be more of a scorer than a shooter, he did knock down his share of three-pointers while preferring to drive and occasionally pull up for a short jumper.
Laron Dendy (6’9″ Jr. PF, Pickens (SC) Prince Avenue Prep) He didn’t get a lot of touches on offense, but his potential was shown nonetheless. Possessing good size and some athleticism, he blocked a few shots and ran the floor well for his team.
Tim Downs (5’10” Jr. PG, Greenville (SC) Berea HS) Quick waterbug floor leader was very effective driving inside and making things happen. He showed the ability to shoot it out to three-point range, but he’s more content to set up teammates and make things happen.
Marrell Evans (6’4″ Jr. SG-SF, Richmond (VA) Varina HS) We didn’t see him score much, but he’s an active wing athlete who impressed by playing bigger than his size. He has the physical tools and seems to have the right approach to the game with his aggressiveness.
Jio Fontan (5’11” So. PG, Jersey City (NJ) St. Anthony’s HS) A small scoring point guard, he scored on quick drives and also hit some mid-range jumpers.
Alonzo George (6’8″ Jr. PF, Brooklyn (NY) Tilden HS) Lefty post player is long and has a decent frame. He didn’t get many touches on offense, but was pretty active at both ends of the floor.
Gregory Grant (6’6″ Jr. PF, Richmond (VA) Huguenot HS) He has a solid post body and isn’t afraid to use it, at times being like a bull inside. Though undersized, he can get away with playing the power forward spot at his size at the right mid-major/low-major school.
Jerai Grant (6’10” Jr. PF-C, Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha Catholic HS) The son of former NBA player Harvey Grant doesn’t just have the pedigree, as he’s a fine player in his own right. He’s active inside and shows good footwork, rebounded well this weekend and got a hand on a number of passes even out near the perimeter.
Donte Greene (6’8″ Jr. SF-PF, Towson (MD) Catholic HS) Very athletic forward has good size for either forward spot and had a good weekend. He made a couple of three-pointers and scored some inside and out, while running the floor well. High-major prospect has committed to Syracuse.
Dino Gregory (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Baltimore (MD) Mt. St. Joseph’s HS) Here’s one of the more interesting forward prospects we saw. He has a decent body right now with some more maturing to do, and for a while was really not a factor. The speed of the game seemed to be a bit much for him and he doesn’t seem to really know the game. But late in his team’s last game, he came alive with a few plays at both ends, including a key dunk off of an offensive rebound and hitting a mid-range jumper.
Patrick Jackson (6’5″ So. SG-SF, Brooklyn (NY) Xaverian HS) Promising wing player really shot it well from long range in the game we saw. He already has a decent frame that will be better as his body matures, while also handling the ball some and slashing to the hoop as well to show a diverse offensive game.
Jeff Jones (6’4″ Jr. SG, Philadelphia (PA) Bonner Academy) He handled the ball often this weekend, which at his size would seem to make him a tantalizing talent. He shows nice guard skills, including a few shots off the dribble, but there’s one problem – until the very end, we didn’t see him score, or even take many shots. He scored 24 in their final game.
Terrence Jones (6’2″ So. SG, Baltimore (MD) Lake Clifton HS) He looks to have the tools to play both guard spots down the road. We saw his scoring capabilities with a good stroke from long range and the ability to drive to the hoop, which make him seem a little more suited to the shooting guard spot. He also seemed to play the point guard role for a spell.
Chris Lightner (6’6″ Jr. SF, Raleigh (NC) Word of God HS) Very athletic wing got his share of dunks, especially in transition where he seemed to excel. He reached double figures several times over the weekend, with his best skill being his ability to finish near the basket.
Jarrett Mann (6’3″ So. SG, Middletown (DE) High) Although he can hit the mid-range jumper, this athletic wing clearly prefers to drive to the basket. We saw him get several hoops on the go, showing some aggressiveness at the offensive end.
Sean Mosley (6’5″ So. SG-SF, Baltimore (MD) St. France Academy) Primarily a role player on his team, he reached double figures in the championship game and scored within the flow of the offense. He’s an athletic wing who looked more like a scorer than a shooter, and one to keep an eye on in the next two years.
Zach Nagatzam (6’11” Jr. C, London (Ont.) Southwood HS) We liked what we saw from this thin post player. He’ll have to get stronger, but he looked active at both ends and didn’t slow his team down, and got a hand on a number of balls as a defensive presence.
Corey Raji (6’6″ Jr. SF-PF, Westwood (NJ) High) He’s athletic and can score, but overall hasn’t stood out. The best way to describe him appears to be a complementary player, as he’s a high scorer on his high school team and gets in the teens most of the time with the Playaz. Not a big shooter, he can score inside and also knock down a mid-range jumper, and he really runs the floor well.
Jeremy Robinson (5’9″ Jr. PG, Baltimore (MD) Northwestern HS) Watching his team play, he may not jump out at you right away, but he’s a tough floor leader who made plays for his team. He led his team to the championship with penetration, passing and overall floor leadership and getting the ball to any of several players who had good scoring weekends.
Chris Smith (6’2″ Jr. SG, Lakewood (NJ) St. Benedict’s) He’s become a real scorer with an improving jump shot. Although he’s played the point some, he seems much more suited to shooting guard as he can drive to the basket and score in transition with his quickness and athleticism.
Lance Stephenson (6’5″ Fr. SG, Brooklyn (NY) Lincoln HS) Very talented and much-hyped freshman forced his share of bad shots and looks to be a little streaky shooting the ball based on his spring performances thus far.
Aaron Struthers (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Wareham (MA) High) Lanky forward can run the floor well and is active inside. He scored 13 points in his team’s final game, a game where he hurt his team with a technical foul.
Rondy Tucker (6’8″ So. PF, Piscataway (NJ) Rutgers Prep) Well-built post player already has a solid frame and used it well at both ends of the floor. He wasn’t a big scorer, but we did see him hit a short corner jumper in addition to some baskets in close.
Mike Williams (7’0″ Jr. C, Alexandria (VA) Bishop Ireton HS) Although he wasn’t quite the factor one would hope he would with his body, he’s one to keep an eye on. He has a good body inside and his mobility is good, and we saw him hit a couple of jump hooks on rare occasions he got touches inside.
Brock Young (5’11” Jr. PG, Raleigh (NC) Broughton HS) Quick floor leader penetrated seemingly at will at times and created well for teammates. He didn’t look like a big scorer, but he’s not a liability as he showed a little touch from long range along the way.
Others to keep an eye on
Derrick Archie (6’8″ Jr. PF, Newark (DE) Christiana HS)
Alwayne Bigby (6’4″ Fr. SF, Toronto (Ont.) Eastern HS)
Marvin Binney (6’0″ Fr. PG, Toronto (Ont.) Eastern HS)
Andre Branch (6’6″ Jr. SF-PF, Richmond (VA) Varina HS)
Anthony Breeze (6’5″ Jr. SF-PF, Greenville (SC) High)
Blair Carter (6’4″ Jr. SG-SF, Aston (PA) American Christian HS)
Ian Childs (6’10” So. C, Cliffside Park (NJ) High)
Darnell Dodson (6’4″ Jr. SF, Greenbelt (MD) Eleanor Roosevelt HS)
Andy Garcia (6’7″ Jr. SF, Bronx (NY) Cardinal Hayes HS)
Antonio Gilchrist (6’9″ Jr. PF, Fort Washington (MD) Friendly HS)
Michael Glover (6’6″ Jr. SF-PF, Chicago (IL) Boys to Men Academy)
Sean Hawkins (6’6″ Jr. PF, Washington (DC) St. John’s HS)
Yorel Hawkins (6’6″ Jr. SF, Apex (NC) High)
Idriss Hilliard (6’6″ Jr. SF-PF, Princeton (NJ) Hun HS)
Paris Horne (6’2″ Jr. SG, Middletown (DE) High)
Darius Johnson (6’2″ Jr. SG, Raleigh (NC) Wakefield HS)
Marcus Kitts (6’8″ Jr. PF, Middle Creek (NC) High)
Chris McGrew (6’10” Jr. PF, Bethesda (MD) Paint Branch HS)
Sean Monplaisir (5’10” So. PG, Toronto (Ont.) West Hill HS)
Chris Samuels (6’9″ Jr. PF, Edison (NJ) Academy)
Jessie Simmons (6’5″ Jr. SF, Toronto (Ont.) Jean Vanier HS)
Henry Sims (6’10” So. PF, Baltimore (MD) Mt. St. Joseph’s HS)
Dane Smith (6’3″ So. SG, Toronto (Ont.) West Hill HS)
Nem Stankovic (6’8″ Jr. PF, Toronto (Ont.) Vaughn Road HS)
Adrian Tucker (6’3″ Fr. SG, Toronto (Ont.) St. Mary’s HS)
Shane Walker (6’10” Jr. PF-C, Alexandria (VA) Bishop Ireton HS)
Ennis Whatley (6’5″ Jr. SG-SF, Columbia (MD) Pallotti HS)
Travon Woodall (5’10” So. PG, Jersey City (NJ) St. Anthony’s HS)
Garvey Young (6’4″ So. SG, North Bethesda (MD) Georgetown Prep)
Coaching Presence
Among the head coaches we saw were new Northeastern head coach Bill Coen, new Temple leader Fran Dunphy and Hampton’s Kevin Nickelberry, who also had two assistants on hand.
Richmond head coach Chris Mooney watched the very talented Richmond Metro team.
Brothers James (Yale) and Joe Jones (Columbia) were watching a few games together on Saturday morning.
