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| Baltimore Area News |
August 21, 2007
Phenom Camp gets Early chance to Evaluate potential talent
By Antonio Williams
Scouts Inc.
A number of years ago, a coach for a major college program conducted a basketball camp for members of the United States Armed Forces, when a 6-foot-8 player who couldn't dunk approached the coach for advice on increasing his vertical leap. The coach, mistaking the player for an adult soldier, told the player he would probably never dunk the ball if he cannot do it by now. The player looked the coach in the eye and told him he was only 12-years old.
The coach was former LSU coach Dale Brown and the player, Shaquille O'Neal went on to develop into the most devastating combination of size, strength and agility of this generation.
Greg Oden, the first pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, speaks of times when his skills and coordination lagged far behind his height and basketball knowledge. Oden has referenced even shooting at the wrong basket and scoring his first points as a basketball player for the opposing team.
O.J. Mayo achieved celebrity status starting in the sixth grade due to his basketball exploits and will begin his college career at USC this fall.
In today's basketball world, an 18 year-old
LeBron James fetched $90 million from Nike before ever playing an NBA game.
Players such as Daniel Hackett (USC) graduate from high school as much as a year in advance to enroll in college.
Kids increasingly give verbal commitments to colleges earlier in earlier, with eighth grader Ryan Boatright recently giving a pledge to USC.
All of these happenings have contributed to the race to identify the most talented players at the earliest possible age. The Adidas Jr. Phenom camp, which took place in San Diego, offers the chance to see possibly the best rising sixth, seventh and eighth graders in the country compete against each other.
The Camp
Joe Keller, the CEO of Jr. Phenom, runs a very organized camp that places a high emphasis on drills as well as game play. Keller mentioned that his camp has the top 10 players in the nation from the sixth, seventh and eighth grade classes.
The camp featured two former NBA players as coaches, Bobby Hurley and Pooh Richardson. Landon Drew, an eighth grader and son of current Atlanta Hawks assistant Larry Drew, also played at the camp.
Ironically,Jared Dudley, a self-described chubby youngster, spoke to the campers and openly admitted that he did not rank in the "top anything" while growing up and playing in San Diego.
With some kids peaking earlier than others and some discovering new passions, one has to wonder how do you identify the top sixth, seventh and eighth graders in the country.
Jr. Phenom starts with open regional camps around the country, and from there, they select the top players at each regional camp to participate in the invitation-only national Jr. Phenom camp.
Hoops hotbeds Washington D.C., Philadelphia and New York have a strong collection of talent, as does California and Texas, with Texas having three of the top 10 eighth grade players in the country hailing from the Lone Star State, according to Keller.
Competition takes precedent over rankings during the camp. "This camp is not necessarily for evaluations, but more of an avenue to have the best players face challenges and compete against each other," Keller said.
Keller also places heavy emphasis on life skills and education at the camp, knowing the off-the-court issues a player has to confront mean more to him than anything the player does on the court.
"Life skills are also stressed at our camp. We offer SAT prep seminars as well as other courses to help the players. Maybe one of these kids will make the NBA, which is irrelevant to me; I am looking more to get all of these kids to college," Keller added.
The Life
J-Michal Reese, a talented eighth-grade guard from Texas, who describes his strengths as getting to the basket and shooting, loves the idea of this camp.
"I like that I can come out and play against the best players in the country. I love basketball and I am just having fun," said Reese, who lists Kevin Durant as his favorite player and Texas as his favorite college team.
Reese diligently works on his individual game, on occasion doing drills and workouts with noted trainer of NBA players John Lucas.
Another standout eighth-grader, DeVante Smith-Rivera, also loves to measure his game against the best. Smith-Rivera, who lives in Indiana, has had a very busy summer, splitting time playing multiple age groups to advance his skill level. Smith-Rivera has good size and can score in a variety of ways, which his mother Kellana feels has complicated matters for him. "We have pulled DeVante from a couple of teams because they want to put him down low and keep him there. We know that he is bigger than most eighth grade kids now, but in the future, he probably will not play in the post," she said.
Due to the competition, Smith-Rivera can display his perimeter skills, as well as his post game, which suits mom just fine.
She also speaks about the challenges that parents face to keep a kid grounded when he starts to experience the media hype. "We make sure that we constantly remind DeVante about using proper vocabulary and manners when interacting with people. "We also keep a watchful eye on the people that he surrounds himself with, reminding him to keep only positive people around. We also make sure that he keeps his grades up or there will be no basketball."
Hope and Tony Foster, parents of 6-5 seventh grade center Alex Foster, echo the sentiments of Kellana Rivera. The Fosters make sure that Alex, who hails from Illinois, maintains his honor roll status in the classroom.
"We tell Alex all the time to keep on good people around him. We also monitor who gives him advice and who tries to approach him. We hold him accountable and he does a good job and is a good kid," stated Hope Foster.
Tony explained that Alex's development ranks paramount, and they would not allow anyone or anything to jeopardize Alex's mental and physical development. "We listen to our son. We encourage him, but we do not push beyond the limit. If he says that he is tired or something is wrong, we end it right there," he said.
The Standouts
8th Grade
* 6-0 G J-Mychal Reese (Texas) -- This lefty has a very refined offensive game. He has a smooth stroke with range beyond the 3-point area. He also has very good ball-handling skills and a calm demeanor on the court.
* 6-3 G/F DeVante Smith-Rivera (Indiana) -- Rivera has a defined body for a youngster, which he uses to overpower smaller defenders. He can score on the interior as well as step out and create offense on the perimeter.
* 6-3 G/F Kyle Anderson (New Jersey) -- Anderson has the size to play on the inside in addition to the skills to play on the perimeter. He has the ability to bring the ball up and hit the pull-up jumper from deep.
* 5-9 PG Griffin Pittman (North Carolina) -- Pittman dazzles with his passing ability and open-court skills. He has deft ball-handling skills and can get to the rim with ease. He will also hit the jumper to keep defenders honest.
7th Grade
* 6-5 C Alex Foster (Illinois) -- Foster combines size, good agility and footwork for a young player. He runs the court very well and blocks shots extraordinarily well. He displays a good understanding with his passing skills. He has good post moves for a youngster.
* 6-5 C Roschon Prince (California) -- Prince has a power game, using his size to his advantage in the post. He runs the court very well, frequently grabbing a rebound on the defensive end then beating almost everyone down the floor for the lay-in on offense.
* 6-3 Derrick Fenner (Maryland) -- Fenner has very good leaping ability and quickness. He has the size to score inside and couples that with a good jump shot. He also has very good ball-handling skills for his height.
* 5-9 G/F Bryson Scott (Indiana) -- Scott displayed an all-around game with his point-forward skills. He has good ball-handling skills and relentlessly attacks the rims. He also has good vision and passing skills. He crashes the defensive boards and initiates the fast break with his good open court skills.
* 5-9 G/F Nigel Williams-Goss (Oregon) -- Williams-Goss, similar to Scott, has the style of play similar to a point-forward. He has a very good jump shot with a smooth release. He can also penetrate to the basket and plays very hard.
6th Grade
* 5-1 PG Allonzo Trier (Washington) -- The vocal Trier has great leadership skills and the right temperament for a point guard. He has great vision and passing ability, easily and willingly giving the ball to open teammates. He will also drill the jumper and plays with a ton on enthusiasm. Trier also plays ball-hawking, pressure defense.
* 5-0 PG Justin Jenifer (Maryland) -- Jenifer has the ability to score from almost anywhere on the court. He can hit the jumper from deep and create shots very well off the dribble. The lefty can also pass, sometimes surprising unsuspecting, open teammates with the ball. Jenifer gives very good effort on the defensive end.
* 6-0 C Tony Upchurch (North Carolina) -- Upchurch gives maximum effort on the boards, in particular on the offensive boards. He also runs the court well for his size and has pinpoint accuracy on his outlet passes.
* 5-8 F Avery Jordan (Texas) -- Jordan has an advanced post game, making moves in the post with polished footwork. He also did a good job snaring rebounds. Antonio Williams is a recruiting coordinator for Scouts Inc.
August 12, 2007
Daquan Cooke earns Top 25 status in the 8th Grade Age Group of the Adidas Phenom Camp, Taysean Scott earns #15 ranked at his position and Keandre Gibson earns #22 at his position.
Current Select player Daquan Cooke had an outstanding debut at the Phenom Camp that was held in San DIego, CA this weekend. Daquan earned the #23 ranked player in the 8th Grade division of the camp.In his position, Daquan earned the #3 rankings at the camp. Congratulations Daquan!!!
Current Select player Taysean Scott had an outstanding debut at the Phenom Camp that was held in San DIego, CA this weekend. Taysean earned the #15 ranked player in the 7th Grade division at his position. Congratulations Taysean!!!
Current Select player Keandre Gibson had an outstanding debut at the Phenom Camp that was held in San DIego, CA this weekend. Keandre earned the #22 ranked player in the 7th Grade divisionat his position. Congratulations Keandre!!!
August 5, 2007
Kameron Williams, Evan Singletary, Kenny Solomon and Justin Jenifer get top recognition at the JR All-American Camp that was held in Chantilly, VA
Kameron Williams (picture not available) final rankingss in the top 15 overall in the 8th Grade Division and ranked #2 at his position at the JR All-American Camp held in Chantilly, VA; Evan Singletary ranked #7 at his position in the 8th Grade division; Kenny Solomon ranked #8 at his position in the 8th Grade division; Justin Jenifer also gets top 25 overall accolades as a 6th grader while playing in the 7th Grade Division and top 10 at his position
The HOOP SCOOP's overall ranking of the top players in the 8th Grade Division at the Junior All-American Camp at the Hoop Magic Sports Academy in Chantilly, VA are as follows:
1) 6'0 J-Mychael Reese from Bryan, TX
2) 6'4 Jordan Price from Conyers, GA
3) 6'2 Sydie London from New Orleans, LA
4) 6'7 Virgil Tony Parker from Lithonia, GA
5) 6'2 Kyle Anderson from North Bergen, NJ
6) 5'8 DaShaun Suber from Brooklyn, NY
7) 6'5 DeJuan Marrero from Gary, IN
8) 6'3 Michael Avery from Lake Sherwood, CA
9) 5'10 Lynden Rose from Houston, TX
10) 6'1 Daijan Palmer from Brooklyn, NY
11) 6'0 LaBrent Walker from Jamaica, NY
12) 5'5 Kameron Williams from Windsor Mills, MD
The HOOP SCOOP's ranking of the top wing forwards in the 8th Grade Division based on the performance and the position played in camp include:
1) 6'0 LaBrent Walker from Jamaica, NY
2) 6'2 Evan Nolte from Milton, GA
3) 5'11 Raymond Dorsey from Lewisville, TX
4) 5'10 Ethan Walker from Henderson, TN
5) 5'8 Myles Walters from Romeoville, IL
6) 5'11 Cameron Wilson from Libertyville, IL
7) 5'8 Evan Singletary from Baltimore, MD
8) 5'11 Kenny Solomon from Baltimore, MD
The HOOP SCOOP's ranking of the top 2-guards in the 8th Grade Division based on the performance and the position played in camp include:
1) 6'2 Kyle Anderson from North Bergen, NJ
2) 5'5 Kameron Williams from Windsor Mills, MD
3) 5'8 Joshua Holsey from Fairburn, GA
4) 5'7 Jevon Felix from New Orleans, LA
5) 5'10 Jamal Lewis from Springdale, MD
The HOOP SCOOP's overall ranking of the top players in the 7th Grade Division at the Junior All-American Camp at the Hoop Magic Sports Academy in Chantilly, VA are as follows:
1) 5'11 Nigel Williams-Goss from Happy Valley, OR
2) 6'4 Brian Bridgewater from Baton Rouge, LA
3) 6'5 Alex Foster from Plainfield, IL
4) 6'2 Derrick Finner from Seattle, WA
5) 6'4 Thomas Hamilton from Chicago, IL
6) 6'6 Terrance O'Donohue from Marietta, GA
7) 6'3 Andrew Harrison from Richmond, TX
8) 6'3 Aaron Harrison from Richmond, TX
9) 4) 6'2 Derrick Griffin from Richmond, TX
10) 5'6 Billy Garrett from Corpus Christi, TX
23) 4'10 6th Grader Justin Jenifer from Baltimore, MD
The HOOP SCOOP's ranking of the top point guards in the 7th Grade Division based on the performance and the position played in camp include:
1) 5'11 Nigel Williams-Goss from Happy Valley, OR
2) 5'6 Billy Garrett from Corpus Christi, TX
3) 5'7 Blake Sanders from Corbin, KY
4) 5'2 Nigel Johnson from Ashburn, VA
5) 5'1 Shai Shai Matthews from Staunton, VA
6) 5'2 Marcus White from Matteson, IL
7) 5'3 Nichols Gamble from Fishers, IN
8) 4'10 6th Grader Justin Jenifer from Baltimore, MD
http://www.hoopscooponline.com/
August 1, 2007
Select players prepare for Phenom Camp
Daquan Cooke, Tysean Scott and Dre Gibson are getting prepared for the upcoming Jr Phenom Camp that is being held in San Diego, California August 9-12.
July 29, 2007
Select players accept invitations to camp
Kenny Solomon, Evan Singletary, Darrin Johnson, Lionel Greene and Cameron Williams get prepared for the upcoming Jr. All American Camp that is being held in Chantilly, VA August 2-5.
http://www.jrallamericancamp.com/
July 28, 2007
Select Alumni Danny Smith chooses school
Former Select and Woodlawn HS player Danny Smith has choosen to attend Western Nebraska. After finishing up a great career at Woodlawn HS, Danny will go the JUCO route for two years, work on his academics and then move on to division 1 or division 2 to finish his career. We will keep you posted on his progress. Congratulations Danny!!!
July 14, 2007
Select Alumni Jermaine Bolden chooses Morgan State University
After spending two years at a Texas Junior College, Jermaine "Itchy" Bolden has decided to come home and finish off his collegiate career. Itchy was getting recruited my division 1 schools from the midwest but decided that the best fit for him was back home at Morgan. Congratulations Itchy!!!
July 1, 2007
Selby tranfers to Dematha
Select standout Josh Selby has choosen to transfer to Dematha HS. After getting his paperwork in order from John Carroll, Selby and his family decided that Dematha was the place for him for the next 3 years. With Coach Jones at the helm, Selby looks to continue to grow as a player on and off the court. We will keep you posted on his progress. Congratulations Josh!!!
July 1, 2007
Thompson decides to stay home to play
Select standout Kevin Thompson decides to attend Morgan State University. The 6-foot-8 alumni of Walbrook H.S. (Baltimore, Md.) and one of the premier post players in the state of Maryland. MidAtlanticHoops.com listed him ranked 53rd of the Top 75 seniors from the Class of 2007.
“Kevin is one of the most versatile big men around,” said Kelvin Bridgers, Walbrook head coach. “His size and strength makes it easy for him to score around the basket, and his ability to pass and shoot the deep ball make him a perimeter threat.”
“I am excited about Kevin joining our Morgan State family,” said Bozeman. “ He is as efficient a scorer in the low post that I have ever coached.”
“It means a lot for our program to get a player with his talent that has been well coached and has played on a championship team. He will be a great asset.”
Congratulations Kevin!!!
http://www.morganstatebears.com/News/mbball/2007/5/3/thompsonadded.asp?path=mbball
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