THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT IN THE PHILADELPHIA/EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA/SOUTH JERSEY AREA
by Clark Francis, Editor & Publisher of the HOOP SCOOP

                       When 6'5 Tyreke Evans from Aston (American Christian) PA was named last month to McDonald's All-American Team, he became only 11th player in the last 20 years to receive this prestigious honor.  Also on this list are 6'4 Wayne Ellington from Merion Station (Episcopal Academy) PA and 6'5 Gerald Henderson from Merion Station (Episcopal Academy) PA in 2006, 6'2 Dajuan Wagner from Camden (H.S.) NJ in 2001, 6'7 Danny Miller from Mt. Holly (Rancocas Valley) PA in 1998, 6'6 Kobe Bryant from Ardmore (Lower Merion) PA and 6'6 Richard Hamilton from Coatesville (H.S.) PA in 1996, 6'5 Lamar Greer from Cape May Court House (Middle Township) NJ in 1994, 6'11 Rasheed Wallace from Philadelphia (Simon Gratz) PA in 1993, 6'8 Donyell Marshall from Reading (H.S.) PA in 1991, and 6'3 Billy McCaffrey from Allentown (Central Catholic) PA in 1989.  And a year from now Villanova-bound 6'1 Jr Maalik Wayns from Philadelphia (Roman Catholic) PA, who is clearly the best point guard in the junior class nationally, is sure to follow.  And, if the weren't enough, our Philadelphia/Eastern Pennsylvania/South Jersey Editor Allen Rubin also thinks that 6'9 Marcus Morris from Pennsauken (Apex Academies) NJ and 6'10 Markieff Morris from Pennsauken (Apex Academies) NJ, both of whom are 5th Year Players, are good enough to have been named to this year's McDonald's All-American Game, if they had been eligible to play in the game. 
                    "Evans is a very gifted offensive player," says Rubin.  "He is a terrific scorer, can put on the floor, has a great mid-range game, excellent range on shot, can stop on a dime, and, when double and triple teamed, can get the ball to the open man,"  Right now Evans is ranked #2-ranked senior nationally in the senior class, which makes him the highest ranked player still available and, when it is all said and done, we think he will pick Memphis over Texas, Villanova, Connecticut, Louisville, and Seton Hall.  "The Morris twins are two of the most improved players in the nation," says Rubin.  "A year ago they were both in everybody's top 50-125 range, but now they've gotten stronger physically, have improved their skill level, play with a lot more confidence, and are a lot more mature."
                    Rubin also tells us that the junior class is much better than the senior class, thanks to it's diversity, depth, and star power.  "There are four players who deserve to be ranked among the top 50 players nationally and a least eight players who legitimately belong in the top 100," says Rubin.  The superstar obviously is Wayns, who is a point guard that is always in total control of the game.  "He has great court vision, gets everybody else involved, is physically strong, is extremely quick, and reacts really well," says Rubin.  "But what really sets him apart from other point guards is the fact that he is a born leader and a winner and is capable of putting up prolific numbers without doing it at the expense of his team." 
                    Also on Rubin's list of top 100-ranked juniors nationally are 6'10 Jr Aaric Murray from Concordville (Glen Mills) PA, 6'5 Jr Dalton Pepper from Fairless Hills (Pennsbury) PA, 6'5 Jr Lamar Patterson from Lancaster (McCaskey) PA, 6'0 Jr Lamont Jones from Aston (American Christian) PA, 6'3 Jr Nurideem Lindsey from Philadelphia (Overbrook) PA, 6'6 Jr Rahlif Jefferson from Chester (H.S.) PA, and 6'5 Jr Greg Robbins from Ardmore (Lower Merion) PA.  And digging a little deeper, the junior class also has five inside players - 6'10 Jr Aaric Murray from Concordville (Glen Mills) PA, 6'6 Jr Rahlif Jefferson from Chester (H.S.) PA, 6'10 Jr Jake Cohen from Berwyn (Conestoga) PA, 6'8 Jr Andre Gillette from Philadelphia (Neumann-Goretti) PA, and 6'6 Jr Lijah Thompson from Drexel Hill (Monsignor Bonner) PA - and a plethora of wing players - 6'5 Jr Dalton Pepper from Fairless Hills (Pennsbury) PA, 6'5 Jr Lamar Patterson from Lancaster (McCaskey) PA, 6'0 Jr Lamont Jones from Aston (American Christian) PA, 6'3 Jr Nurideem Lindsey from Philadelphia (Overbrook) PA, 6'5 Jr Greg Robbins from Ardmore (Lower Merion) PA, 6'4 Jr Jesse Morgan from Philadelphia (Prep Charter) PA, 6'8 Jr Will Barrett from Warrington (Central Bucks South) PA, 6'3 Jr William Adams from Philadelphia (Imhotep Charter) PA, 6'3 Jr Andre Gillette from Philadelphia (Neumann-Goretti) PA, and 6'3 Jr Khalif Wyatt from Norristown (H.S.) PA - who deserve to be ranked among the top 200 juniors nationally. 
                    What makes the sophomore class so good are all of the great point guards.  As a matter of fact, a quick look at Rubin's list shows that 16 of the top 40-ranked players in this class play the point guard position.  They are 6'1 Soph Tony Chenault from Philadelphia (Neumann-Goretti) PA, 6'0 Soph Tyron Garland from Philadelphia (Bartram) PA, 6'3 Soph Cameron Ayers from Ft. Washington (Germantown Academy) PA, 5'9 Soph Tyree Johnson from Lansdowne (Pennwood) PA, 6'2 Soph Deshon Minnis from Philadelphia (South Philadelphia) PA, 6'1 Soph Shaquille Shannon from Philadelphia (Communications Tech) PA, 6'0 Soph Anthony Taylor from Pennsauken (Apex Academies) NJ, 6'1 Soph Chris Thompson from Burlington (Life Center) NJ, 5'9 Soph Rakeem Brookins from Philadelphia (Roman Catholic) PA, 6'0 Soph Tyreek Duren from Philadelphia (Neumann-Goretti) PA, 5'9 Soph Willis Nicholson from Philadelphia (Cardinal Dougherty) PA, 5'7 Soph Woody Redding from Philadelphia (North Catholic) PA, 5'6 Soph Jamal Melvin from Drexel Hill (Monsignor Bonner) PA, 6'1 Soph Dehaven Brown from Philadelphia (Frankford) PA, 5'7 Soph Henry Gaskins from Philadelphia (Penn Charter) PA, and 5'10 Soph Luisto Jimenez from Wettstown (Friends) PA. 
                    The next great class in the Philadelphia/Eastern Pennsylvania/South Jersey Area promises to be the Class of 2011, which has at least 20 players with top 100 potential nationally.  This list includes 6'1 Frosh John Johnson from Philadelphia (Girard College) PA, 6'4 Frosh Ashcroft Youcoubou from Aston (American Christian) PA, 6'2 Frosh Juanya Green from Radnor (Archbishop Carroll) PA, 6'9 Frosh Rakeem Christmas from Philadelphia (North Catholic) PA, 6'5 Frosh Rashaun Rasheed from Atlantic City (H.S.) NJ, 6'3 Frosh Ameen Tanksley from Radnor (Archbishop Carroll) PA, 6'4 Frosh Aaron Brown from Philadelphia (Roman Catholic) PA, 6'1 Frosh Devin Coleman from Wynnewood (Friends Central) PA, 6'4 Frosh Lemond Church from Malvern (Prep) PA, 6'7 Frosh Sean Oakman from Lansdowne (Pennwood) PA, 6'5 Frosh Xavier Harris from Philadelphia (North Catholic) PA, 5'6 Frosh Isaiah Morton from Richland (St. Augustine) NJ, 5'10 Frosh Joey Gripper from Jenkintown (Abington Friends) PA, 6'6 Frosh Jalen Bond from Springfield (La Salle) PA, 6'2 Frosh Malik Garner from Newtown (George School) PA, 5'7 Frosh Lamin Fulton from Philadelphia (Neumann-Goretti) PA, 6'2 Frosh Marcus Dawkins from Reading (H.S.) PA, 6'6 Frosh Andrew Nicholas from Wrightsville (Eastern York) PA, 6'3 Frosh Daquan Walker from Malvern (Prep) PA, and 6'9 Frosh Peter Alexis from Wilkes-Barre (Holy Redeemer) PA. 
                    And a potential great one to remember for the future is 5'6 5th Grader Malik Ellison form Voorhees, NJ.  And making the story even more interesting is the fact that Ellison has an incredible bloodline, as his father, Pervis Ellison, led Louisville to the NCAA Championship in 1986 and was the #1 pick in the NBA Draft in 1989.