PHILADELPHIA/EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA/
SOUTH JERSEY PREP REPORT
by Allen Rubin, Philadelphia/Eastern Pennsylvania/South Jersey Editor of the HOOP SCOOP

RUBIN RANKS EM:  THE TOP PLAYERS IN PHILADELPHIA/EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA/SOUTH JERSEY

WARRICK COMES OUT OF NOWHERE TO CLAIM #1 RANKING IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

by Allen Rubin, Philadelphia Area Editor of the HOOP SCOOP, and Clark Francis, Editor & Publisher of the HOOP SCOOP

                    The last time we published a Philadelphia/Eastern Pennsylvania/South Jersey Report we had 6'8 Hakim Warrick from Wynnewood (Friends Central) PA ranked no higher than #39 in the area.  As a result, he might be the leading candidate nationally as the most improved player in the Class of 2001, as he now ranks #4 in the entire Philadelphia/Eastern Pennsylvania/South Jersey Area, #1 in the city of Philadelphia, and among our top 100 nationally.  Warrick is a high post player who can block shots, rebound, and get to the basket.  He also has ability to step out and hit the three, which is why a number of schools, including Syracuse, Virginia, Providence, San Diego State, Villanova, La Salle, and St Joseph's, are recruiting him as a potential wing forward.  He needs to get bigger and stronger, but his athleticism and dramatic improvement make him a potential NBA player down the road.  However, Warrick still isn't good enough to make the HOOP SCOOP's top five players in the area regardless of class and regardless of position.  

                     No, that's not a knock against Warrick.  It's just that the top five players - 6'2 Dajuan Wagner from Camden (H.S.) NJ, 6'5 John Allen from Coatesville (H.S.) PA, 6'2 Ernest Turner from Somerdale (Sterling) NJ, 6'2 Jr Gerry McNamara from Scranton (Bishop Hannan) PA, and 6'5 Jr Matt Walsh from Fort Washington (Germantown Academy) PA - are all that good.  Wagner is the best player nationally in the class.   Allen edges out Turner, because he can do more.   However, Turner is an absolute scoring machine!  McNamara, who ranks #14 nationally in the junior class reminds us of Bobby Hurley in many ways, but he's bigger and a better outside shooter at the same stage.  But the player who is rivaling Warrick as the most improved player in the area is Walsh. 
                    Walsh was only the 6th man on his high school team last season, but he's exploded into the #2 ranked junior in the area, as well as the #35 ranked junior nationally by the HOOP SCOOP.  He played well all spring and summer, but this fall that he took his game to another level.  Not only is he the best outside shooter in the area, but he also uses his wiry frame and surprisingly athleticism beat you off the dribble and get to the basket.   The fact that he's a great kid and great student are just an added plus for schools like Maryland, Virginia, Louisville, Kansas, Villanova, and Pennsylvania, all of which are already heavily recruiting him. 

                    Also showing dramatic improvement since our last report in the spring is 6'7 Jamal Nichols from Philadelphia (Ben Franklin) PA.  He played on a perimeter oriented high school team last winter, so he didn't get a chance to show his scoring ability around the basket.  However, this summer he became the go-to-guy on the Sonny Hill League All-Star Team, where he showed his offensive prowess scoring both from inside and from mid-range.  He also was one of the better rebounders in the area. 

                    Which brings us to the obvious weakness of the class.  6'9 Dwayne Jones from Ashton (American Christian) PA, who heads both our Best Rebounder and Best Shot Blocker lists, is getting looks from St. Joseph's, St. Bonaventure, Virginia Tech, and Rhode Island, but his best days are still ahead of him, as is evident by the fact that he ranks no higher than a lucky 13 in the Philadelphia/Eastern Pennsylvania/South Jersey area by Rubin and #194 nationally by the HOOP SCOOP.  And it's not like there aren't any big guys with potential in the area, but 6'8 Brandon Brigman from Philadelphia (St. John Neumann) PA, 6'10 Marcus Gantt from Camden (Woodrow Wilson) NJ, and 6'11 Jr Ted Skuchas from Ft. Washington (Germantown Academy) PA just haven't developed as rapidly as expected nor do they have that killer mentality necessary to dominate at this level inside.

                  Instead, the class is loaded with excellent outside shooters, natural scorers, point guards, and defensive specialists.  We've already mentioned Walsh as the best shooter in the area, but his teammate - 6'0 Mike Slattery, who already is verbally committed to Delaware - is a point guard who puts up prolific numbers.  Others who can flat out beat you with their outside shooting are 6'1 Brandon Karpo from Huntington Valley (Lower Moreland) PA, 6'6 Pat Carroll from Horsham (Hatboro-Horsham) PA, and 6'6 Nicholas King from Philadelphia (Frankford) PA.

               Don't even worry about arguing who the best scorer in the area is - Wagner has no peers nationally in the class in this area.  Once he develops better shot selection and doesn't try and do too much on a consistent basis, he will be unstoppable at any level.   Turner puts up the numbers, but he doesn't have the help he needs, because his AAU team doesn't have the talent to go with him.  Allen makes this list, because he scores in so many different ways, including more than share of attempts from the foul line.   Walsh is great both inside and outside, while 5'10 Soph Maureece Rice from Philadelphia (Strawberry Mansion) PA, who reminds you physically of former Connecticut star Khalid El-Amin, is best getting the basket or pulling up from mid-range. 

               Actually, we couldn't decide between 5'8 Cantrell Fletcher from Philadelphia (St. John Neumann) PA and 5'11 Walt Chavis from Steelton (Steelton-Highspire) PA, but when 5'11 Andre Henry from Harrisburg (H.S.) PA can't make the list, you know this is a deep position.  However, that may change when we see him again (he didn't play due to an injury all summer and fall).  McNamara has the potential to be a great point guard, as well as lights outside shooter, at the next level.  Like Fletcher, who led his team to the Philadelphia Catholic League Final, and Chavis, who led his team to the Group Three Pennsylvania State Championship, 5'10 Jr Shejdie Childs from Wynnewood (Friends Central) PA is a winner.  He's also an outstanding student. 

                Chavis and Childs also rank among the top defensive players in the area, but 6'2 Robert Taylor from Philadelphia (St. John Neumann) PA provides the perfect backcourt mate, along with Fletcher, because he's one of best on-the-ball defenders in the nation.   Also, worth mentioning is 6'3 Danny Rumph from Philadelphia (Parkway) PA, who not only is a great defender, but also makes our Most Improved List, as he plays within his limitations and finds ways to beat at both ends of the court.

                They say that "lightning doesn't strike twice" in the same place, but you might want to watch 6'6 Soph Rob Kurz from Ft. Washington (Germantown Academy) PA just in case that cliche' isn't true.  In other words, it may be the Matt Walsh story all over again.  We currently have Kurz ranked #6 in the sophomore class, but when it is all said and done, he may end up being the #1 ranked player in his class in the Philadelphia/Eastern Pennsylvania/South Jersey Area.