King of Kings College Prospect League Wrap Up: Awards & Individual Reports

Dynasty

Kory Bergh (Amsterdam) – The most consistent player on his team. Crafty with a good jumper and slick ballhandling & passing ability. Pass-first point guard, but willing to turn into attack mode when necessary. Just 5’9”, but makes up for it with his quickness and good decision making. He averaged 11.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2 steals per game. Kory was also dependable, being one of very few players in the league that attended every game. All-1^st team selection here, and just a rising junior.

Foster Clark (Horseheads) – He showed that he could fill multiple roles in this league. He plays point guard for his high school team, but lack of height forced him to the middle of the zone and working in the post often. His attitude and demeanor made him a coach’s favorite. Picks his spots and rebounds well against bigger players.

Evan Dourdas (Jamesville-Dewitt) – True point guard. He can score, but looks for others first. Played in just one game.

Connor Evans (Cicero-North Syracuse) – One of the best players in Syracuse area. Made All-CNY team this past season as a junior. 5’9”, but very explosive. Struggled in his one appearance here.

Ross Gerber (Cazenovia/Kimball Union Academy) – A solid 6’4” and is comfortable at the wing or as a stretch 4. Ross is athletic and can finish above the rim. Becoming more confident with his perimeter jumper, and continued improvement will take his game to the next level. Averaged 8.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 50%. Reclassifying as a junior for prep school, which will improve his stock.

Dylan Klock (Oppenheim-Ephratah/St. Johnsville) – Improved over the course of the season and was a solid contributor for his team. One of the top players in his league, and showed that he was more than a good Class D player. He’s most potent as a perimeter jump shooter, but he showed he can put it on the floor and finish through contact. High motor at both ends, and just a rising junior. Averaged 6 points and 3.8 rebounds.

Bobby Leslie (Skaneateles) – Pure scorer. He has a big body for his age (going to prep and reclassifying as a sophomore), at 6’2” and around 200 pounds as a guard. Good handle and very refined perimeter skill set, especially going 1 on 1. Only knock – he may have done that a little too much at times. Still a very good player and will only get better. Light Division I interest, with Wright State in the mix. All-2^nd team selection here, leading his team in scoring at 13.2 points per game in the regular season along with 4.6 rebounds.

JJ O’Connor (Weedsport) – Looks the part of Boy Wonder. He’s a rising junior, but his muscular 6’1” frame gives him the appearance of someone who’s been in the weight room all his life. Naturally a guard, but can mix it up because of that strength. He was the player of the year in his league this past year at Class C Weedsport. Averaged 4 points and 3.5 rebounds in 2 appearances, all 8 of his points in his first game.

Ramel Poole (Utica Proctor) – Performed better in this league than many expected. Athletic with a high motor, but very raw. Needs to work on refining skill and catching passes, but finishes well when he catches them. Got a lot of points off of second chance opportunities. He’s a junior that has potential with work. Honorable mention selection this summer, averaging 10.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting 50% from the field.

Anfernee Reed (Utica Proctor) – Quick hands defensively, he was a nuisance on defense when fully invested. He can make the highlight reel pass, but perhaps tried to do it too much at times. Averaged 5.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.

Johnny Vicciarelli (Oppenheim-Ephratah/St. Johnsville) – Another quick and scrappy guard that isn’t afraid of contact. Played in just one early season game.

Anthony Warcup (Oriskany) – Late season pickup for this team and filled a role well. Knows his game and doesn’t try to do too much. He’s a very good spot-up shooter that can put it on the floor for one or two dribbles. Another youngster on this team, he’s a rising junior that loves basketball and will only get better. At this point, he’s a good specialist that can spread the floor.

Team 518

Will Avis (Red Hook) – Tireless worker underneath. He was very dependable – you knew what you were going to get from him, and his consistent production was a big reason for their late-season turnaround. Lacks pure athleticism, but makes up for it with intelligence in getting good positioning along with his size (a strong 6’5”). Made it to every game this summer, despite their early season lack of success and long travel to Utica. He averaged 6.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, earning honorable mention honors.

Kaden Baugh (Seton Catholic – Plattsburgh) – One of the most fundamentally sound players in the league. He is an old-school point guard with old-school moves, but he can use some flash with the handle when he wants. Came back after a few weeks away in late July and made a big difference for his team, getting them their only win of the season. They lost by 10 in the playoff quarterfinal, but he scored 23 in that game. He averaged 11 points and 4.7 rebounds in the regular season, and the playoff game pushes his total scoring average to 14.5. Honorable mention here this summer, but could easily have been 2^nd team – or maybe even 1^st team – if he didn’t miss 3 regular season games.

Derek Beers (Franklin) – Derek is another hard worker. A rising junior at Class D Franklin Academy, his growth from opening night to their quarterfinal loss was noted. He averaged 21 points per game as a sophomore this past year, but didn’t shoot much before late in the season here. It looked like his confidence greatly improved in the playoff quarterfinal – his 11 point output matched his scoring output the entire regular season. Averaged 2.2 points and 1.8 rebounds in the regular season. Look for Derek to shine this coming winter and to come back next summer in attack mode.

Cormac Bettinger (Fayetteville-Manlius) – Big. Not the most skilled, but size alone at a thick 6’8” is intriguing. Sprained his MCL early in the summer at a football event and missed most of the summer. Averaged 6 rebounds per game in his 2 appearances.

Isiah Dobere (Green Tech) – Talent is undeniable. He was initially drawing Division I interest, and he’s one of the top guards in the Capital district. He showed it at the BCANY Hoops Festival this August. He would much prefer to get to the basket than pull up and shoot a jumper – defenses know it, but he still is effective getting to the hoop. Struggled in a season-opening loss and never came back.

Liam Floyd (Broadalbin-Perth) – Another big body, in the 6’5” or 6’6” range. He’s more of a rebounder and defender, and can get you some points here and there. Averaged 1.3 points and 2.3 rebounds per game in generally limited minutes.

Brandon Hathaway (Owego) – One of the best players in the Southern Tier region. He’s a wiry 6’6” shooting guard that has the ability to be a real threat when fully invested, with his perimeter shooting ability and above the rim athleticism – the problem this summer was getting him there. He wasn’t as assertive offensively or actively involved as he could have been. He has drawn interest from many Division III schools and a few Division IIs because of the talent and college-ready body. He averaged 5 points and 6 rebounds per game.

Max Lang (Milford) – Max added to the size of this team at 6’5”, and he was a contributor that made every regular season game. Consistently struggled with his shot here (25% from the field, 10% from beyond the arc, 20% from the free throw line) but worked hard at both ends and challenged shots defensively. He averaged 5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

Jordan Mair (Green Tech) – The general of this team. He carried Team 518 at times, especially in the doldrums of the middle of the regular season when they were struggling mightily. He felt like he needed to take over in large portions of those games – due to that, he led the league in shot attempts, the only one shooting over 100 times in the regular season. That number could also be slightly inflated compared to others because he played in every game, and he was the only guard on his team at times. He does need to work on his shot selection, but he also needed to be aggressive. Skinny, but explosive. Great mid-range game. Averaged 14.2 points and 4 rebounds in the regular season, earning All-2^nd team honors.

Jake Peterson (Skaneateles) – A favorite on his team amongst college coaches that attended. Smart kid, on and off the court. He has the height to be successful at the next level at 6’7”. Good at positioning himself, anticipating the play, and he can knock down a jump hook in the post with consistency. His range extends to the 3 point line. Another dependable youngster, making every game this year. Making improvements in quickness and footwork will raise his stock. He averaged 7.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, earning honorable mention here.

Chris Pfeiffer (Taconic – Pittsfield, MA) – Made every game despite travelling from Massachusetts to get here. Learning experience for him, getting him in the mix against better players. He has a long way to go, but made strides from opening night to the end of the season. His size is intriguing – 6’5” and 220 pounds entering his sophomore year, and he will probably grow a few inches before all is said and done. Had 2.8 rebounds per game in limited minutes. He is the type of player who may explode on the scene in a couple years if he gets in better shape and works on his game consistently.

Naeem Prior (Green Tech) – Explosive guard. Struggled in opening night loss, and never returned.

Will Ward (Milford) – Shorter (5’10”) but scrappy. Doesn’t look to score too much and isn’t the most effective scorer, but will play defense, make heady plays on offense and battle. Didn’t score in either appearance – averaged 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

Rising Stars

Ryan Bielawa (La Salle) – 6’4”, strong, and athletic. Tends to settle for jumpers a little too much instead of using his strengths. That being said, Ryan played very well in his one late-season appearance after being picked up midway through. Had 17 points and 9 rebounds in that game. More consistent attendance from him would have gone a long way for his team, the most talented on paper.

Justin Carruthers (Greenwich) – One of two true big men for this team, but he can also extend to the perimeter. Good in a pick and pop scenario, spotting up and hitting perimeter jumpers. He is a physically cut 6’7”, but given his size, could use his physicality a bit more than he does. He averaged 3.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game this summer.

Brandon Fischer (Shenendehowa) – The other true big man on Rising Stars. He is 6’6” and has improved drastically over the last 18-24 months. Fischer’s a gym rat, always in one place or another for tournaments. That occasionally cut into his availability for this summer, but he was important to his team when there. He averaged 5.3 points, a league-leading 10.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game.

Raiquis Harris (Catholic Central – Troy) – Electric point guard and dependable. He was the only one on his team to make every regular season game. A dominating performance in the final regular season game gave them a win, despite the team being very undermanned. He makes the big play – from a 3 point play to tie a game and the coast-to-coast drive and assist to win it a few seconds later, to a steal in an isolation set to preserve the final regular season win, he isn’t afraid of the moment. Raiquis averaged 10.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game in the regular season. He also received the nod for an All-2^nd team selection.

Andrew Hoag (Hoosick Falls) – 5’10” on a good day, but doesn’t let it stop him. His game has a fundamental, old-school feel, and he rarely makes a bad decision. His impact on the game can go well beyond the box score. Rarely shot in this league, looked to set up others instead. One of his three made field goals on the season was a game-winner in an early July game. He averaged 1.5 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists per game.

Ray Jerome (Albany Academy/Cheshire Academy) – Ray earned an honorable mention spot, even though he only could play in two games. That alone shows you his impact on the court. MVP potential if he was around for the whole season. The freaky athletic 6’3” guard is reclassifying as a junior, which will increase his already-high stock. He’s drawn serious interest from a staggering number of Division I programs, Temple being the most notable. He took a late July game over on both ends of the floor, hitting threes from NBA range and supplying us with a monster dunk after shaking a defender which may have been the highlight play of the summer. He averaged 12 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game – all 4 of the blocks on the season came in that late July game.

Myles Joyce (Averill Park) – Myles proved his worth over the course of the summer. He’s a shooting guard by nature, but will get more rebounds than most post players. At 6’4”, he can get his shot over most defenders and has a quick release. He struggled in their semifinal loss, but being one of only three usual players from his team there for that game, the defense was giving him extra attention. He averaged 10 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting slightly under 50% from the field and 100% from the line in the regular season. Myles also earned an honorable mention selection.

Brandon LaForest (Cohoes) – Brandon is an explosive scorer. Though not any taller than 6’0”, he gets off the ground better than nearly everyone in the league and can/will dunk in traffic. He showed decent range as well, and can play either guard spot. He averaged 7.3 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists per game.

Isaiah Moak (Averill Park) – If we had a Most Improved Player award, Moak would garner serious consideration. The rising junior went from not playing much to being one of his team’s leading contributors. He has the body of a running back, and he used his strength to finish through bigger players. He averaged 6.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game in the regular season – add his 17 point game in the semifinals, and he finished the entire season averaging 8.5 points while shooting over 50%. Moak is someone who could be a 1^st or 2^nd team player here if he returns next summer.

Jahlil Nails (Columbia) – League MVP. The 6’5” shooting guard has received interest from around twenty Division I schools, and he showed why this summer. Nails can fill it up, leading the league in scoring by a long shot with 20.8 per game in the regular season. He exploded at times, keeping his team in the game in their only regular season loss, with 21 points coming in the 2^nd half of that game while missing only two shots. He equaled that total in the 1^st half of a July 24 win, where he finished with a prospect league season high 31 points. A little bit more intensity on the defensive end will get him scholarship offers, because his offensive game is already there.

Derek Newman (Herkimer) – Good experience for Derek, an alternate entering his sophomore year who came through for Rising Stars’ last three games. He showed how much he improved from his first appearance to the last, scoring 16 points in the semifinal loss, shooting 7/10. He averaged 3.5 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists in his two regular season appearances. Look for him to be a full-time player next summer and jump in as a solid contributor.

Zach Radz (Troy) – One of the best offensive players in King of Kings. He truly enjoys basketball, and it looks like you can’t wipe the smile off his face when he plays most of the time. Played in the first four games, but missed the final two and semifinals. He averaged 15.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, pouring in 25 early in the season. He earned an honorable mention selection, which would’ve been a 2^nd or even 1^st team selection if he didn’t miss those three games.

Mitchell Scherer (Herkimer) – Another Magician alternate, this one entering his sophomore year, and he looks to be a solid contributor next year as well. Scherer is a 6’1” guard that is as scrappy as they come and prefers physicality. His toughness mixed with a lanky frame is a benefit for him, making him a good rebounding guard. He averaged 3.5 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists per game in the regular season.

Takeover

Bryce Belanger (Hamilton) – As smart as they come, on and off the court. Anticipates the play and makes smart decisions. You want him on your team in a 5 on 5 game. Bryce isn’t afraid to guard the other team’s best player – he can also get a little chippy. Solid role player for his team. He averaged 2.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in the regular season.

Jake English (Waterville) – Good shooter and lanky, which helped in their zone press. He always looks for the open man with the extra pass, but started to look for his own as the season went on. More of a shooting guard than a point guard, but can fill point guard duties in a half-court set. He averaged 5 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in the regular season.

Jelani Fontanez (Ithaca) – He’s a true point guard. His presence made a huge difference for this team, as he was the primary ballhandler. He has some of the best handles in the league, and he has the quickness to match. Great passer – sometimes he uses that too much. Would like to see him look to score more often. There is budding interest from a few schools that watched him play here this summer. He averaged 5.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game in the regular season. Honorable mention selection. He sprained his knee before the playoff quarterfinal – his team sorely missed him in the semifinal loss a couple days later.

Todd Hubbell (Little Falls) – His biggest strength is passing. He can thread the needle through defenses with the pass to hit the target. He occasionally dribbles himself into trouble and has problems with decision making, but as a rising sophomore, he has time to work on that. He has a high ceiling and with work, Todd can turn into one of the best to come through the Mohawk Valley in a long time. He averaged 1.7 points and 1.7 rebounds on the season.

Kinnon LaRose (Ogdensburg) – One of the most solid players in the league. Kinnon has a bigtime reputation, and his numbers among the best in upstate helped back it up. The 6’4” shooting guard worked hard, hit shots, and made good decisions. He averaged 14.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.7 steals on the season while shooting over 50%. The surefire Division I prospect received honorable mention, which would’ve been higher if he didn’t miss the last 3 regular season games.

Terry Nichols (New York Mills) – A state champion this past year at Class D New York Mills, and the starting point guard as a sophomore, Terry is no stranger to the big stage. He can hit from NBA range and finish at the rim. He makes good decisions and rarely turns the ball over. He averaged 6.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, and he shot nearly 50% from beyond the arc. If he plays next summer, he could easily be a 1^st or 2^nd teamer.

Zach Sawyer (Waterville) – One of the best stat stuffers in the league. The athletic 6’4” swingman can do a little bit of everything: shoot, handle the ball, play defense in the press, create for others, rebound on both ends. He was the best player on the floor in their semifinal loss against 315 Elite, finishing with 20 points. Zach can get over the rim and make a highlight out of someone if they’re not ready. He’s also a gym rat and has improved every aspect of his game in the offseason. He averaged 12 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.8 steals per game in the regular season. He earned All-2^nd team honors for this summer.

Ryan Schmadel (Oriskany) – When he’s hot, he’s the best scorer in the league. Gets out on the fast break and can finish a variety of ways, including above the rim. Not the best handle, but effective with it and doesn’t overdribble. Range out to the parking lot. He hit a few threes from 25-30 feet out in the flow of the game here. Just a rising junior who just turned 16 – has attracted light interest from Colgate, and work on his handle and quickness can get him there. Averaged 15.4 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals in the regular season. Boosted the total scoring average in playoffs behind a 31 point performance in the quarterfinals. Earned All 2^nd team honors here this summer, and could certainly be a 1^st team selection next summer.

John Sica (Bethlehem) – Only was able to make one appearance due to previous obligations, unofficial visits, and injury, but his availability would have been the difference between their semifinal loss and a championship. The 6’7” swingman can do it all and certainly impressed in his one game – a 40 point win. He picked his spots and had 13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. His ability to shoot, put it on the floor, pass, and his quickness at his height is unrivaled in upstate New York. That is why he’s a Division I lock.

Zach Wilcox (Hamilton) – He’s one of the hardest workers in the league. His success in King of Kings came as a surprise to some, but not to us. Good mid-range game, but likes to get to the basket. He seems to enjoy contact and absorbs it well. Led the league in free throws made and attempted this summer (29/45), which included 14/18 in two playoff games. Strong-willed, plays through pain and helps his team in more ways than scoring with grit and toughness. Good defender. He averaged 8.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1 steal, and 1.2 blocks in the regular season – the scoring and rebounding stats boosted up a little more with two playoff games as well. Wilcox earned an honorable mention selection here.

Hunter Williams (Waterville) – Thick body gets the dirty work done in the post. Plays like a true center, all of his work is done from 12 feet in. He’ll take punishment and dish it back out. His offensive game could take a big jump with work on a counter move to his heavily used spin in the post. He averaged 4.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1 block per game in the regular season.

315 Elite

John Allen (Utica Proctor) – Had limited action in his one appearance as an alternate.

TJ Borza (Whitesboro) – He’s not tall, doesn’t have much meat on his bones, isn’t the most athletic – but he gets the job done. Sneaky quick in every way – foot speed, handle, shot release, hands on defense. He can put the ball in the basket against anyone when given the opportunity. He had 21 in a semifinal win over Takeover and 10 in the final two minutes against a full Rising Stars squad in an early season win. He averaged 13 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting over 50% from the field, earning the final All 2^nd team selection.

Denvil Brown (Utica Proctor) – Warrior. Undersized in the post at 6’1”, but has explosive jumping ability and the strength to match. Makes highlight blocks, good on the offensive boards, and will make a highlight out of someone. Denvil was also dependable, making every regular season game. He averaged 5.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1 block per game in the regular season.

Jerome Brabham (Utica Notre Dame) – One of the best shooters in the league. The rising junior has a pure stroke and will hit it from distance. The 6’2” guard is also slick with the dribble and can get to the basket. He averaged 8.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game, all while shooting over 50% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. Honorable mention selection. Jerome is one of the best returning players in King of Kings.

Emmett Cavanaugh (Whitesboro) – Gave this team a little bit more effective size. The 6’4” rising junior is becoming more comfortable around contact, and it’s been a big plus to his game. Good hands and can finish around the rim. He averaged 6 points and 6 rebounds per game in two appearances without missing a shot.

Darnell Galmore – Bull-headed guard. A stockier 6’0” with a quick first step, he gets to your outside shoulder and will find a way to the basket. He gets to the free throw line often. Darnell averaged 7.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game in the regular season.

Troy Henderson (New Hartford) – Troy comes from a good basketball background and plays a lot like his older brothers, twins Jared and Jordan. He looked more comfortable in the league as the season went on. Young (entering sophomore year) but basketball IQ goes well beyond his age. Averaged 1.8 points, 1.4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game in relatively limited minutes. He will be someone to look out for over the next three years.

                                                                         

Luke Moore (Whitesboro) – He’s a good shooter and not afraid to let it fly. Did well for his team when here, but didn’t come the last few weeks. He averaged 4.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3 assists per game in his 3 appearances.

Tyvon Reed (Utica Proctor) – A veteran to King of Kings. He played in all three years of the College Prospect League’s existence, winning a championship in its inaugural season. Another undersized post player at 6’2”, but he’s working on his perimeter skills now. Explosive athleticism, was on the receiving end of countless alley-oops this summer. The athletic ability mixed with strength makes him a very good rebounder when fully invested. Comments were made from opposing players and college coaches about how athletic he was. One of the league’s leading scorers, averaging 16.6 points along with 6.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1 steal, and .8 blocks per game in the regular season. Tyvon earned an All-1^st team selection this summer.

Eli Smalls (Rome Free Academy) – Big body, but doesn’t use it as much as he should. The stocky 6’4” post player underperformed in two appearances at the beginning of the season and didn’t come back after.

Daquan Testamark (Utica Proctor) – Exploded in the playoffs. 6’4” and has been working his way out to the perimeter. Doesn’t have a good jump shot, but can slash with the best of them and finish over the rim. Had a two-handed tip dunk on a pair of defenders late in the finals. He led 315 Elite in scoring with 16 points in that final game. He averaged 3.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in the regular season.

Kevin Warmack (Utica Notre Dame) – True leader. His impact is known when you look at the box score, but you don’t know his true impact until you watch him play. Leads any team he’s on in any sport. Not afraid to get on teammates, but shows them love as well. 5’10” on a good day, but loves to penetrate and isn’t afraid of contact and finishing around the rim. Kevin averaged 14.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, a league leading 7.2 assists, and 2.7 steals per game in the regular season. He had a triple-double at one point. Garnered serious consideration for MVP honors and ended up with All-1^st team honors for the 2^nd straight year. Ends his King of Kings days as the College Prospect league’s all time leading scorer in career points at 305.

Utica Select

Jiquel Dunkley (Utica Proctor) – Played limited minutes in his one appearance for them as an alternate.

Josh Gonzalez (Canajoharie) – The Energizer bunny in the post. His energy and hard work can spark things for a team. 6’5”, strong, and gritty, he can make things happen down low. He is a big scorer for his high school team, Class C Canajoharie. Averaged 5 points and 6 rebounds per game in the regular season.

Jordan Gutierrez – Great story. Jordan has overcome some legitimate obstacles to get this opportunity, and he’s making the most of the chance. One of the most promising players in this league.  The 6’2” shooting guard can either play off the ball or on the ball, but is most effective as a shooter running off screens. However, he can use the dribble to break you down. He plays both ends of the floor and hustles, diving into chairs for loose balls on more than one occasion. He averaged 25 points per game this past season at Oneonta High School as a junior, and he’ll have the opportunity to possibly outdo that at high school in the Utica area this year. He averaged 16.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2.4 steals, and .8 blocks per game in the regular season. He also had a triple-double this season. Garnered serious MVP consideration, and ended up with All-1^st team honors.

Jim Grabowski (West Genesee) – Jim has some work to do but is very promising. He can do a little bit of everything: work in the post, slash, hit from the perimeter, rebound, defend multiple positions. His stature, being a lanky 6’4”, helps his cause. He’s just a rising junior. He averaged 5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1 steal per game in the regular season.

Jalen Hawkins (Utica Proctor) – If we had a playoff MVP, it would’ve been him. Jalen made a name for himself here. He jumped on Utica Select as an alternate midway through the season and became a full-time player for them after one game. He proved his worth each time out, culminating in a 23 point, 6 rebound, 5 assist, and 4 steal performance in the finals going up against Warmack. Oh yeah – Jalen’s going into his sophomore year. Heard the line “Jalen could be Proctor’s saving grace” from a respected basketball mind in the Utica area. He averaged 8.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 3.7 steals per game in the regular season. His hard work earned him an honorable mention selection this year. Look for him to go well beyond that in the next two years.

Quaheem Holland (Utica Notre Dame) – Quaheem stepped on for one game as an alternate and despite having an off game, you could tell he belonged with the big boys. The scary thing is he’s entering 8^th grade. Look for Quaheem to be on here full-time next year, possibly with an honorable mention selection already. With continued work, he will be one of the best to come through here.

Rod Johnson (Gates-Chili) – Rod impressed everyone this summer. His athleticism, smart play, and tenacity on the defensive end helped push Utica Select over the top. His impact on the game goes well beyond the stat sheet. Despite being just 6’0”, he may be the most explosive leaper in the league and nearly put people on posters a few times. Had one in the finals that really woke the crowd up. Rod is just a rising junior, so look for him to do big things next summer. He averaged 8.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and .7 blocks per game in the regular season.

God’s Power Ogide (Bull City Prep) – Biggest player in the league at 6’11” and 265 pounds. Already has numerous Division I offers. He needs to work on his footwork down low, which is lacking, along with his conditioning. His motor is lacking at times. That being said, his sheer presence changes games. He averaged 3 blocks per game, but altered many more. He also averaged 9.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

Alex Rushton (Utica Notre Dame) – Played limited minutes at times, but was always effective and did his job while in the game. He can shoot, has decent handle, and makes the right decision. He averaged 3.2 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in the regular season while shooting just under 50% and attending every game, and he scored in double digits in a semifinal win.

Joe Sullivan (Utica Notre Dame) – Strong as an ox. He’s 6’4” and 230 pounds, and he’ll battle with people 6 inches taller and 60 pounds heavier. Improving in all aspects of his game, including his handle and perimeter jumper. He can take other posts outside and blow by them. He could certainly play Division III basketball, but is looking to go Division I-AA in football. He dominated in the finals, finishing with 19 points and 12 rebounds. He averaged 7 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game in the regular season.

Troy Temara (West Genesee) – Troy has a Division I body with Division I athleticism already, just entering his junior year. He’s 6’6” and a cut 220 pounds. When he goes up to dunk, the ball is over the top of the square. Surefire Division I player with a little more skill work and improved coordination. He can dominate from 12 feet in. A couple plays of his in the post made college coaches salivate. Troy averaged 8.7 points, 8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game in the regular season. Honorable mention selection. He could’ve certainly been a 1^st or 2^nd team selection with a couple more appearances.

Ziggy Tracey (Utica Proctor) – Ziggy (or Clifton, according to his birth certificate) is one of the best offensive players in the league. The 6’6” shooting guard with a well-rounded skill set dominated at points. He had 25 in the semifinal win and 15 in the finals. Looking to go prep and reclassify. He will find his way with a Division I program if that happens. He can hit from the parking lot, break you down with the dribble, and dunk on you. He can defend multiple positions when fully invested at that end. Tracey averaged 17 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1 block per game in the regular season. He earned an All-1^st team selection this summer.

Mike Warchol (New Hartford) – Mike has improved drastically over the last year. Last summer, he had a ‘deer in the headlights’ look out here, but he looked like he belonged this summer. His jump shot and handle have improved, which will make the 6’6” senior a factor this winter. Putting a few pounds on would help his cause (180 pounds), but the improved skill helps counter that. He can finish over the rim now as well, with one of Select’s many dunks in their semifinal win. He averaged 2.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game in the regular season while attending every game.

MVP

Jahlil Nails (6’5” Sr, Columbia)

1st Team

Kevin Warmack (5’10” Sr, Utica Notre Dame)

Jordan Gutierrez (6’2” Sr, Oneonta)

Tyvon Reed (6’2” Sr, Utica Proctor)

Kory Bergh (5’9” Jr, Amsterdam)

Ziggy Tracey (6’6” Sr, Utica Proctor)

2^nd Team

Bobby Leslie (6’2” Jr, Skaneateles)

Zach Sawyer (6’4” Sr, Waterville)

Ryan Schmadel (6’2” Jr, Oriskany)

Raiquis Harris (6’0” Sr, Catholic Central – Troy)

Jordan Mair (6’0” Sr, Green Tech)

TJ Borza (6’0” Sr, Whitesboro)

Honorable Mention

Ramel Poole (6’4” Jr, Utica Proctor)

Will Avis (6’5” Sr, Red Hook)

Kaden Baugh (6’1” Sr, Seton Catholic – Plattsburgh)

Jake Peterson (6’7” Sr, Skaneateles)

Ray Jerome (6’4” Jr, Cheshire Academy CT)

Myles Joyce (6’2” Sr, Averill Park)

Zach Radz (6’2” Sr, Troy)

Jelani Fontanez (6’2” Sr, Ithaca)

Kinnon LaRose (6’4” Sr, Ogdensburg)

Zach Wilcox (6’2” Sr, Hamilton)

Jerome Brabham (6’2” Jr, Utica Notre Dame)

Jalen Hawkins (6’1” Soph, Utica Proctor)

Troy Temara (6’6” Jr, West Genesee)

College Prospect Semis Leave Interesting Matchups

4 teams left standing in the King of Kings College Prospect League. Couldn't have drawn up the semifinal matchups (full teams or not) any better. Two teams with highly touted Division I recruits battle in the opening game, with Albany-based Rising Stars taking on a Utica Select squad that reaches as far out as Rochester. The 2nd matchup is one of superior local interest: Takeover, a team that is mainly Center State Conference based, will play a 315 Elite squad that is, in essence, next year's 1st & 2nd team All-Tri Valley League.

When Rising Stars and Utica Select played in the regular season, both teams were looking a bit light on the rosters - Utica Select especially, having to pull 3 alternates to have a close to comfortable amount to play. They hung very tough throughout though, losing by just 1. At full strength, Rising Stars boasts 6 players who have received Division I interest. The most consistent one of them has been rising Columbia senior Jahlil Nails. Nails is far and away the league's leading scorer, averaging a touch under 21 a game. His season high 31 was a driving force in them beating Takeover in his last game 2 weeks ago, despite having to pull a couple alternates for that week in order to have enough as well. Zach Radz, a Troy senior, has also been a consistent threat for them as well. Rising Stars will have a light roster again tonight, with only 5 anticipated for the semifinal matchup. However, Nails will be one of them - and anything can happen with him on the court. Utica Select has been led by a pair of shooters - Jordan Gutierrez and Ziggy Tracey. Jordan scored nearly 25 points per game at Oneonta last season, and the 6'2" senior will be looking to do more of that moving to Class D New York Mills. One of the best pure shooters in the league, he makes defenses stretch out to 25 feet away. Same goes for Ziggy (Clifton, as many recognize him as). The 6'6" shooting guard, along with Jordan, averages 17 points per game and can beat you with the shot or off the dribble. They have loads of size as well when full, boasting 6'6" Josh Gonzalez (Canajoharie), 6'6" Troy Temara (West Genesee), and 6'11" God's Power Ogide (Bull City Prep - NC). If Select has their full array of size and shooting, it's tough for any team to match up with them.

315 Elite and Takeover should bring out the locals. It's a very intriguing matchup between the best players of the Tri Valley League and a team mainly comprised of the top players in a budding Center State Conference: large schools vs. small schools. 315 Elite boasts Notre Dame senior Kevin Warmack, who has exploded onto the scene leading his team. He is effective offensively, tough defensively and the unquestioned leader of the group. Utica Proctor senior Tyvon Reed is another experienced player that provides an athletic scoring punch. Both are veterans here, having played in all 3 years of the prospect league. They are the #1 seed in playoffs, losing just 1 game (to Rising Stars). They almost lost to the team they're playing today. Takeover was up 10 at halftime but couldn't handle the intense 2nd half pressure, eventually losing by 6 without a couple of their primary ballhandlers. They picked up a win in quarterfinals with just 5 players, and Ryan Schmadel, an Oriskany junior, had a big say in that. He dropped 31 points, 21 coming in a first half where they were dominant over the last 10 minutes. They're aided by Zach Sawyer, a Waterville senior who was a 2nd team all-state selection in Class C last season. The athletic 6'4" wing provides energy and impacts the game at both ends of the floor, filling up the stat sheet most games. They also have help from a couple out of area players - Bethlehem's John Sica and Ogdensburg's Kinnon LaRose, both surefire Division I prospects. Having them would certainly help Takeover's cause.

MVCC, 2:30 & 3:45. Free to get in and watch good hoops! Check it out!

Syracuse Area Still Well-Represented in King of Kings

King of Kings may be a Utica league, but Syracuse has long had a major imprint on the success of it. Such is the same this season, where you can find Syracuse area stars of past & present in all three leagues.

Men - The Brandon Triche led Motivated is the #1 seed and already has advanced to Friday night's semifinals with a 32 point win. Triche (Jamesville-Dewitt/Syracuse) had a triple double, with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. They were led in scoring by another Jamesville-Dewitt 2009 graduate who went Division 1 (Canisius) in Alshwan Hymes. He hit ten threes and finished with 36 points. They also pick up consistent production from other Jamesville-Dewitt graduates Mickey Davis and Jailaan Kinsey. Both enjoyed successful careers at Morrisville after. Algeron Torrence, former Corcoran standout who most recently has played at Gannon (where Dan Kaigler is headed), gives them production in the post at 6'6" and 250 pounds. Upstate Swagger, the #2 seed, will be playing in quarterfinals tonight at 7:45. They're mainly Utica area based, but Scott Morton (Westhill/Geneseo) has been a standout for them again. The 2012 men's league MVP may be a 1st teamer again this year, being the facilitator for the 2-time defending champs. They've been greatly assisted by the addition of Jordan Prior (Cortland/Morrisville), who averaged 19.5 points per game in the regular season. The 4 seed, Hoopsfiend Select, gets explosive scoring from Le Moyne's Naté Gause. The 5 seed is Syracuse Elite - name says it all. They're all from Syracuse, with Chris Gilkes (Fowler/Oswego) and Tez Thomas, a former 1,500+ point scorer at Onondaga, leading the way. Terry Smith (Bishop Ludden/Mercyhurst) is a proven leader for them when available. The #6 seed, Hard 2 Guard, has been aided by the addition of Cornelius Vines (Henninger/Hofstra). Vines, who already held the King of Kings single-game scoring record with 50, added single-game assists record to that list with 17 in a game this year. Colyn Hanley (Jordan-Elbridge/Onondaga CC) provides them with a shot-blocking presence down low.

Syracuse Elite & Hoopsfiend Select play at 6:30 Wednesday, followed by Upstate Swagger & Lo Entertainment in quarterfinals. The winner of the first game plays Motivated at 8:30 on Friday - the winner of the late game plays Hard 2 Guard at 7:30 on Friday. Semifinal winners move onto the men's finals at 5:00 on Sunday. All games are at Mohawk Valley Community College.

Women - Utica Select, the unquestioned #1 seed, is filled with Syracuse talent of different types. Rachel Coffey just finished up her career at Syracuse University. Alexis Peterson is just starting hers. Molly Hourigan (Jordan-Elbridge/Holy Cross) gives them double digits in rebounds as a guarantee. Tessa Pucello (Solvay/Le Moyne) still holds the single-game women's record for most threes made in a game (9), and the standout who earned 1st team honors last year isn't too far off her pace this season. Maggie Brown (Cortland/Le Moyne) is another consistent contributor for undefeated Utica Select. You can say the same thing about 2nd seeded Believe Me, with former Syracuse player Tyler Ash and current Lady Orange Cornelia Fondren running the show. Kirsten Dodge (Fabius-Pompey/Pace) is their biggest contributor in the blocks, and Heather Stec (Cazenovia/Siena) has been a dominant presence when available. Alyssa Gratien (Jamesville-Dewitt/Onondaga CC, Morrisville) provides a perimeter scoring threat as well. The #6 seed, Lo Entertainment, just knocked off an OCC-heavy Lazers to make it to semifinals, and they are loaded with Syracuse as well. They're led by Sophronia Sallard (Nottingham/Pittsburgh), Irene Hudson (Corcoran/Goldey-Beacom), and Olivia Luciani (ES-M/Buffalo State). Sallard is a supremely talented do-it-all player, Hudson is one of the league's hardest workers, using her energy and toughness to be one of the women's league leading scorers and rebounders, and Luciani continues to improve, electrifying the crowd at times shaking defenders before hitting threes. #5 seed Hard 2 Guard has some younger Syracuse-area talent - CNYCL, to be exact. Lauren Getman, Fayetteville-Manlius grad headed to Hamilton in the fall, is one of their most consistent scorers. Her high school teammate, D'Jhai Patterson-Ricks, helps facilitate. She does that, in part, alongside rising Auburn senior Annie Giannone. She's scored over 1,000 points already in high school, but shows her court vision in this women's league and is a main distributor for her team. They moved on with a double-overtime win over Rim Rockers, featuring Fabius-Pompey grad Stevie Ray, East Syracuse-Minoa grad Gabby Eure, and her sister, rising ES-M senior Sydni Eure.

Lo Entertainment battles Believe Me in semifinals on Friday at 5:30, followed by Hard 2 Guard and Utica Select at 6:30. Winners play in the women's finals at 3:45 Sunday. All games are at Mohawk Valley Community College.

College Prospect - Syracuse-area standouts in their respective leagues will battle each other Thursday night in quarterfinals. 3rd seeded Utica Select has got 8.7 points & 8 rebounds per game from West Genesee junior Troy Temara. His teammate, Jim Grabowski, gives them 5 and 4.3. They face the #6 seed, Dynasty. They're led in scoring by Bobby Leslie, Skaneateles standout headed to prep school in the fall, with 13.2 per game. He adds just under 5 rebounds per game. Cazenovia's Ross Gerber has added 8.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. He's also headed to prep school in the fall. They've also received contribution from Jamesville-Dewitt and Cicero-North Syracuse rising seniors Evan Dourdas and Connor Evans. There's even some OHSL representation on a team whose name doesn't represent the area code: Skaneateles senior Jake Peterson has improved in each game for Team 518, who won their first game last week and are riding on a high note heading into quarterfinals. The 6'7" Peterson averages 7.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game for perhaps the biggest squad in the league - they have three players standing at 6'5", two at 6'6", along with 6'7" Peterson and 6'8" Fayetteville-Manlius senior Cormac Bettinger.

Dynasty & Utica Select play at 6:30 Thursday at Notre Dame High School. Team 518 has the 7:45 game that night, playing #4 seed Takeover. Semifinals are at 2:30 and 3:45 Saturday and finals 2:30 Sunday, both at Mohawk Valley Community College.

The Preview: Night 2, King of Kings Men's Quarterfinals

The first night of men's quarterfinals brought everything you could hope for - big-time performances, highlights, a superior team showing how good they can be, even an upset where the local underdogs took down a team loaded with big names. The second half of quarterfinals looks to build off of that, with a pair of very interesting matchups.

First off, Syracuse Elite vs. Hoopsfiend Select.

The game they played in the regular season changed both of their seasons to date. Syracuse Elite was 2-0 and looked like the strongest team in the league out of the gates. Hoopsfiend Select was 1-1, coming off of a blowout loss that had to be called due to frustrations on their end boiling over in the closing minutes. Elite built off that momentum and started off by giving Select an old-fashioned backalley beatdown. How bad? You shouldn't have asked. It was 33-8 at the end of the 1st quarter. The lead ballooned to 46-15 at one point... then things started to change. Hoopsfiend scored 13 of the last 19 in the half to make it 52-28. Still a blowout though. Not for long. Behind phenomenal play from Geoff Brown, who is garnering serious consideration for men's league MVP, and Naté Gause, they cut it to 15 after 3 quarters. In the 4th, nothing could go wrong for the upstart Hoopsfiend - nothing could go right for Syracuse Elite. A couple miscues taken advantage of by Hoopsfiend put them on top in the final seconds, and they won 79-78. The 31 point deficit is believed to be the largest comeback in King of Kings history. That put Hoopsfiend at 2-1, and they've only lost once since, a close loss to Utica Select the following week. Syracuse Elite has not won a game since. They took it to the last possession against 2 time defending champ Upstate Swagger, but have lost by as much as 40 in other games. Anyone that says the loss to Hoopsfiend Select didn't change the course of their season to this date wasn't around for the first two weeks. Look for Syracuse Elite to try and get revenge for the shocker tonight. They'll need big performances from Tez Thomas, James Hall, and Chris Gilkes. Gilkes has been their most potent offensive threat, averaging 20.6 points per game in his team's last five games. He's also been one of the league leaders in steals all season. Hall, a.k.a. Boo Boo, took a dip in production midway through the season after suffering a concussion. He looks to be shaking off the ill effects from that, and they hope to get the All-1st Team level production he had been giving them at the start of the season. Thomas, a tough point guard whose game here has hit the next level with an improved jump shot, has been a consistent contributor. He's looking to shake off a rough game, perhaps his first of the season, from last week. The key for Hoopsfiend Select is intensity. The more chaos they cause, the better. Geoff Brown leads that charge - the unquestioned leader on the floor of the James Desroches-led group. He's averaging 18 points per game and has stuffed the stat line across the board. Josh squared has also picked it up each week: Josh Henderson has scored 26 in each of his last two games, shooting over 50% from the field, and Josh Wright has improved in shooting percentage each week, averaging 19 points per game over the last three. Tom Wilk, a thick 6'8" true center, has been a lift for his team as well. His production doesn't jump out at you on the stat sheet, but his impact is felt every week while allowing the guards to control the game.

Tonight: Expect a tight game throughout. The outcome truly depends on Hoopsfiend Select shot selection and foul trouble - expect a lot of fouls between these two teams. Naté Gause showing off for Select will also make a big difference. What do we think? The momentum may be a little too much for a fed-up Syracuse Elite to overcome. Hoopsfiend will march on, 84-78.

Next up, Lo Entertainment vs. Upstate Swagger.

Upstate Swagger is coming off of something that doesn't happen to them much - a loss. They lost opening night with half of their regular team missing, including probable 1st teamers Dave Golembiowski and Scott Morton. With them returning, they won 5 straight before taking a hotly contested loss to Motivated to end the regular season. 3 of those wins came in blowout fashion. Syracuse Elite took them to the last possession. The only other remotely close game? Lo Entertainment. The underdog was up 24-14 after one quarter and still held a lead at halftime. Perimeter shooting did it all for Lo Entertainment in that game. They shot 6/9 in the 1st quarter from beyond the arc. After that? 2/21. They had no answer for Dave Golembiowski, who shot 11/18 and finished with 28 points. Gumby, as the locals call him, has averaged 27.2 points per game in the last 5 outings. He missed opening night and arrived from Germany in time to catch the 2nd half of their second game. Jordan Prior has provided a huge lift for Swagger. A rare new addition, he's provided a scoring punch that they lost when Sean Burton left to become an assistant coach at Babson College in Massachusetts. Prior is averaging an efficient 19.5 points per game on the season, shooting over 50% in nearly every game. Morton is averaging a touch under 14, and filling up the rebounding and assists categories as usual. Flagan Prince has given them an added post presence that they've never had, which helps them immensely. The former MVCC and Le Moyne standout who's enjoyed a successful overseas career has picked up his scoring production of late and averaged just over 18 per game in the regular season. Lo Entertainment has played admirably tough, considering they're a group of Schenectady players picked up after the original team forfeited opening night. They take pride on the defensive end, will pressure you for 94 feet, and are not afraid to sacrifice their bodies. Perhaps the only Achilles' heel for Swagger is a team that can successfully pressure the ball. The 7 seed's only problem? With their sheer lack of bodies, rarely having more than 7, they can't keep up such pressure for 44 minutes. Their scoring is extremely balanced, with 5 players averaging between 10 and 15 points per game. Brian Ledbetter, former St. Rose player, is the leader of the group. They've picked up contributions from Chris Lewis on both ends, along with Tyrone "Freeway" Buttler and Anthony Armstead in the blocks. Jordan Gutierrez, a mid-season pickup who scored nearly 25 points per game as a junior at Oneonta High School this past season, has given them a consistent shooting threat. He scored 28 in his first game, a blowout win over The Generals. He led the charge in the 1st quarter against Swagger in their regular season game, hitting 4 threes in the 1st quarter. However, Swagger held him to 2 points the rest of the way in their 71-58 win.

Tonight: We know one thing: Lo Entertainment won't quit, not even for a second. They just don't have the bodies to keep it up. Upstate Swagger, in playoff mode and hungry after a very rare regular season loss at nearly full strength, will pull away in time. Swagger onto Friday's semifinals, 81-62.

See if we're right! King of Kings at MVCC, 6:30 & 7:45. Free admission, donations accepted, live music, big-time hoops!

Most Valuable Thoughts - King of Kings Men's Quarterfinals

Well then.

Those who were frequent visitors to the men's division games this season expected mainly the same outcomes - Utica Select's talent to outdo local Hard 2 Guard, and top-seeded Motivated to impose their will on a Generals team that beat them earlier in the season. The    200 in attendance got half of that.

Hard 2 Guard, with mainly Utica players, jumped on not so local Utica Select early and was able to hold off the higher side to get the win, even having to fight back when Select took a quick lead in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. They shot over 75% from inside the 3 point line in the 1st quarter, where they took a 32-24 lead. Former Utica Proctor and Jefferson CC standout Collis Maddox was an early spark, scoring 9 of his 15 in the 1st. The 5-2 Utica Select was able to climb back into it in the 2nd behind hot shooting from EJ Gallup. The Coastal Carolina product, known for his perimeter shooting prowess, scored 19 of his 25 points in the 1st half. 15 of them came off of 5 threes, only missing a pair of them in the process. Even with Demetris Nichols, Mark Lyons, Lonnie Hayes, Adam Kemp, and Rashaun Freeman not in attendance for Select, it seemed once they drew within 1 at half, their 6 would get the job done. It seemed more so when they were the aggressors out of the gate in the 2nd half, taking a lead on an Edwin Ubiles dunk early in the 3rd quarter. Hard 2 Guard hung tough in the regular season game as well before Utica Select simply imposed their will - the local boys weren't having it tonight. They continued to scrap and despite St. Bonaventure rising sophomore Denzel Gregg's 10 3rd quarter points, Hard 2 Guard remained within 1 point with a quarter to play. Hard 2 Guard was able to slow the Select charge in the 4th, holding them to 18 points. T'Andre Richardson was the X-factor in this game for Hard 2 Guard - they're a formidable team when he gives them quality production in the post. Quality is a good word to describe his performance on this night, scoring 10 of his game- and career-high 28 points in the 4th quarter. He added 7 rebounds and shot 12/16 from the field. Hard 2 Guard held just a 3 point lead with 26 seconds left, but a putback on a miss pushed it to 5. After a missed Utica Select three, Richardson leaked out for a dunk to seal the game. They had more than just T'Andre, though. Maurice Mills, former Proctor standout now at Nazareth, added 24 points and 9 rebounds. Between those two, Maddox, and Walkery Mills, 79 of their 92 points came from Proctor graduates. Utica Select, who lost 124-120 in the championship game last season, take an unexpected early exit. Gallup led them with 25, and Gregg added 23. Tyquon Stroman had 15, but only 2 came in the 2nd half. Hard 2 Guard was able to hold former Siena standout Edwin Ubiles to 11 points on 5/15 shooting. The #6 seed moves onto semifinals, where they will play the winner of Lo Entertainment and defending champion Upstate Swagger on Friday night.

The nightcap... certainly was a sleeper. Lacked the intrigue of Monday's opener. The Generals were the #8 seed and had lost 4 straight, but had some confidence: their 2 wins on the season were against the top 2 seeds. Motivated, the #1 seed, is back to full strength with the return of Brandon Triche and Alshwan Hymes, and they're looking to finally get an elusive King of Kings men's title. They announced those plans loudly with a 111-79 thumping of their opponents, a game that was as close as 14 in the 3rd quarter, but never felt in danger. Motivated did it in every way possible, including outdoing The Generals at their own game - shooting the cheese. Hymes, a Canisius product by way of Jamesville-Dewitt, hit 10 of his team's 18 threes on the night and had 36 points, a King of Kings season high. 4 came in the 2nd quarter, where their team extended the lead to 56-37 by halftime. Brandon Triche (feel free to ask Google if you don't know where he played) had a rare triple-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. 8 of those assists came in the first half. A quick 8-0 spurt from The Generals ending with a Reggie German three brought them within 14 at 63-49 early in the 3rd, but that's the closest they would get. Motivated would score the next 11 and it was no longer close. It turned into a dunk contest in the last couple minutes, and was called with a little over a minute on the clock. The top seed showed their dominance and flexed a little bit heading into semifinals. They will play again in semifinals on Friday, facing the winner of Hoopsfiend Select and Syracuse Elite.

King of Kings - Men's Monday Quarterfinals Preview

Well, here we are. 7 weeks of the premier summer men's basketball league in upstate New York down, and it's playoff week. It was an interesting regular season - the top 4 seeds in playoffs all are 5-2, and the bottom 4 of the 8 team league sit at 2-5. Men's quarterfinals are on Monday and Wednesday, with semifinals Friday night and finals on Sunday evening. All games are at Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica with live music and free admission.

Enough about that. Let's talk about the matchups for a minute. First off:

Hard 2 Guard vs. Utica Select. Hard 2 Guard comes in as the #6 seed - although it took them longer to get a win than any other team in the league. They lost their first 4, one of them to Utica Select, before finally breaking into the win column. Hard 2 Guard moved from the bowels of the bottom with a big win over Syracuse Elite last week. Cornelius Vines, former Hofstra player who has overseas experience, has worked his way into playing shape over the summer coming off of injury and has turned it up over the last couple weeks. After starting off slow, he's scored 21 & 29 in his last two games. He's also been rebounding and getting assists at a high level. Conor Maisch shooting well of late has helped their cause - another player coming off of injury that has used the summer to work back into form. He once led the country in 3-point percentage, playing at Division III Utica College, and he's coming off a good game of his own. He made 7 of his 11 3-point attempts in the win over Syracuse Elite. They need consistent production from T'Andre Richardson, Maurice Mills, and Walkery Mills to have hopes of moving on. Maurice, the younger Mills, has been their most consistent contributor from opening night up through now. Richardson is their only post player - an athletic 6'5" who was once a standout at SUNY IT, they need production in the paint from him to go on. They battle Utica Select, who has a bevy of big-name talent. They really have yet to put it all together, but the talent has put them at 5-2. They have won 4 straight after suffering a blowout loss at the hands of Upstate Swagger. The last three of those have been aided by the addition of Edwin Ubiles and Demetris Nichols. Both former standouts at their colleges (Siena & Syracuse, respectively) and current D-League players, they have established themselves as possibly the toughest duo in the league. It's much more than them, though. Mark Lyons has missed the last couple weeks, but has been one of the best guards in the league. Their length & explosiveness is unmatched, with rising St. Bonaventure sophomore Denzel Gregg controlling the air. Former Coastal Carolina and overseas standout EJ Gallup is still a sharpshooter, scoring 17 points in their 102-78 win over The Generals last week, hitting 5 threes. They have a lot of size - besides 6'8" Ubiles, 6'8" Nichols, and 6'8" Gregg, they also have a wide 6'9" Rashaun Freeman and 6'9" Adam Kemp in the blocks. Freeman was a standout at UMass in previous years and has enjoyed a long overseas career, where Kemp is just starting his after 4 successful years at Marist. At full strength, Utica Select has talent to beat many Division I basketball teams. Let's see if they can put it together this week.

Last Time They Played - Hard 2 Guard hung tough with a balanced effort, including a big performance from T'Andre Richardson and Maurice Mills, but Hard 2 Guard could hardly guard. Mark Lyons had 23, rising Utica Proctor senior Ziggy Tracey had a men's league career high 21, and Rashaun Freeman dominated the post with 20 points & 13 rebounds. Select shot over 50% from the field and 15/31 from beyond the arc in a 99-85 win.

Tonight - Look for Select, now with Ubiles and Nichols, to turn this one into a rout by the time we get midway through the 3rd quarter. Vines might be much improved since that early-season game, but Hard 2 Guard simply has no match for those two. 94-71, Utica Select to the semis.

And the nightcap?

The Generals vs Motivated. The Generals come in as an 8 seed that have unraveled over the last few weeks. The team, comprised mainly of current and former HCCC players, won two of their first three games - one of them being over this top-seeded Motivated squad. It has gone downhill from there, losing their last four, including giving Hard 2 Guard their first win. Defense has been optional - in those four losses, they've been giving up 100.5 points per game on average. Their most consistent contributors have been Matt Baldwin, Reggie German, and Garrett Sharlow. Baldwin & German both finished their playing days at Utica College after HCCC; Sharlow never played in Herkimer, instead playing his four years at St. Lawrence. Motivated took a couple of losses without their leader, Brandon Triche, but have went unscathed since his return from the NBA summer league. In the last two games, Triche has averaged 19.5 points, 8 rebounds, and 12 assists. Alshwan Hymes has also provided a lift in recent weeks. The former high school teammate of Triche and Canisius player dropped 30 points last week in a season-ending win over defending champion Upstate Swagger. Mickey Davis and Pat Moore have also been providing solid contributions, both picking up more as of late. What may come back to bite Motivated is lack of numbers - they very rarely have more than 7, and they only had 5 last week. Although it hasn't come back to bite them in the regular season, playoffs are a different game.

Last Time They Played - A Motivated squad with Brandon Triche in attendance, but not playing, held an 11 point lead after 3 quarters. However, an efficient 4th quarter from The Generals and stale offense on the top seed's side led to their demise. Holding a lead up to the last 30 seconds, Motivated coughed it up on two straight possessions. Four Kevin Kucel free throws converted a 1 point deficit into a 3 point lead for The Generals, and they picked up a 78-75 win. This win, in the 3rd week, is the last time they've been on the winning end. 9 4th quarter points from Matt Baldwin, good free throw shooting, and improved work on the boards from Garrett Sharlow, Carson Murphy, and Jeff Mlinar led the initial charge.

Tonight - We're at a different point now. The Generals have taken a sharp decline, and Motivated doesn't have a high school sophomore running their backcourt like they did in those weeks. With Triche, Hymes, Moore, Davis, and Algeron Torrence on the floor, the top seed is a different team than before - and deserving of that top spot. The Generals, when hot, can keep themselves in any game with their perimeter prowess, but too much strength from Motivated will wear them down. Look for it to be competitive until late in the 3rd quarter, where Triche & Co. will impose their will and make it a done deal. Onto the semis Motivated will go. Prediction: 87-70.

What do you think? Mohawk Valley Community College, free entry (donations accepted), live music, good hoops, air conditioned gym... 6:30 tip time for first game, 7:45 for nightcap. Check it out!

Tough as Nails: Jahlil Among Upstate's Finest in King of Kings

Written by Jeff Mlinar

Upstate New York has talent.

Dozens of high school boys between Rochester and Albany are receiving legitimate interest from Division I basketball programs. A couple – Joe Cremo and Jordan Roland – have even committed heading into their senior campaigns. One other rising senior is looking to join that category, and with the summer he’s been having, it wouldn’t be surprising if that happened soon.

Jahlil Nails isn’t your average kid. I mean, he is normal. At 6’5”, maybe he’s a little taller than average. Get him on the court and get to know him, and you’ll understand why. In a sectional semifinal game this year, he sprained his MCL. They didn’t win, but he kept playing… and playing. And playing. 5 overtimes worth of playing. He wasn’t just out there struggling, either. Nails finished with 41 points on the night. Your average kid doesn’t put up 41 points on a sprained MCL. He goes to Columbia High School, east of Albany, and participates in the King of Kings College Prospect League in Utica. While many players have missed multiple weeks, he’s been dependable. As a matter of fact, he was one of only thirteen in the league that attended all of the first five weeks. He drives himself every week, sometimes picking up teammates in the process. The average kid isn’t doing that.

He’s certainly making a name for himself too. Through those 5 weeks, he’s separated himself from nearly everyone in the league. Averaging 20.8 points per game in that stretch, he’s leading the league in scoring by over 3 points per game. He also rebounds well – with 8.2 per game, he’s currently in 6^th. Not to mention what he does from beyond the arc. The 6’5” shooting guard shoots over defenders at will, and he’s hit 19 of his 41 attempts from the land of the extra point so far. The amount of makes leads the league, and it makes it even more impressive when he’s shooting it at nearly a 50% clip. A 31 point outburst with limited players put them over the top last week against a tough Takeover team. A 21 point 2^nd half single-handedly kept his team in the game in a close loss to 315 Elite. The only off game he had was in a game where they didn’t need him to have a good game anyway – they won by 30. Nails is a bona fide Division 1 prospect: with Tennessee Tech & USC Upstate showing budding interest along with Monmouth, Lehigh, Liberty, Houston Baptist, Idaho State, TCU, Radford, NJIT, and a half dozen others interested for a longer period of time, the laundry list of D1 schools looking into him is one of the longest in the league. Even with all this attention from programs, Nails plays with a hammer of a chip on his shoulder – this being even more clearly evident in King of Kings, going up against a lot of the other best talent in upstate NY. When asked about why King of Kings this summer, a multitude of reasons popped up.

“The big names made a difference”, Nails said when it came to initially making the decision to commit to the league. “You see guys like Mark (Lyons), Brandon (Triche) as people who have played in this, and you want to be a part of that”. Those two, along with plenty of other notable names, such as Demetris Nichols, Edwin Ubiles, and Jimmer Fredette, have all played in the King of Kings men’s league – all but Fredette have played this season as well. Nails also pointed at the wide recruiting base for this summer’s league: “Coming out to the Capital district to get players for a league in Utica showed it could be a big deal. And when guys that were on the team were mentioned, like as (Zach) Radz and Raiquis (Harris), you could see it was a talented team.” And what kept him here after the first week, a 68-38 win over a Team 518 squad that featured Green Tech rising senior Isiah Dobere? Multiple things.

“The environment, definitely”, Nails pointed at. “The crowd opening night, people came out. The DJ playing music in games. It’s a different experience.” He also mentioned the in-game experience – “The refs let you play tough. It’s a little more physical and you have to work harder. It’s more college physicality, which helps get you ready for it. The competition is just strong all-around, too. Everyone’s athletic, everyone can play. Everyone who plays in it is a big name at their school or in their area, so people don’t care what your name is here. It’s all about skill – gotta bring your game.”

And bring his game is what he’s done. People have taken notice – especially after the early-season 2^nd half outburst against 315 Elite. People pay attention to him when he has the ball in his hands. Other teams focus on stopping him. It hasn’t worked. He continues to play with that chip on his shoulder, even late in the season, no matter who he’s playing. The fact that he doesn’t have a scholarship offer yet, even with all this scholarship-level attention, is certainly a big driving force for him.

“Everywhere I play, everywhere I go, I’m trying to make a name for myself”, Nails said. “I feel like I’ve been overlooked a lot by programs. I know schools are interested, but a lot of kids I have played well against (AAU, BCANY, etc.) have offers. I want that.”

With the King of Kings regular season in the books, and him only missing the last week due to obligations with his BCANY team, he is certainly garnering serious consideration for the regular season MVP award. Underrecruited? I’d definitely say he has been. He may not have an offer yet, but if his play continues at this pace, that won’t be for long.

Jahlil’s team, Rising Stars, has a bye into the playoff semifinals as the #2 seed. They will play the winner of #6 seed Dynasty (featuring Amsterdam’s Kory Bergh and Skaneateles’ Bobby Leslie) and #3 Utica Select (with a host of top talent, including Ziggy Tracey, Jordan Gutierrez, Troy Temara, and God’s Power Ogide) on Saturday, August 9, at Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica. Game time is to be determined. Full Rising Stars roster below.

Brandon LaForest (Cohoes)

Zach Radz (Troy)

Raiquis Harris (CCHS)

Myles Joyce (Averill Park)

Isaiah Moak (Averill Park)

Ryan Bielawa (La Salle)

Justin Carruthers (Greenwich)

Andrew Hoag (Hoosick Falls)

Jahlil Nails (Columbia)

Brandon Fischer (Shenendehowa)

Ray Jerome (Albany Academy/Cheshire Academy)