by Alex Schwartz

No, there were not throngs of college coaches in the building. No, there were not all-everything superstars in attendance. Yes, there were hundreds of kids who love basketball just having fun playing the game they love. Yes, there were young kids improving their games and working hard to get better. The Hoop Group Junior Elite Camp was not a college showcase event, though there were coaches from all levels working the event and every major East Coast recruiting service was in attendance, but it was a great camp. Kids from as far away as Texas and Wisconsin and as close as Trenton, New Jersey came to The College of New Jersey for four days to play ball, and that they did. On the final day of games, the following youngsters stood out to me during their playoff matchups:

5′10 Richard Crabtree ‘12, Tyrone Area HS (PA)
6′4 Malcolm Allgood ‘12, Kelly MS (CT)
6′0 Ben Lewis ‘12, Middetown HS (MD)
5′6 Devin Banfield ‘12, Christ the King HS (NY)
6′2 Stanley Lumpkin, Jr. ‘12, Harrisburg HS (PA)
5′10 Christopher Pauze ‘12, Lawrenceville Prep (NJ)
5′5 Patrick McGuiness ‘12, Albertus Magnus (NY)
5′9 Tyler Huffman ‘12, St. Timothy MS (CT)
5′10 Maurice Counts ‘12, Medford Tech (??)
5′9 Jihaad Jackson ‘12, Elizabeth HS (NJ)
6′1 Dylan Bridges ‘12, Newsome HS (FL)

The premiere performer from the playoff games on Tuesday was Maurice Counts. Although his squad lost in the championship, the rising freshman was fantastic. Counts was dominant down low, using all of his 70 inches to grab boards and score in the paint. In addition, he ran the floor well and was an intense baller. Counts was quite impressive.

DREAM SCHOOLS-

6′0 Ben Lewis ‘12, Middletown HS (MD): “Any DI” school, though he has rooted for Tennessee growing up.

Following the completion of the playoff games was the awards ceremony. The top players and hardest workers in camp were recognized and rightfully so, as the 150+ kids on hand all worked hard! The NBA’s Most Outstanding Player award went to the best player from the championship squad: 5′10 Richard Hoskins ‘12 of Imhotep Charter (PA). In the NCAA, the Most Outstanding Player award also was given to the best player from the team that won the title: 4′10 Mikey Dixon ‘15 of Thomas Edison Charter (DE). Mikey was not only one of the smallest kids in camp, but he was also one of the youngest. Standing under five-feet tall and heading into sixth grade, his selection as MOP is extremely impressive, and the youngster certainly deserved it. He and 5′3 Wade Baldwin ‘13 of Montgomery MS (NJ) teamed up to bring home the title for team #18, coached by Kyle Neptune, an assistant coach at Bishop Loughlin (NY) and former player at Lehigh. Meanwhile, Hoskins was astounding in leading team #3, coached by Howard assistant coach Matt Collier, to the championship. At the award ceremony, 5′10 Britton Lee ‘13 of Wilson MS (PA) was recognized as the NBA’s Station Star, an award given to the camper who was the best during morning stations. This is evidence that the kids at TCNJ really did work hard, as Britton was easily one of the best and most well-known players in camp. Despite that, he worked hard every day and was awarded for his efforts.

After the awards ceremonies were the games that ended camp, the NCAA and NBA All-Star games. In the NBA, the white team was in control for 24 of the 32 minutes of competition. Britton Lee led the way with 23 points along with four rebounds and three assists on his way to NBA All-Star game Most Outstanding Player honors. Richard Hoskins was a close second in points, scoring 22 for the white team. The camp MOP also had seven rebounds, an assist, and a steal. For the blue team, 6′2 Larry Morton of ‘13 Baumont MS (KY) was the top scorer with 12 points. He also has three boards, an assist, a steal, and a block. There were two plays that stand out in my mind from the NBA All-Star game. First was an assist dished out by 5′6 John Vassar ‘13 of The Hillside School (MA). The speedy young point guard was on the white team, and he had two spectacular assists. One of them, though, was absolutely amazing. Vassar drove to the rack, did a spin move, and kicked the ball to a wide-open teammate standing under the hole as he spun. The other great play came from 6′0 Jaylen Beckham ‘12 of Lexington Catholic (KY). He represented the Bluegrass State well by throwing down a jam during the All-Star game. Considering that Beckham has not even started high school, it was quite impressive. Meanwhile, in the NCAA All-Star game, the MOP was not a shocker, as it went to Mikey Dixon. The rising sixth grader picked up the Most Outstanding Player honors from the camp as a whole, the All-Star game, and won the Team Championship. All in all, it was a great four days for the little man. A list of all 40 All-Stars will be up shortly!

The Hoop Group Junior Elite Camp was a great time. It was exciting to watch such young kids play so well. Every time a camper made a great play it was amazing to think that he was still such a young baller. There were five kids who really stood out in the NBA Division: 6′6 Matt Banas ‘12 of Hershey HS (PA), 6′2 Brandon Austin ‘14 of Carnell MS (PA), 6′0 Jaylen Beckham ‘12 of Lexington Catholic (KY), 5′10 Britton Lee ‘13 of Wilson MS (PA), and 5′10 Richard Hoskins ‘12 of Imhotep Charter (PA). All five made the All-Star game and all of them have the potential to be stars down the road. Remember the names, and remember that they were all at the 2008 Hoop Group Junior Elite Camp!

For more on the high school/AAU basketball world from The Hoop Group, check out http://www.hoopgroup.com/hoopgroup/index.php.