by Alex Schwartz

I recently caught up with one of the top junior guards in Pennsylvania, Tyreek Duran '10 of Neumann-Goretti (PA). Despite playing on a loaded team this season at N-G, Duran was able to shine and show what he can do. The combo guard's play had led to him claiming offers from Houston, Mount St. Mary's, and Robert Morris along with interest from Miami, Providence, Temple, UMass, and Rider. Although Duran does "not really" have a leader, his dream schools are "Georgetown and UConn." When I asked him what he is looking for in a school, he replied, "someplace that I can fit in and enjoy myself." Duran helped lead Neumann to a Philadelphia Catholic League championship and a trip to the PIAA Class AAA quarterfinals, where the team lost in a huge upset to fellow Catholic League foe Archbishop Carroll (PA), a team Neumann had already defeated twice. Duran, who said he chose to attend Neumann because he "liked [its] history" said the following when I asked him what it's like to put on that N-G jersey: "It makes every game a battle because everybody in the city wants to say that they beat Neumann." Tyreek, said he would compare his game to "probably Kemba Walker" of the UConn Huskies, one of the NCAA's top freshman and a graduate of Rice (NY). Why is that? "Because of how he uses his speed to go past defenders." That is also what Duran told me he feels is the strongest point of his game, while he said hie "pull-up jumper" is currently the weakest aspect of his game. With coaching of Carl Arrigale at Neumann-Goretti, look for Duran to keep improving on that and more.

Note- photo is from http://phillyhoops.wordpress.com/