by Alex Schwartz

The Hoop Group Junior Elite Camp has come to an end, as have the organization’s fantastic summer events at Albright College. Wednesday was the fourth and final day, and it was playoff and all-star time. The day started off with four sets of games, which counted as the playoffs, and then came the awards ceremony, which was followed by the NCAA and NBA all-star games. The playoffs allowed for me to see the final two teams I had yet to see, as well as a few more. In the games that I saw, the following players stood out (the players in the NCAA have stars after their names):

5’9 Marcel Allen ’13, Dodd (NY)
5’11 Matt Angelos ’13, Episcopal Academy (PA)
5’7 Naz Chew ’14, Trenton Catholic (NJ)
5’0 Deante Cole ’14, St. James Incarnation Catholic (NJ)*
6’1 Kyle Cook ’13, Harrisburg (PA)
5’7 Chris Coston ’14, Middle River (MD)*
5’3 Kevin Crutchfield ’15, South Brandywine (PA)*
5’8 Langston Glaude ’14, Princeton Day School (NJ)*
6’1 Evan Gordinier ’14, Monmouth Beach (NJ)
5’11 Alec Gewirtz ’14, New Canaan County School (CT)*
5’2 Deonte Hall ’15, Lester B. Pearson (CAN)*
5’9 Austin Hawkins ’14, Mead (PA)
5’11 Rasheed Jordan ’13, Imhotep Cahrter (PA)
5’11 Tyler Kohl ’14, Easton Area (PA)*
5’5 Hunter Lybeck ’13, Castleton Village School (VT)*
6’2 Josh Marquez ’13, DePaul Catholic (NJ)
6’9 Jerrel Patterson ’13, Harrisburg (PA)
5’5 Tarin Smith ’14, Ocean Township (NJ)
5’11 Dave Stevens ’14, Lehigh Valley Christian (PA)
6’3 Geno Thorpe ’13, Shady Side Academy (PA)
5’7 Christopher Warren ’14, Sacred Heart (PA)*
6’7 Mike Young ’13, Shady Side Academy (PA)
5’8 Austin Zak ’13, Indian Hills (NJ)

Upon the completion of the camp games, it was time for the award ceremony, which included honoring the team champions. In the NBA, it was Team 5, coached by Pennsbury (PA) Assistant Coach Justin Baxter who won the title. There were also many individual accolades handed out. The following is a list of some of those awards and the recipients:

NCAA Most Improved Player: Nathaniel Wiggley ’16, Mcfarland(NJ)
NBA Most Improved Player: Rashann London ’14, Holy Cross (PA)
NCAA Most Outstanding Player: Tyler Kohl ’14, Easton Area (PA)
NBA Most Outstanding Player: 6’3 Geno Thorpe ’13, Shady Side Academy (PA)
NBA Most Outstanding Prospect: 6’4 Brandon Austin ’14, Carnell (PA)

Four of those five players were selected as all-stars.What’s the full list of players who made the cut? Check it out.

NCAA All Stars- Blue Team
5’3 Kendrick Jolin ’15, St. Thomas (CAN)
5’6 Samir Taylor ’15, The Philadelphia School (PA)
5’8 Joshua Gillis ’14, Kingsview (MD)
5’7 Chris Coston ’14, Middle River (MD)
6’0 Nick Angeli ’14, Satz (NJ)
6’2 Gene Bilbao ’14, Governor Mifflin (PA)
5’7 Christopher Warren ’14, Sacred Heart (PA)
5’4 Steve Denby ’14, Northwood Charter (PA)
5’2 Deonte Hall ’15, Lester B. Pearson (CAN)
5’8 Langston Glaude ’14, Princeton Day School (NJ)

NCAA All Stars- White Team
5’1 Keith Washington ’16, Ann A. Mullen (NJ)
5’5 Aaron Briggs ’14, Bullis School (MD)
5’7 Tyrell Thomas ’14, St. Jerome (MD)
5’8 Steven Milhaven ’14, Weber (NY)
5’11 Tyler Kohl ’14, Easton Area (PA)
5’0 Mikey Dixon ’15, Thomas Edison Charter (DE)
5’2 Michael Jolaoso ’15, Episcopal Academy (PA)
5’7 Jordan Holness ’15, Humberg Summit School (CAN)
5’6 Arum Krause ’15, Butler (PA)
6’0 Alex Dankl ’14, Cinnamonson (NJ)

NBA All Stars- Blue Team
5’7 Carlton Carter ’13, Brooke Point (VA)
5’11 Rashann London ’14, Holy Cross (PA)
5’11 Dave Stevens ’14, Lehigh Valley Christian (PA)
6’1 Shawn Jerry ’13, Harrisburg (PA)
6’3 Wade Walker ’13, Northstar (PA)
5’8 John Vassar ’13, Hillside School (MA)
6’2 Terrence Samuel ’13, Meyer Levin IS 285 (NY)
6’4 Brandon Austin ’14, Carnell (PA)
6’2 Michael Brown ’13, Hatboro Horsham (PA)
6’4 Reggie Cameron ’13, Paterson Catholic (NJ)

NBA All Stars- White Team
5’3 Wade Baldwin ’14, Montgomery (NJ)
5’9 Austin Hawkins ’14, Mead (PA)
5’11 Rasheed Jordan ’13, Imhotep Charter (PA)
6’1 Kyle Cook ’13, Harrisburg (PA)
6’5 Justin Jackson ’15, unknown (CAN)
5’11 Kavon Stewart ’13, Paterson Catholic (NJ)
6’1 Sterlin Johnson ’13, Tatnall School (DE)
6’3 Geno Thorpe ’13, Shady Side Academy (PA)
6’2 Shamier Sheppard ’13, South Shore (NY)
6’7 Mike Young ’13, Shady Side Academy (PA)
6’4 Josh Blagrove ’13, South Shore (NY)

In the NCAA division, the MVP was Mikey Dixon, as the young guard led his team to victory. This was the second straight year that Dixon was named the NCAA All-Star Game MVP, and last year he was also the NCAA Most Outstanding Player. In the NBA division, Mike Young was named the MVP, despitethe fact that his team lost 76-74. Young was the contest’s leading scorer and rebounder. The big man was not the only standout in the game though, as Kavon Stewart, Rasheed Jordan, Reggie Cameron, John Vassar, and Brandon Austin werealso superb. Others who performed well included Austin Hawkins, Carlton Carter,Terrence Samuel, and Wade Walker.

I was able to chat with a few of the players who were selected to the all-star games.

6’7 Mike Young ’13, Shady Side Academy (PA)
Dream School: Pitt
Strongest Point: “Rebounding.”
Weakest Point: “My shooting.”

5’9 Austin Hawkins ’14, Mead (PA)
Dream School: None
Strongest Point: “My pull-up.”
Weakest Point: “I think it would probably be my defense . . . at times. It goes up and down sometimes.”

5’2 Deonte Hall ’15, Lester B. Pearson (CAN)
Dream Schools: North Carolina, Duke, and Kansas
Strongest Points: “My ball handling and my driving.”
Weakest Point: “Jumpshot.”

The Hoop Group Junior Elite Camp was definitely a great event, and it was enjoyable to see the future stars of the game!

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