Brian Flinn:
Future150 National Recruiting Analyst. Covering high school basketball nationally.
New York, NY (Future150) -- On the final day of the 2013 Rumble in the Bronx, the competition was fierce. Two bitter rivals faced off in the semi-finals, while a team from the west surprised everyone and ultimately captured the 17U title. Plenty of players stepped up and brought their A-Game, but ultimately only one team was left standing, here are some of the players who stood out:
Terry Harris, 2014 SF Westchester Hawks: The younger brother of Tobias and Tyler Harris, Terry showed he could be the focal point of an offense on Sunday morning. Harris showed an improved three point stroke and hit the glass hard. While he’s not overly athletic, it is evident that Harris is a hard worker that will give a team a player who can stretch the floor and grab a few boards in the process.
Jared Gray, 2014 PG Maryland Mavericks: The 6-foot lead guard was equal parts scorer and distributor in his game against the Hawks. Every time the Mavericks needed someone to hit a shot to end a Hawks run, the ball ended up in Gray’s hands. He was very effective going to the rim, using a series of floaters and drives to keep the defense off balance.
Wade Baldwin, 2014 SG Sports U: Baldwin missed Sports U’s first game of the season while he was taking the ACT’s but he more than made up for it the rest of the weekend. Baldwin scored the ball from all over while showing that he can run the point when he needs to. In addition, he guarded Isaiah Whitehead better than anyone I’ve ever seen before, holding him to 14 points on 4 of 16 shooting. Baldwin is making a major push for a bump in the rankings with his play.
Sterling Taplin, 2014 PG Albany City Rocks: Taplin was big for the host team on Sunday morning. He dueled Isaiah Whitehead and kept his team in the game with his ability to score it and set his teammates up. While his team fell in the end, Taplin put everyone on notice with his talent. A player who can suit up at either backcourt position, Taplin’s stock should rise after the live period.
Isaiah Whitehead, 2014 SG NJ Playaz: In the quarter-final game vs the City Rocks, Whitehead went absolutely nuts, scoring 35+ points. His three-point shot has drastically improved over the past year, making him a complete scorer. When he’s under control there might not be a better pure scorer in the class. When he wants to, Isaiah is also an incredible defender.A strong showing this summer will vault him into the top-10 in our national rankings.
Omar Sherman, 2014 F Deron Williams Elite: The combo-forward was dominant again on Sunday. In the semi-final vs the King Street Kings, Sherman asserted himself on offense and finished around the rim with a series of explosive dunks. In the finals it was more of the same, as Sherman got great position and finished over defenders. He also stepped out and hit a few three-pointers throughout the day. Omar is an explosive matchup nightmare; look for his recruitment to take off in July. After this weekend, the Rumble in the Bronx MVP looks like a no-brainer high-major player.
Jared Nickens, 2014 SF Sports U: Nickens arrived late to the party, as he only played on Sunday. The wing shot the ball well from deep as usual, but it’s his improved ability to put the ball on the floor that has us intrigued. This time last year Nickens was a stand-still shooter; now he looks much more explosive. If he continues to develop over the next year, he could end up as a top-50 player in his class.
Jeremy Combs, 2014 F Deron Williams Elite: Jeremy was the energy player for a talented Deron Williams Elite squad all weekend. He finished plays above the rim as well as locked down opposing players on defense. His versatility is intriguing at the next level as he can play multiple positions and never stops working.
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