Jeff Borzello, Seton Hall Recruiting, Syracuse Recruiting

GONZAGA DC CLASSIC REPORT

BY JEFF BORZELLO

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With Christmas only two weeks away, a multitude of high school basketball tournaments kick off around the country this weekend. One of the more competitive ones in the mid-Atlantic every year is the Gonzaga DC Classic, held at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C. This year will be no different, as some of the top teams in Maryland, D.C., Virginia, New York, Texas and California will be in attendance.

The tournament began on Thursday, with Gonzaga (D.C.), Mater Dei (Ca.), Calvert Hall (Md.) and Bishop McNamara (Md.) advancing in the winners’ bracket and Chantilly (Va.), Iona Prep (N.Y.), Sidwell Friends (D.C.) and Jesuit College Prep (Tex.) being relegated to the losers’ bracket. Here is a look at some of the top players from day two, Friday.

John Manning, 2011, Chantilly: The 7-foot center has the potential to be one of the better big men in the mid-Atlantic region in his class. He needs to put on some muscle, but he runs the floor well, can finish at the rim with contact and also has very solid hands for a player his size. Manning also showed a soft touch from the mid-range, hitting a couple of face-up jump shots. He can block shots defensively, and boxes out well for rebounds. Additionally, Manning knows how to keep the ball up and also looks for teammates with the pass once he gets the ball. He gets good position down low and moves very well without the ball. Once he makes himself available, he has a variety of post moves that he uses to score. Manning is prone to foul trouble, though, as evidenced by him fouling out against Iona Prep.

Kethan Savage, 2011, Chantilly: Savage played well on the perimeter for Chantilly, hitting a couple of jump shots and getting points at the rim. Within the first two minutes of the game, he showed his ability by hitting a deep three while getting fouled. Furthermore, Savage has very good handle, but did spend too much time dribbling on the perimeter.

Jordan Bronner, 2010, Iona Prep: A very quick and explosive player, Bronner is a crafty combo guard who can get to the rim and create shots for himself or teammates. He is crafty with the ball, whether with a ball-fake or a smart pass to an open man. Bronner also showed a couple of nice mid-range jump shots, one off a fake pass and another off of a step-back move. Defensively, he is excellent, constantly pestering his man for the ball and preventing him from getting open looks.

Jonathan Graham, 2010, Calvert Hall: One of the better unsigned players left in the region, Graham was not at his best against Gonzaga on Friday. He struggled to finish around the basket, and never seemed to truly get it going. He dropped a few entry passes and couldn’t corral rebounds even when he got his hands on the ball. Furthermore, he struggled to get good position down low and looked less-than-graceful at times. On the positive side, Graham showed that he has a variety of post moves that he can utilize with his back to the basket. He can use both hands to finish, and is physical going up against defenders. Graham is very aggressive and is not afraid to go up with contact. He runs the floor well and has athleticism.

Kyle Wise, 2010, Calvert Hall: Wise is an extremely quick point guard who showed an ability to get into the lane at will against defenders. However, he spent too much time dribbling on the perimeter. Despite that, his handle is second-to-none and initiates the Calvert Hall motion offense effectively. Wise has good vision and passes the ball well.

Oliver Ellison, Gonzaga: Overshadowed by three Division-I signees, including Duke-bound Tyler Thornton and Richmond prospect Cedrick Lindsay, Ellison still found a way to make an impact inside. He uses both hands effectively and can finish at the rim. Ellison is long and athletic and rebounds inside. Furthermore, he showed a solid ability to pass the ball.

Max Hooper, Mater Dei: Although he has three Pac-10 players in the starting lineup with him, Hooper still got his fair share of shots. He shoots the ball extraordinarily well from behind the arc, despite having a knuckleball rotation at times. Hooper runs the floor well and has good size for a perimeter player. He doesn’t have much of an off-the-dribble game, but his shooting ability overshadows that.

Brandon Coleman, Bishop McNamara: a stud football player that will likely end up in the Big East or ACC in that sport, Coleman is also an outstanding basketball player. He is long and athletic and can score with both hands around the rim. He is active at the basket, and utilizes his spin move well. Coleman has a very strong body and is very solid on the backboards. He had several second-chance baskets off of offensive rebounds.

Marcus Thornton, Bishop McNamara: Thornton had a very solid first half against Mater Dei on Friday. He started the half with a nice drive and finish, and then followed that up a few minutes later with another shifty foray into the lane to get two points. He also showed an ability to handle the ball and run the offense, and hit a couple of runners in the paint.

Ibn Muhammed, Bishop McNamara: An undersized point guard, Muhammed is fearless when driving to the basket and knows how to finish against bigger players and with contact. He has very good handle and is quick with the ball, and can beat defenders. Muhammed had several athletic finishes at the rim while getting fouled or knocked down in the process.

Marcus Pilgrim, Bishop McNamara: Pilgrim hit a couple of three-pointers against Mater Dei, and also knocked down free-throws when Muhammed had to be subbed out after getting fouled. He does not look for his shot very often, instead deferring to his teammates. In the second half, his outside shot was not falling. Pilgrim also struggled on the defensive end, failing to get back to guard Gary Franklin in transition on multiple occasions.
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Recruiting Notes:

- Jonathan Graham: Has offers from VCU and Seton Hall, and said that Maryland told him it would keep an eye on him during the season. He plans to make a decision at at the end of the season, sometime in April.

- Max Hooper: Has an offer from Saint Mary’s and interest from Syracuse, UCLA and Harvard. Said he got a 1900 on his SAT and has a 4.5 GPA.

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