Alex Schwartz, Connecticut Recruiting, Marquette Recruiting, Pittsburgh Recruiting, Syracuse Recruiting, Villanova Recruiting

PHILLY’S CLASS OF 2011 SHINES BRIGHT

by ALEX SCHWARTZ

Wilt Chamberlain. Kobe Bryant. Jameer Nelson. Rip Hamilton. Kyle Lowry. Eddie Griffin. Rasual Butler. Flip Murray. Gene Banks. The list of star basketball players from the Philadelphia area goes on and on. Pick a year, and odds are that a big-time baller came from the City of Brotherly Love. Yet there may not be a group in recent memory as deep as the class of 2011 when it comes to Philly hoops. Led by Rakeem Christmas of North Catholic, there are upwards of 25 Division I players in the Philly area alone in the current sophomore class. Many of them were on display Thursday night at the ninth annual Rasual Butler All-City Basketball Classic, an event featuring the best freshman, sophomores, and juniors in the Philly area.

The sophomores played in the second game of the evening, and it was easily the best, with the game actually going to overtime. Juan’Ya Green of Archbishop Carroll was the MVP for the victors, while John Johnson of Girard College was the other MVP. Aquil Younger of West Catholic took home Most Unselfish honors, and Rashawn Cunningham of Life Center Academy (NJ) was the Defensive Player honoree. Some of the other standouts included Keith Coleman of Cheltenham, Jaylen Bond of Plymouth-Whitemarsh, Devin Coleman of Friends Central, and Jerrell Wright of Dobbins. A handful of the players in participation are receiving Big East interest, and I spoke with three of them after the contest.

Juan’Ya Green’s MVP award at the game is just another accomplishment to tack on to a long list for the star of defending PIAA Class AAA state champion Archbishop Carroll. Green has been considered one of the best players in his class in Philadelphia for quite some time, and has met many of the expectations. A 6’3 guard who can do it all offensively, Green is garnering interest from Villanova (offer), Maryland (offer), Temple (offer), Pittsburgh, Syracuse, St. Joseph’s (offer), and La Salle.

Right now, he has Villanova, Maryland, Temple, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse as his leaders, with the Wildcats on top.

“I like it,” Green said of ‘Nova, a 2009 Final Four participant. “It’s close, I’m a local kid. I know the coaches and the players. I think if I go there I would have a good career. . . . [It is the] only school I [have] visited.”

Although North Carolina is his dream school, a source close to the player informed me that Green is basically “a lock” for Jay Wright and Co. That may be why Green did not have much to say about Syracuse: “I haven’t visited there yet so I don’t know much about it.”

Regarding Pittsburgh, Green stated, “I haven’t visited there yet, but the coaches come to my open gyms to see me play [and] . . . I talk to the coaches sometimes.”

In order for Juan’Ya to become a better player, he says he needs to work on his “defense and shooting.” His strongest point is something that may have to do with that Philadelphia mentality: “Being able to take over [the game] anytime I want.”

Watch for Juan’ya Green down the road, as there is a strong chance he will be playing ball in a Big East gymnasium.

The most dominant pure big man on display in the sophomore game was a baller from Cheltenham High School, 6’8 power forward Keith Coleman, who is Green’s teammate in AAU ball with Team Philly. With the look of a high-major big man already, it is no wonder he is receiving interest from a pair of Big East schools. The burly big man listed Temple (offer), Villanova, La Salle (offer), Drexel, Marquette and Nebraska (offer) as the schools recruiting him. Although he too lists UNC as his dream school, Nebraska is currently the leader in the race to land his services.

Coleman, who feels that his “jumpshot” is the strongest aspect of his game and his “inside game” is the part that needs the most work gave me his thoughts on Villanova and Marquette.

“They’re a good team. They have good shooters,” said Coleman on the Wildcats, with whom he felt he would fit in because he “rebounds a lot [and has] a nice jumpshot.”

As for Buzz Williams’ program, Keith stated, “They run the floor. I would rebound for them.”

As Coleman becomes a more well-known commodity, expect his interest to pick up, and more Big East schools to join that list.

The other potential potential Big East baller that I caught up with was Devin Coleman of Friends Central, which was one of the top teams in the Keystone State this year, and was in the National High School Invitational.

La Salle (offer), Drexel (offer), Delaware (offer), Temple (offer), Villanova and Florida State are the schools that Coleman, a sturdy 6’2 guard, says are currently on his trail.

It is at another Big East school, Connecticut, where he wants to end up though. Why is it that Jim Calhoun’s program has caught his eye?

“When I look at schools, I look at schools that produce [players] at my position. . . . I think they know how to produce guards . . . [for] the next level,” Devin said of the Huskies.

Right now, of the colleges currently tracking him, Devin does not have a favorite and is “waiting to see” what happens. He did have the following to say about Villanova: “I think it’s a great school. They produce many great guards, so I think that would be good.”

As for his game, Coleman feels that his athletic ability is his strongest point. “Probably my athleticism. I can defend a lot of positions [and do many] different things on offense and defense.”

Nonetheless, he recognizes that he is not a finished product, stating, “I [have] got to work on everything, just all-around everything.” Coleman, who runs with Team Phenom on the AAU circuit, is a player who already has a good reputation in the City of Brotherly, and it is starting to catch on elsewhere.

Phaildelphia’s class of 2011 has the potential to produce more Big East players that you can count on one hand. Thus, even if no one ends up as a big-time NBA star, the class will be special anyway. Juan’Ya Green, Keith Coleman, and Devin Coleman are just a small part of one of the deepest classes to come through the city, and their effects will be felt for a long time.

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