City of Basketball Love

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin) &
Michael Bullock (@thebullp_n)
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HARRISBURG, Pa. -- The Scholastic Play-By-Play events tour hit Harrisburg High School’s Kimber Gymnasium on Monday, with a quartet of games that brought together teams from District 1, District 3, District 11 and District 12.

Here are some standout players from the event:

Saleem Brown (Soph./George Washington)
One of three players who scored 16 or 17 points for the Eagles was Brown, who had 16, including four 3-pointers. The 6-foot-2 wing guard made his last five shots from the floor--including three triples--to help Washington hold on for a 64-60 win. A talented offensive player with a smooth stroke, Brown also chipped in five rebounds, four assists and a block for first-year head coach Kyle Sample, who has a player he can build around in his first few years at the Northeast Philadelphia public school.

Rome Boyer (Sr./Coatesville)
Built like an inside linebacker, the 6-0, 190-pound Boyer displayed his cottony soft touch from the perimeter early by knocking down all four of his treys in the opening two quarters. Once the Red Raiders decided to work the ball inside after the break, Boyer showed more of his all-around ability by getting to the hoop and dishing off or finding open shooters. Finished with 15 points — all in the first half — a couple of rebounds and a handful of assists in Coatesville’s decisive victory.

Jackson Danzig (Soph./Abington Heights)
One of a few impressive players on the Comets was their 6-4 sharpshooter, who had 18 points in Abington Heights’ 63-55 win over Lower Merion. The youngest son of Scranton head coach Carl Danzig, Jackson could end up following his older brothers Ross and Ethan to play under their father, but based on his current trajectory, he would have to turn down a few Division I scholarships if it gets to that point. He's already got D-I size and shooting ability, as he showed by hitting four triples (on seven attempts), but also chipped in six rebounds and three assists. As he gets stronger and continues to improve his ability to attack off the bounce, he could be a mid-to-high-major prospect in the right system.

Derek Ford (Sr./Cedar Cliff)
Collecting 20 of his game-high 29 points after the halftime break — 10 each in the third and fourth quarters — the 6-5 Ford was able to get to the basket repeatedly and even knocked down a late trey as the Colts made a valiant surge to get back in the game against a hot-shooting GW bunch. Ford added five rebounds and blocked two shots for Jim Rowe’s club, then spent a few moments afterwards talking to an assistant coach from D-III Susquehanna. “Great size, great size, great shooter, great feel for the game,” GW coach Kyle Sample said. “In the first half, he beat us off of the back cut. Back cut, back cut, back cut. … Even when you find a way to take away his two-point field goals, he finds a way to get open for a three-point field goal. He never stops moving.”

K.J. Helton (Sr./Lower Merion)
The Aces' 6-0 senior point guard tried his best to lead Lower Merion back from a 15-point, third-quarter deficit. His two 3-pointers in that quarter helped LM close that gap to as little as four, and he hit two more in the fourth quarter to keep it close. But despite 14 of his 16 points coming in the second half, it wasn't enough to overcome Abington Heights. Helton had something of a strange shooting line, making all four of his 3-point attempts but missing his first seven from inside the arc before connecting on a mid-range jumper in the last few minutes.

John Herndon (Sr./West Catholic)
Igniting West’s rapid start — the Burrs led 11-2 in the opening moments — the diminutive Herndon flashed his range and his ability to get to the tin throughout the Burrs’ loss to Coatesville. Fearless when charging into the paint against Coatesville’s big-bodied frontline, Herndon either finished at the rim or got to the line repeatedly. Tagged West’s player of the game, Herndon wound up with 18 points (nine in each half) and dropped three dimes.

Tony James (Soph./Harrisburg)
James may be undersized every time he wanders into the painted area, but the 6-2 sophomore is extraordinarily effective by keeping things simple and fundamental. James scored 12 points in Monday night’s conquest of Penn Wood, but he was more important to the Cougars by snagging a game-high nine boards. He also dropped three dimes with some slick interior passing and blocked one shot.

Justus Martinez (Sr./Coatesville)
The Red Raiders’ big man spent much of the first half on the bench with two fouls that he picked up in the first quarter, but once he got back on the court there was little West Catholic could do to stop him. At 6-foot-5 and north of 250 pounds, Martinez is a load to handle in the paint, and he bullied his way inside for 19 points in the second half alone, giving him 23 for the game. That included 12 in the third quarter alone, a decisive eight minutes that saw Coatesville’s eight-point halftime lead turn into a 14-point advantage going into the fourth.

Christian Ray (Sr./Harrisburg)
Since Ray’s assortment of perimeter looks weren’t falling with regularity — he knocked down one first-half trey and a second-half mid-range jumper — the 6-4 wing spent much of the game getting to the hoop and enjoying plenty of success in the Cougars’ win over Penn Wood. Ray finished with 22 points, including 10 in the first half and eight more in the third when the ‘Burg created more separation, capturing player of the game honors for Kirk Smallwood’s club. Ray also grabbed three rebounds, dished out three assists and got a piece of one shot.

Vincent Smalls (Jr./Penn Wood)
Sliding into the Penn Wood lineup several minutes in, the slender 6-4 Smalls was a big-time factor for Clyde Jones’ crew. Smalls even knocked down a trey in the second quarter, when he pocketed six of his team-high 18 points to keep the Patriots within four at the halftime break. Ten more points arrived after intermission for Smalls, who added three rebounds, an assist and a block before he was finished. No wonder Smalls was named Penn Wood’s most valuable player.

Tim Toro (Sr./Abington Heights)
One of two imposing frontcourt players in the starting line for the Comets--junior Seth Maxwell, a 6-10 center, is the other--is the 6-8 Toro, who had an impressive all-around game in the win over Lower Merion: 18 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists. Currently hearing from D-II programs West Chester and East Stroudsburg plus D-IIIs Susquehanna and Marywood, Toro looked like a D-I big man against the Aces, with his strong, mobile frame, high motor and ability to do the little things. If he plays at that level for the rest of the season, a few scholarship offers could roll in.