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WCU Showcase Standouts (Dec. 10)

12/11/2017, 1:15am EST
By Josh Verlin

Malvern Prep's Deuce Turner was one of the standouts at Sunday's three-game event at West Chester University. (Photo: Tommy Smith/CoBL)

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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WEST CHESTER, Pa. -- The Performance Refinement WCU Showcase, a three-game affair featuring three Catholic League teams taking on various other local opponents, took place at Hollinger Fieldhouse on Sunday afternoon.

Click here for a recap of all three games, including a feature on the Archbishop Carroll-Coatesville headliner. Here are some standouts from the event:

Jhamir Brickus (2020/Coatesville)
Brickus burst onto the scene last year, seizing the Raiders’ starting point guard job from the outset. And though the 5-foot-9 guard isn’t the most physically impressive prospect in his class, he’s already proven he’s one of the most exciting players to watch in the area regardless of class. In dropping 22 points, Brickus got to the line on six separate occasions, something he’s used to thanks to a quick first step and willingness to take contact on his way to the rim. Usually a solid 3-point shooter, his outside shot wasn’t falling (1-8), but he was still an incredibly tough guard thanks to his handle and ability to get into the lane and distribute; he also grabbed six rebounds and dished out two assists along with a trio of steals.

Keyon Butler (2018/Archbishop Carroll)
One word describes Butler, and that’s “tough.” A 6-4, 205-pound combo forward, Butler doesn’t mind scrapping it up with forwards half a foot taller than he is, and he plays with a motor that’s always running at a high level. He likes to operate out of the high post, where he can knock down the mid-range jumper, dish to a teammate or attack the rim, where he’ll gladly take contact and get to the line if he can’t get a bucket; he’s a capable finisher with both hands as well. In the win over Coatesville, Butler had 16 points and completed a double-double with 10 rebounds, including four on the offensive end, plus two steals.

A.J. Hoggard (2020/Archbishop Carroll)
At a smidge over 11 ppg last year, Hoggard was Carroll’s second-leading scorer. But it’d be a shock if the 6-3 guard is anything but the Patriots’ go-to bucket getter this year, as the high-major target is quickly asserting himself as one of the best scorers around regardless of class. He went for 19 in Carroll’s win, shooting 7-of-13 from the floor and 2-of-3 from 3-point range, along with four boards, three assists and a block and a steal. He’s already got good size and a strong body, especially considering his grade, and he’s learning to play more of a complete floor game. He’s capable of making tough shots, and he’s a strong enough ball-handler to get into the lane and makes no-look passes to shooters.

Ajiri Johnson (2018/Bonner-Prendergast)
The Friars’ 6-8 forward and Rider commit looked like he was turning promise into serious production this summer, and so far that’s been holding true in the early running of the season. Johnson was dominant against a Malvern Prep squad that lacked a true post presence, going for 24 points on 11-of-14 shooting, along with 10 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. And he did that all despite not touching the ball for the majority of the first quarter. Once he got involved, the bouncy post got several buckets on post-ups and hook shots, as well as catching a few lobs and a put-back dunk or two. Then, for good measure, he knocked down an 18-foot jumper to cap off his day.


Ryan sophomore Glenn Smith (above) scored 11 points off the bench in a win over Harriton. (Photo: Tommy Smith/CoBL)

Glenn Smith (2020/Archbishop Ryan)
Ryan had a big gap in the scoring category left wide-open this offseason by the graduations of Izaiah Brockington (St. Bonaventure), Matiss Kulackovskis (Bowling Green) and others. It looks like Smith, a 6-2 sophomore guard, is ready to step up in his first real significant varsity action this year; he scored all of five points for the varsity team as a freshman. He surpassed that by the second quarter of Ryan’s win over Harriton, finishing with 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting, hitting 1-of-2 foul shots; he also had three assists and two steals. An above-average athlete with good length, Smith proved to be a smooth finisher around the rim with both hands, and he certainly used his length to his advantage on the defensive end. Didn’t have any hesitation to attack the bucket even with a defender looming nearly.

Jaquill Stone (2020/Archbishop Ryan)
Ryan coach Joe Zeglinski loves to let his defense control the tempo and get up in opponents faces, and nobody on the Raiders does that better than Stone. The slender 6-1 guard has terrific hands and super-quick feet, and he’s not hesitant to jump passing lanes or slap away a ball if his cover is a little loose with the handle. He swiped five steals in Ryan’s win over Harriton, to go along with 10 points, three rebounds and two assists. His offensive game is still at best in the open court, when he can use his top-end speed to blow by defenders and get to the hoop, but he’s learning to create separation in the half-court and he displays good court vision with his passing.

Deuce Turner (2020/Malvern Prep)
As a freshman, Turner -- whose given first name is Kieves, though he goes by Deuce -- was Malvern Prep’s leading scorer, at 19.3 ppg. He showed off that scoring touch on Sunday, leading Malvern with 17 points in the Friars’ loss to Bonner-Prendergast. He’s certainly a shot-first guard, playing off the ball and looking to score as soon as he touches it, but he’s able to do so from all three levels; though his 3-point shot wasn’t falling (Malvern was 0-16 from deep), Turner hit several long ‘2’s, mostly on one-dribble pull-ups, and he had some impressive finishes as well. A 6-2 guard, Turner needs to display some more point guard abilities, though he did run a few pick-and-roll situations where he made generally good reads.

Isaiah Wong (2019/Bonner-Prendergast)
There’s no doubt that expectations are high for Wong’s first year in the Catholic League, as the 6-2 guard who spent his first two years at Notre Dame (N.J.) comes to Bonner with offers from Pitt, Villanova, Miami (Fl.), UConn and more coming in this summer. And his first game in a Friars uniform went terrifically well, as he dropped 27 points, completing an all-around outing with five rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks for good measure. He came out knocking down his first two 3-pointers and didn’t slow down, finishing 11-for-22 from the floor and 4-of-7 from 3-point range. Catch-and-shoot 3’s, drives that ended in floaters and finishes, a few pull-up jumpers as well on the break, Wong had it all going.

Honorable Mention

Justin Anderson (2018/Archbishop Carroll), Tyrel Bladen (2018/Coatesville), Dapree Bryant (2020/Coatesville), Billy Corcoran (2018/Malvern Prep), Devon Ferrero (2018/Archbishop Carroll), Luke House (2019/Archbishop Carroll), Tariq Ingraham (2019/Bonner-Prendergast), Griffin Leyden (2018/Harriton), Taleeq Robbins (2021/Archbishop Ryan), Devon Vargas (2018/Archbishop Ryan), Isaac White (2020/Malvern Prep)


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