City of Basketball Love

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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Here’s a report from the Donofrio Classic quarterfinal action on Thursday, April 7:

Game One: DeAndre Hunter (2016/Friends’ Central) poured in 32 points as Team Hardnett fought off a valiant effort from Keystone Blazers Red for a 108-92 win. Penn State commits Nazeer Bostick (2016/Roman Catholic) and Tony Carr (2016/Roman Catholic) added 18 and 14 for Hardnett, who also got 16 from FGCU commit Rasheed Browne (2016/Neumann-Goretti) and 15 from Daron Russell (2017/Imhotep). Matt Kachelries (2017/Emmaus) had 19 of his 21 in the second half for Keystone Red, which was led by 26 from Kris Johnson (2016/York) and also got 19 from Jalen Gabbidon (2017/Harrisburg Academy).

Game Two: Just Clean it closed a 23-point halftime gap to nine, but couldn’t get any closer to a loaded Raw Sports squad, who pulled away for a 112-97 win behind its crew of central Pennsylvania stars. Reading junior stud Lonnie Walker led the way with 26 points for Raw Sports, including several huge dunks, while future Villanova big man Dylan Painter (2016/Hershey) followed behind him with 20 and Anthony Johnson (2016/Harrisburg) had 16. Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree (2017/Neumann-Goretti) had a strong game with 30 points, as the 6-foot-9 forward went to work time and time again, while guards Colin Gillespie (2017/Archbishop Wood) had 20 points and three 3-pointers.

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Russell ready for big summer

For many juniors, the final summer of the AAU season is their chance to gather as many offers as possible before beginning to sort through them in August and September.

A lucky few, like Imhotep Charter (Pa.)’s Daron Russell, already have a nice list to choose from, and so the April and July live recruiting periods take on a different significance.

“(I want) to show the other schools that haven’t seen me that I’m a really good player and just to find the right fit in college,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter where it’s at, high-major or mid-high, I just want to find the right fit.”

The talented 5-foot-10 guard already has double-digit Division I offers, most from mid-to-high major programs.

And quite a few of those coaching staffs are making a push for his services next year.

“Seton Hall actually came to see me today, Larry Brown and SMU, (they’re recruiting me) really hard, they’re coming tomorrow,” he said. “Rhode Island came in the mix, Grand Canyon, which is my bigger brother’s school, Temple and La Salle (are coming) really hard and VCU.”

In addition to the above schools--all of which besides Rhode Island have offered--he said he's also hearing from New Mexico.

Like he has for the last few summers, Russell will suit up with Nike-backed Team Final, where he’ll play on the 17U circuit for the first time after putting up big numbers on the 16U circuit last year.

A lightening-quick point guard with a scorers' touch, he averaged 17.7 ppg in three games at the Peach Jam last July, part of the reason his recruitment really took off at the end of last summer and into a strong junior season.

“I think I’m shooting the ball a lot better, and I think my athleticism took off from when I was a freshman and sophomore,” he said, adding that he’s working on “being more of a knockdown shooter off the dribble and being a creator for others.”

Russell is one of several high-major targets on Team Final, along with Reading junior Lonnie Walker and Westtown sophomore Cameron Reddish, his likely fellow starters.

That backcourt is one big reason why Team Final will be counted on to be competing for the EYBL championship in July yet again.

“Really looking to win Peach Jam, we’re really talented, in practice I really like the talent in the gym and on our team and I think we’ve got a chance to win it,” Russell said. “We’re really fast, we get the ball up fast and we run.”

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Quick Hits

—It’s a rather obvious statement for anybody who’s seen Friends’ Central play once or twice this year, but DeAndre Hunter looks like a better and better get for Virginia, not that he looked like a reach when he committed to the Cavs last fall. The 6-foot-7 wing has fully made up for the sophomore year he missed with a broken leg, as he showed with his 32-point, 10-rebound outing for Team Hardnett. Like many a talented athlete, he makes he look easy at times, with a confident outside stroke and a smooth attacking style he uses to get to the rim. As he continues to get stronger, he’ll keep maturing into a potential NBA pro down the road.

--Another impressive outing for York senior Kris Johnson, who had 24 points for Keystone Red to top a 16-point game last week. The 6-foot-6 wing guard looks ticketed for Harcum next year, and should definitely be on the radar of mid-to-high-major programs for a two-year eligible player in 2018. He's got a very well-rounded offensive game, with a confident outside shot, and has great athleticism and size for a '2' or '3' at the next level. He'll be a big part of a Harcum squad that has yearly plans on going to the NJCAA Division I tournament from the get-go.

--Don't think it will take long in April for at least a school or two to pull the trigger and offer Collin Gillespie (2017/Archbishop Wood), especially if he plays like he did tonight. The 6-2 guard is a true combo who can play on the ball or off it, and is a good passer who can also get his shot when he wants. A good catch-and-shoot threat, Gillespie hit three 3-pointers on Thursday, and also did a good job (as he usually does) of crashing the glass and playing physical.

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Semifinal Preview
When: Monday, April 11
Where: Fellowship House (515 Harry St., Conshohocken)
Time: 7 PM/8:30 PM

Matchups: WeR1 vs. Team Hardnett (7 PM); Raw Sports vs. Old School Cavaliers (8:30 PM)