City of Basketball Love

Eugene Rapay (@erapay5)
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BRONX, N.Y. -- Just over three dozen of the top players from Philadelphia and New York gathered into a packed gymnasium at St. Raymond's High School (N.Y.) to battle for supremacy and bragging rights. 

The second day of the eighth annual All-City Classic featured three games for the 2019, 2020, and 2021 classes. The first day, which took place at Imhotep Charter (Pa.) had the 2022 and 2023 talents.

Here are the standouts from Saturday night; for Josh Verlin's standout picks from the 2022/23 games on Friday night, click here:

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Julian Champagne (2020/Bishop Loughlin, N.Y.)
After overcoming a slow start to the game, Champagne settled just before the end of the first half and came out of the break elevating his play to an even higher level. As his confidence soared with each make, it served as fuel for his never-ending motor. There were a few instances where he rose up for a big dunk in transition, only to immediately sprint down and get a chasedown block. Champagne led the way in a dominant win for New York in the 2020 game, and was named Most Valuable Player for his team. According to Champagne, he currently has 16 offers, mainly from mid-major schools. If he continues to play at a high level, it'll only be a matter of time before more programs take notice.

Dashawn Davis (2019/Our Savior Lutheran, N.Y.)
Once again, for the second straight year, Davis is taking home Most Valuable Player honors for Team New York. After a quiet start to the game, he started to make his presence felt in the second half, as he impressed with his athleticism and his ability to drain some acrobatic finishes at the basket. He has the ability to rise up and contort his body in some amazing ways, but he can finish the old-fashioned way--through contact. When the game was tied up midway through the fourth quarter, Davis proved his MVP-status by taking over in the closing minutes of the game. He showed that he was also capable of making big-time shots from long range, draining back-to-back threes to spark the game-winning run to clinch the victory. While he hasn't made a college decision just yet, he already has his mind set on either Seton Hall, St. John's, and Old Dominion.

Eric Dixon (2019/Abington, Pa.)
Dixon has truly diversified his game over the last few years, and he got to show off his skills against the New Yorkers on Saturday night. Dixon, a 6-foot-7 big man, flashed a crisp shooting stroke, one that has served him well from beyond the arc. His three-point shot has become a reliable asset and a valuable weapon for him, but he also proved to have the physicality needed to playing the position--posting up and backing down opponents in the post en route to a nice finish. It also translated onto the other end of the court, where he's able to get good positioning in the paint and stand his ground. His ability to continue to grow as a player with a variety of talents on the court will be instrumental to his success at Villanova.

Anthony Marshall (2020/Brooklyn Democracy Academy, N.Y.)
Standing 5-foot-11, Marshall was far from being the biggest player on the court on Saturday night. However, he played with such a high level of tenacity and fearlessness that easily made up for it. Marshall is a shifty guard that can hit top speed quickly as he slices his way inside. He's not afraid to lower and his shoulder into traffic and is pretty good at finishing through contact--or at the free throw line. He's a weapon on fast breaks and has a good sense for when to dish it out to a teammate, or when take it up himself. 

Jaelen McGlone (2020/Cheltenham, Pa.)
It wasn't an easy game for Philadelphia, but McGlone helped keep his team in it, until New York pulled away. The 6-foot-4 wing was hustling throughout the game, getting steals and diving for loose balls. On offense, he has the ability to finish with either hands, but thrived best from the three-point line. McGlone has a smooth jump shot with a nice release, and really converted in the corners from deep. Unfortunately, his valiant effort was not enough, but it was definitely well noticed.

Cliff Omoruyi (2020/Immaculate Conception, N.Y.)
The game of basketball might be falling in love with small-ball, stretch big men and giving less attention to traditional, back-to-basket centers, but Omoruyi might have something to say about that. Standing 6-foot-10 with a sturdy frame, he is an imposing player on the floor, but he's a throwback to the old guard. Omoruyi's domain lies within the paint, where he's able to finish with rim-rattling slam dunks or provide an energizing rejection. He was there to clean up a few of his team's mistakes, finishing with putback slams and finishes. He has great mobility and seemed to be involved in almost every possession, as Team Philadelphia did not have an answer for him.

Christian Ray (2019/Haverford School, Pa.)
He might not show up on a highlight reel for the All-City Classic with a high-flying dunk or an alley-oop, but he might just prefer things to be that way. Ray plays with a rugged, old-school feel to his game and those who aren't familiar with the La Salle commit, might just underestimate him--at least until he's fighting for second and third chance points, attacking in transition, or racking up and-ones. For a guard, he's excellent at crashing the boards. Combine that with a solid basketball IQ, and his finishing and shooting abilities, and you get a well-rounded player like Ray. He led Philadelphia with a team-high 15 points in the loss to New York.

Daeshon Sheppard (2021/Archbishop Wood, Pa.)
Sheppard was at the forefront of a furious Team Philly fourth quarter comeback. Philadelphia had been trailing Team New York well into double figures, until Sheppard and a bunch of Archbishop Wood players helped propel Philadelphia back into the game. Sheppard was getting involved on both ends of the court, but truly made his impact when it came to attacking the basket, and getting to the free throw line. He is a bouncy 6-foot-5 wing that can rise up for the nice finish and is a threat in transition. Sheppard finished with a game-high 16 points, and was named Philadelphia's Most Valuable Player for the 2021 game.

Joe Toussaint (2019/Cardinal Hayes, N.Y.)
Throughout the closely contested game on the court, Toussaint's intensity on the floor seemed to rival the mood of the game. When the stakes rose higher as time winded down, he took his play to an even greater level. The six-foot, Iowa bound point guard seemed to never stop swarming around the court. Toussaint played hard-nosed defense every single second he was on the floor, closing out on shots, forcing turnovers and converting them into fast break scoring opportunities. Although he is capable of being a slashing scoring threat, he prefers to facilitate and set his teammates up with optimal looks for the basket. He has an excellent handle to complement his great court vision. He played an integral role in helping New York come back and pull away from Philadelphia at the end of the 2019 game.

Brandon Weston (2021/Lake Forest Academy, Ill.)
He might be just a high school underclassman, but the way he is able to score at all three levels of the game is beyond his years. From beyond the arc, mid-range, or close range, Weston is capable of scoring from almost anywhere on the court. He can frustrate opponents with his smooth shooting stroke, but he also has the speed to dribble past a defender and rise up for a fancy finish at the rim. Weston was named Most Valuable Player for New York. With his great potential, that shouldn't be the only accolade coming his way.