The sixth-annual Jameer Nelson Classic will tip-off later today, marking a start to four great days of high school hoops in the greater Philadelphia area. The tournament features a number of players with bright college futures ahead of them. One of the players, Plymouth-Whitemarsh's CJ Aiken, will be suiting up for Jameer's alma mater, Saint Joseph's, next fall. Jameer's younger brother, Chester guard Maurice Nelson, is another of the top-level talents playing in the showcase. Below is a list of some of the highlight games.
Saturday at Widener College:
1:00- Strawberry Mansion vs. Girard College- Strawberry Mansion stars one of the best unsigned seniors in the area in 6'4 guard DJ Newbill. Girard College lives and dies with the success of junior guard, and Pitt Panther commit, John Johnson.
4:30- Archbishop Carroll vs. Bartram- This game features two of the best guards in the Philadelphia area in Carroll's Juan'ya Green and Bartram's Tyrone Garland. Garland is an ACC-bound senior, headed to Virginia Tech next year. Green, on the other hand, is a junior who has yet to make a college decision. Many of the Philadelphia schools, including Saint Joseph's, have exhibited interest in the 6'3 shooting guard
6:15- Friends' Central vs. Life Center Academy- This game features two players considered elite talents in their respective recruiting classes. Life Center Academy, out of Burlington, New Jersey, stars Syracuse-bound college-ready senior guard Dion Waiters. Friends' Central has plenty of D1 talent, with sophomore forward Amile Jefferson being the most well-known name on a national level. Rivals.com has Jefferson as the number 5 player nationally in his class. Another player to keep an eye on on Friends' Central is junior guard Devin Coleman.
8:00- Plymouth-Whitemarsh vs. Chester- As the younger brother of Jameer Nelson, Maurice Nelson inherently has great expectations placed upon him. The 6'1 guard for the Chester Clippers doesn't seem to let that bother him though. Maurice, who recently stated that his dream is to play for the Saint Joseph's Hawks, is coming off a 38-point outburst earlier this week. The Clippers are always one of the best in the state, and they face a Plymouth-Whitemarsh team tonight with one of the best frontcourts in the area. That frontcourt features SJU-bound 6'9 senior CJ Aiken as well as hotly-recruited junior Jaylen Bond. The nightcap to the Saturday games is sure to be a great one.
Monday at Widener University:
6:00-Penn Wood vs. Academy of the New Church- When I looked at the schedule for the tournament, this is one of the two or three games that stood out most to me. Academy of the New Church features a frontcourt that many actually consider one of the elite in all of America. 6'11 junior Malcolm Gilbert, 6'9 junior Roc Christmas, and 6'6 sophomore Savon Goodman have size and athleticism usually reserved for college rosters. They will be tested tonight by a Penn Wood team that has some size and athleticism of their own. Penn Wood throws junior multi-sport standout Shawn Oakman at you in the post. Small forward Aaron Brown is coming off a monster effort at the City of Palms Tournament that garnered him national praise from the likes of recruiting sites Rivals.com, Scout.com, and ESPN.com. The 6'5 Brown and the 6'8 Oakman are both receiving recruiting interest from the Hawks, along with numerous other programs.
8:00- Chester vs. Bartram- A chance to see Mo Nelson and Tyrone Garland go head-to-head.
Wednesday at Gwynned Mercy College:
6:15- Academy of the New Church vs. Plymouth-Whitemarsh- A battle between the two best frontcourts in the area. Bond and Aiken for PW against Gilbert, Christmas, and Goodman for ANC. Hawk Hill Hardwood will be on hand for this match-up. A detailed recap will be on the site on Thursday.
Check back in here throughout the week for updates on these games and more. It's a great week of Holiday Hoops in Philadelphia.