Donofrio Recap: Part Two

Yesterday I gave you part one of my recap of Wednesday night's Donofrio game between I-3 and Players Teaching Players, looking at the I-3 roster. Today we will look at a couple players from the PTP team, including Vaux sophomore guard Rysheed Jordan, Math, Civics, and Sciences sophomore wing Jeremiah Worthem, WVU-bound senior wing Aaron Brown, Roman Catholic freshman Shep Garner, Chester sophomore Rondae Jefferson, and Penn Wood senior forward Darian Barnes.

Wednesday night was my first time seeing Vaux sophomore Rysheed Jordan, who I had been hearing great things about all winter. Well, he certainly met, and even surpassed, my expectations. Jordan plays a very composed, smooth game for a sophomore. Standing right around 6'4, with great length, Jordan looked to me like someone who projects as a point guard with size and shooting ability at the college level. Jordan is already getting significant college interest from Philadelphia colleges Temple, Saint Joseph's, Drexel, and others. On Wednesday, Jordan showed off a smooth stroke from downtown, connecting on at least four 3-pointers. He was able to get into the paint with relative ease and handle the ball against I-3's pressure. Jordan played an unselfish game as well, at one point dishing the ball off to a teammate on a break where he could have easily taken it himself for a slam. From my seat, Jordan was one of the stand-out performers in the gym Wednesday, and that is saying something considering the talent level there.

For a little over three quarters, Shep Garner, a freshman at Roman Catholic, played a relatively non-descript game. However, during the fourth quarter, he stepped up and showed why, even as only a freshman, he is building quite a reputation for himself. During the final stretch, Garner buried NBA three after NBA three. Most came from the same spot on the left wing about four or five feet behind the three-point line. Shep's late-game flurry closed a sizable I-3 lead down to a one-possession game. When the final buzzer sounded, Shep found himself PTP's second-leading scorer, behind Jordan, with 17 points.

Rondae Jefferson, a sophomore wing out of Chester high, has seen his stock shoot through the roof in just the past week alone. After turning in an impressive performance at last weekend's EYBL Hampton AAU event, Jefferson caught the eye of nearly all the major recruiting sites in attendance. ESPN already has Jefferson ranked in the top 100 in his class, and that ranking is sure to go nowhere but up. Jefferson, like Rysheed Jordan, did not disappoint. He showed an ability, as he has all year long, to be a versatile, multiple-position player. He can handle the ball and play some point, play off the ball on the wing, and even play rock-solid defense in the post. For much of the night, he was matched up again Amile Jefferson, and really held his own against the highly-regarded Friends' Central forward. One of the night's highlight's came when Rondae blocked an Amile dunk attempt. Although he is earning a national reputation and some hype, Rondae did not let that affect his play. He played an intense, defensive-minded, clean game on Wednesday. Look for Rondae to be just another in a long line of Chester players making noise in college basketball in just a few years.

6'8 Penn Wood senior Darian Barnes did what he does best on Wednesday. He blocked shots, altered shots, scored around the basket, and showed that he can shoot the ball a bit from the wing. Barnes is still very lean, but has a ridiculous wingspan and a versatile game, being able to play both forward spots. Despite lacking some of the muscle of guys he was going against like Jaylen Bond, he competed relentlessly on the boards. I'll be very interested in seeing what path Barnes takes next year, whether it's college or a prep year. His upside is still very high.

Neither Aaron Brown or Jeremiah Worthem played their best on Wednesday. Worthem, coming off a fantsastic PIAA playoff run that earned him scholarship offers from Saint Joseph's, Temple, Drexel, and interest from Pitt and some others, struggled on Wednesday. As terrific as he was in the state championship game against Lincoln Park (PA), he was unable to find his jumper Wednesday. The same goes for Penn Wood's Aaron Brown. I have seen Aaron numerous times over the past two years, and he was not his typical self Wednesday. Part of that may have been early foul trouble that didn't allow him to really get into the flow of the game.

Donofrio continues next week with semis on the 18th and the championship game at 7:30 on the 19th.

Hakim Warrick Classic Recap Part Three

Over the course of this week, I have posted recaps of Sunday's Hakim Warrick Classic. If you missed any of those articles, they are linked at the bottom of this. They focus on the Friends' Central-Saint Anthony game.

The day's first game, between Neshaminy and Penn Wood, seemingly had the makings of an entertaining game. Both teams star Big East recruits. Neshaminy junior guard Ryan Arcidiacono has already given a verbal pledge to Jay Wright and Villanova. On the other side of the ball, Penn Wood wing Aaron Brown will be playing for Bob Huggins and West Virginia next year. Unfortunately, Neshaminy was never able to establish themselves on the court, and found themselves trailing 48-27 at the half, and ultimately losing 85-49. Below are player recaps of Arcidiacono, Brown, Sean Oakman, and Darian Barnes.

Ryan Arcidiacono- Neshaminy Junior: Arcidiacono is clearly the key to the success that Neshaminy has found over the past two years. They go as Ryan goes. On Saturday, he was kept in check by Penn Wood's physical defense and held to only 10 points. Penn Wood threw a number of defenses at Neshaminy with the sole intention of stopping Ryan. He was double-teamed nearly every time he touched the ball. Ryan exerted so much energy simply getting the ball, and when he got it, he was trapped, double-teamed, and frustrated. To his credit, Ryan didn't back down at all from Penn Wood's physical play and toughness. Standing 6'3, Ryan is strong and willing to mix it up inside. Unfortunately, on this day, he was unable to get it going offensively. Neshaminy is still one of the better teams in the region, but on this day it was all Penn Wood. Neshaminy had no answer inside for Sean Oakman, Darian Barnes, or Aaron Brown.


Aaron Brown-Penn Wood Senior: This was my first time seeing Aaron since last season's state final contest against Plymouth-Whitemarsh. Right off the bat, it was evident that Aaron has bulked up, adding muscle to an already strong frame. He is a muscular, athletic, 6'5 wing that certainly looks the part. On Saturday, he played the part too, in front of West Virginia assistant coach Billy Hahn. Aaron won MVP honors for Penn Wood with his 29-point, 12-rebound performance. Aaron scored the ball just about every way imaginable. He has always been a tremendous finisher around the basket due to his tenacity and athleticism. On Saturday, he showed some perimeter skills that were still a work in progress last year. Aaron knocked down shots from three and hit perimeter shots off the dribble. Every time I saw Aaron last year, I was impressed by his competitive nature. However, at times he appeared to sulk. That was not an issue on Sunday, as his play and on-court demeanor were both tremendous. Aaron looks like a player that will be able to play the wing at the Big East level next year for West Virginia.

Shawn Oakman-Penn Wood Senior (Pictured Above): The Penn Wood big man was just too much for Neshaminy inside. There are few bigs in the area that can match up well with Oakman, who is headed to Penn State next year to play football for Joe Paterno. While not the most polished player, Shawn would have had himself a nice college basketball career if he had chosen that route. Not only is he an absolute load in the middle, but Shawn has a nice, soft touch from the free throw line and can hit the mid-range jumper. Sean had 15 points in the game, and although I don't have an official rebound total, he certainly had an impact on the boards. The 6'8 250 pound senior is basically a walking double-double. On Sunday, he was just too much for Neshaminy in the paint.

Darian Barnes-Penn Wood Senior: While Aaron Brown and Sean Oakman get the bulk of the press for Penn Wood, senior Darian Barnes also plays a critical role. Barnes impressed me last season every time I saw Penn Wood, and he was no different on Sunday. Currently, Barnes is unsigned, but he certainly looks like a player that could have a nice college career at the right school. When you look at Barnes, the first thing you notice is his ridiculous length. Darian is 6'8, but looks to have a wingspan well over 7 feet. He uses this length and athleticism on both sides of the ball. For Penn Wood, Darian is the finesse to Oakman's brute strength. Although they are roughly the same height, Oakman seems to have an easy 60 or 70 pounds on Barnes. Darian will have to add muscle to his frame in order to really live up to his potential. At the moment, he is a player that contributes by blocking shots, scoring in transition, and getting rebounds. His size, length, and athleticism make him a really interesting prospect. According to ESPN.com, Mount Saint Mary's and Robert Morris are two schools interested in him. Darian is someone that I am hoping to follow up on as the district and state playoffs begin.

Recap Part One

Recap Part Two

Picture of Shawn Oakman above courtesy of the Delco Times.