Some of the top high school programs and players from the DMV, Northeast and South came to Lewes, Delaware to battle in the prestigious Slam Dunk to the Beach showcase. While some players came with national reputations proceeding them, most of the players on hand, brought strong local reputations looking to show that they belong with the best the country has to offer in high school hoops. So, without further postponement, here are my selections for the 2019 Slam Dunk to the Beach Teams.
RJ Davis - Impressed me with his quickness, skill, I.Q. and ability to control the game against a very tough Paul VI team who has their own highly touted point guard in Jeremy Roach. PVI tried to defend him 94 feet, they threw in traps to disrupt him and each time, he dribbled his way around the defenders and either scored or made the correct pass. The result was a 70-64 win for Archbishop Stepinac with Davis finishing with a game high 21 points, 9 rebounds and 2 steals. Davis is a special talent and while he may not have in size and other worldly athleticism, he makes up for with his tenacity.
Trevor Keels - came out strong for Paul VI, being consistent offense in a first half defensive battle with Archbishop Stepinac. His ability to score in various ways is well documented, yet, his perimeter shooting is what stood out the most. He knocked down jumpers on the move, spotting up and off the bounce. The way he doesn't get sped up when he has the ball and moves at his own pace reminds me a lot of watching Paul Pierce play. It keeps defenders off balance. Then when you add in Keels 6'4 sturdy frame, you see why he's a tough guard for opponents. The highly touted junior guard posted a team high 19 points and 6 rebounds in a loss to Archbishop Stepinac.
Adrian Griffin Jr - is a freak of an athlete, by far the most talented player in the event due to his combination of size, skill and athleticism. Yes, against Paul VI he was the most athletic player on the floor, but it was how he utilized his skill, on both ends, throughout the game that ultimately helped lead Stepinac to a big win over PVI. PVI put multiple forwards on him, Griffin dribbled around them and scored. When PVI put smaller quicker guards on him, he showed the poise of a pro, by taking his time and getting to his spots before knocking down mid-range shots over the smaller defenders. Defensively, he grabbed a game high 12 rebounds and had two crowd pleasing blocks including one where he rotated over and grabbed Keels lay-up attempt out of the air with two hands like Kenyon Martin in his prime. Griffin Jr (18 points, 12 rebounds,2 blocks, 1 steal) if he stays healthy and focused will certainly be playing an NBA schedule sooner than later.
Jeremy Roach - overcame a cold start shooting the ball to finish with a fairly efficient 17 points (6-14 FG), 7 rebounds and 3 assist. The Duke commit really turned it on in the second half being ultra aggressive attacking the basket going 4-6 from the field. His relentless attack opened things up for his teammates to get easy scoring opportunities which resulted in PVI shooting 52 percent in the second half after shooting 30 percent in the first. Roach can do it all and I loved how he answered the challenge from RJ Davis who went at him from the opening tip to the closing seconds of the game. That's rare these days, most players would've looked for the back door, not Roach. Duke definitely has a good one coming.
Cliff Omoruyi - athletic, workhorse big man with unreal length. Omoruyi was dominant inside all weekend long blocking shots, rebounding, scoring strong inside and running the floor well. In a win over First Love Christian, Omoruyi posted a big time triple-double with 17 points, 19 rebounds and 11 blocks. Yes, you read that correctly, ELEVEN blocks. Omoruyi has all of the tools to make a big time impact at the next level and beyond.
Luis Kortright - skywalking guard was one of the more consistent players all weekend. Kortright can impact the game in all aspects. In a win over Cape Henlopen, Kortright posted 20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assist and 7 steals in 20 minutes and in a victory over Gill St Bernard, Kortright posted 24 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assist and 2 steals. The 6'3 guard is a streaky shooter who can slash with the best of them while being a solid playmaker and defender.
Isaiah Wilson - Richmond commit came up big in the clutch in a win over Hudson Catholic. Wilson, plagued by foul trouble all game, scored six of of his 14 points in the last 5:32, during a 12-3 run to close Hudson out. In a tough loss to Roselle Catholic, Wilson elevated his game even more, posting a team high 21 points, 5 assist, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. The 6'0 blur of a point guard brings a winning mentality every time he steps on the court and he exuded that mentality all weekend long.
Quinton Mincey - Swiss army knife wing came to play for Eleanor Roosevelt, almost leading Roosevelt to a win over Albany Academy with 13 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in their first game, and in Roosevelt's win over Dover, Mincey finished with a game high 21 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks. Mincey has an all around skill set, good quickness, speed and leaping ability. When the Mount St Mary's commit is aggressive and on target shooting the ball, Roosevelt is a completely different team and a tough team to beat.
Andre Jackson - super athletic wing that is equally a dangerous shooter and playmaker as he is attacking the basket where his quickness jumping off of the ground is unparalleled. The Connecticut commit used his Shawn Marion'esque athleticism to post 14 points, 12 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 assist in a 47-46 win over Eleanor Roosevelt, and 16 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assist and 3 steals in a rout of Lake Clifton. Jackson has all of necessary traits to one day be playing 82 games for living.
Zach Martini - sneaky athletic, bruising forward that you can pencil in for a double-double as soon as he wakes up in the morning. Even though he does most of his damage in the paint, he's a more than capable shooter with three point range and can also score off the bounce. 6'7 Princeton commit posted 25 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assist and 2 steals in a win over National Christian Academy, and 12 points, 10 rebounds and 2 steals in a loss to St Raymond's
Joemel McNair - has emerged as Eleanor Roosevelt's most consistent scorer this season and the run carried over to this weekend. McNair just knows how to put the ball in the basket in various ways. Against Albany Academy, McNair scored a game high 19 points on 9-13 shooting from the field, and in a win over Dover, McNair was once again efficient, finishing with 13 points on 5-8 shooting from the field. McNair can score and doesn't need a lot of shots to do so. He has a handful of offers but expect more programs to come calling soon.
Malachi Smith - prototype New York point guard in a sense that he has the skill and flair but understands how to play the game. Another thing about Smith that I love is he takes on the challenge defensively as well. Full court, all game long. His goal is to try to erase you from the game. I can respect that type of competitive drive. That drive was pivotal in helping lead St Raymond's to a 2-0 run this weekend. In a blow out win over Cape Henlopen, Smith finished with 17 points (8-12 FG), 4 assist, 3 rebounds and 5 steals, and in a win over Gill St Bernard he posted 12 points, 3 assist, 3 rebounds and 5 steals, once again getting it done on both ends. Smith fields numerous offers at this time.
CJ Wilcher - after a solid first game of 14 points and 4 rebounds in a win over the Sanford School for Roselle Catholic, Wilcher went off on First Love. Future Musketeer exploded for a game high 26 points and 7 rebounds on 9-18 shooting from the field, 3-9 from deep and 5-7 from the charity stripe. First Love had no answer for the 6'5 guard. Wilcher should have a smooth adjustment when he steps on Xavier's campus.
Dylan Addae-Wusu - is a 6'4 BEAST of a guard. Wusu bullied his way to a 15 point, 9 rebound, 5 assist performance in a win over Rock Creek Christian for Our Savior Lutheran. Then, Wusu came even stronger, finishing tied for a game high 22 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assist in a win over Legacy Charter. St John's commit is nearly unstoppable in transition and driving to the basket while also being an adequate shooter from all three levels. Nightmare for most guards to try and contain.
Isaiah Cornish - is leaps and bounds ahead of where he was when he left Baltimore to go down south to Legacy Charter. He's become a lethal scorer and versatile defender. Scary thing is, Cornish knows he can go to work on most defenders with ease now. His 6'6 frame, great length combined with being able to score form all three levels and shoot with range, leaves coaches with very few options that can slow him down one on one. Cornish posted 22 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in a overtime loss to Our Savior Lutheran. In a win over Immaculate Conception, Cornish posted 11 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals in the win. His performances over the weekend was so impressive he picked up an offer from Georgetown head coach Patrick Ewing.
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