Those words are music to the ears of college basketball coaches as they scramble to find today’s prototype — tall, lean, quick, swingmen with long arms who can create matchup nightmares and make life miserable for opposing offenses.
Where do coaches go to recruit such players?
The Washington area is a good place to start. Thursday when the NCAA Tournament tips off, several such players from the area will be showcasing their talents.
One of them, 6-foot-7 Kris Joseph, a graduate of Washington’s Archbishop Carroll High, has emerged this season, helping elevate Syracuse to a No. 1 seed. Joseph, who came to Carroll by way of Canada, is averaging 11.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game and hitting 50 percent of his shots.
No. 2 seed Kansas State has tried to corner the market on versatile Washington-area players, plucking three. All have contributed to the Wildcats’ rise. Sixth-man Jamar Samuels (Wheaton/Carroll), a 6-7 sophomore, averages 11.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Wally Judge (Bladensburg), a 6-9 freshman, averages 3.1 points and 2.7 rebounds. Rodney McGruder (Carroll), a 6-4 freshman, averages 4.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. All figure to be in the starting lineup for Kansas State next year and beyond.
Other locals who fit the model who will play in the tournament include Kentucky’s 6-7 Darnell Dodson (Eleanor Roosevelt), Vermont’s 6-4 Garvey Young (Georgetown Prep), Villanova’s 6-7 Isaiah Armwood (Montrose Christian), West Virginia’s 6-7 John Flowers (St. Mary’s Ryken), and Texas A&M’s 6-6 Naji Hibbert (DeMatha). All but Flowers are listed as guards and all are underclassmen who figure to assume larger roles in the future.
Other local players in the NCAA TournamentClemson » Junior F Jerai Grant (DeMatha) averages 7 points and 4.7 rebounds, hitting 63.6 percent of his shots from the floor. Grant is the son of former Washington Bullet F Harvey Grant, who played in the NCAA championship game for Oklahoma in 1988. Cornell » Eitan Chemerinski (Jewish Day) is a 6-8 freshman reserve best known for his ability to solve a Rubik’s Cube, as seen on YouTube.Duke » Upper Marlboro resident Nolan Smith (Riverdale Baptist/Oak Hill) averaged 17.3 points per game and earned second-team all-ACC honors. The 6-2 junior is the son of Derek Smith, who played for 1980 national champion Louisville and spent nine years in the NBA, before his tragic death at age 34 of a heart defect.Kansas » The Jayhawks have high hopes for 6-9 freshman James Robinson (Riverdale Baptist), who averages 2.6 points and 2.7 rebounds per game, but has excelled when he’s had a chance to play (15 points, 10 rebounds vs. Alcorn).Kentucky » Sophomore Darnell Dodson (Eleanor Roosevelt) averages 6.4 points per game as a key reserve and 3-point threat for the Wildcats. Out of high school, the 6-7 Dodson committed to Pitt, but never qualified academically and spent a JUCO season at Miami Dade. Montana » Junior F Raason Young (Kennedy) averages 4.7 points per game for Montana. He is in his first year with the Grizzlies after two seasons at Hagerstown CC.Morgan State » Coach Todd Bozeman, a D.C. native, used his local ties to land 6-8 freshman DeWayne Jackson (Bowie), who averages 10.1 points per game, ranking second on the team in 3-pointers (54) and hitting 44 percent beyond the arc. Sophomore G Sean Thomas (Gwynn Park) averages 4.7 points and a team-high 3.1 assists per game. Reserves include 6-9 junior Rodney Stokes (Old Mill) and 6-4 sophomore Ameer Ali (Progressive Christian).Pittsburgh » Senior G Jermaine Dixon (Blake) averages 10.7 points and 3.9 rebounds, playing a key role as a lockdown defender and leader as this year’s lone returning starter. Dixon, the brother of former Maryland All-America Juan Dixon, had his career highs, 24 points and 12 rebounds, in a win this month over Providence. Freshman F Talib Zanna (McNamara) is a 6-9 reserve.Robert Morris » Two of the top three scorers for the Colonials are 6-8 senior Rob Robinson (Oxon Hill), who averages 9.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, and 6-4 senior Mezie Nwigwe (High Point), who averages 8.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Robinson, a third-team NEC choice, came to RMU after two JUCO seasons at Globe Institute of Technology. Sam Houston State » Senior G Corey Allmond (Oxon Hill) averaged 15.9 points per game and made Southland Conference first team, leading the conference in 3-pointers (2.9 pg). In a 102-92 loss at Kentucky in November, Allmond hit 11 of 16 shots from the arc and scored a career high 37 points. Syracuse » Senior C Arinze Onuaku (Episcopal) averages 10.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game in his third season as a starter for the Orange. The 6-9, 260-pounder, who hits 69 percent of his shots from the floor, was injured (quadriceps) in the Big East Tournament and could miss the first two rounds. Tennessee » Senior Bobby Maze (Suitland) is a two-year starting guard who averages 9.6 points and 3.2 assists. Maze has found a home and some maturity after playing at five schools in five years, including Patterson (N.C.), Oklahoma and Hutchinson CC. After his JUCO season, Maze committed to Maryland, but the Terps rescinded the offer and Maze turned to Tennessee.Texas A&M » Freshman G Naji Hibbert (DeMatha), who led the Stags to the WCAC and City Titles last season, is in the rotation for the Aggies, averaging 1.9 points and 1.5 rebounds per game. Vermont » Sophomore Garvey Young (Georgetown Prep) moved into the starting lineup for the Catamounts, averaging 7.5 points and 4.1 assists per game. Playing a rare game in his home state last month, Young notched his career highs (20 points, 10 rebounds) in a win at UMBC.Villanova » Senior G Scottie Reynolds (Herndon) was the lone unanimous selection for the Big East first-team, but Syracuse’s Wes Johnson edged Reynolds for Big East player of the year honors. The 6-foot guard averages 18.9 points and 1.5 steals per game. Freshman G Isaiah Armwood (Montrose Christian) is in the Wildcats’ rotation. After starting in the first month of the season, 6-11 sophomore Maurice Sutton (Largo) has fallen out of the rotation.West Virginia » John Flowers (St. Mary’s Ryken) is a 6-7 reserve F who averages 2.9 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. Flowers has a valued role as a perimeter defender. He also received notoriety for his celebratory Riverdance/Irish Jig during the Mountaineers’ Big East Tournament run. Winthrop » Sophomore Matt Morgan, a 6-9 native of Landover who played high school basketball at Millersburg Military Academy (Ky.), averages 9.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Morgan transferred to Winthrop after a promising freshman year at St. Bonaventure.In addition, several players from Baltimore are major impact players: sophomore G Kim English (Randallstown), the top scorer (13.9 ppg) at Missouri; junior G Jahmar Young (W.E.B. Dubois), the top scorer (20.5 ppg) at New Mexico State; and senior G Reggie Holmes (St. Frances), the top scorer (21.8 ppg) at Morgan State. He teams with 6-9 sophomore Kevin Thompson (Walbrook), the top rebounder (11.2 pg) for the Bears.
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