Player Evals From Sunday's Apparel Challenge (Part Two)

Here is part two of my player evaluations from Sunday’s Apparel Challenge. Thanks again to everyone at Christ the King for their help and to everyone, especially former CK guard Japhet McNeil, who stopped by my parking space to visit. There’s nothing better than to see players I knew as kids come back grown up with children of their own.  On that note and without further ado allow me to get started.

Jalen Celestine ‘20 6’6” SG Long Island Lutheran: The native of Ajax Ontario who is in his first year with the Crusaders and he’s a lefty who brings many good things to the table. Perhaps the best of those things is that at his size he’s a bit more than an “attack the basket wing” even though driving to the basket wing. He’s a willing passer who will throw the ball ahead when that’s the play to make. He’s a very good rebounder and terrific defender with quick hands, quick feet and good anticipation and length. On Sunday he connected on a pair of three-point shots and while he has a nice release and follow through there’s a bit of a hitch there that makes his shot inconsistent. If he can smooth that out it could provide a needed finishing touch for a talented player whose all-around game is already very good.

Zed Key ’20 6’8” PF/C Long Island Lutheran: The Brentwood High transfer is perhaps the most talented of LuHi’s “bigs”. He ran the floor really well and demonstrated exceptional quickness off the floor on his way to an 18-point outing and a strong effort on the boards against Boys & Girls. The feeling here is that he projects as a high major prospect who can play as either a traditional power forward or a “small ball 5 man” (center). His recruiting next summer should include many suitors.

Tyler Stephenson-Moore ’19 6’3” SG Long Island Lutheran: Tyler was vital to the Crusaders’ effort because his hot start from beyond the arc (14 of his 17 points) helped kick start an offense that was stagnant in the early going. He’s a senior but he’s also a prospect that coaches and fans are just beginning to learn about because he lost last year to injury after transferring from Port Jefferson. His outside shooting is the best part of his game and he shows terrific athleticism and length defensively.  His game driving to the basket is still a work in progress but getting that part better may simply be a matter of playing more. He’s a D-1 prospect right now but may draw more interest as more coaches get a chance to see him.

Ryan Myers ’20 6’2” PG Christ the King: The junior lefty found his scoring touch early from beyond the arc and late with clutch free throws to help CK secure the win against Jefferson.  In between he showed that he’s getting stronger with the ball and gradually assuming more of a point guard’s role. He played well but the feeling here is that there’s another level that he can get to as he gets stronger

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Nate Curry ’19 6’5” F Christ the King: I can say about Curry, who’s a forward, the same thing I said about Brooklyn Law & Tech’s Davonta Cook who’s a guard. Nate may give a way a little size (at 6’5”) for his position (power forward) but he plays with a good motor and a high skill level especially from the elbow to the baseline. He scored 9 of his 14 points in a critical 3^rd quarter stretch that helped CK regain the lead from a stubborn Jefferson team. At 220 lbs. he provides a strong physical presence on the boards as well. Like Cook he’s a player low majors should target because he’s exactly the kind of player teams at that level win with.

Ramsey Saleh ’21 5’9” G Thomas Jefferson: Against a Christ the King defense concentrating on keeping Jefferson out of the lane, Saleh provided the outside shooting touch they needed and helped them forge a lead for much of the game. Like fellow sophomore Jahi Mukoro of Boys & Girls, he’s a kid who shows shot making ability and poise at an early age and that makes him a prospect who should be followed closely.

Isaiah Richards ’19 6’9” C South Shore: Isaiah made an early commitment to Florida International this fall and it’s likely that FIU will get a player who’s better than the one they thought they were signing at the time. That’s because, like many big kids, his coordination and balance are beginning to catch up to his early size and he’s running and rebounding better and becoming more of a presence at the rim. The individual numbers are modest but that’s because the defending PSAL champs are deep with lots of talent and many potential scoring options.

Kadary Richmond ’19 6’5” G South Shore: Kadary scored a game-high 14-points in a convincing win over Chaminade but that really doesn’t tell the story of how well he played. His decision making (7 assists) and his impact on the game defensively were both excellent. He’s really the perfect guard for the defending PSAL champs because on a team that’s deep and well balanced he’s the guy that makes sure everyone gets involved. People who follow local basketball closely may remember a player named Shane Southwell who played at Rice and then at Kansas State. Kadary’s length and vision make him comparable to Shane and should serve him well at the next level.

Phillipps Joseph ’19 6’6” F South Shore: Joseph got his team started on the path to that easy win by providing scoring punch both from beyond the arc and around the basket. He finished with 13 points and showed why he’s an almost certain D-1 prospect who right now is an undersized power forward but could move to the wing position as he matures physically in a college weight room.

Anthony Latty ’19 6’7” PF South Shore: Anthony’s presence on the Vikings’ roster is perhaps the best example of just how deep they are. He’s a senior who comes off the bench and brings lots of energy and athleticism. He’s active an active and tough forward who finishes at the rim. The Vikings don’t run anything for him because they have more established options but in limited minutes, he finds a way to help his team. At 6’7” with great athleticism, D-1 programs should take a good look.