Kennedy H.S. Paterson,N.J….. Another crew of players showed their wares at the Garden State Showcase! Here are more evaluations!
ZACHARY OLUKANNI–TEANECK: Zachary Olukanni stood out at the Showcase as he was the most asked about player. His ability was on full display and he did a great job of showing what he could do. Zach put it on the floor well, was a consistent perimeter shooter and was a superior finisher down low. He is more than ready for the next level of basketball.
ROBERT WILLIAMS –MANCHESTER: Robert Williams is a shooter and a very good one at that, but what he also proved was his toughness. You see, in the first game Robert played in he hurt his wrist. This did not phase him as he continued to knock shots down from all over the gym. Found out Williams played the last three games with a fractured wrist! He had a great day despite his injury and proved himself to anyone in the gym how much he wants it!
ESSIEN EPPS–BLOOMFIELD HS: The most ready college player might have been Essien. The kid proved he could do it all. He won a game with a buzzer beater, he put the ball on the floor, he made great decisions and truth, he was a hard guard for anyone the entire day. Epps wa great the entire day. .Solid athlete who not only should play on the next level, but be a major factor!
GEANI BANNERMAN–TEANECK: GeAni is a smooth ball player with nice skills. His jump shot is solid and he has a nose for the ball creating second shot opportunities! The lefty was consistent from the perimeter and proved a good finisher on fast breaks. Geani was also one of the younger players in the Showcase and proved very capable of competing with high level players.
KENNETH CLAYTON—WEST ORANGE H.S.: Like his brother Kendrick, Kenneth was a very solid player who showed good point guard skills and solid defense. Kenneth used his strong body to finish around the rim and proved to be a capable scorer from the perimeter. Has nice quickness and the ability to get anywhere on the floor with the basketball.
JALAINI MORRIS—KENNEDY: Tremendous athlete, Jalaini can finish on literally any defender. He has the ability to put it on the floor and is a solid shooter from the perimeter. Jalaini also showed a willingness to defend against big and small players. Great in transition, Jalaini has the physical body to compete on the Collegiate level
DONZELL CUNNINGHAM- PISCATAWAY: Donzell was a good athlete who was a presence down low. He was a defensive presence and a very good finisher around the win. Cunningham has a great body and can take contact on finishes to the basket. He has a nice jumper from 20 feet and in and was a problem on the boards.
GARY SIMPSON–PIONEER ACADEMY– Gary was the most mature player here and he used his experience to at times dominate the game. Simpson made shots from every where and when he wasn’t knocking down shots was getting to the rim at will. His development is impressive as not only was he one of the best on the floor, but his mental toughness was hard to miss.
YHONY RAMIREZ–KENNEDY: The youngest player on the floor, Ramirez put his game up against upper classmen and fared well because he is a superior athlete who can finish on anyone. While he is a year or two away this Showcase gave him the confidence to know that he can compete at a high level.
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