It takes a strong mind with a true will to come to a place 6 hours from your home to try to become the best basketball player you can be! For the past three years that’s what Pittsburgh University bound Mike Young decided to do! Mike and his family decided this was what was needed to help him grow not only as a ball player but as a young man! The strong willed Young  played with St. Benedicts H.S. and Hudson Catholic before finishing up with Benedicts and has become the adopted son of the local area as he has become St. Benedicts family, Hudson Catholic family, Playaz Club family and Paterson family! His goal has been achieved here as he has become one of the best 2013 players in the Country! Mike has a willingness to workout and is known for going more than twice a day if need be to get it in! His commitment will always be admired and he has done an outstanding job of representing his family! His mother Lanette Braxton should be very proud! On a personal note, Hoop Journal wishes the best for Mike at Pittsburgh and in the future!

Barclay Center, Brooklyn,N.Y…. The Jordan Classic was held at the Barclay Center and while the National game featured some of the best players in the Country such as Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggans, Julius Randle, Aaron Gordon and the Harrison twins, Andrew and Aaron not to mention St. Benedicts Tyler Ennis the interest of this article is the area players that were in the Jordan Regional game played between New York’s finest against New Jersey’s best in the game before! New Jersey was ahead most of the game but eventually fell 114-102 as the Jersey team only had 8 players dressed and seemed to wear down late! Hassan Martin was the New York player of the game scoring 19 points and grabbing 8 rebounds while Jersey’s player of the game was the Patrick School’s DeAndre Bembry who scored 26 points! Roselle Catholic’s Tyler Roberson had a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds in a strong effort! St. Benedict’s Mike Young by way of Paterson and Hudson Catholic’s Reggie Cameron by way of Hackensack each impressed with 20 points and 5 rebounds for Young and 16 points and 5 rebounds for Cameron! Gill St. Bernard’s Austin Colbert scored 10 points and pulled down 6 rebounds,while Gill’s other star Jaren Sina did not play due to a hernia! Marist’s Manny Suarez added 6 points in the contest! It will be an experience these future College players will never forget!

   WoodRidge’s Gary Whritenour has had an outstanding highschool career,scoring over 1,900 points and becoming one of the most prolific three point shooters in the State’s history! His accomplishments have led him to choose Division 3 powerhouse William Paterson as his college choice! Whritenour had numerous D-2 and D-3 schools on his list but in the end felt comfortable with Coach Jose Rebimbas and his staff! Hoop Journal would like to congratulate Gary and his family on his College decision!