VirginiaPreps.com - Battle of the Bay

November 9, 2003

Omni Sports Group
Special to VirginiaPreps.com

New Page 1

The Inaugural Battle of the Bay Preview - January 10, 2004

Battle of the Bay Schedule of Games

+ Laurinburg Institute (NC) vs. Coastal Christian

+ The Miller School vs. Oscar Smith

+ Herndon High School vs. Salem High School

+ Meadowbrook High School vs. IC Norcom

+ St. Benedict?s Prep (NJ) vs. Nansemond-River

It is without question that many of the state?s high school basketball ?junkies? have set their basketball calendar for January 10 for the match-up between Nansemond-River standout/Virginia Tech commitment Marquie Cooke verses St. Benedict?s Prep standout and North Carolina commitment JR Smith. However, some of the premiere college coaches in the country have set their calendar for this date as well. The inaugural Battle of the Bay began itself as an opportunity to showcase the premiere guard in the state of Virginia against the premiere shooting guard in all the nation. The event never would have imagined it would showcase some of the premiere sophomore talent in America at the same time.

Five dynamic sophomores will take to the court at Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake, Virginia on January 10. Although these players may not be household names quite yet, it is without a doubt each will make their mark on high school basketball in the 2003-04 season. IC Norcom 6?9 standout Vernon Macklin is currently ranked within many analysts top 5 sophomores in all the land. Macklin is the type of player who can hurt you inside and out. He can handle the ball with precision and many analysts see him as one of the most versatile players of all the super sophomores in all of high school basketball. Although only weighing in at 191, if Macklin adds weight to this frame many feel his game could resemble that of Minnesota Timberwolve star Kevin Garnett. As a freshman, Macklin averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds.

In addition to Macklin, the Battle of the Bay will feature another top 5 (national ranking) sophomore and perhaps the premiere point guard in the entire 2006 class in 6?0 PG Jawan Carter from Danny Hurley?s St. Benedict?s Prep. Carter, who attended Sonny Vacarro?s elite ABCD this past summer, is considered to be the total package as a point guard. Perhaps, the best attribute of Carter?s game is his ability to break defender?s down or pull up for three. ?I?m good off the dribble, but you can?t play off me because I can hit the outside shot?, said Carter in High School Hoops magazine. Carter averaged 20 points a game as a freshman before transferring to St. Benedict?s Prep.

Battle of the Bay will be the coming out party for one of the state of Virginia?s premiere sophomores in Meadowbrook?s Devin Johnson 6?3 PG. Johnson made a name for himself as a freshman at last year?s Slamfest by scoring 17 points against a talented Notre Dame Academy team. Johnson is one of those guards who uses his quickness and strength to explode to the basket, and can play above the rim with ease. Battle of the Bay event director Thomas Leachman recently spoke with VirginiaPreps.com, ?DJ has the opportunity to be a very-very special player. It is without a doubt in my mind that he has the skill to be the most prolific player to come out of the Richmond area in many years. College coaches often inquire about the prospects in this year?s events. When I say Devin Johnson, I often get a ?who?s he??. After this season, I do not expect that to be the case.? Johnson comes off a freshman campaign where he averaged 10 points and 6 assists. The match-up with Macklin and Norcom against Meadowbrook should be one that analysts, coaches, and fans will be able to witness the birth of not one, not two, but three rising superstars from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The third sophomore who will be on the court along side Johnson and Macklin is Benjamin Finney 6?2 SG from IC Norcom. Although a large amount of national attention focuses itself on Macklin from this up and coming Norcom team, Finney is the one who will be relied upon heavily to relieve Macklin from the double and triple teams he will see. Finney possesses a great jump shot and is capable of playing the point if necessary. Finney is a kid that state schools are already recruiting with or without Vernon Macklin. Many people project Finney to be a top 100 player or perhaps top 50 in the entire nation for the class of 2006.

Along with Jawan Carter, another point guard is looking to make a name for himself this season. Scotty Reynolds is a 6?0 PG from Herndon High School who can play with the best of them. One is led to believe that Finney, Johnson, and Reynolds each might see themselves rank from the top 20 to 70 players within their respective classes in America. Only time will tell how each of these future state superstars will fit into the recruiting scene, but more importantly Battle of the Bay will give us a very strong indication.

Battle of the Bay Player Checklist

2004

JR Smith 6?6 WG (St. Benedict?s Prep/North Carolina)

Alex Galindo 6?7 PF (St. Benedict?s Prep/UTEP)

Marquie Cooke 6?3 PG (Nansemond-River/Virginia Tech)

Fred Spratley 6?1 SG (Nansemond-River)

Lynwood Hurdle 6?5 SG (Meadowbrook)

Josiah Whitehead 6?6 F (Norcom)

Donnie Stith 6?7 PF (Salem/Tulane) Mid

Markus Mitchell 6?8 C (Salem/Mt. St. Mary?s)

Brad Ferrell 6?4 SG (Herndon)

Hatila De Souza 6?10 C (Laurinburg)