Upperclassmen dominated the Atlantic 10’s preseason All-Conference teams. The familiar names of Jaylen Adams, Tyler Cavanaugh, T.J. Cline, Charles Cooke and Jack Gibbs will once again grab headlines throughout the season. Freshmen will also play roles as the season unfolds. Here are names to know:
DAYTON — Trey Landers – G 6-4, 220 Huber Heights, OH/ Wayne
What they’re saying about Trey Landers – Chris Johnson/Hoop Scoop: “He is a strong-bodied wing who really plays more like a power forward. He has a football mentality. His strengths are rebounding, defense and toughness. He is a great rebounder for his size and also a very good defender. He has a good basketball IQ, a good passer. He is one of those kids who does a lot of stuff on the floor like getting a loose ball, setting screens, things that don’t show up on the score sheet. His weakness is his offense. He is somewhat limited basketball-skill wise: shooting and handling the ball.”
GEORGE MASON — A.J. Wilson F 6-6 Lanham MD/Elev8 Prep Academy
What they’re saying about A.J. Wilson – Jamie Shaw/Phenom Hoop Report: “Explosive, multi-positional defender who will make his greatest impact, early on that end of the floor.”
Steve Keller/National Recruiting Report: “He’s an athletic wing who can really shoot and play above the rim. He’s just got to put his pieces together. He could be pretty good.”
GEORGE WASHINGTON — Jair Bolden G 6-4, 200 Brooklyn, N.Y./Westtown School-PA
What they’re saying about Jair Bolden – Jamie Shaw/Phenom Hoop Report: “Bolden is a strong, sturdy guard who is smooth and plays a solid game. Carries attributes at both guard spots. Should find his way onto the court earlier in his career.”
Jay Gomes/NJHoops.com: “He’s a strong, athletic combo-guard, has stepped up his game in the last year. Makes an impact on the game with his strength and athleticism. Shot is much improved over the last year.”
Allen Rubin/Hoop Scoop: “He’s a very good basketball player. Probably recruited as a two guard, but he can also in a pinch play the point. He’s a fair to good outside shooter. He’s very good at getting to the rim, a good slasher, a good defender.”
Steve Keller/National Recruiting Report: “He can play on the ball, off the ball. He’s athletic and got good size.”
Kevin Marfo F 6-9, 240 Bergenfield, N.J./Worcester Academy- MA
What they’re saying about Kevin Marfo – Jay Gomes/NJHoops.com: “He’s an old-school post player, very effective with his back to the basket, good footwork. He has a good head fake. He’s going to be a scorer and rebounder at GW right away. He kind of reminds me of Jameel Warney who had a real good career at Stony Brook. He knows what he is. Most big guys now want to go out and shoot three pointers and prove that they’re wings. Marfo is one of those who wants to take you in the post and beat you inside.”
Adam Finkelstein/ESPN: “He’s an elite rebounder, a high-volume rebounder. I think he was already starting for GW on their foreign tour this summer and I would expect that to continue. That’s what he does best. He rebounds the ball. He’s got a college-ready body. His offense improved quite a bit last year. He’s a guy who will do his best work around the basket kind of a rugged, interior guy. He’s a guy who can clean the glass on both ends.”
Steve Keller/National Recruiting Report: “He’s a big, strong kid who really came on late. As a senior he didn’t play much at Bergen Catholic. Then he went to prep school and did well.”
MASSACHUSETTS — Chris Baldwin F 6-8, 235 Springfield, MA/Notre Dame Prep
What they’re saying about Chris Baldwin – Adam Finkelstein/ESPN: “Chris has got a chance of being very, very good. He had high-major offers on the table that he turned down to go back home to Springfield and play at UMass. He’s a strong, athletic big man who’s got inside-out skill. He’s got good touch around the basket and can score and rebound in that area, but he can also step out make 18-foot jumpers. I think he’s got a chance to be very good and an immediate impact player. He should be one of the better freshman front court players in the league.”
Steve Keller/National Recruiting Report: “He’s big, physical and strong. Ready to go. He’s good. He can make plays and he’s every bit of 6-foot-8, 235. He’s a big kid who can surprise you and step out and knock down jumpers off the glass. Around the basket he can go with a head fake and to the other side.”
Unique McLean G 6-2, 175 Brooklyn, N.Y./The MacDuffie School – MA
What they’re saying about Unique McLean – Adam Finkelstein/ESPN: “He’s a high-level athlete, an explosive leaper, a YouTube sensation. Needs to be able to translate his game to a half-court setting. He’s not as consistent of an outside shooter and to score he will be more impactful in the open floor than he is in half court right now.”
Jamie Shaw/Phenom Hoop Report: “Explosive! McLean is fun to watch when the game opens up and he gets out in transition.”
Steve Keller/National Recruiting Report: “He’s the biggest athlete of this class. He can get his elbow on the rim. He can almost hit his head on the rim. He’s explosive and plays really hard. He likes to get up and down the floor.”
Allen Rubin/Hoop Scoop: “He’s a big-time athlete. Puts it on the floor and gets to the rim. He finishes and gets to the foul line. He’s a decent mid-range shooter, a good defender.”
RHODE ISLAND — Jeff Dowtin G 6-3, 180 Upper Marlboro, MD/St. John’s College
What they’re saying about Jeff Dowtin – Jamie Shaw/Phenom Hoop Report: “Lengthy off guard who plays with great pace. He can shoot the ball well, defends the wing, and was the starting off guard at St John’s College, who finished Top 10 in the country last season.”
Marcus Helton/DMV Elite: “He got overshadowed in high school and AAU. He had a good senior year and he’s really underrated. He’s come really far from where he was as a sophomore.”
Steve Keller/National Recruiting Report: “He can really stick the jump shot, knows how to play, knows how to score and can really shoot.”
Allen Rubin/Hoop Scoop: “He’s a good two-guard, a good shooter, a good slasher. He comes from a very good high school program. He played in the best high school league in the country. He just gets it done. He knows how to win.”
Cyril Langevine F 6-7, 225 East Orange, N.J./The Patrick School
What they’re saying about Cyril Langevine – Jay Gomes/NJHoops.com : “He’s a big, physical kid. He played on one of the best high school teams in the country. Rebounds well, intimidates, does not back down from anybody. Has to improve his outside game a little bit. You don’t want him running out on the wing, but he’s got be able to nail a 16-footer a little bit more frequently. He’s a warrior inside. He’s going to have a good career at Rhode Island.”
Steve Keller/National Recruiting Report: “He’s a big body who’s shockingly skilled especially around the basket. He has tremendous hands. He finishes right hand, finishes left hand, dunks right hand, dunks left hand gets fouled and finishes. He rebounds his tail off.”
Allen Rubin/Hoop Scoop: “He’s a very good low post player. He’s strong inside, very good rebounder. He’s a good physical defender.”
RICHMOND — Grant Golden F/C 6-9, 240 Winchester, VA/St. James – MD
What they’re saying about Grant Golden – Jamie Shaw/Phenom Hoop Report: “Golden is a skilled forward. He can shoot, handle, and pass and should really stretch the floor out with his skill.”
Steve Keller/National Recruiting Report: “He’s big and skilled. He could be very good. He borders on being a high-level post player.”
Marcus Helton/DMV Elite: “He’s a guy who was hurt his junior year, but last year he really broke out when he was healthy. Richmond got a real steal with him. He’s going to be in the freshman-of-the-year conversation.”
ST. BONAVENTURE — Amadi Ikpeze F/C 6-10, 245 Amherst, N.Y./Amherst
What they’re saying about Amadi Ikpeze – Kevin Goode/Head Coach-Bishop Kearney High School: “He’s a big kid and very physical. Definitely got to keep him off the boards. He rebounds very well. He was able to finish everything around the basket and he has a very nice soft touch from the free throw line. You got to play him straight up because you can’t foul him.”
Ben Drake/Head Coach-Jamestown High School: “Amadi has a huge upside. He has some natural athletic ability and moves very well for a kid his size. Getting stronger and playing against great competition in practice every day will be so beneficial for him. The coaches at St. Bonaventure thrive off taking kids like Amadi, these diamonds in the rough who get overlooked by bigger schools, and molding them into spectacular college players. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Amadi be one of those guys!”
SAINT JOSEPH’S — Charlie Brown, Jr. F 6-6, 185 Philadelphia, PA/St. Thomas More – Conn.
What they’re saying about Charlie Brown – Adam Finkelstein/ESPN: “He graduated from Philadelphia two springs ago, and he came and did a post-grad year at St. Thomas More. He’s a classic late bloomer. He started to put all the pieces together during his senior year in high school. St. Joe’s really did a good job of monitoring his progression and really were the first to act when they saw the light bulb going off. I think it’s going to end up being a very smart move. He’s got good size on the wing. He can really shoot the ball. As his frame fills out and he more aggressive and confident, he’s got a chance to be a very good player and good shooter for them on the wing.”
Steve Keller/National Recruiting Report: “He’s a wing who can catch, shoot and handle. He’s got the pieces to be good. He’s got a spin move from the wing that he uses to slash his way to the basket. He can also hit a pull-up and knock down 21-footers.”
Allen Rubin/Hoop Scoop: “He’s a very good wing-forward. He’s a born scorer. A good outside shooter who draws out defenders and can put it on the floor. He’s a very good defender.”
VCU — Samir Doughty G 6-4, 185 Philadelphia, PA/ Math, Civics and Sciences
What they’re saying about Samir Doughty – Allen Rubin/Hoop Scoop: “He’s a very good scorer, more of a scorer than a shooter. He can really get to the rim, a great finisher and he really gets to the foul line. When they say ‘and one’, that’s a picture of Samir Doughty.”
Jamie Shaw/Phenom Hoop Report: “Doughty is a sturdily built combo-guard who has solid traits at both guard positions. He is tough-minded.”
Steve Keller/National Recruiting Report: “He’s a talented combo-guard. He’s long, wiry and quick with the ball. He can get to the basket. He can also pull-up and knock down a shot. He can handle and make plays. He can shoot off the dribble with athleticism. He has a lot of upside.”
De’Riante Jenkins G 6-5, 185 Eutawville, S.C./Hargrave Military Academy
What they’re saying about De’Riante Jenkins – Jamie Shaw/Phenom Hoop Report: “Jenkins is lengthy and plays with a high basketball IQ. A former highly thought of quarterback, Jenkins showed through multiple Phenom exposure camps and AAU events great vision and the ability to pass the ball. He is an athletic attacking wing, when he gets downhill. He has a great skill set, and should be used in multiple ways.”
Steve Keller/National Recruiting Report: “ He’s a two-three who can shoot, handle and brings a variety of weapons to the offensive end.”
Comments taken from “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.” VIEW THE ENTIRE SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED SERIES HERE.
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