With 30 games on tonight’s slate, Section V boys’ basketball will be in full stride. Here are the 12th grade student-athletes who will be making the plays this season.
Zechariah Harris-Scott 6-foot-5 Sr. F East High Eagles (RCAC) – Long inside presence who plays like he’s on a trampoline, possesses an uncanny nose for the ball and is fearless attacking the basket, runs the floor well and finishes in transition, can also play with his back to the basket, high accuracy level from 10 feet, impressive motor, high basketball IQ; daring defender who anticipates well, moves his feet to get in passing lanes with active hands, high-level shot blocking ability; tireless on the boards, strong hands to go with the ability to read angles on balls coming off the rim, elite level rebound-and-outlet man; averaged 19.3 PPG and posted 16 double-doubles this season.
Jaden Hartsfield 6-foot-3 Sr. G/F Greece Odyssey (Monroe County Division IV) – Nicknamed “Sticks” because of his lanky frame, he knows how to use this build to his advantage, has to be defended beyond the 3-point arc, but smaller guards struggle to create any level of interference for him, he easily sees over smaller players and uses his wingspan to create an elevated release point, not afraid to put the ball to floor he keeps defenders in check with a smooth touch on floaters, with all that mind it is easy to overlook his ability move without the ball, he understands how to create and use angles to gain an advantage on opposing defenders; patient defender who will jump a passing lane when appropriate. Two-time Section V Class B MVP.
Tah-Jae Hill 6-foot-2, Sr. G Hilton Cadets (Monroe County Division I) – Puts pressure on opposing defenses through a variety of means, foot speed and quickness set up his pull-up jumper that consistently keeps defenders on their heels, but his ability to blow by perplexes defenses which look to double team Hill, he has seamlessly infused a back-to-the-basket game, deft passer who reads well in pick-and-roll situations, maintains a repetitive motion with his shot, has to be defended beyond the 3-point arc; defends in the post and defends on the perimeter, can contain opposing ball handler and mark opponent’s best perimeter scorer; tireless rebounder who resists first contact made in box-out situations; averaging 31.7 points has scored 1,383 career points; has Division I offers from Bryant, Buffalo, Niagara, Siena and St. Bonaventure.
Andrew Mason 6-foot-3 Sr. G Webster Thomas Titans (Monroe County Division II) – Inside/outside threat who can create for himself and teammates, has to be guarded beyond the 3-point arc, quick release on catch-and-shoot opportunities, length makes it difficult to defend him for smaller perimeter players, uses height to see over opponents and finds teammates in spots where they can score, flashes a hesitation dribble to get to the rim, combine that with an impressive pull-up jumper, possesses the innate quality of letting the game come to him, does not shoot team out of game; crafty defender who moves well on the flight of the ball, patient on the ball, closes the gate on the baseline drive; impressive rebounder with strong hands, keeps ball high, outlet passes create transition chances for teammates; averaging 24.0 PPG. Daemen College commit.
Jermaine Taggart 6-foot-4 Sr. G McQuaid Jesuit Knights (RCAC) – Slashing wing who can knock down an open 3-pointer, but is at his best best going to the rim where he can finish with either hand in traffic, sees leak-out opportunities and takes advantage, catches the ball well in transition and finishes, quick first step in the half-court set, can go either direction, learning how to use his length against smaller opponents; active rebounder, keeps moving after initial contact in block-out situations, strong hands, alert to transition opportunities; responsible defender, plays well off the ball, potential to be an elite on-the-ball guard.
Names to know of other student-athletes from the 2020 class: Tony Arnold/Eastridge, Sam Arnts/Bath-Haverling, Kaori Barley/East High, Jahlil Bell/WOI, Eddie Beverly/Rush-Henrietta, Charles Bowden/Rush-Henrietta, Freddie Brock/East High, Colin Burkis/Hilton, Matt Caggiano/Victor, Cameron Chestnut/Keshequa, Brennan Clark/Wilson Magnet, Andrew Clement/Cuba-Rushford, Luke Cole/Fillmore Melvin Council, Jr./UPrep, Tyler Dailey/Avon, Riley Danaher/Bolivar-Richburg, Reuben Daniel/McQuaid, Najier Daniels/Hilton, SherRon Davis/Eastridge, Carson DeVinney/Perry, Ben DiGiovanni/Pittsford Sutherland, Colton Dillon/Elba, Christian Jefferson-Edwards/UPrep, Challis Farmer/Perry, Noah Fasso/Livonia, Adonis Flagler/NE Douglass, Na’Zea Folks/UPrep, Chase Freeland/Hornell, Michael Gentile/Bishop Kearney, Nyles Goodwin/Rush-Henrietta, Tremell Hale/C.G. Finney, Logan Hayes/SOTA, Jalen Rose-Hannah/Eastridge, Kennyh Hardeman/Leadership Academy, Travis Hill/Red Jacket, Michael Hockey/Perry, Max Jusianiec/Wellsville, Khalil Iverson/Northstar Christian, Nicolas Jeanty/NE Douglass, Justin Johnson/Aquinas, Zachary Johnson/Lyndonville, Daniel Kelly/Geneseo, Benji Kemp/Lyons, Dylan Kolmetz/Greece Odyssey, Mason Kuhn/Kendall, Joe Laursen/Caledonia-Mumford, Kobe Long/McQuaid Jesuit, Lamar Lovelace/NE Douglass, Ryan Lucey/Fairport, Gabe Macdonald/Batavia-Notre Dame, Steven Mahar/Aquinas, Presten Mathis/Greece Odyssey, Garrett McClurg/Perry, Shamir McCullough/Leadership Academy, Derek McCumiskey/Hornell, Axel Mejias/Monroe, Luke Melidona/Irondequoit, Stefan Milinkovic/Fairport, Gabe Miller/Aquinas, Max Molisani/Fairport, Vin Molisani/Cal-Mum, Miles Monchecourt/Bishop Kearney, Austin Musselwhite/Friendship, DeAndre Newsome/Greece Athena, Dannie Palmer/Webster Thomas, Gino Pellett/Spencerport, JoJo Plummer/Webster Schroeder, Kamerin Poromon/Churchville-Chili, Marcus Postell/Churchville-Chili, Mason Putnam/Prattsburgh, Ben Reding/Spencerport, Noah Reilly/Geneseo, Chase Rizzo/Red Jacket, Gabriel Rosado/Wheatland-Chili, Kayshawn Ross/UPrep, Nick Rowland/Avon, Julian Ruiz/Waterloo, Jack Scanlon/Aquinas, Cody Schneider/Genesee Valley, Dyllon Scott/Penfield, Connor Shafer/Irondequoit, Griffen Stella/Churchville-Chili, John Stierly/Addison, Devin Stowe/Avoca, Nate Strauf/Pittsford-Mendon, Jermaine Taggart/McQuaid, Jabez Thompson/Monroe, Trevor VanNostrand/Midlakes, Joseph Vazquez/Rochester Academy, Sam Velletri/Brockport, Devin Walton/Gates-Chili, Antwan Williams/Bishop Kearney, Jamar Williams/Monroe, JeVonte Williams/Rush-Henrietta, Turner Wilson/HF-L, Samuel Wright IV/Greece Olympia.
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