Players to Watch in July

By Craig Leighton
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Updated: July 8, 2015

Listed below are thirty of the key PC recruits that Friar fans should be keeping an eye on during the July recruiting period and where they will be playing during the first live period which starts at 5:00 PM tonight. This is by no means an all inclusive list.

Adidas Gauntlet Championships (Atlanta, starts July 8th)

Wenyen Gabriel (Mass Rivals, 2016 forward) Gabriel is one of the Friars’ key recruits in the 2016 class. He was one of the most improved players in New England during the spring. He has recently appeared in most national services top 100 lists for the class of 2016. Gabriel will be playing for Wilbraham & Monson next year.
Wabissa Bede (Mass Rivals, 2017 point guard) Bede was recently offered by the Friars while on an unofficial visit to the PC campus. Bede is that rare point guard who already has a great outside shot and his upside is tremendous. He will be playing next year at Cushing Academy.
Makai Ashton-Langford (Mass Rivals, 2017 point guard) Ashton-Langford’s explosive speed is what separates him from other top point guards in his class. He is currently ranked as the thirteenth best point guard in the class of 2017 by ESPN and next year he will be teaming with his Mass Rivals teammate Wabissa Bede in Cushing Academy’s backcourt.
Jarrod Simmons (Mass Rivals, 2017 forward) Simmons is young for his age group yet he already has an offer from PC. He has good hands and is a good athlete who has a very large upside. Next year he will be manning the front line at Cushing.
Chris Baldwin (Mass Rivals 2016 power forward) Baldwin is a beast under the basket who is very athletic and has a nice touch around the rim. The Friars have offered, and he will be playing at Notre Dame Prep next year.
Tomas Murphy (New England Playaz 2017 power forward) Murphy is the youngest of Rhode Island’s Murphy brothers and is just starting to scratch his potential. He has great hands and a soft shooting touch around the rim. He will be a fixture in the front court at Northfield Mount Hermon next year.
Tremont Waters (New England Playaz 2017 point guard) Waters may be the best point guard in New England, regardless of class. He combines a great outside shot with passing skills and ball handling ability. Waters will be manning the point for South Kent next year.
Braxton Blackwell (Atlanta Celtics, 2016 forward) Blackwell has been recruited by the Friars ever since they first went down to Tennessee to recruit his CPA teammate Jalen Lindsey. He is now one of the top players nationally and it remains to be seen how involved the Friars still are with him. He will be playing next year for Christ Presbyterian Academy but there has been some talk that he may go to a prep school for his senior season.
Rawle Alkins (NY Rens, 2016 guard) Alkins is one of the most imposing players in the 2016 class. His combination of size, strength, and athletic ability allows him to score at will around the basket. PC is one of several high major programs that have offered Alkins. He will play next year at Christ the King.

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Broderick Jones (California Supreme, 2015 forward) Jones recently decommitted from San Diego State and reopened his recruitment. The word is he is going to run with the California Supreme during the July Live Period to gain more exposure. The Friars have already reached out and offered him a scholarship for the 2015 season.
Bruce Brown (BABC, 2016 guard) Brown may be the best player in New England in the 2016 class. He is a scoring machine who is equally adept at taking it to the basket or shooting from the outside. The PC coaching staff has been recruiting Brown for a long time but landing him will be tough as his recruiting has taken off in the last year.
Kevin Marfo (BABC, 2016 power forward) Marfo is one of the most improved players in New England. He has had an outstanding spring with BABC and has really seen his recruiting pick up. he is a classic power forward who takes care of business underneath the basket. Kevin was on the PC campus a couple of weeks ago for an unofficial visit. He will be playing next year at Worcester Academy.
K.J. Santos (Mac Irvin Fire, 2016 forward) Santos is a versatile forward who should be able to play the three or the four at the next level. He can handle the ball very well for his size and also has a nice outside shooting touch. He is currently ranked ninth in New England in the class of 2016 by the New England Recruiting Report and will be playing next year at South Kent.
Samuel Japhet-Mathias (PSA Cardinals, 2017 center) Japhet-Mathias is a throwback type of center who does not mind playing with his back to the basket. He has good footwork and at 6’11 he is able to control the backboards. The Friars have offered Japhet-Mathias who will be playing next year at Vermont Academy.
Christian Vital (PSA Cardinals, 2016 guard) Vital is a knock down shooter who can really spread the opposing team’s defense. He has been on PC’s radar for quite awhile and is currently ranked fifteenth in New England in the class of 2016 by the New England Recruiting Report. Christian will be playing for St. Thomas Moore next year.
Tony Carr (Team Final, 2016 point guard) Carr is one of the larger point guards in the 2016 class at 6’3. He is a late bloomer who is still developing his skills but has a huge upside. ESPN currently ranks him 52nd nationally in the 2016 class.
Jordan Tucker (NY Lightning, 2017 guard) Tucket is one of the premiere wings in the class of 2017. He already has the entire package of offensive skills and is still improving. PC has offered but the competition for his services will be fierce.
Alonzo Verge (St. Louis Eagles 2017 point guard) Verge is a athletic point guard who has a nice handle and changes speeds very effectively. He has been offered by the Friars and is currently ranked 47th in the class of 2017 by ESPN.
Quinton Rose (Albany City Rocks , 2016 guard) Rose is a combo guard who can handle the ball as well,as knock down the outside shot. At 6’6 he has great height for a guard and just needs to add some weight to be a major player at the next level. PC has offered Quinton and next year he will play at Greece Athena High School.

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Jordy Tshimanga (MacDuffie School, 2016 center) At 6’10 and 260 pounds Jordy is a load in the middle and is a classic low post center. He will not be pushed around underneath the basket. He also has a nice outside touch for a player his size. The PC coaching staff has recruited Tshimanga very hard over the past several months.
Breein Tyree (Metuchen St. Joseph’s, 2016 point guard) Tyree is one of the most athletic point guards in his class. He takes the ball to the basket with authority and also has nice form on his outside shot. He does need to improve on his consistency. The Friars recently offered Tyree and they will be watching him very closely in July.
Hamidou Diallo (Putnam Science Academy, 2017 guard) Diallo is rapidly becoming one do the top guards in the 2017 class. He is an incredible athlete who cannot be stopped when he takes the ball to the basket. The PC coaching staff has been recruiting Diallo for quite awhile but will face very tough competition if they hope to land him.
Isaiah Washington (St. Raymond’s 2017 point guard) Washington could be the next great point guard to come out of New York City. The Friars have offered and he is currently ranked 80th in the class of 2017 by Rivals.
Trevon Duval (St. Benedict’s, 2017 point guard) Duval is ranked as the second best point guard in the 2017 class by ESPN. He gets to the basket at will and only needs to add consistency to his outside shot to be truly unstoppable.
Quade Green (Neumann-Goretti, 2017 point guard) Green is one of the best point guards in his class who can score using his quickness to take the ball to the basket or he can also pull up and take the three point shot. The Friars have offered and he is currently ranked 43rd in the 2017 class by ESPN.

Basketball Summer Championsships (Springfield, MA)

Kimani Lawrence (Expressions Elite, 2017 forward) Lawrence is a very athletic small forward who uses his speed to take the ball to the basket. The Providence native continues to improve and has a huge upside. Kimani will be playing next year at Cushing Academy.
Jermaine Samuels (Expressions Elite, 2017 forward) Samuels is one of the top players in New England for the class of 2017. He is a scoring machine who can put the ball in the basket in a number of different ways. A very good athlete, he is currently ranked first in New England in the class of 2017. Jermaine will be playing next year at the Rivers School.
Jordan Hardwick (Expressions Elite 2017 forward). Hardwick is another member of the loaded class of 2017 in New England. He is an impressive athlete who really knows how to finish at the rim. Jordan will be playing for Commonwealth Academy next year.
Javon Taylor (Mass Rivals, 2017 guard) Taylor has been showing steady progress this season playing for the Rivals 16 and under team. Taylor has a nice outside shooting stroke and a nice handle. He committed to PC last August and will be playing next year at Beaver Country Day.
Terrell Brown (Mass Rivals, 2016 power forward) Brown recently moved over to Mass Rivals from BABC in order to get more playing time and exposure. The 6’10 Rhode Island native has a nice skill set for a player his size and just needs more consistency. He will be playing next year at St. Andrew’s.

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