Best Of Best Compete In All-Star Games

By: Keith Mills

Nearly 40 premier high school basketball players in the Baltimore area will gather at the Towson Center April 6 for the eighth annual Charm City Challenge All-Star games.

The game between the City All-Stars and the County All-Stars kicks off the doubleheader at 3 p.m., followed by Sean Mosley of St. Frances and the Baltimore All-Stars taking on a team of national All-Stars in the feature game.

Southern High School's Melvin Scott earned the first Most Valuable Player Award in 2001 when the 6-foot-2 senior guard led the Baltimore team to an 86-73 win. Four years later, Scott was playing in the NCAA Championship game, helping North Carolina beat Illinois in 2005.

One year later, Tyler Smith of Frederick Douglass was the MVP as coach Herman Harried’s area stars lost to the U.S. team, 102-100. Smith scored 28 points while Ducks teammate Joey Dorsey added 28. Dorsey is now a senior at the University of Memphis.

Gerald Brown was the MVP in 2003 as coach Mike Glick’s area team beat the national stars, 112-97. Levi Stukes of Randallstown and Josh Boone, who prepped at both South Carroll High and West Nottingham, were also on the Baltimore area team before moving on to outstanding college careers. Stukes finished up his college career last year at Georgia. Boone, now playing with the New Jersey Nets, won the 2004 national championship while at Connecticut.

The 2003 game also featured three future Maryland Terrapins -- Ikene Ibekwe, Hassan Fofana and D.J. Strawberry. Fofana transferred to Loyola where he is a teammate of Brown. Strawberry is now playing for the Phoenix Suns.

In 2004, the U.S. team evened the series at two wins each with a 98-79 victory. Baltimore pulled ahead in 2005 with a 110-97 win behind future Towson Tiger Velmar “Rocky” Coleman, who tallied 11 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.

Dunbar’s Darron Edwards led the City stars in '05, and Randallstown’s Dominic Venable poured in 29 points to lead the County team while Paris Carter and Chester Frazier of Lake Clifton helped Coleman and the local stars win the national game.

In 2006 McDonogh’s DaJuan Summers, Georgetown's star who was on the cover of Sports Illustrated last week, won the MVP Award over future Maryland Terrapin Greivis Vasquez as Baltimore beat the U.S. team, 92-88. Vasquez, then a senior at Montrose Christian, scored 27 points but was outgunned by Summers and Walbrook’s Rodney Spruill.

Last year, Towson Catholic’s Malcolm Delaney, now at Virginia Tech, was the MVP in a game loaded with future college players. Dino Gregory and Braxton Dupree helped the area team beat the U.S. stars, 116-113, before heading to Maryland.

BALTIMORE ALL-STARS

Brad Bald, Severna Park: The 6-foot-8 senior played his first three years at Archbishop Spalding before transferring to Severna Park last summer. He averaged 17 points and 12 rebounds a game and is headed to North Carolina-Wilmington.

Kimmie English, Randallstown: English graduated from Randallstown in 2006, helping the Rams to their second of three straight state championships. He is a smooth, 6-foot-7 swingman who was a teammate of Johnny Higgins at Notre Dame Prep. English will play next year at Missouri.

Troy Franklin, Mount Carmel: The quick 5-foot-10 guard led the Cougars to the B Conference championship in February over St. Mary’s. He is explosive off the dribble with great range on his jump shot. Franklin will play next fall for Pat Kennedy’s Tigers.

Marc Anthony Franks, Mount Carmel: The skilled 6-foot-7 senior gave Rose a strong inside presence and was the perfect complement to Franklin's outside game. He averaged a double-double for the Cougars. He has not decided where he’ll go to college.

Brandon Greene, Towson Catholic: The 6-foot-6 senior is one of the best players on the East Coast. A first team All-Catholic League performer, he also won the league’s Mark Amatucci Award, which goes to the best defender. The cousin of current Syracuse standout Donte Greene is undecided on his college plans.

Terrence Jones, Lake Clifton: Like Higgins and English, Jones played at Notre Dame Prep in New England and has committed to Texas A&M at Corpus Christi.

Sean Mosley, St. Frances: The strong 6-foot-4 senior led the Panthers to a pair of Baltimore Catholic League championships in his outstanding four-year career. Mosley scored 35 points and was named MVP as St. Frances beat Mount St. Joe for the BCL title last month. He was named Most Outstanding Player in the 48th Alhambra Tournament two weeks ago, and he will play next year at Maryland.

Gerrard Sheppard, McDonogh: Sheppard is going to Connecticut to play wide receiver in football though the 6-foot-4 swingman is also one of the area’s premier basketball players, leading the Eagles in scoring.

Henry Sims, Mount St. Joe: The 6-foot-10 post player is headed to Georgetown and will be missed by Gaels coach Pat Clatchey, who has watched Sims mature into one of the East Coast’s most sought-after players. Along with sophomore guard Eric Atkins and senior Justin McCoy, Sims led the Gaels to the regular season A Conference and Catholic League championships this year and was the Catholic League Co-Player of the Year with Mosley.

Omar Strong, Frederick Douglass: One of the best-kept secrets in town, the 5-foot-9 point guard led Rodney Coffield’s Ducks to the Class 2A North Region championship game. He scored 50 points against Samuel L. Banks and 27 in the region semifinal win over City. He is still undecided on his college plans.

Byron Westmoreland, Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical: The 6-foot-3 senior was the backbone for coach Darryl Wade’s Mustangs, which finished the year 17-6.

BALTIMORE COUNTY ALL-STARS

Larry Bastfield, Towson Catholic: A second team All-Catholic League selection, the 6-foot point guard will play next year at the University of Toledo.

Devon Branch, Aberdeen: Outstanding all-around player for coach Richard Hart’s Eagles, which finished 21-3.

Kevin Hunt, Broadneck: Hunt led John Williams’ Bruins in scoring and rebounding.

Karron Hunter, Owings Mills: Hunter was brilliant in his team's classic, 86-81 triple-overtime loss to Dunbar in the Class 1A North Region final.

Marcus Jeter, Randallstown: The 6-foot-3 senior led the Rams to a 23-4 season, their 15th regional championship and their seventh trip to the finals since 1995.

Jakub Kusmieruk, John Carroll: The 7-foot-4 senior from Poland emerged as a major inside force for the Patriots and will play next year at Central Florida.

Jordan Lee, Loch Raven: Another of the area's best-kept secrets, Lee pumped in 49 points against Hereford Feb. 14, leading coach Dave Kreller's Raiders to the region semifinals. He will play next year for Ron “Fang” Mitchell at Coppin State.

Darious Nesmith, Woodlawn: The 6-foot-2 senior led coach Eddie Green’s Warriors to the Baltimore County championship, scoring 21 points in Woodlawn's 66-57 win over Randallstown for its third title in six years.

Deonte Puller, Old Mill: Puller was a big reason why Greg Smith's Patriots finished 23-2, won the Anne Arundel County championship and reached the Class 4A region championship.

Kevin Seker, Marriots Ridge: The quarterback of the Mustangs football team was also the leader of coach Marcus Lewis' basketball team, which finished 19-5 in just its second year of existence.

Obi Ukwuoma, Long Reach: The 6-foot-4 senior scored 15 points with six rebounds as coach Al Moraz Jr.’s Lightning stunned Lake Clifton in the state Class 3A semifinals.

Josh Weigand, John Carroll: The 6-foot-8, 230-pound senior will play next year for Jimmy Patsos at Loyola after helping the Patriots finish the year 22-12.

Dwayne Wheeler, Mount Carmel: Wheeler led the Cougars, who finished 25-3, to the B Conference championship.

BALTIMORE CITY ALL-STARS

Jamar Briscoe, Cardinal Gibbons: The 5-foot-8 point guard led the Crusaders in scoring and assists.

Justin Berry, Douglass: Berry scored 17 points in the Ducks' region semifinal win over City College.

James Carmen, City College: The 6-foot-7 senior was a major force inside for Mike Daniel’s Black Knights.

Brandon Carroll, Archbishop Curley: One of the most complete players in the MIAA B Conference.

Donte Drake, Mervo: Another of Wade’s strong senior leaders.

Jermaine Edwards, Digital Harbor: Along with George and Justin Jackson, he led the Rams to an outstanding 15-7 season.

Turan Greene, Lake Clifton: Greene helped lead the Dolphins, who finished 25-2 and became Class 3A North region champs.

Daniel Horton, Lake Clifton: The 6-foot-6 senior teamed with junior Cleveland Melvin to give the Dolphins a potent 1-2 inside punch.

Paul Kouvaris, Cardinal Gibbons: The 6-foot-6 senior was a second team All-Catholic League selection.

Justin McCoy, Mount St. Joe: The Gaels’ defensive stopper in the backcourt, the 5-foot-8 senior will play at Coppin State.

Chris Olson, Mount St. Joe: One of the area’s premier three-point shooters.

Anthony Oquendo, St. Frances: A second-team All Catholic League pick who made coach Will Wells’ final year at St. Frances a memorable one.

Brandon Simms, Douglass: Another talented Ducks senior who gives valuable minutes on both ends of the court.

Issue 3.13: March 27, 2008