NHAA Spring Madness Quarterfinals 5/10/21

By David Cordova


On Monday night, RecruitTheBronx.com paid a visit to the PAL Polo Grounds Community Center, for the NHAA Spring Madness quarter finals. The tournament was organized by Will Kelly, the director of the Hoops By The River. Some of the Tri-State’s area’s finest players participated.


In the quarterfinals, there were some good matchups:
The NJ Celtics (comprised of players from The Patrick School) and Cox All-Stars (comprised mostly of players from Wings Academy)
St. Albans Renegades and The Bronx Bombers (comprised of players from St. Raymond High School)
Road to Riches and Harlem United.


Here are the standouts for Monday night’s games:


Jayshane Woodard 6-7, Forward, Wings Academy, Cox All-Stars, Class of 2021- A forward that had a large frame and can make plays on both ends of the court. Uses his finesse to get to the basket on the offensive end & can get to the basket, as well as shoot from long range. Has a nice handle and can create for himself off the dribble.


CJ Riley 6-0, Point Guard, Wings Academy, Cox All-Stars, Class of 2022 -A guard that is known for his penchant for making great plays on the court. Has the ability to get past his defender with a smooth dribble and can hit a pull up jumper with ease. Is also a player that gives his teammates the opportunity to flourish on the court when he gives them the ball in the right places to score.


Tai Turnage 5-10, Point Guard, St. Raymond High School, Cox All-Stars, Class of 2025 - A guard that has a diminutive frame, but is poised and mature beyond his years. When driving to the basket, he is fearless when driving into the lane and is known for drawing fouls, which gives him the opportunity to get to the line easily. Has the ability to give his teammates the ball in the right spots.


Davon Anderson 6-0, Shooting Guard, Wings Academy, Cox All-Stars, Class of 2021 - A guard with a strong frame who does not back down when the opposition gives him a challenge. Is able to get to the basket easily and can absorb physical contact when going up against the opposition. Knows how to get to the free-throw line.


Dionte Johnson, 5-11, Point Guard, The Patrick School (NJ), NJ Celtics, Class of 2022- A guard that is a true floor general that has great energy on the court. Is able to run a team well in transition and can make great plays when he has the ball in his hands. Has great court vision when it comes to distributing the ball, but always finding a way to get his baskets.


Samson Johnson, 6-10, Forward, The Patrick School (NJ), NJ Celtics, Class of 2021 - A forward that is long and agile and has great footwork on the court. Is always alert when the ball goes up for either a rebound on both ends of the court or a block on the defensive end. Despite his frame, he is able to shoot from long range and is a mismatch for any player on the opposing team when it comes to his offensive play.


Mouhamad Sow, 6-9, Forward, The Patrick School (NJ), NJ Celtics, Class of 2021- A forward that has plenty of size around the paint area and can dominate in the post. Has a penchant for playing above the rim and is always alert when it comes to getting rebounds. Is able to get to down the court in a timely fashion as he is able to run well on both ends of the court.


Mike Lofton, 6-1, Shooting Guard, The Patrick School (NJ), NJ Celtics, Class of 2022 - A guard that has some speed, but likes to hustle on the defensive end. Is a player that is a dangerous shooter from three-point range and can bury a team if not guarded heavily. Has the ability to create for himself off the dribble and can kick it out to teammates for assists.


Jaden Peña 6-6, Forward, Xaverian High School, St. Albans Renegades, Class of 2021- A forward that likes to get down the court and provides plenty of energy and effort for his team when he’s on the floor. Is able to get to the basket with ease and is able to find a way to power his way into the lane. Finds ways to get to the free throw-line and is able to get into the paint and outwork others for rebounds.


Shamar Chester 5-11, Point Guard, High School for Construction, St. Albans Renegades, Class of 2021 - A guard that is a great playmaker and can make plenty of hustle plays and also has a penchant for passing the ball to his teammates. Is lightning-quick when he is on the break and can attack the lane in transition and score efficiently when open & not guarded heavily.


Tajay Goode, 6-0, Shooting Guard, John Bowne High School, St. Albans Renegades, Class of 2021- A guard that has plenty of quickness and plenty of tenacity on the floor. Has a good eye on the defensive end, as he knows when to reach for the ball and get a steal. Has the ability to get to the basket with ease.


Elijah Castillo 6-2, Shooting Guard, St. Raymond High School, Bronx Bombers, Class of 2022 - A guard that has a quick first step and is able to get to the basket efficiently and is able to score on the break. If not stopped by the defense, he will take advantage every time, as he likes to run in on the fast break. Also has the ability to shoot jumpers from long range.


Jireej Cole 6-6, Forward, St. Raymond High School, Bronx Bombers, Class of 2023 - A forward that is very athletic on both ends of the floor. Knows when to attack the glass and use his strength to overpower the opposition. Is able to muscle his way into the paint to get to the basket.


Francesk Pllumaj 6-2, Shooting Guard, St. Raymond High School, Bronx Bombers, Class of 2021- A forward that can get up and down both ends of the court and is able to distribute the ball to his teammates. Has the ability to get to the basket easily as he uses his dribble to get to the hole. Is good at rebounding, despite being undersized, and has the ability to make hustle plays every time.


Ray PimenteL>/a> 5-8, Point Guard, St. Raymond High School, Bronx Bombers, Class of 2022 - A guard with a diminutive frame that can do many things when on the floor. Has plenty of speed when he’s on the floor and is able to get from point A to point B when he’s on the offensive end. Has a penchant for distributing the ball to his teammates.


Louis Riley 5-10, Shooting Guard, Monsignor Scanlan High School, Harlem United, Class of 2021 - A guard that is quick and deceptive when it comes to getting to the basket. Is able to create for himself off the dribble and is able to figure out when and where to pass the ball. Has the ability to shoot from long range.


Jameel Abdallah, 6-4, Forward, Edward Reynolds/West Side High School, Harlem United, Class of 2021 - A forward that can make plenty of plays on the floor. Despite his great play in the low post, he is able to put the ball on the floor and get across the floor with some quickness. Is very strong with the ball when going up to the basket and is a great rebounder.


Devo Conde, 6-0, Point Guard, The James Baldwin School, Harlem United, Class of 2021- A guard that is very fast with the ball and uses deception to get past the defender. Is able to glide past his defender and is unafraid by contact when going up for a basket. Knows when to pass the ball to his teammates at the right time.


George Pèrez, 6-2, Point Guard, James Monroe High School, Road to Riches, Class of 2021- A guard that loves to run in transition and is very shifty when it comes to his speeds. Is very good at setting his teammates up for baskets at the right time. Has the ability to drive past defenders and get to the basket with a layup.


Eddy De La Cruz 6-4, Forward, James Monroe High School, Road to Riches, Class of 2023 - A forward that is able to command his presence in the low post. His strong build allows him to get to the lane and post up smaller defenders and get to the basket with ease. Has the ability to position himself for rebounds and is a solid shot blocker.