2019 Kings of the Lower East Side Tournament Top Performers

By Derrick Irving,

Over the Veterans Day weekend, RecruitTheBronx.com was in attendance to watch the 2nd Annual Kings of the Lower East Side Pre-Season Tournament at Seward Park Campus in Downtown Manhattan. The two day tournament is run by Seward Park Head Coach, Katey Wentworth. Here are the top prospects that we saw:

 

Nicholas Cromwell (2021) 5’10 point guard, East Side Community - Has sneaky athleticism and will wow you with his bounce at his size. Very quick first step, gets to the basket in a hurry. Acrobatic finisher on the drive. Decent pull up jumper. Decent court vision. Good perimeter defender, has quick very quick hands and feet. Is a lefty.

 

Cooper Rothman (2021) 6’2 shooting guard, East Side Community - Good catch and shoot mechanics, can really get hot from the corner 3. Decent slasher and finisher on the drive. Needs to improve his ball handling to create more scoring opportunities for himself.

 

Zaire Liang (2021) 6’5 forward, East Side Community - Very active on the boards, leads to a good amount of putback points for him. Long and lanky frame, uses his length to bother shots on defense. Needs to get stronger so he can play thru contact better.

 

Hamed Cisse (2023) 6’4 small forward, Hunt’s Point HS - A throwback swingman type of player, attacks the basket strong thru traffic, has long strides. Can initiate the offense or the fast break,  has decent court vision. Shows flashes of outside shooting ability, needs to be more consistent.

 

Tony Didehou (2020) 6’3 wing, Washington Irving Campus - Has great physical attributes; strong body frame, long arms, explosive bounce. Attacks the basket strong on the drive and is a good finisher thru contact. Great timing on his blocks and is a solid rebounder. Runs the floor like a gazelle, is involved in every play and fights thru the whistle.

 

Assane Niang (2022) 6’4 wing, AECI HS - Has good defensive instincts. Long and lanky frame, uses his length to his advantage on defense. Has raw ability to score on the drive, will get better as he gets stronger physically and can accept contact better. Good rebounder.

 

Ameer Dyson (2020) 6’3 forward, Seward Park - He is the ultimate glue guy, can do a little bit of everything needed on the court. Goes after every rebound and hustles for loose balls. A vocal leader on the court, who does the dirty work and the little things for his team to win. Is a solid inside finisher even against taller opponents.

 

Mamadou Diallo (2020) 6’3 shooting guard, Seward Park - Good 3pt shooter, relocates to the open space naturally, moves without the ball well. Good playmaking ability for an off-guard. Long and lanky frame, plays solid defense with his long arms.

 

Xavier Bell Jr. (2020) 5’11 guard, Seward Park - A corner 3pt specialist who shoots with confidence, exhibits good mechanics on the catch and shoot. When dialed in can get real hot from deep. Can take his man off the dribble as well and create.

 

Bruce Tulloch (2021) 6’4 small forward, Seward Park - A classic swingman makeup, has an athletic body and is a good slasher.  Has quick change of direction when attacking the basket. Can go coast to coast, has a decent handle and can initiate the offense. Always in attack mode offensively.

 

Rashaun Chapple (2022) 5’11 guard, Seward Park - Has sneaky athleticism and explosive hops. Finishes strong on the drive, quick first step. Shows good poise running the offense. Is a pesky perimeter defender, quick hands. Good rebounder at the guard position, fights hard for 50/50 balls.

 

Demarco Ranson (2020) 6’6 forward, Pace HS - Runs the floor well and is a good finisher on the drive. Moves his feet well playing perimeter defense. Long and lanky frame, uses his length to his advantage on defense. Decent rebounder, needs to be more aggressive.

 

Louis Kortright 2020 6’3 guard, St. Raymond’s/Team Mega - Acrobatic finisher on the drive, has good body control in the air. Explosive leaper. Quick first step sees him attack the basket strong. Plays the passing lanes well, has quick hands. Streaky outside shooter, but has good mechanics. Has improved his playmaking skills.

 

Mervin Hope (2020) 6’6 wing, George Westinghouse/Team Mega - Crafty finisher on drive, uses his length to finish around the defense. Streaky outside shooter. Plays the passing lanes well. Can block shots with his long arms, has good timing. Needs to get stronger, has the talent to be an impact on the next level.

 

Jonathan Chery (2020) 6’0 guard, Metro BDA/Team Mega- An explosive leaper will throw it down with authority and will show off when left open on the break. His offense stems from his defense, has quick hands and is adept at on the ball steals. Can chase the ball on defense from the inbound. Finishes consistently thru contact and traffic on the drive, really hard to get in front of and stop. Good playmaking ability, makes flashy passes that work.

 

Raymond “RJ” Moore (2022) 6’5 wing, Evangel Christian/Team Mega - A top underclassmen in NYC. An athletic finisher on the drive, finishes well thru contact. Can rise up and throw it down over bigger defenders. Good midrange jumper. Uses his athleticism and length we on defense. Good rebounder.