2019 Bridge to Greatness Thanksgiving Classic - Top Performers
By Derrick Irving,
On Saturday, RecuitTheBronx.com was in attendance to watch the 1st Annual Bridge to Greatness Thanksgiving Classic at George Westinghouse in Brooklyn. This eight team, one day showcase is run by Jeff Barrett, Direcor of Bridge to Greatness and the Conrad McRae Youth Tournament. Here are our top prospects:
Samil Melo 2020 6’4 Forward Adams Street Academy - Aggressive rebounder, especially on the offensive boards. Solid body type. Drives the ball hard off of faceups in the high and low post. He is a decent finisher inside, but needs to be more consistent.
Alex Mclain 2021 6’1 Wing August Martin HS - Has great defensive instincts, moves his feet and can change direction very well on defense. Pesky perimeter defender, displays maximum effort and enthusiasm. Is a good rebounder for an undersized wing. Strong, muscular body frame. Hustles hard for 50/50 balls.
Tyshawn Scott 2021 6’5 Small Forward Vision Academy - Has a classic swing-man skillset, with good athleticism. Effortless leaper. Has a good perimeter handle and is a decent playmaker playing the 3. Finishes well through contact on the drive.
Mark Farley 2020 6’4 Shooting Guard Vision Academy - Has good body control, an acrobatic finisher through contact and traffic. Quick first step off the dribble. Very quick with the ball, a coast to coast threat. Streaky outside shooter, but has a good stroke. College ready body.
Saidou Jalloh 2020 5’9 Point Guard Vision Academy - Lightning quick point, with good playmaking skills, really looks to get his teammates involved. Pesky perimeter defender with quick hands. Undersized but has sneaky athleticism and a college ready body, his calves pump like pistons.
Kenneth Henderson 2020 6’4 Wing Vision Academy - Plays hard on both ends of the floor, a scrappy player. Decent outside shot. Has long arms which help him play the passing lanes well. Good finisher on the drive, once he adds muscle he will finish through contact with more ease.
Michael Munoz 2021 6’3 Wing Brooklyn Prospect Charter HS - Can get hot and rattle off a few baskets in a row. Decent ability to score from all 3 levels and attack the open space. Showed some ability to handle the rock in the open floor, but definitely needs to get stronger with his handle for the next level.
Mervin Hope 2020 6’6 Wing George Westinghouse HS - 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.
Elijah Nedd 2021 5’7 Point Guard George Westinghouse - Quick and shifty handle, has a good change of pace. Keeps his head up and sees the floor well. Throws good passes with both hands. Knows how to control the tempo and pace of the offense. Attacks the open space well, and has a very good midrange game. Can finish thru traffic on drive, his quick first step helps him get to the basket and finish over taller defenders. Has quick hands playing perimeter defense.
Ebenezer Ofei 2021 6’3 Wing George Westinghouse - An explosive leaper, with a muscular frame. Does not shy away from contact on the drive and has good body control. A lockdown defender; has long arms, quick feet, and good instincts. Willing to give his body up on defense.
Amadou Diallo 2021 5’8 Point Guard John Bowne - One of the top PG’s in NYC. Is a floor general shows good poise running the offense and has above average court vision. Very smooth offensively, has a shifty handle and is a crafty finisher through traffic. Good outside shooter. Has a nice pullup jumper off the dribble and screens.
Cherif Diarra 2020 6’5 Forward John Bowne - Plays grown man basketball, a tough physical presence. Moves to fight thru contact on the drive and on the boards. Is a good rebounder on both ends. He boxes out well, which gets him a lot of putback opportunities. A good interior defender, contests everything within his range.
Mouhamed Dioubate 2022 6’4 Small Forward John Bowne - Has an all around game, very versatile. Showed the ability to score inside-out. Good ball handling ability on the perimeter and decent court vision. Uses his length to his advantage on defense, helps him play passing lanes and contest shots well.
Aguibou Balde 2021 6’4 Forward John Bowne - Good outside shooter, can get hot from deep. Good rebounder, uses his size and strength to attack the boards. Good court awareness and recognition to get to his open spots on the perimeter.
Kevin Dinkins Jr. 2020 6’2 Shooting Guard Thurgood Marshall Academy - Always in attack mode offensively. A fearless driver to the basket whose not afraid of contact, however he needs to make better decisions on when to drive because he takes too much and unnecessary contact and punishment.
Omar Nkonde 2020 6’6 Power Forward Thurgood Marshall Academy - Long and lanky frame with good athleticism. Has chase down blocking ability. Runs the floor hard end to end. Athletic defensive rebounder. Needs to get stronger to bang down low and finish through contact consistently.
Gregory Genross 2020 6’6 Forward John F. Kennedy HS - Is an aggressive and athletic rebounder and finisher. Strong, athletic body type. Is a consistent inside finisher. Runs the floor like a gazelle. Good interior defender, good timing on help side blocks. He also plays football.