Baltimore Prospects: Unranked and Under the Radar
Throughout the calendar year, the majority of articles surfacing around the internet have to do with the top ranked kids in the respective area or the country as a whole. At Prep Hoops, we try and highlight prospects from all levels in order to make coaches aware. About every month or so, I’ll be posting an article similar to this pointing out some of the players in the Baltimore area who have the ability to play at some collegiate level, but you may not see their name on our rankings list.
Marlon Lewis ’21 | 6’4 | Woodlawn/Team BBC
It’s almost a guarantee that Lewis will appear on our next 2021 rankings list, but since he isn’t currently, I figured I’d include him in this series. At 6-foot-4, Lewis is a freak athlete that had a very impressive freshman season at Woodlawn. He started this spring and summer playing AAU for the Maryland Spartans (a non-sponsored team) on their 17U squad. Throughout, he dominated on both sides of the floor and was a clear stand out. For July, he’s been playing with a talented 15U Team BBC unit in order to get his name out during the live period. The thing that stands out most about Lewis is his motor. He never seems to get tired. He’s uber aggressive on drives to the basket and embraces contact both on the way and in the air. If he can continue to develop his perimeter game more, Lewis could very well be one of the best players in his class when it comes looking at players in the Baltimore Metropolitan area.
🦍.. pic.twitter.com/UQN66JLXgm
— Marlon🇦🇴 (@Thereallmartyyy) May 11, 2018
Jordan Strickland ’20 | 6’4 | Parkville/Team Silk
Strickland had a quietly dominant season at Parkville last year. The 2020 forward led the county in double-doubles and even recorded a couple of games with 20+ points and 20+ rebounds. Because of his size, Strickland falls in the category of a “tweener,” meaning he’s not quite big enough to be a power forward at the college level, but doesn’t possess the perimeter skills as of yet to be categorized as a small forward. The good thing is that Strickland has dramatically improved his athleticism this summer and has worked vigorously on his outside shot with head coach Josh Czerski. It wouldn’t shock me to see his name start to blow up around the area this upcoming season with a young, talented Parkville team who should have a strong showing in Baltimore County.
2020 Jordan Strickland can get up !!! pic.twitter.com/ftKDT4Dc3G
— Parkville Hoops (@ParkvilleHoops) May 28, 2018
Ian Wallace ’20 | 6’5 | Poly/Team Melo
In terms of players that I watched last year, Wallace very well could be the most improved. The biggest thing with Wallace was his overall confidence. He didn’t get as much time on a state championship team last season, but with Poly losing a few key players on the perimeter, Wallace will look to step in and prove his worth this upcoming season. This summer, he’s shown flashes of his athleticism and ability to put the ball on the floor and attack the rim. From my point of view, he’s starting to grow into his body and the game is starting to slow down for him. These are two key components when it comes to players taking a next step with their overall development. Poly will once again be the favorites in the 3A Class after repeating as champions. This time around, Wallace will look to be a key contributor as his number will be called early.
Maurice Smith ’19 | 6’2 | New Town/Team BBC
If you’ve heard of Maurice Smith and his story, there’s no reason to question his strength or love for the game. The two-time non-Hodgkins Lymphoma cancer survivor is back on the floor doing what he loves and doing it well. This summer for Team BBC, Smith has displayed his ability to quarterback a team while making his impact felt in the scoring column as well. Smith has good size that will give his head coach, Derek Wise, the option of playing him at the point or the wing for a New Town team that has a lot of talent.
Emanuel Ludd ’20 | 5’11 | Mervo/Team Thrill
Ludd had a strong season at Digital Harbor last season, but didn’t receive much recognition. Now as he settles into his role at Mervo, he’ll be alongside some talented returners who pushed the eventual 4A champions in Perry Hall to a buzzer-beater ending in the state playoffs. Ludd will add a wrinkle that this Mervo team was missing last season in being an athletic point guard who can score when called upon. Ludd is a great athlete, which helps him jump passing lanes defensively and spark transition situations. If he can stay locked in consistently throughout the course of a 32-minute game, it’ll make Mervo that much more difficult of a team in the city.