Unsigned Seniors in Baltimore to Know (Part 1)
As the regular season comes to a close here in the next few weeks, college programs are starting to zero in on building their roster for next year. Division II and Division III programs in particular are always looking for…
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Continue ReadingAs the regular season comes to a close here in the next few weeks, college programs are starting to zero in on building their roster for next year. Division II and Division III programs in particular are always looking for a player who may has been lost in the shuffle or for whatever reason, has not yet committed to a school. In this series, we’ll take a look at some unsigned seniors in the Baltimore area to keep an eye on.
RJ Blakney | 6’5 | St. Maria Goretti
Blakney has been a force this season for the 20-5 Gaels. The 6-foot-5 guard/wing leans on his explosiveness and athleticism to finish strong around the basket whether it comes in transition or half court play. There aren’t many that can handle Blakney once he rises in the air, but if he doesn’t finish with a dunk, he is effective at taking on contact and converting. His jumper is still a work in progress, but in the dozen times that I’ve watched Blakney play these past couple of months, it has improved. The bulk of his pull-ups come when a defender is sprinting out at him. Blakney will attack with his left hand for one or two dribbles before shooting a mid-range shot. Defensively, he’s been aggressive in the passing lanes. With his size and length, he guards many of the opposing teams top perimeter scorers and makes their life much harder. There has been plenty of low-to-mid major Division I programs tracking Blakney, but my understanding is he will wait to commit in the spring to see if he can court any high-majors.
Marvin Price | 6’4 | Patterson
Marvin Price has been a man on a mission this season for Patterson. After spending last season a Huntington Prep and spending the spring and summer on the sidelines with a knee injury, folks in Baltimore had plenty of questions when it came to his return. Price has put together more than a handful of 25+ point performances and is a major reason why the Clippers are once again considered one of the powerhouses not only in Baltimore, but the state. He’s showcased versatility on both ends by scoring from all three levels and defensively, guarding just about any position while being a force on the glass. Little by little, Price is getting his explosiveness back as the season goes on, but it has been evident that his outside shot has been a focus of his in terms of improvement. Price has low and mid-major programs after him, but is starting to receive interest from a couple of Big East teams. It seems as if he will wait as long as he can to see if either program will offer.
Jason Murphy | 6’8 | St. Frances
Murphy has put together a productive season as the starting center for the best team in Baltimore. On a team with plenty of Division I prospects, Murphy is averaging 6.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Many of the things that Murphy does to help his team win don’t show up in the box score. Things like battling for position defensively while boxing out. Murphy may not get every rebound, but he pushes out the opposing big to give other the opportunity to grab the board. He runs the floor consistently and acts as an effective trail man that can finish if a guard gets stuck on their way to the rim. Murphy communicates well defensively as the anchor and alarms any guards when screens are coming their way. An area of improvement I’ve noticed most from Murphy is his timing on shot-blocking. It’s been encouraging to see him make weak side rotations and block shots without fouling guard who try and seek contact in the air.
Cam Watts | 6’1 | Boys’ Latin
Watts put his name on the map with his level of play this season. Unfortunately, the remainder of his senior year will consist of him watching from the sidelines due to injury. Watts is a tough-nosed, scrappy guard that helped an already tough Boys’ Latin squad be even tougher. Pair his toughness with his basketball IQ and ability to shoot the ball and it left little reason to question why the Lakers were on a roll. They stand 27-4 overall, but losing Watts was a huge piece of their puzzle because of how heavily they lean on their starters to produce. Division II and Division III programs are all tracking Watts closely. It’s safe to say with his current situation, we should be seeing a commitment soon.
Dylin Borden | 5’11 | Annapolis Area Christian
The Eagles are a senior-loaded roster, but nobody is more important to their team than Borden. His leadership and floor general characteristics helps everyone stay in sync when things get hectic. In their motion offense, everyone is expected to move without the ball and read how to use an off-ball screen, so in that sense, Borden has understanding. With the ball, he can shoot from beyond the arc and slither his way to the rim when using ball-screens. Due to his lack of size, Borden is limited in the positions he can guard defensively, but is active acting as the help defender and playing the passing lanes. Division II and Division III programs have been tracking Borden this season, but he doesn’t hold any offers at this time.