Super Sophomores In 2018-19 From The Baltimore Area
The sophomore class in the Baltimore area showcased a ton of players who have potential to be really good. As freshmen, it takes time to adjust to the speed and physicality of the varsity level. Now that they’ve had a…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe sophomore class in the Baltimore area showcased a ton of players who have potential to be really good. As freshmen, it takes time to adjust to the speed and physicality of the varsity level. Now that they’ve had a chance to settle in, their skills come to the forefront. Here were some of the sophomores that stood out above the rest this season:
Ryan Conway | 6’0 | Dulaney
As he has in the past, Conway proved himself to be one of the best scorers you’ll find in the area. This season, he put the ball in the basket in a more efficient rate, though. The 6-foot point guard had multiple games with 30 or more points. He’s beginning to show growth in when to take certain shots. As a point guard, Conway has also improved as a play maker for others. With many of the opposing team’s game plans surrounded around Conway, he had to learn how to play when facing double teams and defensive schemes that were set to stop him from scoring.
Dave Brown | 6’5 | McDonogh
Brown was a name that not many in the area knew before this year, but it didn’t take long for the 6-foot-5 guard to catch people’s eyes with his scoring ability. After playing on the junior varsity team at St. Mary’s Ryken as a freshman, Brown tore the MIAA A Conference apart as a sophomore who averaged 16 points per game on 48 percent shooting from the field and 41 percent from three. Brown proved he could score from anywhere, but is most effective when he is moving off the ball and shooting off of screens and kick-out passes. Brown’s stock certainly sky-rocketed this season.
Ike Cornish | 6’5 | Dulaney
We saw tremendous growth from Cornish this high school season and it has much to do with his aggressiveness as a scorer. Last season as a freshman, Cornish played more of a utility role for Dulaney, but this past season, he asserted himself as a scorer and did so efficiently. Cornish proved to be an effective outside shooter off the catch, but with his length and ability to get into the paint, he gave opposing defenses fits by scoring as a slasher. Cornish was also a great presence on the glass. He could grab defensive rebounds and push the ball himself on the break. Most importantly, it seems as if Cornish’s IQ for the game is improving. His overall decision-making was something that his team desperately needed.
Ausar Crawley | 5’8 | Mt. St. Joe
If you had to choose any sophomore in the area to control and win a game for you, Crawley is your guy. The 5-foot-8 point guard was tremendous as a floor general for head coach Pat Clatchey. Alongside LSU commit James Bishop in the backcourt, Crawley’s first priority was to get him the ball at the right times. Opposing teams would change their coverage in any way you could think of just to stop Bishop. That’s when Crawley would step back as a distributor and become more of a scorer. He proved to be a capable outside shooter off the dribble, an effective scorer when operating in ball-screen situations and a tough finisher around the rim despite his height.
Jared Billups | 6’5 | McDonogh
Billups isn’t like the other four sophomores included on this list. He won’t blow you away with being a versatile scorer. He will however, make all of the little plays needed to win games. The 6-foot-5 guard is a defensive menace as indicated by leading McDonogh with 2.5 steals per game. Billups also averaged nine points, five rebounds and three assists per contest. Billups’ jump shot is still a work in progress, but there definitely was some improvement. With his athleticism and length, he’s an effective finisher around the rim and does a nice job of crashing the offensive glass, earning second-chance points for his team.