Who Are Some Of The Best Sophomores In The Area?
The High School Basketball regular season in Western New York is nearly complete. There is a myriad of young talent in the Monsignor Martin Conference. This article will touch on a handful of the most promising Sophomores in the area.…
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Continue ReadingThe High School Basketball regular season in Western New York is nearly complete. There is a myriad of young talent in the Monsignor Martin Conference. This article will touch on a handful of the most promising Sophomores in the area.
Shane Cercone Shane Cercone 6'4" | SG Canisius | 2023 State NY – Canisius High School
Shane Cercone Shane Cercone 6'4" | SG Canisius | 2023 State NY has found a way to shine on a deep team of veterans by becoming a terrific playmaker. Cercone has shown that he is a willing and able passer; when the ball is in his hands, you can tell that his teammates are constantly looking for the ball as they make sharp cuts. He can make accurate and on-time passes with both his left and right hands. When he faces zone defenses, Cercone routinely looks for open lanes to throw a skip pass to a teammate for an open jump shot.
Another aspect of Cercone’s game worth mentioning is his rebounding. He is one of a handful of “bigs” that Canisius deploys against opponents to keep constant pressure on the glass. Cercone’s 8.4 rebounds per game leads the entire sophomore class. What Cercone may lack in elite athleticism, he more than makes up for with a tenacious mentality. Opponents must box out Cercone each time a shot goes up!
Marco Gallo – St. Mary’s High School
To start, opponents who have played against St. Mary’s High School this season have had success much of the time. Because the Lancers are at the bottom of the standings, teams make certain to gameplan against what may hurt them the most. What Marco Gallo has done this season is so impressive to me because, despite all of this, he has shown the ability to change games with this three-point shooting.
Calling Gallo a “specialist” is an understatement. 44% of all the shots he took this season were from beyond the three-point line. Though teams do their best to chase him off of his spots, he managed to shoot an absolutely asinine 73% from deep! His form is concise and consistent and Gallo has shown the ability to shoot both at a stand-still and off the dribble. Teams need to figure out another way to deal with Gallo in his final two seasons of eligibility. If they can’t, he is the type of player that has the potential to single-handily change the way the Lancers compete- his shooting ability is truly that indispensable.
Sam Greco – St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute
Sam Greco has done an outstanding job playing backup point guard this year for St. Joseph’s. His constant, steady improvement throughout the season has been evident and is a major reason why the Hawks will enter the Monsignor Martin League Playoffs as the #1 overall seed. Greco plays an all-around game, impacting play on both sides of the floor, though his defensive ability truly stands on the most.
To be a positive on defense, a student-athlete needs to commit to a certain style of play and overall attitude on the court. Greco seems to relish the idea of being the top defensive guard on the team. St. Joseph’s is deep with offensive talent, which is why Greco’s commitment to his strength has been such a pleasure to his teammates and coaches. His ability to change the game on the defensive end of the floor was never more fully on display than it was on February 11, 2021, where he racked up a career-high 6 steals in a blowout 39-point win over St. Mary’s!
Matthew Carlson – Nichols School
Matthew Carlson made his Varsity debut late in the 2019-2020 season. The experience he gained in the seven games he played as a Freshman has since proved to be invaluable. Now a Sophomore, Carlson’s overall improvement this season has stood out as one of the brightest spots for the Nichols Vikings.
Though his instincts and basketball IQ were evident a season ago, Carlson sometimes struggled with the adjustment to the physical nature of Varsity basketball. This was especially evident on fast breaks; oftentimes, Carlson would probe, and then back out of the lane as a defender would come to meet him because he would lose his angle as the opponent bumped up against him. This season, Carlson drives with a totally different mindset. He seems to try and create, and sometimes even relishes, contact. His body looks more able to withstand a bump compared to how it did a season ago.
To me, the best aspect of Carlson’s game is just his overall ability to help his teammates get to where they need to be. He has a loud voice on the court and frequently points out where help needs to come from. A neutral observer would probably be able to tell how much respect he commands from his teammates. Carlson would be an excellent choice for Coach Joe Mihalics to make as a Team Captain in the future.
**All Stats Come From Maxpreps.com. All Analysis Is My Own.**