Top 20 Connecticut High School Players

The junior class appears to have several mid to high level Division 1 prospects, but suffers a big drop off after the top six or seven players. Unless there are a few players that grow a couple of inches or improve a lot, it looks like there will not be more than eight to ten Division 1 players in the class of 1999.

The sophomore class of 2000 may be the weakest class in the 1990s. No players from this class are in my top 20 list, with only Weaver's Kendall Williams having the potential to make the top 20 next year. However, a lot can change over the next two years and several players will likely grow into Division 1 prospects.

On the bright side, the freshmen class of 2001 appears to be one of the best in the state in recent memory. Due to age (and the fact that I haven't seen many of them play yet), these players will not be rated this year. Keep an eye out for prep schoolers Dan Oglesby of Hamden Hall and Shey Christie of the Watkinson School in Hartford. Shey's older brother Tony plays at Clemson. Another frosh to watch out for is big man Ferdinand Caine of Northwest Catholic in West Hartford.

Below is my listing of the top 20 high school players in the state of Connecticut based on college potential.

1. Marcus Cox 6'4" 170 G Bridgeport - Kolbe (Junior)
   Marcus established himself as the top junior and overall prospect in the state by making the adidas ABCD camp all star game for underclassmen. Cox has improved his game tremendously over the past year, becoming a more consistent perimeter shooter and getting stronger and more athletic. He always has been a terrific passer who makes the players around him better. Marcus needs to get stronger, work on his defense and reportedly, do some work in the classroom. UConn and Syracuse are the early favorites for this top 50 junior.

2. Dhaamin Hill 6'3" 185 2G Waterbury - Crosby
   A transfer from the tough Philadelphia public leagues, Hill will make an immediate impact in the NVL with his athleticism and slashing ability. He can also post up smaller guards and score inside. He was outstanding in some fall tournaments in the Northeast. Dhaamin needs to improve his perimeter shooting over the next year, but should be recruited by Big East and Atlantic 10 schools once they find out that he transferred to Crosby. Hill reportedly has a pretty good shot at making the grade academically. Hill is a top 100 player.

3. Brooks Sales 6'9" 215 PF West Hartford - Northwest Catholic
   The younger brother of women's All American Nykesha, Brooks is a very good prospect in his own right. He has a good basketball body, runs the court well and has a soft shooting touch facing the basket out to three point range. Though he has performed very well in fall tournaments and fall league play, he still needs to improve his toughness and consistency. He is a decent athlete, but is not quick off of his feet. The qualified Sales committed to Steve Lappas and the Villanova Wildcats this fall. He is borderline top 100 player.

4. Bobby Moore 5'8" 170 PG New Haven - Hillhouse
   Moore may be the quickest player in the whole country in the senior class. He is also very athletic and, despite his lack of height, can dunk the ball. Bobby had a terrific summer leading surprising Connecticut Select to several high finishes in good AAU tournaments. Moore is great at beating his man off the dribble and taking it to the basket and using his leaping ability and strong body to finish inside among the trees. He needs to work on his shooting and getting his teammates more involved in the offense. If he gets his grades in order, LSU, Seton Hall, Southern Cal and others are very interested. Moore is a top 150 player.

5. Will Solomon 6'1" 170 G East Hartford
   Because of his long term potential, Solomon edges out Vinson for the final spot in my top five. With a good coach, he could be an impact player in a major conference. He is quick, has a great crossover move that allows him to get to the basket and he can also hit the three pointer fairly consistently. He is a solid defender. Will needs to learn the game better and know when to shoot and when to pass. Reportedly, Will may have a tough time qualifying academically. Seton Hall and Old Dominion have shown the most interest so far. Top 150 player. (NOTE: Since this was originally posted Will has scored over 1000 on his SAT and so it looks like he will be a qualifier academically.)

6. Caleb "Tip" Vinson 6'3" 170 G New Britain - St. Thomas Aquinas
   Vinson is just the opposite of Moore. He's not very quick or athletic and has trouble finishing inside, but he is a fine passer who can hit the three pointer and knows how to get his teammates involved. Once Tip gets tougher and more consistent on defense, he could develop into a fine point guard or combo guard for his future school. He committed to Jim Harrick and Rhode Island over the summer. He is qualified and is a top 150 player.

7. Marvin "Boo" Rountree 6'4" 170 F/G Waterbury - Crosby (Junior)
   "Boo" is one of the top athletes in the state and also one of the top defensive players. His quickness and long arms make him effective in traps and presses. He is a decent offensive player who is streaky from the perimeter, especially beyond 10-12 feet. If he improves his perimeter skills and develops a better team attitude, Rountree will be highly recruited next year, academics permitting. He played at the state's #2 team last year in Class M champions Sacred Heart in Waterbury. He transferred for disciplinary reasons. Potential top 100 junior.

8. Terrell Taylor 6'3" 175 2G Bridgeport - Central (Junior)
   In the long run, Taylor's array of offensive skills may make him a better college player than Boo Rountree. He can hit from three point range, take it to the basket and score or pull up and hit the mid range jumper. He also has pretty good quickness and athleticism. He just needs to do it on a consistent basis to become a high level recruit for college. Like most players from Bridgeport, academics could be a question mark for college coaches. Potential top 100 junior.

9. Cornelius "Neil" Rountree 6'6" 190 F Bridgeport - Central
   Another unknown player, Rountree may be the best athlete at the forward position the state has seen since Scott Burrell. He sat out last year because of academic ineligibility, then floated to Newton and ended up at Central. Besides jumping out of the gym, Neil has decent skills for his size and can handle the ball. He also has a pretty good touch around the hoop. It is extremely unlikely that he will qualify. He is a top 250 player. He is not related to Marvin Rountree. If he is able to play the full year, Neil may rise up the rankings very quickly.

10. Larry Jackson 6'9" 245 C/F Trumbull - St. Joseph
    This big widebody backed up Providence-bound T.J. McKenzie last year and did not have very impressive stats. However, college coaches love his big body, great hands, decent touch and solid fundamentals. He is fairly slow and has almost no vertical. A terrific kid, Larry also needs to develop a mean streak while playing basketball. Jackson surprised a lot of locals by committing to North Carolina-Charlotte. He is qualified and is a top 250 player.

11. Shaaron Sinvilcin 6'2" 180 2G Stamford - Trinity Catholic (Junior)
    Shaaron is another in a long line of quality guards to come out of Trinity Catholic in recent years. He is a strong player and a deadly shooter from long range. His good ballhandling skills allow him to create his own shot and could develop into a point at the next level. However, in high school and AAU play, Shaaron is more of a scorer. Because of his shooting ability, Sinvilcin will be recruited fairly highly next year. Potential top 250 junior.

12. Kareem Lee 6'2" 170 G Stamford - Trinity Catholic
    Lee is another of the top guards in the state. He improved tremendously between his sophomore and junior seasons, going from a single digit scorer to around 20 per game last year. Lee is an average athlete and ballhandler, but passes pretty well and can hit the open 3 point shot. Kareem is all business on the court and he takes care of it off the court, too. He is an excellent student and is fully qualified. Drake University is the school where he will be playing his college basketball. Lee is a top 350 level player.

13. Mike Hayes 6'7" 245 C/F Manchester (Junior)
    After getting off to a dominating start at East Catholic last year, Hayes became academically ineligible and transferred to Manchester. Big Mike is a widebody with surprisingly good leaping ability for his bulk. Hayes is an inconsistent performer, however. Sometimes, he can dominate and others he drifts through the game. He also needs to hit the weight room, as his 245+ is natural. If he can get his grades in order, the top 250 type junior will be recruited fairly high.

14. Winston Gray 6'8" 200 PF Norwalk
    Gray is a rapidly improving big man and shotblocker who has played for one of the top programs in the state over the past two years in Norwalk. Winston has a good shooting touch on the short jump shot and is a pretty good athlete. On the downside, he is a bit mechanical at this stage and needs to get a lot stronger. He has been a role player for Norwalk. Winston is being recruited by lower level D1 schools. I would call him a top 500 player.

15. Bill Romano 6'7" 245 C/F Wethersfield
    Romano was being recruited by Big East and A-10 schools during his junior season. However, his game and his size have not changed in that time and his stock has dropped. He committed to Niagara a while back, but they backed off after getting verbals from two other big men. Bill has a strong body that needs a lot of toning and a good shooting touch. In addition, he is slow and does not jump that well. Quinnipiac may be the leader for this top 500 player.

16. Robert Doss 6'7" 195 F Bridgeport - Warren Harding
    Doss comes from arguably the top program in the state and plays for arguably the top coach in Charles Bentley. At Harding, Doss is used on the inside and displays a soft shooting touch. In AAU play, he can display his improving perimeter shooting. Doss is not very athletic and can be a bit mechanical on the court. He also needs to toughen up his on court play. This top 500 player will be playing at the University of Hartford next year.

17. Chris Ireland 6'4" 185 WF Waterbury - Sacred Heart
    Chris is a blue collar warrior and maybe the best man to man defender in the state. He runs fairly well, is a decent leaper and has good lateral quickness and long arms. His offensive game is raw, but he has really worked hard on his shooting and can occasionally step out and hit the 15 footer. Chris is a top 500 player who may go higher because of his defense and on court work ethic and attitude. Academics may be a question mark with Ireland.

18. Pete Santos 6'5" 180 WF West Haven - Notre Dame
    Pete is a rangy and athletic player who is a good scorer and finisher around the basket. He is a pretty good ball handler for a wing forward. Pete needs to improve his perimeter shooting and has to learn how to play hard on a consistent basis. Pete is a top 500 player and is being recruited by a wide range of schools. The longer he waits on his college decision, the higher he will go because of his excellent academics. Currently, Ivy League schools are calling.

19. Shawn Etheridge 6'6" 210 F Middletown - Xavier
    Shawn is a versatile inside-outside player. He is strong enough to score inside, but also can step out and hit the three. He is not very athletic or quick, but can jump fairly well while running in transition. He generally works hard, but could use a more consistent toughness and intensity. An outstanding student, Shawn is being recruited by Ivy League and Patriot League schools. He is a top 500 player.

20. Jamel Riddle 5'8" 175 PG Meriden - Platt (Junior)
    Riddle is a very good football prospect and is also a D1 prospect in basketball. His game is similar to Bobby Moore without the leaping ability. He is very quick and tough and can get to the basket. He is a decent perimeter shooter, but needs to improve that area the most. He also needs to develop more of a true point guard mentality. Riddle will likely be a top 350 level senior next year.

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