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Long Islands Top Players
Long Island Pre-Season Top Players
Barry Baker, 6-1, Guard, Junior, North Babylon: An All-Suffolk
County and second team All-Long Island selection, Baker is one of the
most explosive and talented players - and all-around athletes - on
Long Island . . . Baker and Bridgehampton's Maurice Manning considered
the premier players in Suffolk . . . Averaged 18 points and nine
rebounds and his level of play rose with the competition, as he had 37
points and 14 rebounds against eventual state Class A Federation champ
Long Island Lutheran - on the road.
Jared Grasso, 6-3, Guard, Senior, St. Anthony's: Second team
All-CHSAA selection averaged 17 points in taking the Friars to the brink
of a league title before losing to St. Dominic . . . Has signed to play
for Quinnipiac, which will join the Division I Northeast Conference next
year . . . Picked up much of the slack for the Friars last season when
senior forward Dylan Kalbacher went down with a knee injury . . . Was
MVP of the Friar Christmas Classic last December and scored a
season-high 26 against Kellenberg on Feb. 4.
Duane Green, 5-10, Guard, Senior, Long Beach: A second team All-Long
Island pick and the only non-Hempstead player in Nassau Conference I to
make first-team All-County last season . . . Averaged 20 points per game
. . . Lightning-quick on defense, a good jumper and his speed helps
ignite the Marines' fast-break offense . . . In the Nassau Class A final
against Hempstead, took off from just a couple feet inside the foul line
and threw down a monster dunk.
Jermaine Hollman, 6-4, Forward, Senior, Westhampton: A two-time
All-Suffolk County, two-time Empire State and fifth-year varsity player
who averaged 13 points and 11 rebounds last season . . . May not put up
huge numbers because of Westhampton's superior depth and balance, but
Hollman possesses the complete game and is a dynamic dunker . . . "He
loves the game more than any kid I've ever coached," Westhampton coach
Rich Wrase said.
Sean Kennedy, 6-2, Guard, Senior, St. Dominic: All-Long Island
selection who averaged 12 points and six assists in leading St. Dominic
to the state Class B Federation title . . . Street & Smith All-America
pick who has signed to play at Marist next season . . . Makes other
players better with solid passing and court direction . . . Said coach
Rob Pavinelli: "He is, without question, our leader. He's a winner. He
knows what it takes to win."
Brett Kindelmann, 6-10, Forward, Senior, Huntington: A massive force
inside who averaged 10 points and 10 rebounds and was named All-League
honorable mention despite missing six games with a broken wrist . . .
Kindelmann, who is drawing interest from Division I programs, shot
6-for-8 from three-point range in a playoff game against North Babylon .
. . "He can pull up and shoot the three at 6-10, 245 pounds, which is
astounding," Huntington coach Wayne Lackmann said.
Jason and Justin LaFerla, 5-10, Guards, Seniors, St. John the
Baptist: The last hurrah for the dynamic duo who has dazzled the CHSAA
the past three seasons and varsity programs since seventh grade . . .
Both will play at Ohio University next season. Said Justin: "We don't
want to be separated." . . . Justin averaged 18.8 points a game last
season; Jason averaged 18.4. As sophomores they averaged 16 and 14
points, respectively . . . Both first-team All-CHSAA last season.
Maurice Manning, 6-1, Guard, Senior, Bridgehampton: A two-time
All-Long Island selection and the most complete player on Long Island .
. . Newsday's Suffolk Player of the Year and MVP of the state public
schools Class D Tournament last season is primed for another monster
season . . . Led the county in scoring (25) and averaged 13 rebounds, 4
steals and 2 blocks for the two-time defending state champion Killer
Bees . . . "He's the most talented kid I've ever coached," Bridgehampton
coach Carl Johnson said. "There's no doubt about that. He has unlimited
potential."
Lateef Myles, 6-3, Forward, Senior, Hempstead: All-Conference
selection who averaged 11 points, 9 rebounds and 2 steals for the Long
Island Class A champs . . . An all-around superior player and ferocious
dunker whose talents will come to the forefront following the graduation
of several star players . . . Averaged 24 points in the Hempstead Summer
League.
Adner St. Surin, 6-3, Guard / Forward, Senior, Uniondale: A second
team All-Nassau County pick who averaged 19 points and 12 rebounds and
shot 90 percent from the foul line . . . Coach Tom Diana said he was the
best player on last season's team . . . Played forward last season
because of an excess of guards, but his deadly-accurate shooting and
ability to penetrate the defense makes him a natural guard.
Joel Suarez, 6-foot, Guard, Sophomore, St. Mary's: Our sleeper pick,
possibly the best Long Island player you've never heard of . . . Among
the top 50 sophomore guards in the nation, according to Street & Smith .
. . Averaged 18 points and five rebounds as a freshman last season . . .
Honorable mention All-CHSAA . . . Scored a game-high 22 points in the
Gaels' 75-55 win over Holy Trinity in the league quarterfinal . . . Gets
the ball to the big men for St. Mary's, including 6-8 Joakim Ericksson
(Sweden) and 6-6 Brice Petit (France).
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