Category Archives: Urban Education

Kids Transfer ALL the Time! Deal With It…

September 29, 2017 By in College Athletics, Uncategorized, Urban Education Leave a comment

Transfers are very, very common among high school students… Even some VERY GOOD basketball players transfer… Here’s a few off the top of my head…

Rico Washington – Frankford to Ben Franklin

Brian Shorter – Gratz to Oak Hill

Tasheed Carr – UCity to Oak Hill

Nazeer Bostick – MCS to Roman Catholic

Mike Watkins – Bartram to MCS

Traci Carter – Roman to Life Center

Tony Carr – Abington Friends to Roman Catholic

Josh Sharkey – Abington Friends to Archbishop Carroll

Devon McClendon – Academy Park to Chester

Glenn Sabb – Cheltenham to ANC

Zah Harrison – Wood to Cheltenham

Dave Beatty – Carroll to St. Benedict’s to Imhotep

Matthue Cotton – ANC to St. Benedict’s to Eastern

DJ Newbill – Imhotep to Strawberry Mansion

Jarrod Denard – Imhotep to Friere Charter

Marcus Littles – ANC to Neumann-Goretti

Justin Anderson – Chestnut Hill to ANC to Archbishop Caroll

Rashid Bey – Glen Mills to Neumann

Allen Betrand – Fels to Roman Catholic

Justin Steers – Tacony Charter to Friends Central

Skinny Warwick – UCity to Friends Central

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Three TRANSFERS Stevens (Haverford School), Bostick (MCS) and Carr (Abington Friends)

I guess the ADs of these sending schools failed to “protect” the kids from themselves?

Kid doesn’t want to go to your school?

Let him go…

Wish him well…

Open enrollment and school choice is a good thing! A VERY good thing!

 

 

 

 

 

“Fuck Him! Fuck His Scholarship!”

September 28, 2017 By in Uncategorized, Urban Education 3 Comments

Bzzzzzz… Bzzzzzz… Bzzzzzz… the alarm on athletic director’s Bob Smithson’s new IPhone 7 is annoying as hell… But, it serves it’s purpose. Smithson rises out of the bed, kisses his lovely wife, showers, eats breakfast, chats with his kids and make his way to the garage. The toughest decision of his morning awaits… take the SUV or the sedan?

He remembered… His wife has to pick up some new lamps, so he takes the sedan. Within minutes he is on  I-476 headed toward Philadelphia. After the 35 minute commute, he arrives in the parking lot and heads into the Hilltop school building. The first bell rings in exactly 17 minutes, enough time to check a few emails from his coaches and down a cup of coffee…

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Meanwhile, in the Cecil Johnson projects… Jamir Jenkins is running a lil’ late… His Mom works the overnight shift and he has to get his 3 younger siblings dressed and ready for school… Jamir quickly realizes his youngest sister doesn’t have a clean uniform. He finds a stain free shirt, grabs a washcloth, some dishwashing liquid and procedes to “spot clean” the tartan dress… “Good enough,” he tell his sister…

He pours store brand “Fruit Lupes” in 4 bowls… However, when he grabs the milk he realizes there’s only enough for maybe one serving. It’s the 27th of the month, so the balance on the ACCESS card has been $0 for nearly 2 weeks. All too familiar with this situation, Jamir “stretches” the milk so that the cereal in three bowls is at least moist. He quickly wolfs down his dry bowl.

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After walking his siblings 3 blocks to school, Jamir jumps on the Broad Street subway… After two stops, he transfers to the Market-Frankford Elevated Train. He rides the “El” to 60th street. Once he exits, there’s a 12 minute wait for a bus that will drop him off at the school.

He arrives at the school, with 3 minutes to spare… He races to his homeroom, hitting the door just as the bell rings…

Soon as the bell quiets, on the other side of the building, Smithson opens an email titled “Jamir Jenkins Transfer”…

The Athletic Director at a Eastside High School town has written Smithson to let him know that he will not “sign off” on the paperwork that will allow Jamir to play varsity basketball.

See… Jamir played last season for Eastside… He was their best player… An incredible athlete, Jamir plays the game with a combination of finesse and power that is uncommon at the scholastic level. Standing 6’4” inches, he has a vertical leap exceeding 40 inches. His ball-handling skills are very solid and his shooting is excellent.

Adidas Gauntlet Dallas on Friday, April 15, 2016.

Jamir has emerged as a strong prospect for a Division 1 basketball scholarship. Schools like Fairleigh Dickinson, North Carolina A&T, Central Connecticut State and Robert Morris have expressed interest in offering him a scholarship. They all let him know that they will follow him during his high school season.

The stakes couldn’t be higher for Jamir. This is his way out… His father was murdered when he was 4 years old. His mother is struggling to make ends meet and keep a roof over their heads. The cost of attending these schools for four years ranges from $160,000 to $240,000. There’s no way Jamir can attend without a basketball scholarship. The money is just NOT there…

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Indeed, the coach and the athletic director at Eastside know this is the case. They’ve been to the home… They picked him up and dropped him off more than 20 times last year. They saw the sparse, well-worn second-hand furniture. They bought him some sneakers so he could play better and so he could fit in with his teammates. They know his father is deceased. They know his Mom is struggling…

They also know that Jamir had been having “beef” with some of the Eastside kids… There were multiple fights… There were several occasions where Jamir had unexplained lacerations on his face… There were other times where his hands were swollen around the knuckles… Jamir would never elaborate, but the other kids did…

“Coach, those boys from 53rd St. mess with him everyday…”

Things were looking up though… This past summer, Jamir linked up with two of his friends and they decided to play with an AAU club called Philly Thunder.

Great Move!

They had some really exciting moments… They beat a couple of the well-funded high profile shoe company sponsored teams. In one instance, Jamir had a follow-up dunk where his head literally hit the rim! Video of that dunk went viral, with over 300,000 views.

College coaches became increasingly intrigued… They started showing up at Philly Storm games… At first 1 or 2… As the summer went on, there were more each game… By the end of the summer 15-20 coaches were watching the Philly Storm games.

The attention and the success was new for Jamir. Weary of fighting his way into and out of Eastside High everyday, he had already decided to transfer. After playing with his friends in the summer he decided to join them at Hilltop.

Hilltop plays in the competitive B Division, whereas Eastside is in the lowly E Division. This is not insignificant… In search of a college scholarship, playing in a tougher decision appealed to Jamir. But more than anything, he didn’t want to fight anymore.

So… he transferred… He left Eastside and enrolled in Hilltop…

After reading the email from the Eastside coaches, the Hilltop athletic director, Smithson, responded with a mere two words…

“I agree!”

With that, the Hilltop athletic director, the Eastside athletic director and the Eastside coach determined that they would deny Jamir a chance to compete and play varsity basketball at Hilltop.

They “agreed” that he transferred for “basketball reasons” and was therefore ineligible to play at Hilltop… These three suburban-dwelling, college educated white males, each making between $70,000 and $90,000, determined that they would collude to end Jamir’s high school basketball career.

“Fuck him!”

“Fuck his scholarship!”

“We need to make an example of him, these kids cannot just change schools when they want. We need them to stay put and ensure that OUR team is competitive.”

One immediately wonders what Jamir’s father is gonna say… Then you remember his father was murdered 14 years ago.

Later that evening, the Hilltop athletic director and his wife sat down after dinner and reviewed the performance of their children’s college fund. Then they compared the academic performance of three area schools in preparation for exercising their right to choose the best educational settings for their family.

 

Black Cager Sports Media Announces Partnership with Phil Martelli and St. Joseph’s Basketball

September 5, 2017 By in Martelli Middle School Jamboree, Middle School, Urban Education Leave a comment

St. Joseph’s to Host 32 team Middle School Jamboree

Philadelphia, PA – September 5, 2017 – Black Cager Sports Media is excited to announce that it has partnered with Phil Martelli to provide a 32 team Middle School Tournament that will take place in June 2018. Martelli, the winningest coach in Saint Joseph’s illustrious history, will host the “Middle School Jamboree’s” regional field as well as families and fans during the two-day event, June 9-10, 2018 at Saint Joseph’s University.

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Located on a bucolic campus straddling City Avenue, Saint Joseph’s University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located in the Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion Township. As Philadelphia’s Jesuit Catholic University, Saint Joseph’s provides a rigorous, student-centered education rooted in the liberal arts. Saint Joseph’s prepares students for personal excellence, professional success, and engaged citizenship.

“Partnering with Coach Martelli and Saint Joseph’s allows us to offer middle school teams a unique mix of academics, skill development and competition” said Delgreco Wilson, Executive Director of Black Cager Sports Media. “I’ve known Phil for over 30 years and he has always emphasized academics and preparing student-athletes for the next phase in their life as much as winning… People tend to focus on his ability to put guys like Jameer Nelson (Denver Nuggets), Langston Galloway (Detroit Pistons) and DeAndre Bembry (Atlanta Hawks) in the NBA. But, Phil is the same way with his walk-ons and managers.”

According to Wilson, “Phil may take more pride in the fact that he has guys like Mark Bass (St. Joseph’s), Mike Farrelly (Hofstra), Dwayne Lee (St. Bonaventure), Bill Phillips (Delaware) and Bobby Hughes (Rosemont) coaching at the collegiate level. Most recently, Daryus Quarles ’14 was named Head Coach at his alma mater Paulsboro High School. These guys were able to seamlessly move into coaching because Phil prepared them for the next phase while they played for him. Phil and I want to help Middle School players make better, more informed decisions during the high school selection process.”

The kids will compete. Phil Martelli’s Middle School Jamboree will provide middle school teams an opportunity to compete in five (5) guaranteed games.

The kids will get better. There will also be skill development sessions led by Coach Martelli.

But perhaps, most importantly, Martelli insisted that every participant be afforded an opportunity to participate in an “Academic” session. Participation in the Jamboree will be limited to rising 8th graders and younger. “I want to provide the kids and their parents with information they can use, and arm them with questions they can ask, as they navigate the high school selection process,” said Martelli. “We will welcome admissions staff and coaches from area Catholic, Independent, Public and Charter schools. There will be ample time for parents to engage High School representatives. We really want parents to come out and take advantage of this opportunity.”

The tournament’s full schedule is expected to be announced in Spring 2018.

Black Cager Sports Media, a regional sports marketing company, is partnering with the Saint Joseph’s Men’s Basketball program to manage all event operations and recruit regional teams to complete the 2018 field. Black Cager Sports Media has worked with many of the mid-Atlantic region’s leading high school and grassroots basketball programs, including current clients Team Melo (Nike), WeRone Hoops (Under Armour), Team Final (Nike), K-Low Elite (Adidas), Philly Hurricanes (Independent), Team Hines (Independent) and the Philadelphia Black Basketball Hall of Fame.

For further information, please contact:

Phil Martelli, Jr., Saint Joseph’s Men’s Basketball – pmartell@sju.edu (email)

Delgreco Wilson, Black Cager Sports Media – blackcager@gmail.com

 

 

An Open Letter to College Basketball Coaches…

August 2, 2017 By in College Athletics, Urban Education Tags: , Leave a comment

Coach… Coach… Relax Bro… I know it’s been hectic the past few weeks. Sit back and chill for a few… Let me holla at ya…

Airports, hotels, rental cars D2 gyms, D3 gyms and HOT ASS high school gyms one after another…

Couple days home, then…

Airports, hotels, rental cars D2 gyms, D3 gyms and HOT ASS high school gyms one after another…

The grind is real!

I feel your pain Bro… I understand… You gotta get that kid… You been stalking him, texting him, direct messaging him, calling Mom, calling Dad, listening to his Ol’ Head’s ‘assessment’ of how he fits in YOUR offense… I get it… You’re tired as shit…

This week you’re sitting down with your Head Coach and the other Assistants on staff and discuss what you’ve seen… You’re trying to come up with a plan for August. “How do we close?”

“We gotta get this shit done!”

“Who should we bring on campus this month? Which local kids do we invite for unofficials? Who do we bring in on official visits?”

Allow the Black Cager Scouting Service to help you sort through some of this clutter… We can help you evaluate and contact kids playing in the mid-Atlantic region (NJ, PA, DE & MD).

We know the pressure you work under… We appreciate your time, we don’t waste it… You’re looking for kids that can help you win games in your conference… You need to get to a post-season tournament…

The Black Cager Scouting Service helps college basketball coaches identify NCAA-eligible student-athletes.

Below you will find some recent observations… These are for coaches recruiting at the highest levels, like guys working for Power Conference Schools or ambitious programs in the A10, Mountain West, American and C-USA conferences, etc.

We all know… It’s levels to this shit! Black Cager keeps that in mind at all times…

Coach… Are you in the market for a high end, “One and Done” level talent?

If you are at or near the top of one of the Power Conferences and need a piece that can put you in position to make a Final Four appearance there are a couple of mid-Atlantic prospects that could help you get there. These are the guys at the very top of the food chain.

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Cameron Reddish (Team Final/Westtown), ESPN, #4 2018, is definitely a target for guys in this predicament. A genuine, certified, verified, bonafied “one and done” prospect, Reddish is nearly 6’8” and approaching 210 lbs. He is a highly skilled WG/SF. Straight out of casting central, Cam looks the part. He has the handle… He has the shot… He can pass… He can rebound… He can defend… At times, he makes it look too easy. Although a few have questioned if he has a true killer instinct, none have questioned his elite basketball abilities. Cam is THE MAN in the mid-Atlantic region. Reddish a very good, not freakish, athlete.  But he is extremely smooth and explosive enough to translate his game to the collegiate level and beyond. Programs that routinely feature 1 or 2 year college players are heavily involved with Reddish. Kentucky, Duke, UConn, UCLA and Villanova round out his top 5.

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The other sure fire prospect for those seeking a “one and done” talent in the mid-Atlantic region is Nazreon Reid (Sports U/Roselle Catholic). Reid, ESPN #8 2018, at first glance looks like an old school back to the basket low-post player until the game starts. After jump ball, he becomes a 6’10”, 250 pound highly skilled forward with solid ball-handling skills and exceptional vision. He makes very good decisions with the ball in transition. He keeps his head up and finds teammates with accurate no-look passes. A very good athlete, Reid possesses a mature frame. A solid year in an intensive collegiate strength and conditioning program will convert Reid into an NBA-ready physical specimen in short order. Make no mistake, Reid is a naturally strong, highly skilled and unselfish young players figuring out how to impose his will on games. He has quick release and a repeatable stroke from deep. He shoots over 42% from beyond the arc. He won’t be a college player for long. I’d be surprised if he earns more that 15-18 credits… UConn, Kansas, Louisville, LSU and Maryland are just few of his primary suitors.

Are you looking for a guard that can contribute to a HIGH MAJOR program early in their careers and is likely to stay in school beyond one season?

There are several to top prospects choose from in the mid-Atlantic region. I really don’t think you can go wrong with anyone of them…

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Immanuel Quickley (Team BBC/John Carroll) is a 6’3” 180 pound point guard from Baltimore. Quickley, ESPN #15 2018, is a big point guard with room to add size and strength. He has an athletic frame with broad shoulders and long arms and legs. He plays a cerebral game. Quickley consistently makes smart plays and possesses a good instinctive feel for the game. An outstanding defender both on and off the ball, he applies great pressure to opposing point guards and is extremely disruptive in the the passing lanes exhibiting impressive quickness. Arizona, Cincinnati, UConn, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Maimi, Providence and UCLA are some of the schools pursuing Quickley.

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Jahvon Quinerly (Sports U/Hudson Catholic) plays the game at a very even pace. At 6’1” 175 pounds, Quinerly, ESPN #16 2018, is never in a hurry and plays with a very calm demeanor. Usually paired with very talented teammates in both AAU and high school settings, Quinerly has an advanced feel for the game. An exceptional ball-handler, Quinerly is equally adept going right or left. While he is able to create space for himself off the dribble with in and out moves and crossovers, he is at his best utilizing screens and in the pick and roll. Quinerly plays the game with a very high degree of confidence. He is a HIGH MAJOR point guard prospect for sure. Arizona, Kansas, Maryland, Villanova, UCLA, Syracuse and Virginia are among the offers he has received.

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Louis King (Team Final/Hudson Catholic) is a very talented small forward/big wing oozing with potential. He has very solid ball-handling skills as a result of growing four inches in the last two years. When he is on, he can be dominant offensively. King at 6’8”, 205 lbs, ESPN #17 2018 can put up big numbers even when his man is playing outstanding defense. He’s effective in pick and roll situations where he can simply dribble off and pull up. He is crafty enough to create space for his shot in isolation situations. He has decent range and nice form on his jump shot, but his shot-selection at times hurts his percentages. King gets nice elevation and can shoot off balance with little trouble, particularly from mid-range range. Operates as a bit of a point forward. Great one-on-one skills. Excellent hesitation moves and use of ball fakes. Plays the game at many different speeds. Effective crossover. Hard to stop off the dribble. Outstanding ball-handler at his size. Kansas, Kansas St, Louisville, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Syracuse and VCU are pursuing King.

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Jalen Carey (NJ Playaz/Immaculate Conception) is a very athletic combo guard. He’s very smooth and capable of explosively attacking the rim in transition. Carey, ESPN #56, 2018, has great size and explosive scoring ability. In both AAU and High School settings he has proven himself to be a very natural scorer with an effortless shooting ability and excellent instincts off the dribble. He’s very quick in half-court situations with an excellent first step. He penetrates the defense and gets into the paint with ease. Carey is fast and goes from end to end in a blur. He consistently makes good decisions in fast-break opportunities. Great size for a point guard, standing 6’3” and weighing 175 pounds. Very capable of creating shots for himself off the dribble with a lot of hesitations, crossovers and fakes to get himself open. Shoots the ball often and with confidence. UConn, Notre Dame, Villanova, Syracuse, Penn State, South Carolina, Pitt, Rutgers, St. Joseph’s, Temple, VCU are some of the schools recruiting Carey.

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Noah Locke (Team Melo/McDonogh) is an athletic shooting guard, with great scoring potential. Locke is a very good shooter, with quick release. At 6’2” 195, he shoots it well coming of screens and he more than capable of creating his own shot off-the-dribble. He is a deadly pull up jump shooter. Locke, ESPN #82 2018, is a “old school” shooting guard who possesses a very solid mid-range game. His strongest asset is his ability to put the ball in the basket. He has a compact and repeatable shooting stroke with a high release. He was one of the best three-point shooters on the EYBL cuircuit this year. He also has potential as a defender even though he’s not very big or exceptionally strong. He has quick feet, and should be able to defend college shooting guards on the perimeter. His recruiting has really picked up this Spring/Summer with Florida, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Michigan, Notre Dame, Pitt, Providence and Virginia Tech in hot pursuit.

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Eric Ayala (WeRone/Putnam Science) is a big highly skilled point guard. Ayala, 6’4” 190 pounds, is relatively tall and strong for his position. He possesses adequate quickness and speed, but his size and physicality are his most useful assets. Ayala, ESPN #88 2018, is able to slide over to shooting guard on occasion without much difficulty. Has a great feel for the game, highly refined ball handling skills, and is as clutch as they come. He’s been a big part of consecutive (2016, 2017) Under Armour 17U national championship teams. He’s never afraid to take the big shot. One of the most reliable and efficient offensive point guards in the nation. Ayala is very effective in pick and roll situations. He’s difficult to guard on the high pick and roll due to his shooting ability. Capable of stopping and popping from just about anywhere. Needs to become more consistent from three point range. He is great at initiating contact and finishing. Goes to the line at a high rate. Great killer instinct. Doesn’t turn the ball over at all for how much he dribbles. Not a fancy ball handler, but a good one. Not a fancy passer either. However, he is well above average in that aspect of the game. Arizona, UConn, Oregon, Indiana, Maryland, Miami, Ohio State, South Carolina, Syracuse, St. John’s, Temple, Saint Joseph’s, VCU and USC are some of programs pursuing Ayala.

High-Major, Mid-Major and  Low-Major College coaches  SUBSCRIBE to Black Cager Scouting Service (*NCAA Approved*) for detailed scouting/evaluation reports on mid-Atlantic AAU/Grassroots team and individual players such as:

WeRone Hoops (Under Armour)
Philly Pride (Under Armour)
Team Final (EYBL)
K-Low Elite (Adidas Gauntlet)
Team Melo (EYBL)
Team BBC (Adidas Gauntlet)
Team Takeover (EYBL)
NJ Playaz (EYBL)
Team Rio (Under Armour)
Team PYO (Independent)
Philly Hurricanes (Independent)
Elite U (Independent)
Phenom-Hoopdreamz (Independent)

Philly Class of 2018

Matthue Cotton (K-Low Elite/Eastern HS)
Jack Clark (Philly Pride/Cheltenham HS)
Allen Betrand (Philly Pride/Roman Catholic HS)
Tyree Pickron (K-Low Elite/Archbishop Wood HS)
Antwuan Butler (WeRone Hoops/O’Hara HS)
Sam Sessoms (Team Final/Shipley HS)
Damon Wall (K-Low Elite/Doane Academy)
Andrew Funk (Jersey Shore Warriors/Archbishop Wood HS)
Ajiri Johnson (WeRone Hoops/Bonner HS)
Seth Pinkney (K-Low Elite/Archbishop Wood)
Donelle Holly (Philly Pride/MLK HS)
Elijah Kiah-El (Philly Pride/MLK HS)
Justin Steers (Philly Pride/Friends Central HS)
Justin Anderson (Team Final/Archbishop Carroll HS)
Marcus Littles (WeRone Hoops/Neumann-Goretti HS)
Izaiah Brockington (WeRone Hoops/Ryan HS)
Bernard Lightsey (Postive Image/Imhotep HS)
Karrington Wallace (K-Low Elite/Archbishop Wood HS)
John Bol Ajak (Team Final/Church Farm)
Ahmin Williams (PYO/Plymouth-Whitemarsh)
Ahmad Williams (PYO/Plymouth-Whitemarsh)
Dhamir Montague (Phenom-Hoopdreamz/Neumann-Goretti)
Noah Warren (Team Final Black/Neumann-Goretti)

Philly Class of 2019

Eric Dixon (WeRone Hoops/Abington HS)
Donta Scott (Philly Pride/Imhotep)
Seth Lundy (Philly Pride/Roman Catholic)
Naheem McCleod (PYO/Plymouth-Whitemarsh)
Chris Ings (NJ Playaz/Neumann-Goretti)
Isaiah Wong (WeRone Hoops/Notre Dame)
Nahshon “Bones” Hyland (WeRone Hoops/Bonner)
Christian Ray (K-Low Elite/Haverford School)
Karam Cummings (K-Low Elite/Imhotep)
Zion Teague (K-Low Elite/Vineland HS)
Dahmir Bishop (K-Low Elite/Imhotep HS)
Khalif Battle (Team Final/Gill St. Bernard HS)
Lucas Monroe (Team Final/Abington HS)
Julius Phillips (Team Final/Archbishop Wood)
K’vonn Cramer (Team Final/Mt. Pleasant HS)

Black Cager Scouting Service can help you sort out the mid-Atlantic region coach! We understand how much information you are trying to process… We know you need find NCAA-eligible players that can make a difference! Hit us up coach!!

Delgreco K. Wilson
Black Cager Scouting Service
1100 East State Street
Camden, NJ 08105
blackcager@gmail.com
http://www.delgrecowilson.com
http://www.blackcagersports.com

Information you need!

 

 

 

 

Black Cager Philadelphia Basketball Coaches Clinic: September 23, 2017

July 14, 2017 By in College Athletics, Urban Education Leave a comment

July 13 – Philadelphia, PA – Black Cager Sports Media will conduct a Coaches Clinic for Philadelphia area basketball coaches. College, JUCO, High School, Junior High School, Middle School and AAU coaches and basketball trainers are invited to attend. The Black Cager Philadelphia Philadelphia Basketball Coaches Clinic will be held on the historic campus of Girard College located in at 2101 S. College Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19121.

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Scheduled to present at the Black Cager Clinic are Pat Chambers, Head Coach – Penn State University; Doug Overton, Head Coach – Lincoln University; Martin Ingelsby, Head Coach – University of Delaware; Kevin Stallings, Head Coach – University of Pittsburgh; Zach Spiker, Head Coach, Drexel University and; Ashley Howard, Assistant Coach – Villanova University.

This is an excellent group of college basketball minds and they are eager to share with Philadelphia area coaches.

The Black Cager is excited to bring coaches from the Big 10, ACC, CIAA, Big East and CAA conferences to Philadelphia for this event.  Philadelphia has hundreds of basketball coaches working at every level from college down to elementary school. This clinic is designed to help these coaches pick up valuable information they can take back and apply while working with their players.

Moreover, the Black Cager feels that relationships play a larger role in basketball than perhaps any other sport. We want to give local coaches a chance to spend a few hours with these college guys. We want them to forge relationships that they can build upon and use to further the careers of the players in their programs.

The Black Cager Philadelphia Basketball Coaches Clinic will be held on Saturday, September 23, 2017. Proceeds will benefit Coaches vs Cancer and the Philadelphia Black Basketball Hall of Fame.

Please download the FREE Spornado App in the Google Play or IPhone App store.  Registrations will be confirmed via Spornado.

Contact:

Bob Jordan, Girard College – 215-850-1045

Delgreco Wilson, Black Cager – 267-251-1355

Black Cager Coaches Clinic – Tickets & Registration

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Body Armor, Black Cager, Spornado & Kwalifī Sponsor the Battle for the Bell

July 2, 2017 By in Urban Education Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

July 1, 2017 – Philadelphia, PA – BODYARMOR is a better-for-you hydration option to traditional sports drinks. It has more electrolytes, higher in vitamins and potassium, lower in sodium, contains coconut water, naturally sweetened with pure cane sugar, natural flavors and no colors from artificial sources. Other sports drinks are high in sodium, low in potassium, have artificial flavors and colors with little to no nutrients. BODYARMOR is an official sponsor of the Battle for the Bell featuring the 15U, 16U and 17U squads from Team Final (Nike EYBL) and K-Low Elite (Adidas Gauntlet).

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Black Cager Scouting Service is an NCAA approved basketball scouting service. Programs in the SEC, Big 10, ACC, Big East, Atlantic 10, PAC 12 and other major conferences subscribe to Black Cager Scouting. Black Cager will evaluate every player in both programs.Logo

Every participating player from K-Low Elite and Team Final will also receive a Black Cager recruiting profile on the Spornado platform. Spornado is a FREE smartphone app for users who are seeking to get recruited, scouted, drafted, and/or play collegiate  or professional sports of any kind. Black Cager Scouting Service will forward the recruiting profiles to college coaches across the country.

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Combined, Lonnie Lowry (Director, K-Low Elite) and Rob Brown (Director, Team Final) have sent over 150 young men to college on basketball scholarships between them. Their commitment to academics is unquestioned. Every participating player and their parents will receive a FREE download of the Kwalifī smartphone app. Kwalifī is a simple and powerful app for tracking progress toward meeting NCAA Division I, Division II and NAIA scholarship eligibility requirements. It allows parents, students and coaches to take ownership of the eligibility process.

Core course grades, sliding scales, core course GPA calculations are made easy to understand. No more depending to counselors. Simple, easy to understand and very useful! Specific steps are outlined to help student-athletes meet NCAA and NAIA requirements.

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Sponsorship registration remains open for the Battle for the Bell, to be held July 8, 2017 at Imhotep Charter High School, 6201 N 21st St, Philadelphia, PA 19138.

More Sponsorship Information:

Lonnie Lowry – markusdaddy@netzero.com

Rob Brown -browna2@msn.com

Media Contact:

Delgreco Wilson – blackcager@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Philly Native, David Butts Joins NC A&T Coaching Staff

June 7, 2017 By in College Athletics, Urban Education Leave a comment

Greensboro, North Carolina – June 6, 2017 – North Carolina A&T University has named Philadelphia David Butts, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach. This past year, Butts worked as Assistant Coach under Head Coach Robert Hughes at Rosemont College. Rosemont went 16-11 and 13-5 in the CSAC. They reached the CSAC semifinal where they fell on road to nationally ranked Neumann University.

Butts (pictured below left, with Kentucky Coach John Calipari) was an integral part of Coach Hughes success at Rosemont this season. Butts states, “I can’t say enough about the opportunity that Coach Hughes gave me to be an assistant in a highly competitive program. I was able to learn a great deal about the importance of attention to detail and preparation from him.”

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He will join the staff of Aggie Head Coach Jay Jones at North Carolina A&T. “Coach Joyner has given me an opportunity to work at the Division 1 level in the historic MEAC Conference. I have a deep appreciation for the history of the A&T basketball. One of the all-time great Aggies is from Philadelphia. Joe Howell played in the 50s and still ranks as one of the top 5 scorers in the history of the program. I want to give some of the young players in Philly an opportunity to come to Greensboro and write some new chapters in the history of Aggie basketball.”

He has worked at the prep school, JUCO and collegiate level. As a result he brings a wealth of experience in dealing with prospects at all levels. According to Butts, “When kids come to A&T they will go against Morgan St. Norfolk St, Howard, South Carolina State, Florida A&M and Delaware State. The MEAC has some of the toughest rivalries in all of collegiate sports. But most importantly, the HBCU experience will greatly benefit a lot of kids. The nurturing environment on the A&T campus is much different from the large impersonal setting found at a lot of Division 1 colleges.”

South Carolina Assistant Coach Perry Clark  and St. Joseph’s Assistant Geoffrey Arnold spoke very highly of Butts. Clark says, “David is very passionate about coaching and eager to learn. Those are the traits one looks for in a young coach.” According to Arnold, “Dave is really an effective communicator. He relates very well to the kids playing high school and AAU basketball. I think he will do very well at A&T.”

Black Cager Sports Media will follow Coach Butts and the North Carolina A&T Aggies very closely.

 

 

Jones Resigns from Girard College & Surfaces at Chichester HS

May 25, 2017 By in Uncategorized, Urban Education Leave a comment

Chichester, Pennsylvania – May 25, 2017 – Chichester High School has named Clyde Jones Head Boys Basketball coach. Jones resigned as Head Coach of Girard College on May 8, 2017.

In his only year leading the Girard College program, Jones led the program to an appearance in the State Championship game. This was Jones’ third appearance in the State Finals. He led Penn Wood to two State Championship appearances, winning one.

One of the most respected scholastic coaches in the region, Jones returns to the Del Val league where he vied for supremacy with Larry Yarbray’s Chester program for many years.

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Black Cager Sports looks forward to covering Jones return to Delaware County basketball.

 

St. Frances Academy (MD) Adds 7 ft. Nigerian Osato Iduwe

May 25, 2017 By in College Athletics, Urban Education Tags: Leave a comment

Baltimore, Maryland – May 25, 2017 – Black Cager Scouting, Africa has announced that 7’0″, 205 lbs Osato Iduwe (Class of 2019) has enrolled at Saint Frances Academy, Baltimore, Maryland. A mobile and very active rim protector, Iduwe also considered Mater Dei Prep (NJ) and Saint Joseph’s Prep (PA). An excellent student, Iduwe will anchor the middle for Saint Frances during the 2017-18 season.

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Established in 1828, St Frances Academy (SFA) is an independent Catholic high school with African American and Hispanic roots. St. Frances Academy serves as an agent of positive change within its inner-city neighborhood.

St. Frances Head Coach Nick Myles says “Iduwe is just a fantastic kid. He’s very humble and hardworking. But, most importantly, he listens. We are pleased to have him join the St. Frances learning community.”

Iduwe is playing with the Maryland-based Crusader Nation AAU program this spring-summer.

Black Cager Scouting Service is committed to helping talented student-athletes leverage their athletic abilities for access to higher educational opportunities.

Girard College Names Donnie Carr Head Boys Basketball Coach

May 24, 2017 By in Urban Education Leave a comment

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – May 24, 2017 – Girard College has named Donnie Carr Head Coach of the Boys Basketball program. Carr is expected to begin working with Girard in June. He will likely coach the team in several area team camps.

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Carr notes, “Girard College is truly one of the hidden gems in Philadelphia. The combination of high quality academics, diverse student population and great facilities may be unmatched. I look forward to building upon the tremendous success that Clyde Jones had with the program last year. I really appreciate Clay Armbrister, Henry Fairfax and Bob Jordan entrusting me to lead this program. I’m ready to get to work.”

Most recently, Carr served as the Coordinator of Player Development for Hartford University. In his role, he assisted head coach John Gallagher in helping players improve their games through film and statistical analysis while away from the court.

Longtime St. Joseph’s Assistant Coach, Geoff Arnold said, “This is tremendous hire for Girard. Donnie understand Philadelphia basketball as well as anybody I know. I am confident that he will lead them to a lot of success. I expect Girard to eventually compete with Neumann-Goretti, Roman Catholic, Chester, Imhotep Archbishop Wood and the other top programs in the area.”

Carr joined the Hawks after a stint coaching in the high school and AAU ranks in the Philadelphia area. He coached for Philadelphia’s Team Final on the AAU circuit in the summer of 2015 for the Under-15 squad. He served as an assistant coach in the program for Team Final’s Under-18 team, which is annually one of the top AAU programs in the region. Additionally, he spent time as an assistant coach for the Haverford School, Roman Catholic High School and Holy Family University.

He also spent significant time as a mentor to young players in Philadelphia, particularly spending time with the youths of the Sonny Hill Community Involvement League. Some of the players he mentored include NBA players Rasual Butler and Dion Waiters and college players Traci Carter (Marquette), Scoop Jardine (Syracuse) and Ramone Moore (Temple).

His time as a coach followed an overseas playing career that was cut short by injuries. He spent time playing in both Turkey and France, logging three years as an international pro before being forced to wrapping up his playing career in 2004. He burst onto the Turkish League scene, leading the league in scoring as a rookie for his first three months before eventually finishing third in the league. He played for Turk Telecom, annually one of the top teams in Turkey, and in France for Becanson in 2001-02.

Attending high school at Roman Catholic, the Philadelphia native was one of the most highly-touted players in the nation, where he was noted for his 1-on-1 battles with Kobe Bryant in their high school days.

Carr went on to a tremendous college career at LaSalle, where he was a two-time All-Atlantic 10 selection and he finished his career with 2,067 points, placing in the top five in both scoring and assists in Explorers history. He led the Atlantic 10 in scoring in his first season, earning Rookie of the Year honors, and finished in the league’s top four in scoring in each of his four years. His 19.7 career points per game average is third in A-10 history among players who played in the league for more than one year.

He is one of the most legendary players in Big 5 history as well, being named First Team All-Big 5 in each of his four seasons and going on to be inducted in the Big 5 Hall of Fame.

The South Philadelphia native is a disciple of Philadelphia Black Basketball Hall of Famer Claude Gross. Carr has two sons, Dymere and Kisaan Carr, and a daughter, Siana Brown-Carr.