2024-25 Prep Profiles: St. Thomas More

Kyle Butler | Monday, October 14th, 2024

The St. Thomas More Chancellors (Oakdale, CT) are once again poised for a big season. Led by long-time Head Coach Jere Quinn, the program is chasing its 6th NEPSAC AAA Championship and 2nd National Prep Championship. 

 

This year's Chancellors roster features a strong rotation of experienced players, talented enough to make a deep postseason run. Here's a breakdown of the key players and what to expect from St. Thomas More in their ‘24-’25 campaign.
 

Starting with The Star
London Jemison, 6’8” Senior Wing (Committed to Alabama)
 

The most highly touted player on this squad is London Jemison. The 6'8" wing broke out this past summer, attracting offers from numerous high-major programs, and it's easy to see why. Jemison is a low-volume but ultra-efficient player. He can stretch the floor with his shooting ability, yet is just as effective finishing at and above the rim thanks to his elite explosiveness. On defense, Jemison’s versatility is invaluable—he can guard almost any position on the floor. As he continues to develop his shot creation, it will be exciting to see how his game evolves, especially since he already makes a huge impact without needing the ball in his hands often.
 

Depth and Versatility Up Front
 

With a unique blend of length and mobility, 6’9” Post-Grad Christian Humphrey-Rembert (committed to Brown) is highly impactful on both ends of the court. Defensively, he excels in ball screen drop coverage, absorbing ball handlers, and providing gap and rim protection. Offensively, he moves well without the ball, finding slashing opportunities. He’s also reworked his shooting mechanics, making him more of a catch-and-shoot threat. 

 

Along with Humphrey-Rembert are Kieran Mullen (6’11” Post-Grad Forward) and Brandon Benjamin (6’7” Senior Forward). Both players bring a lot of upside with their size, motor, and defensive versatility. They are emerging as floor-stretchers in pick-and-pop scenarios, with Benjamin also possessing the ability to attack bigger defenders on closeouts.

 

Emmanuel Malok (6'11" Junior) is an intriguing big man to monitor in the St Thomas More frontcourt as well. Malok towers over others on the court, excelling as a rim-runner that thrives on opportunities to throw down a dunk or block shots.

 

Steady Backcourt
 

Though he may not be the biggest player on the floor, Shuto Sakihama (5’8” Post-Grad Point Guard, committed to Merrimack) certainly makes his presence felt. He plays tough, applying full-court pressure and disrupting the opposing team’s point guard. Offensively, Sakihama has a great feel for the game, pushing the pace for the Chancellors. 

 

Alongside him is Tahlan Pettway (6’2” Senior Guard), a shifty playmaker who can penetrate defenses and create a lot of offense for the team. Also playing a key role in the backcourt is Bryce Goldman (6’5” Post-Grad Wing, committed to UC Irvine), a high-level shooter with good size who knows how to play off his teammates
effectively.
 

Rounding Out the Rotation
 

A few other players to keep an eye on include Harry Scully, Bentley Shelton, and DJ Hawkins. Scully (6’3”, Senior, Shooting Guard) joins the program from Dublin, Ireland, where he was a productive scorer for the Irish National Team. Bentley Shelton (6’4”, Junior Wing) is looking to increase his role as a consistent shooter with room to grow his scoring tools. Finally, the youngest player on the squad, DJ Hawkins (6’7”, Sophomore Wing), has shown he has very high upside as he continues to grow into his frame and improve his strength.
 

With a deep roster like this, expectations are high for Coach Quinn and his team. They have what it takes to continue the program’s winning tradition, and several players on this roster are primed to make major strides this season.

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