Be Seen - Rising Stars NY

Friday, October 16th, 2020

The Rising Stars program has been a staple of the basketball world in Long Island and New York City for over the last 20 years. 

They’ve sent 200 players on to college basketball including recent alums like Michael O’Connell (Stanford), Tyler Saint-Furcy (Marist), Tyler Stephenson-Moore (Stony Brook), and Elijah Perry (Rider). 

Former Duke guard and current ESPN analyst Jay Williams grew up wearing the Rising Stars jersey and now sits on their advisory board. 

They are also equally committed to the academic part of their mission with a full-time educational director on staff as well as program scholarships for high school students seeking better academic opportunities.  

While the program’s history is undeniable, the future is what they are most enthusiastic about right now as the latest stop on the Be Seen Tour revealed a deep collection of young talent. 

Class of 2021

Paul Jordan, Long Island Lutheran (NY) – Jordan was one of those rising seniors that undoubtedly would have made a name for himself in a typical grassroots season. He’s got good size, a strong build, and a ton of athleticism. His skill-set has rapidly improved in recent years so that he’s now a consistent shooting threat from behind the arc and versatile player on both ends of the floor. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic, he’s now under-recruited, especially for a high-academic prospect, and a clear scholarship caliber talent. 

Class of 2022

Chidi Obichere, Patrick School (NJ) – He’s 6-foot-5 and a big-time athlete. He’s explosive, powerful, way up at the top of the box, and hammering dunks with either hand. He may not have much of a reputation yet but that seems virtually inevitable now that the Brentwood native has made the move to the Patrick School where he’ll get to further harness his tools and develop his game. 

Latiek Briscoe Jr, St. Francis Prep (NY) – Another bouncy athlete, Briscoe is a playmaker guard who has both a tight handle that allows him to make sharp changes in direction but also the physicality to absorb contact. There’s a shot-maker element to his game as well as he showed pull-ups and threes off the dribble to score at all three levels. 

Chase Robinson, Archbishop Molloy (NY) – A playmaking lead guard, Robinson gets where he wants with his dribble but is also tough and crafty. He’s quick with a good first-step but also has a slippery quality about his driving game as well as he eludes defenders in different ways. 

Jon Medley, St. Francis Prep (NY) – A strong and athletic wing who can rise-up and has big hands, Medley is one of the better long-term prospects in the program’s junio class. He’s even got some soft touch and shooting potential to fill-out a versatile tool kit to develop in the coming years. 

Luke Perry, Christ the King (NY) – A junior who is very likely to end up back in 2023 following a post-grad year, Perry is highly skilled and a very good shooter of the basketball who only needs time to fill-out his frame and catch-up physically. He also comes from a basketball family and is the younger brother of Rider’s Elijah Perry. 

Greg Cantwell, Chaminade (NY) – He probably made more threes than anyone in the gym, but wasn’t one-dimensional. He played off his jumper, but was also slippery with his dribble, even when running his man off screens. He’s able to push the ball up the floor his head up, play on or off the ball, and even rise-up a little bit for his pull-up. 

Class of 2023

Tylik Weeks, South Shore (NY) – At 6-foot-6 with the build of an offensive lineman, Weeks look like a big man, but actually has some deceptive budding mismatch potential. He is known for his ability to bully opposing defenders, both off the dribble and around the paint, but also has soft hands and touch, shooting and playmaking potential. In short, he’s going to be a very interesting prospect to monitor in the coming years. 

Bradley Williams, Friends Academy (NY) – “C.J.” is an absolute load inside the paint. He’s broad and powerful, able to create space, and impose his will. He also has good hands, the touch to be able to finish plays at different angles around the rim, and is even a willing passer. 

Dhane Pearley, Winchendon (MA) – Pearly is a bulldog guard who compensates for what he may lack in sheer size with strength, competitiveness, and burst. He’s quick and compact, not only able to get to his spots but also able to absorb all types of contact. He’s also got a ton of sneaky bounce at the rim as he can rise-up on any unsuspecting defender. 

Jaquan Gordon, South Shore (NY) – A tough shot-maker in the backcourt, Gordon plays with an aggressive, scoring mindset and is always looking for his jumper. While he could benefit from picking his spots at times, his ability to make tough jumpers without much separation separated him from most other guards in the program. 

R.J. Reysmith, Holy Trinity Dioceses (NY) – A big, 6-foot-2, guard with a solid build, Neysmith was generally content to play within the flow of the game but showed a couple of impressive flashes in the open floor – getting the ball out in front of him to efficiently cover ground and cradling the ball to split defenders and drive through contact. 

Ryan Williams, St. John the Baptist (NY) – The first of three sophomores to know from St. John the Baptist, Williams is a budding athlete with good bloodlines. He already has a strong build, particularly in his low body, along with a high-motor and a soft-mid-range touch to develop. 

Mano Idir, St. John the Baptist (NY) – Idir is skilled with solid size on the wing at 6-foot-4. He’s fundamentally sound across the board with the ball, shoots it cleanly to the arc, and has the potential to keep developing his shot into a legitimate weapon. 

Jacob Brandly, St. John the Baptist (NY) – Dubbed the program’s Kevin Love, Brandly is a skilled forward who is fundamentally sound and skilled facing the basket. He stretches the floor consistently and even put the ball on the deck before making a wrong-footed lefty finish. 

Jaedon Hutchinson, St. Mary’s (NY) – He’s in the early stages of his development but has clear long-term potential. He has broad shoulders, very long arms, and a good frame to fill out along with some lay-up making touch and defensive potential. 

Mack Kelly, Chaminade (NY) – A high-energy guard who had more pep in his step than most, Kelly was active and competitive with a good motor. He was pretty good with the ball in his hands but also showed an awareness of how to play, and cut, without the ball. 

Class of 2024

Isaiah Harris, Fay School (MA) – The only freshman in attendance, Harris didn’t have any problems holding his own against older competition. He’s physically gifted with a good build and clear upside. He made tough slashes to the rim, scored in the mid-range area, defended, and showed a high-motor.