Prep Profile – South Kent

New England Recruiting Report | Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010

If things have been a little quieter than normal this fall at the South Kent School it’s not because the team has less talent than in years past. 

It’s because they have more. 

In fact, third year head coach Kelvin Jefferson has put together a group that is so talented that the roster already read like a Big East media guide before the players even arrived on campus. 

Kadeem Jack and Derrick Randall to Rutgers.  Maurice Harkless to St. John’s.  Gelawn Guyn to Cincinnati. 

With so many players already committed to high-majors schools the South Kent open gyms aren’t quite as packed as they normally are each fall, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing as it has allowed the players to develop their chemistry without the burden of their recruitment to think about. 

While the sheer talent of this year’s roster is the first thing that jumps out at you when you watch them play, the second thing is the positional balance. 

Jack and Randall will team with Nemanja Djurisic, who returns from last year’s squad, to create a terrific three-man rotation up front.  Jack is an explosive athlete who loves to face-up and attack the basket while Randall is a bruising interior presence.  Djurisic was especially impressive when we watched, showing the versatility to battle down low along with the skill set to drain open threes from the perimeter. 

Harkless will team with Rhode Island native Ricardo Ledo to form one of the most potent wing tandems around.  Both are incredibly athletic and capable of exploding for a big time play or a 30 point game at virtually anytime.  The two are benefitting from going head to head this fall but if they can learn to work together and make the game easier for one another this season, it’s hard to imagine a team that will have two perimeter defenders tough enough to stop both of them. 

Guyn and Anthony Jernigan will have the ball in their hands at the point guard position.  Both players are creators, but go about it in different ways.  Guyn is a power guard who bullies people en route to the rim while Jernigan is a Wizard with the ball who outmaneuvers his man to dance into the lane.  The complimentary styles not only allow for different looks during the course of the game but also the flexibility to play both guards at the same time to put a quicker team on the floor together. 

Jabrille Williams, a local post-graduate, could be a jack of all trades off the bench.  Long and athletic with a smooth shooting stroke, Williams can play a variety of different positions and is quickly proving his worth this fall. 

Other players expecting to contend for minutes include sharp-shooting guard Andrew Crowley and Japanese import Yukijaro Yashiro, who is a crafty playmaker at the point guard position. 

Ultimately, every team is only allowed to put five players on the floor at the same time and it’s hard to imagine a team that has more talent from one to five than South Kent.  If the core players can develop continuity it could a recipe for an explosive team that has all the tools to contend for a championship.