Must-See Baltimore Seniors in 2017-18: Part 1
We’re just about two months away from high school basketball tipping off, and there’s no better place to watch high-level talent than the city of Baltimore. Maryland as a state produces the most Division I players in the country, so it’s only right we prime you with the list of must-see players in each class (2018-2021) in our next series.
Immanuel Quickley | John Carroll | 2018
Quickley is the top ranked prospect in the state of Maryland and has been regarded as the best point guard in the country for the class of 2018. The 6’4 floor general showcased an elite ability to score the basketball throughout his AAU season with Team BBC. Along with teammate and Rutgers commit Montez Mathis, Quickley will look to lead the Patriots of John Carroll to MIAA and BCL supremacy. The two battles minor injuries throughout last season that created obstacles too steep to overcome. Quickley recently cut Maryland from his list. He visited Kansas this weekend with plans to also visit Miami and Kentucky before making his final decision before the high school season.
Jalen Smith | Mt. St. Joseph | 2018
Smith is right behind Quickley in the state rankings. The Maryland commit will look to lead the Gaels this season as they look to protect the MIAA and BCL titles they won in dominant fashion last year. The Gaels will have to overcome losing Darryl Morsell (Maryland), but Smith has shown promise and ability to dominate a game on both ends. The 6’10 forward has made his offensive game more versatile by becoming a more consistent shooter from deep. He’ll be even more of a handful than he was last year when he won many Player of the Year awards.
Noah Locke | McDonogh | 2018
Locke is regarded as one of the best long-range snipers in the country. Locke was already a well-known name before this spring, but during the EYBL circuit he absolutely exploded. He added to his list of 30+ offers with schools such as Kansas and Ohio State. Both schools made the cut for his final eight to go with Michigan, Xavier, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Providence. Locke will lead a young, but talented Eagles team who should surprise many in the conference. His presence on the floor will be huge for his teammates and will create plenty of opportunities. Locke’s scoring alone makes him must-see, but he does plenty of little things on the floor that help contribute to a winning culture.
Montez Mathis | John Carroll | 2018
As mentioned earlier, Mathis will parter with Immanuel Quickley to form one of the most dynamic duos in the country. As Quickley facilitates and picks his spots to score, Mathis is a pure scorer from start to finish. Much of his scoring comes around the rim from him taking advantage of one-one-one situations. Once he gets away from his match-up, anyone is liable to be put on a poster. The Rutgers commit will look to make a statement as to why he was one of the biggest stock risers this summer and gained a lot of buzz in the recruiting conversations.
Demetrius Mims | Baltimore Polytechnic Institute | 2018
If you like watching a kid laying everything he has on the floor every time he steps on it, then Mims is your guy. He plays with intense passion that bleeds through his entire team and was a big reason for the Engineers hoisting their first ever state title last season. The 6’5 wing is often categorized as a 3-and-D type of player, but he’s much more dynamic with the ball than people give him credit for. He’s another player that looks to make poster dunks whenever he gets the chance. Defensively, his passion is on full display. You can tell with his effort and energy he expects to completely shut down his match up no matter who it is. With Dre Perry (Temple) prepares for his freshman campaign in college, Mims has been handed the keys to guide the Engineers back to the Xfinity Center to protect their Class 3A state title. He’ll make his college commitment by choosing either Towson, Lehigh, Coastal Carolina or Long Beach State.
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