5 New Names to Watch in New York City

With the start of the high school basketball season, lot of players are showcasing the work they put in over the summer. Two weeks into the season, these 5 players are making a name both for themselves and their teams.   John Boluwasef (Senior, Forest Hills)-  John is the definition of a winning basketball player. The second that John comes onto the court he makes his teammates better. John is a lengthy, strong and quick big man who protects the rim like no other. John's size is such a problem that opposing teams are scared to take jump shots against him. On offense, John looks to get the ball inside but is usually met with a quick double team. He is able to read the floor at a high level and makes the right passes out of the double teams. His jump shot needs a bit of work but he is solid from the free throw line, showing that he has shooting potential. John dunks the ball with ease and would be a great addition to any team.   Nicholas Martinez Cortez (Senior, Forest Hills)- Nicholas is the prototype of a point guard. He is a leader on the court and it shows- he is constantly communicating with his teammates, directing traffic and making defensive call outs. Nicholas uses his excellent strength and motor to make up for what he lacks in height. He is a fearless finisher at the basket and knows how to find his teammates for kick outs. An excellent part of Nicholas's game is his confidence and his shooting stroke. After starting out with 3 misses from the 3 point line, Nicholas did not waiver, knocking down his next few three point shots. Nicholas is averaging over 30 points per game on the season.   Denzel Reysono (Senior, Forest Hills)- Denzel has all the physical tools to be an excellent player: size, speed and strength. There are times when he puts all of these aspects together and it shows on the court. Denzel can hit an outside shot when left open but looks more to use his size and finesse to finish around the rim. Denzel is a patient player that looks to get his teammates involved before himself. Denzel is a fundamentally sound defensive player that knows how to be in the right spots at the right time.   Eli Pagan (Senior, School of the Future)- Even before tipoff, Eli Pagan stood out on the court due to his physical size, towering over the competition. He is a big bodied do it all guard with the height and skill to get it done. On the offensive end of the ball, Pagan finds himself comfortable running the point and controlling the offense. Pagan generates offense both for himself and for his teammates through attacking the basket. Pagan uses his high level ball handling to navigate through defenders on the perimeter and then uses his strength to finish at the basket.    Pagan's offensive game is a breath of fresh air in the high school basketball and AAU scene. His game has no pomp and circumstance, it is all substance and fundamentals. For example, after a few successful drives to the hoop, the Clinton Hawks began to crash the paint. Pagan read the change in the defense and knew to look for his teammate for a wide open three pointer.   When Pagan does not have the ball in his hands, he plays more like a big-man on offense. Pagan would place himself under the basket and scoop up offensive rebounds to help get his teammates going.     On the defensive end, Pagan showed the ability to switch across positions. Pagan is one of the biggest players on his team and used his size to grab rebounds and start the fastbreak.   [player_tooltip player_id='1608338' first='Bally' last='Mccoy'] (Senior, School of the Future)- Mccoy was an overall stabilizing force on the team. Anytime a chaotic scenario came up, Mccoy's teammates looked to get him the ball because they knew he would be able to handle the pressure.    Mccoy measures just above 6 feet but he has a large frame and excellent strength. Mccoy's talents on the defensive end of the ball stood out. He was a lock down on ball defender with active hands getting steals and deflections.    On the offensive end of the ball, Mccoy is a pass first secondary ball handler. Mccoy looks to get his teammates open shots before looking for his own shot but he knows how important dribble penetration is for generating open looks.   Mccoy had a strong shooting form and showed confidence stroking it from downtown. A talented and fundamental shooter.

With the start of the high school basketball season, lot of players are showcasing the work they put in over the summer. Two weeks into the season, these 5 players are making a name both for themselves and their teams.