Staten Island: Top Stock Risers for the 2021 Season

<p>Schools and officials are gearing up for a masked, distanced 2020-2021 basketball season, but nevertheless it is still basketball and high school athletes will still be vying for collegiate attention in front of eyes. The quarantine period will have allowed more athletes to train while others falter, so the star names might be unheralded players. To get the jump on these breakout players, we take a look at the top players primed for a breakout season on Staten Island.</p> <p><strong><span class="base"><span class="mord mathdefault">Eric Londis | Class of 2021 | St. Peters</span></span></strong></p> <p>St. Peters just enjoyed a stellar season from Jacque Award winner Liam Murphy, but as Murphy takes his basketball to Columbia, St. Peters is left with a gaping hole on who will carry the offense. The most obvious breakout candidate is Eric Londis. Even with Murphy on the floor this season, Londis has shown that he can excel at scoring, knocking down shots from all around the offensive half while being ready to penetrate from anywhere on the arc. Londis has a high defensive potential ceiling too, with his height and strength allowing him to guard forwards, while his speed allow him to take on the smaller guards.</p> <p><strong>Uriah Logan | Class of 2021 | St. Peters</strong></p> <p>Uriah Logan has a completely different skillset than Londis, but it is nonetheless valuable on the court. Logan has an extreme amount of speed, which allows him to push the ball up the offensive end. His hands and feet on defense allow him to put pressure on the perimeter, which just gives him more fastbreak opportunities as well as defensive highlights. His speed and handles, as well as his court vision and his jump shot give him a truly threatening triple threat stance, which should make him in competition to be one of the best on the island this coming season.</p> <p><strong>Nico Pena | Class of 2024 | Wagner</strong></p> <p>Nico Pena has not faced a minute of high school varsity action, but as he enters high school and gears up for his next stage, he leaves behind a record that makes him deserving of this breakout spot. Pena has a glowing resume in his local CYO team, with him leading his team to six consecutive undefeated championship seasons. He has his fair share of high school action too, playing up and dominating in AAU tournaments around NYC. Pena has a knack for shooting and forcing open lanes with contact, so he should adjust well to Varsity.</p> <p><strong>Michael Theurer | Class of 2021 | St. Joseph Sea</strong></p> <p>St. Joseph Sea is in the midst of a massive Senior exodus, with almost their entire offensive line leaving for college. Projections about the future of Sea basketball have been murky, but if one player is primed for a breakout season, it would be Michael Theurer. Theurer's past roles included spacing the floor and knocking down shots, while locking down his assignment on defense. As Sea heads into the new season, it looks like Theurer will go from being a complementary offensive piece to becoming the offense himself.</p> <p><strong>David Shkolniy | Class of 2021 | New Dorp</strong></p> <p>Shkolniy entered this past season with New Dorp vying for a larger role in the offense, and by the time the season was over, Shkolniy emerged as the no-doubt number one offensive option for New Dorp. This year, as Shkolniy makes his push to join the Island's 2,000 point club, Shkolniy seems like the number one guy from day one, with the rest of his team supporting him. As a Jacque award favorite and a legendary sharpshooter, Shkolniy seems in the midst of a spectacular senior season.</p> <p><strong>Sean Franzeb | Class of 2022 | Staten Island Academy</strong></p> <p>Two years ago, Franzeb had a stellar freshman year season for Staten Island Academy, proving that he can play against fully grown men. Last season however, Franzeb's season was cut short near the start with a leg injury. All signs point well towards his recovery, as he basically has gotten back to full strength already, and still has time to develop for his junior season. This season, Franzeb has proven himself, and is ready to become the number one player for his team.</p> <p><strong>Khristian Cooper | Class of 2021 | Petrides</strong></p> <p>Petrides has not experienced very successful seasons in league play for the past couple of seasons, but if there had to be only one bright spot to the recent squads, it would belong to Cooper. Cooper has made the best of the situation he has and continues to put up points on the board every game night against Staten Island's vicious defenses. Cooper has demonstrated his ability to drive to the rim and shoot from distance, which bodes well for a successful senior season.</p> <p><strong>Alijah England | Class of 2021 | Curtis</strong></p> <p>Alijah England took over as Curtis's driver and primary playmaker, and hasn't looked back since. England has demonstrated his ability to consistently drive to the rim and blow by defenders to give him open shots. As he enters his senior season, the playmaker can only get better and is ready for a playoff-advancing senior seasson.</p>