NJ Roadrunners At Hoop Group Jam Fest

<p>For over 35 years one of the most respected names in AAU Basketball along the I-95 Corridor has been the Roadrunners. Led by the legendary Sandy Pyonin, the Roadrunners have had a hand in developing several dozen NBA players and hundreds of scholarship level college athletes. Some of their most notable alumni include Kyrie Irving, Randy Foye and Tyler Roberson, among many others.</p> <p>Pyonin, an Elizabeth native, was also a very successful HS Coach at Golda Och and has been a mainstay in the gyms of North Jersey for over forty years. He’s a bit of a local celebrity in the basketball circles, always attracting a crowd around him at whatever gym he enters. He can always be found courtside, at midcourt—That was his favorite spot at The Shoebox when he attended games at the now closed Saint Mary’s of Eliabeth, front and center, right in the middle of the action.</p> <p>His presence and positive impact on North Jersey basketball is massive and if we ever start The New Jersey Basketball Hall Of Fame, he would be inducted in the first class for coaches and innovators alongside names such as Bob Hurley, Buzzy Fox, AlLoBalbo, Ed Wicelinski, Kevin Boyle, Paul Rodio and other legends. </p> <p>His current 17U AAU side had some impressive talents showcased at the Pittsburgh Jam Fest, and we look at several today.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1400499" first="Caleb" last="Embeya"]</strong> | 6’9” | F | Patrick School</p> <p>Embeya was the best player on the floor Friday night as the Roadrunners took on Team Takeover. He plays for an incredibly talented Patrick School program during the HS season and the next level, dominate a game ability is there. He’s a menace in the paint and on the boards and can finish around the basket with force. He’s an intimidating post presence and should be a highly sought after prospect by scholarship level coaches. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1269775" first="Ebrahim" last="Kaba"]</strong> | 6’6” | G-F | East Orange</p> <p>Coming off a strong first season with the Jaguars varsity squad, Kaba looked good at the weekend. He’s long and quick. He handles the ball well and was utilized by Pyonin to beat the Team Takeover press on Friday. Showcase events like this with the Roadrunners, coupled with a strong senior year could see Kaba get D2 offers from schools in the region.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="902743" first="Quatrell" last="Wilson"]</strong>| 6’6” | F | Newark Eastside</p> <p>Eastside Coaches Bryant Garvin and Anthony Tavares had Wilson do a lot of heavy lifting on the court this past winter as a VERY young Eastside team went 13-12. It took him a few minutes to acclimate to the environment when he entered the event but once he settled himself in he showed off quick feet and the hard nosed defense that kids from the urban core of North Jersey are praised for by coaches and evaluators nationwide. Hits the glass well. A college coach will get him in the weight room, put 15lb of muscle on him and he’ll be a tough player at the next level. He, like Kaba, can benefit from a summer with the Roadrunners and a strong senior year—For Wilson, he’ll be one of the centerpieces in Ironbound.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1381147" first="Samar" last="Abdullah"]</strong>| 6’1” | G | Saint Thomas Aquinas 2022</p> <p>Abdullah was one of a handful of seniors playing 17U with the Roadrunners. He’s a very good shooter and was the floor general for the Roadrunners. He’s a good ball handler and is tough on defense. He dished out almost 100 assists and had several big games as a senior. He’s one of the top available players in the NJ Class of 2022.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="850674" first="David" last="Olaniyi"]</strong>| 5’9” | G| Newark Eastside 2022</p> <p>Olaniyi teamed up with Abdullah to form a solid backcourt for the Roadrunners and is another tough guard. He’s a touch undersized, but so was Anas Amos. Olaniyi is another senior on the roster who came up just short of 1,000 points in his career and like Amos, is under-recruited.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75wMgWWx_J4[/embed]</p>