By The TimesLEdger
First Team
Japhet McNeil Jr. Guard Christ the King
McNeil averaged 14.8 points per game for the Royals, taking over the role as floor leader with the mid-season loss of Peedy Nelson. McNeil, a 5-foot-11 point guard out of Brownsville, was also named to the all-tournament team at the Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo. en route to leading the Middle Village team back to the post-season.
Marlon Smith Jr. Guard Molloy
The highly touted Smith had a breakout year for the Stanners, scoring 16.4 points per game. The 5-foot-11 points guard led the team to the CHSAA quarterfinals, but also helped the club to some impressive out-of-state tournament wins, picking up MVP honors at the Washington D.C. Gonzaga Classic and making all-tournament at the Beach Ball Classic in South Carolina.
Kevin Hamilton Sr. Guard Molloy
This 6-foot-5 senior from Hollis was one of the main reasons Molloy managed to finish ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation. Hamilton averaged 15.6 points per game, hitting 75 three-pointers in the process. The Holy Cross-bound deep threat was MVP of the Beach Ball tourney and was all-tournament at the Gonzaga Classic, capping an impressive high school career.
Wesley Matthews Jr. Fwd. McClancy
At 6-foot-2, Matthews was the most versatile and dangerous weapon in head coach Don Kent’s arsenal. Matthews averaged 18.4 points per game, including nine 20-point games and a high of 31. He was an all-tournament selection at Horace Mann’s Peggy Duggan tournament, McClancy’s own Bro. Arnold Tournament and at the Sunshine Classic in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Bryan Geffen So. Guard St. Francis Prep
Geffen, a Bayside native, was forced to mature this season quicker than perhaps he and coach Tim Leary would have preferred, but an undermanned Terrier team demanded it. Even so, Geffen managed to shine. The 5-foot-9, 160-pound guard may have been the smallest player on the court, but still managed to score a team-leading 17.7 points per game.
Second Team
Sundiata Gaines So. Guard Molloy
Only a sophomore, Gaines earned playing time on a talented Stanners team through sheer ability. The Jamaica native averaged 11.4 points per game while coming off the bench and was listed as one of the top 50 sophomores in the nation. Gaines plays with Lincoln’s Sebastian Telfair and Rice’s Russell Robinson on the Gauchos.
Elvis Damjanovic Sr. Forward McClancy
A senior co-captain with the Crusaders, Damjanovic was a versatile player who could score inside or out. At 6-feet-4, the Forest Hills native scored 10.9 points per game, including a season-high 26 against Molloy. Damjanovic also helped McClancy to three league victories this past season, the first three wins of his varsity career.
Mitchell Beauford Jr. Guard Christ the King
Like McNeil, Beauford had to step up when Nelson departed the team and the 5-foot-11 guard from Roosevelt, L.I. did the job admirably, scoring 14.3 points per game — 19 per game in the playoffs. His consistent outside shot from the off-guard position helped make the Royals a dangerous team late in the year.
Kevin Diffley Sr. Forward Molloy
A Bellerose native, Diffley was the Stanners’ go-to man on the inside, averaging 11.1 points per game and earning all-tournament honors at the Gonzaga Classic. The 6-foot-7 big man, who was also a solid rebounder with the ability to shoot, played in the annual charity Wheelchair Games and is slated to play in The City Game.
DeSean Burke Sr. Guard St. John’s Prep
Like Taliek Brown before him, Burke continued the tradition of Red Storm guards who call LeFrak City home. The 6-foot-1 guard — all-tournament at the Bro. Arnold tourney — scored 19.9 points per game, including back-to-back 30-point performances. He averaged 22.5 points per game in the playoffs and led St. John’s to the Division II South title.
Honorable Mentions
Jamaal Wagner Sr. Forward Molloy
Mike Claxton Sr. Guard Christ the King
Brad Wierzbicki Sr. Guard Cathedral Prep
Anthony Mauceri Sr. Guard McClancy
Edward Moore Sr. Center St. John’s Prep
