On a team that features so many stars, including a Canadian import who is one of the most highly sought after juniors in the country, it is hard to stand out.
But that is exactly what Cardozo’s Skyler Khaleel did this year because of his tenacious play every game.
After missing last year’s playoffs and the critical summer before his senior year with an torn lateral meniscus in his right knee, the 6-foot-4 forward played like a man possessed for much of the season for Cardozo.
“He’s got to continue to work on his game to expand his game and get a little farther away from the basket,” said recruiting guru Tom Konchalski. “At the lower Division I level there’s no question in my mind he can be a very effective player because he's so active and gives such a great second effort.”
Arguably the Judges most consistent player, Khaleel averaged 14.6 points and 13 rebounds per game.
“We were such a tough team to guard against and he was one kid who always did what was best for the team,” Cardozo coach Ron Naclerio said of Khaleel. “He posed a lot of mismatch problems for other teams, plus he was relentless.”
According to Konchalski, Khaleel’s best game was the Queens Boro Championship game against rival Bayside when he scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the 70-52 victory.
“He was tremendous and relentless and everything was within 8-10 feet of the basket,” Konchalski said. “That’s what he does best right now.”
Because he missed the entire summer rehabbing from surgery to repair his knee, Khaleel has only drawn interest from lower Division I schools. But he hopes that will change next year after attending prep school for a year, like former Cardozo player Royal Ivey.
After being recruited by Marist and Northwestern, Ivey went to Blair Academy for a year of seasoning and received a scholarship to Texas.
“He’s as nice a kid as I’ve ever coached and he has a lot of talent,” Naclerio said. “If he goes the prep school route to mature, he can do something like Royal Ivey did and get into a higher level school.”
