BORDER WARS ON THE HARDWOOD

by Derek Toney

The present and future of Baltimore and D.C. high school basketball will collide Saturday afternoon when the inaugural I-95 Elite Challenge takes place at St. Frances Academy. Some of the region's top rising seniors, juniors, sophomores and incoming freshmen will be on display.

Cyrus Jones and Kyle Locke, who have strong bloodlines will be on the Class of 2012 (freshman) for Baltimore. Locke is the son of Kyle Sr., a four-year starter at Coppin State College who helped the Eagles to four straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Jones is the son of Cyrus "Diego" Jones, who was the starting shooting guard on Dunbar's 1991-92 national championship squad, and is currently head coach of the Poets.

Baltimore Freedom Academy guard Kevin Smith will participate in the 2011 contest for Baltimore along with St. Frances' point guard Ronald Williams. In his first year as starter, Williams helped the Panthers to the Baltimore Catholic League Tournament championship and the No. 1 ranking by Digital Sports.

Fast rising 6-foot-8 forward Roscoe Smith from Walbrook highlights the 2010 contest for Baltimore. Smith, a consensus national Top 10 player in his class, has scholarship offers from Connecticut, Florida State, Georgetown, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Texas, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech. Josh Selby, a national recruit, who played at John Carroll as a freshman before transferring to DeMatha Catholic, will join Smith on the Baltimore team. Georgetown Prep's Marcel Starks will lead the D.C. contingent.

A host of talented seniors take to the floor in the finale. A pair of Kansas State commits, Wally Judge (formerly of Bladensburg) and Rodney McGruder (Archbishop Carroll) will lead the D.C. squad along with former New Town guard Stuart Clarke (Friendship Academy). Baltimore native Isaiah Armwood (Montrose Christian) will be on the Baltimore squad along with all-DigitalSports first-teamers George Jackson (Digital Harbor) and John Carroll's Isaiah Philmore.

I-95 ELITE CHALLENGE
When: Saturday
Where: St. Frances Academy, Baltimore
Tickets: $ 8 advance; $10 at door (ticket info: 443-938-4372 or 410-499-1274)


CLASS OF 2012
Time: 3:30 p.m.

District All-Stars
Lamont Baldwin, Archbishop Carroll (D.C.), 6-4, forward; David Barnes, O'Connell (VA), 6-1, guard; Marcellas Bell, Bishop McNamara, 5-11, guard; A.D. Kamara, Archbishop Carroll (D.C.), 6-0, guard; Daquan Kermann, Paul VI (VA), 5-10, guard; Jamal Lewis, Sidwell Friends (D.C.), 5-11, guard; Demonte McNeil, undecided, 6-4, forward; James Robinson, DeMatha Catholic, 6-2, guard;  Jordan Washington, undecided, 5-9, guard

Baltimore All-Stars
Shakir Brown, St. Frances Academy, 6-4, forward; John Crowder, DeMatha Catholic, 6-6, center; Julian Davis, Calvert Hall College, 6-2, guard; Ronald Epps, City College, 5-11, guard; Devin James, Calvert Hall College, 5-11, guard; Cyrus Jones, Gilman School, 5-11, guard; Kyle Locke, McDonogh School, 6-4, forward; Antonio Manns, undecided, 6-3, guard; Isaiah Miles, undecided, 6-5, forward; Charles Tapper, City College, 6-3, guard/forward


CLASS OF 2011
Time: 5 p.m.

District All-Stars
Randy Echols, St. John's (D.C.), 6-6, center; Ryan Frazier, Blake, guard; Marquette Gentry, Ballou (D.C.), 6-9, center; Jordan Goodman, Charles H. Flowers, 6-8, center; Enerjo Jones, Springbrook, 6-0, guard; Bruce Littles, Coolidge (D.C.), 6-4, forward; Joseph Lundy, Archbishop Carroll (D.C.), 6-4, forward; Chris Martin, St. John's (D.C.), 6-0, guard; Bernard Savoy, Friendship Academy (D.C.), 5-9, guard; Timone Whatley, Frederick Douglass, 6-2, guard

Baltimore All-Stars
Mike Cheatham, St. Frances Academy, 6-1, guard; Tre Clinton, Mount St. Joseph, 6-5, forward; Dylan Cormier, Cardinal Gibbons, 6-1, guard; Jarred Jones, John Carroll, 6-6, forward; Damien Lee, Mount St. Joseph, 6-4, forward; Eric Savage, Old Mill, 6-1, guard; Devaughn Simms, Douglass, 6-5, forward; Kevin Smith, Baltimore Freedom Academy, 6-0, guard; Ronald Williams, St. Frances Academy, 5-9, guard; Ernest Woodard, Woodawn, 6-6, center

CLASS OF 2010
Time: 6:30 p.m.

District All-Stars
Brandon Coleman, Bishop McNamara, 6-6, forward; Brendan McFall, Poolesville, 6-4, guard; Naofol Folohan, tbd, 7-0, center; Samni Ounjobi, Montrose Christian, 6-6, forward; Antonio Pittman, Progressive Christian Academy, 6-6, forward; Marcel Starks, Georgetown Prep, 6-1, guard; Corey Spence, tbd, 5-8, guard; Darryl Trayham, tbd, 5-8, guard; Devin Wright-Nelson, Good Counsel, 6-5, forward

Baltimore All-Stars
Darrell Edwards, Dunbar, 6-2, guard; Jonathan Graham, Calvert Hall College, 6-8, forward; Jimmy Hamilton, St. Frances Academy, 6-6, forward; Dante Holmes, St. Frances Academy, 6-3, guard; Justin Jackson, Digital Harbor, 6-0, guard; Jordan Latham, City College, 6-9, forward; Greg Lewis, St. Frances Academy, 6-8, center; Josh Selby, DeMatha Catholic, 6-2, guard; Roscoe Smith, Walbrook, 6-8, forward; Wayne Sparrow, St. Frances Academy, 6-3, guard

CLASS OF 2009
Time: 8 p.m.

District All-Stars
Stuart Clarke, Friendship Academy (D.C.), 6-2, guard; Chaune Duffy, Fairmont Heights, 5-11, guard; Brian Freeman, Potomac (VA), 6-8, center; Wally Judge, Arlington Country Day (FL), 6-9, forward; Given Kalipende, Episcopal (VA), 6-4, forward; Rodney McGruder, Archbishop Carroll (D.C.), 6-4, guard; Jamal Olsawere, Springbrook, 6-6, forward; Mouphtarou Yarou, Massanutten Military Academy (VA), 6-9, forward/center; Talib Zanna, Bishop McNamara, 6-9, center

Baltimore All-Stars
Isaiah Armwood, Montrose Christian, 6-9, forward; Waverly Austin, tbd, 6-10, center; Justin Grenaway, tbd, 6-5, forward; George Jackson, Digital Harbor, 5-11, guard; Adam Johnson, City College, 6-6, forward; Antoine Myers, Forest Park, 6-3, guard; Isaiah Philmore, John Carroll, 6-8, forward; Devon Saddler, Aberdeen, 6-2, guard; Devin Spence, Towson Catholic, 5-11, guard;
Wyatt Smith, John Carroll, 6-5, forward