http://w3.nbebasketball.com/2009/09/17/jermaine-sanders-has-big-east-offers/Class of 2011 Rice guard is next hot prospect from Raiders program in NYC
by Zach Smart
Jermaine Sanders is yet to lace up his kicks for his heavily anticipated 2009-10 junior campaign at Rice High School.
He’s yet to fill the scoring void left by Miami freshman Durand Scott, the latest electrifying guard from a program that’s produced the likes of Edgar Sosa and Kemba Walker.
Still, the offers keep piling up. Sanders, an all-around scoring threat, who augmented his defensive presence while learning how to create offense and score by putting the ball on the deck this summer, has been offered by Providence, St. John’s and Villanova.
Sanders said over the summer he’d like a school with good proximity to his New York City home. SJU and ‘Nova both offer that aspect.
Scott, now a freshman at Miami after spurning top=notch Big East programs, was a high-volume scorer who stirred the drink for coach Mo Hicks last season.
Rice returns a solid core that will feature burgeoning big man Kadeem Jack.
Considering the way Sanders performed on the AAU circuit this summer, evolving into a nationally recognized recruit who can score in a variety of ways, he will be the centerpiece.
“Those three schools are going the hardest,†said Sanders, adding that Maryland, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Miami, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Rutgers, Marquette, and a laundry-list of other schools have shown interest.
Netting the 6-foot-5 guard will be no small task, especially if he picks up where he left off this summer.
“Jermaine’s always had a knack for putting the ball in the basket,†said New Heights coach Adam Berkowitz.
“He can shoot, he can drive, he can score in a lot of different ways. Most impressively, his ball handling, his defense, his rebounding has been much improved the last couple of years.â€
Berkowitz continued, “Obviously he’s only a junior. But he’s primed to have a real good season with Rice. They’re going to have a good team.â€
That they do.
Rice boasts a star-spangled squad with Sanders, Jack, and the crafty Shane Southwell (many Big East teams watching), a 6-foot-5 small forward.
Sanders contains the indispensable ingredients to emerge into one of not the go-to-guy over the next two seasons, as Rice continues to face a national schedule.
“He’s just concerned about working hard and getting better,†said Berkowitz. “He’s one of those kids that just works hard and wants to keep improving. He’s going to get a lot of exposure this season.â€
Playing for New Heights this season, Sanders led the vaunted 16U team—which included local products Tyquan Goodlet, Shamel Williams, Emmanuel Aandujar, and 6-foot-9 Thomas Jefferson Center Edson Avilla—to a championship at Rumble In The Bronx.
Williams, a 6-foot-5 junior guard, recently transferred from Rice to Thomas Jefferson HS in Brooklyn.
What’s the main challenge cooking on Sanders’ front stove right now?
“Just getting better, working hard, getting ready for the season,†said Sanders, who already has the team’s first game in November penciled down on his calendar.
“I’m not thinking about colleges until later on really.â€
According to Berkowitz, hard work is Sanders’ calling card.
“He’s just concerned about working hard and getting better, you know making sure his academics are in order. He’s going to have a lot of high-major offers.â€
Sanders has no college visits slated, albeit he is considering Providence, St. John’s and Villanova over the others for now.