The Fordham Rams’ basketball program has bragged that the historic Rose Hill gym is the place to be to see home grown New York City talent. And with some of the freshmen they’ve brought in, they have every right to.
That being said it’s no surprise that guards Devon McMillan, Jeffrey Short and Bryan Smith, who lead all other freshmen Rams in scoring, were born and raised in NYC.
The big apple’s ballers have assisted in eclipsing Fordham’s 2010 seven win total, grabbing nine of their first 21 games-one of which was against nationally ranked Harvard.
Fordham is a long way from even sniffing a national championship but perhaps they can inch closer with more great play from New York’s finest.
To start Fordham will have to fill in the gap of senior Kervin Bristol’s 7.6 rebounds and team leading 2.1 blocks per game. For this the Rams should take a look at Boys and Girls High School’s Leroy Fludd. The 6’6″ forward plays in, arguably, the toughest division of the PSAL (Public School Athletic League) and is still able to grab a division high 13.38 rebounds per game. He’s no stranger to the basket either as he sports an impressive 21.38 ppg. Though four inches shorter, Fludd has the potential to match and surpass what Bristol has brought to the table and can be a destructive force for Fordham
Aside from Bristol the Rams do not need to desperately replace another senior, but they still must address the teams issue at the point guard position. Because while the team’s man ball handler’s, Branden Frazier and McMillan, have helped Fordham with their combined 20 ppg; their 1.18 assist per turnover ratio is hurting the team.
This is why it is essential for Fordham to pick up a new point guard. To do this the Rams have a bit more leeway. By far the best point guards that New York City has to offer are in the PSAL. And the most impressive in my eyes are Robert Lloyd of Mott Haven Educational Campus and Fludd’s teammate Bryce Jones.
Both have their pros and cons. Llyod surpasses Jones in assists with 9.56 per game. But he is naturally a shooting guard, and with that title one may wonder if his high assists are due to his scoring ability (13.61 ppg) which may lead to double teaming and ultimately an open man. If this is the case this form of passing will not hold up in Division I college basketball. Still the 9.56 assists are impressive and are defiantly worth the Rams’ time.
Jones on the other hand is a natural 5’11 point guard, like his teammate Fludd; he plays in one of the city’s toughest divisions and still manages the ball great with an average of 6.08 assists.
Ultimately it’s up to the Rams to pick up any of these players. If the Rams wish to keep the home grown talent trend alive, these three players are defiantly worth the look.
On Twitter @Cliff_Michel
Sources:
Yahoo! Sports
Public School Athletic League Official Website