Who’s earned a spot on All-Centercourt?

You think it's easy to come up a top 60? How about about separating it into a top 25 first? Give it shot. Five teams, with five players on each team, and another 35 players for honorable mention.

In about three weeks, the 9th Annual All-Centercourt Team will be announced, honoring the top 60 seasons turned in by WNY high school players this year. The selections are broken down into a first, second, third, fourth, & fifth team, with five players on each, along with 35 honorable mention selections. There is also an award for the CC MVP (the WNY Player of the Year), Coach of the Year, and Sixth Man of the Year.

The top 60 may sound like a lot, but when you start putting names down on paper, the list fills quickly and inevitably some very good players get left off the list. The main criteria I focus on is the 2015-2016 season, not what you did in the past, and not where you're going in the future…it's all about honoring the top 60 from this season.

Use the comments section below to tell us what your 5 teams would look like and maybe even why. If you're really ambitious, try coming up with the entire team including the HM selections.

Please keep all commentary appropriate when discussing high school athletes, and remember, it is lame to say someone does not belong on a team, without offering up who should be on one. It might be even more lame to give only one or two teams. Show us you've paid attention this season and provide all five teams.

-centercourt

144 responses to “Who’s earned a spot on All-Centercourt?”

Music

March 22, 2016

To all coaches who are one trick ponies? Although your efforts and time are commendable? You have to change year to year adapting to your personnel. Too many games this year I saw no pressing even though the opponent had weak ball handlers, Too many times I saw no screens, picks or plays thaat would help free up scorers who were boxed and shaded with help, Too many times I seen teams fail to recognize the defenses they were facing and know where to attack them, Watching a big man dominate in the post without any shading of the post or double teams. For me SOME of the coaches has to improve.

BBall Fan

March 22, 2016

It appears that Takal Molson made some mistakes this season, and is being held accountable for those mistakes. He will continue to pay a price for his decisions, but that’s how life rolls, and how people learn. He’ll have time to think about those mistakes, learn from them, and hopefully take the next year to rebuild. While Takal will not be recognized, or receive any Top Basketball honors for his accomplishments this season; it’s important to note as he moves forward, that he is, without a doubt, one of the best 15 players in WNY.

Tiger Pride

March 22, 2016

T.C. Brown
2015-2016 stats on only 16.9 shots per game:
22.9 ppg
6.8 rbpg
5.4 apg
4.3 stlpg
3.2 deflpg
85 three point shots made this season
55.6 % 2-pt
40.9 % 3-pt
This season awards:
ECIC Division 3 POY (Third straight year)
1st Team All-ECIC (Second straight year)
Three time All Bee Newspaper 1st team All Star
2014-2015 2nd Team All Centercourt Team
2014-2015 3rd Team All WNY pick
Centercourt A-2 All Tourny Team
Bob Hettler Tip Off Classic MVP
Cataract Classic MVP – Win vs Bishop Kearney
Anthony Parlato Long Island Tournament MVP
190 Hardwood Classic Game MVP
Career Team Accolades:
– 4 straight Class A-2 Sectional Championship Appearances
– 2 Sectional Championships
– 4 straight ECIC Division 3 Championships
– 48 – 2 Divisional Regular Season Record
Career stats:
1,482 points Amherst 1st all-time
382 assists Amherst 1st all-time
286 steals Amherst 1st all-time
174 3-point shots made Amherst 1st all-time

StateChamps2003

March 22, 2016

Tiger Pride – TC Brown was NOT a 2ND Team All Centercourt selection in 2014-2015. He was a 3RD Team selection.

Jayhawks

March 22, 2016

I think Stafford Trueheart and Dom Welch are locks for the first team, leaving both of those guys out is like leaving Buddy Hield and Denzel Valentine out your NCAA basketball first team…. With Dom Welch and Stafford Trueheart locks on the first team, I think you can’t go wrong filling out the other three spots, in my opinion the top guys in WNY played on about the same level all season with no one outside of Stafford and Welch making themselves a lock for the first team, its a toss up…
First Team
Stafford Trueheart
Dom Welch
Jenard Jackson
Jordan Nwora
Maceo Jack
Second Team
T.C Brown
Greg Dolan
Tevien Kemp
Patrick Moore
Eli Ramadhan
Third Team
Fred Foster
James Rojas
JoJo Staton
Ben Eckstorm
Nate Brawdy
Fourth Team
Shakur Harris
Shaquan Jones
Anadi Ikepeze
Trevon Thompson
JaQuoine Fogan
Fifth Team
Christine Nodine
Ray Blackwell
Davon Gant
Brandon Roach
Kyle Harris

Hoops fan

March 22, 2016

I have seen almost the above mention players play. Here is my breakdown… Truehart is the best athlete, but he is limited as far as his game!! How many of his points came outside 10 feet?? Can’t take away his great athleticism but doesn’t have a complete game where he can score from anywhere. Welch may be the best skilled player there and yes may average 30 but really could score more and could be a lock down defender but to me lacks the drive to be great!! Now a player that lacks no skill, no drive is Jernard jackson!! He has crazy averages and is only 5’10. He defends all over and play 32 minutes a game. There is not a shot he can’t make from 5 feet to 30 ft ( as you saw against amherst). Watching him at buff st during championship week he was easily the best player there!!
1st team
Jackson lew-port
Truehart canisius
Welch cheektowaga
Harris Niagara Falls (best defender by far in wny)
Ben Eckstorm olean

M. Jon

March 22, 2016

I am really confused into why people are putting Jordan Nwora in their second team. I understand that he didn’t have a championship run with his team like they did last season, but you have to think about that he is one the leading scorer in WNY and his team lost to the 2nd best Class A team in WNY, so I’m just saying this kid definitely is a guaranteed 1st team not only cuz he was one last year but he also made a big impact to his team this year also.

James Wright

March 22, 2016

Most people don’t even know what really happened with Molson kid stories are just being passed around. Molson is easily top 5 in WNY and has proved it on multiple occasions. His accomplishments shouldn’t be taken away because of something people don’t know the entire story too. People should learn more before throwing shade his way. He’s a great kid and I’m sure will still play at the division 1 level.

Jayhawks

March 22, 2016

Hoopsfan, it isn’t all about scoring, Stafford Trueheart is as great of a rebounder that there is in wny, he might not be able to hit 3s at the pase of a guard which is why he is a forward and not a guard, he plays hard, Stafford is a complete player for a forward position, which is why he is getting recruited to a couple mid majors, how many players in wny are even complete players? Every player has a couple weakness, even big time recruits in the country.

Jayhawks

March 22, 2016

@jameswright, I don’t know the Molson Kid character or what happened with his situation at the school but If the kid was kicked out of school that is a red flag for almost 99.9 percent of D1 coaches in basketball, and almost every coach on the D1 level, and coaches try to avoid those type of players, so with your opinion of saying “I’m sure he will still play at the division 1 level” I’ll have to disagree with you on that if the kid was kicked out the school….

Luke Kindberg

March 22, 2016

One thing that may go unmentioned is the lack of talent in the WNY area. Out of all these guys being mentioned how many D1 guys are there? Around 10.. And out of those how many will go high major? Maybe 2-3? Even compared to the ROC area we have significantly less talent. When is the last time we’ve had a player like Thomas Bryant(Indiana) top 20 in his class in the country. I don’t know if there is a problem or what it is, but there should be more D1 talent coming out of WNY, a lot more.

Richie K

March 22, 2016

Amadi Ikpeze doesn’t get anything? The man averaged a double-double every game. The man deserves something! Also TC Brown might be the most unguarded player in WNY. I don’t understand why he isn’t first team. His stats prove it. Numbers don’t lie

Hoops fan

March 22, 2016

Jayhawk…. You are right Stafford is a tremendous rebounder that’s why I said most of his points come with 10 feet (offensive rebounds, why they beat park the first time!) he is a great athlete but at the next level he needs to hit a 15 foot jumper for his his postion in college!! In high school you can get away with being a great athlete but if you think he is D1 he will be exposed!!

Jayhawks

March 22, 2016

@Luke there is just way to many D1 prospects in the Tri State area, and most of the players in rest of the Tri state area are better than our players, most of the recruiting in New York State comes from mainly New York City. Rochester doesn’t even gets the looks that it deserves. Also New York State as a whole hasn’t been a hot recruiting bed for high majors since the old Big East broke up. A lot of the old big east schools that used to hit the Tri State area hard changed geographically, and don’t recruite the Tri State Area as much. Only high major school that recruit the Tri State hard these days are mainly Seton Hall, but Seton Hall mainly looks at there own New York City guys. Rutgers abandoned the Tri State area once it moved to the Big Ten and hired Eddie Jordan, Pitt also abandoned the Tri State Area once it bolted for the ACC also. It became hard for them to pitch kids, thats why most of the New York State kids are leaving the Tri State area and going off to the prep schools like findlay, Mountverde, ect because there just aren’t to many high major coaches around the Tri state area these days..

Jayhawks

March 22, 2016

@hoopsfan, I don’t think he will be headed off to a high major, so he will be fine. He will get better over time its not like he will be thrown into the fire, he probably will redshirt his first year. He will go through a 2-3 year development process, he’s not a 5 star or a 4 star prospect he has not pressure to go into a school and contribute right away, every level outside the power 5 conference is a process called development.

Hoops fan

March 22, 2016

Jayhawks… All I said in my original post is he limited and you have helped me prove my point!! He is a good kid and will work hard!! I wish him luck!!

Victor Cruz

March 22, 2016

1st team
Stafford Truehart
Dom Welch
Takal Molson
Fred Fisher
Jaquoine Foagn

Luke Kindberg

March 22, 2016

@Jayhawks- I completely agree that kids in this area do not get the looks they deserve, but a lot of it comes from AAU exposure and it is clear that buffalo kids just aren’t as good. Unfortunately, buffalo doesn’t have there own top notch AAU program so kids go to city rocks and are no where near the stars of those teams.. But, City Rocks does produce big time player (just not the buffalo kids) Lydon-Cuse Holt-Indiana Huerter-Maryland Rose-Temple.., maybe Buff needs an AAU program to step up and get a shoe company sponsorhip, but maybe there is just a lack of talent in the area for it to work

March 22, 2016

1st team
Stafford Truehart (POY)
Dom Welch
Greg Dolan
Tak Molson
Jordan Nwora
2nd team
Tc Brown
Jernard Jackson
Fred Foster
Ben Eckstrom
Maceo Jack
3rd team
James Rojas
Tavien Kemp
Christian Nodine
Graham Dolan
Quinton Lamar
4th team
Amadi Ikpeze
Shaquan Jones
Andy Xapos
JoJo Stanton
Elijah Ramadhan
5th team
Noah Thompson
Nick Montgomery
Justin Jones
Noah Hutchins
Patrick Moore

Victor Cruz

March 22, 2016

Even though kicked out of school still a d1 talent. His numbers do not lie even though it was a mistake it doesn’t question his character. Shouldn’t even be a question if he’s a top player in wny for all he did this year putting the team on his back. You’ll see the impact next year when he is no longer there

Jayhawks

March 22, 2016

@Luke the talent pool in WNY might be weak for a AAU program to try to get a shoe company sponsorship in WNY..

Jayhawks

March 22, 2016

@Luke thats why I feel like without the old big east a lot of the small area basketball players in the Tri State area are getting left out, there’s only so much room for everybody to fit on a AAU team… Next best thing after AAU is relationships, there just aren’t many relationships in the Tri State area between the college and high school coaches like when the old big east was around. Alot of colleges abandoned the Tri State Area. There’s talent around all of New York State just most colleges rather go to the big time power house High School and get players from there, rather than finding a needle in the haystack.

Jayhawks

March 22, 2016

@victorCruz He may very well be a D1 talent but first and foremost all D1 coaches recruit character first, and talent second, All I’m saying is getting kickout of a school isn’t a good look for him. It scares coaches off, PERIOD….

centercourt

March 22, 2016

As far as the whole Division I conversation goes…
Thomas Bryant from Rochester (Bishop Kearney) is a very special case, and didn’t finish his career there. Chinonso Oboko also made it to Syracuse. After them, it’s not like Rochester is pumping out high level DI players on a regular basis. Phil Valenti & Javon McCrea were outstanding HS that picked the right place to keep playing in college.
If the NBA rule didn’t change, Paul Harris would have been a lottery pick. Harris & Jonny Flynn ended up at Cuse, that’s pretty major. Robert Garrison had a stint with UConn and Tyrell Lynch at UMass.
Greg Gamble & Will Regan had careers at UB, and Regan started at Virginia.
Jamal Webb started for North Dakota, Dallas Gary to Coppin state.
Adam Weir & Jermaine Crumpton played for Canisius.
Davon Marshall ended up at Liberty.
Matt MacDonald worked his way into Fairleigh Dikckinson.
This season:
Jaysean Paige at WVU, Matt Hart at George Washington, and Sterling Taplin at Tulsa made WNY proud and I’m sure there are multiple players I’m forgetting.
Then, there’s the guys still in HS with DI offers:
Jordan Nwora (including Pitt), Dom Welch, Stafford Trueheart, Greg Dolan, & Amadi Ikpeze.
Everything goes in cycles. Generally speaking, I think we’re doing just fine. And after making trips to Glens Falls and Albany for the Federation, I can say that the level of basketball in WNY this season was up to par.

Jayhawks

March 22, 2016

@centercourt might have to cross the Pitt offer off for Nwora, Coach Dixon left for TCU and who knows if the next coaching staff will countine to recruit him. Maybe, he gets a offer from TCU soon….

CloseOut

March 22, 2016

Joe Jones from Park has offers from Canisius and UB.

CloseOut

March 22, 2016

1st Team
Stafford Trueheart POY
Jordan Nwora
Fred Foster
Greg Dolan
Dom Welch
2nd Team
Jenard Jackson
Shaquan Jones
Ben Eckstrom
Elijah Ramadhan
James Rojas
3rd Team
Patrick Moore
Joseph Staton
Tavien Kemp
TC Brown
Marcellus Cooper
4th Team
Justin Jones
Amadi Ikpeze
Maceo Jack
Graham Dolan
Qeyion Williams
5th Team
Breon Harris
Brandon Roach
Christian Nodine
Kyle Harris
Nate Brawdy
HM (only players I have seen, sure there are many deserving players)
Will Atkinson
Naseer Jackson
Will Johnson
Quinton Lamar
Brock Kroening
Ed Radka
Noah Thompson
Nick Montgomery
Ray Blackwell
Noah Hutchins
Quinton Lamar
Alex Knost
Madut Ayiy
Willard Anderson
Sean Hill
Zac Kinsey
Jake Cavana
Hunter Anderson
Derek Schmidt
Dan Freilicher

Jayhawks

March 22, 2016

@centercourt Also, forgot about Howard Washington… Butler committe.

Nick montgomery

March 22, 2016

Nobody giving Noah Thompson from East aurora any love…smh

Just Sayin

March 23, 2016

Imagine a team consisting of Howard Washington, Graham Dolan, Brandon Roach, Maceo Jack, Mat Foster, Fred Foster, Kyle Harris, Sean Hill & Hunter Anderson. I don’t have to because I witnessed it. Buffalo City Rocks! Contributed to 1 National High School Chip, 2 Manhatten Cup Chips, 2 State Chips, 1 Federation Chip, 5 Section VI Chips. 2 Yale Cup Chips. I submit that the WNY Class of 2016 plus Juwan Tolliver (2015) was very fruitful!

Just Sayin

March 23, 2016

Now imagine a team consisting of Kyle Harris, Ben Ecksrtrom, Jernard Jackson, Brandon Roach, Madut Ayiy, Christian Nodine, Mariano Baldon, Brock Kroenig, Denzell Fuller, & Takal Molson. I was fortunate to witness this one as well. WNY Stampede! Another outstanding group of WNY talent from the Class of 2016

WNYBball

March 23, 2016

1st Team
POY: S. Truehart
J. Nwora
T.C. Brown
F. Foster
Greg Dolan
2nd Team
D. Welch
M. Jack
B. Eckstrom
A. Ikpeze
K. Harris
3rd Team
J. Jones Canisius
E. Ramadhan
J. Jackson
J. Rojas
S. Jones McKinley
4th Team
T. Kemp
J. Staton
C. Nodine
P. Moore fredonia
G. Dolan

Hoops fan

March 23, 2016

Any team that has tc brown ahead of Jernard jackson is fraudulent!!

The Italian Baller

March 23, 2016

Even more fraudulent is wnybball putting Jackson 3rd team. I been coaching over 30 yrs and rarely have seen a young man work as hard as Jenard at both ends of the court for 32 minutes. If you witnessed his 2 game performance at Buff State, then imagine him playing like that all yr long, offensively, defensively, rebounding, steals, assists, the kid doesn’t cheat the game and still makes everyone better around him. He goes all out all of the time which you rarely see from an athlete in any sport. As for T.C., he tried to defend Jenard head to head. Not so good,he was lit up in less than a quarter. Yes, I have had the pleasure to be 1 of his coaches through his career, but don’t call me bias, just hope you had the opportunity to watch him play at Buff St and if you no bball, then you no what I’m sayn. Here’s hoping you no the game this yr center court. Thanks for the vine, you truely do a great job coving this sport of ours

sal

March 23, 2016

No reason to bash any kids performance a lot of good not great players out there, Centercourt as well as All WNY teams will do a great job acknowledging kids and there will always be criticism . I now one thing Centercourt has seen more games and players multiple times than anyone on this board let him do his thing. Also know what are the criteria’s for Centercout and Buff News-Scoring? winning team? college recruitment? Have fun with it but post the positive opinion and leave other stuff out

Music

March 23, 2016

WNYBball…Welch 2nd team??? You see 50 opinions in here and 49 have Welch, Truehart consistently on 1st team. Either you know something the other 49 people don’t know or you know nothing!! I’m going with those 49 in the know. Obviously the list of interested D1’s are with the 49.

Victor Cruz

March 23, 2016

1st team should be looked at as how much they did for there team even looking at the numbers will prove half wrong. 1600 pts at the end of there JUNIOR year averaging 30 should be 1st team lol as well as the numbers takal molson. All these players are great talents but you cannot put down what these kids did this season for there teams.

Victor Cruz

March 23, 2016

Daveonte Gaines a watch this upcoming season from health scInce. After a season high 45 as a 10th grader. Buffalo public schools has special talents but get no recognition. As well as Shakur Harris for south park after the shooe he put on at buff state everyone should of taken notice.

StateChamps2003

March 23, 2016

Victor Cruz – Get your “They’re/There/Their’s” down.

SammieBrown

March 23, 2016

Rochester have several D1 prospects and about 7 of them are going to a major school . Not to mention the athletes that’s going D1 for football who would of been going D1 for basketball. And it’s several players who played amazingly but if they didn’t get the recognition their not going to be mention. Christian Nodine should be 2nd team if not 3rd. It’s disrespectful to put him on the 5th team. Tak Molson is easily the best guard in this 716 area and he is most likely D1 bound. Another player I loved this year is Andrew Austin from Lockport, I seen him average around 3 points last year and this year exploded to having 15 or more 20 point games. But to add on to the first team Jernard Jackson POY, followed by TC, Dom, Canisus kid and the young Dolan kid has to be there also.

Music

March 23, 2016

Victor Cruz…Your point is lost somewhere. 1600? Molson? And a whole lot of what tha?? in between. You might want to make it clearer?

Basketball fan

March 23, 2016

@ Victor Cruz, Brandon Roach had 50 as a 10th grader, which was also the season high. Not trying to downplay anybody but it has to be said if that’s the case being made for Gaines

Basketball fan

March 23, 2016

The reason I say that is because even though Roach had 50. He hasn’t been getting any love from anybody in regards to the All WNY list.

ECIC basketball

March 23, 2016

First
S. Truehart Player of the Year
T.C. Brown
Nwora
Foster
Welch
Second
Greg Dolan
Eckstrom
Ikpeze
Harris
Jack
Third
Jones Can
Jackson
Rojas
Ramadan
Kemp
Fourth
Jones McK
Nodine
Moore
Dolan
Staton

jj43

March 23, 2016

Nothing better than when someone says a player is the best guard in WNY hands down and then refers to others players as Canisius kid and young dolan. Shows you really know your stuff. And would love to hear who the 7 major D1 kids from Rochester are? Were they playing in regionals when Sec6 went 4-1?
1st team
Jackson
Trueheart
Welch
Dolan
Nwora
2nd
Foster
Staton
Ramadan
Eckstorm
Rojas
3rd team
Jones from Canisius
Dolan
Harris from NF
Jack
Cavana
4th team
Nodine
Moore
Ikpese
Harris from SP
Lamar
5th team
Hill
Konst
Blose
Kemp
Outlaw

Cmonman

March 23, 2016

Funny how Tavien Kemp is quietly overlooked. Walsh was #2 small school all year long, and won the MMA Class B regular season title. Beat Jernard Jackson led Lew-Port by 20, and outplayed him. Walsh destroyed Takal Molson led St Mary’s by 20+ (at Walsh) and the two battled all game long. Kemp scored 43 while being Box and 1’d against a PA team that finished something like 24-3. Numerous games he could have scored 40, but he is team first and used the 2nd half of those games to play within his team’s offense. MMA teams box and 1’d him all season, and his final stats 22ppg 4.5 apg 4rpg 4spg. 48% from the field and 40% from 3. Not too shabby. Oh, and he’s only a junior. Where’s the love?

Gang Green

March 23, 2016

Nichols showed Kemp all sorts of love at Villa.

ajm

March 23, 2016

Cmonman– I was at the Lew-Port Walsh game. Kemp did have a great game, believe he had 22 points. Moore had 28 or so. I wouldn’t say he outplayed Jackson. Jackson had 29 of his team 54 points that game and was all over the place on defense. Both players did great that game but I wouldn’t say any single player outplayed Jackson that game

AllWNYalum

March 23, 2016

1st Team
POY: S. Truehart
J. Nwora- shoots the lights out
T.C. Brown- unguardable 1 on 1
F. Foster- able to control a game
Greg Dolan- smooth and controls the game
2nd Team
D. Welch- could see him on first team, but didn’t even reach Buff State. Heck of a talent
M. Jack- can do it all
B. Eckstrom- inside out threat
A. Ikpeze- most formidable center in wny
K. Harris- solid
3rd Team
J. Jones Canisius
E. Ramadhan
J. Jackson- awesome sectional push but too inconsistent during league play
J. Rojas- awesome talent
S. Jones McKinley
4th Team
T. Kemp
J. Stanton
C. Nodine
P. Moore fredonia- scored all year
G. Dolan- key leader for Billies state push

B. Stevens

March 23, 2016

Allwnyalum,
Did you watch any of these kids during the season? If so you would see that Welch is the best player in WNY reguardless if his team made buff state or not. Also, what are you basing the statement about Jackson on? Averaging almost 30 points a game during the regular season and did everything for a Lewiston-Porter team who is the smallest in their league and competed with every team in their league including AA sectional winner Niagara Falls (the first time they played).
I’m all for people having their own opinions but lets make sure we know what we are talking about if we are going to state a negative comment about a player. Anyone who doesn’t have Welch on first team is hard to take serious on here…..