The Prince Avenue Prep (S.C.) team got on the map last season with guys like Maurice Petty and JaJuan Robinson.
This year Mark White’s team may be even better.
Josh Dollard is the biggest name on Prince Avenue Prep’s roster and the 6-8 senior forward from Hemingway, S.C., is on the verge of committing to Auburn.
``He’s gotten so good,” White said. “I’ve seen Devon Downey play and no disrespect to him, but Josh is the number one player in the state. Josh is just so well-rounded.”
Mark White will also have 6-3, 180-pound senior shooting guard Ronald White, a native of Greenville, S.C. who is getting interest from Arkansas and Baylor, as well as two-sport star Ja-Rick Boxley, a 6-1 senior point guard from Winston-Salem, N.C., who is being recruited by Gardner-Webb.
Another big-time football player, 6-foot senior Will Wright, has good court vision and range from beyond the three-point arc.
Melvin Crowder is a 6-4 senior swingman from Charlotte, N.C., committed to High Point who should see plenty of playing time and could be a fixture in the starting lineup. Mike Irby, a 5-11 senior point guard from Columbia, S.C., is another guard who will be in the rotation.
``He’s a consummate point guard,” Mark White said. “He’d just assume have 15 assists and no points.”
Look for Damion Harris, a 6-10 ½, 265-pound senior who had previously committed to Tennessee, to play alongside Dollard on the frontline.
``He’s a big kid who just needs to get into shape,” Mark White said.
White should have some depth as well.
Warren Chapman is a 6-3 senior wing who Mark White feels just might be the most underrated player on the team – and one of the more underrated around.
``He’s the biggest diamond in the rough,” White said. “He’s just as good as JaJuan Robinson, but he’s a little taller. I don’t have anyone on my team that can “D” him up. He’s going to get to the cup if he wants to.”
Also figuring in the equation will be 6-5 senior power forward Tirrell Baines, 6-5 junior swingman Brandon Alford and 6-8 junior forward Wesley Jones, who hails from Mobile, Ala., and has attracted some attention from Auburn.
``We’re athletic and we’re going to be better than last year,” White said. “We’ll still run, but we aren’t going to shoot 52 three-pointers in a game like we did last year. We probably won’t shoot 52 three-pointers in 15 games.”
``The biggest thing is jelling as a team,” he added. “Any one of the kids can drop 20 points any given night. The key will be getting them to play as a team and not sitting there and expecting it to be the Josh Dollard show – because it’s not.”