Lawrence (Bud) Pollard called Jaquan (Son Son) Lynch Jefferson’s MVP because he kept the team afloat when star Thaddeus Hall was out over the season’s first five weeks and then accepted being Robin to Hall’s Batman upon his return.
College coaches evidently agree.
The junior combo guard, who was among the leading scorers in PSAL Brooklyn AA this winter and helped the Orange Wave win their first Brooklyn AA regular season and borough crowns, has begun to rack up scholarship offers. LIU, Maryland Eastern Shore, Hofstra and St. Francis College have offered while Drexel, UMBC and Dayton have shown interest. And on Thursday, Rutgers assistant Van Macon offered Lynch, Pollard said.
“He can play on any level,” Pollard said. “He has a lot of talent and he has a lot of heart. He’s a competitor. … Any kid that can lead our league in scoring should be able to play at the highest level. He can shoot it, defend, he’s tough.”
Pollard said Rutgers thinks “he can be a combo guard” and said Macon told him the Big East school would be following Lynch over the summer as he plays with the Juice All-Stars and Metrohawks.
“It shows me I’m doing something right,” the 6-foot Lynch said. “It’s gonna make me go harder.”
Finally healthy, Curtis’ Martin picking up interest: Curtis standout Hassan Martin played his first game with New Heights on Thursday night in Spring Fling in New Jersey and already he has begun to pick up significant Division I interest to go along with standing offers from Fordham and St. Joseph’s. Creighton, Rhode Island, Iowa State and St. Bonaventure have been in touch with the 6-foot-6 Martin, who missed much of his junior season with a torn tendon in his left finger, and coach Rich Buckheit, the Curtis coach said.
Hall sets South Carolina visit: Jefferson senior Thaddeus Hall will visit South Carolina next weekend, coach Lawrence (Bud) Pollard said. The Gamecocks new coach, Frank Martin, came to see Hall on Thursday along with Dayton coach Archie Miller and assistant Allen Griffin. He has offers from Fordham, South Carolina, Dayton, St. John’s, Hofstra, Virginia Tech and Maryland. Hall has visited St. John’s unofficially and may see Maryland as well. He plans to commit sometime near the end of April.
Notes: Former Wadleigh standout Trivante Bloodman of Olney Central Community College in Illinois plans to take official visits to Milwaukee, Florida Atlantic, Texas Tech and Cleveland State over the next month, assistant coach Dan Matic said. He’s visited Seton Hall officially. Western Kentucky came to see the 6-foot-1 combo guard from The Bronx on Thursday, Matic said, and Bloodman may see the Sun Belt conference school as well. Matic said Bloodman is likely to trim his list down to “three or four” by the middle of next week. … Wings Academy senior guard Justin Jenkins is on an official visit to Florida Atlantic. … Curtis coach Rich Buckheit said senior guard Kevin McIntosh will attend Division II Dominican College in Orangeburg, N.Y. on an academic scholarship and will likely play there. Fellow senior DaShawn Richmond is considering a handful of junior colleges, such as Olney and Broward College in Florida, Buckheit said. Debonair Edwards, a 6-foot-6 forward, has yet to qualify but has a solid offer from St. Francis College if he does, the Curtis coach said. If he doesn’t qualify, Edwards can go to junior college or pay his way at the Brooklyn school. The last senior, Dontay Jackson, is likely to end up at Olney or Monroe Community College in upstate New York.