Interview with Oklahoma State Signee Markel Brown

Louisiana's Final Top 50 Class of 2010 Players

With the 2009-10 season now in the books, Louisiana Basketball Report and Louisiana Prep Insider has decided to list the top 50 players in the senior class. In what has been long awaited and much needed list, we have officially released what we feel is a list of the top 50 players in this years 2010 class. In the coming days and weeks, we will also list the top 20 for the 2011, 2012, and 2013 classes. We will also introduce the top 10 for next years crop of freshman for the 2014 class. So enjoy, and stay tuned. Now it is time for the rankings.

In a class that has had several Division-1 players sign this year, none stood out more in 2009-10 than Peabody’s Markel Brown. The 6’5” 180 lb senior and Oklahoma State signee really made his presence felt this year as he led the Warhorses to a 40-0 record and the 4A state title. With two highly impressive games in the Cajun Dome in March, Brown was clearly the best player at the Top 28 and all season as he led Peabody with a 32.5 ppg scoring average as well as a 41-0 record.  Brown is a super-athletic combo-guard that can handle the ball very well, defends, gets to the rim and finishes very well with acrobatic dunks and has a developing and very good 3-point shot. Brown was also named 4A State Player of the Year as well as the Louisiana Mr. Basketball winner as well as ESPN Rise All-American 2nd team.

The state’s #2 rated player is Christian Life Academy’s Langston Galloway from Baton Rouge, a St. Joseph’s (PA) signee. What really separated Galloway, a 6’3” 185 lb guard from the rest of the top five players is his ability to make his teammates better and the fact the he does all the little things so well that helps his team win. Yes, Galloway is an elite scorer and very good defender, but what he does when his shot isn’t falling is special. His ability to defend the basketball is impressive. He can score almost at will and can get to the rim with the best of them, but to dive on floors for loose balls, take a key charge, make the extra pass and also make the big shot, that is what makes him the state’s second-rated player. For the season Galloway averaged 26 ppg as well as 6 rebounds and 4 assists as he helped CLA and himself to get the Crusaders 4th state title in five years.

Coming in as the #3 rated player is LSU signee Matt Derenbecker from Metairie Park Country Day in Metairie. Derenbecker is a 6’7” 195 lb sharp-shooting guard that can flat score the basketball. At 6’7” his ability to look over the defense and pass the ball is really one of his strong points. He also handles the ball well enough to play the point at times. A two-time winner of the Gatorade Player of the Year award in Louisiana, the lefty led the 2009 Cajuns of Country Day to the state title along with current LSU player Eddie Ludwig. One of Derenbecker’s best skills is the way he gets his teammates involved. Everybody knows he can score but when he is doubled and tripled teamed, he passes the ball to open teammates extremely well. An underrated ball-handler, he can also get to the rim and finish as well. For the season Derenbecker averaged 25.5 ppg in his senior season.

The 4th rated senior in this year’s 2010 class is one of the state’s most successful players in terms of win/losses and state titles. Cedric Jenkins, the 6’2” 180 lb. scoring machine from LaPlace and Riverside Academy led the Rebels to their first state title in basketball in 2010. The Southern Mississippi signee helped lead a team that also boasted the state’s top rated sophomore Ricardo Gathers. Jenkins is a kid that battled through several injuries during high school and still had great seasons while at Reserve Christian and now Riverside. Coach Timmy Byrd called Jenkins “one of the best players I have ever coached” after the senior led his team to the state title. Besides being able to shoot the basketball, he can also handle it, defend it and is an underrated passer as well. With unlimited range on his shot, he was also defended tight, which allowed him to show his improved athleticism. Cedric really improved his stock this year. Always considered a top 10 player he really proved in the Cajun Dome that he is worthy of the #4 spot. On a team that had several talented players Jenkins averaged 19.9 ppg and 6 assists.

Rounding out the top five is another Oklahoma State signee in Brian Williams from Glen Oaks High School in Baton Rouge. Williams is an athletic wing that can really get up and down the court and isn’t afraid to make a highlight reel dunk or take a big shot. The 6’5” 200 lb guard is definitely going to be a great fit for the Cowboys of OSU and coach Travis Ford.  A bouncy kid, who can score the basketball with the best of the state, Williams was battled with injuries this year, which may have kept him from being a top 3 player. Even with a stress fracture in his shin, Williams still averaged 18.0 ppg and led his team to its 2nd straight Top 28 berth.


For the rest of the top 50 click here

For Our Scout.com Article click here

Class 4A Quarterfinal Predictions and Preview

The state's two top point guards, Jalan West(left) of Bossier and Nick Syrie(right) of Northside

will lead their teams in the quarterfinals tonight

What more can you ask for than the 4A playoffs that have the top 8 seeds in the quarterfinals tonight. This means there will be four games that will include eight very good and talented teams. Let's start on the bottom sid of the bracket which features the two games that are less intriguing as the top bracket but still very good nonetheless. In the 3/6 game you have Northside traveling to always tough Washington Marion who is back in the playoffs after a year absence due to LHSAA penalty of an ineligible player in 2009. Washington Marion will look to 5'9" Keaven Fontenot to to lead the way as NHS will rely on the point guard play of junior Nick Syrie. Syrie, one of the top juniors in Louisiana seems to have found his shot in the playoffs and is providing Coach Devan Clark with an added outside shooting threat. Others to watch for Northside are 6'6" junior Chris Robertson and 5'10" guard Tony Montgomery. In the other game on the bottom side, you have 2 seed Bossier hosting 7 seed Ellender. Ellender, who has yet to see a true tough opponent this playoffs, will run into a buzzsaw this round as Bossier has it's entire team back from last years state runner-up team except one kid. Lead by Jalan West, Devonta Francis and JJ James, the Bearkats will look to push the tempo and win this game going away. Ellender will rely on the steady play of 6'5" Trevon Lewis who scored 37 on tuesday and Karderro Dixon who led Ellender with 20 in the first round.

Brian Williams(left) throwing down a dunk in Wednesday's win over Minden

will lead Glen Oaks, while Ronald McGhee(right) of Istrouma

will take on Markel Brown(bottom) of Peabody in quarterfinal action tonight

Now on to the top side of the bracket as two Baton Rouge teams, Glen Oaks and Istrouma look to take on Wossman and Peabody. Glen Oaks comes in as the 4 seed after a hard earned win at home on Wednesday and will travel to Monroe to take on Wossman, the 5 seed. Glen Oaks is going to rely on the senior leadership once again of Oklahoma State signee Brian Williams as they take on a tough Wossman team led by Johnathon Ross. Istrouma, the 8 seed will travel to Alexandria and play top seed Peabody and another Oklahoma State signee Markel Brown. Istrouma defeated defending champ Salmen tuesday who has beaten Peabody the previous two seasons in this very round. Peabody advanced by an easy win over McDonogh #35. Both games feature several Division 1 prospects. For Glen Oaks, you have Williams who has signed and potentially 3 more D1 prospects as juniors Erron Chesterfield(6'6") and Tre Drye(6'6") both are promising players that will get a lot of D1 attention this summer. Drye is one of the top juniors in Louisiana while Chesterfield is just now making his name. The third player with possible D1 talent down the line will be 5'5" freshman PG Jalen Variste. Variste is the x-factor of this Glen Oaks team that can come in and hit 3's in bunches. D1 prospects in the Istrouma/Peabody game besides Brown for Peabody are 6'5" Ronald McGhee whose list of schools interested are North Texas, UCLA, Alabama, St. Joe's, Arkansas, Tulane and others. Also for Istrouma is 6'2" PG Darius Johnson who is a sophomore. Peabody has 6'6" Troy Jones that is a sophomore as well.

Class 4A Quarterfinal Predictions

1 seed Peabody over Istrouma

4 seed Glen Oaks over 5 seed Wossman

6 seed Northside over 3 seed Washington Marion

2 seed Bossier over 7 seed Ellender