Jerome Allen's recruits winning large

While the Red and Blue have jumped out to a solid 2-0 start in Ivy League play, the incoming freshman of the Penn Basketball class of 2016 have been making their mark on the high school court. Let’s take a quick look at some of the senior seasons of four soon-to-be Quakers.

*Tony Hicks *

After two out-of-state tournaments with his St. Rita’s of Cascia squad, Hicks returned to the tough Catholic league schedule back in Chicago, only to lead his Mustangs to victory over Loyola, 59-48 last Tuesday.

The 6-foot-1 guard scored 14 consecutive points at the end of the second quarter to bring his team back from a five-point deficit and enter the locker room with a 19-14 advantage at the half. Hicks ended the game as the high scorer with 25 points in addition to his six rebounds.

“Tony has done a great job improving from year-to-year and game-to-game,” Hick’s coach, Gary DeCesare told YourSeason.com, a branch of the Sun-Times. “He wants it, and he has a target now, and that’s a lesson he’s learning.”

Hicks is one of two of St. Rita’s of Cascia seniors who will grace the Penn athletics facilities next year. Classmate Max Kurucar will suit up for the Quakers’ football team.

*Julian Harrell*

Harrell, former teammate of Miles Cartwright at Loyola in Los Angeles, helped his team to a clutch, 70-52, Mission League victory over and Encino Crespi on Monday.

““Julian is going to Penn for a reason,’’ Loyala coach Jamal Adams said. “He is a savvy kid, you’ve heard him, he is well-spoken and works well with the media. I have never seen anything like that, especially for a kid his age. His biggest muscle is in between his ears. Really, I think that helps him more than anything when he is on the court. He is a natural-born leader, in my book.’’

In addition to being a leader, Harrell, a 6-foot-5 guard, was also named the MVP of the National Jesuit Christmas Classic. The forward scored 17 points to put his squad ahead of Georgetown Prep, 66-53, in Maryland at the end of the December.

*Jamal Lewis*

While the 5-foot-11 Lewis has been lining up as a forward for Sidwell Friend’s in Washington, D.C., the incoming freshman will probably see time as a point guard for the Quakers.

““I knew that whatever [scholarship offers] that would have come after summer, I would have been their second or third choice,” Lewis told the Post. “I was Penn’s first choice from the start.”

Most recently, Lewis, received recognition from the Washington Post for his skill as not only a player, but a team leader and occasional on-court coach as well. In a match between Sidwell and D.C. rival, Georgetown Day School, Lewis netted 20 points, went 8-for-10, recorded three assists and even had two blocks.

*Darien Nelson-Henry*

Nelson-Henry, a center hailing from Lake Washington High School in Kirkland, Wa., netted 35 points, had 15 rebounds, four blocks, and three assists in a victory over Lincoln in the King Holiday Hoopfest on Monday. The 6-foot-10 Nelson-Henry helped to lead his team to knock off the No. 4 squad in the state.

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