Team Workout Series: Eleanor Roosevelt

Ron Bailey, Publisher

The Eleanor Roosevelt Raiders are rather inexperienced, but talented.

September 28, 2009 – Annually one of the more dominant programs in Prince Georges County, MD’s 4A league, you can typically pencil in Roosevelt for a finish near the top of the conference; bottom feeders the Raiders have not been.

This year, many externally looking at the program question what ‘E.R’ will do in 2009-2010. Though not succumbing to the negative tendencies present in that school of thought, Roosevelt’s coach, Brendan O’Connell, does understand the thinking. He also extends it to the larger league.

“Everybody’s best players last year were seniors, including us” said the coach, going into his fifth year, before later opining of the PG 4A, “The league seems, like up in the air”.

Of his team, O’Connell noted “We lost 85% of our scoring”, a fact aggravated because E.R. typically “always had a junior waiting in the wings to run the show, but we don’t have that now”. The operative focus for O’Connell is “We are going to be talented but young”, as everyone on the roster is rather unproven.

David Abrhams and his teammates informally drill, train and play during the offseason.

Combating this is the program’s history – they went 18-7 last year and have posted 77 wins to 22 losses over the last four years, including a state title game appearance – leading O’Connell to say “I think having a winning program helps’, as does of course talent, despite its inexperience. “I think we’ll be better late than early” prognosticated O’Connell, who then joked “If we are not better at the end that means we were not good all year”!

That may be, as the old-timers say ‘fattening frogs for snakes’, but the Raiders will be tested by their schedule, which includes opening with the ’07 state champ, River Hill, competing in Winter Mill’s Christmas tourney, and likely playing in the DC Assault Classic (if held). And of course there is always the 4A to contend with; the collection of the largest public high school in one of the most fertile places in America for hoops talent.

Recruiters from at least 15 schools have flocked to the Greenbelt, MD school to watch open gym this fall, including: Long Island University, American, Boston University, Northeastern, Navy, UMBC, St. Francis (PA), Howard, North Carolina A&T, Colgate, and Delaware State.

Now, on to some of the players that are tasked with keeping Roosevelt’s legacy alive.

David Abraham – 6’2”, 180 pound senior swingman – Abraham is a shooter that can keep defenses honest. Small D1 and D2 schools, like Shenandoah have expressed interest, though expect his suitors to increase as the season progresses. Varsity returner.

Alex Bates can hit the mid-range jumper.

Prince Okoroh - 6’4”, 185 pound junior forward – A great student and hard worker, Okoroh can slash, finish, defend, and via practice and workouts, now hit the open jumper. According to a previous article on i95Ballerz.com, the likes of “Navy, Brown, South Florida, Colgate, William and Mary, American and Delaware” are starting to recruit him. Returning varsity guy.

Alex Bates – 6’8”, 215 pound senior center – Alex received at least 20 scholarship offers, with Boston University, Northeastern, and UMBC making up his final four. Why the deluge of interest? A recent transfer, Bates is a back to the basket big man, a lefty that blocks shots, rebounds, and willingly does the dirty work.

Chaun Miller – 6’4”, 175 pound sophomore forward – Miller, though young, can rebound, knocks down open shots and provides energy.

Marques Johnson – 5’9”, 175 pound sophomore point guard – An athletic player that can score and defend, Johnson is the team’s x-factor; if he returns from injury clicking on all cylinders, the Raiders early season development time could be lessened.

Montrell Wood – 6’1” – 6’1”, 180 pound senior guard – A varsity returner, Wood provides extreme athleticism from the perimeter, and could be poised to be a defensive stopper.

Jamal Sims – 5’11”, 280 pound junior point guard – Sims is lightening quick and possesses great court vision; he will tally up those dimes.