Melvin Johnson has landed on his feet at St. Benedict’s Prep. (Denis Gostev)
Rice, the legendary Harlem high school that churned out Division I boys basketball players by the bushel, closed last spring for financial reasons. The school no longer exists, but the tradition of excellence has continued – just at different locations throughout the city and beyond.
Former Raiders are thriving everywhere, from the CHSAA to the PSAL, even New Jersey and Connecticut.
“I’m not really surprised,” former Rice coach Dwayne Mitchell said. “We had some good kids, we had kids that understood the importance of working hard and being a team player. If you play a certain way, you can have success, and that’s what’s happening. They’re buying in to the programs they are at and listening to the coach.”
Miami commit Melvin Johnson has emerged as one of the top players on New Jersey powerhouse St. Benedict’s Prep, ranked seventh in the country by USA Today. Talented combo guard Dayshon Smith left the city for Putnam Science Academy and has shined for the Connecticut prep school, scoring 37 points in a recent loss to top-notch Notre Dame Prep (Mass.).
Cardinal Hayes is considered the class of the Catholic school league despite moving up from Class A this fall in no small part to the impact Rice transfers Tyler Wilson, Chris Robinson, Shavar Newkirk and Naasir Williams have made.
Wings Academy has owned Bronx AA in the PSAL and its glue guy is Jaequan Brown, a versatile 6-foot-4 junior wing. Additionally, 6-foot-8 forward Dominique Nelson has given coach Billy Turnage an inside presence that was sorely needed, combo guard Stephen Turner has surpassed expectations at Wadeigh and forward Jean Toussaint has fit in well at Brooklyn AA up-and-comer South Shore. Mount St. Michael isn’t quite thriving like Hayes, but the Mountaineers have upset perennial contender St. Raymond, with 6-foot-4 forward Ed Correa breaking out as a possible all-league selection.
Naturally, with all this success, it has made some consider what Rice would’ve been like this year if the school never closed. Smith thinks he has a pretty good idea – it would’ve competed for a city title.
“Almost everybody is the star player on their team,” Smith said.
One Division I coach who recruits the city heavily and is familiar with all the Rice players echoed Smith’s belief.
“They made the city championship game last year and with all the kids they had returning, come playoff time they would’ve been the favorite,” the coach said.
Talent evaluator Tom Konchalski said Rice certainly would’ve been a contender to win a city and state championship. He feels the school’s closure has evened out the Catholic league, improving 15-3 Mount and 16-1 Hayes in particular. Hayes coach Joe Lods certainly attests to that.
“They do have that swagger to them. They all have that tough mindset,” he said of the Rice guards. “You play at Rice, you have that quality experience. You’re never gonna see anything that surprises you. They don’t get flustered. The moment isn’t too big for them.”
The backcourt at Rice this year, in particular, would’ve been deep and explosive, Konchalski said. The sharpshooting Johnson has become a top 100 prospect and would’ve been a Mr. New York Basketball contender, Konchalski said. Wilson has broken out as a heady floor leader with plenty of Division I interest and Smith has garnered scholarship offers from Fairfield, St. Peter’s, Quinnipiac and Robert Morris. Add in Newkirk and Robinson – highly thought-of sophomores – and the veteran Williams, and this may have been Rice’s best group of guards in several years.
“We got shooters, we got drivers, we all play a different style – but we complement each other well,” said Wilson, speaking in the present tense – like Rice was still open. “We would’ve been the best backcourt in the city and one of the best backcourts in the country.”
Smith said: “I would’ve felt sorry for a lot of our opponents. Our backcourt would’ve been dangerous.”
Though the Raiders would’ve been undersized, the production from Brown at Wings, Correa at Mount and presence of Toussaint and Nelson lends itself to the belief Rice would’ve been fine in the CHSAA, a small league in stature anyway this winter.
“I definitely think we would’ve been real good,” Mitchell said.
The players admit to thinking about what would’ve been often. Wilson said he either speaks to or text-messages with his former teammates three times a week and often reminsces with Hayes teacher Bro. William Sherlog, who was the athletic director at Rice. As soon as he’s finished with practice or a game, he immediately logs onto Twitter or signs into Facebook to see how they’re doing. He’s rooting for all of them, even Correa – except when Hayes faces Mount.
“These guys are my brothers forever,” said Wilson, a junior who has drawn interest from Fordham, Marist, Kent State, Duquesne, St. John’s and Penn State. “I’m always happy when they do well.”
Mitchell, the former coach, has seen all of his former players in action this winter except for Johnson and Smith. He plans to catch them soon, though he’s been busy working as a trainer and coaching second and third graders with the New York Gauchos. It is somewhat bittersweet, Mitchell said, watching so many of his former players at different locations excelling. He’s tried not to think about what might have been, instead looking toward future endeavors.
Still, he is quick to point out, Rice is still a part of all these kids, where they got their start on the high school level. In that way, it’s a source of pride. The school is closed, but the tradition continues.
“I know where their hearts are at,” he said. “At the end of the day, you know you played a big part [in their success]. To me, they’re still part of the Rice family. They’re always going to be Rice guys.”
