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Pa. basketball MVPs primed for future success

Collin Gillespie, Quade Green and Daron Russell are promising Division I-bound players

The boys' basketball all-state teams, selected by a panel of sportswriters and media members, were announced Friday afternoon.

In all, 40 players from Southeastern Pennsylvania earned all-state honors in six classifications. Four senior guards earned player of the year honors.

Archbishop Wood's Collin Gillespie was voted the top performer in Class 5A. Imhotep Charter's Daron Russell was chosen in 4A. Neumann-Goretti's Quade Green was picked in 3A for the second straight year, and Constitution's Tamir Green was tabbed in 2A.

Now, Gillespie, Russell and Quade Green are focused on taking the next step and aiming to flourish at the Division I level. Tamir Green is likely to continue his hoops career at a prep school.

The 6-foot-2 Gillespie will join Neumann-Goretti's Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, a 6-8 forward, at Villanova.

Gillespie's dramatic (incredible?) improvement in the offseason, which was evidenced by his eye-popping play in the first month of the 2016-17 campaign, resulted in an early January visit from Villanova coach Jay Wright.

That was soon followed by a scholarship offer, and Gillespie, who averaged 22 points and drilled 77 three-pointers in the recently completed season, jumped at the chance to play on the Main Line.

A terrific ballhandler, penetrator and shooter who oozes confidence, Gillespie has drawn comparisons to Ryan Arcidiacono. The ex-Neshaminy star capped his career at Villanova by leading the Wildcats to their first NCAA championship in 31 years.

Gillespie's bid to make an immediate impact at Villanova could depend heavily on the health of Phil Booth. The 6-3 junior guard was sidelined since mid-November with inflammation in his left knee.

If Booth can't overcome his knee issues, Gillespie could avoid a redshirt season and vie for time in the backcourt with Jalen Brunson (if he does not enter the NBA draft), Donte DiVincenzo and swingman Mikal Bridges.

If Brunson and Bridges leave for the NBA after next season, that would open the door for Gillespie, with his vastly increased speed and strength, to be Wright's next beloved floor general.

ESPN aired its "One and Not Done" 30 for 30 documentary on Kentucky's John Calipari on Thursday night, giving local viewers a glimpse of what it will be like for Quade Green to play under the intense and demonstrative coach.

There is a good chance the 6-foot Green, a dynamic and savvy playmaker, will start right away for the high-powered Wildcats.

That's because both of Kentucky's freshman guards, De'Aaron Fox and Malik Monk, have declared for June's NBA draft. Fox, an electrifying point guard, could land with the 76ers.

Green, who averaged 20.7 points and 7.9 assists as a senior, projects as the perfect facilitator in Lexington. Look for him to neatly set up scoring opportunities for backcourt mate Hamidou Diallo, 6-8 forward P.J. Washington and 6-11 center Nick Richards.

It's important that Green, a five-star recruit and McDonald's all-American, work on his on-the-ball defense - he'll often be guarding bigger Southeastern Conference foes - and perimeter shooting.

After leading Imhotep to its fifth state championship, Russell's next stop is Rhode Island. The 5-11 guard, who averaged 18 points and five assists, closed with a school-record 1,813 points.

With his quickness and ability to get to the rim and finish, Russell was arguably the No. 1 recruiting target for Rams coach Dan Hurley in the Class of 2017.

Russell should fit in well at Rhode Island, a scrappy group that went 25-10 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament before being nipped by Oregon, 75-72.

He may have to wait a year to see significant minutes, as guards E.C. Matthews (14.9 ppg.), Jared Terrell (12.6), and Jarvis Garrett (6.0) are expected to be fixtures in a loaded backcourt.

Joe Lunardi, a bracketologist at ESPN, has already projected Rhode Island to be a No. 11 seed in next year's Big Dance.

robrien@phillynews.com

@ozoneinq

www.philly.com/ozone