Albany Academy’s Ray Jerome

Ray Jerome, a 6’3” junior from Albany Academy, is starting to make a name for himself on the court. This past spring, he competed for a very talented u16 City Rocks team coached by Hamlet Tibbs. While competing for City Rocks, he played extremely well in arguably the most competitive tournament in the Northeast, The Gym Rat Challenge, and was named to the Under-16 All-Gym Rat Challenge team.

At Academy, Jerome competes for one of the most successful coaches in the area, former Siena Assistant Brian Fruscio. So far this year, he is averaging ten points per game against a very tough schedule. Over Christmas break, AA traveled down to Reading, PA, to compete in a tournament where Jerome was named to the All-Tournament team after dropping 14 points in the championship game and helping lead his team to the title.

One word to describe Ray’s game is aggressive. Unlike most young players, it doesn’t matter what end of the floor Ray is on. Offensively, he uses his athleticism to attack the rim where he either finishes or looks to find open teammates. Over the past year, he has improved his range, making him even more difficult to guard. When describing his defensive abilities, Ray said, “I try to take advantage of my athleticism and try to get blocks, steals, and beat other players to the spot for charges or to turn them into a trap.” He gives credit to Coach Fruscio for instilling those instincts in him.

Ray made it clear he had some lofty goals for 2014. “My first goal is high, and that is to win all our games and win another Federation Championship. I wouldn’t set that as my goal if my team didn’t have my trust and if I didn’t believe that we were absolutely capable of doing it.” His other goal is to make the  Albany City Rocks EYBL team this coming spring.

Ray Jerome will be one of the most interesting Section Two prospects to watch over the next year. He is blessed with tremendous athleticism and the chance to play for an elite coach Fruscio, who will help him be prepared for the next level. When asked about his recruiting, Ray stated he has heard from schools in the CAA, Ivy League, Patriot League, A-10, and AAC. Expect interest to pick up this spring as Ray continues to improve his game while continuing to compete against tough competition.

Derek Marchione-Staff writer