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Newcomer Spotlights - Tony Taylor & Chris Prescott
By Julian Gompertz | October 3, 2008
Tony Taylor (GW):5′11″, 165lbs., Guard
Archbishop Stepinac High School
Tony Taylor had just begun his recruitment process when Karl Hobbs traveled to White Plains, New York, to speak to the 5′11″ scoring point guard. Taylor must have been impressed, because on Hobbs’ drive back down to Washington, D.C., Taylor, who earlier claimed he would not be signing until late in the season, was a Colonial.
Taylor loved what GW had to offer both academically and athletically and could be one of the sleepers in the A-10 this season. After playing in the shadows of Melquan Bolding (who now also resides in the A-10) as a junior, Taylor had a monster senior season at Archbishop Stepinac, averaging just under 30 points per game while grabbing over seven rebounds and dishing out six assists per contest. His talent was on display last season when he went on a 12-0 individual run during one game, scoring four point plays on consecutive offensive possessions.
“He is a special player and makes coaching easier,” said Stepinac coach Timothy Philp. “Instead of calling timeouts or calling plays, he will make them on his own.”
The White Plains native will add much needed depth at the point guard position for the Colonials this season, and could see extended minutes early in the year if GW’s Travis King cannot fully recover from last season’s knee injury.
Chris Prescott (Saint Joseph’s): 6′2″, 190 lbs., Guard
Northwest Catholic High School
After the departures of their leading scorer Pat Calathes as well as key contributor Rob Ferguson, the Hawks will lose almost 30 points per game. As a result, Phil Martelli hopes Prescott can fill some of the scoring void. While the Connecticut native is only 6′2″, he gives the Hawks an additional, and different type of, scorer in their backcourt, adding to a roster which already boasts Tasheed Carr, Darrin Govens and Garrett Williamson.
Prescott was a highly touted recruit from Northwest Catholic High School, where several A-10 schools as well as others such as Wake Forest, Michigan, Saint John’s and Seton Hall showed interest. Ultimately, he chose Martelli’s program over the lower-tier BCS Conference schools, perhaps sensing he can make a more immediate impact.
With D.J. Rivera’s transfer to Binghamton, Prescott will have that opportunity, and gives Martelli another chess piece to manuever this season. The lack of frontcourt experience may force the Hawks to play with three guards on the floor more often in 2008-09. If so, expect Prescott to see his fair share of those minutes.
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