By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

The Ironton Classic always features some of the top high school basketball talent in the country. One team is attempting to showcase it all.

The Our Savior New American Pioneers of Centereach, N.Y., will play in two feature games at the Ironton Classic Tuesday and Wednesday with nine Division I college prospects on the roster.

“Their roster looks like a who’s who,” said Ironton coach and tournament director Mark LaFon. “But they’re not the only team with talent. The two teams they’re playing are pretty well matched.”

Our Savior is led by 6-foot junior guard Jevon Thomas who has already given a verbal committment to St. John’s University.

Another top prospect is 6-9 junior forward Chris Obekpa who is being recruited by Kentucky, Washington, St. John’s, Florida, Florida State and Pittsburgh.

Big man Daouda Soumaoro is entertaining offers from five schools. The 6-10 center is being courted by Temple, St. John’s, Washingotn, Washington State and Colorado.

Others on the recruiting list include:

Wil Martinez, 6-2 senior guard, Marist, Manhattan, Fairfield, Central Court State, Temple;

Mofe Edukugho, 6-6 senior forward, Southern Connecticut, Dowling, Quinnipiac;

Lebrent Walker, 6-2 junior guard, Wyoming, Albany, Washington;

Nick Lewis, 6-1 junior guard, Wagner, Detroit Mercy, Albany, Illinois-Chicago;

Jon Alexander, 6-5 junior wing, Cleveland State, Illinois-Chicago, Wagner.

Our Savior will play Arlington Country Day, a private school from Jacksonville, Fla.

Arlington has several players entertaining offers from Division I colleges.

The twin towers of 6-11 Christian Mwepe and 7-foot Pape Morsall are joined in the starting lineup by 6-4 Gian Louis Clavell and 6-1 Louis Huertas at guards. Wing players Shawn Smith, Ian Baker and Carlos Morris are entertaining offers from ACC, SEC and Big 12 schools.

Also in the group are 6-8 forward Kerem Kante, brother of Kentucky’s Enes Kanter and 6-10 freshman Michael Gilmore, nephew of former NBA great Artis Gilmore.

The Ironton Classic

Tuesday, Dec. 21

Ironton Sports Center

1 p.m. – St. Joseph vs. Portsmouth Clay

3 p.m — Brooke Point, Va. vs. Campbell Memorial

5 p.m. — Cincinnati Princeton vs Arlington Country Day, Fla.

7 p.m. — Ironton vs. Cincinanti Taft

9 p.m. — Our Savior New American, N.Y. vs. Huntington (W.Va.) Prep

Wednesday, Dec. 22

Ironton Sports Center

1 p.m. — Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers vs. Huntington

3 p.m. — Chesapeake vs. Columbus Africentric

5 p.m. — Huntington Prep vs. Brooke Point, Va.

7 p.m. — Ironton vs. Campbell Memorial

9 p.m. — Our Savior New American vs. Arlington Country Day, Fla.