Shamorie Ponds couldn’t think of a better place to end his high-school career.
The baller — considered one of the best in the city — will take the court at Barclays Center in the Jordan Brand Classic All-American boys’ basketball game on April 15. The St. John’s-commit will compete with and against some of the best high-school players in the country — something he did this summer at the Elite 24 game in Brooklyn — and he is pumped to be performing in front of friends and neighbors.
“I’m just excited to get selected to that game, especially because it is in my hometown,” Ponds said. “I’m just looking forward to putting on a show.”
He enters the game coming off a tremendous senior season in which he led Jefferson to its first Public School Athletic League title in 62 years. Ponds shared most valuable player honors with Rasheem Dunn after scoring a game-high 31 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, dishing out five assists, and collecting six steals.
The two-time Courier Life All-Brooklyn Player of the Year also helped the Orange Wave claim the state Federation Class AA crown. Ponds averaged 28 points, eight rebounds and six assists this season. After big games at Carnesecca Arena and Madison Square Garden, he’d love to add one more at Barclays Center.
“That would be cool — a blessing,” Ponds said.
He also understands he will have more than basketball responsibilities this week — he is the game’s unofficial host. Ponds already knows a number of the players from travel ball and other all-star events, and he plans to help guide them around Brooklyn.
“I’m going to kind of show them around, talk to them, because they are going to be asking a lot of question,” he said. “So I am just going to walk them through it.”
When the lights come on Friday, he expects the Brooklyn crowd’s cheers to carry him to one more big night as a high-schooler.
“It boosts my confidence,” Ponds said. “At Elite 24 the crowd was on my side. I feel like it is going to be like that at the Barclays.”
