St. Anthony sharpshooter one of best at prestigious hoop festival
A year ago at this time, Elijah Ingram just wasn’t himself. The talented St. Anthony point guard was battling a serious leg problem. He went to participate at the prestigious Adidas ABCD Camp at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Hackensack, but was not nearly 100 percent healthy.
"I guess I was around 60 percent healthy," Ingram said. "I didn’t have any strength in my leg. I gave it a try, but I wasn’t at the top of my game."
It would have been foolish for Ingram to pass up the opportunity to play at the camp, with and against the best high school players in the country, including two, Kwame Brown and Eddy Curry, who were recently selected in this year’s NBA Draft. It was a talent showcase, a chance for the best to be among the best. Even to get invited to participate among the 250 or so high school players selected to attend the camp is a great honor. Healthy or not, Ingram had to be there.
"I went as long as I could, until my leg couldn’t go anymore," Ingram said. "It was tough for me, but I had to do it."
Last Sunday, Ingram went back to FDU, back to the ABCD Camp, looking for a little redemption. He entered the camp as a different person.
Instead of being an unknown commodity, a frail junior who was the leading scorer on the worst St. Anthony team in recent memory, Ingram came to ABCD Camp this time around as one of the most respected players in the country.
Winning the Most Valuable Player award at the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions last March helped that. Leading the Friars to yet another T of C title enhanced Ingram’s already impressive stature. Ingram was considered one of the premier point guards in the camp and he certainly didn’t disappoint, earning a spot on the camp’s senior All-Star team, averaging close to 20 points and seven assists per game, all against the best competition in the country.
Some of the players Ingram more than held his own against included Sean Dockery of Julian High School in Chicago, considered to be the premier point guard in the country; Raymond Felton of Latta High School in Latta, S.C., thought to be the No. 2 point guard behind Dockery; Sebastian Telfair, from Lincoln High in Brooklyn, who is also the cousin of former Nets point guard Stephon Marbury; and Allan Ray of St. Raymond’s in the Bronx, who announced his intentions to attend Villanova while attending the camp.
It’s safe to say that Ingram’s stock skyrocketed after the camp. The 5-foot-11 Ingram admitted that he would like to narrow down his collegiate choices – "to about two or three," he said – from the slew of offers he is considering. St. John’s, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Boston College and DePaul are among the leaders, with St. John’s the early frontrunner.
"It’s definitely exciting," Ingram said. "What high school kid wouldn’t want to get all this attention from the big colleges? It’s what every high school kid dreams about. I’m just trying to have fun wherever I go. I try not to think too much about the pressure of being one of the best players. But I want to do good against the good competition and I think I did that here."
Added Ingram, "I had no worries and concerns, because I had no injuries. I feel strong and healthy. That’s a big difference than last year. So I’m really having fun right now. I’m trying to treat this like I’m playing in the backyard. But I’m healthy and that’s all that matters."
As well as impressing a lot of people as being one of the best high school basketball players in the nation. Elijah Ingram cemented that position with his performance at the best high school camp in the land.