The Peach Jam tournament, the premier high school basketball showcase event that annually attracts the best college prospects from around the country — and team sponsors like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook — is limping to Sunday’s finish line after players on at least five boys’ teams tested positive for the virus in recent days.
Among them are two prominent players from New York: Kyle Filipowski, a 6-foot-11 forward who is being heavily targeted by Duke and Kentucky among others, and J.J. Starling, a 6-foot-4 guard who is considering Syracuse, Stanford, Alabama, Connecticut and Notre Dame among a long list of suitors.
Starling’s father, Patrick, said his son tested positive for the virus on Monday and initially had a headache and fever. According to Patrick, none of J.J.’s teammates had tested positive. Isolating in his hotel room, the younger Starling streamed his team’s Wednesday game on his phone and his dad provided orange juice and flu medicines. Though J.J.’s feeling better, the Starlings may have to remain here until he can test negative in order to fly home. His next test was scheduled for Friday.
“He’s hurting by not being out here playing,” Patrick said. “He’s been waiting for two years to be able to compete here. All these players deserve to be here. It’s the biggest opportunity of all.”
