By David Cordova
In the city of Baltimore, there is a lot of talent that have come out of the city, such as Muggsy Bogues, Sam Cassell, Rudy Gay, Reggie Williams and C.J. Fair to name a few. But there is one young star who looks like he will rise with his predecessors and be added to that list of great players from Charm City.
This star’s name is Andre Rafus, a 6-9 forward from West Baltimore who is one of the most underrated rising juniors in the country. He is definitely one of the most unsung stars in the Class of 2017. He holds offers from schools such as Arizona State, California, UConn, Dayton, Delaware, Georgetown, Kansas State, UMass, Memphis, Missouri, St. John’s, Tennessee, UCLA, UNLV, USC, VCU and West Virginia.
Rafus most recently starred at St. Frances Academy, a powerhouse program in Baltimore, but because of the violence that is happening in his hometown, he has decided to transfer to St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, New Jersey, which plays a national schedule against a lot of the top-tier teams around the country. Rafus is a forward who can shoot from many places on the court and is also very athletic and looks for plenty of ways to score. Wherever he goes, he will be a formidable force for any college team in the country. The sky is the limit for this young talent from Charm City.
Here’s the Q & A with the man himself, Andre Rafus:
When did you first start playing basketball?
At 10 years old at the Bentalou Rec Center.
When did you start taking the game serious?
When I scored 30 points in an 11 and under game.
How is the basketball culture in Baltimore?
It’s okay, it’s pretty good down there. The game is taken serious in Baltimore.
Describe your time at St. Frances Academy. What led you to transfer to St. Benedict’s?
It was a good time at St. Frances, I made a lot of good friends. But unfortunately, I had to get out of Baltimore because of the violence that was going on.
How does it feel being invited to a prestigious event such as the Adidas Uprising All-American Camp?
It was a blessing. I got invited to a lot of camps this year. I thought that this one was one of the good ones out of the few.
What drives you to be successful?
Just getting my family out of Baltimore. I would like to be able to give them a better life.
Are you excited for the upcoming season at St. Benedict’s?
Yes, I’m very excited. We have a chance to be real good. Myself, Trevon Duval & Nate Pierre-Louis have a chance to do damage.
What can we expect in the future from Andre Rafus?
Just getting better & better every time you see me on the court.
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