The Tribune

ROMAD Dean and his Crestwood Prep Lions returned to play in the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association and the highly touted senior prospect turned in a season high scoring effort.

Dean finished with a season high 38 points in an 83-78 win over New Horizon Academy when league play resumed.

Crestwood improved to 6-1 while New Horizon fell to 6-3 on the year. It was the first game for the Lions since they finished third at one of the most prestigious winter tournaments on the prep basketball circuit in the United States last December.

The Lions finished the City of Palms Classic in the win column and finished third in the Signature Series bracket with a 68-56 win over Victory Prep (Bradenton, Florida).

Dean finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocked shots in the finale. He averaged 25.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game for the tournament.

The Lions were sidelined during the entire COVID-19 pandemic in the North York section of Toronto, but won the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations championship in 2019-20. Despite a lack of league play, Dean has travelled to the United States to participate with the Lions and at the AAU level with Adidas Grassroots Elite. He was profiled by Rivals.com to expand on his recruitment that has now featured several teams currently ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 rankings.

A 6’7” wing, Dean said his plan is to declare early and spend his senior season focused on his on court production.

“I am trying to go on official visits this summer, I would like to commit early so I don’t have to worry about any recruiting stuff during my senior year,” Dean said. “I will be looking closely at the school’s academics first and foremost, without the academics I won’t be able to play basketball and go far with it. I want to go to a school where the guys play hard and go to a programme where the style fits me and I have a defined role with what I do. I want to play pro basketball, so a school who will help me get there.”

Dean averaged 14.1 points, 13.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game in his last season with the Lions.

He led the team in both rebounds and blocks but is looking to diversify his game once play can resume.

He was also nominated for Canada’s premier prep basketball showcase as one of 198 players named to the BioSteel All Canadian Games - 2020 Boys Nominees List.