ARMWOOD PRIMED FOR MONTROSE & VILLANOVA

By Ron Bailey

November 12, 2008 – Baltimore, aka Charm City, has long supplied talented basketball players to the Big East, with the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Donte Greene and Michael Lloyd (Syracuse); David Wingate, Reggie Williams, Kevin Braswell along with DaJuan Summers (Georgetown); plus Bootsy Thornton (St. John’s) and Kevin Norris (Miami when the school was in the conference) immediately coming to mind. The port city has been good to America’s premier hoops conference.

In 2009 another B’More baller enters the league, none other than 6-foot-8 forward Isaiah Armwood. A prototypical run and jump frontcourt man, Armwood, who weighs a svelte 185 pounds, is probably one of the best players in his class of filling fast break lanes and finishing, routinely putting it down on opponent’s heads.


That’s an ability he his displayed for years, and a skill that will make him one of the most exciting players to hit the Big East when he enrolls at Villanova next year. For the record, the Wildcats bested other league schools Louisville and Syracuse, along with the Atlantic Coast Conference’s University of Maryland for his services.

To his credit, Isaiah is not content with simply relying on his high flying antics, as he recognizes what he needs to improve upon: strength, ball handling, and perimeter shooting. Those factors will certainly increase his college basketball odds of contributing early for the Wildcats.

“We do a lot of things in terms of working on our skills” at Montrose Christian School (MD), where Isaiah stars, revealed the Charm City product. “I’ve been doing ball handling and shooting drills, plus lifting weights. My handling and my shooting have improved.”

“I think he’s going to have an excellent season this year,” said Montrose’s coach, Stu Vetter, of his expectation for Armwood’s final campaign. “We’re going to play him inside and outside”: This includes having Isaiah face up from three point land and at times giving several dribbles before pulling up, as well as operating on his beloved baseline. Expect Armwood, who has recovered from a springtime knee injury to continue rebounding and blocking shots. Of course running the floor is a foundation of his game.

Going forward playing inside and out will be good for Isaiah and Villanova, a place he deemed “a great fit for me”, one allowing him to “play both forward positions.” Based upon his continued work, Armwood also believes “I have a good chance at starting my freshman year.”

Could Armwood be the next Baltimore standout to do damage in the Big East? If he continues to improve upon his weak points frankly yes. It’s all up to him, and based upon this preseason, Isaiah is pointed in that direction.


Ron Bailey is the Publisher of i95ballerz.com and frequent contributor to the NBE Basketball Report.