2009 Spring Recap

Another spring travel season has come and gone.  This year, April felt different with no Division I college coaches around at events, a prime reason my own travel schedule was different this year.  Other than Easter weekend and the Rumble in the Bronx, I never left New England for a travel team event.  The crucial month of July beckons, and it’s more important than ever for coaches when it comes to evaluating players.

This time around, there is a noticeable difference in talent between rising seniors and underclassmen, even if you include players who will repeat their junior year next year in the former category.  While there is good talent here in the class of 2010, there appears to be a relative wealth of talent in the classes following it.  How much the month of July bears this out, if it does at all, remains to be seen.

As was the case last year, this is a look back at players in several different categories largely from around Massachusetts and Rhode Island since that’s where most of the players I saw enough to have a feel for their play are from.  The players are listed alphabetically.

Simply The Best

Gerard Coleman (6′4″ Jr. SG, Tilton (NH) School) BABC rode the Providence commit all spring long, as he was by far their best scorer, and he responded.  He was excellent, showing continued improvement as he is better going to his right and shooting the ball better, and you can see that he’s going to keep getting better because he hasn’t stopped working.  He’ll start off July at the LeBron James Skills Academy in Cincinnati.

Ricardo Ledo (6′5″ So. SG-SF, Warwick (RI) Bishop Hendricken HS) There probably wasn’t a player who broke out more this spring than Ledo, arguably the most consistent player for the powerful Expressions 16-under team.  The athletic wing has grown a couple of inches and has a lot of tools, and his play at the Breakout Camp earned him an invite to play with the best at the Reebok All-American Camp in July.  Headed to St. Andrew’s in the fall as a repeat sophomore, he’s only begun to show us what he can potentially be.

Nate Lubick (6′8″ Jr. PF, Southborough (MA) St. Mark’s School) Since he was a highly-touted freshman, he has gradually transformed his game, and the Georgetown commit is now a very complete player.  He’s tough, very fundamentally sound, plays with no shortage of confidence and has shown leadership ability, which St. Mark’s will count on next season.  He looks very much like a glue guy-type, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him fill a stat sheet, even if the numbers aren’t all big ones.

Alex Murphy (6′8″ Fr. SF-PF, Wakefield (RI) St. Mark’s School) There was some difficulty with this decision, admittedly – do we put a rising sophomore here, a section normally reserved almost entirely for rising seniors who have proven themselves over time and especially this spring?  Murphy’s terrific spring merited mention in this category after some consideration, and he’s only just begun to scratch the surface of his potential.

Shabazz Napier (6′0″ So. PG, Charlestown (MA) Lawrence Academy) I’ve long been a critic, because for a long time he’s been a gunner – and that’s not what you hand the ball to your point guard to do, especially a point guard with his physical gifts.  In the latter half of the spring, that changed, as he now uses his quickness to wreak havoc and creates for others in addition to getting easy baskets on the go, and he’s making teammates better.  He is now playing like a point guard, and his selection to the Reebok All-American Camp was certainly deserved.

Evan Smotrcyz (6′8″ Jr. SF, Reading (MA) New Hampton Prep) The past year has been one of great growth for this skilled forward, who has gone from being very under the radar to a solid commitment for Michigan.  This spring, he broke out even more, shooting the ball very well but being much more than just that.  He made a lot of plays aside from scoring, while letting the game come to him very well, and was consistently getting better.

You Know What You’re Getting

Billy Baron (6′1″ Sr. PG-SG, Warwick (RI) Bishop Hendricken HS) He’s had a solid spring, and mainly because he seems to have found his niche as a glue guy-type.  His game can’t be pigeonholed into either guard position, as he’s shown that he can play both well, and he recently had a nice weekend at the Rumble in the Bronx.  With his play of late, there’s reason to believe he could have a post-graduate year at Worcester Academy similar to the one his brother had.

Brian Grossman (6′1″ Jr. SG, Duxbury (MA) High) There’s probably not a better glue guy around than Grossman, who had a nice spring playing for Metro Boston.  His best asset offensively is his shooting, but he’s always been a solid defender and knows the game.  Put him on a team and he’ll contribute, even though he won’t necessarily put up big numbers, and he’ll only help.

Allen Harris (6′4″ Sr. SG, West Roxbury (MA) Catholic Memorial HS) The best part about him is that he knows what he is: a mid-range-plus shooter.  But he also showed the ability to score on drives to the basket, and he’s still not mature physically.  He rarely forces plays that aren’t there and is unselfish, and had a good spring playing for a new team.  He’s bound for Suffield Academy in the fall, and this July could see his recruitment reach new levels if he continues what he did in the spring.

Greg Kelley (6′8″ Jr. PF, Newton (MA) North HS) Simply put, he’s solid and gives good effort every time out, and is about as fundamentally sound as they come.  He doesn’t put up big numbers, but he’ll score, rebound, box out, doesn’t force things that aren’t there, and helps teams win as he’s been on winning teams consistently.  Most likely, he’s headed to an Ivy League school as he’s an excellent student.

Canaan Severin (6′3″ So. SG-SF, Marlborough (MA) High) Effort isn’t a concern with this well-built wing.  He always competes and plays bigger than his size, which helps compensate for not being at the same skill level right now as some other wings.  As hard as he works, there’s no reason to believe he won’t improve his skills, so there’s definitely some upside here.

Good Improvement

Zach Auguste (6′7″ So. SF-PF, Marlborough (MA) High) In the last year, he’s had a significant growth spurt to reach his current height, and he’s still a baby physically.  He doesn’t have one thing he does well, but potentially has a lot of tools as he’s shown some inside-outside ability.  He’s been at his best when he’s used his athleticism inside, being an active rebounder and making quick post moves to score.

Dennis Clifford (6′11″ Jr. C, Bridgewater (MA) Bridgewater-Raynham HS) Over the last year, he’s improved little by little, but this spring the improvement accelerated some and culminated with his trip to the Breakout Camp in June.  While not dominant, he’s become more of a factor inside at both ends, a reason to believe there’s more improvement to come.  In the fall, he will repeat his junior year at Milton Academy.

Marcus Grant (6′2″ So. SG, Groton (MA) Lawrence Academy) He’s still a complementary player and his best asset is still that he plays well within the team concept, but he showed signs of becoming more than that.  His offense took a nice leap, especially shooting the ball, and he’ll gladly guard the opponent’s best perimeter player any time.

James Kennedy (6′6″ So. SF-PF, Dorchester (MA) Cushing Academy) Although he isn’t putting up big numbers, you can see the improvement in his play by seeing him be more of a factor inside all the time.  His post moves are getting better, as he’s even shown a nice move to his left from the low block a couple of times, and he’s expanding his game with a mid-range jump shot while continuing to be a better rebounder.

Jordan Laguerre (6′0″ Jr. PG-SG, Manchester (NH) Trinity HS) The first look at him this spring came at the Providence Jam Fest, where he had a great day on Saturday before not playing as well on Sunday.  But he continued his solid play after that, shooting the ball well and mixing in some slashing baskets.  The lefty might be an undersized shooting guard, but with what he showed this spring, he’s clearly developing into a good one.  Next fall, he will repeat his junior year at New Hampton Prep.

Chris Sherwood (6′3″ So. SF, Canton (MA) High) All spring long, he continued to get better, and there’s a simple reason for it: he stuck to using his athletic gifts.  There aren’t many players in New England that are as athletically gifted as he is, and he used it to attack the basket and score transition baskets as well.  That offset the fact that his jumper hasn’t improved much, and while he continues to work on it, he’s making the most of what he has going for him and the results bear it out.  Next year, he will attend Brimmer & May.

Naadir Tharpe (5′11″ So. PG, Worcester (MA) Brewster Academy) The month of April was a good one for him, as he helped lead his team to some good success that included a title at the Playaz Spring Fling.  He was consistently getting in the lane and finding teammates, running the team well.  The one knock is that at times, he was perhaps too unselfish and didn’t make himself an offensive threat, but there wasn’t much to complain about there.

The Jury Is Out

Denzel Brito (6′2″ Jr. SG, Groton (MA) Lawrence Academy) At times this spring, he looked very good, although less like a combo guard.  That’s not bad, because it’s looked more and more like he’s better playing off the ball.  But too often, he passed up shots he created for himself, shots he’s shown he can make in the past, and thus didn’t make himself the factor he can be.  He’s athletic, can score and has some combo guard abilities, but this spring hasn’t quite clarified just how good he is.

Carson Desrosiers (6′11″ Jr. PF-C, Lawrence (MA) Central Catholic HS) There might not be a player for whom opinions differ so greatly.  There are those who think he’s a big-time prospect because of his size and skills, including his three-point range, and there are those in my camp who are far from convinced and see him as a soft post player who doesn’t want to do anything inside.  He’s certainly very skilled, and he can block shots inside, but he doesn’t dominate and isn’t the factor on the glass or as an inside presence that a big-time 6′11″ player is supposed to be.  Basically, he’s a finesse forward, and will probably play his best basketball in a structured offense where he doesn’t need to score on the post and can run plays like the give-and-go, which he runs very well as a passer or finisher.

Alex Francis (6′6″ Jr. SF-PF, Plymouth (NH) Holderness Prep) A well-built forward, he’s a plus athlete and a live body.  That sounds good, but the questions come from a basketball standpoint, as he looks more like a power forward than a small forward as he just isn’t skilled enough right now to be a small forward despite having the body and being athletic enough for it.

Tyler Olander (6′8″ Jr. PF, Storrs (CT) E.O. Smith HS) There are times, like the Reebok Headliner Camp, where his motor is going and he plays aggressively, and as such he looks like a high-major prospects.  Then there are times where you hardly notice he’s on the floor.  He’s had about as many of the latter as the former to this point.  Next year, he will repeat his junior year at Worcester Academy.

Joe Sharkey (6′2″ So. PG-SG, Northfield (MA) Mount Hermon) The big question right now is: what is he?  He has at times shown promise as a point guard, but his lack of quickness doesn’t help there while his good passing ability does.

Ryan Woumn (6′2″ Jr. PG, Lynn (MA) English HS) After exploding in the state tournament, it was thought that this spring would be a time for him to break out from under the radar.  But that hasn’t happened, as for much of the spring he looked very much like someone playing for a new team, as he had his moments but never really got untracked.  The biggest issue is that he hasn’t been the most aggressive player, and thus all too often didn’t make himself an offensive factor.

Quietly Solid

Matt Brown (6′2″ Jr. SG, Northfield (MA) Mount Hermon) It’s been said before, but bears repeating: put him on a team, and he’ll find a way to contribute.  He seems to have found himself in playing off the ball, as he had an excellent weekend at the Providence Jam Fest and had some good games later.

Ron Giplaye (6′6″ Jr. PF, Fitchburg (MA) Notre Dame Prep) An easy comparison to make is that he’s like Jeff Adrien, a fitting one since both played for the same travel team.  Fundamentally sound and a good rebounder, he’s always going to put in the work inside, and he may not score a ton of points, but he’ll rebound and defend to make up for it.

Anthony Ireland (5′10″ Sr. PG, Waterbury (CT) Crosby HS) Simply put, he’s one of the toughest floor leaders out there.  Though he won’t bowl you over with quickness, he’s strong, never stops competing, and doesn’t try to do too much offensively.  He is the kind of player you can win with, and he’ll take that to Winchendon in the fall for a post-graduate year.

Derek Retos (5′10″ Jr. PG-SG, Attleboro (MA) Brimmer & May School) For a time late last summer and into the school season, he struggled to shoot the ball.  That was always his best asset, as he showed improvement as a potential playmaker but the gift was always his shot.  Late in the season, he started shooting better, and he was lights out during the spring, including a big 31-point effort in the Massachusetts AAU and a big weekend at the Reebok Headliner Camp.

Ryan Romich (6′5″ Jr. SF, West Groton (MA) Groton-Dunstable HS) A year ago, he was a big scorer on a team without a great deal of talent.  Now, he doesn’t put up the same scoring numbers, but appears to have found a niche.  Namely, he adapts his game to who he has around him, as he’s shown the ability to be a team’s leading scorer while more recently showing he can be a blender.

Leaving Something to be Desired

Pat Ackerman (6′10″ So. C, Worcester (MA) Academy) The biggest issue he has faced is being able to play through adversity during a game, as his body language has often suggested he had a hard time doing that.  To his credit, in the latter part of the spring, he got better at it, and the results showed it as he was more effective.  And in fairness to him, although this list has a negative connotation for the players on it, he’s actually come a long way in the past year from a guy I admittedly saw as more of a project at first.

Anthony Barry (6′2″ So. SG-SF, Milford (MA) High) What’s desired here is skill improvement, given his size.  He plays hard and will get results because he doesn’t stop competing, and he’s certainly athletic, but his lack of skill for either wing position hurts him because it severely limits what he can do offensively.  Fortunately, that’s a good problem to have because skills can be improved with some work.

Tevin Falzon (6′6″ So. SF, Newton (MA) North HS) Partly because he’s played limited minutes for much of his career until recently, he doesn’t seem to process the game very quickly, and as such it seems like the game is too fast for him.  But there is some upside, notably that he can still get better physically and shoots the ball well from mid-range.  He makes enough shots to keep you from giving up on him as a prospect.

Egi Gjikondi (6′8″ Fr. PF, Malden (MA) High) Sure, he has good size.  Sure, he has a decent motor.  Sure, he puts up good scoring numbers.  But he doesn’t rebound, has a slow jumper release, and isn’t a real presence inside as he doesn’t even score with strong, tough post moves often.  More important, there’s a concern about attitude since he got ejected from games twice during the high school season and has picked up technical fouls during travel team play.  In the fall, he will repeat his freshman year at Cushing Academy.

Michael LaPlante (6′4″ So. SG-SF, Barrington (RI) St. Andrew’s) He wasn’t the same player with the Saints that he was last spring and summer, and this spring continued that.  While he wasn’t found consistently playing, when he was in a tournament he was still not the same player at all.  At this point, he’s more of an unknown than a prospect, after he looked to have a good deal of potential last year.

Mario Monroe (6′7″ Jr. PF, Cambridge (MA) North Cambridge Catholic HS) For a couple of years, I’ve tried to find something to like about him, and it remains just about impossible.  He has no feel for the game, constantly gets into foul trouble – including dumb technical fouls, which he has shown a special penchant for of late – and is perhaps the most easily rattled player I can remember seeing.  This spring has simply reinforced what was previously seen.

Billy Soriano (5′8″ So. PG, Providence (RI) Mount Pleasant HS) Long story short, he’s the same player he was a year ago.  He’s quick and can handle the ball, and is a capable passer, but his physical limitations are becoming more of a hindrance.  When driving to the basket, the fact that he’s small and lacks strength hurts him in trying to finish, and he’s not crafty enough to make up for those shortcomings.

Future Stars

Kamali Bey (6′3″ Fr. SG, Springfield (MA) Sabis Charter School) He’s already a good scorer and didn’t miss a beat when he played up in a 16-under division.  The two main things to watch will be improving his jumper and conditioning.  Right now, he knows how to use what he has, and it shows in the results.  Next year, he will attend the Brooks School.

Khem Birch (6′9″ Fr. C, Montreal (Que.) South Kent School) A gentle giant, he has a world of potential and we’re seeing some of it already.  He had a growth spurt within the last couple of years, so it’s not surprising that he runs the floor extremely well, and with his length, he’s already capable of impacting games.  On a few occasions, he’s owned the boards, and he doesn’t even know how to box out yet, and he shows little hints of offensive potential.

Andrew Chrabascz (6′5″ Fr. SF-PF, Portsmouth (RI) High) At first glance, he looks a lot like what you would expect of the son of a former Division I player.  He’s fundamentally sound, has a nose for the ball and can score and rebound inside while showing some face-up skills.  If he grows physically, his ceiling goes up even more.

Jake Layman (6′5″ Fr. PF, Wrentham (MA) King Philip HS) One of the most pleasant surprises at the Reebok Headliner Camp, there’s a lot to like as he earned a late invite to the Breakout Camp.  He goes to work, has a nose for the ball, plays bigger and shows some good skill already to eventually play well away from the basket.

Nerlens Noel (6′9″ Fr. C, Everett (MA) High) A lot of what can be said about Birch can be said of this long big man, although Birch is clearly the better player right now.  Noel can block shots all day and is a good rebounder for a shot-blocker, as he doesn’t try to block everything and doesn’t often get out of rebounding position.  Offensively, he has a ways to go, but he has shown a touch on short jump shots, which isn’t a bad starting point.