Colonial Athletic Association 2010-11 Preview

Although the Colonial Athletic Association didn’t produce multiple NCAA Tournament bids as was hoped before the season, the postseason was a very successful one for the conference. Six teams played in the postseason, with Old Dominion knocking off Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament and VCU winning the College Basketball Invitational. With much of the talent returning from last season, including many from projected top teams, there is reason to believe this year could be even better.

Nine All-CAA players return, including the reigning Player of the Year. 40 of 60 regular starters return, along with 12 of the top 20 scorers and rebounders. Around the conference, there are some solid newcomers as well, and a couple of players who missed last season due to injury also return.

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As Usual, Baron is Guarded about Rhode Island

SOUTH KINGSTON, R.I. – Jim Baron has talked often about the process with building a program. He should know since he’s done just that throughout his career. If the past few seasons are any indication and the process moves forward like it has been, this season may mean the elusive NCAA Tournament bid finally arrives. If it does, though, it will likely to come with some potholes along the way.

The Rams are about as easy to figure as the Atlantic 10 as a whole, a conference that looks to be wide open aside from Temple being the favorites. But last season, no one figured the Rams would win 26 games, including a great run in the NIT to Madison Square Garden. And if the Rams’ second exhibition game is any indication, they’ve got some work to do.

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Looking Back at Prep School Open Gyms

The fall live period for Division I coaches has come and gone. Along the way, I made a trip to 16 prep schools, twice hitting St. Mark’s since they only have two open gyms that each draw a number of college coaches. It started with an early morning drive to the Tilton School on the ninth anniversary of a day no one in America will forget, and ended with the second trip to St. Mark’s this past Sunday.

A story on each school visited is already here. Now, here’s a look back in light of all that I’ve learned in the last month.

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Hoop Group Elite Fall Top 100 Recap

BOSTON – As they always do, Hoop Group came to Boston for one of its Elite Top 100 Camps on Saturday. Boston University was again the site for about 100 players to work out in front of some Division II and III coaches, and that’s about where a lot of the talent was. Hoop Group has now made these one-day events, holding two on a weekend at two different sites instead of one two-day event.

Here is a look at some of the players who stood out.

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Brimmer & May Has More Talent and Depth

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – When Greg Kristof looks down the bench this year, he’ll like the options he has a little more this season. The talent in his Brimmer & May program has been good, but this year’s team will have more of it than before and some size.

We’ll start with the size since that’s easily noticeable at first glance. Ryan Canty (6’9″ Sr. PF, Danvers (MA)) joins the program after spending last year at rival Tilton. Possessing a big body that he can move well, he ran the floor and scored a couple of post field goals in addition to making a nice long outlet pass on one play. He tried to do too much a couple of times, and if that gets reined in he’ll be a productive inside player.

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League Changes For Phillips Exeter, But Little Else Does

EXETER, N.H. – One of the toughest jobs in the ranks of NEPSAC is the one Jay Tilton has. A one-time Dartmouth assistant, he leads Phillips Exeter, a school with stringent academic requirements both to gain admission and once a student is there. For many years they played at the highest level of NEPSAC in the old Class A. It might be like a prep school version of Stanford, an elite school playing in the Pac-10. Although they won’t be playing at the highest level of NEPSAC anymore, the schedule will feel like it and the academic requirements haven’t changed.

Evidence of the academic load that students take on at the school was present on Tuesday, as the team’s likely best player was not present because of school work. Cam Shorey (6’5″ Jr. PF, Calais (ME)), the player they will basically run their offense through, was busy in the library while the team worked out. While he will anchor it, he won’t be the only frontcourt option they have.

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Wilbraham & Monson Might Have Most Talent Yet

WILBRAHAM, Mass. – The small town of Wilbraham is most famous for a company headquartered there. Drive west on the Mass. Turnpike, and as you enter the town you’re immediately greeted on the eastbound side by a note that it is home to Friendly’s Ice Cream. But these days, that’s not all that’s going on there.

It hasn’t taken Chris Sparks long to build up Wilbraham & Monson Academy. In short order, the former Penn assistant coach has made the program a good destination, and this season he’ll have his most talented team yet.

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Suffield Academy Wants to Run

SUFFIELD, Conn. – Pushing the tempo promises to be the name of the game for Suffield Academy this year. Jeff Depelteau’s squad doesn’t have a lot of size, so the game plan will be to run as often as possible, and that was evident during some of Monday’s open gym.

The player who should lead the way is Andre King (6’1″ Sr. PG-SG, Springfield (MA)). A well-built guard with a mature body, he looks to be a solid fit for such an offense as on a few occasions he grabbed a rebound and headed straight up the court to try to get a fast break going. He’s not the quickest guard and his long range jump shot wasn’t going, but he used his strength and a good hesitation move to get in the lane. While hitting runners and occasionally finishing drives, he showed excellent body control and the ability to finish with the left hand.

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Young Talent Comes to BU For New England Elite 75 Frosh/Soph Event

BOSTON – The New England Elite 75 Freshman/Sophomore Showcase, now in its third year, has a name that seems a bit of a misnomer if you looked in the gym at Boston University. Each session had more than 75 players competing, all among the youngest players in the high school ranks right now with a stray eighth grader mixed in.

An event like this that includes a large number of relatively unproven players always has some element of luck to it, and this one is no different. The talent was certainly there, and how it develops will be worth watching over the next couple of years.

With that, here’s a look at some players who stood out on Saturday.

Dekeeba Battee (6’8″ So. PF, Cairns (Australia) Northfield Mount Hermon) Athletic forward was probably the most physically impressive player at the event, as he has a good body to go with his athleticism. He was active and showed some ability away from the basket, including a shot from deep.

Kahari Beaufort (6’2″ Fr. PG, East Hartford (CT) High) One of the better point guards we saw here, he has good size for the position and showed solid fundamentals for it as well. He passed well on the go, making a nice alley-oop pass on one break, used a good ball fake to finish another, and knocked down a shot from long range as well.

Jahvaney Beckford (6’1″ So. PG-SG, Woodstock (CT) Hyde School) Well-built guard is not the most athletically gifted but can be tough to stop because of his body. He leaked out a few times and looked a little more like a shooting guard than a point guard, although his size likely dictates him playing the latter position if he is to ultimately play Division I at the next level.

Patrick Benzan (5’10″ Fr. PG, Wellesley (MA) Roxbury Latin School) A floor leader who has won his share of games and is the son of a coach, he acquitted himself well as he is finally healthy. He went by his man for a layup and was content running a team, and showed that when he attacks by going north-south he can make things happen.

Henry Bolton (6’0″ So. PG, Portsmouth (RI) High) Point guard has a good body and a maturity about himself you don’t always see. Some of that comes from being in a military family, as he’s moved around a bit in his life. Here, he showed a good touch shooting the ball and made a couple of nice passes as well, getting his shots in the flow of the offense.

Justin Bristol (6’6″ So. PF, Wakefield (RI) Prout School) Although undersized for the power forward spot, he caught our eye from being aggressive and making plays. He has a good body and made a couple of baskets from different spots at the offensive end, and if he grows more could project to play inside at a higher level.

Rene Castro (6’1″ So. PG-SG, Milton (MA) Beaver Country Day School) One thing is certain: he wants the ball in his hands when the clock is running down. He ended one quarter with a long jumper as time expired on a play he created, and he created all day for himself and teammates. Not only did he score more going right to the basket where the big men were, but he also drove and dished successfully a few times, suggesting he’s moving towards being more of a combo guard.

Andrew Chrabascz (6’6″ So. SF-PF, Portsmouth (RI) Cushing Academy) A very fundamentally solid player, he had a nice showing with a little more ability from the perimeter. He scored a nice basket with a spin move and short baseline jumper, and generally showed better ball skills while continuing to play very well within the team concept to contribute in several ways.

Jake Fay (6’5″ So. SG, Lynn (MA) Brimmer & May School) Right away, a look at him will make you figure he has grown recently, as he looked noticeably taller. While he’s a capable shooter, he didn’t have his best day doing that here, and he also needs to be more ball-tough as he lost the ball often. Chalk up the shooting to an off day, while being more ball-tough is something that he must improve.

Mabor Gabriel (6’7″ So. PF, Manchester (NH) Trinity School) Intriguing prospect is long and doesn’t lack ball skills, although they certainly need a good deal of polish as he carried the ball a couple of times. He’s not the most fluid athlete and is generally raw at the offensive end, but his length and motor give him a chance if he improves the skill package.

Levy Gillespie (6’0″ Fr. PG, Hartford (CT) Capitol Prep Magnet School) One of the best point guards here, many in the gym raved about him and rightly so. He has a good frame and was perhaps the best passer we saw here, as he passed well on the move and found guys who moved without the ball while getting in the lane often. He also disrupted the fast break at the defensive end, for good measure.

Dennis Greene (6’4″ So. SG, Raleigh (NC) Winchendon School) One of the better wings we saw, he has a good body that can get better and showed a good skill package that suggests he should be a key at Winchendon this year. He showed a good touch from mid-range, including off the dribble, and did well going to the basket and handling the ball, finishing with the left hand on one drive.

Braxton Gulley Mabry (6’4″ So. PF, Arlington (MA) High) Undersized power forward has a big body and is active, but didn’t have as good a showing as he did last year at this event. He’s not the most fluid athlete, although he isn’t carrying all bad weight, and at times he wound up reaching in when his man got by him. The name of the game for him is to improve the conditioning first.

Kaleb Joseph (6’2″ So. PG, Nashua (NH) South HS) You can really see this young point guard progressing, as he’s made a clear improvement. A very coachable kid, he was still the very unselfish point guard he usually is, preferring to pass to teammates when he gets in the lane, but he looks more comfortable taking and knocking down mid-range pull-ups when he gets by his man or when a defender backs off him. Continuing to improve that will only make him more dangerous, especially as his body matures and he goes to the basket more.

Asur Madison (5’11″ So. PG, Los Angeles (CA) Worcester Academy) The baby-faced point guard had a nice showing here, driving to the basket and also showing a little touch shooting the ball out to long range. The play that stands out the most came when he was the only player back on a 3-on-1, where he made a nice read to break the play up.

Duby Maduegbunam (6’3″ So. SG, Newton (MA) Trinity Catholic) Not as well-known as his brother, he had a good showing here as he showed off some athleticism. His body has a little ways to go, but he had a bit of a breakout performance here as he finished with authority a couple of times and also knocked down a three-pointer along the way.

Michael McDevitt (6’5″ Fr. PF, Cumberland Center (ME) Greely HS) Post player has a good body for his age and showed some fundamentals at the offensive end. Unfortunately, he didn’t get many touches with a chance to score, so he didn’t stand out from the standpoint of getting a lot of baskets.

Timmance McKinney (6’3″ So. PG-SG, Milton (MA) High) Scoring is his game, and it’s clear he’s very good at it as he was going by his man to score whenever he wanted to. While there wasn’t much defense played here, his ability to drive and score is still noteworthy, and while he also made a nice pass on the break, he’s wired more to score than distribute.

Brian Mukasa (5’9″ Fr. PG, Sharon (MA) High) Lefty point guard isn’t as quick as some of the point guards he went up against, so he wasn’t able to attack often. Still, he competed and showed some of his leadership capabilities, and his body has a good ways to go physically.

Markus Neale (6’1″ Fr. PG-SG, West Roxbury (MA) High) It was a good day for this young guard as he showed off his good scoring ability and got after it the entire time. He’s such a natural scorer that you’d never guess he’s played his share of point guard, as he scored on drives and from mid-range and generally showed good basketball instincts.

Ikemefuna Ngwudo (6’5″ So. SF, Milton (MA) Academy) This talented wing has a body that’s developing and still has a ways to go, and he showed well in some of the drills. In games, he had some good moments that included a nice drive to the basket, and while he didn’t shine there’s a nice intangible about him: he wastes no time admitting he needs to get better. As such, there’s no reason to believe he won’t.

Omar Orriols (6’2″ So. SG, Charlestown (MA) High) Lanky guard showed some offensive ability playing in both sessions, although he didn’t dominate the freshmen. He looked a little shot-happy, although he was making them out to three-point range, and he’s a plus athlete. On the down side, he is very right-handed, as he had a couple chances to finish with the left hand but made the play more difficult by using the right hand.

John Powell (6’7″ PF, Ashland (MA) Brimmer & May School) Lefty post player has been trying to get stronger, and that should enhance his moves on the low post, which already look good. The biggest issue he has continues to be finishing, as he made nice moves constantly but missed his share of close shots that weren’t even contested. Making that more puzzling is that he finished with the right (off) hand successfully a couple of times.

Colin Richey (6’1″ So. PG-SG, Whitinsville (MA) Christian School) Though he’s not the quickest guard, he showed again that he has a knack for finding gaps in the defense and getting to the basket. Sometimes he also uses a hesitation to get by his man as well, and while he didn’t always finish with a man near him, that will improve with added strength as his body still has a ways to go.

Thomas Rivard (6’5″ So. SF, Worcester (MA) Academy) Very much a baby physically, as he’s quite baby-faced in addition to his body, he knocked down a couple of three-point shots, and given his size that could be a big asset down the road if more of his game develops.

Kamari Robinson (6’4″ So. SF, Springfield (MA) Central HS) After playing power forward most of the time with his travel team, he got to play on the wing here and looked good, giving an idea of what he can do since he doesn’t project as a post player. His body is getting better and the ball skills also look better, and his athleticism has already been a known quantity.

Mike Rodriguez (5’8″ Fr. PG, West Roxbury (MA) High) Small point guard played the role of pass-first floor leader very well, as he was constantly finding guys and especially when driving. He also knocked down a shot from deep, which will keep defenses honest if he can do that more, but he shined by creating for others and that’s what he’ll need to do given his size.

Damien Smith (6’1″ Fr. SG-SF, West Roxbury (MA) High) He doesn’t have a defined game, and plays more like a small forward than anything, but he was effective here. He’ll need to improve his perimeter skill set if he doesn’t grow, but right now he’s effective as a garbage man cashing in loose balls and rebounds.

Leon Tambue (5’10″ Fr. PG, Newton (MA) Fessenden School) Talented young guard showed some quickness, one time driving right by his man to score. If he can shoot like a three-pointer he later made right behind a screen suggests, he’ll be able to keep defenders honest.

Idris Taqqee (6’1″ Fr. PG-SG, Boston (MA) Cushing Academy) Athletic guard showed a nice fundamental understanding of the game, as he was constantly in motion without the ball and set good screens. He also showed a nice touch on mid-range jump shots, including off the dribble, and scored going to the basket.

Noah Vonleh (6’7″ So. SF, Haverhill (MA) High) Well-built forward was one of the most impressive prospects here, as he’s grown physically and as a player. His body is still maturing, and when you add that to his athleticism and motor you have a prospect to keep an eye on. Although he got a little too fancy at the times with his dribble in going for show instead of effect, when he drove to the basket he was tough to stop.

Tayon Watson (5’6″ So. PG, Boston (MA) Match Charter School) Quick point guard was constantly on the attack to try to make things happen. But he wasn’t just effective in the halfcourt, as he also beat everyone up the floor for a layup one time.

Other players who caught our attention in limited viewing:

Matthew Gerak (6’3″ So. SG, Monroe (CT) Masuk HS)

Zachary Gilpin (6’3″ Fr. SG, Hampden (ME) Academy)

Frank Monteiro (6’3″ So. SG-SF, Canton (MA) High)

Freddie Oliveria (6’4″ Fr. SF, West Roxbury (MA) High)

Daylon Ore (5’10″ So. PG, Hartford (CT) Public HS)

Connor Reardon (6’3″ So. SG-SF, Salem (MA) High)

Shawn Strickland (5’9″ So. PG, Middletown (CT) High)

Mo Taylor (6’3″ So. SG-SF, Cambridge (MA) Rindge & Latin School)

Jared Terrell (6’2″ So. SG, Weymouth (MA) High)

Shaine Watkins (5’8″ So. PG, Hartford (CT) Weaver HS)

New Hampton Has Plenty of Guards

NEW HAMPTON, N.H. – Not unlike Jere Quinn’s team at St. Thomas More, New Hampton has a lot of guards and thus a lot of possible combinations. Pete Hutchins, an alum of the school, has a team with only three players 6’7″ or taller and only two who resemble post players, so the name of the game will be getting production going small or getting big minutes from the three tallest players.

The more highly-regarded big man is newcomer Zach Auguste (6’9″ Jr. SF-PF, Marlborough (MA)), who is repeating his junior year. Auguste missed much of July with a broken wrist, but is fully healthy and was active on the day. He’s long, athletic and starting to fill out physically. He was aggressive, starting right away by splitting defenders and dunking to finish a break. While he ran the floor well and finished often with authority, he didn’t do much at the defensive end and that’s been an area for improvement.

He’ll be joined there by Will Davis (6’9″ Sr. PF, Sacramento (CA)), who has a similar body. Early on, Davis was coming up short with jump hooks in the drills, but once game action started he played well at both ends. He got offensive boards and turned them into stickbacks, and was much better with his post scoring.

Nick Paulos (6’7″ Sr. SF, Holladay (UT)) is the next tallest player and one who could be an X-factor. A very good shooter, he’s not a bad athlete and often beat others up the floor. He shot well off the catch, but did more than that and could play a couple of positions as he handles and passes well for someone playing off the ball.

The perimeter unit has plenty of possibilities, led by UMass-bound Jordan Laguerre (6’2″ Sr. SG, Manchester (NH)), who sat out Thursday’s workout with a mild groin injury. A good month of July was just more of what the athletic left-hander has already shown in his career, and as he returns for his second season at the school he figures to grab one of the perimeter starting spots.

Another perimeter player returning for his second season at the school is Carter Trent (5’10″ Sr. PG, Little Rock (AR)), a heady floor leader. He may not start, but he had a decent showing with a couple of nice passes and a deep jumper and figures to get some good minutes.

Travis Souza (6’5″ Sr. SG, Turlock (CA)) and James Dunivan (6’3″ Sr. SG, Richmond (VA)) offer different looks on the wing. Souza has a mature body and showed a touch from long range, while Dunivan’s range appears to top out at the old college three-point line. Dunivan is also a plus athlete with some decent ball skills and a good body that can still get better, so he might get some looks from the lowest levels of Division I.

Joey Ptasinski (6’3″ Sr. SG, Aurora (CO)), who knocked down some three-point shots and has a little more size than some others, should get minutes off the ball. A couple of under-sized shooting guards, Aaron Hendricks (6’1″ Jr. SG, Del Oro (CA)) and Stefano Mancini (6’0″ Sr. SG, Falmouth (ME)), will also be in the mix. Hendricks knocked down a couple of deep three-pointers off the catch and later drove through the defense for a layup, while Mancini had a nice day all around as he drove for scores including while fouled, hit jump shots from deep and passed well when leading the break.

Another who will figure into the point guard picture is Olivier Hanlan (6’2″ Sr. SG, Gastineau (Que.)), while Mancini could see some time at the point just based on his size and Seth Liebert (6’1″ Jr. PG-SG, Danville (CA)) will be in the mix as well. They would join Trent to give them some depth at the position.

New Hampton has plenty of options in the backcourt, allowing them to go smaller if they desire. If their frontcourt players improve, the lack of depth won’t be a major issue and the Huskies could win some games they probably shouldn’t from a talent standpoint.