Talent is on Display at Massachusetts 16-under AAU
CHELSEA, Mass. – It’s all about the younger generation in Massachusetts with the 16-and-under state AAU tournament, held the past two weekends at Belmont Hill School and Chelsea High School, respectively. The Bay State isn’t known for being loaded with Division I talent, but the past two weekends are evidence that a big year could be coming. There’s a decent group of young players who have a chance if they continue to improve, based on what we saw.
After they eked out a 57-55 win at the last second in the semifinals, BABC had to hang on to win the championship game, getting late free throws to ice a 59-54 win over the Boston Saintz. Jamaal Coombs led BABC with 20 points in the final, while the Saintz were led by Gabriel Fumudoh’s 15 points.
The third place game went to the Junior Celtics by a 73-51 margin over the Bay State Magic.
With that, we take a look at some of the prospects we saw at the tournament and some of what they will need to do as their development continues.
Class of 2008
Peterson Bernard (6’7″ PF, Roxbury (MA) Madison Park HS) Beefy post player clearly has a lot of potential, but with some areas for improvement as he doesn’t really know the game. Fortunately, he prefers to operate inside instead of trying to be a small forward. He moves his body well and rebounded well despite not really boxing out well, so when he learns that he could really own the glass. Though he scored in double figures several times, including a 17-point game this weekend, his back-to-the basket game needs work. While he blocked a few shots, he also bites on pump fakes and doesn’t have good timing. With some work on a few aspects of his game, he’ll be a nice Division I prospect.
Jarrett Calhoun (6’2″ SG, East Boston (MA) High) Well-built guard scored almost exclusively on close shots, from drives to the basket to stickbacks and transition finishes. He used his strength well and had several double-digit scoring games.
David Daniels (6’1″ PG-SG, Roxbury (MA) Madison Park HS) Combo guard had a couple of nice scoring games, including 18 points in the semifinals. He’s not a jet, but has a good first step and is a capable shooter, although his low release point could be a problem against bigger guards. His body control also looked to be an issue a couple of times, but that was early in the tournament.
Romeo Diaz (6’2″ SG, Methuen (MA) High) He’s wired to be a scorer and showed it, going for 22 in one game. He has a slight frame and decent quickness, preferring not to shoot the ball although we did see him hit one three-pointer. There’s always a place at the next level for someone who can score, so with some continued improvement, we could see him don a Division I uniform in a couple of years.
Chris Flores (6’1″ SG, Roxbury (MA) John D. O’Bryant HS) Slight guard had a nice weekend in the later rounds, shooting it well and reaching double figures twice. He can score the ball using his quickness to drive as well, though his shooting from long range is what really shined, especially with his four three-pointers en route to 14 points in the third place game.
Derrick Foster (5’9″ PG, East Boston (MA) High) He has the look of an old-school player, as he plays full-tilt at both ends of the floor. His effort will delight fans, as he plays defense all 94 feet and was one of the few players who consistently moved his feet on defense. He’s deceptively quick, but his lack of size may make the difference between being a Division I player or not – if he grows a few inches and improves his overall game, he has a chance.
Gabriel Fumudoh (6’7″ SF-PF, Brighton (MA) High) At times, this athletic forward looked like he could be the best player on the floor, but he also had moments on the other end, like a technical foul in one game and fouling out in another. He has good size and at times shows nice scoring ability at the offensive end, while his hands looked like a question mark at times. The next steps will include for the ball skills to improve and to be more consistent.
Ta’Keme Gomes (6’1″ SG, Somerville (MA) High) Lefty scorer isn’t overly quick and has a slight frame, but he’s certainly athletic and isn’t afraid to go against the big guys. He drove and found ways to score over bigger players, while also knocking down a number of shots with his high-arcing jumper. He simply has a knack for scoring, going for 24 in one game and 16 in another.
Adrian Gonzalez (6’6″ SF, Lawrence (MA) Central Catholic HS) Lefty wing had his moments during the tournament, and being capable of shooting the ball at his size makes him intriguing. That being said, he didn’t shoot lights-out here and didn’t put up a lot of points, isn’t a great athlete and also pushed off while driving a few times (he did get away with a couple of them).
Ashley Hamilton (6’7″ SF-PF, Lawrence (MA) Academy) Possessing good size and some athleticism, there were moments when you could look at him and think he’ll be a solid high-major, but also moments when he looked a little more ordinary. He scored some baskets with nice drives and a few with good post moves, but also didn’t always go up strong and at times looked mechanical with the ball. Active at both ends, he showed some ball skills, and in another year or so could be a solid Division I prospect.
George Jordan (6’4″ SF, Marlborough (MA) High) The first game we saw of his team, he came in off the bench and made an instant impact for a clear reason: he plays the game. He was constantly around the ball and scored inside and out, playing bigger than his size and doing a lot of things, though none exceedingly well. He’s just a good, not great, athlete, showed a touch on mid-range jump shots and consistently scored in double figures. At this point, he will hopefully either grow physically or further develop his perimeter skills for the next level.
Andrew McCarthy (6’7″ PF, Cambridge (MA) BB&N HS) Thin lefty was very impressive throughout the tournament, hitting for 25 and 27 in two games. He’s very thin and has a weak upper body right now, but that didn’t stop him from rebounding and blocking shots inside and getting post baskets. He showed a little touch away from the basket, including a couple of three-pointers in the late rounds, and is quick off his feet. Going forward, he not only needs to add strength, but also improve his endurance and adjust to the speed of the game, which a few times seemed like an issue.
Jake O’Brien (6’8″ PF, Dorchester (MA) Boston College HS) His size will draw one’s attention, but his play will leave two things obvious: he badly needs to gain strength and also doesn’t seem to have much of a feel for the game. Related to the former, we saw him lose the ball several times against smaller players. On the plus side, he is active inside and he played better later in the tournament, getting some offensive rebounds along the way.
Ryan O’Connel (6’3″ SG, Danvers (MA) St. John’s Prep) Probably the most impressive shooter in the tournament, he put on a clinic in their final game as he made six three-pointers en route to 25 points. He has a slight fade on his shot and doesn’t get up much on it, but that didn’t stop him from making four threes against BABC in addition to his big effort on Saturday. If you get him the ball with even a little space from a defender, it’s probably on its way in the basket.
Quasim Pugh (6’0″ PG, Worcester (MA) Academy) He was home in the New York area this weekend, but in the pool play games last weekend he impressed with his scoring ability. The lefty consistently drove through defenses, using his quickness and finding gaps to create opportunities. He was a little erratic passing the ball, and he’s definitely more of a scorer than a floor leader at this juncture.
David Riley (6’3″ SG, Charlestown (MA) High) He’s active and battles inside with bigger players, and grabbed some rebounds, but his offense is where the work needs to be done. Though he hit a couple of late jumpers, overall he didn’t shoot the ball well at all and didn’t make a lot of drives to the basket.
Danquah Rollins (6’3″ SG, Cambridge (MA) North Cambridge Catholic HS) Perhaps no player at this tournament was a better example of someone whose value to a team can’t be measured by his scoring. Rollins had 16 in one game, but overall didn’t score a lot. Nonetheless, he was clearly a valuable player for his team, as he was very active and constantly around the ball, battling against bigger players inside for rebounds and tough baskets. He has some ball skills and showed a mid-range touch, both of which will need continued development, and he slashed for a few baskets as well.
Jamal Turner (6’3″ PG-SG, Roxbury (MA) Thayer Academy) He might be described as the ultimate team player, because he looks to be unselfish almost to a fault. That’s not a bad thing, but Turner so rarely looked to score that we can’t tell if it’s that he’s not capable of scoring and/or shooting right now or is just that naturally unselfish. He’s athletic, very active and can rebound for his size, defends well and really seems to play well within the team concept. All in all, there’s definitely some good upside to his game.
Anthony Weeks (6’2″ SG, Fitchburg (MA) Worcester Academy) Well-built guard is an active defender with some athleticism. He’s not overly quick, but shot the ball well, especially in the later rounds, with a slight fade on his release.
Robert Wesley (6’0″ PG, Cambridge (MA) Ringe & Latin HS) At times, this scoring point guard tried to do a little too much and over-dribbled, but he impressed with his scoring ability. He took over one game, going for 28, and went for 20 points in another, shooting it well in addition to getting to the basket.
Class of 2009
Kevin Barr (6’6″ PF, Ashburnham (MA) Cushing Academy) This thick forward unfortunately went down early in pool play with a broken foot, but before then he was rebounding well and he seems to move his mature body well.
Daryl Bishop (6’3″ SG, Groton (MA) Lawrence Academy) It’s not surprising that his father played in the NFL, as he’s solidly built like a football player. He’s athletic and will drive to the basket all day, and is capable of scoring as evidenced by reaching double figures several times in the tournament.
Jamaal Coombs (6’6″ SF, Lawrence (MA) Academy) He has the tools to be a nice scoring wing, namely a jump shot that was going for a good portion of the tournament and some good close finishes as well. He’s not a great athlete and his frame is a bit slight right now, but he got better as the tournament went along. Notably, he didn’t shoot it well in pool play, but had the shots falling this weekend, mostly from inside the three-point line.
Tucker Halpern (6’7″ SF-PF, Dedham (MA) Noble & Greenough) Nice role player on his team has good size and skills. He scored in double figures several times, knocking down some three-pointers and also running the floor well.
Maurice Mattocks (6’1″ PG, Brighton (MA) High) A capable floor leader with a good body, he loves to drive to the basket and found the hoop often. He generally took good care of the ball and also rebounded well for his size, not afraid to work against the bigger players. His jump shot will need some work, as he hit a couple but generally didn’t shoot well and did most of his scoring on drives and in transition.
Eric Murphy (6’7″ PF, Southboro (MA) St. Mark’s Prep) Another player on BABC with a pro pedigree (his father played at Boston College before a few years in the NBA), he’s a bit slight for the post right now but shows a nice feel for the game. He looked good rebounding and showed a couple of good post moves. He started as a freshman for an undefeated prep team this season.
Alex Oriakhi (6’8″ PF, North Andover (MA) Brooks School) A very mobile post player with a good body, his potential is clear from a few plays as well as his physical attributes. A plus athlete for the power forward spot, he can look dominant on a play or two, but also seemed to earn his way into the dog house with some plays he didn’t make inside.
Kyle Stockmal (6’1″ PG-SG, Watertown (MA) High) His shooting touch was on display as well as his point guard abilities, showing a good feel for the game. He showed good shot selection and knocked down his share of open shots as he benefited from what his teammates created.
Kyon Watkins (6’7″ PF, Everett (MA) High) Promising post player had a good showing on the boards, while his offense is clearly a work in progress. He has a decent frame and is a good athlete for the power forward spot, and he has plenty of time to develop his offensive game.
Class of 2010
Phil Pressey (5’7″ PG, Waltham (MA) Cushing Academy) The son of a former NBA player, his coach likes his basketball I.Q. and it’s apparent why. He knows where the basket is and goes right for it, seems to make the right pass almost all the time and is adept at finding gaps. Though he’s only 5’7″, he really sees the floor well and scored the ball better as the tournament went along, including his jump shot, which will need some work as he gets little lift on it and the release looks a little awkward.
Ron Giplaye (6’4″ SF, Newton (MA) Cushing Academy) Strong forward played mostly inside and shined in the early games, scoring 16 and 19 in the pool play games. What impressed the most is how at this age, he already knows when to finish with the right or left hand to such an extent that it wasn’t clear until well into his second game that he’s right-handed. He has long arms and is active inside, as well as very fundamentally sound. Looking ahead, he’ll have to either grow a few inches for the power forward spot or develop away from the basket for the wing. Based on what he showed, one or both will surely happen over the next few years.
