GROTON, Mass. – Lawrence Academy’s gym had about a dozen college coaches in attendance for its workout on Tuesday night. Because of the school’s academic schedule, along with regulations requiring boarding students to be in their rooms early in the evening, Tuesday night is the only open gym of the week.
The player many of the coaches were undoubtedly there to see is Shabazz Napier (6’0″ Jr. PG, Charlestown (MA)). After his play in July, starting with the Reebok All-American Camp, his recruitment went to another level with interest from schools all over the country. On this evening, he showed the difference in his play since mid-May, as he was in attack mode and not settling for jumpers. In fact, his jumper wasn’t going as much as usual, but he was being vocal and leading his teammates, while also showing that he knows the game better than one might first realize.
While Napier was the main attraction, Denzel Brito (6’2″ Sr. SG, Onset (MA)) has been on the radar for a while and had the eye of a few coaches. Athletic and with a good body, he made several good lead passes early on while his jumper wasn’t falling. Once he started hitting, he seemingly never missed, as he was almost perfect during the latter half of the workout. It didn’t matter if he was shooting off the catch or dribble, or from mid-range or long range, he wasn’t missing. His recruitment has been all over the map, aided in part by being a good student since that has caught the attention of some schools that have to be a little more picky from an academic standpoint.
Napier and Brito are also major targets on the football team for Marcus Grant (6’2″ Jr. SG, Carver (MA)), a quarterback who attended the first-ever Football U camp in July. On the hardwood, he’s a solid teammate who doesn’t try to do too much and is very comfortable driving and finishing with his right (off) hand. On this evening, he had an off-night shooting the ball, an area of good improvement in the spring as he started to emerge as perhaps more than just a complementary player. In another year, he will likely be in the same place as former LA standout Darryl Bishop: deciding whether to play football or basketball in college, as it’s just about impossible to really play both.
Sarkie Ampim (6’6″ Jr. PF, Manhattan (NY)), whose brother is a junior at Columbia, had a nice workout and continues to show progress in his play. He showed better post moves and looks more fluid, highlighted by a nice baseline drive that culminated with a reverse layup. Away from the basket, the ball skills aren’t there to play the wing, but he knocked down a couple of three-pointers and a mid-range shot to keep the defense honest.
Lawrence has a host of role players behind the top four players who will carry them. Last season didn’t end the way they wanted it to, as they were upset by Holderness in the first round of the NEPSAC Class C Tournament. With all of their top four players showing good improvement in the last six months, they figure to be a mainstay in Class C once again.
