NORTHFIELD, Mass. – Northfield Mount Hermon always draws a good number of college coaches. Aiding that is the fact that the school is excellent academically and consistently has prospects who could play in the Ivy or Patriot League. This season, 11 alumni will be playing in the Ivy League, and already two more from this year’s team have committed to Ivy schools.
In recent years, the academics aren’t the only reason for the good college coach draws. The team has had plenty of size, and while this year’s team is no different, they will have more true guards on the roster. Last year, Aaron Cosby and Joe Sharkey were the only true guards they had.
Spike Albrecht (6’1″ Sr. PG, Crown Point (IN)), the younger brother of Brown guard Stephen, sat out with an injury but could be the starter at the point. If not, Sam Donahue (6’2″ Jr. PG, Stonington (CT)) and young Jashanti Allen (5’10” Fr. PG, Elmont (NY)) seem to be the most likely candidates. Donahue didn’t stand out but had a decent workout, showing a touch from long range, while Allen has a relatively mature body but isn’t jet-quick.
Ryan Oliver (6’5″ Sr. SG, Inglewood (CA)) is one of the candidates to start off the ball, along with Anthony Dallier (6’6″ Jr. SG, Wexford (PA)). Oliver is a plus athlete who knocked down his share of shots on the night, including from long range and shots off the dribble. Dallier has a little length and hit several mid-range shots, including a couple of pull-ups, and also hit a tough runner on the right side of the basket in transition that went in off the glass. It doesn’t end there, though, as newcomer Victor Udoji (6’3″ So. SG, Randolph (MA)) is a lefty who should get some minutes despite being one of the youngest players on the team.
Dartmouth commit Tommy Carpenter (6’7″ Sr. SG-SF, Greensboro (NC)) is versatile enough that he could see time at either guard, although he’s most natural at the small forward spot as a point forward-type. His body is filling out and he was involved in a lot of plays offensively, and he’ll be a nice pickup for the Big Green. Skyler White (6’8″ Jr. SF-PF, Seattle (WA)) has a relatively mature body that suggests he should go to work inside, but he spent a lot of time on the perimeter putting up three-pointers.
The most likely starter at power forward is Harvard commit Evan Cummins (6’9″ Sr. PF, Westborough (MA)), who ran the floor and finished well, and also moved well without the ball. His basketball I.Q. has continued to develop nicely, and that was on display here. He’ll have help from Vermont commit Ethan O’Day (6’9″ Sr. PF, Mansfield (CT)), a lefty post player who has developed well in the last year. He was more aggressive inside, where he scored often and was generally solid around the hoop, and also ran the floor. On one play, he made a pump fake and then used one dribble to get a layup. Dekeeba Battee (6’8″ Jr. PF, Cairns (Australia)) had to leave the workout early due to another commitment and has a good deal of potential.
Also in the mix up front will be newcomer Peter Miller (6’8″ Jr. PF, Winchester (MA)), who has a good frame and didn’t get a lot of offensive chances on Wednesday, and holdover Lucas Van Nes (6’10” Sr. PF-C, Dorset (England)), who has never been a big factor but has a relatively mature body and did show a good jump hook one time that he got the ball.
Northfield Mount Hermon has good depth at most positions and again has good size. This time around, having a few more true guards should help, and that along with the development of several of the frontcourt players means this team enters the season appearing to be in a better place than last year.
