LYNN, Mass. – Team Boston Elite has returned to the travel team scene. Claude Pritchard has resurrected the program after it went away a few years ago, not long after he had a team that quietly won a few tournaments with the likes of Raheem Singleton and Aaron Williams, and had a younger team in the program with Shabazz Napier before he later made his name playing for Metro Boston. The heart of the travel season is upon us, and this team is an unspectacular group of players that have some potential if they put the work in that they must.
The program held one of its college nights recently to allow a look at who will suit up for them. More will be coming in between their weekend tournament play.
Without question, the best player on the evening was Matt Prokop (6’4″ Jr. Weston (MA) PF, Rivers School). A fundamentally sound face-up power forward, Prokop has a mature body and good skill set that was on full display. He made a number of three-pointers, getting better as the night went on, and overpowered others inside, at times stealing the ball from someone under the hoop when he wasn’t out-muscling them for offensive boards and stickbacks. An excellent student, he also showed some leadership qualities.
Andrew Kaufmann (6’6″ Jr. SF-PF, Weston (MA) Rivers School) didn’t have his best night as he was a non-factor for a lot of the evening, but he’s a good prospect. His body is still maturing and he has the tools to be a good stretch power forward, and is also an excellent student.
Greg Breen (6’6″ Sr. PF, Andover (NH) Proctor Academy) will join them in the frontcourt. Breen isn’t very athletic but has a mature body and should play off Kaufmann and/or Prokop.
On the perimeter, the biggest name is Taris Wilson (6’3″ Jr. SG, Charlestown (MA) High), who had an off night as he basically sleepwalked through a lot of the evening. Wilson is well-built and athletic, and he’s shown good potential at times in his career at the offensive end, so this night is a bit of an aberration.
The “potential” player in the program is David Labossiere (6’1″ Jr. SG, Stoneham (MA) High), who is a classic example of an athlete who doesn’t know the game. He needs to gain strength, which should come in time, but the physical upside is there once he learns the game. Next year, he will repeat his junior year at the Brimmer and May School, where he will get some good coaching.
Voshon Holmes (5’10” Jr. PG-SG, Chelmsford (MA) High) had perhaps the most productive evening of any guard. While not the most athletic guard, he can drive to score, something he should get better at as his body matures since he has a good frame. He was best shooting the ball from long range on the evening, acquitting himself well in that category. As for the next level, he’s really a very undersized shooting guard, so continuing to shoot well while getting better at other aspects of the game will be crucial for him.
Nick Cross (6’2″ Sr. SF, Beverly (MA) High) had his moments on the evening, including a brief stretch where he took over that included a nice block from behind after a player got past him. His body isn’t there yet and he’s capable of operating well from the perimeter as a complementary player.
Khalil Newson (6’0″ Jr. SG, Dorchester (MA) High) will be in the mix as well, as he has some potential but also some work to put in. He has a good upper body but struggled to finish near the basket, though he did show a little range on his jumper. The only sophomore in the program is another Boston city guard, Stanley Davis (5’10” So. PG, Boston (MA) English HS), a two-year starter for his school team. Davis is still recovering from a dislocated right ankle he suffered during the season and was limited all evening, but he’s improved nicely in the past year.
Jordan Brydie (6’4″ Jr. SG, Needham (MA) St. Sebastian’s School) and Kyle Lentini (6’4″ Jr. SG, South Hamilton (MA) Pingree School) are also in the program but could not make it that evening. Brydie has shown good potential up to this point on the wing, and this is the time he needs to do it consistently. Lentini is a solid glue guy, as his best asset is that he plays well within the team concept and can get assists just as easily as he can score.
Team Boston Elite won’t have the busiest month of April with just two tournaments on the docket, but once May comes they will have an active schedule. They won’t have to go far, as they will be in the Hoop Mountain Invitational and Providence Jam Fest, and close out the spring with the Hoopville Spring Finale, with a trip north of the border mixed in as well for the Montreal United Invitational and the New York area for a tournament run by the Long Island Lightning. In July, their longest trip is to Reading, Pennsylvania for a Hoop Group event, sandwiched in between the Hall of Fame National Tournament and another Hoop Group tournament in New York.
No one currently in the program will likely make anyone forget Napier, or even Singleton, who recently played at Maine. They won’t make a big splash in the program’s return. But if they put in the work the coaching staff will demand, they might win some games they probably shouldn’t along the way since there is some talent on the perimeter as a starting point.
