NORTHFIELD, Mass. – Oftentimes at the college level, one wonders what a significant milestone such as a national championship means for a program. In the case of Northfield Mount Hermon, winning the national prep championship last year means very little will change. They will continue to be a school that combines academics and athletics as well as anyone, meaning that trips there will mean getting to see excellent students on the hardwood.
It still means very good talent, too, and this year, much of that talent is very young. In fact, John Carroll has the youngest team in the history of NEPSAC Class AAA. With that comes opportunity, namely the chance to mold a lot of young players.
Wednesday’s workout wasn’t ideal for evaluating players, as it was a hot day and that led to some condensation on the court. As a result, all three courts in the gym were used for play at one time or another before they called it a day.
The most impressive player on the day was among the younger players on the team, newcomer A.J. Brodeur (6’8″ So. PF, Northboro (MA)). His body has a ways to go, but he has a good frame and already shows great offensive fundamentals enabling him to score on the post. Besides that, he rarely missed on mid-range jumpers on Wednesday and will defend and rebound in the post.
As is usually the case, this team has plenty of size, so Brodeur will hardly be alone. Josh Sharma (7’0″ Jr. PF-C, Lexington (MA)) returns for his second season and continues to develop as a relative newcomer to the game. He wasn’t a big factor until later in the day Wednesday, when he started by blocking shots, but he was active and did everything he could to make himself a factor. His advancement to date makes it easy to forget that he’s only been playing the game for a few years. Sem Kroon (6’10” Sr. PF-C, Greenwich (CT)) and Collin McManus (6’10” Jr. PF-C, Bedford (NH)) also return from last season. Kroon has a good body and scored in close a few times and added a mid-range shot, while McManus isn’t quite as far along physically and wasn’t quite as big a factor on the day.
A few newcomers on the wing will get plenty of attention, starting with Aaron Falzon (6’6″ Jr. SG-SF, Auburndale (MA)). Transferring in from St. Mark’s, Falzon shot the ball very well from long range on the day, which is one thing he usually does well, and has a good frame. He also scored on a jump hook one time although that’s not his forte. Jerome Desrosiers (6’6″ Fr. SG-SF, St. Hyacinthe (Quebec)) has a good frame and a body with a ways to go. He’s not a great athlete, and he wasn’t a big factor on the day, but he had some good moments that suggest he will develop over the next few years. Jase Harrison (6’6″ Sr. SG-SF, Los Angeles (CA)) is a lefty with a good frame who has had a couple of good workouts thus far, though on Wednesday he wasn’t a star.
There are some options at shooting guard, the best of which might be newcomer Jackson Donahue (6’1″ Jr. PG-SG, Stonington (CT)). The latest in his family to attend the school, he showed his three-point touch on Wednesday, which is a pretty well-known quantity already, and he has a good body to go along with being a tough competitor. Chris Sullivan (6’3″ Jr. SG, Wilmette (IL)) is the younger brother of former Brown Bears Peter and Matt and could one day play at that level. He had plenty of transition chances on Wednesday, finishing often, and also scored on a runner and from long range, though he has a long release on his jumper. Ian Sistare (6’3″ So. SG, Dublin (NH)) didn’t have a good day shooting the ball but was very active, as he did his best to make himself a factor. The baby-faced guard was in a lot of plays and moved well without the ball, though he also didn’t finish a couple of good chances.
Victor Udoji (6’3″ Sr. SG, Randolph (MA)) is still recovering from a right knee injury suffered in May. He worked out on the side and hopes to be back in action next month. Nick Seretta (6’3″ So. SG, Greenfield (MA)) will also be in the mix.
At the point, Daquon Ervin (5’11” Jr. PG, Brooklyn (NY)) would appear to be the likely incumbent as he returns for his second season at the school. He got in the lane a few times on Wednesday and looks more athletic and more ready for what lies ahead than a year ago. He cashed in when he got in the lane and also hit from long range. Jahshanti Allen (5’9″ Jr. PG, Elmont (NY)) also returns and will push Ervin. Don’t be surprised if Donahue plays at the point on occasion as well.
One thing that sometimes happens after a national championship is a young team the following season. That is Northfield Mount Hermon in 2013-14. There is also good young talent, and the team has the same kind of players they have always had, which means the college coaches will continue to stream in as always. So while there is a winning pedigree and some youth, there is also consistency at the school. And the youth means there is some development to watch, not unlike in years past as well.
