BOSTON – The 2013 Boston Skills Showcase was held at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center on Saturday. College coaches worked with a number of high school players through drills and game action, including situational play. It was a chance for the young men to get better and show how they have done that, and a few certainly did.
Here are notes on a few who stood out on the day.
The most impressive player might have been Rohan Shukla (6’3″ Jr. SG, West Roxbury (MA) Roxbury Latin School), who on Saturday continued to show how well he plays within the team concept. He showed a solid feel for the game and ball skills and was always looking to pass before he shot, and he impressed there including a buzzer-beating three-pointer in game action. The one knock that could be seen is that he could stand to be more ball-tough.
Shukla’s travel teammate Chad Martin (6’4″ Sr. SG-SF, Wakefield (MA) Memorial HS) has great physical gifts and enough skill right now to get a college coach’s attention. He’s athletic, has some length and a body that can get better, and he doesn’t mind using his off hand. In addition, he finished while getting fouled a couple of times. For playing the wing, his ball skills need to improve some, as that can undermine his athleticism if he gets by his man.
Martin was one of just two seniors there, with diminutive point guard Marcus Johnson (5’8″ Sr. PG, Boston (MA) Phoenix Charter Academy) being the only other one. Though small, Johnson can run a team and looks poised to end his high school career on a good note.
Strictly from a prospect standpoint, Elijah Earley (6’3″ Jr. SG, Los Angeles (CA) Governor’s Academy) might have been the best player in the gym. Athletic and with a good body that can still fill out, he has all the physical gifts and isn’t lacking the skills. The one annoying thing at times was how he seemed to leave his feet to pass a little too much.
The most impressive point guard might have been Alex Holloway (5’10” Jr. PG, Pawtucket (RI) St. Raphael’s Academy). The lefty is a baby physically but made a number of nice passes on the move to get other players shots. His jumper release could be better, but he did a fine job of running the show. Fellow Rhode Islander Dymand Teixeira (5’1″ Jr. PG, Pawtucket (RI) Shea HS) is a diminutive floor leader who is small but was active on the afternoon.
Javaughn Kittrel (6’2″ Jr. SG-SF, Boston (MA) Josiah Quincy School) had some good moments on the day, as he’s a plus athlete who played well within the team concept. He showed he could handle the ball and made a nice pass to a cutter, then later hit a nice long jumper off the bounce and and cut to the basket for a layup. Another from Boston, Francis DePina (5’9″ Jr. PG, Boston (MA) Snowden HS), was able to finish while fouled and was good in transition, one time making nice bounce pass on the break.
Dante Driscoll (6’1″ Jr. SG, Cambridge (MA) Rindge & Latin School) was a bit under the weather and had to break from game action briefly, but he showed a little range on his jumper and after taking a break he came right back and was a factor in transition.
Cedric Correia (5’11” Jr. SG, East Boston (MA) High) is another guard who impressed at times, as his body isn’t there yet but could fill out nicely. He’s quick off his feet and was in a lot of plays, and while not scoring much he did show a little range on his jumper.
Will Ortiz (5’11” So. PG, North Quincy (MA) High) showed some defense on the day, including a steal he turned into a layup at the other end late in game action.
The two youngest high school players each found a way to get noticed on the day. For Erik Olson (6’0″ Fr. PG-SG, Dracut (MA) High), that meant battling all day, as his body could stand to get better but he was in a lot of plays including on the glass. For Jordan Rose-Wheatley (5’7″ Fr. PG, New Bedford (MA) Vocational Technical HS), that meant a highlight play where he chased down a ball that would have otherwise been a backcourt violation for the opposing team and turned that into a layup via a nice pass back to a trailer.
Two eighth grade school teammates played up in the event as well. Khalil Semexant (5’8″ PG, Dorchester (MA) Harbor School) was the more impressive of the two on the day, as he’s a small guard who didn’t look like the most fluid with his movement but had moments of effectiveness. Justice Robinson (5’8″ PG, Dorchester (MA) Harbor School) has a small body and will get better as he starts to fill out, and it wasn’t hard to tell he was up against older players on the day.
