ANDOVER, N.H. – This season isn’t where Proctor Academy will have its big goal as far as its current personnel are concerned. While there are a number of seniors and post-graduates on the roster, the program is trying to put together a young core that will probably have some noticeable growing pains this season but be expected to contend in another year or two. More than the wins and losses, the growth of the young talent will be a key story for Gregor Makechnie’s team in 2013-14. On Wednesday night, they got together for their first open gym of the fall.
The one around whom the future will be primarily built is Julian Roche (6’10” So. PF-C, St. John (New Brunswick)). The big man possess a good frame and is young all the way around, as he’s 15 years old and his body has some baby fat to get rid of. While raw on the post offensively, he showed a nice touch shooting the ball well away from the basket, so that will give them some options for what to run on offense while he tries to develop his body and more of a post game. He didn’t shy away from contact or trying to get rebounds as well.
Joining him among the players of the future is Tshiefu Ngalakulondi (6’5″ Fr. SF, Manchester (NH)). A plus athlete, he ably battled Roche inside on defense despite giving up several inches and a lot of pounds, while also showing some offensive ability that included a shooting touch out to three-point range. He showed some aggressiveness, so there is potential that he can start working towards this season.
One other player who has a lot of time ahead of himself is Drew MacInnis (Fr. PG, North Andover (MA)), who has a slight frame and is very baby-faced. He doesn’t have the same upside as Roche and Ngalakulondi but had some good moments in the workout and probably isn’t done growing by a long shot.
Among the seniors, Joel Villa (5’10” Sr. PG, Bronx (NY)) is the clear leader of the team as their most experienced player. Possessing a good frame and some physical maturity, Villa returns for his third season at the school and looks ready to take on a leadership role. Effort isn’t in question, and he made a nice heads-up play to score off a deflected pass, drove effectively often to either score or pass, hit the occasional jumper and showed a good feel for the game. He competed, and Makechnie can see him wanting to be a little more vocal even though that’s not natural for him.
Greg Breen (5’10” Sr. PG, Winchester (MA)) has a good body and played better as the workout went along. Makechnie says Breen loves to be in the gym, and he showed that he competes while there. He hit an early jumper from about the foul line, then struggled to hit shots until later, although they were generally good shots that just didn’t go.
C.J. Iozza (6’2″ Sr. SG, Concord (NH)) was the only other active player in Wednesday night’s workout. A complementary player, he has a good frame and mature body, and will see minutes playing off the ball.
A few players were not at Wednesday night’s workout due to other athletic or academic commitments. Jake Erder (6’4″ Sr. SF, Norfolk (CT)) had an academic commitment, while Kedron Banks (5’8″ Sr. PG, Dallas (TX)) is a good running back on the football team and Nathan Kyeamea (Jr. G, Toronto (Ont.)) plays both sides of the ball on the gridiron. Craig Chalifour (6’1″ Sr. SG, Loudon (NH)) also plays football, but has an unfortunate story behind his absence: excitement was high as he had just recovered from an illness and regained a lot of weight lost from it, but then he broke his leg in a football scrimmage. Jacob Loyd (6’1″ Sr. PG-SG, Colchester (U.K.)) plays soccer and figures to be one of the team’s leaders when he joins them after the soccer season.
That this team is a year or two away is a key reason why Makechnie has dialed back the schedule this year. They still play powerful teams like Brewster, Kimball Union, New Hampton, Tilton and Vermont Academy in the Lakes Region Athletic League, and also have a date with Northfield Mount Hermon. They will play in the Blackburn Invitational at Worcester Academy and the St. Andrew’s Holiday Classic.
The Hornets don’t project to contend in the loaded and very balanced NEPSAC Class AA this season. Instead, they could be a spoiler if the younger players grow and mesh with the veterans, and in the end the future is where the big goal is if Roche and Ngalakulondi develop into the players they look like they can become.
