WORCESTER, Mass. – You get the sense while talking to Worcester Academy head coach Jamie Sullivan that he will love coaching his team even if they lose every game this season. That’s a highly unlikely scenario for a lot of reasons, and he’s happy to brag about why he’ll enjoy this team.
Talent is only a small part of the equation. The Hilltoppers have it, but are not going to win many games on that alone. By and large, this is a team full of players who have something – a scholarship or a level of college – to play for. Many have either under-achieved, under-recruited and/or are late bloomers who will get chances to show how good they can be. It’s also a team with good students all around and a low-maintenance group, and all of that makes Sullivan’s job easier.
The best player on the floor on Sunday was a prime example of this. Devon Williams (6’1″ Sr. PG, Sharon (MA)) returns for his second season at the school, and the difference between now and a year ago is night and day both on and off the court. After arriving as a so-so student, Williams has taken off in the classroom to become a high achiever, and on the court he looks primed for a big senior year. On Sunday, he shot the lights out from long range, including from NBA three-point distance a couple of times, but did much more than just shoot. He has above-average quickness and did a great job of getting teammates involved, including several nice long bounce lead passes and a number of passes when driving, and in all you can see his work ethic reflected in the big improvement he has made.
Williams is the leader of a crowded backcourt, with the primary candidates to join him at the point including football star Justus Harris (5’11” Jr. PG, Cleveland (OH)), who plays cornerback and wide receiver on the gridiron and had a big game a day earlier. Tom Mangautis (5’11” Sr. PG, Worcester (MA)) is a local boy who led the break a couple of times, while Sheldon Matalon (5’10” Sr. PG, Toronto (Ont.)) is a well-built athlete who has to learn the game, as he drove into trouble a few times and struggled shooting the ball.
Off the ball, the most impressive player on Sunday was Jameilen Jones (6’3″ Sr. SG, Dorchester (MA)), a well-built guard who is very athletic and certainly fits the “under-recruited” label. His mid-range game was on display and he can hit from long range, and his athleticism helps him in that he can rise up to shoot over defenders.
Saul Phiri (6’3″ So. SG, Haverhill (MA)) might be the best prospect of the guards, as he has a good frame and body but wasn’t quite as aggressive offensively on Sunday. He has some length and can rebound well for his position, and has already shown he has talent, so in time he’ll find his role with this unit and be a solid offensive contributor.
Also in the mix off the ball will be Sage Usher (6’2″ Sr. SG, Toronto (Ont.)), who has a good frame and mature body, and Quentin Bullen (6’1″ Jr. SG, Exeter (NH)), who has come a long way in the last couple of years. Bullen can get offensive rebounds, and on Sunday he showed some range with his jumper, made a nice bounce pass on another play, a runner on one trip and also finished with contact.
On the wing, Tyreik McCauley (6’6″ Sr. SF, Worcester (MA)) is the incumbent and has shown solid potential. He has been away from the team recently due to a family matter. Caden Dumas (6’4″ Fr. SF, Holden (MA)) is another local boy and as much a player of the future as a current contributor for this team.
In the frontcourt, Matt Cimino (6’10” Sr. PF, Falmouth (ME)) looks like he has evolved into a fine prospect, as he seems to be finding an identity as a player. He’s always had potential, but as his body is developing (and can still mature more), he showed good post moves to score, ran the floor and got stickbacks as he’s always been able to, and showed some passing and shooting ability. One of the team’s captains, he looks ready to anchor the post and be a leader for this team. If he keeps up what he showed on Sunday, his stock will keep rising.
Nick Pasquale (6’10” Jr. C, Shrewsbury (MA)) will be a key player alongside Cimino, but he sat out Sunday’s workout with a concussion. Chris Capazzoli (6’6″ Sr. PF, North Reading (MA)) has a mature body and a great feel for the game, and as such he will have a role on this team. While not the most athletic or fluid player, he can score inside, made a nice pass to a cutter and does have a little range on his jumper. In addition, he’s also a fine player on the baseball diamond as a pitcher and first baseman. Sam Joquin (6’6″ Sr. PF, Ashland (MA)), a very good student, is also in the picture.
The Hilltoppers will play a loaded schedule, another reason this team’s players will have every opportunity to play their way to a scholarship or to a certain level. They will play in a number of tournaments and special events, from the National Prep Showcase to the Hoop Mountain Prep Classic, St. Andrew’s Holiday Classic, Spalding Hoophall Classic, Hoop Dreams Prep Classic, BallasTV Invitational and BABC Prep Classic. They will also host the Blackburn Tournament as usual, with Proctor Academy, St. Mark’s and the MacDuffie School joining them. Worcester was also a member of the old Class A for many years and will play every team in the current Class AAA.
Sullivan has been in the game for a while and is well-respected for being a guy who has paid his dues and earned everything he gets. Not one to get complacent from that, he has long worked and coached the way his team this year will need to: like he has something to prove. From that standpoint, having a team like this is fitting, and if you talk to him about this team, you sense an excitement about it on several levels. He feels like he put together a team that fits his personality, his style and his overall makeup as a coach, and all of it will make his job easier. When they win games, as they surely will often, he will like this group even more.
