BARRINGTON, R.I. – The 2014 Hoop Mountain Prep Classic is in the books. Sunday was the third day of action at the St. Andrew’s School, with six games on tap, and most of the games were competitive, including a thrilling overtime affair, though it ended with the most lopsided game of the day.
We start with a look at the scores, then move on to some player notes.
Sunday Scoreboard
Lee (ME) Academy 59, Thetford Mines (Que.) Thetford Academy 45
Ashburnham (MA) Cushing Academy 84, Thompson (CT) Marianapolis Prep 82 (OT)
Granby (MA) MacDuffie School 52, Chestnut Hill (MA) Brimmer and May 28
North Bridgton (ME) Bridgton Academy 52, Philadelphia (PA) Mont Clare 48
Saxtons River (VT) Vermont Academy 67, Springfield (MA) Commonwealth Academy 61
Barrington (RI) St. Andrew’s School 80, Salisbury (CT) Prep 53
Player Notes
- Lee Academy once again has plenty of international flavor this season, and on Sunday it was Dusan Majstorovic (6’5″ Sr. SF, Novisad (Serbia)) and Federico Bargnesi (6’1″ Sr. PG, Fano (Italy)) who shined the most. Majstorovic is a plus athlete with a game that’s a bit rough around the edges, but he was active and led them with 12 points. Bargnesi is a hard-nosed floor leader with a good body.
- In a losing effort, Narcisse Kalamba (6’6″ Sr. SF, Longueuil (Que.) Thetford Academy) was in a lot of plays at both ends of the floor and led them with 13 points in the losing effort, while teammate Joel Tshimanga (6’7″ Sr. SF-PF, Montreal (Que.)) added ten points and was similarly active.
- Give Marianapolis Prep a lot of credit for battling Cushing Academy into overtime and having a chance to win. They trailed big early on, but Ryan Bernstein (6’0″ Sr. SG, Bronx (NY)) and Adrian Lafleur (6’2″ Sr. SG, Warwick (RI)) made sure they had a chance. Bernstein scored 21 points and showed once again that he’s a tough competitor who can shoot, while Lafleur made a number of big plays and hit six three-pointers en route to a game-high 25 points. Included in that was the shot that sent the game into overtime, and he also made a terrific play diving for a loose ball and then getting it off to a teammate while on his back.
- Kimani Lawrence (6’7″ So. SF, Providence (RI)) led Cushing Academy with 21 points, but did it quietly. He’s embracing the expanded role he has now, though you can see he needs to get stronger, especially when he battles inside like he did at times in this game.
- Lawrence’s teammate Makai Ashton-Langford (6’1″ So. PG, Worcester (MA)) is certainly more potential than production right now, in part because his body has a ways to go, but he gets in the lane for opportunities often and Sunday was no different.
- It’s understandable that Elliot Welmer (6’9″ Sr. PF, Columbus (IN)) gets a lot of attention with Bridgton Academy. He is headed to Saint Louis and will fit right in given his wide range of skills, and should only get better with added strength. But one player on that team a basketball fan can really enjoy watching is Trey Foster (6’0″ Sr. PG, Charlotte (NC)), a hard-nosed floor leader whose body isn’t there yet and is unspectacular but effective.
- Bruce Brown (6’3″ Jr. SG, Dorchester (MA)) was the best player on the floor in Vermont Academy’s win, and he played a complete game. He was very active at the defensive end, getting deflections and blocking a jumper late, in addition to scoring a game-high 22 points.
- Jordan Hardwick (6’7″ So. PF, Springfield (MA)) led Commonwealth Academy with 12 points in the losing effort, getting several stickbacks. When he’s as active as he was for a lot of this game, he’s effective; when he’s not, he’s almost invisible. There’s upside as his body has a ways to go.
- Terrell Brown (6’9″ Jr. PF, East Providence (RI) St. Andrew’s School) has to turn potential into production this year, and Sunday had signs he may do that. He was more aggressive at the offensive end, and even showed a new wrinkle with three-point shots that went down.
