ZG Fall Brawl - Event Recap

by Justin Leip | Monday, October 1st, 2018

The Zero Gravity Fall Brawl crowned champions on Sunday with a handful teams taking the next step on their Path to the Belt.

The Middlesex Magic shared the varsity division championship as both of their teams advanced to the finals. Both teams displayed toughness while staying poised and not getting flustered under pressure. They both also showed that they will be a tough matchup for any teams due to their ability to hit long-range shots.

The Middlesex Magic also took the 10^th grade title from a talented Team New England 2022 team that played up all weekend. This Magic team was extremely gritty and commanded the pace of the game for thirty-two minutes.

The 9th grade crown went to the Boston Bobcats who played extremely well to knock off Evolution Basketball in the final. The Bobcats did a great job of playing their style of play from the jump. They were able to score on all levels and cause turnovers, which led to easy transition points. Reid Durcharme led the way with 18 points in the finals.

Key Players:

Tyler Kolek 6’2 2020- Kolek showed this weekend why he is an elite level guard, with the ability to shoot lights out and also handle the ball and lead his team, he definitely is a player to watch this fall and for his upcoming high school season.

Alex Karaban 6’6 2022- He was able to use his length on both offense and defense. He could shoot over small quicker players and drive past big and slower ones. Defensively Karaban altered shots while being an extremely efficient defensive rebounder, which led to him leading fast break for expression elite 2021

Demarr Langford 6’4 2020- Langford not only impressed with his strength and physicality but also his ability to put the ball on the floor and make the right read. He showed a very capable 3-point shot as well as being able to attack the rim and finish through contact.

Bryant Ciccio 5’9 2020- Ciccio is the ultimate floor general being able to control the game on both ends of the floor. He puts his teammates in positions to succeed and at the same time is a threat to score. You will not find many better defenders. He is hard to get by and his off ball defense was near perfect.

Keyonte Beals 6’3 2022- Beals displayed his physicality attacking the rim and being able to finish despite help being there. Beals has a good second jump which allowed him to get many of his own misses and convert them into second chance points. With a good frame and long arms he proved to be more than a capable defender playing in the 10th grade division as a freshman.

Shy Odom 6’6 2022- A strong wing who can punish other teams on mismatches down low while having a crisp jump shot and ball handling skills that allow him to go by smaller guards. His athleticism makes him a great rebounder and finisher above the rim.

Jack Poirier 5’11 2020- Poirier had one of the best shooting performances of the weekend after being consistent every game for his club. He has a quick trigger which enables him to get his shot off over longer and taller defenders.

Casey Simmons 6’5 2021- This young wing demonstrated one of the strongest midrange games this tournament while being extremely effective in transition, using his length to finish over defenders and above the rim.

Kyle Hicks 6’2 2022- An extremely athletic point guard who was able to get by defenders using his quickness and athleticism and find his teammates for open shots as well as finishing above the rim with both hands.

Scott Lampron 6’1 2019- A lefty shooting guard who can shoot from anywhere on the court and has a capable set of ball handling skill allowing him to go by when hard closeouts come.

Tommy Dooling 6’0 2019- Dooling proved to be a steady lefty point guard who will make you pay for leaving him open behind the arc and can handle the ball under pressure.

Donte White Barboza 5’11 2021- He played to his strengths by using his strength and physicality to attack the rim in transition and get easy layups.

Todd Brogna 6’4 2022- Brogna may be a little undersized but he makes up for it by being able to use his body and position himself to get rebounds over taller opponents while also impressing with the ability to pass the ball from the foul line and post areas.

Tony Felder Jr. 5’7 2022- This young point guard displayed a variety of capabilities including a lethal jump shot and his command of the game made him seem beyond his years. He keeps a calm demeanor, never getting rattled if the other team goes on a run.

Brendan McNamara 5’11 2021- McNamara was a focal point of his team’s championship run, being their floor general and handling the ball against continuous pressure all weekend. He made a lot of shots from behind the arc and used both hands to finish around the forwards and centers.

Will Batchelder 6’0 2021- Leading his Middlesex Magic team in scoring; he displayed scoring abilities on all levels. Batchelder had tough finishes around the rim, pull-ups when the defense played him for the drive, and a three ball that was falling the whole tournament.

Matt Curtis 6'3 2022 - One of the best shooters in the class, Curtis continued his dominant play all weekend as he knocked down shot after shot.

TJ Power 6'6 2022 - The 6'6 point foward can do anything he wants on offensively which he continues to make strides on the defensive end.

Reid Ducharme 6'4 2023 - Only an 8th grader, the Nobles standout continued impressing coaches has he is starting to grow into his body.