BABC Makes Noise at Peach Jam

New England Recruiting Report | Thursday, July 15th, 2010

The Boston Amateur Basketball Club traveled to the annual Nike Peach Jam this week.  In addition to being one of the top exposure events of the summer, this year's event also doubled as the finals of Nike's EYBL league.  BABC earned a spot in the u17 field by virtue of their performance during the EYBL regular season while they also entered a team into the sixteen-and-under field. 

Perhaps the youngest team in the EYBL this year, Michael Carter-Williams is really the only major contributor on the team in the class of 2011.  The rest of the squad is made up of players eligible in the u16 division.  That left BABC's u15 team to play up in the u16 field this week, and they certainly didn't dissapoint by making a run all the way to the tournament finals before eventually being stopped by the Georgia Stars in the final. 

Rene Castro drew highest praise as some reports had him being "unstoppable all week".  Rivals' correspondent Eric Bossi highlighted the youngsters in his day two recap saying "The BABC 16 and under group is a lot of fun to watch because of their dedication to physical, in your face play and talent across the board."

Bossi went on to say the Wayne Selden "may be the best of the bunch" with "game to match his frame."  Bossi also praised Goodluck Okonoboh, calling him "a wiry strong kid with good athleticism who hits the glass and runs the floor." 

Early in the tournament it was BABC's u17 team that stole the headlines...literally.  In fact, ESPN's Day One recap was entitled "Mass Prospects Dominate at Peach Jam." 

Carter-Williams, dubbed M.C.W. by the national media, went off for 44 points in the opening game of the tournament and reportedly got the better of Austin Rivers as the two went head to head with BABC knocking off Rivers' club in their second game. 

ESPN's Mike Laplante wrote, "the Syracuse commit showed why he is considered one of the top guards in the country on Day 1" while making note of not just his high point total on the day but also his 35 free-throw attempts through the first two games. 

Also making headlines was Nerlens Noel who Laplante also profiled in his ESPN recap after the young big man blocked a combined 16 shots through his two games. 

"Noel has a chance to be special," Laplante said.  "He is a shot-blocking specialist with outstanding length and timing that the state of Massachusetts hasn't seen since a young Patrick Ewing."

Carter-Williams and Noel weren't the only members of the team to catch national media attention as Scout.com's Dave Telep said "BABC is loaded with young talent.  The program is flush with good players.  Jake Layman is just one of many and he's a 2012 small forward with a stroke."