Bay State Magic College Showcase – Event Recap

Nick Restifo | Thursday, June 18th, 2009

The Bay State Magic showcase featured a nice collection of talent as the event featured players from a variety of different local AAU clubs.  Here’s a look at who stood out: 

Matt Dean, 6'3", SG, Franklin HS
His court vision was out of this world. He wasn't a point guard but he always made the right pass, no matter what, even if it was the simple one. He had several amazing passes, and often was running the break for his team who wasn't terrifically tall or athletic but seemed to be out performing the other teams by simply playing better basketball. He also showed he was able to accurately anticipate when his opponents would anticipate him making passes because he also made several beautiful ball fakes in the right places. As a shooting guard, his shot was pure and his mechanics terrific, and he consistently hit open jumpers.

Dennis Clifford, 6'10", C, Bridgewater-Raynham HS
6'10" is pretty tall, and he wasn't raw. He was very developed and had a solid go-to flip jump hook that he used over and over again on much much smaller defenders. Because of his height, he was able to get lots of offensive rebounds and showed a nice touch all around the hoop and absorbed contact well.

Dan Brooks, 6'3", SG, Catholic Memorial HS
He didn't have the most mechanically sound shot, but he converted several off balance mid range jumpers and floaters from varying distances.

Jake Fay, 6’2”, SG, Lynn Classical HS   
A great shooter both off the catch and off the dribble, Fay hit several 3s, including an impressive dribble pull up in transition when he realized he didn't have numbers but did have an open look.

Andrew McCarthy, 7'0", C, Scituate HS 
You can't teach height, and this kid had a lot of it – he may be a legitimate seven-footer. He showed good passing ability when he drew the triple teams in the post. Understandably, he got a boatload of rebounds and scored easily simply by keeping the ball high. He’s far from soft but needs to continue to develop his core strength to avoid getting pushed off the block.  Hard to miss and easy to notice, he's definitely someone to watch out for.

Matt Barboza, 6’7”, F, Bishop Hendricken HS
Barboza showed real leadership as he was constantly communicating with his teammates after every possession. He really wanted the ball in his hands, and made very effective use of his dribble. He made his first step as long as possible, got to the basket with ease several times, and had a devastating pull up jumper off the dribble.

Jeff Schmeltz, 6'7", C/F, Burrivile HS
He was very active on the defensive glass and contesting shots defensively.  However, he picked up far too many goal-tending calls.  With a little discipline though, he could develop into a major shot blocking presence.  

Alex Kershaw, 6'2", G, Tilton School 
Definitely had a flair for the dramatic and tended to lean toward style over substance, but having said that, he absolutely had some impressive dribble drives. He also had a noticeably long hang-time. 

Mike Adams, PG, Bishop Feehan HS
A pure point guard who showed off great decision making with the basketball. Ran his team well, and dished off the drive very well. He always made the right decision on the fast break and I did not see him make a turnover, which was impressive, because the ball was constantly in his hands. He also demonstrated a smooth stroke, knocking down the open jumper consistently.

Stanley Greene, PG, East Boston High
He was an offensive talent, getting to the rim off the dribble with ease and effectively creating room for his jumper with a step back move. He had a decent jump shot, and played with a notable swagger and confidence.

Damaro Dooley, PG, Marblehead High
Although small, he was extremely quick and got into the paint with the basketball better than anyone else at the Showcase. He showed above average court vision, often connecting with teammate Clifford Davis for easy baskets once the help defense collapsed on him.