Booth to Holy Cross
Last week, it was announced that Scarborough, Maine native Spencer Booth will play his collegiate basketball at nearby Patriot League program Holy Cross.
The 6'10" big man has long been one of New England's most recognizable center prospects. Standing well above his competition from a young age, Booth quickly established himself as a player to watch before continuing his development at Milton Academy and with the Middlesex Magic. Those experiences helped shape him into the Division I prospect he is today.
Our first introduction to Booth came during the summer of 2023, a year before his move to Massachusetts. At the time, he already stood between 6'8" and 6'9" while playing for Next Level Athletics under current University of Southern Maine head coach Mikey Coppersmith. Booth spent two seasons starring at his hometown Scarborough High School before reclassifying to the class of 2027 and making the jump to Milton Academy. Early intrigue came not only from the fact that he was already so tall, but also because he is a first cousin of JP Estrella, a top-ranked national prospect at the time.
In two years at Scarborough High School, Booth helped lead his team to a Class AA regional final as a sophomore and a Class AA semifinal appearance during his freshman season. Along the way, he posted numerous double-doubles and made a name for himself across the state. On January 10, 2024, Booth recorded 21 points and 12 rebounds in a matchup with current Fairleigh Dickinson freshman Diing Maiwen, who finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds for Edward Little, an interesting tidbit looking back that features two Division I talents still in the Maine public school ranks at the time.
On April 11, 2024, Booth announced he would be taking his talents to Massachusetts to join Lamar Reddicks at Milton Academy.
As Booth continued to develop at Milton Academy, his college interest grew along with it. He paired athleticism and improving strength with his imposing size, becoming more impactful in all facets of the game. He's able to stretch the floor at his size, which can really open things up offensively. Over the past few years, he's gotten stronger and tougher, allowing him to finish through contact around the rim, assert himself more consistently on the defensive end, and become a more reliable contributor from game to game.
This summer, while serving as the anchor for the Middlesex Magic 17U Under Armour team, Booth picked up offers from Holy Cross, Loyola Maryland, and Navy.
In talks with NERR, Spencer kicked things off with a quick shoutout to a few people who helped him along his journey: “I want to start by thanking my family, Abi Davids, Mikey Coppersmith, Coach Reddicks, Coach Crotty and the Middlesex Magic program.”
Narrowing down your future is a decision many may struggle with, but Spencer went into detail on what led to his commitment to the prestigious university in Worcester: “Coach Paulsen's belief in me was one of the driving factors in my commitment. He noticed and appreciated parts of my game that not everyone sees,” said Booth.
He continued, “On top of that, he is a great person along with the rest of the staff. I think it is important to be surrounded by good, genuine people, and the entire staff is the embodiment of that. Holy Cross is also a great school with a beautiful campous and many great opportunities for student-athletes.”
While the personal connection to the staff was a huge factor, Booth also feels his game is a great fit for the team. “I think that my game fits very well into the Holy Cross system, whether as a trigger for offense, scoring off post-ups, or stretching the floor.”
To wrap things up, Booth also touched on the bright future of basketball in his home state: “ I think that the state of Maine basketball right now is talented and spread out through the entire state. However, I think that the addition of a shot clock is still necessary to improve Maine high school basketball as a whole.”
He continued, “I would say to all my Maine kids who aspire to play college basketball at any level that the only way forward is through. You're going to face a lot of challenges in your journey, but the trick is to keep your head down, believe in yourself, and stay in the gym!”
With one more season to play in the NEPSAC, Booth will look to cap off his high school career by helping Milton Academy compete for both a Class A and ISL championship.
Spencer Booth
Diing Maiwen