Connecticut 2012: Top Ten Announced

New England Recruiting Report | Friday, April 29th, 2011

We’ve said this on several occasions at this point but it’s just as true now as it has ever been - - when you’re the top prospect in the country it’s a pretty safe bet that you’re the top prospect in your home state. 

That’s exactly what Andre Drummond is, on both accounts, as the six-foot-eleven big man continues to have college coaches and evaluators around the country drooling with his long term potential.  While it’s no secret that he still has a long way to go in terms of his skill development, decision making, and overall efficiency, he an incredible blend of physical tools that enable him to do things that only a select handful of others anywhere in the world are capable of. 

Hotchkiss’ big man Mike Tobey is the first runner up.  Another guy with tremendous upside down the road, Tobey is a skilled six-foot-eleven post player who can step all the way out to 22 feet.  Tobey made an early commitment to Virginia head coach Tony Bennett last fall but looks poised to shoot up national rankings this spring and summer. 

One guy who is already shooting up the rankings is New London guard Kris Dunn who led the Whalers to a state championship last month and has picked up on the same foot to start the AAU season, earning national media attention and scholarship offers from Marquette, Providence, and Connecticut in the process. 

We return to Hotchkiss for the fourth spot to find Clyde Smith.  A skilled and driven guard with a versatile game, Smith is the focal point of his team’s attack and has a steady dose of high-major suitors of his own. 

Timajh Parker-Rivera led St. Joe’s to the Class LL state title this year and has had a strong start to the AAU season in his own right.  The power forward cracks the top five as a result. 

A pair of local swingman come up next as sixth ranked John Papale picked up MVP honors in leading his Choate squad to the NEPSAC class A title while seventh ranked Terry Tarpey led his Fairfield Prep squad on a run to the Class LL finals.  Papale is known as one of the best pure shooters in all of New England while Tarpey is an athletic and active swingman. 

Eighth ranked Stefon Williams missed several weeks in the middle of the season but has returned to make an impact this spring.  A six-foot-seven lefty with high level athleticism, Williams is followed by another NEPSAC product in Salisbury point guard Ryan Frazier, who helped his team to the Class A final and is already committed to Bucknell. 

Making his first appearance on the top ten list is Hamden Hall forward Darren Payen who was named Class C Player of the Year this year while leading his team to the New England title.