#E75 College Showcase North 2024 Recap - The Forwards

Sunday, June 16th, 2024

The 2024 Elite 75 College Showcase North Edition hosted some of the best rising seniors and post-graduates in the northern states of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, with a few making the trip up from Massachusetts as well. 

D3 Head Coaches put the guys through drills and games giving them direct feedback on their game and a chance to network while learning from experienced coaches. All in all, over 35 schools stopped in to check out the guys from up north and many came away with new names that they will be keeping tabs on moving forward. 

Today we’ll begin with the forwards, a term which describes players capable of playing multiple positions and making an impact from both around the rim and on the perimeter. 

Top Performers

Justin Munger, Logos Online -  The Vermont native had coaches in awe the other night and was truly one of the best forwards in the gym, and looks to have scholarship potential. At 6'7" Munger was amongst the tallest players on the court and used his size to his advantage rack up boards on the offensive end and send shots back on defense. He has soft hands in the post, can flush the ball down on dunks and stretches the floor from downtown. We highly recommend doing your research on him if you didn't make the trip the other night.

Matt Breen, Shawsheen Valley Tech - has made some noise with Rivals this spring and carried that over to the showcase. At 6'9", Breen is one of the tallest players on the court, but he can really impact the game as a shooter from outside. Breen can run up and set hard screens, and pop right out to knock down threes with consistency. He plays with a motor on the boards securing them on both ends of the court, blocks shots and finishes around the basket. Breen will be performing again in a couple of days at the next Elite 75 College Showcase, as Division II coaches pile in and will be sure to check him out.

Chris Daniels, Northfield Mount Hermon - Daniels is joining NMH this year and caught our eye in the frontcourt in front of a whole lot of coaches. The 6'8" forward has an outstanding feel for the game knowing when to cut to the basket for buckets or kick the ball out to his shooters. He gets into box outs and pulls in boards and his blocking abilities add to his control of the paint. His decision to take a postgrad year seems like it will undoubtedly help hone his skills at a high level.

Joey Hart, Governors Academy - Hart's ruthless attacking ability on drives to the basket with his always running motor was highly noted by our scouts the other night. He gets downhill with a quick burst and burrows his way to the basket with force. On defense, he sees passes well knowing when to jump lanes and corral steals to jumpstart breaks in transition. Well-rounded is a good term to describe Hart as he really does a bit of everything moving the rock, knocking down big shots, or locking in on defense.

Ethan Downey-Lamprey, St. Paul's - Downey-Lamprey has had some buzz around his name and played well. The 6'7" forward is a floor stretching threat as he does a good job of spacing the floor and knocking down shots off the catch. He has some good moves inside and gets physical on the interior to carve out the looks he desires. His blend of size and fluidity is intriguing and left us with a strong impression.

Joey Harris, Lawrence Academy - Harris is a swiss army knife forward with a team-first, winning mentality. Harris made a big presence as a physical defender that gets down and dirty but also uses his body to hold strong boxouts and pull in boards. He made some impressive passes out of the mid-post, and knocked down the long ball from downtown - all while having to remain limber as he fought through discomfort in his lower body.

New Names to Know

Moses Semuhoza, Westbrook - Semuhoza stood out as he brought a smooth shooting stroke and soft touch. The 6'7" forward caught coaches attention with his mobility and larger frame that he is continuously learning to utilize, and helped raised his stock with his defensive skills as a shotblocker. Entering his senior season, schools should be sure to tune in on this gem out of Maine.

Connor O'Rourke, Bedford - O'Rourke's strong frontcourt play stood out in this setting as well. The 6'5" forward is a relentless rebounder who uses his body well to box out opposing players, plays with a motor in the paint and has good touch on shots around the rim. He is also an outstanding shot blocker with good timing and length to send shots back.

Gabe Lash, Medowmak Valley - The 6'5" forward has made noise up north and perfomed well at SNHU. Lash is a strong, physical finisher around the basket and an excellent rebounder who uses his size to his advantage. We were particularly impressed with his effectiveness in the paint and patience on attacking his spots.

James Hanna, Grafton - Hanna made the trip up from Grafton Mass and had a good night. The 6'4" forward is a beast on the boards making blocks and pulling in rebounds, but also did a good job of knowing when to cut for easy layups. His role as a defensive-minded forward looks like it will translate to the next level as he continues to develop the rest of his game.

Keegan Martinez, Belmont - Martinez did a good job in front of a gym filled with college coaches. The 6'5" forward does a good job of using post moves and pump fakes to score around the basket and uses the glass to his advantage banking shots in from both sides of the paint. He is known for bringing the energy and can pack on the points when he gets going.

Trey Eldred, Thornton Academy -  The Thornton Academy product's ability to get into defenders on drives was impressive, as well as feel for where to rotate on offense and when to cut to the basket for scoring attempts. He has a good understanding of the game and did a nice job of seeking contact and converting through it.

Ryan Elliot, Merrimack -  A bit undersized at the forward spot, Elliot makes up for it in a number of ways. He plays remarkable transition defense with his quick feet and good footwork plus spaces the floor as a shooter and crashes the glass for rebounds and putback opportunities.