Elite 75 - Best of the Underclassmen

New England Recruiting Report | Saturday, July 5th, 2014

It wasn’t just the rising seniors that stood out during the recent Elite 75 College Showcase.  There were also a select few underclassmen that managed to distinguish them against an otherwise older grouop.  Here’s a recap:

Top Prospects

Bruce Brown, Vermont Academy ’16 – The standout athlete of the event, Brown showed off his usual defensive intensity and effort on the offensive glass. He looked quite comfortable taking on a role as his team’s primary ballhandler, a sign of his dedication to improvement over the past few months.   

Mamadou Diarra, Putnam Science Academy ’16 – Diarra was one of the most naturally gifted players in the field, with an impressive mix of athleticism and upper body strength. His strong dunks were what made him stand out initially, but it was his sustained commitment to the defensive end of the floor that had eyes on him for the whole afternoon.

Eric DAguanno, St. Andrew’s ’16 –  The rising junior put on a show from long range on Monday, drilling shots from all over the court to standout as one of the best snipers in the field.  He wasn't just a one trick pony though as he was able to attack bad close-outs to make plays for himself and others.

Robert Martin Jr., Tilton ’16 – The reclassifying junior was a man among boys in the paint, utilizing his physicality and asserting his will to show that he can be a dominant presence on both ends of the floor.  Overall, it looked to be a sign of things to come as he prepares to join the 2016 class.  

Hamidou Diallo, Putnam Science Academy '17 - He put in an exemplary performance. Diallo has the athleticism, shooting ability, ball handling, and IQ to be a top prospect. Diallo threw down some extremely athletic dunks and hit some nice threes throughout the day.

New Prospects

Kahleb Downing, Xavier ’16 – He played his way into the prospect database with a versatile showing.  It began with a series of three-pointers, continued when he penetrated the lanes and made the right decisions, and even continued on the defense end, where he caused havoc for opposing ball-handlers.

Trey Witter, Farmington '16 - The 6'2 guard is both skilled and intelligent.  His undersatnding of the game shined through during the competitive breakdown drills while his ability to handle, pass, and shoot the ball was a constant throughout the day.  

Rayshon Ward, Plymouth North '16 - At 6'6 Ward has the versatility to play all three frontcourt positions.  While he's still just learning the game and has his best basketball still in front of him he has natural ability that makes him a prospect to watch in the coming years.

Frontcourt

Kyle Doucette, Williston Northampton ’16 – The prep bound big man showed a nice mid-range touch while also making himself available for dunks in the lane when his guards would penetrate the paint.  
On the defensive end Douchette was very effective blocking shots and grabbing rebounds.  

Garrett Stephenson, Suffield Academy ’17 – His versatility stood out during the competitive breakdown drills as he could utilize his size to score around the basket while also out-maneuvering less mobile big men facing the rim.  Overall, he looks like a huge pick-up for Suffield.  

Andrew Fleming, Oxford Hills ’16 – He’s a combo-forward right now, probably at his best utilizing his athleticism around the rim, but continuing to stretch his game further on to the perimeter with the potential to develop into a consistent face-up player.

Backcourt 

Nick Seretta, Northfield Mount Hermon '16 - He's been playing the best basketball of his career all spring long and this was just the latest example.  Seretta was strong to the rim, both off screens and leaning in off the dribble to carry defenders on his back to the rim.

Corey Romich, Groton Dunstable '16 - Already known for his ability to make shots, Romich took his shooting to another level on Monday going corner to corner like a game of around the world and attracting defensive attention as soon as he crossed half court. 

Ellis Christmas, Suffield Academy ’16 – The long lefty point guard is a prospect to keep an eye on moving forward.  He has a natural instinct for making plays, especially to his dominant left side, and a chance to develop into a first tier lead guard in New England.  

Tyler Dion, Wachusett ’16 – Dion has made a name for himself this spring, turning in a number of strong performances with his BV Chaos club.  The bottom line is that what he may lack in sheer size he compensates for with skill, heart, and toughness.  

Thomas Coyne, Falmouth ’16 – Perhaps the purest point guard of the bunch, Coyne doesn’t have a lot of flash to his game but he’s very efficient.  He delivers passes on time and on target, doesn’t monopolize the ball, and also makes defenses pay for leaving him outside the three-point line.