Elite 75 Frosh/Soph – Event Recap

New England Recruiting Report | Saturday, September 14th, 2013

The 2013 Elite 75 – Frosh/Soph Edition is now in the books, and the sixth installment of this recent tradition not only lived up to the expectations set by its predecessors, but even raised the bar.  

The freshmen were the first to take the court and by the time the morning session had come to a close, there was no one in the gym who could deny the bright future ahead for our region in the next four years.  

Northfield Mount Hermon freshman Jerome Desrosiers literally dominated from the opening tip, throwing down a two-handed dunk in traffic that screamed of his athleticism and power, and solidifying himself as one of the most impactful players in the field all day long.  He wasn’t alone as Greens Farms Academy big man Sunday Okele also announced his arrival on the scene.  

Tomas Murphy, Jermaine Samuels, and Kimani Lawrence may only be weeks into their high school careers, but already own firmly established reputations.  All three local products defended that status on Sunday, showcasing talent and future potential alike.  

It also became apparent during the freshman session that there is another budding prep powerhouse in New England as Commonwealth Academy is building from the ground up with an incredible collection of young talent.  With potentially as many as 13 scholarship players in the class of 2017, their depth is truly astounding, while their star power is no less impressive thanks to guys like Hassahn French and Jordan Vidal.    

As morning turned to afternoon, the freshmen gave way to the sophomores, which raised the levels of speed, physicality, and competition across the board.  

If Commonwealth Academy was the prep powerhouse of the freshman division than Vermont Academy played that part for the sophomores.  Sedee Keita, K.J. Santos, Bruce Brown, and Christian Vital form a potentially lethal quartet, who will have the opportunity to grow and develop together over the next three years.  

Guard play was at a premium during the sophomore showcase with Ian Sistare and Ikenna Ndugba setting the tone with their efficiency, New York native Unique McLean living up to his name with an incredible series of athletic plays above the rim, and Makai-Ashton Langford showing signs of his high level upside.  

Saul Phiri, Tyonne Malone, and Greg Kuakumensah were among the top producers on the wing while Terrell Brown, A.J. Brodeur and others headlined the action up front.  

Other lasting themes included: the emergence of Vermont’s Kendrick Gray and Maine’s Shyheim Ulrickson; other previously unknown or under-the-radar talents like Kendal Baldwin, Mark Gasperini, and Javaughn Edmonds announcing their arrival; and a particularly strong backcourt trio from Connecticut in Ryan Murphy, KeAndre Fair, and Matt Turner.  

Ultimately, there’s no way a single recap can adequately reflect the amount of talent that was at the University Sports Complex on Sunday.  Stay tuned to the New England Recruiting Report throughout the week as we continue to look back at some of the major stars, stock-risers, and breakout performers from this year’s Elite 75 Showcase – Frosh/Soph Edition.