Hoop Mountain Fall Classic - Event Recap

by Dan Sullivan | Friday, September 20th, 2013

Hoop Mountain hosted its annual New England Fall Classic at Mass Premier Courts in Foxboro, MA on Friday night.  Players were put through a series of skill development drills, followed by several round robin games.  Always a must-attend for Division II and Division III coaches, this year was no exception.  They were very pleased with what they saw as so many players stood out and made a name for themselves:

Jesse Bunting (Tabor, 2015)- The 6’8 forward was one of the more impressive players in the field.  He has a high motor and his skill set is improving.  The toughness he displayed all summer while playing for Expressions was also visible, and these quality traits should carry over well to the college game wherever he will play.

Joe Carty (St. Andrew’s, 2014)- Carty showed a great understanding of how to get open in the post.  He always seemed to be one step ahead of his defender, and gets low enough to create leverage.  He had a couple of solid up-and-unders throughout the night, as well.  

Matthew DeWolf (Barrington HS, 2016)- The 6’7 Rhode Island big man broke through on Friday night, showing solid athleticism for such a young big and a nice touch around the basket.  He should be one to watch throughout the high school season.

Elijah Rogers (Brookline HS, 2014)- Rogers is an electric guard who can score in a variety of ways.  He is a solid finisher at the rim and can get to the hoop with a number of different dribble moves.  Look for him to make serious noise in the MIAA this upcoming winter.

Sage Usher (Worcester Academy, 2014)- Usher played with a lot of energy all night, and was not afraid to make the extra pass.  He plays the game at a high speed while still maintaining control.  He also showed the ability to score in a variety of ways, whether it was knocking down the outside shot or getting to the hoop with his quick first step.

Jeff Iyalekhue (Pomfret School, 2014)- The first thing that stands out from watching the 6’7 big is his size and physicality.  He is very powerful and aggressive, and looks to dunk everything he gets his hands on. His back-to-the-basket game is solid, but needs to improve his face-up game in order to take the next step.

Kallan Grady (Catholic Memorial, 2016)- Grady quietly had a very productive night.  A young guard, he is skilled in getting to the hoop and displayed good form on his jumpshot.  He’s definitely one to keep an eye out for CM this season.

Malik Miller (Catholic Central, 2014)- Making the trip down I-90 from Troy, NY, Miller was one of the most athletic players in the field, connecting on several alley-oops and showing a great motor all night that should serve him well at the next level.

Kevin Durkin (Wachusett HS, 2015)- Durkin has very good footwork in the post for a young big, and is developing a nice set of interior post moves.

Taji Owens (Masters School, 2014)- The 6’6 forward is a high volume rebounder, and leaps up to grab the ball at its highest point, a skill that will translate very well to the next level.

Carlos Ovalle (E.O. Smith HS, 2014)- The Connecticut native took it strong to the hold on Friday night and was connecting on his long-range shot attempts.  Ovalle is always fun to watch, and he did not disappoint on this night.

Isiah McLeod (Cambridge R&L, 2015)- Not many players in the area work as hard on their game as McLeod does.  He has developed into an extremely solid point guard who rarely makes mistakes while handling the ball.  He is a good leader and a very trustworthy guard to have running your team.

Erik Fryer (Pingree, 2015)- The 6’5 junior wing has a good face-up game to go along with a threatening perimeter shot, a combo that gave opposing defenses fits on Friday night.  

David Giribaldi (Andover HS, 2015)- Giribaldi has a smooth offensive game.  He is aggressive in taking it to the hoop, and can finish in a variety of ways.  He is also very good at pushing his dribble out in front of him, allowing him to go further with it.

Sheldon Matalon (Worcester Academy, 2014)- Matalon showed flashes of brilliance on Friday night with his great change of speed and crossover.  He was the strongest guard in the field, and plays a physical game out on the perimeter.

Connor Brown (St. Peter Marian, 2014)- Brown is a good passer who hits his teammates with the ball in a spot where they can be productive.  He had several nice drive and kick moments, as well.

Connor Reardon (Pingree, 2014)- Reardon’s range has increased out to the 3-point line, and his handle is improved, as well.  Even in a showcase setting, Reardon was vocal on defense and always communicating with his teammates.  His recruitment has skyrocketed because of his offensive improvement.

Missiboye Jeannot (Montmorency, Canada, 2014)- Jeannot continued his strong play from the summer and carried it into Foxboro Friday night.  A very good athlete, Jeannot’s offensive skills are beginning to catch up to his athleticism, and will make him an even more dangerous player.

Isaiah Henderson (Pomfret School, 2014)- Henderson plays under control at the point, and has a very elusive handle.  The quick guard should be one to watch for Pomfret this winter.

Hugh O’Neil (Lexington HS, 2014)- O’Neil was solid on Friday night.  For a big man, he has a very efficient face-up game.  He is not limited to scoring with his back to the basket, and has showed marked improvement since last high school season.

John Pisacreta (Andover HS, 2014)- Pisacreta is a great game-manager who will look to push the ball and get his teammates involved on the fast break.  He was very impressive on Friday night.

Ade Adams (Williston Northampton, 2014)- A guard from western Mass, Adams was impressive from the perimeter on Friday night, knocking down several three’s from deep.

Sean Sweeney (St. Peter Marian, 2014)- The 6’4 forward is proficient at getting to the basket with one dribble.  He does not play with the basketball out on the perimeter; he makes his move and attacks the hoop, a trait that is seen less and less in players today.

Tyler Derosiers (Agawam HS, 2014)- Derosiers can score in a variety of ways from the perimeter. The 6’1 playmaking guard was able to break down his defender and take what the defense gave him every time.