National Prep Championship Preview

New England Recruiting Report | Sunday, March 6th, 2011

Brewster Academy returns to the spot where they claimed the 2010 National Prep Championship in hopes of being the first school to repeat since the events’ debut in 2007.  They will face steep competition including top seeded Hargrave Military Academy and third seeded Notre Dame Prep. 

Coming off a surprising loss in the NEPSAC semi-finals Brewster should be motivated to prove themselves as the nation’s best this week.  They are led by prep school basketball’s most experienced point guard in Naadir Tharpe who has plenty of good passing options in the frontcourt with three future Big East players in Markus Kennedy (Villanova), Jakarr Sampson (St. John’s), and Durand Johnson (Pittsburgh).  Tharpe’s running mate in the backcourt, Elijah Carter, is a priority for a variety of high-majors still in search of a guard. 

Top seeded Hargrave, who took the title in 2008, is led by McDonald’s All-American and future Tar Heel P.J. Hairston.  Xavier bound forward Dez Wells is a beast up front while the Virginia Tech bound trio of Marquis Rankin, Robert Brown, and C.J. Barksdale gives the Cadets a line-up capable of putting points on the board in a hurry. 

Third ranked Notre Dame Prep has their most talented squad since claiming the national championship in 2007 led by Pittsburgh bound big man Khem Birch on the interior surrounded by a deep and talented backcourt that includes Todd Mayo, Myles Davis, and others. 

St. Thomas More and Princeton Day meet in a 2pm rematch of a game played at the National Prep Showcase in November.  St. Thomas More will be led by junior sensation Andre Drummond and uncommitted swingman Damion Lee while Princeton Day has a plethora of uncommitted talent including Kareem Storey, Vashill Fernandez, and Donte Thomas. 

Sixth seeded Tilton School hopes to duplicate their magical run of 2009 and may have the talent to do it with Nerlens Noel, Georges Niang, Wayne Selden, Domonique Bull, and Goodluck Okonobooh while seventh seeded Nia Prep has a talented inside-out duo of Ryan Rhoomes and Kelvin Amayo. 

New Hampton has the firepower to shoot anybody out of the gym and is riding a wave of momentum after their run to the NEPSAC finals.  Ninth seeded Westwind Prep is the west coast premier post-graduate program while Northfield Mount Hermon returns in the tenth spot after their run to last year’s final.