NEPSAC AA Showcase - Event Recap

Tuesday, February 25th, 2020

Class AA of the NEPSAC held their second, and final, showcase of the year on Sunday at Worcester Academy, following up on the first event from a few weeks prior at Cushing Academy.

Seven games took place throughout the day, showcasing all but three of the league’s teams, and attracting over 25 college coaches in the process.  

The games were hotly contested throughout the day with the final three being particularly competitive. Here’s a rundown of the action.

Master’s School 73 Brimmer & May 59

Four different players scored in double figures, led by Jadon Archer’s 17 points, as Master’s put together a balanced a complete effort Sunday morning. Archer showed his normal floor game while fellow guards Jordan Riley and Jaylen Ricks each added 12 points. Quron Zene led the frontcourt with 12 as they were in control throughout the game. Kyrell Luc continued to put up big numbers for Brimmer, finishing with a game high 24 points, while Gianni Thompson had 14 points and double-digit rebounds up front.

Wilbraham & Monson 75 Bradford Christian 65

WMA got all they could handle from Bradford Christian, who shared the ball beautifully and led early behind the tandem of Kuany Teng and Joey Merrill. Teng scored a team high 17 points while Merrill impressed with his feel for the game and passing, leading a team comprised of small guards against the biggest team in the league and being able to neutralize that advantage with their patient drive-and-kick style. Titans sophomore Kyle Filipowski scored 18 points while showing his upside and keying WMA’s interior advantage while unsigned senior big man John Adams added 16 and Cinque Stephens led the way on the perimeter with 15.

Lawrence Academy 64 South Kent 56

A gritty Lawrence Academy squad, that has overachieved and proven their doubters wrong all season long, scored their latest AA win on Sunday. They had built up a comfortable first-half lead before Luke Bitters led a South Kent run to close the first-half. With both teams shooting well from the outside, LA’s toughness and willingness to dive on the floor pushed them over the hump. Brandon Wiercinski knocked down six three-pointers for a team-high 25 points while Jordan Richard added 22. Wrenn Robinson, who has been putting up huge numbers this season for South Kent, led his team with 17 while Bitters added 12 on four threes. Chris Lim and Ian Murlow chipped in with ten.

St. Andrew’s 68 Kimball Union 61

This one was neck-and-neck from the opening tip until the final minutes of the game with both teams sharing the ball, playing good team basketball and being physical on both ends. KUA established a narrow first-half lead but the Saints battled back and ultimately had four players finish in double figures. Dylan Ahearn led the way with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while icing the game at the free-throw line late. Fellow junior Matt Constant scored all 12 of his points after halftime, including a pair of tough threes down the stretch. Unsigned post-graduate guard Sean James chipped in with 13 points. KUA junior Robert Brown III scored a team high 19 points while Dartmouth-commit Rob McRae added 12, including a pair of tough buckets through contact.

Tilton 88 Winchendon 86 (OT)

This was a battle of uncommitted guards as Jalen Leach and Jay Rodgers were going back and forth right away and each proving their ability to put points on the board. Leach finished with a whopping 43 points, showing his trademark fluidity and deep shooting range, including a critical 4-point play late in overtime, while Jayden Brown had the go-ahead tip-in late in OT. Rodgers was no less impressive for Winchendon, finishing with 34 points and scoring on all three levels. Sam Towns, who recently committed to Ohio, showed his skill-set in the frontcourt with 26 points while athletic forward Mason Romano added an efficient 18.

Woodstock Gold 71 Worcester Academy 66

The host Hilltoppers welcomed Woodstock Academy in a non-league game but fitting main event for a great day of action. Woodstock got off to a hot start, but Worcester crawled back into it at halftime to cut the deficit to 12. With Dyondre Dominguez out of the line-up, Ronnie DeGray put the Centaurs on his back and scored 36 points showing why he is one of the most versatile forwards in the region. The Woodstock press also proved to be a difference maker as it wore Worcester down throughout the course of the game. Holy Cross bound wing Judson Martindale led the way with a team high 16 points while unsigned senior point guard Quest Harris added 14 while showing his trademark toughness on both ends.