NEPSAC Week in Review

New England Recruiting Report | Friday, January 20th, 2012

It’s a snowy weekend in New England and that means our typical Saturday prep school slate is somewhat diminished, but here’s a look back at the week that was in NEPSAC basketball. 

Class AAA

• Brewster continues to bulldoze over any opponent in their path.  Friday it was the defending champions MCI who caught an 89-56 beating before the Bobcats held off Tilton on Sunday’s nationally televised contest.  Big wins over Proctor (Jakarr Sampson 19 points) and Winchendon (T.J. Warren 22 points, Joe Bramanti 15 points) were next as the Bobcats are currently a perfect 16-0. 

• After falling to Notre Dame Prep on Sunday at the Hoophall, New Hampton came back to score a big road win a few days later when they visited MCI.  Olivier Hanlan scored a game high 17 points to lead the Huskies to a 71-63 win. 

• Northfield Mount Hermon has rattled off three straight wins over St. Thomas More, Worcester Academy, and Winchendon.  Evan Cummins had 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks against the Chancellors while Ethan O’Day led the way with 18 points and 8 rebounds against the Big Green.  Spike Albrecht had a combined 50 points and 25 assists over the three games.  NMH is now 16-1. 

• South Kent is unbeaten at a perfect 5-0 since returning from winter break.  This week saw wins over Hotchkiss, Leadership Prep, and Nia School despite the loss of junior guard Chris Thomas who reportedly left the team earlier this week. 

• After knocking off Wilbraham & Monson on Sunday and falling just short against Notre Dame on Monday, St. Thomas More took on a very hot Putnam Science team on Wednesday and made a statement with a 107-66 win.  Ky Howard continued his impressive play with a triple double of 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists while Barrington Stevens and Torin Childs-Harris scored 20 and 16 respectively. 

• Non-league action saw Winchendon score a win over Marianapolis Prep thanks to a strong second half in the BABC Prep Classic while Bridgton won their first game back from winter break in a road contest at Holderness. 

Class AA

• After falling to Brewster at the Hoophall, Tilton bounced back to assert their dominance on Class AA, defeating a highly talented Vermont Academy team 73-63 on the road.  The Rams then made their way to West Virginia for the Mountaineer Showcase where they defeated Villa Angela-St. Joseph on Friday night 67-50. 

• St. Mark’s is a perfect 8-0 in the new year with this week’s wins coming over Beaver Country Day 80-52, Friends Central 67-57, Rivers 65-35, and Worcester Academy 72-60.  Kaleb Tarczewski continues to be the key in the middle and playing the best basketball of his career. 

• Wilbraham & Monson won a dramatic league game over Marianapolis on Wednesday as Jaylen Brantley made two free-throws with four seconds left to give the Titans a 64-63 win.  Earlier in the evening Brantley was recognized for scoring the 1000th point in his career. 

• Coming off a commanding win over Berwick Academy, Kimball Union scored a big win over Vermont Academy as Jesse Chuku scored six of his team high 20 points in the final minute of the game to give KUA a 48-43 victory. 

• Hotchkiss won back to back games this week with a 67-54 road win over Taft followed by a 81-69 win over Canterbury at home

• Lawrence Academy went 3-0 this week with victories coming at home against St. George’s and Nobles as well as on the road at St. Paul’s. 

• Master’s took the championship at last weekend’s Hamden Hall Tournament with wins over Brimmer & May (52-49) and the host school Hamden Hall (59-50). 

Class A

• Salisbury has rattled off nine consecutive wins as Bucknell bound point guard Ryan Frazier has brought his game to a new level to lead the way.  He had 22 points in a 70-52 win over Hotchkiss ten days ago, 25 in a road win over Williams’ JV, and 17 in a road win over Deerfield.  Meanwhile the interior tandem of Samuel Dingba and Chris McCullough continues to give opposing teams fits. 

• Kent has now won seven games in a row dating back to last month.  This week’s victims were Trinity Pawling (68-52) and Millbrook (63-44) as Stefon Williams, Travis Berry, Henry Pendergast, and Evan Battle continued to lead the way. 

• Choate knocked off Exeter and Suffield this week with John Papale eclipsing the 20 point plateau in both games.  Pete Weston scored 20 against Exeter while Casey Woodring added 14 against Suffield.  Shane McLaughlin has run the show with 18 assists in the week. 

• Tabor scored a dramatic road win this weekend by going into Brimmer & May and taking the victory on a buzzer beating drive by senior swingman Demitry Coronell.  The final score was 60-58. 

• Taft defeated Kingswood-Oxford and Berkshire this week.  Four players scored in double figures against Berkshire as Kade Kager had 18, Matt Daley 16, Kevin Trotman 14, and Jake Donnelly 12. 

• Milton Academy knocked off St. Paul’s, establish a double digit lead in the first half and walking away with an eleven point victory. 

• Loomis Chaffee picked up Brunswick (54-51) and Westminster (55-31).  Will Lewis knocked down six threes for 22 points against Brunswick while Rich Conway and Alex Perrone got into the act against Westminster. 

• Trinity Pawling picked up a road win at Avon as post-graduate Gerald McClease returned to his home state to lead TP with 17 points. 

Class B

• Thayer Academy had a big week, pushing their winning streak to five and scoring a dramatic 68-64 win over Cushing Academy in the process after knocking off Governors and Roxbury Latin earlier in the week. 

• Brooks scored a big 66-53 road win over Beaver Country Day on Friday night in a match-up of two of class B’s top teams.  Jayde Dawson led the way with 30 points for the victors. 

• Cheshire Academy has won five straight games since returning from winter break.  Christian Heritage was the latest victim in a 68-67 dramatic win as Zach askew continued to be a force inside for CA. 

• Canterbury bounced back from a loss to Hotchkiss in order to score a 54-48 win over Avon Old Farms.  Eric Gulerrson had 21 over Avon while Otis Osman led the way with 22 against Hotchkiss. 

• Roxbury Latin went 2-1 this week knocking off Dexter and BB&N but falling to Thayer as Patrick Benzan continued to lead the way in the backcourt.