Newton Makes Pick

New England Recruiting Report | Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

We’ve made no secret of the fact that we believe Greg Newton is one of the more underrated guards in New England.  Anyone who saw him play this summer can attest to the fact that this guy can flat out make plays – he gets to the rim, sees the floor, and makes others around him better. 

Newton’s career began at Barrington High School in Rhode Island, where the guard put up solid numbers throughout his first three seasons.  Following his junior year, he opted to reclassify to the class of 2010 and transfer to Phillips Exeter Academy, a school that combines one of the best academic reputations in the country along with athletics at the highest level in Class A of the NEPSAC. 

“Greg came here two years ago without a whole lot of expectations or understanding of how good he was going to become,” said Exeter head coach Jay Tilton.  “Through the work he did here with basketball and the academic piece, the people who have supported him, and his tireless work ethic he ended up with some incredible choices with quality schools and great coaches to choose from.” 

Although the decision may have been an uneasy one because of all of the quality schools recruiting him, Newton made his choice on Monday night as he committed to Hamilton College and head coach Tobin Anderson. 

“Hamilton seems to be a great decision for him.  There aren’t too many places where you can come in and play right away and the program is already successful,” Tilton said.  “This is more the exception where he can go in and make an immediate impact while playing for a guy who has been successful there for a long time.”  

For Hamilton, this is the latest in a long line of players who Anderson has come into New England to recruit and brought back to Clifton, New York. 

This season the Continentals roster features five players with New England roots in: juniors Jon Ciriello from Wolcott High School in Connecticut and Gabriel Rosen from Beaver Country Day in Massachusetts; sophomores Russ Rosenband from Greenwich High School in Connecticut and Ephraim McDowell from Beaver Country Day in Massachusetts; and freshman Eric Benvenuti from Concord Academy in Massachusetts. 

Newton is the second New England product to pledge to Hamilton for next season, joining Matt Dean a swingman from Franklin High School in Massachusetts. 

With Hamilton’s starting point guard, James Simpson set to graduate this year, the Continentals were in need of someone capable of competing for a spot in the starting rotation and with Newton they seem to have found that. 

Not only is he a talented playmaker but he’s also a guy who will set the tone with his leadership and work ethic. 

“Greg is one of the best program kids I’ve ever had,” Tilton said of his captain.  “He is an incredible worker who goes through a strenuous routine every day that he doesn’t stray from.  I would take a Greg Newton every year.” 

Hamilton is certainly fortunate to have gotten him this year.