Out to Prove Himself
When the Middlesex Magic scored an overtime victory over New Heights at last Tuesday’s Super 16 Showcase, Pat Connaughton’s performance was at the forefront of the victory.
Connaughton scored 31 points and grabbed 15 rebounds while spending the second half matched-up against Jermaine Sanders after the powerful swingman scored at will in the first.
“I switched onto him and it really threw a different look at him,” Connaughton said. “Even when he got a step on me I was able to disrupt his game and that was what coach asked me to do.”
Not only did Connaughton manage to slow New Heights’ star on the offensive end for the final 18 minutes of the game, but he was also the hero of overtime, scoring the final six points of the game to seal the win for the Magic.
It’s a performance that the St. John’s Prep senior hopes won’t go unnoticed by college coaches.
“It proves I can play good against these big time kids and bring it to the table even when the big time kids are out there,” Connaughton said.
While he has had a steady dose of interest and scholarship offers from some of the top low to mid-major programs in the northeast, Connaughton hopes to prove he can play at an even higher level.
“I want to see if I can play at the highest level,” Connaughton told the New England Recruiting Report.
While schools like Boston College and Notre Dame have recently started to take notice, Connaughton knows that at first glance he may not look like the prototypical high-major swingman.
“There are guys that are six-eight that are guards,“ he said. “I don’t have that type of height but I know I can play with them. I’m just not them.”
What he is however is a skilled 6’5” swingman with a 6’10” wingspan and deceptive athleticism. Most importantly, the kid is a sheer warrior when he steps on the basketball court.
“My competitiveness really gets me over the hump,” he said. “I’m not 6’8”, not 235 pounds, not lightning quick but my competitive nature of not wanting to have you be better than me or not wanting you to show me up on the floor, really helps me get through that.”
Defensively, Connaughton depends on his competitive nature along with his tremendous wingspan to help him against more prototypically built high-major swingmen.
“He’s a very instinctual defender,” said Magic head coach Michael Crotty Jr. “He just works so hard that he wears people down.”
Offensively, Connaughton lets the match-up determine his point of attack, using his versatile skill set to his advantage.
“My dad always had me practice jump hooks when I was growing up so when guards are covering me I can post up now,” he said. “I can dribble, I can use my ball-handling moves to go by bigger defenders. I’m quick but I could get quicker. I think I can create match-up problems because I’m a 6’5” guard with a 6’10” wingspan.”
Beyond his ability to post up and attack off the dribble, Connaughton is also a good three-point shooter, terrific passer, and one of the best pound for pound rebounders in New England.
If Connaughton is successful in proving himself capable of playing at the highest level, it will be because of his total versatility when it comes to not just his skill set, length, and athleticism, but also the wealth of intangibles that he brings to the table.
Connaughton isn’t the only one who thinks he is capable of thriving at any level as Coach Crotty, who previously worked in the basketball operations department for the Boston Celtics, agrees.
“I don’t think there is a college basketball program anywhere in the country that wouldn’t benefit from having Pat on their team,” he said. “He just brings so much to the table and helps your team win games in so many different ways.”
Ironically, one of Connaughton’s biggest challenges when it comes to his recruitment is convincing people that he will play basketball at the next level and not baseball, where he is a well known pitching prospect with a fastball that consistently clocks in the mid 90s.
“I’m a basketball player. I’m working out every day for basketball.” Connaughton said plainly. “It’s kind of funny because some of the baseball guys just assume I’m going to play basketball. When it comes down to it I want to go to college on a basketball scholarship. I want to be able to play basketball for as long as I can.”
"My father believed, and I believe, that Pat is the best player to ever wear a Middlesex Magic uniform," Crotty Jr. said. "Over the course of 18 years I think that says a lot."
Pat Connaughton