Prep Profile - Springfield Commonwealth Academy

by Mike Yagmin | Tuesday, October 4th, 2016

Springfield Commonwealth Academy hosted their second annual College Saturday this weekend, opening their doors to college coaches from all levels and showing off the 25 prospects they have in house for the next level on both their national and regional teams including an especially deep senior class (full video highlights are below).

That 2017 group is special for head coach Tony Bergeron because it is the first homegrown class to to graduate SCA, not to mention a hard-nosed group that has created a winning culture and looks to take the final step in their maturation process this season. With a powerful frontline led by Hasahn French and a deep backcourt, Springfield Commonwealth looks poised to match up favorably with anyone on their schedule.

French, fresh off receiving his latest offer from Indiana, is always in attack mode and is once again the heart and soul of this year’s SCA program. After a tremendous summer playing a jack-of-all-trades role with the PSA Cardinals in the Nike EYBL, French is back in position to showcase his entire repertoire. He’s steadily improved his outside stroke and even uses his strength to his advantage in that aspect of the game as well, squaring up and effortlessly releasing shots with the same motion regardless of range. French already has a sound base, smooth release, and the requisite mechanics to become a dangerous outside shooter.

French averaged 11 rebounds per game during the EYBL’s last two regular season sessions while teammate Mohamed Bamba (consensus top-5 prospect nationally) was sidelined with an ankle injury. He unselfishly slid back into his role of enforcer, clearing bodies out of the paint while Bamba skied for boards during PSA’s run to the EYBL Finals. While French finished the season averaging 8.3 rebounds per game, his 11-rebound clip would’ve been good for 4th in an exclusive EYBL rebounding leaderboard. Traditionally, finishing among the EYBL’s top-10 rebounders forecasts future success in the category at the college level and beyond.

Shyheim Hicks, who committed to LIU over the weekend, also comes back to SCA after boosting his resume as a deadeye marksman from beyond the arch with the New England Playaz this summer. His consistent stroke and ability to create off the bounce will keep defenses from packing the paint and doubling down on French. The 6’1” Hicks is joined by jet-quick 5’10” point guard Derrick Ellis in the backcourt. Ellis has improved his jumper to the point that it’s a genuine weapon in his arsenal, which will only allow him to wreak more havoc in the paint as scorer and distributor.

Jordan Vidal, Malik Pouncey (6’1” with a 6’9” wingspan), and newcomer Jonathan Duvivier, a 1,000-point scorer at Brockton, give SCA the requisite depth to play the punishing press style that Bergeron’s teams have been successful with in the past.

The development of 6’7” big/forward Jordan Hardwick, another 4-year member of the program, will also be a key to SCA’s success this season. Hardwick teamed with Ellis on a talented Expressions squad in the EYBL this summer, both playing prominent backup roles for a team with four high major prospects in the starting lineup. Hardwick’s athleticism and second-jump ability are the foundation of his game, allowing him to block shots and get second chance buckets in the paint.

Junior Arashma Parks (6’8” with a 7’1” wingspan) is also looking to carry over the momentum from a strong summer that saw him drop some weight and come into his own in the post. His trimmed physique hasn’t affected his ability to keep opposing big men away from the low blocks though. Even when strong bangers like French come his way, Parks’ strong base allows him to remain firmly planted without giving up any real estate in the post.

6’6” Chandler Jones and 6’5” Tim Thomas are two more versatile and experienced players and give Bergeron the luxury to create unique lineups that counter an opposing team’s strengths.

Springfield Commonwealth also carries a chip on their shoulder coming into the season after not being allowed to play in the NEPSAC AA Tournament last season despite a 19-2 record against conference opponents. SCA is dead set on proving that they belong on the court with any team in New England and beyond. Veteran leaders like Hasahn French, Derrick Ellis and Shyheim Hicks make those intentions a reality, as they look to cement legacy as CA’s first graduating class and put the finishing touches on their prep careers.

Expectations are undoubtedly high for SCA entering the ’16-’17 season but pressure isn’t something that this program feels. Instead, it’s something they constantly force onto their opponents.