Prep Profile – New Hampton

New England Recruiting Report | Sunday, October 3rd, 2010

The New Hampton School has a very proud basketball tradition and no one knows that more than head coach Pete Hutchins, who graduated from the school in 2001 and played alongside two future NBA players in Rashad McCants and Bernard Robinson during his time at NHS. 

Since taking the head coaching reigns in 2007, Hutchins has built his program into one that annually plays one of the toughest schedules in New England and has a reputation for developing the individual skills of each of their players. 
 
The 2010-2011 version of the New Hampton Huskies may lack size along the frontline but compensates with an endless barrage of scrappy and skilled perimeter players with high basketball I.Q.’s. 

In fact, the Huskies project as possibly the best shooting team in class AAA this year with newcomers Nick Paulos, Joey Ptasinski, Travis Souza, Aaron Hendricks, and Maine native Stefano Mancini all being absolute snipers from downtown. 

That’s good news for last year’s leading scorer Jordan Laguerre, who returns to New Hampton after having committed to UMass earlier this summer.  An explosively quick playmaking guard who can get anywhere on the floor he chooses, Laguerre should find himself with some extra room to operate this year with the court being spaced by so many shooters. 

Laguerre’s AAU teammate Zach Auguste has transferred in from Marlborough High School in Massachusetts and will build a bridge to the future along with Hendricks and another talented 2012 guard in Olivier Hanlan. 

All three were particularly impressive the day we were in the New Hampton gym but it is Auguste who had undeniable star qualities.  Best known for his face-up game early in his career, the long and athletic forward impressed with some big time moves with his back to the basket, including two lefty baby hooks. 

Auguste’s running mate along the frontline will be Will Davis, a 6’9” hybrid big man from Sacramento, California who is very mobile and especially athletic. 

Hanlan could be the odds on favorite to start next to Laguerre in the backcourt as the Canadian native is a pure point guard who distributes the ball beautifully and gets his teammates open shots. 

Paulus, a 6’7” forward from Utah, has been one of the team’s most impressive players this fall.  Not only does he have an effortless shooting stroke with deep range, but he handles and passes the ball with equal efficiency. 

Souza may be the most versatile player on the roster.  Another high percentage shot maker, the California native can play a variety of different positions and can sneak up and dunk on an unsuspecting defender with his deceptive athleticism. 

A bit of a secret weapon off the bench could be Carter Trent who returns to New Hampton for his second year.  As tough as he is talented, Trent has a great motor on both ends of the floor and will change the game instantly upon checking in. 

Seth Liebert was held out of action with injury when we watched but will add further depth to the backcourt while forward James Dunivan should see important rotation minutes in the frontcourt. 

While the New Hampton roster features a long list of talented individuals, the team has the early look of a group that could very well exceed the sum of their parts.  Even in fall workouts, they were sharing the ball beautifully, back-cutting and moving without the ball, and playing an exciting brand of basketball that is only possible when you can put five skilled and cerebral players on the floor together.