Rising Senior Spotlight - Tom Vassil
Tom Vassil's high school career at Whitman-Hanson wrapped up with an MIAA state championship this year as WH took the D2 title.
While Vassil's stats, may have been modest this year, his impact was not, as his size was a constant game changer on both ends of the floor.
While he's made consistent and obvious strides over the years, Vassil is still new to the game and just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. He's also under-recruited, with really one one D3 school consistently recruiting him at this point.
Vassil was consequently an ideal prep candidate and so he'll spend next year at Springfield Commonwealth Academy, where his development and recruitment are both bound to accelerate.
Prospect Profile
Height: 6'11"
Position: Center
School: Whitman-Hanson '20; Springfield Commonwealth '21
Travel: Team New England
By the Numbers
2019-20 Stats: 6pts, 4rebs, 62% FG, 75% FT
Personal Statement
Despite playing basketball for a short period of time, I’m proud to say I’m a coachable player who has actively taken feedback and improved significantly. I am currently training 3+ times a day on all aspects of the game. I’m a good screener and passer and have great touch in the paint. I can run the floor, I can shoot mid-range, the 3 pointer, and I can rebound. I value the team and consider myself a very strong team player. I’m focused on continuing to improve my body and conditioning to get stronger and enhance my footwork. My goal is to play basketball at the highest level possible.
Recommendations
"Tom has made amazing progress and literally gets better everyday. He didn’t play basketball until he was a sophomore in high school but he has steadily learned the game. He has very good hands and excellent touch around the rim. No one could stop our high low action with him because he learned to use his body so well which helped us win the state title. Most importantly, in my 25 years of coaching he ranks in the top 1 percent in terms of character. He is respectful, dependable and loyal. I believe the sky is the limit for him."
- Bob Rodgers, Head Coach, Whitman Hanson Regional High School
"First thing that always stood out was his size, as he is a mountain of a man with broad shoulders and a huge frame. New to the game and has only been playing 3 years and he graduated from high school at 17 years old. He has been very well coached defensively thus far and has great habits such as running the lanes correctly and keeping his hands up in the paint. His presence alone alters shots, but his new, slimmed down frame should help him drastically this upcoming season. Offensively he has a soft touch and never requires the ball, as he affects the game in many other ways than scoring. Ultimately he is a late bloomer who is still growing into his body, and probably a name that college coaches have not heard about, with a chance to play at the scholarship level."
- Zack Sandberg, NERR
Scout's Take
"When Zack first brought him to my attention and I checked his stats, I was admittedly skeptical, but as I started to watch the film his tools were really clear. Then, once I learned how young he was for his grade and new to the game he was, I was even more intrigued. He has size you can't teach and a terrific touch, not just around the rim but facing up as well. I love his passing instinct at his size and you can tell he's been well-coached inside with his footwork and understanding of high-low angles. He's going to be a really interesting prospect to watch next year and I think there will be a lot of local schools that might regret not pursuing him earlier."
- Adam Finkelstein, NERR & ESPN
Video Highlights
Tom Vassil