Scholar Roundball Classic – Saturday Recap

New England Recruiting Report | Saturday, December 8th, 2012

The Scholar Roundball Classic got underway Saturday at Babson College with Providence head coach Ed Cooley on hand joined by assistants from Stanford, Boston College, Yale, and Williams College among many others.  Here’s a look back at the action:

Cushing Academy 71  Rivers School 47

Rivers came out of the gate strong and kept it close throughout most of the first half before Cushing’s talent gradually allowed them to pull away in the second.  Andrew Chrabascz led a balanced Penguin offense with 20 points, showing his trademark toughness and productivity inside the paint.  His final bucket of the game marked his 1000th in a Cushing uniform with now just short of 1900 for his entire high school career.  Matt Mareno made a big contribution in his debut, showing his explosiveness around the rim to finish and block shots.  Matt Barr and Casey Woodring chipped in with 13 and 12 respectively, providing the team’s top two three-point options and both playing solid floor games.  Rivers was led by junior forward Matt Prokop, who finished with a team high 18 points, scoring both inside and out while showing a a strong body.  Mark Murphy provided a spark in the second half with his three-point shooting and ability to attack close-outs.  

Vanier Prep 81  Brimmer & May 76

Coming off the loss of senior point guard Adrian Oliviera, who went down with a serious shoulder injury less than 24 hours earlier, Brimmer showed great heart & tenacity fighting until the very end with a talented Vanier team from Canada.  Sammy Mojica not only scored a team high 26 points, but did so while sliding over to the point to handle the majority of the ball-handling responsibilities.  John Powell turned in a strong performance with 19 points and numerous rebounds, showing an enhanced skill level on the perimeter.  K.J. Baptiste put up an additional 16 points, showing an expanded floor game of his own.  Vanier was led by their explosive point guard Tevonn Walker and sharp-shooting swingman Greishe Clerjuste, who both put up 15 points, while versatile guard Jhony Verrone and inside-out forward Justin Kinnear came up with 12 each.  

Northfield Mount Hermon 63  Beaver Country Day 60

BCD played inspired basketball for all 36 minutes of action and came only moments away from pulling off a big upset.  Ultimately, Skyler White delivered a huge three-pointer to give NMH a one point lead under the 30 second mark while Anthony Dallier iced the game with two key free-throws.  Josh Hearlihy would lead NMH with 18 while Dallier would finish with 17 and Sam Donahue connect on four threes for twelve points.  Beaver’s inspired effort was evident on both ends of the floor as they played with intensity, defended with rigor, and shared the ball offensively.  Jacquil Taylor scored a team high 15 points while Jeff Spellman showed no effects from his recent injury showing his athleticism and playmaking for 13.  Joe Connelly was the team’s sharp-shooter with 11 points.  

Kimball Union Academy 67  Milton Academy 49

In a game that was much closer than the final score indicates, KUA eventually pulled away from Milton.  Crew Ainge was the story in the first half for Kimball Union, delighting the crowd in his return to his hometown.  Ainge flew around the court, picking up steals and forcing additional turnovers while also sparking his club with some crafty drives on the offensive end.  Missouri State bound point guard Devon Thomas set the tone offensively with his shiftiness off the dribble, consistently creating to the tune of 19 points.  Thomas and Ainge would lead the way with 19 and 13 respectively while Devin Gilligan would show his improvement with 10 additional points.  Max Motroni and Nick Pagliuca led the way for Milton with 12 and 10 points respectively.  Motroni showed consistent three-point range to match his dribble drive skills while Pagliuca has clearly added another gear to his driving game.  

Blair Academy 72  Phillips Academy Andover 40

Blair Academy, an annual a powerhouse prep program from New Jersey, came into Massachusetts and delivered a convincing win over a rebuilding Andover team.  Junior swingman Marial Shayok scored 19 points with an sortment of plays that screamed of his long-term talent while Mike Silverthorn drilled four three-pointers from 12 points and Sean Lubreski added 10 including a pair of threes of his own.  Junior swingman Jake Howell led the way for Andover with 11 points and three three-pointers of his own while Josh Heyward and Brendan OConnell also connected on multiple looks from downtown.  Sahil Bhaiwala provided a heady presence at the point guard position, distributing the ball and running the show.  

Phillips Exeter 85  Tabor Academy 49

An up-tempo and unselfish Exeter team put together a dominant performance over a normally strong Tabor squad.  With the ball zipping around the court and cutters flying through the lane, Exeter was equally precise with both their man and zone offenses.  Chris Braley set the tone early, not only knocking down his trademark jumpers but also making hard drives to the basket and asserting himself on the glass.  Harry Rafferty scored 10 points but had his finger prints all over the result with his ball-handling, passing, and decision making.  Ultimately, 13 different players would score as Exeter continued to share the ball beautifully.  Tabor was led by their perimeter tandem of Miles Wright and Bryce Baggs who finished with 17 and 10 respectively while Jarred Reuter led the way with his passing ability. 

Needham 63  Brighton 60

In a tale of two different styles, Needham’s skill and execution overcame Brighton’s length and athleticism.  Needham was led by senior guard Connor McLeod who stroked shots from deep behind the three-point line to lead the team with 20 points.  Six-foot-four senior forward Haydn Cooper contributed 18 while junior big man Trevor Dow anchored the team in the paint.  Junior swingman Nick Simpson was the story for Brighton, putting a game high 27 points on an assortment of athletic drives, tough interior finishes, and some perimeter jumpers.  Prince Unaegbu provided the team with a physical interior presence while junior guard Malik James handled the majority of the ball-handling and playmaking responsibilities in the backcourt.