Scholar Roundball Classic - Saturday Recap

New England Recruiting Report | Saturday, December 11th, 2010

Game of the Day - Phillips Exeter 50  Tabor 57

In a local match-up between two programs led by determined, scrappy guard play, Phillips Exeter and Tabor Academy would lock up in what turned out to be a highly-competitive contest.  With Exeter struggling to hit shots on offense, Tabor would jump out to an early lead behind the perimeter shooting of Christopher Ward and driving ability of Demitry Coronell.  However, 6’2” guard Justin Cross would punctuate a gritty Exeter comeback with a driving, and-one lay-up over the front of the rim that would give the Lions their first lead of the game, at 18-17, with 7:01 remaining.  Cam Shorey would proceed to dominate the remainder of the half for Exeter, showcasing his versatile offensive skill-set with a pair of catch-and-shoot jumpers from behind the arc and a variety of scores inside the paint.  With Tabor fighting to keep the game close behind athletic drives from Coronel and Lawrence Fauntleroy, a corner three from Ward at the halftime buzzer would cut the Exeter lead to one, at 31-30, heading into the break.

With the two teams trading baskets in the opening minutes of the second half, a pull-up jumper from Coronel, followed by a three from Christopher Mendes on the ensuing possession, would give Tabor a six point lead, at 43-37, with just over nine minutes remaining.  Tabor would stretch the lead to double-digits on multiple occasions over the next five minutes, before a basket from Exeter’s Tony Karalekas would bring his team back to within seven, at 49-42, with under five minutes remaining.  Mendes would bury a deep three from the top of the key to push the lead back to 10, at 54-44, before Norris would bring Exeter’s lead back to single digits with a foul-line jumper with just over a minute to play.  Tabor would handle late Exeter pressure to eventually hang on for the 57-50 victory.

Coronel let Tabor with a game-high 23 points, including 15 in the second half, to go along with 11 from Ward.  Limited to just two field goals in the second half, Shorey led Exeter with 18 as the only Lions player to reach double-figures.

Top Performers

Marco Banegas (Brimmer & May)- An aggressive lead guard with natural scoring instincts, Banegas (13 points) was in full-attack mode early on Saturday against IMG Prep.  Knocking down two early threes to get his rhythm offensively, he proceeded to get into the lane consistently with a strong, creative handle and score on a variety of short pull-ups off the glass and explosive drives to the basket.  When Banegas finds the type of balance scoring and distributing the ball that he did on Saturday, he is extremely tough to handle off the bounce.

Chris Sherwood (Brimmer & May)- Despite having the tendency to go long stretches without impacting the game, Sherwood can show spectacular flashes of athleticism that can only be characterized as high-major caliber.  In a three-minute sequence against IMG Prep on Saturday, the 6’4” wing converted an emphatic two-hand dunk off a steal in transition, knocked down a pair of catch-and-shoot jumpers, and drove baseline off a single, hard bounce to finish with authority above the rim over late-arriving help.  If Sherwood can ever develop the consistency in his offensive skill-set to match his natural ability, he has the upside to be a game-changing athlete on both ends of the floor at the next level.

Shayok Shayok (IMG Prep)- Finishing with a game-high 16 points in a losing effort against Brimmer & May on Saturday, Shayok displayed a diverse offensive skill-set with a series of creative movies off the dribble and a smooth stroke the perimeter.  Highly-active on both ends of the floor, the 6’7” face-up forward is handful on the offensive glass and uses quick-bounce in the paint to challenge and block shots without fouling.  An impressive overall prospect, Shayok possesses a nice feel for the game and terrific motor to go with a versatile physical upside.

Dennis Clifford (Milton)- Long, lean, and active, the Boston College-bound big-man runs rim-to-rim with conviction and scores consistently in the paint with a series of polished, back-to-the-basket moves.  Clifford (14 points) was dominant scoring and rebounding the ball in high volume against IMG High School on Saturday, but was equally as impressive with his relentless motor and high basketball I.Q. communicating and directing traffic as the anchor to Milton’s highly-active 2-3 zone in the half-court.

Jesse Pagliuca (Milton)-  A knock-down three-point shooter, Pagliuca found open space in the second half against IMG High on Saturday, connecting on multiple shots from behind the arc to keep his team close late in the game.  Indicative of all great shooters, the 6’2 guard showed terrific confidence in stepping up and hitting shots after a pair of poor misses.

Phillip Greene (IMG High)- A long, quick athlete on the perimeter, Greene was a defensive menace on Saturday, relentlessly pressuring Milton’s group of smaller, less-athletic guards out of their comfort zones and into turnovers that ignited IMG’s transition offense.  Catching fire in the second half from behind the arc to the tune of four threes, Greene (17 points) remained a constant presence with his work ethic and playmaking ability as a disruptive lock-down defender.

Jamari Traylor (IMG High)- Traylor impressed again on Saturday against Milton his elite athleticism and scoring ability in the paint.  Combining a strong frame with superior length and leaping ability, the 6’9” forward showed a better ability to catch and finish in traffic than he did against Brooks on Friday, converting on several difficult buckets through contact in tight spaces.  More than just an athlete, Traylor will use a smooth turn-around jumper to score from 8-10 feet and finds open shooters passing out of the double-team on the block.

Ray Barry (Phillips Academy)-  Finishing with a game-high 23 points, Barry scored the ball in a variety of ways against a talented, athletic group of Rivers guards on Saturday, displaying a balanced stroke from the perimeter and deceptive quickness off the bounce to get into the lane for scores on multiple occasions.  Playing a determined, gritty brand of basketball, the 6’2” lead guard makes terrific decisions passing the ball off the dribble and uses a combination of skill and awareness to stay aggressive and efficient with his own offense.

Ryan Hartung (Phillips Academy)-  Hartung’s complete offensive arsenal was on full display on Saturday against Rivers, as he shot the ball efficiently from the perimeter, attacked close-outs to create offense in the paint, and finished with flare in transition.  Finishing with 22 points, the 6’5” wing in the class of 2012 showed the type of versatility that has a variety of Ivy and Patriot League schools showing interest.

Thomas Palleschi (Philips Academy)- More mobile than his build implies, the 6’9” forward was highly-productive against Rivers on Saturday, catching the ball well on the move and finishing with both hands at the rim. While Palleschi may not ever be a feature low-post scoring option, his skill level and high basketball I.Q. make him a viable scoring threat on the interior.

Shaquor Sandiford (Rivers)- A smooth, explosive athlete, the 6’3” wing was a handful near the basket against Phillips on Saturday, getting on the offensive glass for second chance points and using his athleticism to maneuver past defenders in tight spaces and elevate quickly for scores.  A poised, patient player, Sandiford’s creativity off the bounce was limited by Phillips’ packed-in zone defense in the half court, but his ability to drive the ball to the basket and make plays was evident in several open-floor opportunities.

John Golden (Northfield Mount Hermon)-  The recent Dartmouth commit was hitting shots in bunches in the first half against Champlain on Saturday, showing the smooth perimeter stroke that blends well with his terrific athleticism to make him a tough cover on offense.  Spacing himself well off dribble-penetration, Golden (12 points) does a nice job attacking close-outs under control to create high-percentage offense with balanced, mid-range pull-ups or drives all the way to the basket.

Jvonte Brooks (Northfield Mount Hermon)-  Slightly undersized at just 6’6”, Brooks may not wow anybody with an outstanding skill level or supreme athleticism, but he does a lot of things well and is highly-productive rebounding the ball in his area, passing the ball effectively, and catching and finishing in the paint on offense.

Aaron Cosby (Northfield Mount Hermon)- Finishing with a game-high 23 points in a highly-efficient performance, Cosby was his usual dynamic self attacking off the high ball screen, pulling up for threes or turning the corner with excellent burst to get into the lane and make plays.  The Seton Hall-bound guard was extremely strong off the bounce, absorbing contact on his first dribble on several occasions and elevating over defenders with balance for pure mid-range pull-ups.

Youssef Ouahrig (Champlain)- An efficient, heady lead guard, Ouahrig facilitates his team’s offense well off high ball-screen action and consistently knocks down three-point shots when left open on the perimeter.  Finishing with 15 points and four three-pointers, the 6’0” junior would enhance his effectiveness as an already-crafty passer by being more assertive with his own offense and preventing defenders from consistently playing him solely for the pass.

Cam Shorey (Phillips Exeter)- A versatile athlete with a strong upper-body, Shorey (18 points) was dominant for Exeter in the first half against Tabor on Saturday, scoring on a variety of powerful moves in the paint and converting on a pair of pure looking jumpers from behind the arc.  With a complete offensive skill-set and nice feel for the game, the challenge for the 6’5” hybrid forward will be to determine his best-suited position at the next level, a decision likely based on his ultimate progression into either an inside-out threat in an elite Division III conference, or more of a perimeter player at the scholarship level.

Dimitry Coronel (Tabor)- The most gifted natural athlete on the floor Saturday in Tabor’s grind-it-out victory over Exeter, the 6’5” wing in the class of 2012 consistently got out in transition and finished above the rim in front of chasing defenders.  Adept at using his quickness and length to attack gaps and score creatively in the lane, Coronel (23 points) must incorporate a consistent perimeter jumper in order to feature a legitimate scholarship-level skill-set.

Josh Heyliger (Hill)-  Finishing with a team-high 18 points, the 6’1” combo guard shot the ball with ease from deep, slashed to the bucket off curl cuts, and finished above the rim in transition.  Like all effective scorers, Heyliger changes pace well with off the dribble and consistently turned down a decent look in preference of being patient and working to create a better one.

Desmond Williams (Putnam Science)-  A prototypical scorer, Williams has the unique ability to put a series of bad plays behind him and keep his mind focused on hitting his next available shot.  Not only does the 6’4” combo guard consistently knock down open looks on clean, catch-and-shoot opportunities, but he takes and makes tough shots off the dribble that other players don’t have the confidence to take.  While his overall feel for the game is questionable at times, Williams (19 points) has a bona fide skill that comes at high premium at every level of college game, and that’s scoring the basketball.

Anthony Henry (Putnam Science)-  Finishing with a team-high 21 points, Henry scored the ball in a variety of ways against Vanier on Saturday, keeping defenders honest with a solid stroke from the perimeter and using his supreme athleticism to attack the basket from the wing and finish at the rim. 

Scoreboard

Brimmer & May (MA) 71  IMG Prep (FL) 39

Milton (MA) 40 IMG High School (FL) 52

Phillips Academy (MA) 75  Rivers (MA) 50

Northfield Mount Hermon (MA)  Champlain Saint Lambert (QC)

Phillips Exeter (NH) 50  Tabor (MA) 57

IMG Prep (FL) 38  Hill (PA) 61

Vanier (QC) 51  Putnam Science (CT) 53