Scott Hazelton Camp – Event Recap

New England Recruiting Report | Monday, August 8th, 2011

Each and every August since 2007 the New England Recruiting Report has made the trip to Lawrence, Massachusetts for the annual Scott Hazelton Camp.

The trip has always been well worth it as it has led to our first look at stars like Evan Smotrycz, Carson Desrosiers, Jordan Laguerre, Pat Connaughton, and Noah Vonleh. 
This year’s field is headlined by another talented field, beginning with Vonleh and Zach Auguste. 

Of all the stars who have made their way through the Hazelton Camp’s doors, Vonleh’s talent exceeds them all.  The former Haverhill star exploded onto the national scene this summer, establishing himself as one of the nation’s preeminent talents and scoring early scholarship offers from some of the nation’s most prestigious college programs in the process. 

Auguste was another guy who took his recruitment to the highest level this summer, scoring offers from the likes of Florida, West Virginia, Marquette, Minnesota, Virginia, and a host of others in the process.  It’s hard to imagine that the physically weak youngster who appeared at this camp just two years ago has now blossomed into one of the most pursued power forwards in the game thanks to his length, skill, and athleticism. 

Best of the Rest

Cedric Kuakumensah, St. Andrew’s – Normally a defensive monster, Kuakumensah utilized the camp setting to work on his offensive skills and showed some decent tools including a soft touch out to 15 feet and some ability to face and bounce. 

Ryan Hartung, Phillips Andover – The St. Anselm’s pledge was probably the most productive offensive player in the gym on Monday.  He was automatic from behind the arc, both pulling up in transition and making contested shots with a hand in his face, and also moved without the ball to score in the lane.  

Tevin Falzon, Winchendon – He’s another who sent his stock up this summer.  He continued to impress today, showing a soft touch around the rim with both hands along with his trademark face-up skill set which saw him scoring points from a variety of different ranges. 

Steve Haladyna, St. John’s Prep – Even in this type of camp setting, Haladyna still distinguishes himself by his willingness to do the dirty work.  He runs lanes, goes to the glass, finds ways to finish inside, and has a great nose for the ball while continuing to be a threat from the three-point line. 

Dimitri Floras, Kimball Union – He has a rare ability to make tough shots, and has proven that on some of the biggest stages grassroots basketball offers.  What remains to be seen is the development of his point guard skills and he went a long way towards showing those today with a series of crafty finds. 

Matt Cimino, Worcester Academy – He follows in the footsteps of Desrosiers, Smotrycz, Auguste and others as a highly skilled big man who stretches opposing defenses all the way to the three-point line, but distinguishes himself with his passing ability at the pinch post area. 

Mike Leblanc, Dover – He could go down as this year’s “discovery” as Leblanc showed a variety of tools to suggest he could be yet another high level face-up forward to come down the pipeline.  He’s long, poised, crafty inside, skilled to 22 feet, and the owner of an instinctive feel for the game. 

Mike Carbone, St. John’s Prep – Guys who can make shots usually have a way of making themselves useful and Carbone did just that today as he found his spots in the open floor and was virtually automatic when able to set his feet. 

Up and Coming

Mike Auger, New Hampton – He showed some flashes this summer and had the highlight play of the day on Monday when he went down the lane off the dribble, cupped the ball out wide, and then emphatically threw it through the rim with a massive hook motion ala Dwight Howard. 

Aaron Falzon, Newton North – Speaking of young face-up guys, Falzon is another who fits the description to a tee.  He already shoots accurately out to the three-point line but really distinguishes himself with his footwork and offensive repertoire at the mid-post area. 

Nick Cambio, Central Catholic – Stop us if we’re being repetitive, but one combination that never gets old is length and skill.  Cambio has that type of foundation to his game, not to mention a naturally sturdy build that makes him a major mismatch problem at still a very early age. 

Shane Farley, Burlington – The rising sophomore is a good athlete with a quick first step.  He was successful attacking the rim from the wing spots and also showed enough improvement on his jumper to be a threat when in rhythm. 

Chris Baldwin, Hillside – A young big man with a strong frame and great understanding of how to play the interior, Baldwin has size, toughness, and dexterity along with a very good feel for the game for a young post player. 

Aaron McClean, St. Mark’s – An excellent athlete who is still very raw.  The six-foot-five forward runs, catches, and can finish around the rim.  He’s active on the glass, can take the ball off the boards and start the break with his dribble, and has tremendous upside. 

Ian Sistare, Trinity – Only a rising freshman, Sistare showed skills and physical tools beyond his years on Monday.  He has a strong body but still good size for his position along with the versatility to play any of the three backcourt spots. 

Zavia Williams, TBD – Another rising freshman, Williams was especially dangerous with his dribble.  He has a lot of shake with the ball and a slippery smooth penetrating game to put constant pressure on opposing defenses. 

Sultan Olusekun, TBD – He was far from dominant but he clearly owns plenty of talent along with a sturdy frame, tight handle, and the presence to eventually develop into a solid prospect at the lead guard position.