Unsigned Senior Spotlight - Clay Brochu
Clay Brochu's high school career in Rhode Island will be one for the ages, especially over the course of the last two seasons.
North Kingstown swept the RIIL state tournament in 2018-19, winning the D1 state championship as well as the state open. Brochu was the star of the state championship game too as he exploded for 36 points at the Ryan Center.
This year, it was on senior night that he set North Kingstown's all-time scoring record and led the Skippers back to the D1 finals, where they fell to Hendricken. Nevertheless, NK and Hendricken were the top two teams in the RIIL Power Rankings heading into the state open before it was cancelled due to COVID-19.
So while his high school career ended more abruptly than anyone could have anticipated, he still goes down as one of the best impactful players the RIIL has seen in recent years.
Prospect Profile
Height: 6-2
Postion: SG
School: North Kingstown High School
AAU: Rhode Island Magic
By the Numbers
Stats - 19.9ppg, 5.6rpg, & 4.5apg
Academics - 3.54 GPA & 1150 SAT
Awards & Accolades
- North Kingstown High School All-Time Leading Scorer (1,382 points)
- North Kingstown High School All-Time Leader in Three-Pointers Made (170)
- 2x 1st-Team All-State RIIL
- 2x 1st Team All-Division 1C
- 2x 1st Team All-League Division 1
Recommendations
"I have had the pleasure to coach Clay on the North Kingstown boys basketball team for the last three years. His teammates think so highly of him they elected him captain for both his junior and senior years. He serves as a role model by the way he conducts himself in the classroom and on the court. Clay leads by example; he is always trying to improve himself. Clay Brochu is a two time Rhode Island All-State 1st team player, not to mention MVP of the 2019 RI State Championship game by scoring 36 points. There haven't been many better performances in a state championship game. Clay is a versatile player who can handle the ball and create his own offense. He is the all-time leading scorer at North Kingstown High School. He possess the ability to get to the rim and hit the 3-point shot. In addition to his scoring, Clay finished either first or second on the team in rebounds and assists, making him an all-around player. I highly recommend him to any college coach who is looking for a scorer with a tremendous upside. He will be an asset to your program."
- Aaron Thomas, Head Coach, North Kingstown
"Offensively, Clay is a strong guard who truly scores at all three levels. Clay has many strengths, but his greatest strength is his shot. He is an excellent long range shooter with an extremely quick release and can shoot moving in all directions, in transition and off the dribble. He also has an excellent mid-range game as well and can get to any spot on the court with ease. In the half court, his length and strength allow him to get to the rim and finish against much bigger players. In transition, he handles the ball extremely well, has tremendous court vision and finishes at the rim through contact against bigger guards...Defensively, Clay played down low for the Magic, as he often did in high school as well. Clay is a fierce competitor and loves contact, so he flourished in that role and was one of our leading rebounders. He has excellent defensive instincts and gets a lot of steals and deflections from his ability to get into the passing lanes and read plays. His on-the-ball defense is strong as well and he is able to keep quicker guards in front of him. He was often tasked with guarding the opposing team's best player and thrived in that role. He is a well-rounded defensive player that can guard multiple positions due to his length and strength. Finally, Clay is truly a student athlete with a 3.54 GPA while enrolled in a challenging schedule."
- Dave Tedeschi, Director, Rhode Island Magic
Scouting Report
There's a vast difference between a player who shoots it well from three at the high school level and a college-ready shot-maker. Brochu is the latter. He doesn't just make open shots, but he makes tough ones. He can run his man off screens, make contested shots off the dribble, or with very little separation. He's the type of shooter that when he gets hot, he starts making shots in bunches and can put his team on his back. That might not be his role from day one at the college level, but he's got that type of ability. He's also a more versatile scorer than he sometimes gets credit for, in large part because he understands how to attack defenses who prioritize taking away his jumper. Whether it's reading screens off the ball or attacking close-outs, he's become adept at taking what the defense gives him. So, while he's capable of scoring in different ways, he has a clear progression in how he attacks and counters opposing coverages.
Video Highlights
Aaron Thomas
Clay Brochu