Mass. Girls All-Star Game Recap

Some Solid Mass. Prospects on Display

The next All-Star game we'll look back at was Sunday night's Mass. Girls game. There was some very solid talent on the floor, no question about it. There was definitely some "Red Raider Flavor" in this game, as 4 of the 16 girls who played in it were from Central Catholic. We saw a pair of very talented junior guards, and a couple of excellent sophomore forwards. Here are the player evaluations:

Big Games for...
Amber Dillon, Brookline High (2011) - She's only a junior, but Dillon (pictured above) is a college ready player. The 5'7" guard has the athleticism, skill set and knowledge of the game to play at the next level. She had 18 points on the game, including a very nice pull-up jumper in transition. Dillon also played some great defense and showed excellent ballhandling ability.

Lizzy Ball, Manchester Essex High (2011) - The 5'8" Ball played both the one and two guard positions effectively, en route to 17 points on the game. She played as hard as anybody on the floor, and was constantly on the attack offensively, pushing the ball and scoring in transition. Ball has strong build and solid all around game.

Melissa Miller, Central Catholic (2011) - The 6'0" forward had a very nice game, with 20 points and 9 rebounds. Miller has good size and strength in the post, but also showed good quickness and played with a bounce in her step. She showed solid post moves and played with a purpose.

Maggie Brown, Wilmington High (2012) - Brown was another inside player who really made her presence felt. The 6'1" sophomore was a force in the paint whether it was scoring, rebounding or defending the basketball. She had 13 points and 8 rebounds on the game.

Other Stock Risers...
Gabie Polce, Central Catholic (2011) - Polce, a 5'10" wing player, showed a solid all around skill set. She handled the basketball well, driving hard to the basket and finishing strong. Polce had a team-high 19 points.

Syndey Jackson, Stoughton High (2012) - Jackson was the other dominant forward in this game, and the second one who is only a sophomore. She's 6'0" and played hard on both ends of the floor, finishing with 15 points and 7 rebounds.

Casey McLaughlin, Central Catholic (2013) - She is only a freshman, but the 5'11" McLaughlin more than held her own against some of the state's top players. She has good quickness, and took the ball strong to the bucket.

Kelsey Garrity, Somerville High (2011) - The 5'7" junior is a solid player who showed the ability to create shots for her teammates. She was hustling all over the court, and also handled the ball effectively.

Brittany Lomano, Billerica High (2013) - She's only 5'4", and she's only a freshman. But Lomano is a solid guard who competed well out there against some tough competition. She handled and distributed the ball well against defensive pressure.

Tori Brillaud, Central Catholic (2011) - As a forward she is a tad undersized at 5'9", but Brillaud showed that she also has the quickness and skill set to play on the perimeter. Brillaud made a very nice pass which led to a basket early in the ballgame.

Others Who Played Well...
Michelle Priess, Hudson High (2011) - Priess showed a good combination of size and athleticism, at 6'0".
Nephie Marsh, Brockton High (2011) - 5'5" guard with good quickness and made some nice drives to the basket.
Caitlin King, Amesbury High (2013) - 5'8" guard, smart player who can shoot and handle the ball.
Nicole Viselli, Pentucket High (2013) - She was limited by an injury, but this 5'9" wing player can shoot it when left open.
Nikki Heavern, Hull High (2011) - Solid 5'9" forward who played good defense.
Alexis Hankerson, Weymouth High (2011) - 5'9" guard who played hard and unselfishly.

NH Boys Underclassmen All-Star Game Recap

Williams and Gilligan Have Standout Performances

Next up in our series of game recaps from the MA-NH High School Basketball Report All-Star Showcase is the NH Boys Underclassmen game. In an up-tempo, very entertaining basketball game, the White Team won 124-107 over the Black Team. One might look at that final score and assume no defense was being played. That may have been true to a certain extent, but for the most part the high score is due to the abundance of talent on display. These kids were making plays, making strong drives to the basket and hitting their shots.

Big Games for...
Javon Williams, Nashua North (2012) - The 5'10" Williams (pictured above) once again showed that he is one of the fastest, athletic and explosive young players in the area. He hit 5 threes on the game, including on where he pulled up off the dribble and hit the shot. Williams also displayed his athleticism with a thunderous one handed dunk on the break as 2 of his team-high 29 points. He has the ability to play the game at a speed which is much quicker than most players in the state.

Devin Gilligan, Souhegan High (2012) - Gilligan has really filled out his frame nicely, and he is now a very well built 6'3" wing player. He used his added strength on numerous strong drives to the rim where he finished effectively en route to a game-high 30 points. Gilligan has a scorer's mentality, and is very tough to guard off the dribble.

Other Stock Risers...
Dimitri Floras, Merrimack High (2013) - The 6'0" freshman guard has made plenty of headlines over the winter, and on Sunday everybody saw why. He is a silky smooth player, and the game comes easy to him. Floras made a very nice mid-range pull-up jumper, and also an excellent pass on the fast break to set up a teammate for a layup.

Curtis Arsenault, Berlin High (2012) - He's from way up North and from one of the smaller divisions in NH, so while most of these kids have played with or against each other countless times already it was Arsenault's first time. The 6'1" forward more than held his own against the state's top young players, finishing with 21 points and 7 rebounds. He has good quickness and very good strength, and is a force around the bucket.

Tony Beaulieu, Alvirne High (2012) - Beaulieu plays football in addition to hoops, and you can tell. The 5'11" guard has a very solid build, which allows him to finish at the rim effectively. Beaulieu is another kid that is virtually impossible to guard off the dribble. He had one of the better plays of the game, a drive to the basket where he made a spin move for an and-one play.

Ryan Gauthier, Nashua North (2012) - Gauthier plays the game with a ton of energy and explosiveness, and like Williams he is able to play it at a very fast speed. The 5'11" Gauthier showed the ability to handle the basketball, shot it off the dribble, and even in an All-Star game he was diving on the floor for loose balls.

Mike Auger, Hopkinton High (2013) - This 6'4" foreshman has a bright future. He is a very tough inside player who ran the floor well and scored and rebounded the basketball well in the paint.

Kaleb Joseph, Nashua South (2013) - This 5'11" guard is another kid who is extremely explosive and athletic. Joseph can jump out of the gym. He is also another player who is tough off the dribble, but he is one who was able to go off the dribble and create for not only himself but for his teammtes as well.

Anthony Muccioli, Nashua South (2013) - Muccioli is a 5'9" guard who can play the 1 or the 2 position effectively. He showed he could handle the basketball, as well as shoot it off the dribble. Muccioli is a quick, athletic player and one of the better defenders in his class.

Others Who Played Well...
Billy Lane, Portsmouth High (2012) - As fast as some of the other players were, Lane may have been the fastest kid on the floor. Solid point guard who can also shoot it.
Brad Holler, Exeter High (2012) - The 5'10" Holler is the best shooter in his class. Very competitive kid who always plays hard on both ends.
Logan Kesty, Trinity High (2012) - The 6'1" wing player had 16 points on the game and also played some solid defense on the ball.
Jim Tomaswick, Alvirne High (2012) - Tomaswick is a 6'5" forward with a good build, solid quickness and touch around the basket.
Kyle DiCesare, Portsmouth High (2012) - The 6'2" wing is a smooth player, the game comes easy to him and he didn't try to do too much. He continues to show a solid stroke from the outside.
Alex Patrikis, Pinkerton Academy (2012) - Patrikis was very active on the boards and around the basket. The 6'4" forward has a bright future.
Skyler Mitchell, Coe-Brown Northwood Academy (2012) - The 6'3" Mitchell was tough on the glass and in the low post, where he has a solid and always improving low post game.
Tim LaRoche, Exeter High (2012) - For a kid that is only 6'1", this kid can flat out fly. He has off the charts athleticism and explosiveness.

NH Girls Underclassmen All-Star Game Recap

A Number of Promising Young Players on Display

In post 3 of 7 recapping this past Sunday night's showcase event, we look back at the NH Girls Underclassmen All-Star Game. There was plenty of talented girls in this game, with the White Team winning 83-56. Most of the games had 1 or 2 players stand out above the rest. With this game however, there was 8 or 9 players who could argue that they had the best game.

Big Games for...
Meghan Green, Bishop Guertin (2013) - Green (pictured above) is a very promising young player. She's only a freshman, but she's 6'1" and already has a strong skill set to build upon. Green has good quickness, a strong frame, and good low post moves. She had a game-high 17 points to go with 8 rebounds.

Jane White, Souhegan High (2012) - There were two players who really shot the basketball well from the outside, one of them was White. The 5'5" guard has good form and range on her shot, and shoots the ball with confidence. She is a very quick, athletic guard with a strong frame.

Allie Mahan, Dover High (2012) - Mahan played the game as hard as anybody, and helped her team in a variety of ways. The 5'6" guard handled the ball well, made strong drives to the basket, hit outside shots and played tough defense.

Lindsey Bolduc, Londonderry High (2012) - Nobody in this game was tougher to defend in transition than Bolduc. The 5'7" guard displayed excellent ball handling abilities, and is almost impossible to defend when driving to the bucket.

Allie Hartford, Manchester Memorial (2013) - Hartford was the second player in this game who really showed the ability to shoot the basketball, connecting on 4 three pointers. The 5'4" guard was also one of the fastest players in this game.

Alex Cohen, Bishop Guertin (2012) - Cohen did everything you would ask a guard to do. She showed the ability to dribble, pass, drive and shoot, as well as defend the basketball. The 5'10" guard is also versatile, and can play the 1, 2 or 3 positions on the floor.

Dina Pitsas, Milford High (2013) - Pitsas played as hard as anyone in this game. She was very active and all over the place on defense, keeping offensive rebounds alive, and going after loose balls. The 5'10" guard/forward also went coast-to-coast on one of the better plays of the game.

Ashley Giampetruzzi, Manchester Central (2012) - Giampetruzzi has a very strong, athletic body. The 5'9" guard handled and passed the ball effectively, and has a high basketball IQ.

Elizabeth Laing, Pinkerton Academy (2013) - Hartford was fast, but Laing was the fastest player on the court during this game. The 5'6" guard is extremely fast and athletic and has tremendous upside as only a freshman.

Other Stock Risers...
Ashley Clough, Keene High (2012) - The 5'11" Clough is one of those players who isn't going to stand out on an all-star game like this, but she does all of the little things well, which gets her noticed. She's a scrappy player who passes and rebounds the ball very well.

Nikki Hayner, Bishop Guertin (2013) - Hayner plays the game hard, and is a very smart player. She's 5'10", and is a solid post player who can also handle the ball like a guard.

Kerry White, Salem High (2012) - This was a guard-oriented game, but White was one player who was content to stay in the paint and do the dirty work. The 5'11" forward grabbed some very nice rebounds.

Danielle Fletcher, Manchester Memorial (2013) - The 5'11" Fletcher is another promising inside player. She has a strong body and runs the floor well.

Gretchen Anderson, St. Thomas Aquinas (2012) - Anderson is a 5'9" forward who is a solid inside player, but is also comfortable playing away from the basket.

Others Who Played Well...
Emily Rose, Timberlane Regional High (2012) - This 5'10" guard can play inside or out.
Madison Gibbs, Bishop Guertin (2013) - Solid player who scored 6 points on the game.
Megan Hartnett, Winnacunnet High (2012) - Hartnett is only 5'5", but she showed that she can hold her own with the state's other top players.
Ceara McNamara, Souhegan (2012) - 6'1" forward who played hard on both ends of the floor.
Maggie McGown, Bedford High (2013) - The 5'8" guard has a good all around game, and defends well on the perimter.
Nicole Yannalfo, Pinkerton Academy (2013) - The 5'5" Yannalfo is not afraid to take the ball to the hoop against bigger players.
Sarah Cote, Pinkerton Academy (2013) - Cote likes to get out in transition and push the basketball.
Sam Breslin, Pinkerton Academy (2013) - Breslin is an active player who was involved in the game in a variety of ways and has a high basketball IQ.

MA Boys Underclassmen All-Star Game Recap

Vonleh Puts on a Show as Top Freshman

This is post 2 out of 7 where we look back at the 7 All-Star games that were played on Sunday night. There was a ton of talent on the floor for the MA Boys Underlcassmen game, especially on the freshmen side. Virtually every top ranked freshman in the state was playing in this game.

Big Games for...
Noah Vonleh, Haverhill High School (2013) - Vonleh (pictured left) put on a display that was almost unimaginable for a 14 year old. The 6’5” guard/forward separated himself from the other freshmen in the gym with his dominating play and one could argue that Vonleh may have been the best player in any of the boys game this evening. Vonleh’s 31 point performance had the 300 plus crowd at the RAC buzzing. Vonleh knocked down 4 threes, slashed to the basket and finished with four thunderous dunks, had a couple of great spin moves in the lane to nifty finishes, and added a couple of impressive above the rim put-backs. Vonleh also displayed his versatility as he played all five positions on the court and seemed very comfortable running the point much of the game.

Ramone Gibbons, Charlestown High (2013) - Gibbons is very quick and strong. He uses his quickness and strength well to overwhelm his defender. The 6'1" Gibbons had 24 points on the evening as he finished well in traffic against good competition. Most impressively, he plays extremely hard on both ends of the floor.

Akosa Madeugbunam, Charlestown High (2012) - Madeugbunam was one of the best athletes in the game. He used that ability to defend and rebound all evening long. His vertical leap is exceptional and he can shoot the pull up jumper real well. The result was impressive as the 6'3" Maduegbunam finished with 24 points on the night using both the inside and outside game.

Wayne Selden, O’Bryant High (2013) - Selden is a very strong defender and rebounds the ball exceptionally well. He was impressive in the open court as he finished the break with a few big time dunks. Selden finished with 12 points on the evening. His long arms give him the ability to cover either a guard or a forward and his foot speed is very good considering the size of his body.

Josh Downes, Sandwich High (2012) - The 6'2" forward had a team-high 29 points on the game. Downes was very efficient, making the most of his opportunities and didn't have to take a ton of shots to get his 29. Nothing flashy about his game, just a solid, hard working player.


Other Stock Risers...
Jacquil Taylor, Cambridge Rindge & Latin (2013) - Taylor is a talent in the making as he has great size and touch. He finished well around the basket and had 14 points on the evening. The 6'7" Taylor also rebounded the ball well and kept the ball up high while finding the outlet.

Stephen Haladyna, St. John’s Prep (2012) - Haladyna has a knack for getting his hands on the basketball and being in the right place at the right time. He got his hands on several offensive rebounds and finished extremely well around the basket. As a result, Haladayna played bigger than his 6’3” size. Haladyna also showed he can finish in traffic as well as knock down shots from the perimeter as he netted 13 points on the evening.

Derek Collins, North Andover (2013) - Collins was one of the true scorers in the game. He scored his 18 points in a variety of ways including making the three, an impressive array of fade away jump shots, and he added some solid finishes when he attacked the rim. The 6'1" Collins demonstrated a high basketball IQ as he made some great passes. He is also extremely athletic and defends on the ball real well.

Cornelious Tyson, Springfield Central (2013) - The 6'1" point guard has incredible speed athleticism and ball handling ability. He can get to wherever he wants to on the court, and has tremdnous upside.

Colin Richey, Whitinsville Christian (2013) - Richey has an exceptional basketball I.Q. and is a pleasure to watch play the game. He played an excellent game at the point position as was extremely efficient and got his teammates involved. The 6'0" Richey made excellent decisions with the ball and picked his places to score and keep the defense honest.


Up-and-Comers...
Alec Brennan, Weston High (2013) - The 6'7" Brennan is long, skilled, and can score inside and out. He has very good upside based on his size, skill set and the fact that he's only a freshman.

Riyadh Asad, West Springfield High (2013) - This 6'2" wing does all of the little things well, and finished with 8 points on the game.

Maurice Taylor, Cambridge Rindge & Latin (2012) - Solid post player who works hard on both ends of the floor. The 6'2" Taylor rebounds the ball well and is very active, keeping possessions alive.


Others Who Played Well...
Ryan Perron, North Attleboro High (2013) - Perron is a solid player who will help you on both ends. He is a very solid build for a 5'11" kid, and he also knocked down 3 threes on the game.
Timmance McKinney, Milton High (2013) - The 6'2" McKinney is an athletic player who took the ball strong to the hoop on several occasions.
Zach Karalis, North Andover (2012) - The 6'1" guard can definitely shoot the basketball if you leave him open, and played hard on both ends.
Isaac Carp, Hamilton-Wenham High (2012) - The 6'1" Carp played a very unselfish game, distributing the ball well to his talented teammtes.
Patrick Talentino, St. John's Shrewsbury (2012) - The 6'0" guard showed the ability to handle the ball in traffic.
John Basile, East Long Meadow High (2012) - Basile is an undersized forward at 6'1", but he's a tough player who battles hard in the paint.

NH Boys Jr. All-Star Game Recap

Madol Shows Why He's Ranked #1

Over the next 7 days, we'll be providing game recaps from each of the 7 All-Star games played in the MA-NH High School Basketball Report All-Star Showcase, 1 recap per day. We'll start off with the NH Boys Juniors All-Star Game.

This was a very competitive game, with the black team winning it 105-100. There was 1 or 2 players who stood out from the rest, but other than that there was a lot of very evenly matched talent out on the floor.

Big Games for...
David Madol, Trinity HS - Madol was the story of this game, scoring a game-high 27 points to lead the black team to the win. The 6'5" forward had some athletic put backs from offensive rebounds and showed the ability to score the basketball not only inside but outside as well as he stepped back and nailed back to back three pointers.

Jamie Holder, Milford HS - The up and down, free flowing style of play that we saw in these All-Star games is right up Holder's alley. The 6'2" guard made plays all game long, on both ends of the floor. He made some explosive drives to the basket as well as a the ability to pull-up off the dribble and hit a three en route to 20 points on the game.

Shomari Morgan, Manchester Memorial - Morgan continues to show not only is he one of the most improved players in NH, but he can perform well against the best players in his class. The 6'1" two-guard was one of the most athletic players in the gym all night. He had 14 points, including a number of strong drives and pull-up jumpers.

Connor Green, Bishop Guertin - Green showed a solid all-around game, and scored inside and out. He made some athletic finishes and put backs, displaying an ability to play the game above the rim. The 6'4" wing also stepped out and knocked down 3 three-pointers for a 20 point game.

Other Stock Risers...
Mike Mitchell, Milford HS - In a game full of talented scorers, it was nice to see a player who was content to share the basketball and give those talented scorers the ball in positions for them to put points on the board. His teammates got out, filled the lanes on the break and ran, because they knew they would get the ball. The 5'7" guard showed excellent court vision, with over 10 assists on the contest.

Ben Hill, Pittsfield HS - Even though he plays in NH's lowest high school division, the 6'8" Hill showed he can still play with the big boys. Hill has a big, athletic body and created problems for any opponent who entered the paint.

Joey Maher, Bedford HS - Baseball is his main sport, but Maher showed that he is among the tops in his class in basketball as well. The 6'4" forward ran the floor and finsished on the break, and also had a nice rebound and put-back in traffic.

Mike Colby, Londonderry HS - Colby is known as more of a shooter, but in this game he showed he has the speed to keep up with a faster paced game with his class's other top players as well. The 6'2" two-guard made a very nice reverse layup, which was one of the game's highlights.

Michael Lombard, Pelham HS - Lombard did a little bit of everything, running up and down the floor and making open shots. The 6'3" forward has slimmed down, gotten stronger and gotten quicker since the start of the high school season.

Kevin O'Connor, Stevens HS - Another player who comes from a lower division, but had no problem competing with the Class L and Class I kids. The 6'6" forward showed a solid inside game and ran the floor well.

Others Who Played Well...
Mike O'Loughlin, Milford HS - The 6'3" guard got out, ran the floor and finished well.
Kenaan Al-Darraji, Dover HS - The 6'0" combo-guard shot the ball well and distributed it to teammtes for open looks.
Steve Spirou, Pelham HS - The 6'4" wing is another player who does all of the little things, including finishing strong and spacing the floor.
Morgan Faustino, Dover HS - Good quickness, explosiveness and rebounding for the 6'3" forward.
John Wickey, Manchester Central - The 6'6" center rebounded and stepped out and hit outisde shots as well.
Joe Gallant, Salem HS - Solid defense and rebounding was displayed by the 6'4" forward.
Theo Speas, Keene HS - The 6'2" wing went strong to the rim and also pulled up off the dribble for shots.
Caleb Donnelly, Alvirne HS - The 6'1" two-guard showed a solid all-around game, and a scorer's mentality.
Josh Morgan, Campbell HS - If you leave this 6'2" off-guard open, he'll make you pay from long range.

Talent Packs the RAC for All-Star Showcase

7 games, 14 teams, 140 players. It was quite an event, and quite an evening at the Rockingham Athletic Club in Plaistow, NH where hundreds of players, coaches, fans and media flocked to see the top basketball talent in Mass. and NH. It was the first annual MA-NH High School Basketball Report All-Star Showcase, and it was a big success.

There was a ton of talent in the gym, and players came from all over to showcase their talent. The
players brought their "A" games, and the college coaches who were present took notice.

Over the next several days, we'll have reports on all 7 of the games that were played tonight. We will also be releasing new player rankings, for all classes, both boys and girls, MA and NH over the coming weeks.