Mass Boys Class of 2013 Updated Fall Rankings

Noah Vonleh Number 1 in Class of 2013

1. Noah Vonleh, (6'6", Haverhill High School) - Vonleh, who just turned 15 years old in August, has the greatest upside of any basketball player in New England. Vonleh is long and athletic and his body has a long way to go. Vonleh can literally play all five positions on the basketball court. He can guard opposing teams’ tallest player and he can also take the ball up the court. Vonleh has an impressive moves off the dribble that allows him to get to the rim effectively. He has made much improvement is his shot and will need to continue to improve in that area.

2. Jaquille Taylor (6'8", Cambridge, Rindge & Latin) – Taylor is a star in the making. He is another young prospect in this class that has a whole lot of upside. He is currently 6'8" tall with extremely long arms and quick feet. As his body continues to develop, he is going to end up with all the physical tools he’ll need to be a division 1 basketball player. His motor is also impressive as Taylor is very active on both ends of the court, flying around and getting his hands on a lot of balls. Taylor need to work on his skill set and become a more effective scorer around the basket.

3. Cornelius Tyson(6'1", Springfield Central High School) – The Springfield Central floor general has a tremendous presence and charisma at the point and is an instinctive playmaker with a great feel for the game. His handle is smooth and efficient, his court vision outstanding, and his composure and decision making off the charts. Combine that with a good understanding of when to distribute the ball and when to attack, and a good basketball body we can see why this young man is going to be a division 1 point guard prospect. Tyson could use some work on his jumper which is a bit inconsistent.

4. Ramon Gibbons (6'1", Charlestown High School) - Gibbons is a tough and physical guard that attacks the rim. He is an outstanding competitor that can take over a basketball game with his strength and will. We have seen him put his team on his back on many occasions and lead his team to victory. Gibbons needs to develop more finesse in his game so he relies less on a brute force approach. He also needs to improve his long range and pull-up jump shot.

5. Kamari Robinson (6'4", Springfield Central) – Robinson boasts a strong frame with good explosion in both his leaping ability and first step. He can elevate over the pack to grab rebounds from the guard position. He also is effective in pushing the ball up the floor himself, and can both finish and distribute the basketball.

6. Sam Dowden (6'4", Andover High School) - The 6'4" swingman is active all over the court. Dowden once known has a four man has done an exceptional job transitioning his game to that of a perimeter player. Dowden has a great stroke and can knock down shots from well beyond the arc. He also has a pretty crossover to a pull-up and has much success getting to the rim with both hands. Added to that, Dowden is an exceptional rebounder. What we like best about Dowden is his desire to play and improve. Dowden needs to continue to develop his guard skills.

7. Derek Collins (6'2", North Andover High School) - Collins has plenty of game as he can score the basketball in more ways than anybody on the list. In the half court offense, Collins can get any where he want to go. He can make shots from anywhere on the floor. He can knock down the three, make the pull-up, finish the floater, and has some pretty up and under moves. He is masterful in creating space off the dribble and has a deadly pull-up as well as some acrobatic finishes around the basket. Collins is also athletic and strong and knows how to use his body effectively. Collins needs to improve his ability to handle the basketball in the open court.

8. Joel Barroa (6'4', Central Catholic High School) - Barroa is an athletic and long wingman that competes hard and gets his hands on many balls. Barroa can really run the floor and is exceptional in transition. He also has a nice stroke and can knock down the three. Barroa is a determined rebounder and gets after it on the glass. Barroa's weakness may be that he doesn't have the greatest set of hands and needs to work on that area.

9. Jameilen Jones (6'2, Boston College High) - Jones is a talented guard with good size and great quickness. He has an exceptional crossover which allows him to get to the rim with ease. He's a talent with exceptional upside and we expect to hear lots more about him. Jones needs to improve his outside stroke.

10. Jonathan Perez (5'11", Lowell High School) – When we saw Perez in the Spring we were more than impressed with his versatility as a scorer as he knocked down threes and made some great slashes to the basket for layups. Perez is a strong guard that shows he is able to finish a after taking a hit as he uses his body effectively to make field goals. Perez also works down the defensive end of the floor. Perez needs to become a bit more consistent with his three point stroke.

11. LQuan Arnum (5'6", Dartmouth High School) - Arnum creates many problems for his opponents. He comes up with a boatload of steals and converts many of them to easy baskets. Defensively, he is very talented and should look to improve his offensive game so that he may become a great all-around player.

12. Aaron Calixte (5'10", Stoughton HS) – Has gear beyond most others and uses it to make plays on both ends of the floor. Great body, fast and effective.

13. Colin Richey (6'0", Whitinsville Christian) - Richey is an extremely efficient point guard who has an excellent understanding of the game. We really like him because he is the type of player that makes everybody on his team better. Sometime Richey is unselfish to a fault. Richey needs to become a better offensive threat by improving his three point stroke and pull-up.

14. Jared Terrell (6'1", Weymouth High School) - Terrell is a long athletic wing player who is very effective in the open court. Terrell showed us that he is a more than effective rebounder for his size, and more impressively, he knows how to push the basketball after he hauls it in. Terrell needs to continue his offensive skills in the half court.

14. Elijah Mukiibi (6'4", Lowell High School) - Mukiibi is still a work in progress. Mukiibi is a much improved player that plays physical and is active around the rim. But what is most impressive about the big fellow is his ability to put the ball to the floor from the perimeter. Mukiibi must keep developing at the offensive end but has a chance to be a special player.

16. Nate Anderson (6'6", New Mission High School) – Anderson is still a work in progress, but he has length and is likely to become a force in the paint.

17. Timmance McKinney (6'3" , Milton High School) – McKinney has a great body, athleticism, and plays the game with a real purpose. He affects the game on both ends of the floor as he guards the ball well and forces turnovers by jumping into passing lanes. McKinney knows how to score going to the rim as well as off the offensive glass.

18. Riyad Asad (6'2", West Springfield High School)– Asad has become an extremely smooth and versatile scorer who puts the ball in the basket in a variety of different ways.

19. Demitry Lewis, (5'8", Charlestown High School) - Lewis is an explosive point guard who gets where he wants to go and can finish around the rim. He also has exceptional point guard skills as he continuously finds the open man.

20. Brice McCallister (6'1", East Longmeadow High School) – McCallister has made huge improvements over the last few months, and because of his physical tools, his upside is promising. His upside is immediately evident as he has the physical tools to become an exceptional player.

21. Jaylen Blakely (5'9", Brockton High School) – Blakely is a scoring threat every time he touches the ball. He is a deep threat from the point guard position as he has a picture perfect release to his jumper. Not one dimensional, Blakely is equally effective slashing to the basket.

22. Norris Cuevas (6'0", Springfield Central High School )– Cuevas is a strong and physical guard that goes to the rim with a purpose. Cuevas showed us a much better jump shot this Spring and Summer.

23. Jesse Maresca (6'0", Wachusett Regional High School) – Maresca is a very good catch and shoot threat who understands the game and makes good decisions with the basketball.

24. Josh Bosworth (6'3", East Longmeadow High School) - Bosworth is still a baby physically but has a good upside.

25. Ryan Perron (5'11", North Attleboro High School) – Tough competitor who isn’t afraid to mix it up physically. Perron is a good floor general who has a very nice shooting stroke.

Mass Boys Class of 2012 Updated Fall Rankings

Jake Laymen is Number 1 in Class of 2012

Here are the updated rankings for the Class of 2012

1. Jake Laymen (6'7", King Phillips) - Laymen had one of the best summers of all players in New England. Laymen is a long forward with a good built and soft shooting touch. Layman showed this Spring and Summer that he has a chance to play at a high-major level. Laymen is impressive in transition, and can finish well above the rim. He also has a nice stroke from behind the three point arc. Much of what Laymen has is still potential, but we are more than confident that his potential will be realized.

2. Akosa Maduegbunam (6'3", Charlestown High School) - Maduegbunam is an athletic guard that can get to ther rim and finish well above the cylinder. Maduegbunam also has an improved stroke as he is having more success knocking down the three.

3. Peter Miller(6'9", Winchester HS)- Miller is a fundamentally sound big man that had his stock increase this Spring and Summer. Miller was successful in catching and finishing with a smooth touch. Miller also showed that he can move away from the basket a bit and make the 12 foot jumper. Miller needs to be a little more aggressive and get stronger, and he will be a division 1 prospect.

4. Steve Haladyna (6'3", Saint John's Prep) - The 6'3" Haladyna just makes plays. Although not always pretty, Haladyna finds a way to put the ball in the basket. He competes extremely hard and has a great knack for the basketball, especially off the offensive boards. Haladyna needs some work on his skills so that he becomes a better shooter and more effective off the dribble.

5. Adam Bramanti (6'1", Masconomet Regional High School) - Bramanti has game and can score in a multitude of different ways. He has a sweet looking three point stroke and an excellent dribble to pull-up. He can also finish around the rim, as well as in the lane with floaters and pull-ups. As he continues to improve his skill set, Bramanti will become stronger and more confident attacking the basket and finishing at the rim.

6. Kenny Reed (5'10", Reading High School) - This summer was our first look at the sophomore guard and we came away impressed. He’s a strong and powerful point who goes to the rim with authority and is equally effective creating for others thanks to some terrific court vision. Reed is also a scoring point guard who finds many ways to put the ball in the hoop. Like many on this list, with some skill work, Reed has a chance to be special.

7. Dana Hines (6'7", Corcord Carlisle) - Hines is a big and powerful forward who is still raw. But his size and strength inside makes him a factor in most basketball games he competes in. Hines is still a work in progress, but his upside is impressive. Hines need to work on finishing around the basket.

8. Maurice Taylor (6'2", Cambridge Ringe and Latin)- Taylor is still a baby physically. His length and athleticism are tremendous, and he has shown a nice mid-range game. Taylor can handle the ball some in the open court and competes hard. It will be interesting to watch him develop over the next year.

9. Mike Thorpe (5'11", Newton North High School) – Thorpe does not have the explosive nature of many other guards, but his basketball I.Q. is extremely high. He’s creative and crafty inside the lane, is a knockdown three-point shooter with an equally good pull-up game.

10. Robinson Vilmont (5’8”, Malden High School) – We saw Vilmont score 38 points against Everett last year and he did it in a variety of ways including knocking down eight 3 pointers. Vilmont can really score the basketball and get to the rim. He also can defend as well.

11. Chris Lee (6'4", Lexington High School) – Lee is a big man who is tough and strong around the rim but also has some perimeter skills and a good feel for the game.

12. Luis Puello (5'10", Central Catholic High School) - Puello plays the game as hard as any player in New England. He competes on every play and makes every dribble a nightmare for opponents that don't have an exceptional handle of the basketball. Puello gets his hands on a ton of basketballs and is an exceptional rebounder given his height. Although not a great scorer, he gets points off of pure hustle. He's a winner.

13. Zach Karalis (6'1", North Andover High School) - Karalis is a good three point shooter that can stretch the defense. He is active and can rebound the basketball and is effective in transition. Karalis needs to develop more game especially off the dribble.

14. Jared Neumann (6'3", Northampton High School) – Neumann can rebound and finish in traffic and has the skills to push the ball up the floor himself. Neumann has much potential as his body is still in the developmental phase.

15. Patrick Talentino (6'0", Saint John's Shrewsbury) – We first saw Talentino at our own MA-NH High School Basketball Report All-Star game. Talentino has a nice dependable shooting stroke, a good understanding of the game, as well as the ability to handle and pass the basketball.

16. Trevon Moore (6'0", East Boston High School) – He has a gear beyond most with great speed and quickness and uses it to make plays on both sides of the court. He is super creative with his dribble penetration and no less effective on the defensive end where he consistently forces the opposition into turnovers.

17. Rakim Smith-Lartey ( 5’6”, Somerville High School) – He is good with the ball and very crafty inside the lane as he is able to get things done.

18. Mike Carbone (5'9", Saint John's Prep) - Carbone is a scrappy player that gets it done on both ends of the floor. He plays extremely hard and creates opportunities for himself in transition. Carbone can also knock down the three and always seems to come up with the big basket.

19. John Basile (6'1", Longmeadow High School) – Basile is a playmaker who is good with the ball, aggressive going to the rim, and can finish with both hands.

20. Rony Fernandez (5'10", Charlestown High School) Fernandez is a an excellent shooter who can make things happen off the dribble.

Mass Boys Class 2011 Updated Fall Rankings

Pat Connaughton Number 1 High School Player in Massachusetts

Below is the updated rankings for the Massachusetts Boys Class of 2011

1. Pat Connaughton (6'4", St. John's Prep) – Much has been said about Pat Connaughton's play this summer as he the 6'4" guard came out of nowhere to earn scholarships at Notre Dame, Tennessee, UCLA and others. He was sensational in the Super 16 in Connecticut proving his worth against highly regarded Jermaine Sanders and his New Heights team. Things only got better in Orlando as Connaughton played incredibly well and consequently took his recruitment to the very highest levels with Notre Dame, Tennessee, UCLA, and more offering scholarships. Connaughton has proved himself more than anything else to be a winner as he competes on every possession. He is a complete player that does some of everything. He makes shots, rebounds well from the guard spot, handles the ball effectively, and has a great body and excellent athleticism. Connaughton is the old fashion athlete that is a high major baseball prospect and would be the starting quarter back for St. John's Prep if he decided to put on the pads.

2. Kachi Nzerem (6'5", New Mission) – Nzerem has a long athletic body with a great physique. We loved him when we saw him in early July at the Hoop Mountain Super Week II. Nzerum played exceptionally well the entire week by making plays above the rim on both ends of the floor. Nzerem continued to play well during the middle portion of the live period as Division I coaches were intrigued because of his explosive combination of power and athleticism in addition to a good shooting touch from behind the three-point arc.

3. Joe Mussachia (6'5", Manchester Essex) – Mussachia is another player who helped himself this summer. Mussachia now has scholarship offers from St. Anselm's and Southern New Hampshire as well as interest from some of the top academic small colleges in the country. Mussachia's offensive game is much improved as he the southpaw showed he has good dexterity around the rim. Mussachia's shot is also much improved as he consistently knocked down the three this summer. What might be most impressive about Mussachia's is how hard he plays the game. He is a tough nose kid that is not afraid to mix up on the glass.

4. Demitry Coronell (6'4", East Boston High School)– Coronell has a game that intrigues division 1 coaches as he can jump out of the gym on one play and can hit a NBA three pointer on another. Because of his speed, Coronell is an extremely difficult 1-on-1 matchup as the 6'5" wing can putt the ball as well as knock down the three-point shot.

5. Joe Bramanti (6'1", Andover High School) - Bramanti has earned a reputation of getting it done. While not gifted with great height, length, or athleticism, Bramanti seems to find a way to get it done. Bramanti is powerful and can make his defender pay when he attacks the basket and he can also knock down the three if left uncovered. Bramanti was offered a scholarship from Stonehill College and is in discussions with high level educational institutions such as Darmouth.

6. Jimmy Zenevitch (6'7", Central Catholic High School)- The southpaw forward is a very skilled player from anywhere inside of 15 feet and an especially good passer for a big man. He is an exceptional set shot from 12 foot range and has a knack for scoring. Zenevitch also has a good set of hands and can score with his back to the basket.

7. Tevin Falzon (6'7", Newton North High School) - There is no doubt that this kid is talented. At 6’7, Falzon is highly skilled and can play both inside and out. He showed that he can put the ball on the floor, step out and knock down mid-range jump shots, and finish underneath the hoop. Whenn he plays hard, he can dominatethe game because of his size and skill. Falzon is a tough player to box out which is one of the reasons why he grabs many offensive rebounds.

8. Zach Hurynowicz (6'2", Burlington High School) - Hurynowicz has played a lot of basketball and thus is quite an intelligent on the hardwood. He’s not a guy who wows you by putting a ton of points on the board, but he understands what it means to run a team. He sets the tone with his toughness, doesn’t turn the ball over, and defends the heck out of people. Hurynowicz has improved his shooting stroke and is finishing around the basket better these days.

9. Samir McDaniel (6'4", New Mission) – McDaniel is a man among boys on the perimeter having made a name for himself this Spring and Summer by getting to the rim and finishing as well as posting smaller players. McDaniel game has improved this summer as he is working to add new dimensions to his offensive arsenal by developing a mid-range game.

10. Bryan Hurley (5'11", Boston College High School) - Hurley is a competitor and solid point guard. We watched him on the road this Spring and Summer and were impressed with his desire to win. Hurley is a scoring point guard who can be streaky from the perimeter, but he does have a good stroke.

11. John Henault (6'2", St. Bernard's) Henault can flat out shoot the basketball from behind the three point arc. He also has an exceptional one-dribble pull-up as he is able to use fake and create space with the dribble. Because he is a feared shooter, often his teammates benefit from the close coverage he receives. We saw him this summer at Hoop Mountain Super Week II and again in Springfield. He is fundamentally sound on offense and has an excellent feel for the game. Henault needs to prove that he can cover at the defensive end and needs to play the game at a higher intensity level.

12. Matt Kneece (6'8", Shrewsbury High School) - Kneece is 6’8 with a strong body. As a result he is able to overpower his opponent in the paint. He has a good looking drop step and is an impossible guard at the high school level when he attacks the rim.

13. Victor Aytche (6'3", Springfield Central) – Aytche is an athletic slasher that gets to the rim and finishes from a variety of different angles. He also has a nose for the ball as he often finds a way to get his hands on the offensive glass.

14. Donald Celestin (6'3", Greater Lawrence Technical School ) - Celestin creates as much space off his crossover as anybody on this list. Celestin is a natural scorer that can score the ball in a variety of ways. He has much bounce and has a sweet looking mid-range pull-up. Added to all that, the athletic guard can also play the game above the rim.

15. Hans Miersma, (6'8", Whittinsville Christian)- Miersma is a fundamentally sound basketball player that makes some good looking basketball plays. For the mot part, Miersma does some of everything including blocking shots, altering shots, rebounding, and scoring the basketball from 15 feet in. We would like to see Miersma become more aggressive as he as a chance to be a special player.

16. Musa Elsir (6'3", West Springfield High School) – Elsir has an excellent body and uses it effectively when he plays. He has a solid handle for a wing and can make the mid-range jump shot.

17. Mack Burt (2011, Saint John's Prep, MA) - Burt is a 6'4" small forward who is an aggressive and active player. We first saw him in the North Sectional finals at the Garden as he had an outstanding effort knocking down threes and grabbing rebounds for St. John's Prep in their close loss to Central Catholic. This Spring and Summer, Burt continued his exceptional play as he used his physical body to both rebound and finish around the rim. Burt also stepped away and knocked down the three on a consistent basis.

18. Pat Gooden (6'2", Belchertown High School)– We first saw Gooden at our own Mass & NH High School All-Star game. On that evening, Gooden showed that he can get open and make shots against top notch competition. He makes the three by both spotting up and coming off screens.

19. Sam Longwell (6'1", Acton Boxborough) - Longwell is a sound basketball player that does a lot of little things right. Longwell is a seasoned basketball player that has an excellent understanding of the game and is a good team player. Nonetheless, Longwell knows when to attack the rim, and knows when and how to make shots.

20. Mathew Coppola (6'1" Watertown High School) - Coppola has earned the reputation as a guy that plays hard and with a purpose. He also is known for his long-range shooting. This Spring and Summer he showed he has developed his body and has showed he can also get into the lane as well as rebound on both ends of the floor.

21. Mickel Simpson (6'4", Woburn High School) - Simpson has had an impressive Spring and Summer playing the point guard position. Simpson has size and athleticism. During this past AAU season, we saw Simpson take the ball down the lane for an impressive dunk, and then a couple of minutes later, he stuck a pretty looking long range three. Simpson needs to get a better understanding of the game, but there is no doubt that is offensive capability is superb.

22. Raudy Minaye (6'3", Methuen High School) - Minaye is a scorer and if he has a weakness it is that he looks to score to often. There is no doubt that Minaye has a scorer's mindset. When he's on, we have seen Minaye put a lot of points on the board in a hurry.

23. Jacob Morales (6'0", Central Catholic) - Morales is an adequate point guard who has a much improved stroke as he knocked down long range three's on a continuous basis this Spring and Summer. Morales best attribute is the intensity he plays the game with and the emphasis he puts on winning. More that once this Spring and Summer Morales took 5 plus charges for his team. The bottom line, Morales is the guy you want running your team if you want to win.

24. Trey Jones (5'8", Reading High School) - Jones is an athletic guard who gets wherever he wants with his dribble. We have also watched Jones pull up from long-long range and make the jumpers. Beause of his blazing speed, f the youngster were to work on his game he could be a real problem.

25. John Swords (6'10", Lincoln Sudbury) - Swords is an intriguing big man because his size automatically changes the game. At 6'10", he block and/or changes a slew of shots. Swords can also move a bit for a big guy and can finish close to the basket.

See the full updated rankings.

NH Girls Class of 2013 Updated Player Rankings

Meghan Green is Still Number 1 in NH Class of 2013

The following is the updated rankings for the class of 2013.

1. Meghan Green (6’1”, Bishop Guertin High School) – Green is a 6’1” forward with a very soft touch and a great set of hands. She is extremely coordinated for a player of her age and size. Green is very light on her feet and plays the game with grace. Her solid frame allows her to be a force on the block both on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. What impresses us the most about Green is that she is now starting to face up and put the ball to floor. If she continues to progress in all facets of her game Green has a chance to be a big time player. Green likely has more upside than any player in New Hampshire girls high school basketball.

2. Kelsey Brown (5’11", Oyster River High School) – Brown is a smooth combo guard who is capable of playing multiple positions on the floor. Brown has a great touch and she is a very good shooter from the outside. Standing at 5’11” and already playing the guard position Brown has a chance to be very good down the line as she is a tall guard. This youngster oozes with potential, and for that potential to be realized, she must continue to improve her guard skills. If that happens, we can expect very big things from Brown over the next couple of years.

3. Liz Laing (5’7", Pinkerton Academy High School) – Laing is by far the most athletic player in the class. She is a strong athletic guard with a solid frame. Laing is a lock down defender who loves to pressure the ball. She also is very active in passing lanes and comes up with steals which she converts to easy basket down the other end. Laing is a streaky outside shooter who is capable of making multiple shots in a row. At this point in her young career she is prone to turnovers and her shot selection at times is questionable. That is mostly due to her playing the game at such a fast pace. If Laing improves her skill set and continues to mature into a more seasoned player she has a chance to be real special. It should be very exciting to watch her game progress .

4. Nikki Hayner (5’9”, Bishop Guertin High School) - Hayner is extremely skilled and has a very solid all around game. Her size, strength, and great basketball sense is what makes her a very special player. Hayner is a tough combo guard who plays hard and with a purpose. She is very good at using her body to shield off defenders as she drives to the hoop. Hayner has a knack for scoring as she is very good at freeing herself up for easy baskets during the flow of the game. Hayner is very versatile and can play most positions on the floor. She is a great rebounder who attacks the glass all the time. Look for this youngster to do great things in the future.

5. Allie Hartford (5'5”, Manchester Memorial High School) - Hartford is the best point guard in the class of 2013. Hartford is quick and has a game that is well beyond her years. Hartford is a great decision maker who plays the game hard and with a purpose. Hartford understands angles and is extremely good at beating defenders and getting to the paint for an easy finish or dish to a teammate. She is also a very good shooter from the perimeter. Hartford is a lock down defender who loves to play pressure defense the full length of the floor. The bottom line with this young talent is that she is the ultimate floor general who always makes her presence felt on the basketball court.

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