August Renovation of Player Profile Pages

Photo Cred. - Shuterstock.com

HoopRooz Player Profiles

- Over the next couple of weeks, current player profiles will be updated and new profiles will be added daily.  Will be fully locked and loaded by the end of the month.  Stay Patient!
.

Wayne Selden Has Summer Unlike Any Other

Wayne Selden & Lebron James at Camp

 Wayne Selden Has Summer for the Ages

- What did you the July after your Freshman year of High School?  Let's see, I worked as a junior counselor at Camp Chickami and played in the Cabot Park Summer League for Newton North HS.  I also played Babe Ruth Baseball and my team made it all the way to the finals before losing a heart-breaker in the deciding Game Three.  It was also the summer that OJ  was arrested for the murder of his wife and the summer that the World Cup was held in the US.  I could go on....but I don't want to burden you with my boring story.  The story of Wayne Selden's Post-Freshman Year July however, is another matter.  We got a chance to pick his mind on the matter on the fly...

- Wayne Selden, a 6'5 wing from Roxbury, the Tilton School, and BABC, started out July by heading to the Lebron James Skills Academy in Akron, Ohio, which invites the top 80 players in America not named Adidas.  To be invited as a Sophomore-to-be is a prestigious honor to say the least, and an experience which Selden has cherished, "It was an honor to just be there, being able to compete against and meet the best players in the country was a very enjoyable experience.  I also picked up some drills that are going to help me with my game," Selden said.

HoopRootz: Did playing there make you hungry for more? Getting to that level either makes a dude satisfied or hungry to stay..Which r you?

Wayne:  "Definitely made me way hungrier...I thought I wanted it before camp, but after being there, my hunger's just on another level now."

HoopRootz:  You make any friends out there that you think you'll stay friends with?

Wayne:  "Yeah fore sure, Tony Parker is my boy, Rasheed Saulimon, LJ Rose, Shaq Johnson, Austin Colbert the list goes on..when you have a group of guys with the same goal, we all just naturally come together."

HoopRootz: And what about Lebron? He takes heat for how everything went down, but that's just TV.  What was Lebron like as a person? What was your impression of him?

Wayne: "Very cool dude, really humble and was just one of us."

HoopRootz: What about the gear they gave out?  It was pretty unbelievable from what I saw..

Wayne:  Yeah it was crazy...Makes you feel blessed...I gave most of it away to my younger brother and some close friends.."

HoopRootz: OK, so after Lebron Camp, you headed to Little Rock to play in the Finals of the 15u National Championship

Wayne: "It was fun to come in like that in that type of dramatic situation. We were all laughing and yellin and jumpin around at first, but then it was down to business pretty quick.  And then it was great to help the guys get that win, but obviously they did all the work to get there so really the credit's all with them."

HoopRootz:  So from Little Rock, you flew straight to South Carolina for Peach Jam...What was the atmosphere like? Was it intense?

Wayne: "Yeah it was insane, the best league in the country besides the NBA (and college ball of course) lol...but this was my second year at Peach Jam, so all the hype & nervousness was left in the past."

HoopRootz: So do you think being there last year helped you guys have success this year?

Wayne:  "Yeah, definitely, last year we came in second in the 16s...that just made us more hungry to win it this year, and when we did....mission accomplished."

HoopRootz: Were you surprised by how dominant Nerlens was down there, or was it just typical Nerlens poetry to you?

Wayne:  "No surprise I've seen it before just never on that big of a stage."

After Peach Jam, Selden flew back to Boston and went on Rest and Recovery Mode for about a week before he headed back to Logan Airport to fly to Orlando.  Over the next 12 days or so, Selden played in almost 20 games while playing in the 15u Super Showcase, the 16u Nationals, and the 17u Super Showcase, winning Silver Medals in both Showcases while winning the 16u National Championship for his 3rd career National Championship.

Pressed for time, I asked him a few somewhat random questions about Orlando...

HoopRootz:  How were the Harrison Twins? {the backcourt of the one team who was able to knock the BABC 17s off in an elimination game in 2011}

Wayne: "The Harrison twins were good. One is a 1 and the other a 2. Only if I had a twin."

HoopRootz:  What about Layman and J-Brant?  How you feel about those guys finally getting those big offers?

Wayne:  "I feel really good for them because Jake & Jaylen work so hard and they defintely deserve it."

With July Basketball officially in the books, Wayne Selden is already reflecting on his experience, "These times are definitely cherished...I'm going to use this summer experience to look towards the future.  I want to accomplish so much more."  Selden is already looking towards taking his game to the next level for next season at Tilton, "I'm looking to improve on my overall game and tighten up my handle, and be a better rebounder from the guard position.  I can't wait. we're going everywhere and we expect no L's!"

Wayne Selden's Live-July of 2011 is in the books.  Along with his invaluable July experience, Selden enters his Sophomore year of HS with offers from Kentucky, West Virginia, Pitt, UConn, and BC.  Needless to say, Wayne Selden's future looks special.  Stay tuned as we stick around for the Ride.
.

Live-July Winner: Jared Terrell - Expressions

Explosive & Powerful Athlete

New Hampton-Bound Terrell Just Gettin' Started

- It's hard to call Jared Terrell a Live-July Chart Jumper because he has been blowing up all year but never-the-less, it has been a great July for the highly-athletic and highly-explosive guard from Weymouth, Mass and Expressions Elite.  Terrell has recently picked offers from Rutgers, Providence, Cincinatti, and Boston College and schools such as UConn, West Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, Temple, and Florida St have all checked in to express interest.  This is only the very beginning for Terrell, who will head to New Hampton and re-classify as a Sophomore, where he will team with Noah Vonleh to form possibly the premier class of 2014 prep-tandem in America.  Stay tuned.
.

HoopRootz Final 2011 New England Rankings

Click to View Final Rankings

.

Live-July Stock Risers: Adrian Oliveira

Name on the Rise

Adrian Oliveira Took Care of Business in Vegas & LA

- Adrian Oliveira had a very productive second half of July after missing time early in the month with an elbow injury.  Running with the New England Playaz 16s and 17s, Oliveira shined on the West Coast, displaying his speed, handle and play-making ability in the open-floor while making good decisions with the basketball.  He also showed his ability to attack the basket and rim off the bounce.  In addition, Oliveira did a nice job of defending his position and rebounded well from the guard position.  Adrian has people talking...According to the New England Recruiting Report, "there may not be another underclassmen whose stock has risen more in the last month.  He had no significant division I interest to speak of only weeks ago and now has mid-major interest while drawing comparisons to Anthony Ireland."  Only a rising-Junior, a taste of D1 interest should propel Oliveira to take his game to another level and really get his recruitment going.  Lot of potential there with his athleticism and ball skills in the back-court.
.

Recruiting Update - Jake Layman - BABC

Who Ever Doubted the Offers Would Come?

Layman Evokes Andre Kirilenko Comparisons

- I personally have never met anyone who doubted Jake Layman as a big time player, so I am somewhat confused as to how he remained "under the radar" for so long.  Nevertheless, everything worked out as expected as the big-time offers rolled in like CandyLand over the course of July.  Heading into August, Layman holds offers from big-time programs such as Syracuse, Florida, Louisville, Maryland, Notre Dame, Providence, and more.  Stay tuned as we follow Layman through the process.

Live-July Stock Riser - Peter Miller - NMH

Another Middlesex Magic Discovery

Peter Miller Put His Name on the Map in July

- Entering the Summer largely as an unknown, Peter Miller broke out this Summer for the Middlesex Magic and showed that he is a big man with serious D1 potential in the Class of 2013.  Entering August, Miller holds offers from Yale, Bucknell, Dartmouth, and Holy Cross, but as a rising Junior, Miller still has plenty of development time left and who knows what offers he will hold at this time next year.  It will be interesting to watch his progression under NMH Boss John Carroll.
.

Live-July Stock Riser: Ethan O'Day - NMH

Attacked the rim with 2 hands all July.

 Ethan O'Day Hits July Homerun

-  Northfield Mt. Hermon's Ethan O'Day had a terrific summer for CBC.  We already knew he had nice size and a good feel for the game, but this summer, O'Day showed athleticism, explosiveness, toughness, and a good motor against top competition.  O'Day now heads into August as a legitamate Mid-Major prospect who continues to improve.  He currently hold offers from St. Bonaventure, Davidson, UVM, Penn, St. Joe's, BU, Princeton and more.   Stay tuned as more schools throw their hats in the ring.
.

Live-July Stock Riser - John Papale - Playaz

Best Knock-Down Shooter in America?

John Papale now a Nationally-Known Player

- One of numerous New England players who had a monster July was John Papale of Wallingford, CT, Choate Academy and the New England Playaz.  Papale was lights out throughout the Playaz West Coast Trip, knocking down one clutch trey after another including several game winners.  Papale is a long range bomber who could play anywhere.  He is like a Top Gun Fighter Pilot in that he is deadly, always under control and he does not make mistakes.  After watching Papale out in LA at the Best of Summer Classic, Rivals.com Recruiting Analyst Eric Bossi made the following observations, “John Papale of the New England Playaz has as pure a jumper as there is in the country...The New England Playaz were down big in a pool play game and needed some buckets. Then 6-foot-3 wing John Papale came up huge. He poured in deep jumper after deep jumper and scored all 19 of his points in the second half of a big comeback win over Iowa Pump 'N Run.” 

Over the course of July, the schools that followed him the hardest were UMass, Harvard, Fairfield, and Towson, but heading into August, Papale holds about 20 offers with more likely to come in the next several weeks when college coaches typically make moves.  Stay tuned as Papale begins the process of coming up with a list and visiting some campuses.
.

Rivals Matt Cimino Offered by UMass

The Development of Matt Cimino

- Due to state citizenship issues, Matt Cimino played with the NH Rivals out West instead of the Mass Rivals, (which wont be an issue next year as Cimino will be a student at Worcester Academy).Coming into the Summer, everyone knew that Cimino was a talented big man with 3-pt range...the one question on Cimino was whether he would mix it up enough in the paint. And this summer, Cimino showed he was more than willing to get physical down low.  He mixed it up all summer, initiating contact and throwing his huge frame around like a speak-easy brawler, except his method of brawling consisted of boxing out, fighting for post postition, challenging shots, and just taking up space in gernal. His new-found commitment to an equal partnership between the paint and the perimeter has Cimino on the rise as a prospect, as proven by the fact that yesterday, he received his 1st D1 Scholarship Offer from UMass.  Only a rising-Sophomore, Cimino figures to be seeing a lot more Birthday Invitations as time matriculates.

.

Team Lox Has Strong Showing at Big Shots DC

Roger Paul Impressive Again for LOX 

- This past weekend, Team LOX was down at Big Shots Washington D.C to wrap up the Live-July Recruiting Period.  This was the their first time out since they took down the Championship at the Slamma Jamma Tournament down in New Jersey.  In their first game, LOX defeated the North Carolina Gators 68-66 behind the play of Khyree Hudson and Roger Paul, who had 18 points.  In the second game, LOX won again against Next Level Sports by a score of 63-55, pulling away in the final minutes thanks to a 6-point scoring burst from Jas Hall-Sergenton.  In a small tournament field, the two wins by LOX brought them to the Championship Game, where they faced off against the Brooklyn Heat.  Team LOX dropped a 1 point heartbreaker to finish as runner-up in the 17u division.  In addition to Paul, Hudson, and Hall-Sergenton, LOX was also led by Donovan Bennett of Lowell, who stepped up to handle the scoring load in the abscense of Jeff Amazan, who was running with the Expressions 17s in Philly.  One additional note...with his strong showing this Summer, LOX guard Roger Paul has heard from D1 schools such as Bryant, Howard, and Iona.  

Although Live-July is over, Team LOX will stay on the grind next weekend, traveling to Albany to compete in the JEK Youth Explosion.  Stay tuned.

.

Jaylen Brantley Enters August with a Top Two

Live-July Stock Riser Supreme

Two Schools out in Front for J-Brant

- Heading into Offer-August, BABC PG Jaylen Brantley has a Top 2 of Syracuse and Louisville, and UConn is reportedly close to offering.  Expect more big time names to follow suit.  Stay tuned.
.

Rivals 2014 PG Dimitry Floras Offered by UNH

D-Flo's 1st Scholarship Offer

Dimitry Floras Gets Offered by Home State U.

- The 2014 PG from Merrimack, New Hampshire and the Rivals received his first D1 Scholarship Offer earlier today from UNH after a breakoit perfromance at the Best of Summer in LA.  New Hampshire Assistant Coach Jean Bain watched Floras in Vegas and apparently liked what he saw.  Only a Sophomore-to-be, this is the first of many scholarship propositions for the future Kimball Union Academy guard.

.

Florida Offers Rivals Duo Auguste & Vonleh

Gator Nation?

Billy Donovan Offers Rivals Duo Florida Boat-Ride

- Earlier this evening, the University of Florida offered Zach Auguste and Noah Vonleh.  For Auguste, Florida joins a field which includes West Virginia, Auburn, Providence, BC, Marquette, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, and more.  For Vonleh, who will turn 16 late this month, the Florida offer brings his stack count to 8, with offers from Florida, Pitt, Kansas, UCLA, Syracuse, BC, Providence, and Georgia Tech.

.

Expressions 14s Take Spotlight Summer Slam

Photo - BasketSpotlight.com

Expressions 14s End Summer in Style

- While the high school guys were finishing up on the West Coast or in Orlando, the Expressions 14s were down in New Jersey participating in the Basketball Spotlight Summer Slam, one of the elite grammar school tournaments in America.  Playing against some of the top teams on the East Coast, Expressions came away with the Title, earning yet another Championship Trophy for New England, and their second Major Chip for Expressions this summer as they also won the Basketbull HOFJNI in early July.  Check out the the full article at the link below.

Read Article on the Basketball Spotlight

.

Middlesex Magic Thrive Again in Live-July

Joey Glynn had a Monster July for Magic

Middlesex Magic: Nationals + Summer Wrap-Up

- 17u AAU Nationals - Mike Crotty's ball-club went 2-1 in pool play with wins over the Florida Hurricans and the Maryland Sure Shots to advance to the Championship Bracket, where they knocked off the Memphis Hawgs in the 1st Rd.  In the 2nd Rd, they dropped a tough one to a very good Alabama Challenge team that eventually advanced all the way to the Elite 8.  Overall, it was definitely a successful trip to Orlando, as the Middlesex Magic went 7-6 {Showcase+Nationals} against top-flight competition.  In looking at the entire month as a whole, Mike Crotty Jr. registered his second highly-successful summer in a row for his Program as the Magic went 15-7 with a host of signature wins and most importantly, the Magic players got the opportunity to perfrom in front of throngs of college coaches.  Let's see how they fared.

Joey Glynn -- Leading scorer and rebounder for the Magic in 13 games in Orlando (showcase and nationals),  Joey Glynn is a division I athlete who played high above the rim for the Magic throughout their entire Summer run.  Glynn showed his relentless motor on the glass on both ends of the floor, his defensive versatility, and his ability to score the roack in a variety of ways.   His tenacity on the floor and his tremendous upside are qualities that college coaches can not ignore.  Glynn has had  NE-10 and Patriot schools following him throughout Live-July, and it will be interesting to see what transpires with Glynn recruiting wise in August. 

Connor Mahoney - This ballplayer may have been the Magic Breakout Player of the Summer in terms of college coaches taking notice.  Mahoney was the leader of the team and he stepped up on both ends of the court this entire Summer.  In Orlando, he exploded for back to back 25 point scoring outbursts where he was deadly from 3-pt range, scored the ball from the post when he had a good match-up, and also used the bounce to take the ball to the basket or get into his mid-range pull up game.  Mahoney has also showed that he is a tremendous rebounder from the SF position and that he can defend both forward positions at the defensive end.  Coming into the Summer, Mahoney was viewed primarily as a NESCAC prospect, but times have changed, and Mahoney is now drawing Patriot and NE-10 attention.  In terms of intangibles, and Connor Mahoney as a young man, Mike Crotty Jr. didn't hold back his praise, "In addition to his great basketball IQ and leadership, you get one of the most reliable players and people I have ever had the chance to be around.  He is an instant positive addition to any college program on and off the court."

Anthony Barry -  All Summer long, Anthony Barry stood out as the Magic's lock-down defender on the opposing team's premier perimeter scorer and also showed that he is a terrific rebounder from the SG position.  Barry is a SG who does not necessarily have to score the ball to be effective.  If his team is having success getting buckets from other guys, Barry is more than happy to let his teammates do the scoring while he locks up defensively and rebounds the ball.  But don't let that quality fool you, because Barry can certainly score the ball when necessary.  In big Magic wins at the Nationals over the Maryland Sure Shots and the Memphis Dawgs, Barry dropped 20 and 17 in helping to guide his team to victory.  Although Barry seems the perfect fit as a D2 Scholarship player, he has also had a slew of coaches from low-D1 schools checking him out this summer.

Cooper Ainge - Cooper showed this Summer that he might be the Magic's most versatile offensive guard.  Ainge has a great stroke from deep, an excellent pullup jump shot, and he can get to the rim to finish and create for others.  Defensively he has great lateral quickness and terrific instincts.  Ainge has the highest of basketball IQs and his well rounded abilities will allow him to be a serious college player.

Kyle Reardon - Reardon proved himself this Summer as a true SF with a high Basketball IQ who can extend the defense with his jump-shot, and oh yeah, he is as tough as nails and would mix it up anywhere anytime.  Reardon was as invaluable a player as the Middlesex Magic had this Summer, as he played multiple positions and scored the ball in a variety of ways with his long range jumper, ability to drive to the rim, and a tough back to the basket game.  Reardon is a drawing a lot of Ivy League attention and much more. 

Aaron Davis  Although he battled an ankle sprain throughout the Summer, Davis showed flashes of exactly the type of player he is when healthy.  Simply put, Davis is a throw-back point guard who sees the floor and creates for his teammates with his tight handle and his high basketball IQ.   On top of that, Davis can really shoot the ball and he is a deceptive athlete who'll pressure the heck out of the ball.  With these skills and his characteristics as a leader, Davis is a player who Crotty feels "will take the ball for some {college}Coach's program and he will lead them for four years."

Michael Thorpe emerged as a terrific combo guard for the Magic in 2011.  He has blazing speed and quickness which he uses to bother opposing guards and to create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates.  He can really stroke the basketball from deep and has the ability to finish in traffic.  As a versatile guard with scoring ability and good instincts, Thorpe has regained momentum as an intriguing college prospect. 

Peter Miller -- Peter Miller stood out for the Magic this Summer as he emerged as one of New England's top 2013 prospects.  The 6'10 center can run the floor, has an advanced post-game, and is emerging as serious shot-blocker and window cleaner.  Miller continues to improve in all aspects of his game, including his jump shot and post defense, and he drew a variety of division 1 programs to come watch him put his skills on display this Summer.   Only a rising Junior, Miller's stock should continue to rise at NMH this coming year. 

Chris O'Keefe -- O'Keefe of Lexington is the definition of a hard-nosed guard, "one of the most hard nosed players the Magic has ever had," stated Crotty.  O'Keefe defends and rebounds his position extremely well, and plays a smart and efficient floor game from the guard position.  He is also an efficient scorer who can make open shots and drive to the rim to score.  His work ethic and competitiveness will make him an immediate value add to a college program.
.