Welcome to New England: Jalen Reynolds

Xavier-Bound

Gives Brewster a Shot-Blocker

- Mitch McGary, TJ Warren, & Deonte Burton are the first three names you think of when you imagine Brewster's front-court next Season. But get ready to add a 4th name to that list. Meet Jalen Reynolds, a 6'9 Big-Man from Livonia, Michigan who runs with the REACH Legends out of Detroit. He is committed to Xavier and as you will see when you watch the video, he should be a terrific compliment to the 3 above-mentioned guys in the Brewster front-court.

View Jalen Reynolds Player Profile

Tommy Carpenter Commits to Dartmouth

Northfield Mt Hermon to the Ivy League

NMH: 26 Alums to be on D1 Rosters in 2011-'12

- Tommy Carpenter is a talented  6'7 combo-forward at Northfield Mount Hermon.  He is a native of Greensboro, NC & has played for the RI Hawks on the AAU Circuit.  Earlier today, Carpenter committed to Head Coach Paul Cormier at Dartmouth College.  Carpenter becomes the 16th NMH Player to go to an Ivy League Program in the last five years.  That is a crazy stat when you remind yourself that the Ivy League is NOT a low-major Program.  If you look at the various Conference Power Rankings from the last few years, the Ivy League is ranked between 12 to 15 out of 33 total D1 Conferences.  You don't have to go to NMH to do that Math.  That is the top-half of the Mid Majors.
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NE Imports Bust into Player Watch(s)

Where Business Gets Done

The Law is the Law

- After hearing a case based on geographic discrimination, the HoopRootz Supreme Court ruled last night that New England "Import" Ballplayers will be included in the HoopRootz Player Watch(s).  This will help to achieve the overall goal of 100 ballplayers on each Player Watch.  One NE heartbeat on the 'Ship.

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Recap: ESPN Newly Updated Rankings

ESPN Top 100's were released this week

NE Producing ESPN Ranked Players at 164% Rate

- Over this course of this week, ESPN released its' updated Top100 Rankings for the Classes of 2012, 2013 & 2014.  Of the total 300 players represented in the Rankings, 22 are New England ballplayers...that's 7.4% compared with NE representing only 4.5% of the US Population.  That's Tuck Everlasting Water right there.  And there are a few other un-ranked NE ballplayers who definitely have cases that they belong.

- On Wednesday, we posted a recap of the Class of 2012 Top 100, which had 10 New England representatives: Andre Drummond #2, Mitch McCrary #3, Kaleb Tarczewski #7, Ricky Ledo #23, TJ Warren #24, Kris Dunn #30, Jake Layman #54, Mike Tobey # 78, Georges Niang #83 & Nick Stauskas #85.

On Thursday, ESPN released its' Updated 2013 Rankings.  Six total New England student-athletes: Nerlens Noel #2, Chris Thomas #13 Kuran Iverson #30, Deonte Burton #38, Goodluck Okonoboh #61 & Jaylen Brantley #76.

On Friday morning, ESPN dropped the Updated Class of 2014 Rankings.  There were six Cats from New England:  Noah Vonleh #6, Wayne Selden #10, Chris McCullough #11, Jared Terrell #68, Makai Mason #81 & Jared Wilson-Frame #82.

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Mid-August Pre-Weekend Notebook

Buzz Naismith Drops Knowledge

Ketchup Notebook

- Powerade Hardtop Challenge going down this weekend down at the Reggie Lewis Center.  Action starts tonight.  We'll let you know what's happening.  View Schedule.

- According to Adam Finkelstein of the New England Recruiting Report, Andrew Chrabascz ('13) of Portsmouth, RI, Cushing Academy & BABC picked up offers this Summer from UMass, Vermont, Florida Atlantic, Delaware & Jacksonville.  Also per Finkelstein, Chrabascz is currenly on a road-trip in which he is visiting the campuses of Delaware, Lehigh, Penn, & Temple.  He will visit UMass next week.

- This week, we quickly featured both UMass & UVM as schools really showing love to NE players.  With the Chrabascz news above, this trend is continuing.

- Huge shocker here...Five-Star Basketball has named Nerlens Noel the 2011 Summer Defensive Player of the Year.  Click here for full Five-Star Article.  This had to be the biggest automatic since I lost my wallet in Vegas.  If Noel hadn't won, there no doubt would have been riots & protests all over Everett and Tilton this weekend.  On another Nerlens-Note, after having played in the Nike Global Games last weekend in Oregon,the big fella will soon be headed to Venice Beach for the Boost 24 All-American Game.  Still chompin' at the bit for a list.

-  This week, ESPN released it's Updated Rankings: Top 100 Rising Seniors, Top 60 Rising Juniors, & Top 25 Rising Sophomore.  Out of the 185 players in the Rankings, 16 are New England players.  That's 9%, compared with the population of New England comprising 4.5% of America's Population.  200%...Got to be among the best, if not the best, ratios in America.  On top of that, there are a handful of New England guys who are right on the cusp.  Intoxicating trend for NE.

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Welcome to New England: Chris McCullough

ESPN #11 - Class of 2014

C-Mac: Another Blue Chip Prospect NE-Bound

- Running with the Team Scan Freshmen out of the Bronx in NYC, Chris McCullough blew up this Summer like a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon.  He is a freak athlete stretched out to a long 6'9 and has game.  C-Mac will be suiting up for Salisbury this Season. 

View Chris McCullough Player Profile

New Zealand Phenom Coming to New England

6'11 Blue-Collar Athlete - Ceiling is the Sky

Steven Adams Transfers in to Notre Dame Prep

 (Read in a British accent)

"Buzz...come down here."

"Yes Father, what is it?"

"Go out into the Jungle & find some more wood..It's going to be freezing this Winter & I really want to get this fire cracklin' since we're having so many guests."

"Yes Father."

Buzz goes outside & returns an hour later.

"Well, what have you got boy?

"I brought in Steven Adams from New Zealand Father, he is committed to Pittsburgh.  He is the real-deal.  Definite Pro.  He has a big rugged frame and possesses explosive athleticism and a soft touch.  He is just in the beginning phases of his development.  It'll be interesting to see an inside-outside combination of Steven Adams & Ricky Ledo."

"That'll do just fine Buzz, go treat yourself to a snack."

HoopRootz Wall of Fame Instructions

Photo Taken on the Spaceship

New HoopRootz Feature 

- Click on the Player Photos on the left and right sidebars to enhance your knowledge of New England Basketball History.  Wall of Fame Construction will continue on a bi-daily basis.  To nominate a Player for the HoopRootz Wall of Fame, send an email to HoopRootz@gmail.com & let us know the deal.
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Expressions-Trio Offered by UMass

Minutemen Offer Terrell, Malik-Abu & Brennan

- UMass has recently offered the Expressions 2014 trio of Jared Terrell (6th offer), Abdul Malik-Abu (3rd offer), and Alec Brennan.(2nd offer)  Great to see the Minutemen involved with young New England players.  Derek Kellog will bring UMass back to prominence.

Terrell - Offers: Providence, Temple, BC, UMass, Rutgers, & Cincinnati

Malik-Abu - Offers: UNH, Iowa St, & UMass

Brennan - Offers: URI & UMass

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Welcome to New England: Chris Thomas

South Kent-Bound

Best Prospect from Denver since Chauncey Billups

- Chris Thomas, a 6'4 SG from Denver and ESPN #13 in the Class of 2013, is headed to South Kent in Connecticut. Add some more accelerant to the NE Fire.

View Chris Thomas Player Profile

Andre Drummond to Wilbraham & Monson

Will be Close to Hometown-Middletown

Drummond + Dunn + Brantley = Potent Big 3

- This afternoon, Adam Finkelstein of the New England Recruting Report is reporting that Andre Drummond will attend Wilbraham & Monson this Fall & Drummond also dropped a list of possible colleges: Kentucky, UConn, Louisville, Georgetown, & West Virginia.

Read Adam Finkelstein Article on ESPN.com

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Pat Connaughton Down at Hoganz Classic

BallasTV.com Catches Pat down at Hoganz

Could Pat play QB at ND too? Probably

- Fastball in the mid-90s, nasty-curve, 360-dunks, no-look passes, dagger shooting stroke...If you want anything else from Pat Connaughton, just ask him.  Check out the BallasTV.com video below of Connaughton at the Hogan'z Classic in Lynn.

www.BallasTV.com

ESPN Debuts Updates 2012 Top 100

Finally: Big George on the Big Map

New Top 100: New England Heavy

#2 Andre Drummond - Goes from #1 to #2 in a pick your poison scenario with Vegas Superstar Shabazz Muhammad.

#3 Mitch McGary - Moves up a few slots to bat in the 3-hole.

#7 Kaleb Tarczewski - Moves from #10 to #7.  Zona, UNC, or KU?

#21 TJ Warren - Huge Summer moves TJ up to #21.

#23 Ricky Ledo - Moves from #10 to #23.

 

#30 Kris Dunn - In the Spring, Dunn made a loud Top 100 debut when he went from unranked to #48.  A few months later, his stock continues to rise as he moves up 18 slots to #30.

#54 Jake Layman - Layman with a huge-cannonball from the high diving-board, going from unranked to #54.

#78 Mike Tobey - Hotchkiss - New Jersey big-man headed to Virginia comes in at #78.

#83 Georges Niang - Busts in at #83, that may even be too low.

#85 Nick Stauskas - St Marks - The Michigan Wolverine-commit moves up 15 slots from #100 to #85 after an impressive Summer.

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Zach Auguste Cuts List Down to Eight

Red-Hot July West Coast Trip

List Down to Eight

- After sorting through a couple dozen offers during the week in August, Zach Auguste recently cut his list down to 8: Auburn, Marquette, Florida, Georgia Tech, Providence, West Virginia, & Notre Dame.
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U. Vermont Involved with New England Players

- At least four New England players are currently involved with the University of Vermont.  In the Class of 2012, big men Cedric Kuakumensah (St Andrews/Rivals) & Ethan O'Day (NMH/CBC) have been offered by the Catamounts and both big fellas were up on the Burlington Campus in the past week.  In the Class of 2013, Harrison Taggart (St Pauls/RI Hawks) is currently on an unofficial visit an in addition, Vermont recently became the first to offer Class of 2013 combo-guard Kahlil Dukes (Capitol Prep/CBC).  

West Central Mass Super-Seven

Got a free afternoon, a car, & a tank of gas? Take a road trip through Central Mass & hit 7 prep schools with serious programs in one afternoon.  Let's take a look at the basketball squads of these 7 Schools which make up the West Central Mass Super-Seven.  Help me fill in these Rosters if you possess knowledge that the Spaceship does not.

St Marks
Kaleb Tarczewski - Claremont, NH
Nick Stauskas - Ontario, Canada
Eric Green - Arizona
Jaymie Spears - Georgetown, MA
Eli Lubick - Southborough, MA
Aaron Falzon - Newton, MA 
Aaron Mclean - Hudson, MA

Worcester Academy
Rene Castro - Milton, MA
Thomas Rivard
Canaan Severin - Marlborough, MA
Olivier Paul Betu
Matt Cimino - Cheverus, Maine

Wilbraham & Monson
Kris Dunn - New London, CT
Jaylen Brantley - Springfield, MA
Robinson Vilmont - Everett, MA
Kamali Bey - Springfield, MA
Joey O'Connell

Northfield Mount Hermon
Ethan O'Day - CT
Evan Cummins - Westborough, MA
Lucas Van Nes - England
Dakeeba Battee - Australia
Tommy Carpenter
Peter Miller - Winchester, MA
Obi Momah - CT
Jeremy Miller - Milton, MA

Winchendon Prep
Akosa Maduegbunam
Dennis Green
Tevin Falzon - Newton, MA
Tom Bajda - Stratford, CT

Cushing Academy
Andrew Chrabascz - Portsmouth, RI
Kaleb Joseph - Nashua, NH
Idris Taqqee

Notre Dame Prep
Ricky Ledo - Providence, RI
Sam Cassell Jr - Baltimore
Myles Davis - (Xavier)
Jamie Holder - Milford, NH
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Rte 120 Hoops- New England's New Castles

A New Hoops Colony

Vermont Academy & Kimball Union

- A 30-mile stretch of Route 120 highway is all that separates two New England Basketball Kingdoms which both rose to power in the 2nd decade of the 21st Century.

Kimball Union

Douby Maduegbunam - Boston

Abdul Malik-Abu - Marblehead, MA

Dimitry Floras - Merrimack, NH

Jesse Chuku - London, England

Vermont Academy

Day McNeil - Baltimore

Jamel Atris - Baltimore

Trey Davis - Texas - (UMass)

Dominic Woodson - Texas

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Brewster's Mitch McGary Cuts List to Six

Indiana M&M Cuts List from 28 to 6 this morning

McGary will choose from Best of Best

As an Import, Mitch McGary is to New England Basketball what Sugar was to the original 13 colonies.  Earlier today, the Brewster Academy Star and the ESPN #4 ranked player in American narrowed his college list down to six schools: North Carolina, Kentucky, Duke, Maryland, Michigan, & Florida.  If he hasn't done so already, allow Mitch to introduce himself below. 

Noah Vonleh Highlights from Lebron Camp

CityLeagueHoopsTV comes out with Noah Vonleh's 1st ever feature video with highlights from the Lebron James Skills Academy which was held in early July.

Wayne Selden Conducts Business at Hoganz

BallasTV.com cracks secret-footage of Wayne Selden Plying his Trade during Team Lee School's win in the Championship Game at the Hoganz Classic in Lynn.

www.BallasTV.com

Vonleh & Niang Unwind after Wild July Ride

Noah & Georges Workin Jeff Nelson' Camp Last Week

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New Hampshire's Isosocles Triangle of Fire

Summer Basketball Geometry.

Beware the Three-Castle Gauntlet

- If you plot The Tilton School, Brewster Academy, & New Hampton Prep on a map, you get a perfect Isoscocles Triangle with two sides of 21 miles and one side of 12 miles.  This Winter, there's going to be an electric atmosphere within this 120-square mile Triangle because Tilton, New Hampton, & Brewster are all absolutely loaded.  Let's take a look.  More names will surely be added through August.

New Hampton Prep
Noah Vonleh - Haverhill, Mass
Zach Auguste - Marlborough, Mass
Jared Terrell - Weymouth, Mass
Oliver Hanlan - Canada
Mike Auger - Hopkinton, NH.

Brewster Academy
TJ Warren - North Carolina
Mitch McGary - Indiana
Deonte Burton - Milwaukee
Semaj Christon - Cincy - (Xavier)
Aaron Thomas - Cincy
Joe Bramanti - Mass
Jalen Reynolds - Michigan - (Florida St).

The Tilton School
Nerlens Noel - Everett, Mass
Georges Niang - Methuen, Mass
Dominique Bull - Worcester, Mass
Wayne Selden - Boston
Goodluck Okonoboh - Boston
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NE Preps Gearing Up 4 Unprecedented Storm

Storm Brewing in New England

- Every year, it seems as if another New England Prep School (NEPS) puts a new monster-engine in their basketball program.  This year, more New England Prep Schools than ever will have prospect-laden basketball teams.  As a result, there will be more D1/Scholarship kids playing in New England than in any year before.  Over the next 24 hrs, we will take a piece by piece peak at the current state of the NEPS Rosters heading into August's 2nd week.
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2012 Player Watch: Profiles Fully Updated

Player Profiles on the 2012 Player Watch are now up to date. To nominate a player for the Player Watch who is not currently up there, send an email to the Spaceship.  Click on the link below to view 2012 Player Watch.

Player Watch Nominations: HoopRootz@gmail.com

View 2012 Player Watch

Next up, the Class of 2013.

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Options: The Andre Drummond Situation

-For everyone out there who is confused by the whole Andre Drummond situation, here is the breakdown.  Since he completed his high school graduation requirements last year at St. Thomas More, Drummond is eligible to enroll in college this fall and participate in Athletics right away.  Therefore, he has two options...go to Prep School or go to College.  But here's the catch, since he fulfilled his High School Graduation requirements during the 2010-11 Academic Year, Drummond is eligible for the 2012 NBA Draft either way.  So if he were stay in High School, there is a high possibility that he never plays college ball.

The only scenario in which I could see Drummond stay in high school is if he were to join Kris Dunn at Wilbraham & Monson.  Otherwise, you got to think he's Mahatma Gandhi to either UConn, Kentucky, Georgetown, or North Carolina.

Multiple News Outlets are reporting that Drummond will announce his intentions this Wednesday on his birthday.  The Spaceship will be waiting.
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