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NATIONAL PREP SHOWCASE REVIEW: SATURDAY

by Zach Smart

Smithfield, R.I.—Prior to the Winchendon/Hargrave game, which was anticipated as battle of two national prep powers whose rosters on their own depict a Division-I launching pad, something caught my attention.

As I perused through the Bryant College hoops Hall of Fame, I noticed a familiar face staring at me from an oldworld, black-and-white plaque photo.

Dustin Diamond, the lovable muscle-free dweeb who played “Screech” on Saved By The Bell (before pursuing a topsy-turvy career which included even a pornography stint), starred as a basketball player at Bryant College.

At least a carbon copy of him did.

Ray Depelteau of Danbury, Conn., apparently left a lasting legacy at the now Division-I school, scoring 1,185 points back in the day.

If you thought that was a keen observation, you should have just seen the other exact replicas that emerged throughout the day.

One of the St. Andrews’ assistant coaches I seriously had confused for Bill Walton…well, at least a shorter version of him. This dude’s penchant for telling his players to hammer it home on a fast break also reminded me of the THC-crazed dunk enthusiast (“throw it down big man, throw it down!”).

While we’re at it, Kevin Keatts could easily pass as the father of Arthur Agee, the star of the 1994 documentary, Hoop Dreams.

OK, enough with the lookalikes…Let me get to the basketball.

After watching Findley’s well-oiled offensive arsenal spread the floor well and race to an early lead they wouldn’t relinquish…And later watching them run off a dizzying 36-15 surge that featured back-to-back alley-oops that frustrated St. Andrew’s, I wasn’t in the mood to see another blowout.

Despite an uncharacteristic shooting performance, however, Hargrave rolled to a convincing 77-60 triumph.

Hargrave’s Freddie Riley, a four-star recruit who inked with UMass, and Maurice Creek, a three-point sniper who penned with Indiana, form one of the most lethal backcourt tandems in the nation.

They are two of the most established guards on the prep schools circuit and play beyond their years. Though both guards played big in flashes and spurts, neither player shot the ball particularly well during the game.

The duo went a combined 12-for-38, 7-for-23 from beyond the confines of the arc. Creek (13 points, 5-for-17 FG, 3-for-10 3FG) displayed his ability to score in clusters and work to get his shot off. He’s more than just a spot-up shooter and has some good handles on his offensive bike. After watching Indiana get thoroughly walloped by Big East power Notre Dame the other night, former Marquette coach Tom Crean can certainly use his services in the future. By the future I mean like…tomorrow. Indiana got bludgeoned again yesterday, this time suffering an embarrassing loss to St. Joseph’s. St. Joseph’s scored buckets at the same rate that actors and actresses in a Vivid Video film go at it—early, often, and effectively.

It’s hard to believe just 5-6 years ago Crean was the game general of a Marquette team front-loaded with talent. He was molding young talents like Dwayne Wade, Travis Diener and Steve Novak as they barreled their way to the Final Four as a sleeper squad. Now Crean’s working with a callow team that’s still recovering from the Kelvin Sampson recruiting violations quagmire. It’s indicative of the rollercoaster life that a high-end college basketball coach must subscribe to.

Winchendon’s Jordan Henriquez, a product of another controversial, tainted basketball program on the high school level (Port Chester High School in Westchester County, NY), must start eating his potatoes.

The Kansas State-bound post-graduate has a knack for swatting and altering the trajectory of shots, but he must use his 6-foot-11 frame in the post more.

By the time he arrives in Manhattan, KS, well in the aftermath of the Michael Beasly/Bill Walker 2008 phenomenon, he’ll need to look as if he got into a fight with the weight room (and he won).

Patterson made its presence felt yet again. The North Carolina-based perennial prep power gutted out a 60-50 victory over an MCI team, despite a 21-point, six-board effort by Martino Brock. The Southeast Missouri State-bound guard got buckets at an 8-for-17 clip, scoring the game-high in what was essentially a one-man band effort.

De’Andre Kane, who’s still deciding between Connecticut and Pittsburgh, who helped him find his way to Patterson School for an extra season of prep ball, shot 50 percent for the second straight game, controlling an up-tempo, well-balanced offense. Kane was in the house last night watching Pitt get past Belmont back in Pittsburgh.

Kane had eight points and snared five boards. Patterson showed its augmented bench depth, as 11 of its 14 players scored. They were led by 6-foot-11 behemoth and Marshall-bound Hassan Whiteside, who poured in a team-high nine points. Another super-sized big, Rashanti Harris, who chose Georgia State over Memphis, Tennessee, and Texas, pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.

Notre Dame Prep resuscitated itself during day two, dismantling Massanutten Military Academy.

The Fitchburgh, Mass.-based school employed a more aggressive brand of ball. That, coupled with suffocating, hounding, and harassing defense helped them establish a 20-point lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

The go-go style of play and solid job patrolling the paint would infuriate MMA head coach Cedric Broadhurst, who didn’t exactly mask his frustration.

“We’re ready to pack up and go on thanksgiving break already,” a visibly exasperated Broadhurst told his team.

As Notre Dame developed an insurmountable lead, the frustration only compounded.

“We can just go take our stuff and head back to the locker room,” said Broadhurst of the team’s suspect, matador defense.

“You got that foul because you played soft the whole game…the whole game! What’s a matter with you, did you stay up late last night or something?”

Broadhurst continued, “He’s 6-6 and he’s playing soft. I hope y’all have fun on thanksgiving. That’s what you all are waiting for. I know you didn’t come down here to get a scholarship.

He can’t be too frustrated about how it all panned out. As you may already know, Notre Dame Prep goes through Big East recruits like a frat boy goes through 30 packs.

James Southerland, a Syracuse-commit, Antoine Allen, a Providence-commit, Johnnie Lacy, a Providence-commit, Sean Kilpatrick, a Cincinnati-commit, Mohammed Lee (Pittsburgh, Marquette, Seton Hall and St. John’s showing interest), Noafall Folahan (Providence and Marquette are both potential suitors), Terry Carter (Seton Hall), and Ron Giplaye (Providence showing some love) have all played significant roles on this year’s squad.

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