ESPN

Brewster Academy post-graduate guard Joe Bramanti put an end to his recruitment on Friday with a pledge to Wright State, according to the Dayton Daily News.

The 6-foot-2 Bramanti chose the Raiders over The Citadel, Jacksonville, Wofford and Rider.

"I pretty much liked everything about Wright State," he told the paper. "The situation was perfect for me. It being far away from home was the only drawback I saw. Athletically, it's a great spot. The facilities are amazing. All the coaches I love, and all the players I love, so it was a perfect spot for me."

Playing along side six future Division I players, Bramanti helped Brewster to a 33-1 record and a National Prep Championship this past season. Following his senior season at Andover High in 2010-11, he was named to ESPN Boston's inaugural MIAA All-State Team.

USA Basketball today named the roster for the 2012 USA Junior National Select Team, which will take on the World Select Team in the 2012 Nike Hoop Summit, April 7 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore.

The Nike Hoop Summit is the country's premier annual basketball game for high-school boys and features America's top seniors playing against a World Team comprised of international players who are 19-years-old or younger.

Everett native and Tilton (N.H.) senior Nerlens Noel, the nation's No. 1 overall player, was named to the team, as was St. Mark's 7-foot center and Claremont, N.H. native Kaleb Tarczewski. Brewster Academy (N.H.) big man Mitch McGary, an Indiana native, was also named to the team.

The three will be joined by Kyle Anderson (St. Anthony H.S./North Bergen, N.J.); Archie Goodwin (Sylvan Hills H.S./Little Rock, Ark.); Gary Harris (Hamilton Southeastern H.S./Fishers, Ind.); Shabazz Muhammad (Bishop Gorman H.S./Las Vegas, Nev.); Marcus Paige (Linn-Mar H.S./Marion, Iowa); Tony Parker (Miller Grove H.S./Lithonia, Ga.); and Rasheed Sulaimon (Strake Jesuit College Prep/Houston, Texas).

BEVERLY, Mass. –- Spike Albrecht is one clutch player.

Scoring only 11 points in regulation, the 6-foot-1 guard hailing from Crown Point, Ind. stuck his neck out in overtime, taking three trips to the line and going 5-6, including 2 with 2.7 seconds left in the game, lifting Northfield Mt.-Hermon over previously-undefeated Brewster Academy (N.H.), 87-83, in overtime during the semifinal round of the NEPSAC Class AAA basketball tournament at Endicott College.

“It was fatigue, both teams were feeling it,” said Hoggers head coach John Carroll. “The team that had the most left in the tank was going to win, and it looked like it was our guys.”

The teams played point tag for nearly the entire game, first knotting it up at 5 early in the first and lastly at 82 with 2:49 left in overtime. NMH (28-5) won the tap to begin overtime at 78, but a block by Brewster’s Jakarr Sampson thwarted that effort. The Hoggers’ Evan Cummins lit up the board with a free throw at 4:15, sinking one to put them ahead at 79-78. A Brewster miss and an Albrecht rebound resulted in a three by Anthony Dallier -- with an assist from Cummins -- to put them ahead 82-78.

After Cummins missed two free throws, Sampson grabbed the rebound and came down the other end of the court with a put-back, plus the foul, to tie it up at 82. He was unable to complete the three-point play, however, and the game remained even.

The next points would again come from Albrecht, hitting two free throws with 32.5 seconds left in the game. Down 84-82, Brewster’s Mitch McGary went to the line with 17.3 seconds left, made the first but clanged the second. Anthony Dallier got the rebound for the Hoggers, and once again Albrecht was fouled. He was unable to sink both this time, but it was enough to put the Hoggers up by 85-83 with 12.8 seconds to go.

The Bobcats (30-1) were able to get the ball off the Albrecht miss. Down at the other end, Semaj Christon drove to his right but lost control of the ball after colliding with Cummins; Albrecht scooped up the loose ball and immediately was fouled.

With 2.7 seconds left, and with all of the pressure on his shoulders, Albrecht coolly strode to the free throw line and let the ice drip onto the ball, sinking both free throws and putting the game indefinitely out of reach at 87-83.

“He’s the guy that keeps us together, he’s the guy who makes clutch plays,” Carroll said. “When he stepped to the line with that time left, there was no doubt in my mind that they were going in.”

O'Day, What a Day: Although Albrecht carried the Hoggers during overtime, it was Evan O’Day’s 31 points, including five points within the last three minutes of regulation, that gave Northfield Mt. Herman the spark they needed to carry the game into overtime and upset the No. 1 seed in the tournament.

"We've been preparing for these guys for a while," O'Day said. "They beat us by eight at our place the first time. We definitely scouted, did the work. Definitely hats off to Coach Carroll and [assistant coach John] Halas, for doing the scouting report. They really made us work, and we were prepared for them this time for sure."

Big Spike Albrecht was able to score 5 of his team’s nine points in overtime, not because he is a scoring assassin, or has to prove to scouts that he will perform for them because they’ve committed resources to his future, but because he has a big heart.

Albrecht was willing to sacrifice his body in the lane, was able to drown out the noise from the crowd as well as that little voice of doubt that rings whenever a pressure situation pressure situation presents itself, and come through for his team when they needed him to.

“It was nice,” said Albrecht of being fouled and having a chance to shoot uncontested shots. “I always enjoy going to the line at the end of the game. I pride myself on making free throws because that’s what wins games.”

Up Next: NMH will face St. Thomas More (Conn.) in Sunday's Class AAA Final at Endicott at 4 p.m. The Chancellors are coming off a thrilling victory of their own, beating New Hampton on a buzzer beater in the Class AAA semifinal following NMH's win.

The Hoggers beat St. Thomas More in both of their regular season meetings, both by six points oddly enough -- 90-84 on Jan. 13, and 76-70 on Feb. 8.

ESPN Recruiting Nation has updates on the nation's top uncommitted seniors. Locally that includes a number of players from prep schools around New England: Tilton (N.H.) center Nerlens Noel, Brewster Academy (N.H.) wing Jakarr Sampson, Bridgton Academy (Maine) forward Markus Crider, and Notre Dame Prep's Sam Cassell Jr.

The entire list can be found here. Below is the latest recruiting update on the locals:

Nerlens Noel, C
Everett, Mass./The Tilton School
Player rank: 1 | Position rank: 1 | Grade: 98 | Stars: 5
Height: 6-10 | Weight: 215 pounds | Evaluation
Recruiting update: While Noel continues the process of formally reclassifying back to his original class, he has begun to take unofficial visits. First up was a quick trip to Providence alongside future Friars Kris Dunn and Ricardo Ledo. Next up was a visit to Syracuse to check on old friend and AAU teammate Michael Carter-Williams. Most recently, Noel visited Kentucky to learn more about becoming Anthony Davis' replacement. Florida, Georgetown, North Carolina and maybe Connecticut are expected to also get visits in the coming weeks but Syracuse and Kentucky have to be considered the favorites right now.

Jakarr Sampson, SF
Akron, Ohio/Brewster Academy
Player rank: POST | Stars: 4
Height: 6-8 | Weight: 200 pounds
Recruiting update: Sampson is a long, athletic forward who has visited Baylor, Pitt and most recently Kansas this past weekend. His recruitment is still wide open.

Sam Cassell Jr., SG
Baltimore, Md./Notre Dame Prep
Player rank: POST | Stars: 3
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 170 pounds | Evaluation
Recruiting update: Cassell took his only official visit thus far to Maryland back in October and has since decided to play out the rest of his senior season before making any decisions. Florida State and South Florida have been on him as long as anyone while Connecticut jumped into the picture back in late January and hosted him for an unofficial visit last weekend for their matchup against Syracuse. Even still, the plan remains to play out the rest of the prep season and see what new schools come along before using his official visits in the spring. The latest places to express interest have been Purdue and Villanova.

Markus Crider, SF
Huber Heights, Ohio/Bridgton Academy
Player rank: POST | Stars: 3
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 195 pounds
Recruiting update: With his postgraduate season now in its final week, you would think Crider's recruitment would be starting to wind down, but really that isn't the case at all. He has yet to take any of his visits and is still very much open. At the end of the day he's going to have to decide between levels and fit with places such as St. Bonaventure and Iona recruiting him the hardest, others such as George Mason and Dayton are definitely involved, and Memphis, Clemson, Cincinnati and Xavier are doing enough to keep him warm.

ESPN basketball recruiting guru Adam Finkelstein checks in with a number of top prospects this morning, including Notre Dame Prep's Sam Cassell Jr. and Brewster Academy (N.H.) forward Jakarr Sampson.

You can check out the entire article here (Insider only). Below is what he had to say about Sampson and Cassell:

Sam Cassell Jr. (Baltimore, Md./Notre Dame Prep)
Cassell has been playing the best basketball of his career recently and his recruitment has really picked up as a result. Connecticut was the most recent school to come with a scholarship offer but Maryland made the biggest statement this weekend as head coach Mark Turgeon brought the full staff to support their backcourt target.

“I’m hearing the most from UConn, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Central Florida, South Florida, and Washington,” Cassell said.

The 6-3 guard said he would wait until after the season came to an end before making his decision.

Jakarr Sampson (Akron, Ohio/Brewster Academy)
Sampson refuted claims that he had cut his list down to just two schools by saying that Baylor, Kansas, Louisville, Providence, St. John’s, and Florida were all still involved as of last Thursday afternoon.

With Kansas reportedly coming on strong, Providence certainly made a statement with not only its entire staff coming to the game but also several current players showing up.

“That was crazy how they all came,” Sampson said with a smile following his game. “Coach [Ed] Cooley, he’s a hard recruiter. I always see his face and always talk to him on the phone.”

Sampson also turned in a 22-point performance showing his versatility with an expanding offensive repertoire and his normal high motor and disruptive combination of length and quickness on the defensive end.

Each week during the high school basketball season, ESPNU highlights the top performances around the country from players ranked in the ESPNU 100 (Class of 2012), Super 60 (2013) and Terrific 25 (2014). Making the list this week are King Philip's Jake Layman, Tilton (N.H.) stars Georges Niang and Nerlens Noel, and Brewster Academy (N.H.)'s duo of Mitch McGary and T.J. Warren.

The entire list of top performances can be viewed here. Below are how the locals did:

CLASS OF 2012

No. 21 Mitch McGary, PF
The future Michigan man had 15 points and 14 rebounds in Brewster’s 88-44 demolition of Proctor on Wednesday.

No. 28 T.J. Warren, SF
Warren led the way for Brewster with 21 points in a 98-57 rout of Winchendon School on Friday night. On Monday, he scored 23 as the Bobcats moved to 17-0 following a 125-68 romp over Maine Central Institute.

No. 61 Jake Layman, SF
Layman led King Philip with 27 points in an 84-69 win over Attleboro on Friday night. He had 30 points and 13 rebounds on Tuesday but the Warriors fell to Stoughton, 73-69.

No. 68 Georges Niang, PF
Niang led all scorers with 27 points in leading Tilton past Villa Angela-St. Joseph, 65-49, on Friday at the Mountaineer Showcase. On Saturday, the senior scored the 2,000th point of his career and finished with 29 in a win over Arlington Country Day (Fla.).

CLASS OF 2013

No. 2 Nerlens Noel, C
Noel posted 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in a win over Arlington Country Day (Fla.) on Saturday.

Media Director Pat Stevens forwards along a press release on what to expect from the annual National Prep School Invitational, February 2 through 5 at Rhode Island College.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. --- Thirty of the country’s top prep school basketball teams, up to 100 college coaches on hand to evaluate prospects, and several NBA scouts will gather for the 14th annual National Prep School Invitational.

Held at Rhode Island College from Thursday, February 2 through Sunday, February 5, the nation’s elite exposure event during the school year will once again have its top games broadcasted on COX Sports.

With an upwards of 50 players impressively already committed to colleges, the event’s main goal is to provide a springboard for many more to join that group.

The featured young talent competing ranges all the way from the traditional powers of the New England Prep School Athletic Conference to as far as the Canarias Basketball Academy of the Canary Islands.

Highlighting the field is last year’s National Prep Championship Tournament winner St. Thomas More (CT) and NEPSAC champion Maine Central Institute (ME). Previous titleholders Brewster Academy (NH), Bridgton Academy (ME), Notre Dame Prep (MA) and Tilton School (NH) return as well.

Considered the strongest All-American candidates for their success throughout their high school and prep school careers are South Kent’s Ricardo Ledo (Providence) and Tilton’s Nerlens Noel (Undecided) along with Brewster Academy duo Mitch McGary (Michigan) and TJ Warren (North Carolina State). Notre Dame Prep recently welcomed Steven Adams (Pittsburgh) for the second semester, a talented center from New Zealand who made waves this past summer with his play at the Adidas Nations global event. Some of college basketball's top contenders are also showing high interest in a number of underclassmen on the rise - Tilton's Wayne Selden and Goodluck Okonoboh, New Hampton's Noah Vonleh and Jared Terrell, and Vermont Academy's DaQuan McNeil, Dominic Woodson and Jamel Artis.

St. Andrew’s (RI) star All-American guard Michael Carter-Williams (now at Syracuse) took home back-to-back NPSI MVP awards in 2011 and 2010. The 2009 MVP went to Lawrence Academy’s Shabazz Napier, who has since gone on to win a NCAA National Championship at the University of Connecticut.

Currently, 28 active NBA Players have participated in the NPSI. Those once awarded the NPSI MVP for their performances in the event include Michael Beasley (Notre Dame Prep ‘07/Kansas State/Minnesota Timberwolves), Lazar Hayward (Notre Dame Prep ’06/Marquette/Oklahoma City Thunder), Shawne Williams (Laurinburg Institute ‘05/Memphis/New Jersey Nets) and Dorell Wright (South Kent ‘04/1st Round Draft Choice out of prep school).

For more information, visit NPSIhoops.com and NationalPrepInvitational.com.

Tickets are $10 per day or passes for the entire event can also be purchased at the door.

MEDIA REQUESTS please contact Pat Stevens at pat@npsihoops.com


2012 NPSI SCHEDULE

Thursday, February 2
10 - Lee Academy (ME) vs. Robinson (NJ)
11:30 - St. Thomas More (CT) vs. CJEOTO Academy (NJ)
1:15 - Brewster Academy (NH) vs. St. John’s Northwest Military Academy (WI)
2:45 – NIA Prep (NJ) vs. Canarias Basketball Academy (Spain)
4:15 - Notre Dame Prep (MA) vs. Wilbraham & Monson (MA)
5:45 - La Jolla Prep (CA) vs. South Kent (CT)
7:15 - Phelps (PA) vs. Cushing Academy (MA)
9 – Mont Clare (PA) vs. New Hope Academy (MD)

Friday, February 3
9 –CJEOTO Academy (NJ) vs. Lee Academy (ME)
10:30 - Robinson (NJ) vs. La Jolla Prep (CA)
12 - SJNWMA (WI) vs. New Hampton (NH)
1:30 – Canarias Basketball Academy (Spain) vs. Notre Dame Prep (MA)
3 - South Kent (CT) vs. NIA Prep (NJ)
4:30 - Mont Clare (PA) vs. St. Thomas More (CT)
6 - Worcester Academy (MA) vs. Phelps (PA)
7:30 - Vermont Academy (VT) vs. Winchendon (MA)
9 - New Hope Academy (MD) vs. Bridgton Academy (ME)

Saturday, February 4
9 – Marianapolis (CT) vs. SJNWMA (WI)
10:30 – Winchendon (MA) vs. Mont Clare (PA)
12 – Cushing Academy (MA) vs. New Hope Academy (MD)
1:30 – REDA (Canada) vs. Vermont Academy (VT)
3 – Bridgton Academy (ME) vs. Northfield Mount Hermon (MA)
4:30 - La Jolla Prep (CA) vs. Notre Dame Prep (MA)
6 – New Hampton (NH) vs. Canarias Basketball Academy (Spain)
7:30 - Maine Central Institute (ME) vs. Next Level Prep (Canada)

Sunday, February 5
9 - Canarias Basketball Academy (Spain) vs. Bridgton Academy (ME)
10:30 - Wilbraham & Monson (MA) vs. Winchendon (MA)
12 – Next Level Prep (Canada) vs. St. Thomas More (CT)
1:30 - Tilton (NH) vs. REDA (Canada)
3 - Northfield Mount Hermon (MA) vs. Lawrence Academy (MA)
4:30 - St. Andrew's (RI) vs. Maine Central Institute (ME)
6 - New Hope Academy (MD) vs. Worcester Academy (MA)

2012 NPSI COLLEGE COMMITTED PLAYERS
Semaj Christon (G - Brewster Academy - Xavier)
Mitch McGary (F - Brewster Academy - Michigan)
Jalen Reynolds (F - Brewster Academy - Xavier)
Aaron Thomas (G - Brewster Academy - Florida State)
TJ Warren (F - Brewster Academy - NC State)
Jarryn Skeete (G - Bridgton Academy - Buffalo)
Alex Furness (G - Cushing - Bentley)
Tyler McFarland (G - Cushing - Bentley)
Darrell Bowie (F - La Jolla Prep - Northern Illinois)
Strahinja Gavrilovic (G - La Jolla Prep - Southern California)
Darnell Harris (F - La Jolla Prep - Cleveland State)
Jarion Henry (G - La Jolla Prep - Oklahoma)
Travion Leonard (C - Lee Academy - Fordham)
Jean Yves Toupane (F - Lee Academy - Saint Bonaventure)
Barry Webster (F - Lee Academy - Maine)
Jared Brandon (F - Maine Central Institute - Cal State Fullerton)
James Farr (F - Maine Central Institute - Xavier)
Tobe Okafor (C - Maine Central Institute - Loyola Marymount)
Barrington Alston (F - New Hampton - Towson)
Zach Auguste (F - New Hampton - Notre Dame)
Olivier Hanlan (G - New Hampton - Boston College)
Ramon Johnson (F - NIA Prep - Coastal Carolina)
Tommy Carpenter (F - Northfield Mount Hermon - Dartmouth)
Evan Cummins (F - Northfield Mount Hermon - Harvard)
Ethan O'Day (F - Northfield Mount Hermon - Vermont)
Steven Adams (C - Notre Dame Prep - Pittsburgh)
Myles Davis (G - Notre Dame Prep - Xavier)
Adonis Filer (G - Notre Dame Prep - Clemson)
Shawn Valentine (G - Phelps - Rider)
Richard Audu (G - REDA - Siena)
Naz Long (G - REDA - Iowa State)
Jarrod Davis (F - Robinson School - Maryland Eastern Shore)
Laimonas Chatkevicius (C - South Kent - Kansas State)
Ricardo Ledo (G - South Kent - Providence)
Chris Ortiz (F - South Kent - Kent State)
Cedric Kukamensah (F - St. Andrew's - Brown)
Josh Hall (F - St. John's Northwest Military Academy - Cal Poly)
Andy Martin (C - St. John's Northwest Military Academy - Montana)
Curtis Jones (G - St. Thomas More - Manhattan)
Barrington Stevens (G - St. Thomas More - South Alabama)
Dominique Bull (G - Tilton - Missouri)
Kevin Crescenzi (G - Tilton - Dartmouth)
Georges Niang (F - Tilton - Iowa State)
Tevin Falzon (F - Winchendon - Sacred Heart)
Akosa Maduegbunam (G - Winchendon - Penn State)
Nick Victor (G - Winchendon - Yale)

ESPN's basketball recruiting section has updated the ESPNU 100 rankings for the Class of 2012 today, and there is some significant shakeup involving local players.

Most significant of them all might be Brewster Academy (N.H.) big man Mitch McGary, who fell from No. 2 overall in the country down to No. 21. The Chesterton, Ind. native signed with Michigan last November.

ESPN's Dave Telep explains the drop:

Michigan signee Mitch McGary (Chesterton, Ind./Brewster Academy (N.H.)) dipped from No. 2 to No. 21 overall. Why? When a player is ranked that high, it's entirely up to him to stay there. Our vision with his ranking is to reset expectations so that they are reasonable once he arrives at Michigan. We loved his energy and motor in the past, but it's up to McGary to find his comfort zone and return to the level he played at last spring.

In other movement, St. Mark's big man Kaleb Tarczewski cracks the top five, moving up to No. 4, while Notre Dame Prep's New Zealand-bred big man Steven Adams enters the list at No. 5 overall after making his American debut two weekends ago.

New London (Conn.) point guard and Providence signee Kris Dunn moves up to No. 23 overall, six spots better than his previous ranking.

King Philip's Maryland-bound star Jake Layman falls eight spots to No. 61, while Tilton (N.H.) big man and Iowa State signee Georges Niang makes the biggest leap, up 15 spots to No. 68.

St. Mark's Canadian import Nik Stauskas rounds out the locals at No. 78, up five spots.

You can view the entire list here. The locals on the list are copied below:

4. Kaleb Tarczewski, 7-0 C, Claremont, N.H./St. Mark's (Mass.)
5. Steven Adams, 6-10 PF, New Zealand/Notre Dame Prep (Mass.)
18. Ricardo Ledo, 6-6 SG, Providence, R.I./South Kent (Conn.)
21. Mitch McGary, 6-10 PF, Chesterton, Ind./Brewster Academy (N.H.)
23. Kris Dunn, 6-3 PG, New London, Conn./New London HS
28. T.J. Warren, 6-7 SF, Durham, N.C./Brewster Academy (N.H.)
61. Jake Layman, 6-8 SF, Wrentham, Mass./King Philip HS
68. Georges Niang, 6-7 PF, Methuen, Mass./Tilton (N.H.)
78. Nik Stauskas, 6-6 SF, Mississauga, Ontario/St. Mark's (Mass.)

Alan Stein, the well-known strength and conditioning coach at national powerhouse DeMatha Catholic (Md.), posted on his Stronger Team Blog recently about how specialists are important to all basketball teams. In the blog Stein said, “A player that makes a team great is more valuable than a great player.”

This quote brought one player in the New England area to my mind: Joe Bramanti.

After a great career at Andover High School -- which included an ESPNBoston All-State selection, last March -- Bramanti is in a post-graduate year at Brewster Academy, where he serves as the team’s defensive specialist. Following the Bobcats' thrilling win over Tilton (N.H.) at the Hoophall Classic last weekend, Brewster head coach Jason Smith told ESPN Boston's Brendan Hall, “We're not undefeated without Joe Bramanti.”

We decided that it would be important to breakdown the value of Bramanti by using film, because sometimes players of his caliber do not stick out or get noticed like a big-time scorer or shot-blocker would.

Setting the Tone

Bramanti had a tall task going into the battle against the Tilton. He was forced to guard a player five inches taller than him by the name of Georges Niang, a 6-foot-7 Methuen native who is ranked in the ESPNU 100 and signed with Iowa State for next season. Bramanti, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard, set the tone early to make sure Niang knew that he would have to work for every basket on the night.



On this play (one of the first plays of the game), Bramanti is not too physical with Niang, but lets him try to get in his element instead. He banged him up a little before he gets the ball back the second time, which prompted Niang to push back. Bramanti dodges the push, and Niang ended up traveling with the ball. This set the tone for the rest of the game.

'Pest' Defense

Bramanti is what I like to call a "pest defender". He does everything in his power to make life difficult for whomever he’s guarding. For those that are fervent pick-up basketball players, he is that player that does not look like much but gives you fits when the ball is in your team’s hands. He just finds a way to be as annoying as possible on defense.



In the first clip Niang got away with a basket, but Bramanti did what he could to take the ball away. In the second clip Bramanti battles with Niang on the block to establish position. Once Niang finally got the ball, he got frustrated and took it strong to the hoop where Jakarr Sampson was waiting to take a charge.

The third and fourth clips are arguably Bramanti’s most impressive defensive possessions. In the third clip, Bramanti gets on the floor to prevent Niang from getting an easy lay-up. In the fourth clip, he denies Niang from getting the ball, which forces Nerlens Noel to pass to Wayne Selden on the perimeter with limited time left on the shot clock.

The last three clips are of Bramanti preventing a potential fast break dunk (although Mitch McGary ends up goaltending on Selden), and Bramanti being a pest guarding Dominique Bull.

Bramanti did not guard Niang for the entire game, but there is something to say for him only scoring a few field goals while Bramanti was on the floor. After all, Niang usually puts up over 20 points per game and only scored nine in this contest.

Fearlessness

It is pretty clear that on the defensive end, Bramanti is fearless. He did not get to show it in this game, but we know that Bramanti is just as fearless on the other end of the floor.

There was one play where Bramanti put this fearlessness on display.



In this clip Bramanti scores a reverse lay-up on two of the best shot-blockers in New England in Noel and Goodluck Okonoboh. This is the perfect “read and react” play too. As Semaj Christon penetrates, Bramanti cuts under the hoop at the perfect angle. The fearlessness factor comes in when Bramanti scores on the two big men without any hesitation.

Conclusion

Joe Bramanti is not a star. He is the definition of a specialist. He’s an average athlete and offensive talent, but he can guard anyone regardless of their size.

I’ll make it simple: if Bramanti can shut down Georges Niang, he can do the same thing to a majority of Division 1 basketball players. He deserves to be considered a Division 1 player, too. All college basketball teams harp on defense, so why hasn’t Bramanti gotten the looks he deserves?

Nominees for the McDonald's All-American Game were announced this morning. The Final Teams announcement for the prestigious high school basketball all-star game will be announced on Feb. 9 at 5 p.m., on ESPNU.

The boys and girls games will take place on March 28 at the United Center in Chicago, with the girls game at 7 p.m. and broadcast on ESPNU. The boys game will take place immediately after, at 9:30, and will be on ESPN.

One interesting omission to note is Andover senior guard Nicole Boudreau, a Boston College signee who is the state's defending Gatorade Player of the Year and ESPN Boston Miss Basketball. Boudreau has also been ranked in the ESPNU 100 for the Class of 2012.

Below are the nominees from the New England states:

MASSACHUSETTS
Lexi Sells, Bishop Feehan
Jake Layman, King Philip
Ricardo Ledo, Notre Dame Prep
Kaleb Tarczewski, St. Mark's
Nik Stauskas, St. Mark's

CONNECTICUT
Kris Dunn, New London
Ben Freeland, Suffied Academy
Timajh Parker-Rivera, St. Joseph
Erik Sanders, Suffield Academy
Mike Tobey, Hotchkiss
Bria Holmes, Hillhouse

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Zach Auguste, New Hampton
Mitch McGary, Brewster Academy
T.J. Warren, Brewster Academy
Georges Niang, Tilton

RHODE ISLAND
Amber Holgate, St. Andrew's
Thomas Garrick, St. Andrew's
Cedric Kuakumensah, St. Andrew's
Kalusha Ndoubme Ngollo, St. Andrew's
Tyler Sabino, St. Andrew's
Austin Van Bemmelin, North Providence
Rob Hazard, North Providence

MAINE
Darrick Wood, Bridgton Academy

VERMONT
Chad Copeland, Twinfield Union
Jaskin Melendez, Mount St. Joseph
Avery Whitcomb, Twinfield Union
Sara Illingworth, Hartford
Alexandra Jones, Poultney

ESPN recruiting analysts Mike LaPlante and Adam Finkelstein recap the best performances from last weekend's Hoophall Classic, at Springfield College's Blake Arena. As usual, there was plenty local flavor among the highlights.

You can read the full article here on ESPN's basketball recruiting section. Below are some excerpts:

Nerlens Noel (Everett, Mass./Tilton)
2013, C, 6-10, 215 pounds
Noel came out intent to make his impact felt, and he did that and more. He was absolutely dominant on the defensive end, proving why he is one of the best shot-blockers we've seen in recent years, while showing an improved offensive repertoire with face-up ability and jump hooks over both shoulders. His only limitations were in regards to fouls, both converting a low percentage at the stripe and taking unnecessary chances when in foul trouble.

Aaron Thomas (Cincinnati, Ohio/Brewster Academy)
2012, SG, 6-4, 195 pounds
College: Florida State
On a team full of stars, Thomas was an unlikely hero on Sunday as Brewster Academy scored an emotional win over Tilton. The future Seminole hit big shot after big shot, often from ranges beyond the NBA arc, and was consistently the guy to come up big for Brewster at the end of the shot clock. Defensively, he might have been even better, utilizing his length and lateral quickness to contain opposing scorers, while coming up with a key steal in the game's final possession before icing the outcome at the free throw line.

T.J. Warren (Durham, N.C./Brewster Academy)
2012, SF, 6-7, 215 pounds
College: North Carolina State
The brighter the lights, the better he seems to be. Warren is a pure scorer built in the mold of Glen Rice -- a highly-skilled, big wing who can rain shots from long range, put the ball on the floor to punish bad closeouts with an ability to create space in the midrange area or shoot over the top of contesting defenders with his high release.

Kaleb Tarczewski (Claremont, N.H./St. Mark's)
2012, C, 7-0, 240 pounds
College: Arizona
His efficiency was off the charts and his dominance was only limited by his number of touches. He's gotten much better at establishing deep low-post position within the flow of the offense and has developed his jump hook into a true weapon. He got countless dunks by sealing for scores and running in transition, and was equally impressive with his poise when passing out of the post.

NOTES

" Pitt signee Steven Adams (New Zealand/Notre Dame Prep) made his much-anticipated American debut this weekend but was a little worn down by the time he got to Springfield after a Saturday matchup with Nerlens Noel and Tilton. He has a ton of upside but needs to be allowed some time to get into game shape and develop familiarity with his new teammates.

" Jakarr Sampson (Akron, Ohio/Brewster Academy) is the type of athlete who can change the momentum of the game with a single play, whether it be an emphatic dunk or a big blocked shot, and he did that on more than one occasion Sunday.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- ESPN Boston correspondent Lucas Shapiro highlights the top action from yesterday's slate of games at the Hoophall Classic, at Springfield College's Blake Arena.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- He doesn't have the natural talents of a Mitch McGary, or the sweet stroke of an Aaron Thomas. But when asked following last night's thrilling win over Tilton (N.H.) about Joe Bramanti's value, Brewster Academy (N.H.) head coach Jason Smith threw around some high praise.

"He's probably not our most valuable player, but there's no question he's our most important player. We're not undefeated without Joe Bramanti," Smith said. "And in my opinion, there's no question he's a Division 1 player. He can play at a lot of different places, because he can guard multiple positions. He guarded Georges [Niang] today, he finished with nine [points] and he's coming off games where he scored 38, 39, because Joe makes him play every possession. He denies, he bumps cutters, he's physical."

Bramanti comes to the Wolfeboro, N.H. campus for a post-graduate season after a stellar career at Andover High. Last season, the 6-foot-2 guard took Merrimack Valley Confernce MVP honors by an almost unanimous decision, averaging 22.3 points, six rebounds, four assists and routinely locking down an opponent's top scorer. He was also named to ESPN Boston's inaugural MIAA All-State and All-Defensive Teams for his efforts.

At the end of last season, Bramanti held little desire from the Division 1 schools, with just The Citadel and Dartmouth expressing interest, and Division 2 Stonehill College extending a scholarship offer. That interest from The Citadel has since turned into an offer; Bramanti has also been invited to walk-on at Boston College and Florida State. A decision likely won't be coming until the spring.

"If a Division 1 coach doesn't understand the importance of Joe Bramanti to their team, they're probably gonna be fired within the next five years," Smith said. "Because, if you think about it -- I bang my head against the wall -- Division 1 schools get 13 scholarships, normal teams probably play eight guys. So your last five have got to be role guys.

"And if there's a tougher, or better on-the-ball defender, or a kid that understands how to play, I mean that's a role right there."

Regarded as one of the MIAA's best perimeter defenders last season, Bramanti has lived up to that reputation so far at Brewster, averaging close to 30 minutes a night (schools in the NEPSAC's Class AAA play two 20-minute halves).

"And again, college coaches...come watch the film, watch practice," Smith said. "He's somebody that, the more you watch, the more you're going to appreciate him. He's not the guy that, the first time you watch him, you walk out of the gym talking about him.

"He's the guy you watch three or four times, then you really appreciate it, and you say, 'OK, I need that guy on my team because we're gonna need to get stops'."

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- It was like a clash of basketball titans Sunday at the Hoophall Classic when Brewster Academy squared off against the Tilton School.

There was a playoff atmosphere with two well-traveled crowds verbally jousting in the stands while two NEPSAC teams featuring highly-touted recruits did battle on the court, which Brewster won 57-53.

Nerlens Noel, a 6-foot-11 Tilton junior -- ranked No. 2 in the Class of 2013 by ESPNU -- went up against the No. 2 ranked recruit in this year’s class, Mitch McGary, at the center position.

It’s not often that a player can record seven blocks in a game and have it be considered an average night, but that is what life is like now for Noel now.

He has become so notorious for his defensive presence and penchant for having double-digit block totals, that when he has a game like he did Sunday, some might even call it an off night.

Nerlens still was able to make his presence felt on offense though. He was 7-of-10 from the field, finishing with 22 points.

In one defensive sequence in the first quarter, he had two blocks that brought the crowd to its feet. It immediately set the tone for what Brewster would be facing around the basket all night.

Brewster was able to get the big man in foul trouble though, picking up his fourth foul with 2:13 left in the third quarter, which forced him to the bench.

“Our guards got more open looks at the rack [when Noel went to the bench] and we had a lot better rebounding,” said McGary. “We had to box out, but we didn’t have to look out behind our backs for Nerlens and Goodluck (Okonoboth) going over the top of us.”

That left Okonoboth alone to protect the Tilton basket for the rest of the third quarter, and part of the fourth. He knew he was up for the challenge though.

“I knew I just had to play smart, move my feet, because I wasn’t trying to get in any foul trouble,” he said. “When Nerlens is in foul trouble, and he’s rarely in foul trouble, you just have to play really smart.”

Together, they held the Michigan commit to 3 points all game, but couldn’t keep him away from the glass. He finished the game with 12 rebounds.

“Mitch, he’s a very rugged player, very strong,” said Noel. “He posts up where he needs to, uses his body real well.”

McGary’s frontcourt mate, JaKarr Sampson, had an efficient night offensively matched up against Okonoboh, finishing with 13 points and 7 rebounds. He is a perfect counterpart to McGary’s game, providing speed and quickness to balance McGary’s strength and power in the post.

He had two highlight reel put-back dunks in the fourth quarter that showed off his athleticism. After Aaron Thomas put up a shot from the perimeter, Sampson came from the foul line and then rather than trying to out-muscle the already positioned post players, he just jumped over them and put the ball in the basket for a thunderous two points.

With his team down by 12 points early in the fourth, Noel reentered the game before it could get out of hand. He was noticeably cognizant of his situation, and would often not jump when defending players equally as strong as him, like McGary.

He was not having his most successful night from the field (1-for-8), but that did not stop him from attacking the basket against the Tilton big men.

“You just have to get into their body and back them down in the post,” said McGary. “Offensively I didn’t do as well tonight because they’re such major factors down low. There’s not much you can do. They’re both really good shot blockers, so you just have to body them up and get up and go through their body when you’re shooting.

With five and a half minutes to go in the game, Noel converted an and-one to make the score 50-43. On the next Brewster offensive possession, he blocked two Brewster shots in a row, then got the ball and sent an outlet pass to teammate Wayne Selden, who dunked the ball in front of an oncoming McGary.

The respect Noel and McGary have for each other was evident when they both reentered the game in the fourth. When they checked in and sat down at the scorers table, McGary said something to Noel, who nodded in response and reached out his hand, which McGary high-fived.

Sunday was a chess match between four premier big men who came to play on a big stage. For a few hours, there was no talk about rankings or college commitments. It was simply a competitive basketball game between two quality teams who wanted nothing more than to win. Brewster came out on top Sunday, but it was one of those games where people will remember who and what they saw from both teams for a long time to come.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Brewster Academy's Aaron Thomas stepped behind the three-point line as the buzzer loomed to end the third quarter, planted, and sank his shot. In perfect timing, he turned to the overflowing crowd behind press row, shrugged his shoulders and smirked to the delight of the Bobcats supporters that came out in droves.

It was arguably one of the most anticipated matchups of the weekend, and it didn't disappoint, what with the lack of love loss, trash talk over the internet, and embarrassment of riches on the court for talent. Brewster and Tilton entertained the crowd with highlight reel after highlight reel, but in the end it was the Bobcats coming away with their second win over Tilton this year, a 57-53 victory on day three of the Hoophall Classic at Springfield College's Blake Arena.

"In terms of atmosphere and overall environment, that's gotta be up there," Brewster head coach Jason Smith said. "I think it's awesome when we go into another NEPSAC Class AAA gym, those venues, but when you play here it's a whole other level. The crowd, the media, the national television game, we're just very fortunate to be in this position."

From the layup lines until the final seconds, the show lived up to its billing, and the swelling crowd -- energized by student sections from both schools, who made the nearly three-hour trek by bus -- added to the intensity. The Rams led after one quarter, 16-8, before the Bobcats turned in two inspired quarters to take a 48-36 lead headed into the final frame, capped with back-to-back putback slams from JaKarr Sampson (13 points, seven rebounds), and the buzzer-beating three from Thomas (23 points, 4-of-4 three-pointers).

"I was happy that my teammates were able to find me tonight," Thomas said. "If it weren't for my teammates, I wouldn't be in this situation right now."

Said Michigan commit Mitch McGary of Thomas, "He hit shots when we needed them, he got defensive stops when we needed them, he was just the best all-around player on the court today."

Shot-blocker extraordinaire Nerlens Noel (22 points, eight rebounds, seven blocks) headed to the bench towards the end of the third after picking up three fouls within a span of 1:16. But in the fourth quarter, the 6-foot-10 junior turned in one of his most inspired performances, redirecting a handful of shots that had some national experts on press row tweeting comparisons to Patrick Ewing. In one possession, Noel swatted McGary (12 rebounds) -- the nation's No. 2 overall player -- and then the putback attempt, leading to a two-handed slam from Wayne Selden (16 points) at the other end that sent the crowd off their feet and closed the lead to 50-45 with four minutes to go.

Brewster's T.J. Warren then dribbled off his foot on the ensuing possession, prompting a timeout from Smith, who told his guys to settle.

And down the stretch, the Bobcats played disciplined enough to hold off the Rams. McGary was called for goaltending to cut Brewster's lead to 54-51 with 1:35 left, but down at the other end he drew a foul from Goodluck Okonoboh and made one of two free throws. On the next possession down, Noel drove to his left past McGary but airballed a dunk attempt.

The dagger came with 25 seconds left, when Selden lost control of the ball near the scorer's table, and Jalen Reynolds picked up a foul after the steal. He sank both free throws to make it a three-possession game.

So while the Bobcats come away with their second win of the season over Tilton, Noel left all in attendance drawing up comparisons to an assortment of former high school greats, from Patrick Ewing to Alonzo Mourning to Greg Oden.

"He's a freak of nature," Smith said of Noel. "He's a kid that, you know, I'm going to be sitting on the porch 15 or 20 years from now, saying 'I coached against that guy when he was in high school'. He's going to have a long-time pro career because he's very coachable, he has the right mindset...and I think Wayne [Selden] is in the same boat."