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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.

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?

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. -- Brewster Academy stars Mitch McGary, Aaron Thomas and Joe Bramanti (also a former ESPN Boston All-Stater at Andover High) talked to ESPN Boston High Schools editor Brendan Hall following the Bobcats' thrilling 57-53 win over Tilton on day three of the Hoophall Classic.

STARTING FIVE

Guard – Samir McDaniels, Sr., New Mission
The 6-foot-3 McDaniels was the steady hand that rocked the Titans' Division 2 state championship season. He averaged 18.8 points, 12.7 rebounds and 3.1 steals as the Titans became the first team in MIAA history to win the Division 4 and Division 2 titles in back to back seasons. McDaniels recently committed to the University of New Haven for next fall.

Guard – Pat Connaughton, Sr., St. John’s Prep
The Notre Dame-bound Connaughton, currently ranked No. 96 in the ESPNU 100, once again saved his best performances for the postseason as the Eagles won the Division 1 state championship for the first time in school history. Connaughton averaged 21.8 points, 17 rebounds and 6.5 assists and took home the Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year award. Connaughton, who will play both baseball and basketball for the Fighting Irish next year, is ranked No. 77 in Baseball America's list of Top 100 high school prospects.

Forward – Richard Rodgers, Sr., St. John’s (Shrewsbury)
Considered one of the best athletes to come out of Central Mass in the last two decades, the 6-foot-5, 235-pound Rodgers was a monster in all facets of the game as the Pioneers made their fourth straight appearance in the Division 1 state final. The senior, who will continue his football career next fall at Cal as a tight end, averaged 17.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 4.5 blocks, 4.1 steals and 3.4 assists in his final season in Shrewsbury. He is also the son of Holy Cross defensive coordinator and former Cal great Richard Rodgers, and the cousin of Buffalo Bills cornerback Jairus Byrd.

Forward – Jake Layman, Jr., King Philip
The 6-foot-7 Layman lived up to his potential high-major billing in his junior season with the Warriors, helping them end a 15-year postseason drought and set a school single-season record for wins (17) before bowing out in the Division 2 South finals. Layman averaged 24.6 points, 13.6 rebounds, 4.6 blocks, 3.1 steals and 2.3 assists; he also took home Hockomock League MVP honors. Layman's 1,196 points at KP are the most by any boy in school history. He currently holds offers from UMass, Providence, Boston College, Notre Dame, Texas A&M and Brigham Young.

Center – Jimmy Zenevitch, Sr., Central Catholic
A force in the middle the last three seasons for the Raiders, the 6-foot-7 Zenevitch lived up to the hype headed into his senior season. He closed out his career with a strong finish, averaging 19 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two blocks, and stretched many a defense with his ability to post up and shoot from long distance. He earned Merrimack Valley Conference All-Star nods, and his Raiders went 39-1 in MVC play the last two seasons. Zenevitch, whose older sister Kate is a freshman forward for Boston College, will continue his career next fall at Division 2 Assumption College.

BEST OF THE REST

Jaylen Alicea, Sr., Lawrence
Few had as explosive a postseason as the 5-foot-8 Alicea, who averaged 30.4 points in five playoff games as the Lancers became the first No. 15 seed since 1998 to advance to the Division 1 North final. The run included a 35-point effort in a shocking first round upset of No. 2 seed Cambridge, followed up the next game with 38 on Westford. For the season, Alicea averaged 19.3 points, four assists and three steals and earned a Merrimack Valley Conference All-Star nod.

Travonne Berry-Rogers, Sr., Lynn English
The 6-foot-1 Berry-Rogers made a name for himself as one of the North Shore's best finishers in his senior campaign, which ended in a D1 North semifinal loss to Lawrence but with some Northeastern Conference recognition. The senior, who was also an NEC All-Star in football, averaged 23.5 points, five assists and five rebounds to lead the 21-3 Bulldogs. He plans on pursuing basketball at the next level, and is considering several Division 2 and Division 3 colleges.

Joe Bramanti, Sr., Andover
The 6-foot-2 Bramanti was the Golden Warriors' prized horse in 2010-11, and they rode him to a 15-5 record and an appearance in the Division 1 North tournament. Bramanti averaged 22.3 points, six rebounds and four assists in his senior season, in which he took the Merrimack Valley Conference's MVP honors by an almost unanimous decision. Bramanti is currently looking into pursuing a post-graduate season at a prep school.

Grant Cooper, Sr., Northampton
Cooper, a 6-foot-3 forward, played an instrumental role in the Blue Devils' Division 1 Western Mass championship season, and established himself as one of the premier forwards in the western part of the state. He finished his career at Hamp on a high note, averaging 11 points, 12 rebounds, 4.5 assists this season while also posting a field goal percentage of .550.

Marco Coppola, Sr., Watertown
The 6-foot-1 Coppola was instrumental to the Raiders' run to their third Division 3 state title game in six seasons, and also pitched in tremendously on the defensive end -- before losing to Whitinsville Christian in the state championship, they held their previous four opponents in the 30's. Coppola was Eastern Mass' leading scorer, averaging 25.1 points per game, and finishes fourth all-time on the school's scoring list, behind his older brother Anthony, Max Kerman and Kyle Stockmal. Coppola is currently undecided on college plans, but is leaning heavily towards Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Mark Cornelius, Sr., Westford
The 6-foot-2 Cornelius was a scoring machine this season for the Grey Ghosts, winning the Dual County League scoring title with an average of 21.1 points per game, and was co-MVP of the league. He saved arguably his best performance for last, getting 33 points and 23 rebounds in a loss to Lawrence in a Division 1 North quarterfinal. Also a standout wide receiver for the football team, Cornelius is undecided on college plans.

Alex Gartska, Sr., Westfield
One of the state's sharpest shooters, the 6-foot-1 guard averaged 19.7 points, three rebounds and two assists per game as the Bombers marched to a 20-3 record and an appearance in the Division 1 Western Mass final against Northampton. Gartska, who was recently named the MassLive/Basketball Hall of Fame's inaugural Western Mass Player of the Year, finished his career at Westfield with 1,172 career points. He is currently undecided on college plans.

Steve Haladyna, Jr., St. John’s Prep
The 6-foot-3 junior was the Pippen to Pat Connaughton's Jordan on this year's squad, but that proved to be a pivotal role in the Eagles' first basketball state championship season. In 2010-11, he averaged 19.7 points and seven rebounds as the Eagles battled through the toughest Division 1 North bracket in recent memory.

John Henault, Sr., St. Bernard’s
The Bernardians ended their season on a sour note with a shocking upset by Oxford in the Division 2 Central tournament, but the 6-foot-2 Henault ends his career on Harvard Street on a positively high one. He leaves St. B's as the school's all-time leading scorer (1,682 points) and led the state in scoring average (27.8 points) this season. He also racked up over 600 rebounds, 200 assists and 170 steals in his four-year career with the Bernardians. Henault is currently considering several Division 2 and 3 colleges.

Mike Lofton, Sr., Mansfield
With such a unique skill set, the 6-foot-4 senior played anywhere from point guard to power forward this year for the Hockomock League champions, and excelled in every role. Lofton averaged 13.5 points, 11 rebounds. 4.5 assists and 2.7 steals this season for the 24-3 Hornets, who won a wide-open Division 1 South before falling to eventual state champ St. John's Prep on the TD Garden floor. Lofton is currently considering several Division 2 and 3 schools.

Akosa Maduegbunam, Jr., Charlestown
In 25 games this season for the Townies, the 6-foot-4 slasher averaged 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals as they captured their first Boston City title since 2006. in his two seasons at Charlestown, he has averaged 20.5 points, seven rebounds and three assists. A two-time City all-star, Maduegbunam was also named the City tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Hans Miersma, Sr., Whitinsville Christian
Few teams in the state could match up with the Crusaders' size this season, and none was more pivotal than the 6-foot-9 Miersma. He averaged 14.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.7 blocks as the Crusaders captured their first Division 3 state title since 2005. The first team All-Dual Valley Conference center will continue his playing career next fall at Gordon College.

Joe Mussachia, Sr., Manchester-Essex
The 6-foot-6, Amherst College-bound forward excelled in a multitude of roles for the Hornets, who won the Cape Ann League and advanced all the way to the Division 4 North semifinals. Mussachia averaged 25.2 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks, and finishes as the school's all-time leading scorer (1,714 points). For his career at M-E, he averaged 20.9 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks.

Jarrod Neumann, Jr., Northampton
The 6-foot-3 guard/forward helped to form Western Mass's most intimidating, swarming defenses, as the Blue Devils marched all the way to a 21-3 record and the Division 1 Central/West Final, where they lost to state runner-up St. John's of Shrewsbury. For the season, Neumann averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds. Barring the unexpected, Neumann should return next fall as one of the MIAA's top 2012 prospects.

Kachi Nzerem, Sr., New Mission
As one part of the Titans' three-headed monster of a backcourt, the 6-foot-5 Nzerem was a physical force around the rim. He averaged 17.1 points and 6.1 rebounds as the Titans became the first MIAA squad in history to win the Division 4 and Division 2 titles in back to back seasons. Nzerem is considering pursuing a post-graduate season at several prep schools.

Keandre Stanton, Jr., Lynn English
It was quite the breakout season for the 6-foot-6 Stanton, a Northeastern Conference All-Star who turned in a monster junior campaign to establish himself as one of the state's best pure athletes on the blocks. He averaged 19.5 points, 12 rebounds, six blocks and achieved 10 triple-doubles on the season for the 21-3 Bulldogs, who advanced all the way to the D1 North semifinals before bowing out to Lawrence.

Jacquil Taylor, Soph., Cambridge
At 6-foot-8, the sophomore was one of the state's most imposing forces in the paint. He has started every game in his two years on the Falcons' varsity, and has only blossomed under head coach Lance Dottin; after averaging nearly a double-double as a freshman (nine points, 10 rebounds), he turned in an even more impressive sophomore season, with 13.5 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.8 blocks as the Falcons won the Greater Boston League outright for the second year in a row. He has already amassed 166 blocks in his young career (including over 100 this year), and is a two-time GBL All-Star.

Noah Vonleh, Soph., Haverhill
Ranked the No. 23 overall player nationally in the Class of 2013 by ESPN, the 6-foot-7 Vonleh came into the season with a load of hype, and lived up to it in spite of the Hillies' struggles to a 7-13 record this season. Vonleh averaged 18.4 points, 17 rebounds, seven assists and five blocks and earned Merrimack Valley Conference All-Star recognition. Kansas, Pitt and Boston College are among the early offers for Vonleh, but expect that list to get quite lengthy over the next six months.

COACH OF THE YEAR: SEAN CONNOLLY, ST. JOHN'S PREP
Yes, one of the North Shore's all-time schoolboy greats has had one of New England's top senior talents to work with the last three seasons. But this season, which culminated in the program's first state championship, was all about the role players. And between Steve Haladyna, Freddy Shove, Isaiah Robinson, Mike Carbone and Owen Marchetti, this season was about a different player stepping up every night to ease the load off superstar Pat Connaughton. For that, and to survive one of the most loaded Division 1 North brackets in recent history, Connolly deserves some credit.

RUNNERS-UP:
1. Paul Neal, Lawrence
2. Cory McCarthy, New Mission

FINALISTS:
Bill Daley, Westfield
Paul DiGeronimo, Fitchburg
Rey Harp, Northampton
Rick Kilpatrick, Acton-Boxborough
Sean McInnis, King Philip
Duane Sigsbury, Manchester-Essex
Malcolm Smith, East Boston

ALL-DEFENSIVE
G – Joe Bramanti, Sr., Andover
G – Luis Puello, Jr., Central Catholic
G – Akosa Maduegbunam, Jr., Charlestown
F/C – Jacquil Taylor, Soph., Cambridge
C – John Swords, Sr., Lincoln-Sudbury

ALL-SHOOTERS
Pat Connaughton, Sr., St. John's Prep
Marco Coppola, Sr., Watertown
Alex Gartska, Sr., Westfield
John Henault, Sr., St. Bernard's
Jake Laga, Sr., Northampton

ALL-FRESHMAN
G – Jonathan Joseph, Brockton
G – Tyler Nelson, Central Catholic
G – Damion Smith, West Roxbury
F – Drew Shea, Medfield
F – Aaron Falzon, Newton North

BEST FANS
1. Northampton
2. St. John's (Shrewsbury)
3. Newton North
4. Central Catholic
5. St. John's Prep

(NOTE: Some headshots were provided by ESPN's Adam Finkelstein, courtesy of his New England Recruiting Report)

ACTON, Mass. -- Twenty-four hours before his Acton-Boxborough squad was set to host Andover in a first-round battle between two Division 1 North sleepers, Colonials head coach Rick Kilpatrick had some sound advice for his 6-foot-6 junior center. Namely, with at least a three-inch height advantage over anyone else on the floor, he was going to have to step up and dominate.

Suffice it to say, with the Golden Warriors doing everything they could to shut down star guard Sam Longwell, Kevin LaFrancis seized the moment. He turned in arguably his best performance of the season, with 21 points and 16 rebounds, as the Colonials held off a furious Andover rally to win going away, 68-54, in this D1 North first round game.

The No. 6 seed Colonials (19-3) move on to the quarterfinals, where they will visit No. 3 Lynn English (20-2) at a date to be determined. English knocked off Everett tonight, 68-57.

"We did a really good job of getting the ball inside to Kevin," Kilpatrick said. "We work on post feeds every day. We knew we were going to have a size advantage in this game, and I thought our guys responded, took care of the ball and got it to him."

Asked what his reaction would have been had he been told before the game that they'd win going away, with star guard Sam Longwell (eight) bottled up most of the night, LaFrancis smiled and took it in stride.

"I would have said Wes [Schroll] had 42 points," he laughed, referring to the Colonials' other dynamic playmaker who finished with 18 points and six boards. "No but, they focused their gameplan on Sam, so when they do that, other guys have got to step up. And I think Wes and I did that tonight. Dana Flood came up with some big three's. We all just came together."

Trailing 14-13 after one quarter of play, the Colonials outscored the Warriors 20-6 over the next stanza to take a 13-point halftime lead, aided by back-to-back three-pointers by Longwell and Joey Flannery (10 points).

But the biggest facet keying the run was unquestionably their ability to deliver seamless entry passes to the paint. On some possessions, it was LaFrancis moving out to the wing and hitting a player right on his hands as he came off a screen. Other times, LaFrancis merely backed down his defender in the post, diverting attention in the Warriors' 2-3 zone or simply going up with it to draw contact.

The Colonials also helped their first-half cause on the glass, outrebounding the Warriors 21-9 -- including eight from LaFrancis.

"We were just getting every rebound," LaFrancis said. "Our guards did a great job boxing out. I think we had five on the glass, and they weren't making their shots. That was the key to our run.

Indeed, it was a miserable first half for Andover star Joe Bramanti (26 points), to say the least -- the Merrimack Valley Conference MVP went a pedestrian 2 for 9 from the field in the first 16 minutes. But a player with Bramanti's talents doesn't stay cold forever.

The 6-foot-3 senior exploded for 13 points, hitting 4 of 5 from the field, nailing all five of his free throws, and throwing down one monster one-handed running dunk that put the Andover supporters on their feet. Bramanti's resurgence, along with a series of turnovers caused with various presses -- 1-3-1, 1-2-2 and man the most prevalent -- eventually cut A-B's lead to five at several points early in the fourth quarter.

All this, in spite of many of its players in foul trouble -- especially James Costello, who sat with three in the first half before fouling out, and sophomore Sam Dowden, who faced similar struggles.

"I just told the kids, if you're going to go out like that, after playing 20 games against the perennial powers of Massachusetts, that's a sad way to go out," head coach Dave Fazio said. "You know, it's a sad way to go out. We didn't even swing the bat in the first half. And then in the second half...as always, these kids are warriors. They fought, they kept coming back...I'm proud of the fact my kids didn't roll over in the second half. I knew they wouldn't, I just didn't know if we'd have enough legs."

Bramanti's two free throws cut the Colonials' lead to 51-46 with 5:30 to go, but that was as close as the Warriors would reach. With time running out, they resorted to a slew of errant long-range perimeter shots, which A-B players rebounded and took a foul to go to the line.

BRAHMA BULL

Bramanti put the exclamation point on his revamped scoring touch with the most electric play of the night. From halfway down the paint from the free throw line, the hard-charging senior -- sometimes nicknamed "The Bull" -- lifted off and dunked the ball home with authority, letting out a war cry and flexing his arms to the crowd. While it only cut the lead to 41-29 in the third, it proved a pivotal point in momentum for Andover as it mounted a comeback.

And once again, it goes to show the 6-foot-3 all-everything's potential has at the next level. Bramanti has drawn interest from Division 1 schools such as The Citadel and Dartmouth, while a handful of Northeast-10 schools are also recruiting his services.

"He's gonna be a great college player, there's no doubt about that," Fazio said. "This is going to sting him for a while. But the sky's the limit, and as a coach you want to win a state title, do all the great things, but more importantly you want to do right by the kids. And that kid has gone from a boy to a man in four years at Andover High School, and all in all that's probably the most important thing."

Brendan Hall is a High School Editor for ESPNBoston.com. Follow him on Twitter.

Every year, there is that one special player who erupts abuptly onto the basketball scene in March and puts many a college scout on notice. Think back to 2005, when Newton North's vicious backcourt of Anthony Gurley and Corey Lowe shone in the Tigers' first of two straight Division 1 state titles.

We saw it again in 2008, when Central Catholic's 6-foot-11 sophomore Carson Desrosiers filled the lane impressively and showed off his range for the Raiders in their D1 state title. We saw it again in 2009, when Lynn English's Ryan Woumn dropped 39 points on Brockton in the D1 EMass Finals. And we saw it again 12 months ago, when Pat Connaughton averaged 21.7 points and 19 rebounds as St. John's Prep made a surprise run to the D1 North finals.

So who is the next Connaughton, Woumn or Desrosiers? Below are nine underclassmen who could fit the bill.

JAKE LAYMAN, KING PHILIP
6-7, Jr. F
Why he matters: Layman has been nothing short of phenomenal for the Warriors this season, as they set a program record for wins (14) and ended a 15-year postseason drought. Averaging 24 points, 13 rebounds and 4.8 blocks on the season, and coming close to a quadruple-double in a game against Stoughton earlier this season, don't be surprised to see him put up those kinds of numbers in the postseason. UMass, Providence and Boston College have offered him, while Notre Dame, BYU and Texas A&M have shown heavy interest.
What opposing coaches are saying: “I think he could be a Dream Teamer this year, if you want my honest opinion. He’s one of the top three players in the state. He can jump out of the gym, shoot three’s, post you up, just an unbelievable talent…He can be the biggest prospect in the state of Massachusetts as far as I’m concerned. He is a major, major talent...His athleticism, he’s so athletic for a 6-9 kid, and like I said, he has point guard skills. Kevin McHale moves inside, three, four, five dunks a game, just stuff you don’t see in high school anymore. I mean he’s one of best players I’ve seen in last 15 years, to be honest with you...Holy God. The thing with him is how skilled is in all facets of the game, how he runs the floor, he's so athletic. He honestly, and I hate to use the same terms over and over again, but a very high ceiling."
Scouts Inc.’s analysis of strengths: “A long and athletic player, Layman has a terrific set of physical tools. He stands a legit six-foot-seven with great length and a solid frame which will eventually support a good deal of muscle mass. He is a very good athlete and gets his head on the rim between his length and leaping ability. He has good touch on his jump shot and projects as a very good three-point shooter down the road with a little refinement to his technique. He is a potentially versatile defensively who can change the game with his length on top of the press.”
ESPN's Adam Finkelstein: “Jake Layman may have more upside than anyone in the MIAA. At 6-foot-7 with long arms, a good frame, and athleticism that allows him to get his head on the rim he is the prototype high-major forward. He doesn't yet realize how good he is but has a tremendous future in front of him.”

JARED TERRELL, WEYMOUTH
6-2, Soph. G
Why he matters: The sophomore led the Bay State Conference in scoring (15.1 points) this season, and while those aren't eye-popping numbers, Terrell is a sight to be seen. In the mold of slashers like Charlestown's Akosa Maduegbunam, Terrell is an off-guard in a linebacker's body, able to create his own shot off the dribble but at his best when charging through the lane. Quite simply, there are few in Massachusetts with such physical maturity at this age. He's drawing an assortment of Division 1 interest, from the Atlantic-10 all the way up to schools like Washington and Clemson.
Opposing coaches: "Jared Terrell is one of the purest athletes running around, if not the best athlete running around in the state. I think when he eliminates his dribbles and everything else like that, and just looks to take it to the hole, he can't be stopped...It's tough to make a comparison, because I think he's one of the top two athletes in the state. But as his progress keeps going up, I mean the sky's the limit. Historically? I don't know, because I'm not ready to give anything to these new jacks yet, but if I were to make a comparison I'd say his older brother Royce."
Scouts Inc.: "Terrell is a power guard with a strong body and bouncy athleticism. He is as aggressive as he is powerful, getting after people on the defensive end and going hard to the rim offensively. He is a versatile defender who can make plays in full court pressure situations and also lock up opposing scorers in the half-court, bodying up with his upper body without fouling. Offensively, he has a good first step and quick springs and shows no fear attacking shot blockers."
Finkelstein: "Jared Terrell is as explosive of a guard as you will find in the MIAA. He is powerful and athletic, allowing him to go through contact to make plays above the rim. If he can add a consistent jumper to his offensive repertoire his recruitment will go to the next level."

AARON FALZON, NEWTON NORTH
6-7, Fr. F/C
Why he matters: While Falzon isn't the Tigers' top scoring option -- that falls unto guards Mike Thorpe and Avi Adler-Cohen -- the younger brother of senior Tevin Falzon is a game-changer in the middle. With his long arms and ability to step out to NBA-range three's, he has already drawn comparisons to former Tigers great and current Yale freshman Greg Kelley. The sky is the limit for Aaron, as the 14-year-old continues to grow and fill out.
Opposing coaches: “I think his ceiling is just through the roof, he is certainly super skilled for a big kid. He has a very good touch. Right now, facing the basket is where he's best, but as he gets stronger he'll get more confident down on the low blocks. He's real tough...For us, the problem with him is clearly the size advantage. But in general, he's so skilled. With him, if a typical big guy covers him, you can draw them away from the basket, because he's got range up to and beyond the three-pointt line. The few times I've seen him go to the blocks, he's very skilled, and has versatility on defense with his length, but he's a real nice player...He's very similar [to Kelley], at 6-7 when you can draw guys out like he did. If he can extend the defense and open up shots in the lane for guys like Thorpe and Adler-Cohen, he's a tough guard for us."
Finkelstein: “Aaron Falzon fits the new style big man in that he has the size to play down low but the skill set to step away and stretch the defense. With three more years to continue to develop his game and body, he has a chance to be a very highly pursued prospect if he continues to do the right things.”

JACQUIL TAYLOR, CAMBRIDGE
6-9, Soph. C
Why he matters: Taylor dominated the glass this year for the 19-1 Falcons, and has served as a wonderful complement to guards Deondre Starling, Kyroe Qualls-Betts and his brother, 6-foot-5 junior Maurice. There may not be a longer starting five in the state than Cambridge, and at the center is Jacquil, who runs the floor well for a player his size and can change momentum in a snap with one of his thunderous two-handed slams. A handful of Division 1 schools, including UMass and BC locally, have expressed interest.
Opposing coaches: “He is a diamond in the rough. He’s going to be real good, high-major maybe, with his shot blocking ability and rebounding ability. He’s not as good as Nerlens Noel, but he’s that type of player...His length is his strength, I'd say right now -- defensively especially, and on the glass, too. I think his offensive game will get better, but in terms of what he does around the basket, he's impressive...Jacquil has tremendous upside. I think he's getting ready to have breakout in the state tournament this year. Both him and his brother Mo are two outstanding basketball players."
Finkelstein: "When you are big and mobile you have a chance to be very good and that's exactly what Jacquil is, not to mention a long lefty. His potential has never been questioned but now it's time to turn those tools into production on a consistent basis."

ADAM BRAMANTI, MASCONOMET
6-2, Jr. G
Why he matters: One of the Cape Ann League's leading scorers (19.7 points per game), he is the cousin of Andover star Joe Bramanti, and could be ready to carve a name for himself on the family tree. Like Joe, he is an exceptional shooter -- most recently, Adam hit seven 3-pointers in a game with Manchester-Essex in late January -- who can give good chase on the perimeter.
Opposing coaches: “He’s a fantastic shooter. If he’s on, it’s in. I’ve seen him hit nine, 10 three’s in a game, he’s fantastic. He can work a little bit on his dribble-drive and finishing, but as far as being a shooter, he’s top-notch.”
Scouts Inc.: “A very skilled guard with a high basketball I.Q. and terrific feel for the game, Bramanti is well schooled in the fundamentals of the game. He is an excellent three-point shooter who makes shots with deep range and also changes speeds with his dribble to get himself into the lane. He is a very efficient scorer off the catch, being tremendously efficient with his body movements, and owning a terrific shot fake. He always has his head up, has very good court vision, and can deliver quick passes off the dribble with a quick flick of his wrist.”
Finkelstein: “Adam Bramanti is a super skilled young guard with a high basketball I.Q. and instinctive feel for the game. Give him a year or two for his body to catch up, and his stock is bound to take off.”

KEANDRE STANTON, LYNN ENGLISH
6-6, Jr. F
Why he matters: In short, the junior is another one of those under-the-radar prospects. Stanton has had a breakout campaign this season for the 19-2 Bulldogs, complementing electric senior Travonne Berry-Rogers very nicely with his slashing ability in the post. With his size, length, and athletic ability on the break, Stanton has drawn comparisons to former English great Jarell Byrd, who is currently doing a post-graduate year at St. Thomas More (Conn.).
Opposing coaches: “We’re athletic, [but] he’s freakishly athletic. The things he can do, even when he attacked the rim off the bounce, he tried to get a dunk a few times. He went right at us. Jimmy [Zenevitch, of Central Catholic] scores a lot, but he is also a good defender as far as bigs, and this kid went right at Jimmy. He’s a great player, incredible athlete, and he’s going to be a handful in the tournament...He’s real skinny, but has a lot of athletic ability. He needs to play more. He has some big upside, too, but he needs to work on his ballhandling skils before he moves on to a higher level, because that’s what he’ll be with his size.”
Finkelstein: “Keandre Stanton has proven his worth this year at Lynn English but is still relatively unknown outside of Massachusetts' borders. A strong state tournament could be the first step towards a breakout summer.”

TYLER NELSON, CENTRAL CATHOLIC
5-8, Fr. G
Why he matters: The freshman, who is averaging nearly eight points a game off the bench, could very well end up winning a game for the Raiders in the postseason. He scores in bunches, often coming into the game and knocking down a pivotal three-pointer. When bringing the ball up, he directs traffic in the half-court calmly but smartly, and is unafraid to bark orders at one of his senior teammates. Overall, he's shown a maturity well beyond his years in his rookie season on the Raiders' varsity -- of course, it doesn't hurt that his father is an advance scout for the Utah Jazz.
Opposing coaches: “He’s probably the best shooter in the state, and that’s no lie -- he’s a deadly shooter. He’s a baby he could only be an eighth grader for all we know, but the stronger he gets the better he’ll get...He’s gonna be a scholarship player someday, he has a real high basketball I.Q., no lie.”
Finkelstein: “Tyler Nelson gives Central Catholic a big boost with his three-point shooting and looks to have a very bright high school career in front of him. Any player who can make shots in bunches has a potential niche at the next level.”

NATE ANDERSON, NEW MISSION
6-6, Soph. F
Why he matters: Anderson is still relatively unknown on the big stage; and between the Titans' star-studded backcourt of Samir McDaniels, Darius Davis and Kachi Nzerem, the young Anderson gets a limited amount of touches, and often comes off the bench. With his ability to handle, Anderson's future with Mission could be in more of a point forward role, though in the possessions he plays around the rim he shows adept skill and rebounding and blocking. In short, Anderson's a question mark right now, but a year from now could be a firm exclamation point. A good run in the playoffs, though, could serve his stock well.
Opposing coaches: “He has big upside, and we’ll see that the more he plays and the more touches he gets. He’s gonna be going to college somewhere, very athletic. He’s good.”
Finkelstein: “Nate Anderson has all the physical tools for the next level with a long and strong body to match his high level athleticism. He makes his biggest impact on the defensive end right now but has shown good potential as a face-up four who can attack less mobile big men with his dribble.”

CORNELIUS TYSON, SPRINGFIELD CENTRAL
6-1, Soph. G
Why he matters: After a strong summer with the New England Playaz, the sophomore brought a considerable amount of hype with him to the Golden Eagles. And needless to say, at 11-9, they've grossly underperformed after starting the year off at No. 6 in ESPNBoston's MIAA Top 25 poll. This may be a head-scratcher, considering he's averaging just six points a game, but it's hard to ignore his creativity and the praise he's earned out of season.
Opposing coaches: “Corn is quick as lightning, great little stroke, great on-ball defender. He’s fearless, he’ll step in and take a charge against 6-11 kids, he doesn’t care...He’s a great point guard with great instincts, knows how to find the open man, get to a guy going through the air, he’s talented. On the AAU circuit, he’s a 20-point scorer.”
Scouts Inc.: “A talented young point guard who already has a good understanding of how to distribute the basketball. Tyson has terrific court vision at a young age, makes good decisions handling and passing the ball against pressure, and can also get into the lane to create shots for himself and his teammates. He has also developed into a consistent shooter from behind the three-point arc. He has a terrific feel for the game for such a young player, already making good use of jab steps, jump stops, and other crafty maneuvers to open up passing/driving lanes.”
Finkelstein: “Tyson is a good looking young point guard who shows a mature understanding of the position for someone his age. He not only hits the open man but also has the creativity and vision to make plays for his teammates, making him very unique.”

OTHERS TO WATCH

Aaron Calixte, Soph. G, Stoughton
Matt Droney, Jr. G, Catholic Memorial
Joey Glynn, Jr. F, Cardinal Spellman
Jameilen Jones, Soph. F, BC High
Jarrod Neumann, Jr. G/F, Northampton
Kenny Reed, Jr. G, Reading
Colin Richey, Soph. G, Whitinsville Christian
Damion Smith, Fr. G, West Roxbury
Michael Thorpe, Jr. G, Newton North

Brendan Hall is a high school editor for ESPNBoston.com. Follow him on Twitter.

DORCHESTER, Mass. –- It just didn’t feel like a consolation game at the Comcast IAABO Board 27 Tournament, at Boston College High School's McNeice Pavilion. Andover coach Dave Fazio even said it himself.

“You play in this tournament and it’s all about pride,” said Fazio. “So any game you play in any tournament against a quality team like Newton North is all about pride. We try to instill in our kids that it doesn’t matter whether its checkers or chess, it doesn’t matter, if you play in something competitive, you always play to win. That’s what it’s all about.”

And they did indeed play to win. The Golden Warriors bounced back from Saturday’s tough loss against St. John’s Prep to beat Newton North in a 75-66 win.

In the first 45 seconds of the game, sophomore Sam Dowden knocked down two three-pointers to give Andover a solid six point lead for the entire first quarter. Then, in the second quarter, Andover’s star Joe Bramanti scored 15 of his team’s 21 points to put his team up by 13. At this point, it looked as though it was Andover’s game for the taking. It was not, however, even close to being over.

After a Tevin Falzon basket with a foul to finish the second quarter, and a Luke Westman dunk to start the third, Newton North took the momentum back. Powered by Michael Thorpe’s 19 third-quarter points -- including three acrobatic three-pointers -- the Tigers went on a 20-6 run to take the lead at 51-46.

“That’s the player that I’ve been waiting for all season long,” Newton North head coach Paul Connolly said. “Michael has only averaged 13 points per game this year. He hasn’t shot the ball well. We’ve been a different team this year. That’s the level he’s capable of playing at. That’s what we need. Your leading scorer needs to play like that in the tournament. Mike had a period there where he was phenomenal but you know, they have Joe Bramanti, and he took over the game."

Said Bramanti, who only scored two points in the third, “After [Thorpe] hit the third three-pointer, coach put me on him just to contain him and keep him out of his rhythm. Once someone catches fire like that, they are just going to keep going and going and going so you just put the clamps on him and hope he doesn’t keep going.”

Andover decided to then take a page out of Newton North’s book. Coach Fazio told his team to get the ball to Joe, and it turned out that was the right decision. Bramanti went off for 21 fourth-quarter points on various drives, three-pointers, and 11 free throws.

“[Getting to the line] is definitely a big part of my game," Bramanti said. "I was really trying to facilitate early on, but when we got down to the fourth quarter it was necessary for me to get to the line. We needed a break, and those are easy points."

Bramanti finished with 38 points, going nine for 16 from the field (including three 3-pointers) and stayed perfect from the line by sinking 17 free throws.

“This is a big win for us. This is a big win for our program,” said Fazio. “You’ve got to remember, the last two we lost was probably to the number one team in the state and the number two team in the state. Those two losses were against two really good teams. I think we have the best schedule in New England. We play against everyone. It was another great fight by our kids.”

Future Reference

-- While Bramanti may be known as the star for Andover right now, keep your eyes on junior James Costello. Costello finished with 20 points. Whether he was using his mean jab step to get by his man or jumping over defenders for offensive rebounds, there is no doubt that Costello is a unique player. At 6-foot-3, he does not have a true position but is the type of athletic player that every team could use. His coach and teammate would agree.

“I think these past few games, [James] has been tremendous,” said Bramanti. ”He’s been stepping up big time. He’s definitely progressed exponentially. I think it is good for him to have two good games for our game Thursday night against Brockton.”

“He is playing better and better," Fazio said. "He is going to be phenomenal. Hopefully, he’s going to carry the torch from Bramanti.”

-- For those of you making your predictions for the MIAA playoffs, coach Connolly shed some light on who he thinks will be the most successful teams. After having a surprisingly early exit last year, Connolly thinks the teams with the best guards are the most dangerous.

“Hurley took over the game against us yesterday," Connolly said. "Pat Connaughton is capable of taking over games. When you have a player who can take over a game with the ball in his hands, you are dangerous. We had Greg [Kelley] last year but it’s different when you have a big guy. Those are the guys who will make the big tournament runs."

ANDOVER, Mass. -- Among all the sub-plots and side stories headed into the latest installment of this intense cross-river rivalry at Andover High, the most intriguing one might have been the one-on-one matchup between Andover's Joe Bramanti and Central Catholic's Luis Puello, widely considered two of the state's premier perimeter defenders.

No disrespect to the talented Bramanti, but Puello never looked at it that way. Never has, never will. Never puts these things on a pedestal.

"I don't really prepare for it, man. I just play defense," Puello smiled in his trademark bluntness. "I just play hard, I just play him straight up. I didn't really think about it too hard, except to just challenge every shot and contest him. That's about it."

So did he take this as a personal challenge?

"Of course, I take every challenge as a personal challenge," Puello said, quick to interrupt the reporter's follow-up question. "That's how I am. I'm competitive, whoever challenges right in front of me I'm going to try and beat him. That's about it.

"I don't care, I legit...I don't even take it as a role. I just do it. If you're the best player on the court, I'm guarding you. If you want to guard me, that's fine. But I won't let you score on me. If you're better than me, I'm going to work harder than you."

Suffice it to say the 6-foot junior made his mark in the Raiders' 59-56 win over Andover. He might be remembered most from this game for his beautiful dish to Jaycob Morales to set up the buzzer-beating three-pointer that silenced the raucous Golden Warrior crowd, but where he did most of his damage was in the six inches in front of Bramanti's face.

With his blank, focused stare, Puello picked up the ballcarrier Bramanti as soon as he took the inbounds pass, digging his chest into his opponent's upper torso; keeping his shoulders square; keeping his arms active; driving his hips; and keeping his hips open, shuffling with his man step for step wherever the 6-foot-3 swingman tried to go on the court.

Bramanti got his, finishing with a game-high 22 points. But Puello had clearly done his damage, dogging Bramanti into a 6 for 20 night from the field. Andover head coach Dave Fazio admitted Bramanti might have been a little worn out by the fourth quarter, after the Warriors stormed back with a 22-4 run.

"Yeah totally, and he’s a freaking warrior," Fazio said. "He’s got to cover, rebound, yeah totally, fatigue’s definitely a problem. I’ve got to do a better job of resting him. But the problem is, when the hell do you rest him? It’s hard. So we try to use timeouts to get him some water, but this is the horse we’ve got. And we’ve got to ride him, you know."

On the other side, Puello's own teammates found themselves praising Puello's defense -- yet again.

"He is the best on-ball defender in the state," Central head coach Rick Nault said. "I’ve said that for two years now. It’s just remarkable, his athleticism, his quickness, and Joe’s a tremendous player – he might have gotten 30 tonight, I don’t know. But he worked for every single point he got. Luis wants that assignment. He takes that as a personal challenge."

Said Morales, "I mean, I’ll be the first one to tell you, he’s the best defensive guard in the state. I may be in the minority, but I haven’t seen a guard who can defend like him. He gets into people, he makes people become a whole different person when he’s defending them."

He might know better than anybody else at the school, having first befriended Puello years ago during pickup games at the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence. That rivalry continues every day in practice -- one getting the better of the other one day, vice-versa the next -- and the chemistry is evident on the court.

But when it comes to that lateral quickness Puello uses to stay on his defenders, Nault says that's all on him.

"To be honest, there hasn’t been any development on our part –- it’s God-given," Nault said. "You know, we’ve spent a lot of time in practice, on him playing the ball. But in terms of teaching him how to defend, he’s learned that all on his own. He really has."

Puello says he "just want(s) another ring -- that what it's all about", alluding to a potential repeat as Division 1 state champions. While he's waiting, there will be ample opportunity the next seven days for a tune-up -- if not in his own battles with Morales, then in the ones looming from two teams ranked in the top 10 by ESPNBoston's state-wide MIAA poll.

The Raiders first look forward to this weekend's IAABO Board 130 Tournament on their home court, where a potential Monday final with No. 7 Lynn English looms. Should that pan out, one should expect Puello to badger the Bulldogs' Travonne Berry-Rogers, one of the North Shore's most physical playmakers. Then Wednesday night, in Danvers, it's a showdown with St. John's Prep and its Notre Dame-bound leader, ESPNU 100 shooting guard Pat Connaughton.

Asked if he expects to cover the 6-foot-4 Connaughton, Puello exclaimed, "Of course. I don't care if he's 6-7, you know what I mean, I'll play him all night. We'll see what happens."

Surely, he'll keep his feet active, and engage him in one of those trademark stare-downs, the ones with that Zen-like focus.

The trick to Zen, of course, is not thinking.

ANDOVER, Mass. -- Jaycob Morales wasn’t the first option, but he turned out to be the best option.

Thursday night’s boys basketball game between Andover High and Central Catholic was tied when Central coach Rick Nault called a timeout with 12.5 seconds remaining in regulation. Nault called a play designed for junior guard Luis Puello or 6-foot-7 senior Jimmy Zenevitch to take the final shot.

Andover had the play well-defended, however, and with time running out Morales launched a shot from behind the 3-point line that fell through the hoop as time expired to hand the Raiders a 59-56 victory.

“It wasn’t a shot that I was just praying to go in,” Morales said. “It felt good. I was happy with a shot like that, make or miss.

“You could say I’m not incredible (from three-point territory), but it’s more that I don’t shoot the ball as much. My team does have a lot of confidence in me, and that really helps me out with my shooting."

Morales finished with 10 points, including three 3-pointers.

“We didn’t want to run anything until there were eight seconds to go,” Nault explained. “I told Jaycob the first option was a handoff to Luis. Our first look was to create something one-on-one. Our second look was Jimmy on a dive.

“We knew the defense was going to collapse. I said, ‘Jaycob, your guy’s gonna sag. You’ve got that kick-out three at the buzzer.’ He made it.”

It was the second time Central Catholic has defeated Andover in three tries this season. The Raiders, the No. 1 team in ESPNBoston's MIAA Top 25 poll, raised their record to 17-1 overall, and 13-0 in the Merrimack Valley Conference.

Andover, which received 22 points from senior guard Joe Bramanti, dropped to 13-4 overall and 9-4 in the MVC.

“We did everything we’re supposed to do [on the final possession], and then we lose Morales in the corner,” Andover head coach Dave Fazio said. “They make a huge shot. They always make big plays. I feel bad for the kids. It’s their Senior Night, but it’s a learning experience for us. It doesn’t cost us anything because we couldn’t win the league anyway. It’s a pride game. It’s a Duke-North Carolina game."

He added, “I just put on the board: Victories tell you a little, defeats tell you a lot.”

Central Catholic received a game-high 26 points from Zenevitch. Puello finished with 12. Craig Luschenat tossed in 13 and was the only other Andover player to reach double figures.

“This rivalry is truly the best rivalry in the state in my opinion –- in terms of high school basketball,” Nault said. “It’s something special to the kids.”

Central Catholic held a 27-20 lead at halftime, but no one in the gym could have predicted what unfolded in the third quarter. Andover scored the first 18 points in the third. Central Catholic didn’t score until Morales made a 3-pointer with 1:22 left in the quarter.

Andover led 42-31 entering the fourth.

“I thought we played a very energetic first half,” Nault said. “In the third quarter we were very flat with emotion, and offensively there were a lot of guys standing around. We weren’t getting any ball movement. We weren’t getting guys in the post. We weren’t getting ball reversals, and we struggle when we do that.”

“When you’re down going into any quarter – especially the fourth – if you stay calm and trust in your team then you can pretty much do anything you want,” Zenevitch said.

Central Catholic went on a 17-2 run at the start of the fourth and led 48-44 with 5:12 to play. Zenevitch made two old-fashioned three-point plays during the spurt. He scored 14 of his 26 points in the fourth.

The Raiders led 56-53 after Zenevitch made his final field goal with just over a minute to play, but Andover tied the contest on a Luschenat 3-pointer with 56.8 seconds left. It remained that way until Morales connected on the 3-pointer that made him the game’s unlikely hero.

“The game is all tempo and momentum,” Fazio said. “It’s no excuse, but fatigue obviously plays a factor with our guys and our depth.

“The difference in the game is Zenevitch. We just can’t match up. We have to cheat, and when you cheat and you help other guys make you pay.”

LAWRENCE, Mass. -- The post-game assortment of handshakes and daps complete, and the half-filled Lawrence High gymnasium filing out, Jaylen Alicea couldn't help but glance back on the court one last time and watch as some of his fellow Lawrence classmates spilled onto the court and began lining up at the spot atop the key where, seconds earlier, he sent the place into frenzy.

"Seems like people look up to me," the Lancers' senior floor general smiled sheepishly. "I guess they admired the shot. Probably not as much as I did, though. That shot means the world to me."

After all, this was a career-defining moment for the 5-foot-10 senior, who struggled mightily from the field but stepped up without hesitation in the biggest moment of the No. 20 Lancers' game with Merrimack Valley rival No. 5 Andover last night. With 3.7 seconds left and the shot clock on its last tick, Alicea rolled off a screen, pump-faked one of the state's premier defenders as he gathered the ball at the top of the key, and nailed the three-pointer to deliver a 59-56 win for Lawrence (9-4).

This wasn't exactly a perfect night for Alicea, who finished with nine points on 4 of 14 from the field -- including 1 for 7 on three's. And 30 seconds earlier his defender, highly-touted senior guard Joe Bramanti, almost delivered the win for the Golden Warriors (8-3) after stripping the ball from Alicea as he caught a pass up top. With the open court, the 6-foot-3 Bramanti drove down the lane, and was fouled as he sank the layup for a 56-56 tie, but missed the ensuing free throw.

But with time winding down, and facing overtime, the Lancers drew up a play that was initially supposed to go inside to 6-foot-6 center Jesse Hiraldo (10 points, 11 rebounds). When the play broke down, senior guard Darwin Pereyra paused for a few seconds at the right wing before instinctively throwing it back out top to Alicea for the winner.

Bramanti (19 points) then rushed up a half-court shot that clanked off the rim as the buzzer sounded.

"I mean, you know, he didn’t play well offensively all game, and we kept telling him to stay with it, stay with it, stay with it," Lawrence head coach Paul Neal said. "And at the end, they executed. They got him a screen, and he got a wide open shot and he knocked it down. You know, big win for us, big win for the program. Confidence-wise, it was good for Jaylen, as our leader, to get a win for us."

Said Alicea, "They couldn’t get him (Hiraldo) the ball, so I had to do what I had to do, and I got open for them. And as soon as I got the ball, I knew it was my time, that I had to shoot the ball, and I didn’t play well this game. That was the biggest shot I hit all day, and it means the world to me."

From tipoff, this was a back and forth game with slim leads. With under three minutes to go, Alicea crossed up his defender on the left wing and sunk a 16-footer for a 56-51 lead, the largest of the game. Down at the other end, Craig Luschenat (14 points) closed the lead to 56-54 with three free throws, followed by Bramanti's steal and layup.

All game long, the Warriors found ways to combat Lawrence's size advantage, to great results. Six-foot-two sophomore Sam Dowden (11 points) did the dirty work down low, facing the big-bodied Hiraldo man-up, and the Warriors held a 10-2 advantage on offensive rebounds in the first half. To manufacture points, the Warriors repeatedly used handoffs to create quick screens for their swift-triggered shooters; they also had success in drawing Hiraldo out of the blocks and slipping behind him, but players like Yadoris Arias showed poise in deflecting passing lanes.

Lawrence led 27-26 at the break, and 44-42 headed into the final stanza. Andover took two brief leads in this one, including one with four minutes left when Dowden converted a three-point play off an inbounds pass, for a 49-48 lead.

From an emotional standpoint, this was quite the yo-yo.

"Brutal, but it’s great. It’s a fight," Andover head coach Dave Fazio said. "I mean, that’s what it’s about, it’s a good fight. You know, they hit us with the last shot, and I got the best defender in the state on the kid. So, at the end of the day, it’s OK. It’s a great game, it’s a great experience for our kids, and we’re just going to get better, you know."

And for Alicea, it was the good kind of emotional.

"Andover’s a great team," he said. "We just know they come out to play hard every day, every game we play them. We haven’t beaten them since I was a sophomore, so this means a lot to me, to my coach, to the people of Lawrence. Everything."

Thirty-eight athletes playing at Massachusetts high schools have been nominated for this year's McDonald's All-American basketball games, and it is quite the interesting list. On the boys side, Notre Dame Prep has a whopping six players nominated; also of note, Newton North's Tevin Falzon gets a nomination despite not playing a minute all season due to a wrist injury.

Below is the complete list of nominees for the boys and girls games:

BOYS

Pat Ackerman, Worcester Academy
Khem Birch, Notre Dame Prep
Joe Bramanti, Andover
Ryan Canty, Brimmer & May
Sam Cassell Jr., Notre Dame Prep
Dennis Clifford, Milton Academy
Pat Connaughton, St. John's Prep
Aaron Cosby, Northfield-Mt. Hermon
Myles Davis, Notre Dame Prep
Tevin Falzon, Newton North
Grandy Glaze, Notre Dame Prep
Jon Henault, St. Bernard's
Kyle Kager, Deerfield Academy
James Kennedy, Cushing Academy
Samir McDaniels, New Mission
Joe Mussachia, Manchester-Essex
Angel Nunez, Notre Dame Prep
Kachi Nzerem, New Mission
Andrej Pajovic, Wilbraham & Monson
Joe Sharkey, Northfield-Mt. Hermon
Chris Sherwood, Brimmer & May
Tyler Strange, Notre Dame Prep
Vincent Van Nes, Northfield-Mt. Hermon
Jimmy Zenevitch, Central Catholic

GIRLS

Nicole Beresford, Marshfield
Sophie Bikofsky, Newton South
Kendall Burton, Newton South
Blake Dietrick, Wellesley
Amber Dillon, Brookline
Tori Faieta, St. Mary's
Julie Frankian, Millbury
Natalie Gomez-Martinez, Andover
Brenna Goncalves, Coyle-Cassidy
Briana Hunt, Newton North
Mariah Lesure, Tabor Academy
Samantha Mangano, Winchester
Gabie Polce, Central Catholic
Clare Sullivan, Rivers

LAWRENCE, Mass. -- What is the difference between the Central Catholic and Andover boys’ basketball teams? On the year, six points, advantage Central Catholic on the heels of their 64-55 win tonight. The victory was retribution for the Raiders, as the Warriors served them with a 55-52 loss during the Greater Lawrence Christmas Tournament last week.

“There’s not a whole lot that separates these two teams right now,” head coach Rick Nault said. “We’ve got them one more time, and we’ll find out in round three who’s on top” he added, referring to the February 17th matchup at Andover.

With 2:00 left in the game and down by 10, Andover’s Sam Dowden (nine points, eight rebounds) missed his first free throw and made the second, leaving the score at 55-46. On the following possession, Central Catholic (7-1) freshman Tyler Nelson threw one up from behind the line and missed.

“Why did he do that?” yelled a Central supporter from the stands.

Andover’s James Costello got the rebound and down the other end, Joe Bramanti (11 points, five rebounds) went to the rack, was fouled as he scored, and made the free throw to bring Andover within six at 55-49.

With the Andover (6-2) crowd reinvigorated and having scored on the last two possessions, the making of a comeback was in the air. Up six, against their biggest rival, the Raiders give the ball back to Nelson.

Why?

“He’s our second leading scorer on the team as a freshman,” said Nault of Nelson, whose trey, his only score on the day, made it a nine point game, the difference in the game at the buzzer. “He really has a ton of confidence in himself… that may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

“They have faith in me,” said Nelson of his teammates. “And they know that I can hit a shot when they need someone.

“I’m a shooter.”

Senior captain Jimmy Zenevitch led the Raiders with 18 points and added eight rebounds.

“Last week, we came out with no intensity,” said Zenevitch. “This week, today we did our best to deny the ball and finish on defense. Defense is what sets us off.”

Andover coach Dave Fazio was very clear on what he thought the difference was.

“Defensive rebounds. That’s the game,” said Fazio. “We gave up probably 20 defensive rebounds and that’s our biggest deficiency. Until we can figure that piece out, we’re going to lose those tight games.”

Central Catholic's 6-foot-4 sophomore Joel Berroa was one of the culprits, grabbing 11 rebounds and adding seven points, including a three pointer in the first half.

“I was actually just playing my game,” said Berroa, who felt no pressure, even though coach Nault advised him to get 17 points and 13 rebounds. “The shots weren’t going in, and I was like, ‘Let me just get my rebounds, play some defense and do the best I can.’”

Junior Luis Puello, who scored five of his 11 points in the fourth quarter, was pleased with the outcome in tonight’s game.

“The difference between the last two minutes over there and the last two minutes over here is that we thought we could go for a win and everything was going to be OK,” said Puello. “Here, we made it happen.”

HAVERHILL, Mass. -- Slung high in the bleachers above his junior varsity teammates is the can't-miss kid everyone's here to see, all six-foot-seven of him, his black military jacket accenting a loud, fat mohawk that covers the crown of his skull. Noah Vonleh is looking intently over an assistant coach's shoulder as he goes over the game plan for 30 minutes from now against these host No. 8 Andover High Golden Warriors, at once seemingly acutely aware and indifferent that slowly the crowd is gathering for perhaps a few reasons, but a glaring one in particular: him.

Long-time Syracuse associate head coach Bernie Fine is here for him. So is his AAU coach, Vin Pastore. So are a few other lower-level scouts, high school assistants from further down the schedule, and two rowdy student sections, armed with newspaper clippings, matching shirts, air horns and even a bass kick drum.

And they watch as the 6-foot-7 forward with the 7-foot wingspan repeatedly carries the ball upcourt, through a strenuous press, and either throws the ball to the corner or creates space on the perimeter with the drive-and-kick, only to watch those efforts turn into bricks, airballs and turnovers. As the tallest, longest, and certainly most athletic kid on the court, Vonleh merely reaches his arms out and slaps loose balls back out to the perimeter -- but again, only to watch shot after shot clank off the iron.

He racks up his first foul, an offensive, just a minutes into the game; a second foul, this one defensive, comes with two minutes to go in the quarter. And he quietly retires to the bench, with nary a shrug. No hands in the air, no stomping of the feet.

It isn't until late in the game we see Vonleh's best exploits. Down 17 and turning things up furiously, Vonleh takes to the post, where he takes high entry lobs and repeatedly draws contact fouls from help defenders. The Hillies wound up losing this season-opener, 59-50, thanks to some impressive hustle plays from Andover's gritty leader Joe Bramanti, but the most impressive play might have been the final one. With just seconds left, his teammate decides to throw up one final three point attempt, but the trajectory of the shot screams airball. Vonleh, playing the Lorenzo Charles to his Dereck Wittenburg, instinctively grabs it out of the air and forcefully slams it home, drawing a ring of ooh's and ahh's from the crowd making its way to the exit signs.

Right now, it seems, Vonleh's talents are being handled at Haverhill like a Faberge egg. But then again, a skill set like this for a 15-year-old only comes around once a generation in the Merrimack Valley.

THE HYPE

Vonleh, currently ranked the No. 26 overall prospect nationally for the Class of 2013 by ESPN, has improved by leaps and bounds over the last year. Playing with the Rivals AAU program -- headed by Pastore and featuring Division 1 talent that last summer included Ryan Canty, Zach Auguste and Jordan Laguerre -- Vonleh wowed scouts with his ability to fit into any position one through four on the floor, create his own shot, penetrate and finish off the dribble-drive.

St. John's Prep guard Pat Connaughton, himself an ESPN100 player committed to Notre Dame, recalled an impressive display by Vonleh -- playing for the Rivals -- in a matchup this fall against Connaughton's Middlesex Magic. He said Vonleh was "the best player on their team" and was "the one that gave us the most trouble". To Connaughton, Vonleh was "almost like a point guard for them", dribbling with his head up.

"His ability to dribble, and then go from a dribble into a pull-up, for a big kid like that, usually when you’re big like that you’re put into big man positions all your life," Connaughton said. "So for a kid that size to be that skilled with the ball, to be able to dribble the ball through the legs and then right into a pull-up like a guard is really, very good for him."

Within the ten-team Merrimack Valley Conference, annually one of the state's deepest and most competitive, and producer of two of the last three state champions, Vonleh is drawing even greater prose among the league's coaching minds.

"Oh my God, yeah, he’s a puppy. He’s not even 80 to 90 percent of where he’s gonna be," Andover head coach Dave Fazio said following the win over the Hillies. "I mean, he’s just a puppy. He’s trying to run a point with five tough Andover defenders aware of every step he makes, he can’t gap us because we’re not gonna let him gap us. He’s being asked to do an awful lot. His skill set is going to be through the roof. You put him with kids of his caliber, I mean he’s just going to be a terrific player. I mean terrific, terrific player."

The list adjectives already used to described his seemingly limitless potential goes on and on. And with his big hands and feet, and his frame not quite yet filled out, there is still some growing to do. All of that, and more, has drawn scholarship offers from Boston College and Pitt, and has schools as high as Syracuse, Kentucky and North Carolina have shown interest.

His best days, it seems, are straight ahead.

THE HUMILITY

Renell Vonleh moved to Salem, Mass. from Liberia in 1994, after spending some time in the neighboring Ivory Coast when Civil War broke out in the late 80's and early 90's. Today, she finds herself raising Noah and his sisters Samnell (14) and Aaronette (7) as a single mother working nearly 80 hours a week as a registered nurse, split between Jamaica Plain's Lemuel Shattuck Hospital and Sherrill House.

That often leaves Noah as the man of the house, but there's little goofing around. Renell finds time on Sundays to take Noah and his sisters to either New Life Christian Assembly in Haverhill, or the Evangelical Christian Church in Peabody; and while she is at work, there is work to be done at home.

"Basically basketball is his focus, but he has to have a balance," Renell said. "He has to pay attention to his studies, build up character. It’s a work in progress, but for the most part he’s a good kid."

Noah speaks quietly, and sparingly, in short sentences, when spoken to. His goals? "I'm trying to get to that number one spot," he says sheepishly.

His reaction to the hype surrounding him? "I'm just trying to live up to it."

And so forth. But when it comes to dribbling, Noah is far from shy.

Growing up watching highlight clips of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and now keying on the likes of LeBron James and Tyreke Evans, Noah is known to get up in the middle of the night and take to the wood living room floor at his Lakewood Terrace house. Sometimes as late as midnight, he might move some furniture out of the way, throw on some classic hip-hop albums -- a little Illmatic here, a little Ready to Die there -- and go through all the crossovers, spins and euro-steps he's fond of on the court.

Mom's cool with it, though she's had to replace the floor.

"Whenever I don’t do my dribbling drills (at practice), I don’t feel complete without them, so I’ll do them at any time of night," Noah says.

Says Haverhill head coach Mike Trovato, "Religiously, for 45 minutes to an hour, he's ballhandling, it just shows. That doesn’t come overnight. His hours are sometimes you call him at his house and you hear the ball bouncing in the background."

Sometimes, he'll even venture down the street to a dimly-lit court and practice his three-point shot. Other times, he'll get in up to 500 shots in a day, whether someone's rebounding for him or not.

"He'll come from working out with coaches, and two hours later he wants to work out again," Renell said. "Sometimes at midnight outside house in neighborhood shooting and practicing three-pointers, I have to tell him he has to be respectful of neighbors."

That intrinsic motivation, it seems, is what separates him.

"He's got a God-given talent, you know, and hes a bright kid," says Pastore, who's been coaching Vonleh since the fifth grade. "And I think he recognizes he has some tools from God, and he wants to make best of him. Work ethic is clearly a talent some kids have and some don’t, and he's got as good a work ethic as anybody I've coached."

Alluding to former McDonald's All-American and Central Catholic star Scott Hazelton, himself a Rivals alum who now helps coach Vonleh, Pastore continued, "Scott was a work-a-holic, but Noah’s talents are well beyond Scott’s. God’s gift, you know. I really do think that."

THE FUTURE

The question at this point isn't what Vonleh can do, it's what to do with him.

Vonleh projects to play either forward position, and with such versatility amongst a young supporting cast this is a team that will rely heavily on his talents. And with that in mind, the No. 14 Hillies have stumbled out of the gates; two nights ago, they fell to 1-3 after a 53-49 lost to Pentucket, a second straight loss that will almost assuredly drop them out of the MIAA Top 25 when the new poll is released on Monday.

The road doesn't get any easier, either. With matchups next week against Everett and No. 10 Cambridge in the BABC Holiday Classic, the Hillies could be looking at 1-5 headed into the beginning of January. Being in the Merrimack Valley Conference's Large division means they'll be facing Andover again, and have two more games coming against No. 2 Central Catholic and No. 16 Lowell. This could very well be a .500 season for the Hillies, with such a young core.

That won't stop all the ink, all the hype in its tracks. But Trovato feels Noah knows better.

"I think he’s smart enough to know, it’s that ‘P’ word –- potential," Trovato said. "He can be great, or he can be awful. And I'm sure some people are never going to hit it. And I really don’t, we’ve been around a lot of kids from a lot of different areas, and I think Noah’s definitely one of those kids that’s going to keep working.

"He loves to play, and that’s what I tell college coaches. The best thing about him is he loves to play. Morning, night, anytime. You call him to go play, he drops what he’s doing to go play."

Said Pastore, "He’s off the charts in so many categories, the only thing he's got left is time. That will take care of the rest. When Pitt walks into the gym...there's nobody [college coaches] that they don’t leave without saying they love him."

And that love, that intrinsic love, has the attention of many eyes. They can't wait to see what he does next.

ANDOVER, Mass. -- Some mornings, sometimes as early as 5:45, Andover High head coach Dave Fazio walks into the school's gymnasium and finds his hard-nosed point guard already there, knocking down shot after shot.

This was supposed to be the year that, with Central Catholic supposedly coming back to earth a bit after a phenomenal three-year run, Joe Bramanti and Brian Miller took the Golden Warriors on their backs and tried to take control of the competitive Merrimack Valley Conference. But with Miller on the mend all winter long, thanks to a broken tibia suffered during football season, the 6-foot-1 Bramanti is going to shoulder a heck of a load. Which brings him here to the gym, getting in his hundred or so shots, developing that muscle memory.

Those who know Fazio are attuned to his rigorous practice demands -- "you don't have a choice, there's only one way in this program," he chuckles. Still, there's a special place in his mind for kids like Bramanti.

"Oh, he's tremendous," Fazio said following the Golden Warriors' 59-50 win over Haverhill Tuesday night. "He's as hard a worker of a kid we've had. His upside is also pretty high, I think he's going to be a good player as well."

At the other end of the floor was 6-foot-7 Noah Vonleh, the much-hyped Haverhill sophomore who has turned many a head in the last six months with his adept ballhandling skills. Like Bramanti, Vonleh is handling it all, bringing the ball up, breaking the press, throwing his long arms around to disrupt passing lanes and redirects shot. Only with Bramanti, it doesn't look easy.

"As a young kid, my dad always preached to me, 'Play your heart out'," Bramanti says. "I think that translates into how I play the game."

Sure, his shot is smooth, on this night leading to a game-high 25 points. But it's on the perimeter at the other end where he earns his keep, harrassing the ballhandler all the way down the lane and keeping himself in position for when that opportunity for the swipe presents itself. He ended this night with six steals in all, and proved again why he is considered one of the region's premier defenders in man-to-man coverage, and why schools as high as The Citadel have shown an interest.

"He does it all," Fazio said. "We're asking him to do alot. We're asking him to cover the best guy, to lead our traps, to run the point, to make good decisions, to score buckets, to, you know, make plays for us. We're asking him to do an awful lot, you know. And I think he did some really good things tonight, and I think he's got to continue to work and he's got to control our team.

"He's got to control the emotions of our team, and he's got to control the execution of our team. Our team's a little spazzy right now. We'll get it together."

So what exactly goes into developing good perimeter defense? Fazio merely points to his chest with his index finger.

"Right there baby," he says. "Heart and desire. He needs some technique, which we'll work on, but you've just got to take personal pride. Lotta great players don't want to cover anybody because they think they're too good for it. But he takes personal pride in defending and covering, and that's why he's a good player."