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ESPN Boston correspondant Ryan Kilian reports today on his New England Prep Stars website that recent Hamilton-Wenham graduate Elliott Burr has committed to play lacrosse at Syracuse, joining the class of 2016.

Burr, who was scheduled to play a prep year next season at Phillips Andover, gained late interest from the Orange and will enroll in the fall.

The faceoff specialist also had 61 goals with 40 assists for H-W last season and plays with the Top Gun lacrosse club. Burr was also a CAL/NEC football all-star last year.

When Paul Pasqualoni was the football coach at Syracuse he did what he could to lure Connecticut’s best talent out of state. How times have changed.

Pasqualoni, who is in his first season as UConn’s head coach, is now doing everything he can to keep Connecticut’s top players at home. He got off to a good start when Ansonia High School running back Montrell Dobbs committed to UConn on July 7.

"I'm a Connecticut guy, and UConn is like the Rutgers of New Jersey -- it's our big-time school," Dobbs said. "I'm not sure if they had any interest in me when [former coach] Randy Edsall was there. Edsall had a reputation of not getting in-state kids [Connecticut signed eight in-state players in its last three recruiting classes], but I think with Pasqualoni there things are gonna change."

New Britain's Tebucky Jones and Bloomfield's Dwight Freeney are two of the Connecticut residents who played at Syracuse under Pasqualoni.

Connecticut was the only FBS school that made a scholarship offer to Dobbs, who said he also received mild interest from Pittsburgh, Louisville, Syracuse and Cincinnati.

He's the first in-state recruit Connecticut landed since Pasqualoni replaced Edsall as UConn's head coach.

Dobbs ran for more than 300 yards in seven of Ansonia's 13 games last season. He finished the season with 3,445 yards rushing -- the second-highest single-season total in state history -- on 406 carries.

He'll attend Milford Academy in New Berlin, N.Y., next season and plans to enroll at UConn in January. LeSean McCoy (Pittsburgh/Philadelphia Eagles) and Shonn Greene (Iowa/New York Jets) are among the running backs who played at Milford Academy.

He is expected to sign a national letter of intent in February.

"A year of prep school is going to help me," Dobbs said. "Milford is known for its running backs and that kind of got my attention.

"I think me going to Connecticut is going to open up the door for more Connecticut kids to go there."

IMMACULATE HIRES FOOTBALL COACH
Bryan Pinabell, who has spent the last three years as an assistant coach at St. Pius X Catholic High School in Atlanta, was recently hired to become the head football coach at Immaculate.

Pinabell, an East Boston native, replaces Gary Bellagamba, who took over the program last year after spending several years as an assistant coach. Bellagamba resigned earlier this month after Immaculate posted an 0-10 record last fall.

Immaculate hasn’t had a winning season since 2003, when Steve Kaplanis led the Mustangs to the Class S semifinals. Kaplanis died at age 50 in 2005, and Immaculate has an 8-53 record under three head coaches since then.

Rebuilding programs is nothing new to Pinabell, who spent two seasons as the head coach at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School in Fayetteville, Ga. Our Lady of Mercy had won five games in six seasons when Pinabell took over, and he guided the Bobcats to seven victories – including six in 2007 – during his two seasons as the program’s head coach.

BRANFORD’S KACZYNSKI RETIRES
Branford girls basketball coach Ted Kaczynski announced his retirement on July 11.

Kaczynski, 62, spent the last 20 with the Branford girls program. He also spent one season coaching the Branford boys basketball team.

He coached boys and girls basketball at East Haven before moving on to Branford.

Kaczynski finished his career with a 355-290 record. He guided his teams to the state tournament in 26 of his 29 seasons as a head coach.

GUILFORD HIRES NEW AD
Jake Jarvis has been named to replace Chip Dorwin as the new athletic director at Guilford.

Dorwin retired at the end of the 2011 school year after spending 25 years as the school’s AD.

Jarvis, a 37-year-old Branford resident, spent the last two years as an assistant to New Haven athletic director Joe Canzanella. Jarvis has coached baseball boys basketball and girls basketball at Hyde.

Roger Brown has covered high school sports in New England since 1992. He currently covers high school and college football in the Northeast for ESPN/Scouts Inc.

ESPN's Roger Brown checks in today on his recruiting blog with two of Worcester Academy's football stars who led the Hilltoppers on the gridiron this past year, athlete Canaan Severin and quarterback Jon Pieterse.

Severin, a Marlborough native, told Brown that he is now up to 10 scholarship offers, having added Western Michigan and Syracuse to the stack. Boston College, Rutgers, Virginia, NC State, Iowa, Penn State, UConn and Villanova are the other schools offering for the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Severin, who repeated his sophomore year at Worcester Academy after transferring from Marlborough High. Maryland is also on the radar.

Coaches from Boston College, Connecticut, Penn State and Notre Dame also stopped by Worcester Academy's campus this week. Severin told Brown that Stanford was scheduled to visit today.

“I think I have to do a lot more research on the schools,” Severin told Brown. “One of the coaches gave me some good advice. He said, ‘You have to see a lot of schools before you know which ones you like and don’t like.’”

As for a decision, Severin says there is no rush.

“I probably won’t decide until after my senior season,” he told Brown. “I don’t want to rush anything. This is one of the biggest decisions of my life.”

Meanwhile, Pieterse told Brown that he will be pursuing a post-graduate season at Salisbury (Conn.) next year.

Pieterse -- who missed most of his junior year with a broken collarbone -- took an unofficial visit to Central Michigan earlier this month, and told Brown he plans to visit Purdue and Pitt as well.

“The bigger schools suggested I do a postgraduate year,” Pieterse told Brown.

For more recruiting updates on New England's top high school football talent, be sure to check out Brown's blog.

ESPN's Adam Finkelstein checks in today on his recruiting blog with Notre Dame Prep swingman Ricardo Ledo, who has yet to list any favorites among the many schools that are lining up for his services.

Kentucky is among the most notable on the list, and was thought to be the favorite before the Providence native gave then-PC head coach Keno Davis a phone call Christmas Eve to give his commitment. The pledge to the Friars lasted a little over a month before he decided to open up his recruitment again.

"I don't have any favorites right now," he told Finkelstein. "I'm just trying to feel the process out and take some visits."

All that said, the Friars and new head coach Ed Cooley are still very much in the mix here. As Finkelstein writes:

Don't expect that to discourage new Providence coach Ed Cooley though because he shares similar roots to Ledo, who has made his top recruiting target since taking over the Big East program last month. That's fine by Ledo as he says the Friars are still very much an option for him.

"I like Coach Cooley," he said. "He actually knows a lot of my family. They're definitely still on my list."

Outside of Providence's campus, Ledo says he had only seen Syracuse and West Virginia, having attended the Orange's Team Camp two years ago and played in the West Virginia Jam Fest last summer, before seeing UConn's campus unofficially last week.

"I want to see more places and get a feel for the schools," he said.

Another place Ledo says he definitely wants to see this time around is Kentucky.

"UConn is recruiting me hard, Kentucky is coming hard, and Providence hard," he said. "West Virginia, Texas, Florida, UCLA, and Louisville too."

For more recruiting updates on New England's top high school basketball talent, be sure to check out Finkelstein's blog.

ESPN's Adam Finkelstein checks in today with Tilton (N.H.) big man Nerlens Noel, who refuted various internet reports that surfaced over the weekend claiming he had come out with any sort of recruiting list.

The sophomore and Everett native, rated the No. 1 center and No. 3 overall player in the Class of 2013 by ESPNU, told Finkelstein he's waiting "until the fall to make my list."

In the meantime, numerous high-major Division 1 coaches have come by the Tilton, N.H. campus to take in the Rams' talented group. Last week, Kentucky head coach John Calipari made a visit, and extended an offer to both Noel and freshman Wayne Selden shortly after leaving.

Most recently, Georgetown head coach John Thompson III was in to visit. Noel told Finkelstein he was told by his head coach Marcus O'Neil that North Carolina, Duke and Syracuse would be among the most notable to visit the next few weeks.

Noel told Finkelstein he's looking for "A coach who cares about his players and can develop them for the next level." As for his own game, his offense seems to be improving. As Finkelstein writes:

In terms of his own development, Noel is best known for his dominance on the defensive end of the floor but his offensive skills have been blossoming at a steady rate as of late with the emergence of a dependable face-up game and signs of a jump hook on the block. Noel is also a good passing big man.

"I'm just working on my all-around game right now and trying to get stronger," Noel said. "Offensively, I'm just trying to establish a go-to move and working on my strength around the basket."

While his offense continues to develop, his defense will always be his claim to fame. Perhaps the best shot blocker in the entire country, Noel's ability to erase mistakes at the rim led his BABC team to the AAU U-16 national championship last year and had them atop virtually every defensive category after Week 1 of this spring's Nike EYBL.

It's not just his length and quick bounce that make him so dominant turning shots away around the rim, it's a combination of other factors that can't be taught with his timing, mobility and instincts that are absolutely off the charts.

Put it all together and Noel is as dominant a defensive big man as there is in the country with a consistently evolving offensive game and a long line of college coaches vying for his services.

For more recruiting updates on New England's top high school basketball talent, be sure to check out Finkelstein's blog, as well as his New England Recruiting Report.

ESPN's Roger Brown checks in today on his recruiting blog with Catholic Memorial quarterback A.J. Doyle, who took unofficial visits to North Carolina and Maryland last weekend and is scheduled to attend practice at Boston College tomorrow.

UMass was the first to issue a verbal offer to the 6-foot-3, 226-pound Lakeville native, who is an ESPNU150 Watch List candidate. Western Michigan was the second to offer, last Thursday, and his first FBS offer. He's also drawing interest from Michigan, Missouri, Penn State, Iowa, Syracuse and UConn.

"The No. 1 thing schools say they like about me is my size and arm strength," Doyle told Brown. "They say I have a good frame. I've also been told I have good composure in the pocket. I'm not flustered when people are flying around me. I think I have good accuracy. I'll make throws some quarterbacks are afraid to make, and at no time am I going to shy away from a hit."

Doyle said he has no favorites at this time, telling Brown, "Any school that asks me, I'll be happy to throw for them."

For more recruiting updates on New England's top high school football talent, be sure to check out Brown's blog.

ESPN's Roger Brown checks in today on his recruiting blog with Dexter linebacker Abner Logan Jr., who landed his first of what should be several Division 1 scholarship offers.

Florida International extended an offer to the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Newton native over the weekend. Meanwhile, he has been drawing interest from UConn, NC State, Florida, Syracuse, Penn State and Rutgers, as well as FCS schools like Maine and UMass, and could see that interest develop into offers with exposure at camps and combines the next few months.

"My coach [Casey Day] sent film to a lot of schools," Logan told Brown. "Other than Florida International, I feel like Connecticut and UMass have the most interest in me. I attended a UConn junior day and I'll be going to a Nike camp at Penn State. I'm going to a one-day camp at Florida, a UMass camp and the camp at N.C. State. I always go to the BC camp.

"It will be easy for me to take an unofficial visit to Florida International when I go to the Florida camp."

For more recruiting updates on New England's top high school football talent, be sure to check out Brown's blog.

The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, today announced Pat Connaughton of St. John's Preparatory School as its 2010-11 Gatorade Massachusetts Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Connaughton is the first Gatorade Massachusetts Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from St. John's Preparatory School.

The 6-foot-5, 205-pound senior guard led the Eagles to a 24-1 record and a berth in the Division 1 state championship game, scheduled for March 19. Entering the state final, Connaughton is averaging 22.0 points, 16.6 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game. A member of the 2010 Boston Herald Dream Team and the Boston Globe Super Team, he is a three-time Catholic Conference All-Star and a two-time league MVP.

Connaughton has maintained a 3.53 weighted GPA in the classroom. A standout pitcher for the St. John’s Prep baseball team and an accomplished Latin scholar, he has volunteered locally as a youth basketball coach and elementary school tutor and has donated his time at a day care center.

“Pat’s a very physical player, very strong,” said Michael Crotty, Connaughton’s AAU coach with the Middlesex Magic. “He can get to the hoop, slash and finish above the rim. He’s as good a 6-foot-5 rebounder as you will see in the country. When you need a big one, he gets it.”

Connaughton has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at the University of Notre Dame this fall. He also intends to play baseball.

Connaughton joins recent Gatorade Massachusetts Boys Basketball Players of the Year Nate Lubick (2008-09 & 2009-10, St. Mark's School) and Stevie Mejia (2007-08, Lawrence Academy), among the state’s list of former award winners.

Below are the winners from the five other New England states:

CONNECTICUT: ANDRE DRUMMOND, ST. THOMAS MORE

The 6-foot-10, 240-pound senior power forward and center led the Chancellors to a 30-7 record and the National Preparatory School Championship this past season, earning postseason MVP honors in the process. Drummond averaged 15 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and four blocks while shooting 64 percent from the floor. He scored 19 points in the title-clinching win over Notre Dame Prep.

Drummond has maintained a B average in the classroom at St. Thomas More. A campus tour guide and residence assistant at his school, he has volunteered locally on behalf of food and clothing drives for the homeless and as part of a fundraising campaign to benefit cancer research.

Drummond intends to complete a year of post-graduate study, beginning this fall.

Drummond joins recent Gatorade Connecticut Boys Basketball Players of the Year Brandon Sherrod (2009-10, Stratford), Greg DeSantis (2008-09, Notre Dame Catholic), and Allan Chaney (2007-08, New London), among the state’s list of former award winners.

RHODE ISLAND: MICHAEL CARTER-WILLIAMS, ST. ANDREW'S

The 6-foot-5, 175-pound senior guard averaged 23.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals this past season, leading the Saints (25-9) to the New England Prep School Athletic Council Class B semifinals. The returning Gatorade Rhode Island Boys Basketball Player of the Year, Carter-Williams is the first Rhode Island player selected to play in the McDonald’s All-American Game. A two-time NEPSAC First Team All-Conference honoree, he concluded his prep basketball career with 2,260 points.

Carter-Williams has maintained a 3.06 GPA in the classroom. The lead in his school’s stage production of “Aladdin,” he has volunteered locally as a youth football and basketball coach and as a peer tutor.

Carter-Williams has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at Syracuse University this fall.

Carter-Williams joins recent Gatorade Rhode Island Boys Basketball Players of the Year Jay Jeannotte (2008-09, Narragansett) and Ashton Watkins (2007-08, Classical), among the state’s list of former award winners.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: CONNOR GREEN, BISHOP GUERTIN

The 6-foot-4, 230-pound senior forward has led the Cardinals to a 19-2 record and a berth in the Division I state final against Trinity High, scheduled for March 19. Green is averaging 20.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 77 percent from the free throw line. A 2011 New Hampshire Mr. Basketball finalist, he has recorded a double-double in 20 of Bishop Guertin’s 21 games this season.

Green has maintained a 3.30 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered locally as a peer tutor and on behalf of multiple community service initiatives in association with his church youth group.

“Connor Green has developed into a complete player,” said Bishop Guertin High Head Coach Jim Migneault. “Each game he is just as focused on grabbing rebounds as he is about scoring points. He has matured so much as a player this season.”

Green intends to complete a year of post-graduate study, beginning this fall.

Green joins recent Gatorade New Hampshire Boys Basketball Players of the Year Melvin Ejim (2009-10, Brewster), Alex Oriakhi (2008-09, Tilton), and Emmanuel Negedu (2007-08, Brewster), among the state’s list of former award winners.

MAINE: TYLER MCFARLAND, CAMDEN HILLS REGIONAL

The 6-foot-6, 220-pound senior forward led the Windjammers to a 23-0 record and the Class B state championship this past season. McFarland recorded 24 points and 11 rebounds in the 68-59, state title-clinching victory against Cape Elizabeth High, capturing All-Tournament Most Valuable Player honors in the process. The state’s Mr. Basketball award-winner and a Maine McDonald’s Senior All-Star Game selection, he averaged 24.1 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.8 steals, 2.0 assists and 1.8 blocks per game. McFarland shot 55 percent from the field and 77 percent from the free-throw line. The three-time Class B Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Player of the Year, he also led Camden Hills to the 2009 Class B state title as a sophomore.

McFarland has maintained an A-minus average in the classroom and serves as a member of Camden Hills High’s student and captains’ councils. The recipient of the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership and Maine Principals Association’s awards for outstanding citizenship, he has also donated his time as part of his school’s peer-mentoring program and as a youth basketball instructor.

“The thing that distinguishes Tyler McFarland is his intense desire to not only be the best player he can be, but how much he enjoys helping his teammates become the best players they can be,” said Camden Hills High Head Coach Jeff Hart. “He will do whatever it takes for his team to win. If we need him to score 40, then he’ll score 45. If we need 20 rebounds, he’ll go get 25. He wants to be a role model for all the young people not only in our community, but wherever he ends up going to college. Tyler is the most impressive young man who I have ever met in 29 years of coaching here at Camden Hills High.”

McFarland remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.

McFarland joins recent Gatorade Maine Boys Basketball Players of the Year Stefano Mancini (2009-10, Falmouth), Thomas Knight (2008-09, Dirigo), and Ryan Martin (2007-08, Maranacook Community), among the state’s list of former award winners.

VERMONT: BEN FERRIS, ESSEX

The 6-foot-3 senior guard averaged 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 6.5 assists this past season, leading the Hornets to the Division I state tournament. A member of the All-State team as a junior, Ferris was named to the Vermont Basketball Coaches Association Dream Dozen in 2011. He is also a two-time First Team All-Metro selection.

Ferris has maintained an A average in the classroom. He has volunteered locally as a mentor for elementary school children.

Ferris will attend Tufts University this fall, where he will play basketball.

Ferris joins recent Gatorade Vermont Boys Basketball Players of the Year Joe O'Shea (2009-10, Burlington), Clancy Rugg (2008-09, Burlington), and Matt Joslin (2007-08, North Country Union), among the state’s list of former award winners.

ESPN's Roger Brown checks in today on his recruiting blog with two of Catholic Memorial's highly-touted football stars for the Class of 2012, quarterback A.J. Doyle and athlete Armani Reeves.

Reeves was down on the Rutgers campus last weekend for a 7-on-7 tournament, and while Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano was out of town, Reeves may be getting some news soon.

"They told me they really like me," Reeves told Brown. "I think Coach Schiano was at a Nike convention. They told me they might have some good news for me when he returns."

Reeves, who was an inaugural ESPNBoston All-State selection this past fall, currently holds offers from 11 Division 1 schools, among them Boston College, UConn, North Carolina, Missouri, Virginia, Penn State, Wake Forest, Michigan, Stanford, Northwestern, and Maryland.

Brown writes that Reeves likely won't pick a school until after his senior season ends.

"The schools that have offered all intrigue me," Reeves told Brown. "They're all good schools academically and really good programs."

Meanwhile, Doyle picked up his first offer last week from UMass, and it likely will not be his last Division 1 offer, as BC, UConn and Syracuse have all shown interest in the 6-foot-2, 225-pound junior's services.

For more updates on New England's top football talent, be sure to check out Brown's recruiting blog.

ESPN's Roger Brown checks in today on his blog with two potential Division 1 FBS recruits, Salem (N.H.)'s Jerickson Fedrick and Dexter's Abner Logan Jr.

The 5-foot-11, 196-pound Fedrick says he's hearing the most from UConn, Boston College and UNH after a stellar junior season, in which he ran for 1,568 yards and 30 touchdowns despite splitting carries with Gatorade Player of the Year Max Jacques. Fedrick also said he's heard from Maine and Nebraska, though the schools aren't "all over me, but they're showing interest."

Fedrick told Brown both BC and UNH have asked him to take an unofficial visit, and that he also plans to attend junior days at BC, UConn and UNH.

"I'll probably play running back [in college], but I'll take any opportunity I can get," he told Brown.

Meanwhile, Dexter running back Abner Logan Jr. continues to rise on the recruiting radar following his transfer last season from New Hampton (N.H.) Prep. The 6-foot-2, 208-pound Logan is a specimen, and has heard from Syracuse, Penn State, NC State, BC, Florida and Tennessee. UMass is the only school currently verbally offering Logan, and he's projected as an outside linebacker by every interested school but 'Cuse, which also likes him at running back.

"They all pretty much say the same thing: 'This kid can run. He can hit, but we want to see him in person,'" Dexter head coach Casey Day told Brown. "He's big and athletic, but they're not so sure about the level of competition. They all want to see him in camp.

"Once he does the summer circuit thing, I'd guess he'll have a pocket full of offers. Once he plays against some better competition he's gonna raise some eyebrows."

For more recruiting updates on New England's top high school football talent, be sure to check out Brown's blog.

ESPN's Roger Brown checks in on his blog today with Barnstable quarterback D.J. Crook, who is receiving interest from a number of Division 1 programs.

Crook -- who threw for 2,858 yards, 33 touchdowns and 16 interceptions for the 7-4 Red Raiders last season -- is getting interest from Penn State, and took an unofficial visit last month to UConn. He also plans on taking visits to Syracuse and Harvard later this month.

It's been a difficult offseason so far for the junior, who came down with mononucleosis at the start of basketball season and broke his hand last week in practice. According to his father, Doug Crook, D.J. will likely skip American Legion baseball this summer to focus on football. D.J. plays first base for Post 206.

"He'll do a lot of one-day camps," Doug Crook told Brown. "DJ's a pure passer. He's not a dual-threat quarterback. He is at (the high school) level, but he won't be at the next level. If a school is looking for a kid who can throw the football, then he's someone they make want to look at."

Over the weekend, Brown also checked in with Cheshire Academy (Conn.)'s Ian Syblis, who is pursuing a post-graduate season for next fall. Syblis, an Everett native, transferred to the Cheshire, Conn. campus from Everett High following the Crimson Tide's scrimmage with Lynn English last August.

Syblis -- the younger brother of former Everett, Penn State and Oakland Raiders standout Omar Easy -- said he is considering New Hampton (N.H.) and Kiski Prep (Penn.). He currently holds a verbal offer from Maine, but has also received interest from Penn State, Northwestern and Washington State. He started at wideout and defensive back this past fall for the Cats, who advance to a NEPSAC Bowl, and said he's willing to play either side of the ball.

"Penn State suggested I spend another year in school," Syblis told Brown. "I got a late start and I didn't have any junior tape. A lot of other schools on the radar told me if I spend another year in high school a lot more doors will be open and I'd have a better chance of going to a big-time school."

For more recruiting updates on New England's premier football talent, be sure to check out Brown's blog.

ESPN's Adam Finkelstein is reporting today on his recruiting blog that Haverhill High sophomore forward Noah Vonleh has picked up another scholarship offer today, this one from the University of Pittsburgh.

Vonleh, a 6-foot-7 point forward who is the No. 26 overall player nationally in ESPN's Class of 2013 rankings, got a visit this week from Pitt assistant Pat Skerry, who first made a name for himself on the recruiting trail as an assistant at Providence before moving on to Jamie Dixon's staff in Pittsburgh this season and landing a commitment from Khem Birch two months ago.

Boston College was the first to offer Vonleh this summer, and the offers should only pick up as schools like North Carolina, Syracuse and Kentucky have shown interest.

The No. 12 Hillies open the 2010-11 season tonight at No. 8 Andover, which lost last Saturday to unranked Lowell. Be sure to check out Finkelstein's blog for updates on all of New England's top basketball recruits.

Few players in the last year have elevated their reputation as a deadly shooter as much as St. Andrew's Michael Carter-Williams, the No. 32 overall player in the Class of 2011 on ESPN's latest rankings. While wire-thin, the Hamilton, Mass. native has proven his worth beyond first glance, with his versatile scoring arsenal. And last month, it all came full-circle when he signed a National Letter of Intent to play for Syracuse University next fall. Carter-Williams sat down with ESPNBoston following a Thursday night practice on the Barrington, R.I. campus to discuss his game, his unique pedigree, and his swan song season in Rhode Island.

Q: What kind of goals have you set for yourself this high school season?
A: "Probably just to show leadership to my teammates. I'm a senior, and there's only three seniors on the team. And being a senior captain, I think it's important for the future of the program to show good leadership, so when they become leaders they know how to do it the right way. And, just to try to win a championship, and be a part of a good team my last year, really."

Q: You've got some new faces around here, what's encouraged you most about this new group?
A: "What's most encouraging is they're all just good kids. They're fun to be around with, they're not jerks, they're just good kids. They want to be taught."

Q: How far is Syracuse going this year?
A: "They're going to win it all (laughs)."

Q: National Letter of Intent Day is obviously a big day for alot of kids. How did it feel to finally put your signature on this commitment and make it official?
A: "It felt great just knowing the process is completely over now. It's just preparing to go up there [now], preparing my body in the gym and in school, to go up there. It's a relief for me and my family and my coaches. I was just proud of the decision."

Q: What about from an emotional standpoint?
A: "Like I said, it was just a sign of relief. I was really happy about it. It's something you see kids do on T.V. all the time, people who are in the NBA now signing when they were in high school. So it was a good experience for me."

Q: You've got some interesting lineage. First, the paternal side. Your biological father, Earl Williams, was an assistant at Cambridge under Lance Dottin. Your stepfather, Zach Zegarowski, was an assistant under Jack O'Brien at Charlestown, including during their run earlier this decade of five state titles in six seasons. Those are two of the most well-known coaches in the Boston area, were you able to go to practices and hang out with the team?
A: "Yeah, definitely. When I was with my dad, I got to see alot of Cambridge practices, and when I was with my mom I got to see alot of the Charlestown practices. It was just a great experience for me to see both teams, both the kids from Charlestown and the kids from Cambridge. You see two different styles of coaching. That's probably what made me who I am today, see how to work hard, most kids they want to be good but they just don't know how to work hard."

Q: Specifically, what lessons did you take away from those sessions?
A: "Basketball's a tough game. You've got to be mentally tough. Also, just to never give up, no matter what happens. And to play as a family, whatever it is you're doing."

Q: Your mother, Amanda Zegarowski, is the head girls' basketball coach at Ipswich High. It's obviously a totally different game, more focused on the fundamentals and generally a slower game. What have you taken away from those games?
A: "Just probably, watching my mom coach, patience. She has so much patience, and she pushes them just as much as she pushes me. She's probably my hardest critic, because she keeps on me about everything, my schoolwork, stuff like that. Watching her coach, and her kids play, I learned alot of discipline, too."

Q: The way people describe you, how do you feel about that? Are you comfortable with that?
A: "Yeah, first mostly when they start off an article they say I'm skinny and I'm lean. I mean, yeah I get sick of hearing it sometimes, but you know this is just the way I am. I just think most people don't realize that when I play, I am a skinny kid but I'm also strong. I mean, I really just take it as motivation, to built myself up. Yeah, I try to look at it the best way as possible."

Q: What would you say was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome in your game to get to where you are now?
A: "Just staying confident in myself. Last year, and the year before, when things weren't going so well, my shot wasn't falling, or I was making mistakes, I just kinda gave up on myself and my teammates. This year, I've learned that I can't do that, and I've just grown as a person and as a player I've learned to stay confident no matter what."

Q: What's your favorite thing to do on the court?
A: "My favorite thing to do on the court is probably to get my teammates an open layup. Just to get the team going. I know myself, I can create for myself, but unlike most people that are good at basketball they can create for themselves but aren't as good at setting up their teammates. So when I can do that, that's when I'm most happy."

Q: Is there a particular move you like to use to get that teammate open?
A: "Probably a hesitation move, that's one of my favorites."

Q: Take us through game day.
A: "I mostly try to stay focused, listen to music, laugh a little bit just to get my nerves out with my teammates, joke around here and there. But, when it's game time, I'm serious, really. Get a good meal in."

Q: For some people who keep it light, as you described, they feel it slows the game down.
A: "Yeah, I just feel like I'm not tense. I can relax, and just play my game."

Q: What's on your iPod?
A: "Hmm, right now I'm listening to a variety of music. Meek Millz from Philly...I also listen to Jay-Z, Kanye West and Eminem. And J. Cole, too."

Q: What's motivating you the most this season?
A: "Just I know that every day is my last, really. I can't go back in time, every day at practice I've got to cherish it because I don't have a next year. I don't come back to high school next year, I'm going to college, so I'm just going hard in every drill like it's my last, because it is my last. And I'm going to appreciate practicing every day with Coach Hart."