ESPN

ESPNHS' Eric Snyder breaks down the leading candidates for Massachusetts' boys basketball Gatorade Player of the Year honors, today on ESPNHS' Player of the Year blog.

Among the clubhouse leaders are two juniors from the prep school ranks, Worcester Academy guard Rene Castro and Cushing Academy forward Andrew Chrabascz.

Snyder has more:

Rene Castro
Junior guard, Worcester Academy (Worcester, Mass.)

2011-12 Team record: 15-11
2011-12 Team standing: Lost in New England Prep School Athletic Council Class AA quarterfinals

2011-12 Points per game: 23.4
2011-12 Rebounds per game: 3.4
2011-12 Assists per game: 2.1
2011-12 Steals per game: 1.6

Academics: B average
Collegiate destination: HS junior

How he’s played himself into the State POY conversation: BCD Holiday Hoops Tournament MVP; National Prep Showcase All-Tournament Team

Andrew Chrabascz
Junior forward, Cushing Academy (Ashburnham, Mass.)

2011-12 Team record: 20-7
2011-12 Team standing: Lost in New England Prep School Athletic Council Class B quarterfinals

2011-12 Points per game: 17.0
2011-12 Rebounds per game: 9.0
2011-12 Assists per game: 2.2
2011-12 Blocks per game: 0.6
2011-12 Steals per game: 1.4

Academics: A-minus average
Collegiate destination: HS junior

How he’s played himself into the State POY conversation: Team MVP; 20-plus Division I scholarship offers

Make no mistake, the Gatorade State Boys Basketball Player of the Year race isn’t over yet. Time remains for one standout student-athlete among thousands to rise to the top of our list. Here are some more of many who’ve been in the conversation throughout the 2011-12 campaign.

Jaylen Brantley: Junior guard, Wilbraham & Monson Academy (Wilbraham, Mass.)
Aaron Calixte: Junior guard, Stoughton (Mass.)
Jake Layman: Senior forward, King Philip (Wrentham, Mass.)

ESPN basketball recruiting analyst Adam Finkelstein weighs in today on Wilbraham & Monson junior point guard Jaylen Brantley's shooting ability. More specifically, the Springfield native has been showing a knack lately for hitting clutch baskets in crucial moments.

Last weekend at the National Prep School Invitational at Rhode Island College, Brantley hit a 25-foot buzzer-beater to lead the Titans over Winchendon, his third such buzzer-beater of the season. More impressive, he hit this one while battling flu-like symptoms.

Finkelstein weighs in on this "clutch factor" today on ESPN's Basketball Recruiting Blog:

Brantley is already coveted by a variety of high-major programs that value his ability to take care of the basketball, run a team and make shots from long range -- but it’s that inner confidence and ability to make big shots down the stretch that makes him even more unique.

This time of year it becomes more and more obvious which players have the mental tools to thrive in the game’s biggest minutes and those are qualities that can’t be taught; they simply are or aren’t a part of a player’s DNA.

For Brantley, they very clearly are, which should only make him all the more attractive to his rapidly growing list of college suitors.

The 5-foot-10 lead guard picked up his most recent offers from Rutgers and Georgia this weekend, adding to a list that already included Georgetown, Syracuse, Louisville, Missouri, Richmond, Rhode Island, Georgia Tech and Virginia.

“It’s becoming a long process and I’m ready to trim it down a little bit,” Brantley said following the game.

The incumbent point guard for the reigning Nike Elite Youth Basketball League champions, BABC, said that he won't be making any final decisions soon.

“I’m trying to wait until after the AAU season and see how that plays out,” he said.

With more high-level teams to run, shots to make, and games to win, it stands a pretty high probability that Brantley’s list could only get bigger before it gets any smaller.

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- ESPN Boston High Schools editor Brendan Hall spoke with ESPN recruiting anaylst and New England Recruiting Report founder Adam Finkelstein, to break down an action-packed fourth day of the Hoophall Classic at Springfield College's Blake Arena:

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Sluggish starts have plagued St. Thomas More the last several games, and it looked like that trend was going to continue in the opening minutes of their battle with Wilbraham & Monson in today's Hoophall Classic.

Then, in a snap, the Chancellors turned a five-point deficit into a double-digit lead, going on a 21-5 run after starting the game trailing 9-4. From there, they never looked back, beating the Titans 71-60 to get some retribution after losing in this tournament a year ago.

"We were coming off a two-game winning streak," said STM's Ky Howard, who was named the game's Most Valuable Player after recording 16 points and four assists. "We had a chip on our shoulder. We came out slow, Coach [Jere Quinn] got into us and told us to pick it up. As a team, together, we did, and from there it just took off."

The key to the run was transition play. Though it sounds awkward to say, considering they count 7-foot-2 Sudanese center Chier Ajou (14 points, six rebounds) in their lineup, the Chancellors aren't incredibly big by prep school standards. So when the shot went up, the Chancellors' guards pushed the ball upcourt as quickly as possible, leading to some easy baskets.

"That was very important," Howard said. "We're a small team, so our advantage is running, if we don't run then it's useless to have a five-guard offense in the game."

Then again, it's not so bad having a 7-footer in the lane to clean things up. Defensively, the Chancellors funneled things into the lane, where Ajou used his wingspan and lateral quickness to alter some shots and otherwise force second thoughts.

"It's truly great, it's a blessing that we got a 7-2 kid that's not selfish, just wants to play and help us win. I mean, it's great because if any of us get beat he's there to protect us."

Offensively, Ajou's presence helped open up the middle of the floor. It isn't often a big man with his combination of stamina and athleticism can come out behind the three-point line, or step out to the elbow. That led to some great drives throughout the game from Howard, A.J. English (11 points, five assists) and Denzel Gregg (11 points, six rebounds).

"Because he can come out to the perimeter, that has the defense shifting a lot more," Howard said. "With us, as guards, we cut hard, fast and sharp, and with him coming out it opens up the lane for us."

Springfield native Jaylen Brantley had a showing in front of his home crowd for WMA (8-2) that in some areas was quality (14 points) but in other areas forgettable (one assist to six turnovers). Kamali Bey, another Springfield native, led WMA with 16 points, while Marcel Pettway also chipped in with 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

SPRINGIFELD, Mass. -- Wilbraham & Monson junior point guard Jaylen Brantley, a Springfield native, spoke to ESPN Boston's Brendan Hall following the Titans' loss to St. Thomas More (Conn.) about the allure of playing at the birthplace of basketball, and in front of his hometown crowd.

Boston Amateur Basketball Club (BABC) Director of Operations Jay Demings forwards along some information regarding this weekend's BABC Prep School Classic, this Saturday and Sunday at the Kroc Center in Dorchester.

BOSTON -- This weekend’s Boston Amateur Basketball Club (BABC) Prep Classic at the Kroc Center in Boston will not only feature some great games, but will give fans an up-close look at the elite-level basketball talent that permeates the New England region.

In the event’s first matchup on Saturday, two talent-laden teams in Notre Dame Prep and the Tilton School (NH) feature two potential NBA lottery picks in Notre Dame’s Steven Adams and Tilton’s Nerlens Noel.

Adams is a seven-foot center from New Zealand who just arrived at Notre Dame Prep as a post-graduate and will make his debut on Saturday. He is signed to play at the University of Pittsburgh for the Fall of 2012. Only a junior, Noel is a 6’11’’ center from Everett, MA who is ranked second in the class of 2013 by ESPN. Both players have drawn serious attention from NBA scouts.

“I have yet to see Steven Adams play live but, based on all accounts and video I’ve seen, this is a can’t-miss matchup between him and Nerlens," said BABC’s Director of Operations, Jay Demings. “Many of us are familiar with Nerlens’ skill set, but fans will get to see how Adam’s size, strength and skills translate to the American game. Experts believe that both players are certain future NBA lottery picks.”

The two-day event will also feature many signed Division 1 collegiate players and those that are expected to make their college choices soon. The field of teams include the following committed players:

Myles Davis - ND Prep - Xavier
Adonis Filer - ND Prep - Clemson
Mandell Thomas - ND Prep - Fordham

Georges Niang - Tilton - Iowa State
Dominique Bull - Tilton - Missouri
Kevin Crescenzi - Tilton - Dartmouth

Evan Cummins - NMH - Harvard
Tommy Carpenter - NMH - Dartmouth
Ethan O’Day - NMH - Vermont

Nick Lund - Rivers School - Claremont McKenna

Akosa Maduegbunam - Winchendon - Penn State
Tevin Falzon - Winchendon - Sacred Heart

Jake Fay - Brimmer & May - Fordham

Others to watch:

Tilton - Goodluck Okonoboh, Wayne Selden, Jr., John Witkowski, Cameron Durley
Wilbraham & Monson - Kamali Bey, Jaylen Brantley, Marcel Pettway, Djery Baptiste
Worcester Academy - Matt Cimino, Rene Castro
Marianapolis Prep - Kristian Medina, Nigel Sydnor, Bobby Ahearn
Brimmer & May - John Powell, Adrian Oliveira
Rivers School - Shaquor Sandiford, Kyle Reardon, Andrew Kaufman, Carlin Haymon
Boston Trinity - Elijah Okagbare, Zach Petion
Winchendon - Tre Tipton, Tom Bajda, Malique McLaren, Malcolm Smith
Putnam Science - Oscar Assie, Tyree Robinson, Jonathan Joseph, Dayshon Smith
Notre Dame Prep - Sam Cassell, Jr., Nehemias Morillo
Northfield Mount Hermon - Ryan Oliver, Lucas Van Nes, DeKeeba Battee

Temple coach Steve Addazio's familiarity with the football landscape in Connecticut has paid off this month, when Temple received verbal commitments from two former Connecticut high school standouts: running back Montrell Dobbs (Ansonia) and 6-foot-1, 215-pound linebacker Tyler Matakevich (St. Joseph).

Both Dobbs and Matakevich graduated from high school in 2011, and played prep school football at Milford Academy in New Berlin, N.Y., last season.

Addazio is a Connecticut native who played at Central Connecticut State (1978-81) and coached at Cheshire High School (1988-94).

Dobbs originally committed to Connecticut, but could not gain admission because of an academic issue. He said he thought about playing for Marshall, until Temple entered the picture. He met with Addazio and Temple assistant coach Sean McGowan last Friday. Temple extended a scholarship offer Tuesday.

“I really didn't have to think about it much, especially since Tyler and I have become good friends and he's going there,” Dobbs said. “I wanted to stay closer to home anyway. I was a good fit for me.”

Dobbs rushed for 3,445 yards and scored 45 touchdowns during his senior season at Ansonia. He was Milford Academy's offensive MVP last season.

Dobbs said he may be a partial qualifier and not allowed to play next season.

“I don't know if I'm going to be playing this year,” he said. “I'm gonna find that out. All I know is I'm definitely going to school at Temple.”

An injury forced Matakevich to miss the first five games of his senior season, when he helped St. Joseph win the second of back-to-back Class S championships. St. Joseph beat a Dobbs-led Ansonia team 49-28 to win the 2010 championship. Matakevich scored four touchdowns in that victory.

Matakevich was a two-time all-state selection who caught Temple's eye at a postseason college combine.

“I love everything about Temple,” Matakevich told the Connecticut Post. “I'm so happy to finally get this done after all that hard work. It's finally paid off.”

(Read full post)

The Boston Amateur Basketball Club (BABC) sends along its schedule for the Fourth Annual Prep School Classic, to take place on Jan. 14 and 15 at the Kroc Center in Dorchester.

Courtesy of BABC Director of Operations Jay Demings:

Saturday, Jan. 14
Tilton (N.H.) vs. Notre Dame Prep, 3
Wilbraham & Monson vs. Marianapolis (Conn.), 4:45

Sunday, Jan. 15
Brimmer & May vs. Putnam Science (Conn.), 1
Northfield-Mt. Hermon vs. Worcester Academy, 2:30
Rivers vs. Boston Trinity, 4
Marianapolis (Conn.) vs. Winchendon, 5:30

Today on ESPNHS' national basketball blog, basketball writers Jason Jordan and Ronnie Flores offer 12 "bold predictions" for 2012.

Included among those predictions are some high-profile local ballers:

4. Nerlens Noel will lead BABC (Boston) to repeat as champs of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League this summer. The trio of Noel, a junior center at Tilton (Tilton, N.H.) who is ranked No. 2 in the ESPNU 60, Jaylen Brantley, a junior point guard at Wilbraham & Monson (Wilbraham, Mass.) and Wayne Selden, a sophomore shooting guard at Tilton who is ranked No. 10 in the ESPNU 25, will be too much for teams to handle.

7. Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) forward Mitch McGary, who is ranked No. 2 in the ESPNU 100, will take home MVP honors at the Jordan Brand Classic. Much like James McAdoo last season, McGary, a senior who is signed to Michigan, will clean up the misses from guards who are trying to do too much in the all-star setting.

ESPN's basketball recruiting analysts wrap up this week's City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., where several local players stood out among the 24-team tournament.

It was an all-Texas final between Grace Prep or Arlington and Prestonwood Christian of Plano, but several standout players on Tilton (N.H.)'s loaded squad, as well as Wilbraham & Monson Academy, made a splash.

From John Stovall's tournament recap:

STANDOUT PLAYERS

Jaylen Brantley (Springfield, Mass./Wilbraham & Monson)
2013, PG, 5-10, 150 pounds
There's something about him; he's got the "it" factor. For his team, he's got to do more scoring than you'd like but when it comes time to make a play he answers the call. Brantley hit a floater with two seconds left against the German team for the win.

Nerlens Noel (Everett, Mass./Tilton School)
2013, C, 6-10, 215 pounds
Noel is the most dynamic defensive presence in the 2013 class; he literally takes away the rim. He has improved offensively and is a much better ballhandler and passer, making him unquestionably one of the top-five talents in America.

UNDERCLASSMEN TO WATCH

Wayne Selden (Boston/Tilton School)
2014, SG, 6-5, 225 pounds
Selden is a big, strong and athletic power shooting guard. With his strength and skill, he is able to practically get any shot he wants. He is another stud in the fantastic Class of 2014.

ESPNHS' Jason Jordan has his All-Tournament Team:

FIRST TEAM

Wayne Selden, Tilton (Tilton, N.H.), 2014, SG
Selden was dynamic for the Rams all week, coming up with the big plays Tilton needed to win the City of Palms Signature Series. Selden averaged 20 points, six rebounds a five assists.

Nerlens Noel, Tilton (Tilton, N.H.), C, 2013
Noel dominated both ends of the court, blocking, changing and deflecting shots on defense and scoring and finding teammates offensively. Noel was also a rebounding machine snatching 15 rebounds a game.

SECOND TEAM

Georges Niang, Tilton, (Tilton, N.H.), PF, 2012
Niang was one of the most versatile players on the court every time he played, which made him virtually impossible to stop. Niang averaged 21 points a game.

Jaylen Brantley, Willbraham & Monson (Willbraham, Mass.), 2013, PG
Brantley was the most clutch player at the City of Palms, and even hit the game-winning shot that sent his team to the finals. He was crafty, got his teammates involved and picked his spots exceptionally well.

The Basketball Hall of Fame has unveiled the schedule for the 11th Annual Hoophall Classic, annually one of the nation's top high school invitationals, at Springfield College's Blake Arena, and once again it's a loaded list.

Traditionally held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day Weekend, the invitational has now expanded to five days, with a slate of local Western Mass. teams facing off on Thursday to kick things off.

St. Mark's, Oak Hill (Va.), Findlay Prep (Nev.), Bishop Gorman (Nev.), St. Anthony (N.J.), St. Patrick (N.J.) and DeMatha Catholic (Md.) all return for the second straight year, and all will be involved in key matchups. Some of the more enticing local matchups include Northwest Catholic (Conn.) and its prized 6-foot-8 junior Kuran Iverson takes on national power DeMatha, led by ESPNU 100 stars Jerami Grant (Syracuse) and James Robinson (Pitt).

A trio of New England prep school matchups also highlight the weekend, with Tilton (N.H.) and Brewster Academy (N.H.) squaring off early Sunday evening, followed by Notre Dame Prep and New Hampton (N.H.). Monday afternoon, Wilbraham & Monson will face St. Thomas More (Conn.).

Here is the complete schedule for the weekend:

THURSDAY, JAN. 12
4 p.m. - Springfield Commerce vs. Springfield Sci-Tech
5:30 p.m. - Springfield Cathedral vs. Central Catholic
7 p.m. - Springfield Central vs. Springfield Putnam
8:30 p.m. - Mahar vs. Hampshire

FRIDAY, JAN. 13
3 p.m. Sabis vs. Springfield Central (Girls)
4:30 p.m. - Sabis vs. New Leadership
6 p.m. - West Springfield vs. Cicero North (N.Y.) (Girls)
7:30 p.m. - East Longmeadow vs. Christ the King (N.Y.) (Girls)
9 p.m. - East Longmeadow vs. Longmeadow

SATURDAY, JAN. 14
Noon - Springfield Central vs. Windsor (Conn.)
2 p.m. - St. Patrick (N.J.) vs. LaVerne Lutheran (Calif.)
4 p.m. - Gonzaga College (D.C.) vs. Riverside Academy (La.)
6 p.m. - Oak Hill (Va.) vs. Prestonwood Christian (Texas)
8 p.m. - Northwest Catholic (Conn.) vs. DeMatha Catholic (Md.)

SUNDAY, JAN. 15
10 a.m. - Our Savior New American (N.Y.) vs. Mount St. Joseph (Md.)
Noon - St. Thomas More (Conn.) vs. Wilbraham & Monson
2 p.m. - St. Mark's vs. Friends Central (Penn.)
4 p.m. - Tilton (N.H.) vs. Brewster Academy (N.H.)
6 p.m. - Notre Dame Prep vs. New Hampton (N.H.)
8:30 p.m. - Skills Challenge

MONDAY, JAN. 16
11 a.m. - St. Anthony (N.J.) vs. Miller Grove (Ga.)
1 p.m. - DeMatha Catholic (Md.) vs. Bishop Gorman (Nev.)
3 p.m. - Simeon (Ill.) vs. Findlay Prep (Nev.)
5 p.m. - Christ The King (N.Y.) vs. Mater Dei (Calif.)
7 p.m. - Granby vs. St. Joseph's (Pittsfield)

STORRS, Conn. -- Andre Drummond, a 6-foot-11 center from Middletown, Conn., who was expected to attend prep school at Wilbraham & Monson Academy this year, has instead said he will play basketball for defending national-champion Connecticut.

Drummond confirmed an earlier report by The Hartford Courant with a posting on his Twitter account Friday that read, "It's official I'm heading to the university of connecticut to be a husky this year! Do I hear repeat."

A message was left with a school spokesman seeking comment.

Drummond is considered one of the top prospects in the nation. He's ranked No. 2 in the ESPNU 100 class of 2012. Earlier this month, he said he planned to attend prep school in Massachusetts.

It's not clear where his scholarship will come from. Connecticut has none available after losing three due to NCAA rules violations and a poor academic performance rating.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Our friends over at ESPN's basketball recruiting section have lots of news on the Kris Dunn front this afternoon.

The New London, Conn. native, currently ranked the nation's No. 2 point guard in the Class of 2012, told senior analyst Dave Telep earlier today that he will decide between Providence and UConn by the end of the week. Dunn also told Telep that that after deciding on transferring to Wilbraham & Monson Academy earlier this summer, he will finish out his career at New London High after all.

"My dad and my family sat back a little and thought about it and they want me to go back to New London and finish what I've started," Dunn told Telep.

Whichever Big East school ends up landing him, Telep thinks it's a slam dunk:

Not only is Dunn the No. 2-ranked point guard in the class, he's really only one of a handful of impact point guards in the entire class. You can count on him to get in the lane and create on offense but also put his size and length to use on the other side of the ball. Athletically, there isn't another point guard close to him on the board. With James Robinson (Hyattsville, Md./Dematha) headed to Pittsburgh, Dunn's stock went up again; not like he needed an artificial boost since he was outstanding in July.

Meanwhile ESPN's Adam Finkelstein, founder of the New England Recruiting Report and arguably the New England region's foremost authority on basketball recruiting, believes the Friars will win the sweepstakes, noting several factors:

Dunn teamed with Andre Drummond (Middletown, Conn./Wilbraham & Monson) on the Connecticut Basketball Club and, as I noted in an earlier blog Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun was hardly a fixture at every one of CBC's games this summer.

In fact, after the first week of the live period, he wouldn't watch Drummond and Dunn play live again until AAU nationals began in Orlando on July 27.

Conversely, Providence coach Ed Cooley was front and center almost every time Dunn took the court in July and when he wasn't, associate coach Andre Lafleur (who was previously a long time assistant at Connecticut) was in his spot.

If you were keeping tabs of which schools, and specifically head coaches, were following CBC the most this summer you would have to list Louisville, Georgetown and Pittsburgh just as much, if not more, than Connecticut.

However, Dunn is a Connecticut native who grew up, like most local kids, dreaming of playing for the Huskies.

But there is also the question of available scholarships. Connecticut projects to have 12 available for the 2012-2013 season and with no graduating seniors among this year's 10 scholarship players and SG Omar Calhoun (Brooklyn/Christ The King) having already verbally committed for 2012, they would appear to have only one scholarship to work with.

Of course there is the possibility of someone like Jeremy Lamb leaving early for the NBA Draft, but taking a commitment from another guard right now, especially one who plays the same position as incoming freshman point guard Ryan Boatright, would leave the Huskies seemingly unable to pursue another 2012 commitment. And it appears the Huskies are in hot pursuit of a big man, judging from their roster and current recruiting activity.

When you put together all of the information, the third sentence in Telep's blog might have tells the story, "I'd hedge my bets on Providence in this one."

All week long, ESPN's basketball recruiting analysts have been breaking down the top prospect by position in the Class of 2012. Some familiar names populate the lists of superlatives, copied below:

CENTERS

Andre Drummond (Middletown, Conn./Wilbraham & Monson)
6-foot-10, 275 pounds
He has all the physical tools for greatness. Drummond is long and athletic but he needs to improve his skills (which are solid but not great) and increase the consistency of his effort. He is the most unstoppable force in the 2012 class when he is motivated to dominate. He plays with power and finesse and has the strength and length to be a great rebounder and defensive force. If there were a draft of the players in the 2012 class, there is not much doubt he would be taken any lower than second.

Kaleb Tarczewski (Claremont, N.H./St. Mark's)
7-0, 220 pounds
Tarczewski is another skilled big man with loads of potential. He has a solid body and can beat you with power or skill. He is a solid shooter to 17 feet and can play on the low block or the high post. Tarczewski is a good athlete for a center and has improved a great deal every year of his high school career. We won't see the best of Tarczewski for a couple of years, but when he puts it all together, watch out!

Steven Adams (New Zealand/Notre Dame Prep)
6-10, 235 pounds
College: Pittsburgh
Adams is a newcomer from New Zealand who has yet to play an organized game in the United States. He is very talented and could easily be ranked in the ESPNU 100 (probably good enough to be top 20 overall). Adams is good now, has a very nice upside and is a great get for Pitt.

POWER FORWARDS

Mitch McGary (Chesterton, Ind./Brewster Academy)
6-foot-10, 225 pounds
McGary is a throwback-type who puts the power in the power forward title. He's built in the mold of Tyler Hansbrough, and his physical strength is exceeded only by his relentless motor. He plays tremendously hard on both ends of the floor, gives constant energy and motivates his teammates to do the same. But the southpaw also has a deceptive skill set that allows him to make open jumpers out to the arc, put the ball on the floor to start the break after grabbing a defensive rebound or intrigue you with his passing instincts from the post.

SMALL FORWARDS

T.J. Warren (Durham, N.C./Brewster Academy)
6-7, 215-pounds
Warren may have decided to take his talents to a Northeast prep school, but that won't stop the talented small forward from being a major target for teams along tobacco road. The big-bodied wing is a deceptive athlete with a high basketball IQ who understands how to move without the ball and utilize screens to free himself. Once he catches the ball, he becomes a handful for opponents because he is effective in all three phases of the game. When attacking the rim, he is not only a great finisher through contact, but makes you pay at the free throw line, as well.

Jake Layman, King Philip: "High-major programs are in strong pursuit of Jake Layman (Wrentham, Mass./King Phillip Regional), as he proved to be one of the most efficient players in the country. Plus, he's a winner."

SHOOTING GUARDS

Ricardo Ledo
(Providence/Notre Dame Prep)
6-6, 180 pounds
Ledo has tremendous upside because of his long frame and feathery jump shot. He can stop on a dime and nail the 3-point shot or slash his way to the rim for the finish -- he is a prototypical pure scorer. He makes the game more difficult because poor shot selection and he needs to clean up his academics, but he is immensely talented.

POINT GUARDS

Kris Dunn (New London, Conn./Wilbraham & Monson)
6-3, 180 pounds
Dunn has a nice combination of size, speed and quickness. He knocks down jumpers off the catch or dribble and gets to the rim on the break or in the half-court set and can create for teammates. Dunn is an aggressive playmaker who can excel off the ball because of his size and ability to go get buckets. He is also capable of defending both guard positions. He is considering Connecticut, Boston College, Rhode Island, Marquette and Providence at this time.