Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The All-2000s New England Prep Team

My recent articles on Wayne Selden, Nik Stauskas, and Georges Niang prompted me to take a deeper look into what is arguably the best high school basketball in the country. I do not have enough first hand experience of New England Prep basketball before 2000 so I decided to make my "all-time" team confined to the decade. In addition, I used an evaluation system that combined players high school dominance with their future success. The following group consists of almost entirely NBA level players with a couple who slipped through the cracks or who have yet to make it to the league yet. At the end of this article I also provided a college conference breakdown of where these NEPSAC products went to college.
Michael Beasley Led ND Prep to the Inaugural Prep National Title
First Team
G. Jarret Jack, Worcester Academy 2002
G. Dorell Wright, South Kent 2004
F. Devin Ebanks, Saint Thomas More 2008
F. Michael Beasley, Notre Dame Prep 2007
F. Craig Smith, Worcester Academy 2002 



Jarret Jack starts out the all-time NEPSAC team with a bang. Never has their been a player who has such an uncanny ability to be a starting point guard at any level. Joining Jack are straight to the pros player Dorell Wright and three year Saint Thomas More standout Devin Ebanks. In his one year in New England Michael Beasley led Notre Dame Prep to the inaugural Prep National Title. Craig "Rhino" Smith rounds out the collectives New England Prep's all 2000s team by adding toughness and a Clipper pedigree. Two interesting facts about this group is that all of them are currently NBA players and that only Ebanks played in New England for more than one year.


Second Team
G. Isaiah Thomas, South Kent 2008
G. Rashad McCants, New Hampton 2002
F. Antoine Wright, Lawrence Academy 2002
F. Lazar Hayward, Notre Dame Prep, 2006
F. Andray Blatch, South Kent 2005
Blatch might be a check collector in the NBA but was a beast in the NEPSAC
At the guards, Thomas is currently one of the best college players and McCants was a postgrad player who won a national championship at UNC and became a lottery pick. Wright is the first class C player on the list, but was an incredible high school player and turned into a long-standing NBA player. Hayward surprises at each stop. He was the third most heralded player on his Notre Dame Prep team (Paul Harris & Derek Character), emerged at Marquette as an undersized four, and now is succeeding in the NBA despite multiple detractors. Blatch is the ultimate NBA check collector but was dominant in the NEPSAC leading South Kent to the finals of class A tournament before falling to Bridgeton Academy.


Third Team
G. Jerome Dyson, Proctor 2006
G. Kenny Hasbrouck, MCI 2005
F. Demetrious Nichols, Saint Andrews 2003
F. Craig Brackins, Brewster 2007
F. Alex Oriakhi, Tilton 2009
Oriakhi (right) and Coombs (left) led Tilton to a Cinderella 2009 National Championship
Dyson and Hasbrouck are not as heralded as some of the other names on this list, but have been extremely successful since leaving New England. Dyson also lead Proctor to the finals of class B during his post graduate year. Demetrious Nichols was a three year stud for Saint Andrews, a four year stalwart for Syracuse and had a cup of coffee in the NBA. Brackins let Brewster to a class A final, and eventually became a first round pick following an incredible career at Iowa State. Oriakhi might not be in the NBA yet, but this four year NEPSAC player spearheaded Tilton's 2009 cinderella run to the National Prep Championship.


Honorable Mention
Will Barton, Brewster 2010
Mike Jones, Thayer 2003
Paul Harris, Notre Dame Prep 2006
Rakim Sanders, Saint Andrews 2007
Richard Roby, Lawrence Academy 2004
Derek Character, Notre Dame Prep 2004

Jamine Peterson, Notre Dame Prep 2004
Thomas Robinson, Brewster 2009
Nate Lubick, Saint Mark's 2010

Big East: 9
ACC: 5 
Big 12: 5
Conference USA: 2
NBA: 2
PAC 10: 1
MAAC: 1



Just for fun I added one of my all-time favorite hoops videos of Paul Harris in high school....What a beast
Posted by Dave Hendrie at 8:30 PM
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8 comments:

Gil Haylon said...

Really??? No Courtney Sims on honorable mention

April 12, 2011 at 9:24 PM
Sumner Widdoes said...

You blog worst in history. Come here and sell is tragedy

Love, Maneesh

April 12, 2011 at 11:17 PM
John Hendrie said...

Most glaring omissions: Tommy Hubbard (St. Mark's), Courtney Sims (Nobles), Carlos Bryant (Proctor, Providence United), Gary Correia (NMH, Providence United)

April 13, 2011 at 12:17 AM
Gil Haylon said...

I think you should do all-NEPSAC 2000's 456th team with the Hendrie brothers as the forwards. Me at the two, the fat kid with tats from Governor Dummer at the point. And 6'8" Dan Perkins from Nobles who couldn't dunk.

April 13, 2011 at 9:51 AM
Unknown said...

Wait, where in New England is Oak Hill Academy?

Oh... OK.

April 13, 2011 at 12:30 PM
John Hendrie said...

The lack of athleticism on the 476th team's front-court would be otherworldly. I think I would narrowly edge out Davey with the league lead in layup attempts pinned.

April 13, 2011 at 2:12 PM
John Hendrie said...

Also, Oak Hill can sometimes get a little too much love. Don't get me wrong, that place is a factory for PG's and scoring wings. They rarely have bigs however. Diop and Josh Smith are the only I can think of. Notre Dame Prep (Ledo, Cassell Jr., Mayo, Birch) and St. Thomas Moore (Drummond alone) would have schooled Oak Hill this year. NE Prep!

April 13, 2011 at 2:56 PM
ShavedLeatherCheerio said...

Johnnie Lacy

April 13, 2011 at 9:52 PM

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