Hoop Mountain Junior Elite Camp – Day 1 Recap
July 10th, 2008
by Ephraim McDowell
A group of New England’s most talented youngsters has been assembled at Hoop Mountain’s Junior Elite Camp at Stonehill College. The camp is sponsored by New England Recruiting Report, and we will be at Stonehill all week to bring you coverage from the event.
Thursday began with afternoon games, and some of the young prospects made quite an impression. It might be a few years until these players start getting attention from colleges, but their potential is certainly noteworthy. Here are some players who excelled on Thursday:
Nathan Clarke, 2014- A playmaking guard, Clarke gets wherever he wants to on the basketball court. He pushes the ball hard and can get into the lane at will. Not to mention, the rising seventh grader has a textbook stroke from beyond the arc.
Ryan Perron, 2013- Perron appears to be one of the camp’s elite rising eighth graders. He has very good size, allowing him to see the floor well. Perron’s most intriguing quality is his court vision and passing ability, which are developed far beyond his years. During the afternoon, Perron controlled the game as he handled the ball, hit open shots, and regularly found his teammates.
Sean Myers, 2013- Myers undoubtedly has one of the highest basketball I.Q.’s at camp. His court awareness and knowledge of the game is astounding for a player his age. He demonstrated this through his deft passing and knack for moving without the ball.
Bradford Jarry, 2013- This hard-nosed big man never stops working on the interior. He battles on the glass and finishes tough inside. Jarry also has a little finesse to his game as he showed the ability to knock down a 10-12 foot jump shot consistently.
Ryan Fogarty, 2014- This little guy can flat out shoot the ball. He made his living on Thursday from deep, demonstrating a solid jumper, especially off the catch.
Corey Daugherty, 2015- Only a rising sixth grader, this little point guard is a tremendous source of energy on the basketball floor. He plays hard, pushes the ball, and never takes a play off.
Josh Downes, 2012- Tall and versatile, Downes is an intriguing prospect as he enters his freshman year of high school. He can score around the rim as well has handle the ball. Downes is a luxury to have as a big man because he can snatch a defensive rebound and start a fast break by himself.
Conor Wynne, 2012- Wynne may be the best pure shooter at camp this week. He utilizes excellent mechanics and can shoot from mid range and behind the arc. Wynne is not just a shooter, however. He is an incredibly smart player who makes great decisions with the ball in his hands.
Dillon Russo, 2013- This tall rising eighth grader is the definition of an inside outside threat. He can score in the post, put the ball on the floor, and pull up from mid-range. Russo is a very complete player at a young age.
Ben Andrews, 2013- Andrews is a strong combo forward who finishes tough inside. He also has proved himself as a very skilled passer.
Derek Collins, 2013- Long and athletic, this forward gets up and down the floor. He has a tight handle and tremendous court awareness and understanding.
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Jack DeDonato, 2014- This little guard is undersized, but he makes up for it with his heart. He plays very hard and clearly loves the game. A solid ballhandler, DeDonato is the type of kid you want with the ball in his hands.
Isaac Carp, 2012- Carp is a face-up four man who gets to the rim well from the wing. He can shoot the ball a little bit, and he rebounds efficiently. In his night game, Carp was tremendous, scoring inside and in transition.
Stephen Tam, 2012- Tam caught fire in his night game, torching the opposition from behind the arc. He was deadly in catch and shoot situations off of kick outs. In addition to shooting the ball, Tam is also a terrific handler and decision maker.
Brian O’Connor, 2012- O’Connor’s length allows him to be a terror on the glass. This four man plays extremely hard, and is a coaches’ dream.
Kahlil Dukes, 2013- One of the best guards at camp, Dukes arrived to camp late but made his presence felt during the night session. He is a wizard with the ball in his hands, and once he gets into the lane, he is adept at kicking out to open shooters. Dukes has limitless potential as a high school guard.
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Adam Gidley, 2012- This lefty had his jumper working in the night session, canning several open looks. Gidley is also a master of the little things, as he usually wins races to loose balls. Winning teams always have guys like Gidley.
Alex Ingals, 2013- Ingalls seemingly has the basketball on a string when he handles it. He is a quick little point guard with a devastating crossover. Any coach would feel good putting the ball in Ingalls’ hands to run the show.
