Names on the Rise from Friday’s NEPSAC Action

<p>It was hard to keep track of the amount of talent in the gym with over 450 players and 220 college coaches in attendance. There were several standouts throughout Friday’s court one action, let's get to it!</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1205156" first="Andre" last="Mills"] Jr. | 6’3" | Verstalite and Physical Guard | Vermont Academy | Mass Rivals | 2024</strong></p> <p>Having seen [player_tooltip player_id= "1205156" first= "Andre" last= "Mills"] Jr. in person back in late April during the Dana Barros Basketball events, it’s safe to say that he is one of the more aggressive slashers and power guards on the New England AAU and Prep school scene. Mills can elevate with ease and constantly finished above the rim throughout Friday’s game, however. What stuck out to me with Mills was his willingness to win the 50-50 ball battle and playmaking, specifically on the open floor. Back in April, I saw Mills featured much more off the ball. He was more focused on the basket on the open floor, but he was assertive with his pass and found shooters for several open looks this time around. It was great to get another look at Mills, as I think he will have a big summer. He profiles as one of the top prospects in New England in the 2024 class. Mills will surely jump up on the New England rankings with the next update.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1081871" first="Bryce" last="Dortch"] | 6’8" | Postionless Lead Ball Handler | Brimmer and May | Mass Rivals | 2024</strong></p> <p>Another Mass Rival in the class of 2024, [player_tooltip player_id="1081871" first="Bryce" last="Dortch"] showed several flashes of high upside creation ability as a 6’8" lead ball handler. Much like Mills, I had the opportunity to catch Dortch play in the early spring as he primarily operated off the ball as more of a rim-running big. But at the NEPSAC Showcase, Dortch was called upon to run the offense and operate as a jumbo guard. Some outlets may view him as a wing, but he took on the secondary guard duties during Friday’s matchup. There were even a few instances where he ran the pick and roll as a ball-handler and did a good job getting to the basket when pressured by a smaller and peskier defender. Coaches in the building were asking about Dortch as he showed several instances of open floor creation and even some advanced euro-steps when finishing at the basket. His unique ability to grab and go helped Brimmer and May generate several high-quality transition looks. Again, some outlets/coaches may already want to lump Dortch into a positional role at the moment. Let’s not do this. His versatility and dynamic movements suggest that he is more than just a forward or stretch big. Just because he is 6’8", let’s just treat Dortch as a good basketball player as I think he posses a ton of guard-like skills that will translate to the next level.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1204721" first="Dion" last="Brown"] | 6’2" | Lead Ball Handler | Vermont Academy | Team New England | 2022</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1204721" first="Dion" last="Brown"] was the most aggressive guard from Friday’s Court 1 action. Even during the game’s late stages, when players got tired, Brown looked energized and even attempted a poster type-level dunk which earned him a trip to the line. At the helm, Brown constantly got into the teeth of the defense but didn’t force shots when he was doubled. He made several quick decisions off the catch and showcased a fluid stroke from deep. Simply put, Brown will be able to play both guard spots at the next level. While the intrigue for Brown at first comes by way of his springy bounce and ability to modulate his pace in the open floor, what stood out to me was his willingness to talk on defense and communicate switches in the pick and roll setting. Outside of his motor, bounce, and willingness to communicate on defense, Brown’s passes had a certain kind of crispness. He found several shooters squarely in their shooting pockets and did an amazing job of making decisions going downhill. [player_tooltip player_id="1204721" first="Dion" last="Brown"] was one of the big winners of the NEPSAC showcase, as I think he will continue to have a huge summer on the recruiting scene. Brown also will surely jump up on the New England rankings with the next update.</p> <p><strong>Jarrell Okorougo | 6’5" | Wing Capable of Guarding Up / Postionless Potential | Brimmer and May School | Mass Rivals | 2022</strong></p> <p>Simply put, Okorogou won games with his hustle. His effort translated to both ends as I would bestow Friday’s Endless Motor Award to Okorogou. At times Brummer and May needed him to play at the center spot and with no complaints or struggle, he willed himself to rebounds, fought for position, and strategically positioned himself off the ball in the dunker’s spot. With guard-like skills, Okorogou was willing to attack mismatches when presented with a more cumbersome big. Okorogou made light work of these opportunities and did an excellent job of blowing by them off the dribble and finishing at the rim. Sure the athleticism is off the charts as he was one of the few players who attack the rim in a half-court setting, but again, Okorogou was all over the glass and helped Brimmer and May finish 3-0 on the ground weekend. Also, @verbalcommits, please fix the spelling of his first name. Thank you.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1081819" first="Torran" last="Bosworth"] | 6’0" | Primary Ball Handler | Tilton | Team Spartans | 2022</strong></p> <p>Having watched [player_tooltip player_id="1081819" first="Torran" last="Bosworth"] in several different settings (practice, AAU, NEPSAC), it’s safe to say that he is one of the most consistent and mistake-free guards in New England. The two words I would use to describe his game are mature and aware. He reads the game with focus and does a fantastic job of picking and choosing his scoring spots. Rarely did he turn the ball over, as I think Bosworth can be an extremely effective initiator out of the pick and roll setting. This was around my 7th or 8th time watching him play in person in the last year and what stood out from the NEPSAC showcase was his willingness and ability to score in the midrange and create his own looks off the dribble. He plays with a laser-focused mentality and rarely seemed phased. The lefty guard played as the primary lead ball-handler throughout Friday’s action and constantly made high-level decisions at the top of the key. That said, I’ve seen Bosworth operate as an effective floor-spacing secondary guard on the AAU scene as he can certainly do both. With larger, national outlets starting to realize his effectiveness, I think Bosworth is the type of prospect who can instantly make an impact at the next level and will garner much more attention from college coaches as we head into the summer. </p>