New England Commitment Catch-Up (4/18)
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We’re halfway through April and the commits just keep rolling in. This will be the first of two commitment catch-up articles this week as we have a bunch of prospects to cover! Mason Blondeau NLG #161 SG #35 HEIGHT 6'4"…
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Continue ReadingWe’re halfway through April and the commits just keep rolling in.
This will be the first of two commitment catch-up articles this week as we have a bunch of prospects to cover!
Blondeau, who continued to work his way back to 100% this winter after suffering a major knee injury last year, will continue his basketball career at Haverford College. A natural shooting guard that can really score the basketball, Blondeau figured out how to score in a variety of ways this winter. He’s a consistent shooter from behind the arc, is crafty in the paint, and has started to leverage his shooting to get into his driving game. He has a high IQ, plays at his own pace, and makes good decisions with the ball in his hands. Defensively, he gives solid effort on the glass and should be capable of defending both on the perimeter and in the post at the next level. As long as he continues to regain some of his pre-injury athletic pop, I see no reason why he can’t carve out a role early in his career at Haverford.
Watkins, who just wrapped up a post-graduate season at Vermont Academy, came off the board this week when he announced his commitment to Oswego State. While he’s more of a combo than true point, Watkins does some nice things as both a scorer and as a facilitator. He has a nice floater game, makes good decisions in screen and roll actions, and is a capable shooter when he steps behind screens. He shows nice floor vision and has good touch as a passer, particularly in transition. Defensively, he can guard all 94′ and is capable of playing on the front or second line of a press. Watkins heads to a strong program at Oswego State, but he has the type of skillset that should allow him to make an impact in the SUNYAC sooner rather than later.
James, who played a prominent role in Vermont Academy winning the NEPSAC AAA championship, announced that he will play his college basketball at Pace University. A big time athlete on the wing, James is a game changer defensively. He has great positional length and is as good laterally as any wing in the region, which allows him to be disruptive in both half-court and full-court defenses. He’s a bouncy finisher around the rim and is particularly effective as an off-ball cutter, most notably when curling off screen actions to get into the paint. He showed off an expanded offensive game this winter, consistently knocking down three’s off the catch when he could step into them from the trailer position. He fits the mold of a prototypical Northeast-10 hybrid forward and has the chance to be an all-league defender down the line.
Vlogianitis, who just completed his post-graduate season at Avon Old Farms, announced that he has accepted a spot as a preferred walk-on at Marist College. A traditional two-guard with a high basketball IQ, Vlogianitis can really shoot the basketball. He’s got a quick trigger and a compact release that allows him to get his shot off whenever he wants. He does a great job of moving without the ball and utilizing screens to get open in the half-court. Defensively, he’s got quick hands that lead to a lot of deflections and is deceptively quick laterally allowing him to stay in front of a variety of ball-handlers. It’s difficult for walk-ons to carve out a role at the Division I level, but it happens from time to time and Vlogianitis has a solid foundation to build on over the next few years as he tries to do just that.