New England School Team Preview: The MacDuffie School (MA)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the spring and summer AAU season coming to a close, sooner rather than later the 2024-25 high school basketball season will be just around the corner as we quickly approach the fall. Schools and coaches will prepare their student-athletes for the fun and competitive season ahead all over the six states in the New England area. In this School Team Preview series, I hope to highlight individual teams in the region and give insights on which players I expect to make an impact in the upcoming season. Let's get started!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Team</em></strong>: The MacDuffie School (MA)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Head Coach</em></strong>: Kurt Steiner</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>2023-24 Season Record</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>14-12</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>The Big Dogs on Campus</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are two players I expect to make a major impact on the Mustangs. Leading the squad will be sophomore center [player_tooltip player_id='2341300' first='Johnny' last='Akot Bol']. Seven feet tall with high-level athletic gifts, his supreme touch around the basket, rim protection instincts, and willingness to stretch the floor at times should give opposing teams nightmares as he brings a solid floor while maintaining a scary upside with a currently improving perimeter skillset. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2325735' first='Javon' last='Perry'] should play alongside Bol in the frontcourt and the duo should be dynamic together. With solid roll-man ability, above-the-rim explosiveness, and rim-protection skills of his own, his talent should show out well for MacDuffie throughout a game because of the high energy he combines with said talent.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Additional Difference Makers</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Three other players should be very important for the Mustangs this upcoming year. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2341415' first='Elijah' last='Avery-Turner'] is a red-hot scorer who knows how to create for himself in the half-court. He is a devilish mid-range bucket, who plays at his own pace while also providing off-the-bounce scoring from deep, passing flashes on the ball, and overall confidence and creativity that should stabilize the offense from long offensive droughts. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1532461' first='Julian' last='Dent Jr'] is a slasher with a high motor who competes on both ends of the hardwood. His defensive lockdown ability on anyone, slithery downhill attacks at the cup, ability to space the floor, and hustle and heart-type plays should play well in a three-and-D role and help cause big momentum swings for MacDuffie. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2633534' first='Dayn' last='Campbell'] will steer the ship and bring a veteran-like mindset to the squad. He will provide shiftiness on his cerebral drives, long and deep range from beyond the three-point arch, on-ball defense guarding opposing point guards, and a clutch gene that will be critical toward the end of tight games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Underclassmen To Keep an Eye On</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are four underclassmen in particular to watch next season for the Mustangs. Sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='2470917' first='Jackson' last='Lockett'] will bring rebounding skill on both sides of the court with a developing offensive repertoire. The length he possesses helps him take over the boards, alter shots in the paint, and finish well at the rim and that should provide a great baseline as his floor-stretching ability develops in the coming years. Sophomore point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2568342' first='Keyshon' last='Joyner'] is a floor general who does a great job sharing the basketball. With a tight handle, quick twitch speed, and good navigation skills in the paint, he should be the primary ball handler off the bench while keeping the flow consistent in relief of the first unit. Freshman forward [player_tooltip player_id='2571878' first='David' last='Jung Hernandez'] will bring energy to the second unit, who should bring down big rebounds in the post. He can already finish and throw it down at the cup with a head of steam and set hard screens while getting valuable experience to boot. Freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id='2571887' first='Sage' last='Kennedy'] is a high-upside scorer with sneaky athletic tools. He has the confidence to get to the rack and shoot off the bounce from three, and a solid handle and footwork to evade defenders and should develop at a rapid rate under the MacDuffie coaching staff.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->