Mickey's Travel Notebook: Part 2

The calendar has turned from summer to fall, meaning it's open gym season! All across the country, schools and programs are graciously giving coaches, scouts, and media personnel opportunities to see their student-athletes live in a competitive environment where they not only show off their skills but have the opportunity to meet players one-on-one in a more intimate setting. Over the month of October, I was able to visit four open gyms in the Connecticut and Massachusetts area to get my eyes on lots of prospects and see firsthand the work being put in behind the scenes to see the progression of team building and improvement for the greater good. Welcome to part two of Mickey's Travel Notebook!   Canterbury School (New Milford, CT)   On Thursday, October 3rd, I was able to make a stop in the evening at Canterbury School. When I walked into the gym, the team was just starting their run and I got to meet head coach Brian Fruscio. Central Connecticut was also in attendance to watch. Multiple five-on-five scrimmages took place for nearly an hour and here are my thoughts on what I witnessed!   -2025 forward [player_tooltip player_id='2325867' first='Andreo' last='Ash'] has a visually pleasing offensive game for his size. With good ball-handling skills, he was comfortable scoring off the dribble and creating shots for himself in the mid-range, rising over defenders and taking advantage of his 6-foot-8 frame. His three-point shot was also effective and it was clear he could thrive in both on-ball and off-ball scenarios.   -2025 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2325869' first='David' last='Dix'] absolutely dominated and produced one of the most memorable offensive performances in any open gym that I attended. Quick with the ball, he was getting to his spots so decisively and aggressively using his burst to get inside for layups. He was pulling up from three and knocking down shots all night long, even hitting shots from way beyond the arch off the catch. He was also driving and kicking to his open perimeter teammates and displayed great instincts in finding the open man. A legitimate D1 prospect in my view.   -2026 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2341359' first='Jared' last='Strand'] had some nice moments with his drives to the rim. He used his body well and showed good strength on his finishes through contact. Every time he was close to the basket, he put the ball in the hole with great efficiency. He also made some nice passes within the flow of the offense in the half-court and looked solid guarding on-the-ball at the perimeter.   -2025 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2546932' first='Liam' last='Dagostino'] has a clear calling card as a shooter. He was knocking down shots off the catch and spacing the floor well from downtown with a quick release. He made some nice finishes at the basket as a cutter and I was impressed by his off-ball awareness in the half-court. He seemed to fit in seamlessly with other pieces on the team.   The Taft School (Watertown, CT)   On Wednesday, October 9th, I made another evening stop at the Taft School. When I arrived, I was confused about where the gym was located and I ended up walking around aimlessly for about 15 minutes. Thankfully, head coach Shavar Bernier bailed me out and I was able to get in at last, albeit being late. I was still able to recover from that slow start and watch around 40 minutes of competitive five-on-five scrimmages. Here are my thoughts!   -2025 forward [player_tooltip player_id='2325744' first='Jeremiah' last='Ibeziako'] has athletic gifts and takes advantage of them on the offensive end. Strong and agile, he was bullying smaller defenders and attacking in the lane, scoring buckets off the glass. He has great touch around the basket and it felt like anytime he got the ball in the mid-range, he made a swift move to score in the paint. His jumper also looked pretty smooth, hitting a side-step three with confidence.   -2025 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2325884' first='Ford' last='Okehi'] is a scoring machine when he gets going. A dynamic ball handler extraordinaire, he was getting to the paint and finishing through the trees off the backboard while taking big contact at times. He was creating separation with his tight handle, using it to control the offensive pace. He also wasn't afraid to pull and splash a three from beyond the arch or pull down a key rebound to keep offensive possessions alive.   -2026 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2452018' first='Brandon' last='White'] looked very comfortable playing both on the ball and off the ball. On the ball, he was creating in the pick and roll and finding the roll man driving to the basket or the open shooter on the outside. Off the ball, he was knocking down threes off the catch with a terrific and compact shooting stroke. Additionally, he was competing hard by squirming out of screens, sticking with his man on defense, and leaking out for easy baskets on offense.   -2025 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2633510' first='Jack' last='Anderson'] was doing the little things on the court that stood out in droves. His rebounding was exceptional, using his length to grab the ball and quickly start the offensive attack on the other end. His defensive intensity was notable, keeping close to his man at the point of attack and continuing to take advantage of his lengthy arms. I also liked his finishing around the cup and looked cool and composed in transition.   CATS Academy (Braintree, MA)   On Thursday, October 10th, I made the long trip up north to CATS Academy, the first open gym in Massachusetts that I attended. The professional atmosphere was evident when I walked into the facility, as there were twice as many prospects on display than in any other open gym I have been to at this point. I met head coach Cary Herer and received a player roster that helped me with player identification (extremely beneficial). For an hour and a half, they ran warmups, followed by 4 on-4 scrimmages with shuttles every possession to make sure all of the prospects got enough playing time on the court, and here are my thoughts on what I witnessed!   -2025 forward and Providence commit [player_tooltip player_id='1529071' first='Jaylen' last='Harrell'] showed why he is Top 5 in his class in the New England region. He was scoring at will with the ball, taking defenders into the mid-range for turn-around jumpers. He created for himself off the dribble and stretched the floor from three while using his filled-out frame on drives on the interior. He also played tough perimeter defense by forcing turnovers and his leadership on the floor hyping his teammates was admirable.   -2025 center [player_tooltip player_id='2633517' first='Leo' last='Curtis'] is super skilled for a 7-foot big man. The Iceland native was attacking the basket for dunks and scoring off the glass in the post. He created offense for himself at the top of the key multiple times, driving to the cup and using hesitation moves with mind-blowing finesse at his size. Defensively, he made some big-time rejections at the rim and used every bit of the length he had at his disposal.   -2026 guard/forward [player_tooltip player_id='2341352' first='Jaxson' last='Terry'] impressed me with his tough mindset and demeanor on the floor. Early on in the scrimmages, he got hit in the nose and started bleeding profusely. Unfazed, he quickly covered it and got back to work. This toughness showed in his play too, constantly driving to the basket for and-ones. He possessed a good pace with the ball, using fakes and changing speeds to gain room to get his soft touch floater off. He also made some swift high-velocity passes as a facilitator, hit some off-the-dribble jumpers, and showed key leadership skills rallying the troops in between scrimmage games.   -2026 guard/forward [player_tooltip player_id='2396726' first='Jaylin' last='Williams-Crawford'] left me speechless with his offensive creation ability. He used his quickness, speed, and smooth handle to get to his spots in the mid-range for off-the-dribble jump shots. He got to the interior for driving layups and hit open three-pointers both off the catch and off the bounce. He also knew how to get open off the ball, making smart cuts to the cup with excellent timing and precision.   -2027 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2470840' first='Josiah' last='Adamson'] looked the part of one of the best guards in his class and stood out immediately from an athletic standpoint. I compare him to a gazelle with how smooth he looks moving up and down across the court. He takes advantage of this on the defensive end, playing tough point-of-attack defense by gathering steals and creating turnovers. Offensively, he can create separation easily in the mid-range off the dribble, and get paint touches with no difficulty with advanced crossover dribble moves while also taking contact at the rim. Additionally, he made a couple of nice looks when he acted as the point guard in the halfcourt.   -2026 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2465122' first='Dante' last='Jeremic'] stood out to me most with his effort and no-give-up attitude on the defensive side of the basketball floor. He constantly dived on the floor for loose balls and forced turnovers with his relentlessness and defensive aptitude. He also stood out as a passer on the offensive side, making outstanding reads as the lead ball handler with sweet dimes on drive and kick opportunities. He even hit a good-looking three-pointer.   Suffield Academy (Suffield, CT)   On Thursday, October 24th, I drove to Suffield Academy to see their open gym. When I arrived, there was a good buzz in the air and I got to meet head coach Drew Gamere and assistant Sean Atkins. I received a player sheet and got to watch competitive five-on-five scrimmages for over an hour. Here are my takeaways!   -2025 forward [player_tooltip player_id='2427090' first='Jakub' last='Lomicka'] was not on my radar when I walked into the gym, but he is firmly on it now. He showed off a terrific skill set for a 6-foot-10 forward with the ability to lead the break in transition, rebound in the paint, and stretch the floor from deep with good touch. He was creating for himself off the dribble by taking advantage of the glass in the paint and used the mid-range area to rise up over defenders and score. He even had a few dunks in the post and appears to have one of the higher ceilings in the region.   -2025 forward [player_tooltip player_id='2325887' first='Brandon' last='Burke Jr.'] is a great athlete who impressed by contributing in a variety of ways that led to good results. I liked some of the passing flashes he showed in the half court to cutting teammates and his rebounding in the paint was also very effective as his athleticism and frame would take over. He scored in bunches with a nice soft touch floater, a sweet pull up jumper, and some thunderous slam dunks at the basket. Additionally, his competence on the defensive end was also notable as he made some nice contests down low.   -2026 guard [player_tooltip player_id='1866230' first='Markus' last='Maxwell-Grimes'] is an all-around stud who thrived leading the team as the primary ball handler. He was controlling the pace masterfully, using hesitation dribble moves to get into the lane for easy scores and making quick passes on the move to set up his teammates. He was hitting his shots from deep off the catch and played competitive point of attack defense and was able to cause havoc and force turnovers. His communication on the court also stood out, and that skill separated him from others in that regard.   -2027 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2568383' first='Alijah' last='Johnson'] has a lot of scoring juice and he put it on display for all to see. With the ball, he was comfortable shooting off the bounce and knocking down three point looks with distance. He was driving to the cup and taking on contact agressively, using every bit of his 5-foot-10 frame. I also appreciated how he got to his spots in the mid-range, navigating traffic with his comfortable dribble.   -2025 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2633521' first='Jonathan' last='Niv'] can shoot the lights out from deep with high efficiency. With a confident stroke, he came off screens and relocated around the perimeter, hitting his open threes and spacing the floor for his squad. He also made some nice drives to the rim at times and looked composed while doing so. He will most likely be an important part of the team this season and will likely star in his role.

The calendar has turned from summer to fall, meaning it's open gym season! All across the country, schools and programs are graciously giving coaches, scouts, and media personnel opportunities to see their student-athletes live in a competitive environment where they not only show off their skills but have the opportunity to meet players one-on-one in a more intimate setting. Over the month of October, I was able to visit four open gyms in the Connecticut and Massachusetts area to get my eyes on lots of prospects and see firsthand the work being put in behind the scenes to see the progression of team building and improvement for the greater good. Welcome to part two of Mickey's Travel Notebook!