New England Open Gym Standouts: Part 1

Today, New England Recruiting Report and its staff hosted the New England Open Gym for basketball players in the New England area. The event was hosted at Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts. Hundreds of players from across the region competed in drills and live games to show off their skills in front of many college personnel and coaches, some of which were coaching on the floor too. There was a ton of talent that impressed me, so without further ado, here is part 1 of my standouts from the New England Open Gym!    [player_tooltip player_id='2465133' first='Ethan' last='Griffin'] was having his way on the interior and attacked the rim all day long. He had multiple slam dunks when given the ball in the post, highlighted by a thunderous throwdown on a defender who was trying to contest his shot. He was also effectively driving to the paint, pulling off multiple layups through contact when given the ball at the top of the key. In addition, he rebounded well, got on the floor for steals that showcased his hustle, found teammates in transition for easy scores, and even hit a corner three which resulted in a terrific all-around performance.     [player_tooltip player_id='2396749' first='Amyre' last='Gray'] was stunning as a passer and looked the part as a true table-setting point guard. He was finding his teammates on the break, moving the ball right on the money and straight into their hands for easy scores at the cup. His passing also translated in the half-court setting too, driving and kicking and finding the open man seemingly every time, even pulling off a behind-the-back dime. He also made long outlet passes as well which further pushed the pace for his team and led to consistent pressure that the defense had to deal with. Furthermore, he was rebounding on the offensive glass, playing hard guarding on the ball, and spacing the floor from deep off the catch.     [player_tooltip player_id='2633564' first='Isaac' last='Rivera'] was lighting it up from beyond the arch and was the best pure shooter at the event. Every time he got the ball with space, he would let it fly from three-point land and his mechanics were superb while remaining identical throughout the day. He also looked comfortable creating off the bounce as well, getting to the basket with a solid first step, and making reads as a passer on drives to find the open shooter on the perimeter.     [player_tooltip player_id='2452423' first='Zeke' last='Williams'] had some standout moments with the ball in his hands. His athleticism off the bounce was real, and was getting past defenders to score in the paint even against bigger and stronger frames. His mid-range jumper looked smooth off the dribble and also had a big-time block from the weak side that showed off his defensive potential too.     [player_tooltip player_id='2486597' first='Luca' last='Balducci'] was terrific in running the pick and roll during the drills. His timing on his half-court passes was remarkable, and his recipients were wide open every time to effectively score the basketball. His effort on the boards also stood out, as he was grabbing rebounds over much bigger players and giving his team second chances to score buckets.

Today, New England Recruiting Report and its staff hosted the New England Open Gym for basketball players in the New England area. The event was hosted at Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts. Hundreds of players from across the region competed in drills and live games to show off their skills in front of many college personnel and coaches, some of which were coaching on the floor too. There was a ton of talent that impressed me, so without further ado, here is part 1 of my standouts from the New England Open Gym!