Cambridge Legends Classic - Team Profiles

A four team event at the Cambridge Rindge & Latin School, the Cambridge Legends Classic gave us an early season look at two programs from Boston and two from south of the city.   First round match-ups were Attleboro/Lynn English and Cambridge Rindge & Latin/Natick, with Attleboro and Cambridge Rindge & Latin ultimately competing for the event championship on Day 2.   Attleboro   The winners of the event, Attleboro has established themselves as one of the early season favorites to make a run at a state championship. They have experience, depth, and scoring at multiple positions and look the part of a team that should win a lot of games this winter.   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='1578521' first='Hayden' last='Crowley']: A shot maker at the off-guard position, Crowley did a nice job of making his way into passing windows and being shot ready on the catch. He has nice size on the perimeter, can put the ball on the floor for multiple dribbles, and does a nice job of passing on the move. He stood out with his ability to knock down shots, stretching the defense and opening up driving lanes for his teammates.</li>   <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2716640' first='Ladainian' last='Rodrigues']: Arguably the biggest surprise of the event, Rodrigues popped as an athletic and versatile 6'5" wing that could get his from all over the floor on the offensive end. He has great positional size, impressive vertical pop, and nice burst when attacking the rim. He knocked down shots in catch and shoot situations, was a presence on the defensive glass, and showed the ability to guard on the perimeter and in the paint.</li>   <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2453001' first='Raheim' last='Orleans']: A physically imposing 6'7" post presence, Orleans really got his motor going in the 2nd half of his game against Lynn English, proving to be a force on the glass and in the paint. He did a nice job of carving out space on the block, caught everything thrown his way, and found himself in good position for offensive rebounds and putbacks, where he used his athleticism and strength to capitalize.</li> </ul>   Lynn English   Always competitive in the MIAA, Lynn English showed that they have no quit in them. After falling behind big in their opening game against Attleboro, they battled back to make it a hotly contested match-up in the second half. They play fast and force a lot of turnovers, proving to never be out of a game.   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Louis Ledesma: A long and lanky scoring guard, Ledesma has some real wiggle to his game off the bounce. He's confident when he's creating off the bounce, capable of using secondary moves to get by the initial defender and quickly gets into his jumper. He can score in the mid-range and from behind the arc, getting his shot off against most defenders. On the other end, he has quick hands and utilizes his length to make plays on the ball or in passing lanes.</li>   <li>Andrew Koroma: A downhill driver and solid on-ball defender on the perimeter, Koroma did a nice job of initiating offense and disrupting opposing ball-handlers for Lynn English. He showed a quick first step off the bounce, the ability to turn the corner off of ball screens, and a lot of creativity around the rim as a finisher. He was able to guard in space, did a great job of moving his feet to stay in front of the ball, and was scrappy on the defensive glass.</li>   <li>Denzel Guillen: The big guard was probably Lynn English's most versatile scorers, having the athleticism to get to the rim as a finisher, the creativity to get into his mid-range game off the bounce, and the shooting ability to knock down shots from behind the arc. He's physically strong, can guard multiple positions, and operates both on and off the ball. His versatility allows him to fill a variety of roles and do the little things that will impact winning down the line.</li> </ul>   Cambridge Rindge & Latin   The other finalist in this event, the hosts proved to be a tough out with veteran leadership, toughness, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to win. They lack size on the interior, but make up for it with solid team defense and five guys who are willing to work hard on the glass.   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Dante Howard: A big, athletic guard that did a great job of pushing the tempo and attacking the basket in transition, Howard is a versatile offensive piece that made plays on and off the ball. He impressed with his ability to finish in traffic, displaying the balance to take a bump and still get his shot up onto the rim. Defensively, he has a ton of versatility and playmaking instincts on that end of the floor, using his length and quickness to jump passing lanes.</li>   <li>Jaydaan Correia: A long and lean, 6'4" wing, Correia plays a perimeter role on the offensive end while serving as a paint protector and rebounder on the defensive side. He did a nice job of running the floor in transition, staying wide and getting shot ready, then knocking down perimeter jumpers when the ball found him. While not physically imposing, his ability to rebound at a high level and defend in the post without fouling is impressive.</li>   <li>[player_tooltip player_id='1532484' first='Parris' last='Moses']: A vocal presence on both ends of the floor, Moses scored in a vairety of ways on the offensive end. He could play on the perimeter or in the paint, did a nice job of getting downhill off the bounce, and was an active rebounder on the offensive glass. Defensively, he guarded multiple positions, used his voice to get his team organized, and was able to initiate offense off of his own defensive rebounds.</li> </ul>   Natick   The youngest team in the event, Natick started two juniors and three sophomores on opening night. With only one senior on their roster, they lack experience, but they do a great job of sharing the basketball, finding the open man, and taking quality shots each possession.   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Jake Rodman: A guard that did a little bit of everything for his team, Rodman played with great energy and effort on both ends of the floor. He was able to handle the ball in the half-court, making good decisions as a driver, and knocking down a few shots off the catch. He did a good job of pushing the tempo in transition and was able to quick turn defense into offense, particularly when generating steals or deflections in passing lanes.</li>   <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2341428' first='Ryan' last='Bernard']: A big lefty on the wing, Bernard has great positional size and length. He plays out of position with Natick, guarding the opponents biggest player most of the game, but still showed off his versatility on the offensive end of the floor. He does a nice job of getting into the paint and creating scoring opportunities for his teammates, which sets up his own offensive game as a scorer later in the game.</li>   <li>Jimmy Mortaelli: An efficient shooter from behind the arc, Mortaelli gave Natick a real shot maker that was able to space the floor and capitalize on some open looks that were generated by Bernard's drives. He did a nice job of sliding into open passing windows, was able to quickly get his jump shot off the catch, and even showed the ability to utilize a shot fake to open up his own driving lanes.</li> </ul>   Check back throughout the week for updates from other local holiday tournaments in Massachusetts!

A four team event at the Cambridge Rindge & Latin School, the Cambridge Legends Classic gave us an early season look at two programs from Boston and two from south of the city.