Commonwealth Motors Christmas Classic - Team Profiles

One of the area's more highly regarded post holiday events, the Commonwealth Motors Christmas Classic was a three day event that took place on the campus of Merrimack College.   An eight team event that saw each team play three games, it brought together some of the top programs from the Merrimack Valley, as well as the North Shore.   Below are four teams we caught on opening night, as well as a brief analysis of some of the events other top players.   Central Catholic   One of the top teams in the MVC, Central Catholic lacks a true interior presence but compensates for it by playing team ball and swarming around ball-handlers on the defensive end of the floor. They're tough to stop when they get out in transition, with multiple guards that can push the tempo, score off the bounce, and knock down shots from behind the arc.   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Javi Lopez: An impressive 6'2" guard that really knows how to score the basketball, Lopez is a dynamic threat with the ball in his hands. He has a strong frame that allows him to play through contact in the paint, can creating off the bounce with some shiftiness and wiggle, and does a nice job of knocking down shots behind the arc. He's a true combo that can initiate offense for others, but also knows when to take over a game himself as a scorer.</li>   <li>Janarius Nanje: A physical and athletic guard, Nanje made his mark on the defensive end of the floor with his ability to guard multiple positions, create turnovers, and be a presence on the defensive glass. Offensively, he played with a high motor and was particularly effective as a slasher, proving capable of finishing with athleticism around the rim. He had good burst off the bounce and was able to get into the paint and make some nice passes.</li>   <li>Zachary Sangermano: The sophomore guard made his mark early with his ability to space the floor and knock down shots in catch and shoot situations. After proving to be a threat from behind the arc, he began to leverage his shooting to open up driving lanes, showing the ability to be an athletic finisher around the rim. He competes on the defensive end, isn't afraid to be physical, and did a nice job of rebounding from the guard spot.</li> </ul>   St. John's Prep   SJP is another team that is at it's best when they share the ball and capitalize on the best scoring opportunities that the team can generate. They lack a true standout scorer, but have multiple perimeter options that can knock down shots and score around the rim. They move the ball, have multiple players that can initiate offense, and do a good job of crashing the offensive glass.   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Michael Miller: A good athlete at the guard position, Miller was a real floor spacer for St. John's Prep. He seemed to always be in motion on the offensive end of the floor, whether with the basketball in his hands or running off screens to get open as a shooter. He did a nice job of quickly getting into his shot off the catch and had deep range on his jumper. Defensively, he guarded on the perimeter, had some explosiveness around the rim, and rebounded well in space.</li>   <li>Dawagner De Los Santos: While SJP lacks elite team size, De Los Santos provides them with a big wing that has great length and some nice athleticism in the paint. At 6'4" with long arms, he's able to do a bunch of different things on the offensive end of the floor, including scoring around the rim and in the mid-range. Defensively, he can guard any spot on the floor, provides a presence on the defensive glass, and is a sneaky shot blocker with his ability to cover space quickly.</li>   <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2717348' first='Marcus' last='Magloire']: Maybe the most impressive underclassman we had the opportunity to watch at this event, Magloire seemed to always be in the right spot on the offensive end of the floor. He already has a good frame and showed a willingness to be physical in the paint. He has some burst off the bounce, is a good athlete around the rim as a finisher, and did a nice job of getting into his mid-range game as a scorer. He'll be a prospect to watch in the MIAA the next few years.</li> </ul>   North Andover   One of the more well rounded teams in the MVC, North Andover probably had the best balance of any team we saw at this event. They can score in transition, run good offense in the half-court, and do a good job of limiting opponents to one shot per possession on the other end of the floor. They get contributions from a handful of players and are really unselfish on the offensive end of the floor.   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2547098' first='Niko' last='Catalano']: The best forward that took the floor during the two games we saw, Catalano was the driving force behind his team's opening night win over Lawrence. The 6'5" forward proved capable of operating as an offensive hub, initiating offense from the high post and the low block. He scored at all three levels, controlled the defensive glass, and was a steadying presence during the games closing moments.</li>   <li>Bryan Gyorda: A microwave scorer from behind the arc, Gyorda was on fire in the early going, scoring 14 points in the first quarter. At 6'2", he had good size for a two-guard, did a great job of moving without the basketball, and was always shot ready on the catch. He proved to have in the gym range and a quick release on his shot, did a good job of running off screens to get open, and even proved capable of making plays off the bounce.</li>   <li>Zach DesRochers: Operating as a lead guard, DesRochers did a nice job of initiating the offense in the half-court, pushing the tempo in transition, and being disruptive while guarding the basketball. He's a twitchy athlete that has quick initial movements, allowing him to get by defenders off the bounce or jump passing lanes to generate steals. When he slides off the ball, he's a good spot up shooter that knows how to pick his spots as a scorer.</li> </ul>   Lawrence:   Lawrence is another team that lacks an interior presence, but they make up for that with a deep rotation and unyielding pressure defense. They play uptempo, aren't afraid to get up a ton of threes, and apply an unrelenting amount of pressure on opposing ball-handlers. They thrive off creating turnovers and even when down big, are never out of a game due to their intensity and ability to force turnovers.   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Joan Vidal: A true lead guard, Vidal made some really impressive passes in the half-court while also proving to be a capable scorer when called upon. The lefty seemingly had the ball on a string, was on time and on target with his passes, and proved capable of creating offense for himself in the mid-range and from behind the arc. He didn't shy away from the moment and was instrumental in turning the game around when Lawrence mounted a comeback.</li>   <li>Amos Vacher: Arguably Lawrence's top outside shooter, Vacher knocked down a handful of threes in the second half, sparking the comeback and allowing Lawrence to make a real run at pulling off the upset. He played with an edge, wasn't afraid to take the big shot, and seemed to have unlimited range on his jumper once he got hot. He did a great job of moving without the basketball, and was in constant attack mode when he had the basketball in his hands.</li>   <li>Jonathan Perez: An undersized guard, Perez was the epitome of the phrase "heart over height" on the night we saw him. He was everywhere on the court, making play after play with his effort and intensity. He crashed the offensive glass with reckless abandon, kept his dribble alive in the paint to make plays as a passer, and even showed the ability to finish over size in the paint. Defensively, he created turnover after turnover during the comeback bid with quick hands and quick feet.</li> </ul>   The other four teams that competed in the event were Andover, Beverly, Methuen, and Newburyport. Andover took down Methuen in the championship game behind strong play from [player_tooltip player_id='2716645' first='Sam' last='Concemi'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2696735' first='Owen' last='Crowley'], while Methuen got nice contributions from [player_tooltip player_id='2546964' first='Isaiah' last='Andino'] and Lennon Abreu De La Cruz. High scoring junior [player_tooltip player_id='2696712' first='Jacob' last='Klass'] was a standout for Beverly, while [player_tooltip player_id='2716650' first='Carson' last='Gretz'], an athletic and versatile senior forward, stood out for Newburyport.   Keep an eye out as we continue with our holiday tournament coverage in Massachusetts this week!

One of the area's more highly regarded post holiday events, the Commonwealth Motors Christmas Classic was a three day event that took place on the campus of Merrimack College.