Mickey’s Eye-Catchers From the ZG Prep Classic: Part 1

This past weekend from December 6th-8th, Zero Gravity New England hosted the Zero Gravity Prep Classic at the Dana Barros Basketball Club in Stoughton, Massachusetts. Over 70 prep school teams from the New England region and beyond faced off in competitive games during the three-day extravaganza in front of fans, media, scouts, and college coaches from all over the country and all division levels. Numerous players performed well throughout the weekend, but here is part one of my personal eye-catchers from the Zero Gravity Prep Classic!    [player_tooltip player_id='2470853' first='Kamsi' last='Awaka'] is the centerpiece of the Cheshire Academy squad and was dominant on both ends while holding down the center position. Offensively, he scored in the paint with big body post moves to slam the ball straight through the hoop or hit layups softly off the glass. He was taking on contact with his 6 ft 9 frame and was successful in his one-on-one matchups. Defensively, his timing along with his evident athletic gifts were helping him make big-time blocks and protect the rim from opposing scorers. Lastly, his rebounding through traffic was phenomenal and made some smart kick outs to open three-point shooters when double-teamed. Overall, he filled up the stat sheet and continued to back his Top 5 status in the New England class of 2027.     [player_tooltip player_id='2396720' first='Isaiah' last='Henderson'] was constantly attacking the basket and having a field day as a driver with the ball in his hands. He was getting to the free-throw line and knocking down his shots, resulting in wonderful scoring numbers in an early afternoon matchup. He also put his athleticism on display with impressive transition slam dunks which excited the crowd. Additionally, he knocked down three-pointers both off the catch and off the bounce while making some nice passes to open teammates as well.     [player_tooltip player_id='2312978' first='John' last='Kelley'] showed off his intriguing tools at his size while looking dexterous and graceful. What first stood out was his defensive posture and positioning guarding opposing post players, such as Awaka. He was keeping in front of his man well and using his quick feet and long arms to make scoring difficult. I also appreciated his offensive skill, cutting without the ball to the rim for easy shot attempts and knowing his way around the cup when working one-on-one in the paint.     [player_tooltip player_id='2470869' first='Mekai' last='Brown'] was dominating offensively for Greenwich Country Day by finishing around the basket. His off-ball cuts were terrific, finding the open lanes and scoring pleasantly and efficiently, highlighted by one particular moment where he went to the rim and finished through contact with a reverse scoop layup on the baseline. Along with a nifty hook shot in the post, a couple of steals in the passing lanes, and some aggressive rebounding, he looks like an awesome forward prospect to monitor in the sophomore New England class with his well-rounded skill set and strength at 6 ft 6.     [player_tooltip player_id='2341410' first='Rowan' last='Introzzi'] was a rebounding machine when he was on the floor. His tenaciousness was very apparent, grabbing loose balls at the apex of his leap and using his big body to make sure he had a firm possession of the basketball. I also liked his defensive intensity in the restricted area, making full-hearted shot-block attempts from the weak side. Lastly, he demonstrated a high basketball IQ with some great dimes at the top of the key to his cutting teammates.

This past weekend from December 6th-8th, Zero Gravity New England hosted the Zero Gravity Prep Classic at the Dana Barros Basketball Club in Stoughton, Massachusetts. Over 70 prep school teams from the New England region and beyond faced off in competitive games during the three-day extravaganza in front of fans, media, scouts, and college coaches from all over the country and all division levels. Numerous players performed well throughout the weekend, but here is part one of my personal eye-catchers from the Zero Gravity Prep Classic!