TBG Holiday Hoop Classic - Team Profiles

An eight team event hosted by Lowell Catholic, the TBG Holiday Hoop Classic was a two day event that came to a close last night when champions were crowned in the small and large divisions.   The four programs that made up the small division were Dracut, Pentucket, Tyngsboro, and Lowell Catholic, while Shawsheen Tech, Hollis-Brookline, Londonderry, and Waltham made up the large division.   In the games we saw, Dracut took down Lowell Catholic to win the small division championship, while Shawsheen Tech knocked off Hollis-Brookline to claim the large division title.   Below are some of our thoughts on each of those four programs, as well as standouts from Sunday night's games.   Lowell Catholic   A scrappy group that seemed to be at their best when playing up tempo; they have a few breakdown guards, a couple wing shooters, and a young big man that can control the glass. This is a team that should only get better as the year goes on.   Maric Nthala: A 6'2" guard that has great length, Nthala was at his best when he was aggressively attacking the rim. He covered a lot of ground quickly on the defensive end, used his length to keep plays alive on the glass, and did a good job of jumping passing lanes to create turnovers. The sophomore is a good athlete that plays hard on both ends of the floor.   [player_tooltip player_id='2697809' first='Tyrese' last='Acevedo']: A long and athletic combo guard, Acevedo did a nice job of creating off the bounce as a scorer. He's shifty with the ball in his hands and utilizes his length as a finisher around the rim. He's a solid defender, can rebound in space, and even knocked down a few shots from behind the arc.   [player_tooltip player_id='2568514' first='Maddox' last='Dobson']: Only a sophomore, Dobson did a great job of controlling the paint for his team. He doesn't get pushed off his spots, carves out space to rebound in traffic, and has a good feel for the game as a scorer out of the low post. He's a nice athlete that can really get up and down the floor in transition.   Dracut   The small division champion, Dracut just never seemed to lose their composure. Whether they were ahead or behind, they continued to run their sets, played suffocating defense, and shared the ball until they found a quality look.   Jethro Jackson: A long combo guard, Jackson was at his best in the open floor. He used his length to create steals on the defensive end and then did a great job of getting out and running in transition. He attacked the baseline as a driver, finished with length around the rim, and even added some toughness on the offensive glass. His combo of athleticism and length allowed him to guard multiple positions on the defensive end of the floor.   Samson Nagbe: A compact, ball-handling guard, Nagbe proved to by dynamic with the basketball in his hands. He's built like a running back and utilized his strength to his advantage when he got into the paint. Off the bounce, he was able to create space and did a nice job of getting into the mid-range and knocking down shots. Defensively, he did a nice job of guarding the ball and keeping opposing ball-handlers out of the paint.   Enoch Opikhara: An athletic wing, Opikhara was a shot maker in this outing for Dracut. Playing primarily off the ball, he did a nice job of getting into open passing lanes and being shot ready when the ball found him, knocking down multiple threes in this game. He's a stocky guard that has good burst in the open floor, can play through contact in the paint, and makes good decisions with the ball. His toughness stands out on the defensive end of the floor.   Shawsheen Tech   The most well-rounded team at the event, Shawsheen had breakdown guards, toughness on the wings, a deep bench, and an anchor in the middle. They appear to have all the pieces needed to be a contender this winter in the MIAA.   [player_tooltip player_id='2453000' first='Matt' last='Breen']: Arguably the best prospect in the gym for either game, the 6'8" big man is agile, athletic, and plays more physically than his frame would suggest he would. He has terrific instincts and timing as a shot blocker, high points almost every rebound, and has great feel and touch around the rim when looking to score. He even made a few plays off the bounce on the perimeter.   Frank Moron: A three level scorer that was in scoring mode from the opening tip, Moron has a nice frame that allows him to score through contact but also still be explosive as a downhill driver. He did a nice job of getting by the initial defender and working through his pull-up game, found shooters off his drives, and play solid defense on the perimeter leading to multiple transition scoring opportunities.   Jevon Moron: A 6'2" combo guard, Moron was a steady presence on the floor for Shawsheen Tech. He operated on and off the ball, bringing it up against pressure, getting his team into their offensive sets, and generally, making good decisions with the ball in his hands. He picked his spots as a scorer, getting to the rim off drives, and also proved capable of being a lockdown perimeter defender when asked to do so.   Hollis-Brookline   One of a few tournament participants from the NHIAA, Hollis-Brookline continued to hang around and make things interesting in the championship. They do a great job pressuring the ball defensively and capaitalize on chances to score in transition.   James Arthur: A lefty that can really shoot the basketball, Arthur has deep range on his jumper and after knocking down a few shots, began to show that he can also impact a game as a driver. He's not overly athletic, but he plays with great pace, changes speeds to keep defenders off balance, and knows how to score in the paint. He competes on the defensive end of the floor and then does a great job of running his lane in transition.   [player_tooltip player_id='2818571' first='Alton' last='Williams']: The athletic 6'4" forward proved to be a versatile offensive player, showing the ability to make plays from the perimeter and on the low block. He suprised with his ability to shoot the ball from behind the arc, kept plays alive with his effort on the offensive glass, and was a multi-positional defender that could guard in space one possession and then be a physical post presence on the next.   Y'arie Ramas: The diminutive lead guard was all over the floor defensively, causing turnover after turnover and, at times, single handedly keeping Hollis-Brookline in the game. He was a terrific on ball defender, utilizing his low center of gravity to stay in front of opposing ball-handlers and using quick hands to get steals on the ball. Offensively, he made quick decisions with the basketball and proved capable of scoring over size in the paint with a nice floater game.

An eight team event hosted by Lowell Catholic, the TBG Holiday Hoop Classic was a two day event that came to a close last night when champions were crowned in the small and large divisions.