Worcester Academy vs. CATS Academy Standouts

Two of the top teams in the region battled it out on Saturday, February 22nd in Braintree, MA. The floor was littered with division 1 talent and the level of play was quite high. CATS pulled away from Worcester at the end to win a tight one, 66-64.   Below are my standouts from the game.    Saturday was perhaps the best I've seen Harrell play this season. His shot was falling from the start from both the mid-range and three, and he's incredibly difficult to stop when that's the case. I've been increasingly impressed with Harrell's patience and ability to get his shot off in almost any circumstance. Against smaller guards, he can post up and body them, but against larger players he can get to his pull-up game. He put up 35 today and had the CATS in a game they probably wouldn't have been in without his massive scoring punch.     Bellot always brings defensive pressure. He guards for 94 feet and makes life difficult for opposing point guards. Against Worcester, though, it was his second half scoring barrage that stood out. He made a few big threes late in the game and continues to impress me with how much he's worked on his shot in the past year. I saw him this summer and he had a much slower, clunkier release. These days, his shot is quick and to the point, which bodes really well for his ability to be a solid shooter at the next level. If he continues to improve his perimeter shooting, he can pair that with his athleticism and length to be a really high level D1 guard.     Jenkins is pretty unstoppable getting into the paint and had me saying “WOW” multiple times on Saturday. His first step is unbelievably quick, and once he gets even a sliver of space by his defender, he uses his off hand so well to dissuade them from reaching in. In the lane, he has great footwork and a multitude of finishes in his bag. He also continues to improve his shot, and I was really impressed with his composure in getting to his spots in the mid-range against CATS. Defensively, he's an excellent on-ball defender when he's locked in – he gets through screens like they aren't even there.     Hailey's composure, patience and pace are rare for anyone in high school, let alone a junior. He's a phenomenal ball handler with great quickness, but he changes speeds so well that it's difficult to know when he's going to burst by you. Once he gets into the paint, he has a number of crafty finishes and mid-range shots that he uses to make up for his lack of size. He also has great vision and really understands how to play the game the right way. Defensively, CATS was a tough matchup for him as a result of their size and athleticism, but he held his own. The backcourt of him and Jenkins might be the best in New England right now, and they're only juniors. Next year will be scary.     This was my first time seeing Kamin play in person and I continue to be dumbfounded that he doesn't have a slew of D1 offers. He has great size and strength and simply understands how to put the ball in the cylinder (even if sometimes it doesn't look pretty). He can shoot it from the mid-range and three but also takes defenders off the dribble and bodies them in the paint. He fights his behind off for rebounds on both ends, too. The D1 offers should be coming soon – what more do college coaches need to see? It's unfathomable.

Two of the top teams in the region battled it out on Saturday, February 22nd in Braintree, MA. The floor was littered with division 1 talent and the level of play was quite high. CATS pulled away from Worcester at the end to win a tight one, 66-64.