Andrew James Lawson Foundation Invitational: 6 MIAA Standouts

On Sunday, January 18th, the Andrew James Lawson Foundation held its annual basketball invitational at the TD Garden. Five boys games were played, two of which were MIAA matchups.   The first was Falmouth High School vs. Westford Academy. Despite Falmouth being down five at half, they made a strong second half pushed and pulled off a 47-42 win.   The second MIAA matchup was the invitational's last game, Beverly High School vs. Lowell High School. Beverly completely dominated the game, eventually winning 73-45.   Below are six standouts from these two MIAA games.    Stoermer was pretty convincingly the best player on the court during Falmouth's TD Garden win against Westford Academy. Despite a slow start in the first half, the 6-foot-6 forward asserted his dominance in the second half, most notably on the offensive boards. He clearly decided that nobody on WA's front line could box him out (he was right), and he got to the front of the rim consistently for rebounds and put backs. He also hit some outside shots and was super solid from the free throw line late in the game, not to mention an incredibly clutch and-one that he had to seal the game. Stoermer's a tough kid who still has a lot of room for growth—we'll see what the Stevens coaches can get out of him next season.     Peterkin is a steadying force for Falmouth who provides an offensive punch and defensive consistency. The 6-foot sophomore made a couple really important three-pointers, but he also showcased some solid passing instincts in the lane, especially on one wraparound pass on the baseline. He defends with intensity and physicality, and he doesn't have any glaring offensive weaknesses. Peterkin still has lots of room to improve his handle and fundamentals, but he's an athlete who should have a really nice high school career.     Bramanti surprised me with his burst and toughness. The 6-foot wing is very long and skinny, so I didn't necessarily expect him to throw himself into bigs for contact finishes—but the sophomore has no regard for his body and consistently darts into the paint quickly and fearlessly. He also can hit outside shots and had a nice up fake and pull-up in the second half. Finally, Bramanti hit some clutch free throws and showed up for his team as an energy and hustle guy for the entire game. Tough kid.     Walter was virtually the only Lowell High School player who could get anything going offensively against Beverly. The 6-foot-1 guard has really solid quickness and athleticism, which he's able to use on drives to the rim despite being hounded by the defense all game. He's long and skinny, but he's stronger than he looks; he keeps his line well on drives and has the strength to get to his spots in the mid range and rise up. I also liked a lot of the decisions he made at the nail and in the paint as a facilitator, despite the fact that not many shots were falling for Lowell yesterday. Walter should find a college fit somewhere.     Klass was Beverly's leading scorer, but he didn't do it with any three-point shots. The 6-foot-1 guard showcased excellent strength and hang-time on a number of lefty drives to the rim; he does a great job taking contact and still finishing through it, and he was a foul-drawing machine against Lowell's front line yesterday. His increased willingness to cut off the ball and find ways to affect the game without the rock has made him a more lethal offensive player, and a D3 program will be lucky to get him. Klass will slot in at the D3 level but could be an excellent player if he continues to improve his feel.     Landman is a competitor who does a lot for Beverly High School. He's an excellent defender who's always engaged and active with his hands—often on the opposing team's best player—but he also excels offensively as a transition finisher and attacker. When he has a head of steam, he's super difficult to stay in front of. He has solid strength and explosiveness at the rim and takes contact very well, not to mention the fact that he just keeps on attacking for the entire game. Landman should find a college fit when the time comes.

On Sunday, January 18th, the Andrew James Lawson Foundation held its annual basketball invitational at the TD Garden. Five boys games were played, two of which were MIAA matchups.