Summer Archetype Series: Sharpshooters

There are several different archetypes in basketball—glue guys, defensive anchors, defensive stoppers, table setters, etc—and for the rest of July, I'll be highlighting some of the players in New England who fit into those molds quite well.   To start, let's look at some sharpshooters. These are guys that can fill it up from three point range and who are able to shoot on the move, off the dribble, and in a variety of different circumstances.    Frye is only a rising freshman, but he's DIFFERENT when it comes to his ability to keep a level head. During the NEPSAC showcases—his introduction into extremely high level basketball—he was one of Rivers' premier shooters from three and didn't change his emotion depending on whether he was hitting shots or not. Even during some tough shooting stretches, he took the same shots and was confident against guys three or four years older than him. The 6-foot-2 guard has a quick, beautiful stroke, and he can make shots on the move or off the dribble. It's too early to project Frye's college outlook, but the 2030 guard should be able to get minutes on this year's Rivers team and has an extremely bright future ahead.     Pierce has a rare combination of size, strength, and shooting ability. The 6-foot-7 wing is defensively versatile because of his size and length, and he fits seamlessly into any lineup offensively because of his ability to stretch the floor and force opposing wings and forwards outside of the paint. He's a premier spot-up shooter who has a good base and smooth release, and he's continuing to get better as a movement shooter coming off of screens and sprinting in transition. Pierce's physical profile and skill level is exactly what you look for in a D1 wing, and he should get major looks this season given the level he and his St. Thomas More teammates will be playing at.     Talk about movement shooting. For a 6-foot-6 wing, Chartier gets into his shot off of movement as effectively as any player his size in New England. Though he's slight, he's able to run defenders off of screens and has beautiful footwork when it comes to stepping into his threes. He gets elevation if he needs to, and he has a quick and high wrist flick that allows him to shoot over opposing bigs. When needed, Chartier can also create his own three with the dribble and shoot over smaller guards and wings. He holds offers from UNH, Air Force, and Navy, but more could be coming for the rising Phillips Exeter senior.     I could watch Ivy shoot all day. The 6-foot-3 combo guard can handle the ball and run some pick and roll if needed, but I'm most intrigued by him as a movement shooter. He has good cutting instincts and understands angles and timing, so he's able to get space from his defender off the ball and figure out how to get the rock. Once he does, he showcases an extremely pretty shot release—it's literally textbook. And he can make them off the dribble, too. Ivy will play for Phillips Andover this season and might be part of the best shooting backcourt in New England with [player_tooltip player_id='2470961' first='Hunter' last='Peabody'] (who could've absolutely been written about but I literally just discussed him in another article). He already holds a few D1 offers and will continue to get interest from all levels.     Noel is a special shooter for his size. The 6-foot-7 forward has continued to get stronger and more athletic during the past year, but it's his shooting ability from three that has persisted and allowed him to be effective at a super high level. He has a SUPER quick release—he's able to catch high and keep the ball high before shooting—but he does so while making a high percentage of shots. He has good range, and his size usually means bigs aren't able to get a hand up or close out to him quickly enough to stop an attempt. Noel will play an important role for Milton this season and will be able to get up TONS of threes with all of the creators he's playing with.     I hadn't seen Soillis play before the first NEPSAC Showcase, but he was special as a shooter that entire weekend. The 6-foot-3 guard has a wonderful shot from three and simply makes a very high percentage of his threes. Even if he's heavily contested and on the move, he's consistent. Additionally, if his defender plays him too closely, he's effective as a closeout driver and passer, so he can fit in any offense as a secondary or tertiary player because he just makes simple plays. Soillis will be a really solid player for Vermont Academy this season and I'll be curious to see where he ends up in college.     Crosby has a knack for squaring himself to the rim and getting shots up no matter where the defense is or how heavily they're contesting him. He's 6-foot-5, but he's strong bodied and has a quick shot release, so he gets tons of shots up as a result of playing with really solid players on St. George's—and he makes them at a high clip. Defensively, he can also guard multiple positions because of his strong body and conditioning level. I don't know what level Crosby will end up at, but he'll be a pivotal spacer and shooter for St. George's this season despite the fact that he might not put up crazy numbers.     Vick has some of the craziest range in New England. As soon as he steps over half court, it seems like he's ready and confident to launch—I'll never forget the performance he put on in the first half of last year's TD Garden game against Newman. He can take shots off the dribble and off the catch, and it's his elevation on his shot that makes him unique. He can also get into the paint and finish from there or pass the ball, but there aren't many better high-point shooters than Vick in New England. He already has D1 offers and should get more if he has a big time season for Cushing.

There are several different archetypes in basketball—glue guys, defensive anchors, defensive stoppers, table setters, etc—and for the rest of July, I'll be highlighting some of the players in New England who fit into those molds quite well.