Program Preview: Masters Academy International

Masters Academy International is the newest prep school on the block and should completely shift the way we think about prep basketball in New England.   Last week, I got a chance to watch their open gym at Mill Works in Westford, MA. I've also seen a ton of their players throughout spring and summer AAU. Masters will have two teams in year one, so they had players from both teams competing together at last week's open gym.   Below are 11 players in the program who I expect to have a big impact in year one.    Though Pemberton was out for last week's open gym with some hamstring tightness, he projects to be the engine of MAI's offense. The 6-foot-1 guard has explosive athleticism off the dribble and one of the more polished pull-up games in the entire country, but he is also growing as a playmaker and facilitator, which should be aided by the number of impressive players he'll have around him this season. Pemberton recently committed to Michigan State and has a chance to be one of the best college guards from the New England area in a long time.     There isn't a thing Robertson doesn't do on the floor. The 6-foot-4 guard can shoot from the perimeter (both off the dribble and off the catch), attack the rim and finish effectively with both hands, and find teammates for easy looks from three once the defense collapses on him. Defensively, the senior guard can defend up positionally and also is a ferocious rebounder for his size. Robertson is going to be excellent in Merrimack's zone next season with his length, defensive instincts, and motor, and he should be a key payer for MAI this season.     Bogard is an athletic freak with some tantalizing physical tools. The 6-foot-8 forward has a well-built upper body, very long arms, and big hands. He also elevates quite well at the rim, has really impressive strength, and moves well for his size, too. Arguably most impressive is the junior's outside stroke, which looks smooth and comfortable and which he hit consistently during last week's open gym. Bogard needs to slow down a bit and improve his discernment in terms of when to burrow into the lane, but he has a bright future ahead as a high-major player.     McGrath, one of the most highly touted underclassmen in New England, comes to MAI for his sophomore season and looks to make an impact right away. At his size (6-foot-8), he has really impressive feel, tough, and skill. He's able to knock down shots consistently from the perimeter, but he also seems a bit more explosive on the bounce than I've seen him in the past, which will help with his ability to drive closeouts and finish against upperclassmen. McGrath might have a brief learning curve playing at this level, but he's used to playing up and has a game that should translate quite well to playing with other talented guys.     Adamson had the best player of the day in last week's open gym—on a drive to the rim, he picked up the ball and put it behind his back before elevating for a dunk on the defender's head in the lane. The senior 6-foot-3 guard has also massively improved his outside shot in the past year and offers excellent point-of-attack defense on the perimeter, something that should pair quite nicely with Pemberton's skillset. I would expect Adamson to get a ton of minutes for MAI this season and find a mid-major fit after that.     Gill was one of the most impressive players in the gym last week. The 6-foot-3 guard was one of the better shooters and really impressed me with his ability to get his feet set and make shots from the perimeter no matter how tight the contest was. He also operated quite smoothly out of the pick and roll and made some really nice reads in terms of his passing vision—he also got all the way to the rim and finished acrobatically on a number of occasions. Gill is going to surprise a lot of people this season and should be one of MAI's key guys.     Langdon can really shoot the basketball. The 6-foot-2 guard has one of the prettiest releases you'll find and is as consistent as it gets from three-point range. During last week's open gym, he got up tons of shots and hit them at a high clip. He also knows how to drive closeouts and has really excellent feel when it comes to finding teammates for easy layups and shots. Langdon will have a hard time cracking the rotation of the top team, but he's probably a scholarship player because of how well he shoots the ball.     Dayco-green is RIDICULOUSLY skilled. The 6-foot-5 guard has an extremely smooth and effective first step and gets by defenders before they even know it. He also has all of the footwork and craft that you could ever need when it comes to finishing at or below the rim. He can shoot the ball from three, too. Dayco-green is another scholarship player in MAI's program, and I personally think it's insane that he only has one offer as of right now. More will be coming.     Buckley continues to impress me with his skillset and shooting ability. At last week's open gym, he made tons of shots from three, both off the dribble and off the catch, and also showcased his athleticism at the rim. Buckley does tons of things on the offensive end and can play with or without the ball, so he's a seamless fit with Pemberton and some of the other key guys on this roster. His size, versatility, and shooting ability will translate quite well to this level, and he's a future D1 player.     Nobody has improved more as a shooter over the past couple years as McNamara. When I first saw him, the outside shot was a weak point of his game and something that caused defenders to drop into the paint when defending him. Now, the 6-foot-9 forward is able to hit shots at a far better clip and looks way more confident from there even after a stretch of misses. In addition to his newfound shooting stroke, the senior has excellent length and can get high above the rim for finishes and dunks. Another scholarship prospect.     Bernstein is a stud. The 6-foot-4 guard has a very pretty shot, is more athletic than people realize, and just has a knack for scoring the ball. I wasn't in attendance for this week's open gym, but I heard from a number of coaches that he was the most impressive player there and hit tons of shots, which isn't surprising. He can get into the lane as a result of his handle and closeout-driving ability, too. Bernstein may have a hard time getting major minutes this season, but I'm quite high on him as a long-term prospect.

Masters Academy International is the newest prep school on the block and should completely shift the way we think about prep basketball in New England.