ZG NH (North) Fall Finale Standouts: Part 1

On Saturday, November 2nd, I attended the Zero Gravity Fall Finale (North) in Hampton, New Hampshire. I saw most of the varsity teams play at least one game; however, as always, it's difficult to get a great read on every player in an entire division over the course of one day.   That being said, here are my part 1 standouts. Parts two and three will be coming tonight and tomorrow, respectively.    Babb was one of the most physically imposing players in the varsity division. The 6-foot-4 forward is strong-bodied and can play above the rim on both ends, which few players in this division were able to do. He also was able to run the break as a ball-handler once he got rebounds – nobody was able to compete with him on the glass. The three-point stroke is still coming along, but he's not afraid to shoot it, which should bode well for his development in that area. He'll need to get more skilled as a passer and shooter to play D3 ball, but I could imagine Babb getting there.     On a relatively well-balanced Gladiators' squad, St Philippe is probably the player with the most potential to play ball at the college level. The 6-foot-3 forward has some solid physical tools (long arms) and athleticism (jumping ability), each of which allow him to be a menace on the offensive and defensive glass. He had a couple offensive possessions where he secured 3+ boards by simply outworking his matchup. He's not a shooter yet, but Bernat has a workable stroke that I predict will continue to improve with time.     Rafferty was the engine behind his team's offense all day. The sophomore guard handled full-court pressure and trapping with solid patience and decisiveness and also showed the ability to finish at the rim once he got into the half court. Most notable was his passing vision and unselfishness – he was consistently looking to make the extra pass and kept his eyes up at all times. Rafferty will need to improve his ball-handling and strength, but those changes could land him a D3 spot when the time comes.     Plalum is a cerebral and confident point forward who plays the game with a great head on his shoulders. He was the best passer I saw at the tournament and understands how to play at his own speed and to his skillset. He can shoot it a bit from three, also, although somewhat inconsistently. Defensively, he uses his size and length and plays hard as a rim protector but is also willing to take a charge when the time is right. He'll need to get a bit quicker to have a chance at D3 hoops, but that can definitely happen.     Domenici is a strong-bodied point guard who made multiple nice moves to the hoop that he completed with crafty, below-the-rim finishes with both hands. His shot, although a bit odd-looking, is accurate and quick enough to get by, but I could imagine him improving it with time. He also showcased some heady passing ability, often throwing no-look passes to find open teammates in the lane. As is the case with many guards, size and athleticism will probably be Domenici's limiting factor that he'll have to overcome to play D3 hoops.

On Saturday, November 2nd, I attended the Zero Gravity Fall Finale (North) in Hampton, New Hampshire. I saw most of the varsity teams play at least one game; however, as always, it's difficult to get a great read on every player in an entire division over the course of one day.