Governor’s Academy vs. St George’s School Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On Wednesday, January 29th, I attended the Governor's Academy vs. St. George's School basketball game at Governor's Academy in Newbury, Massachusetts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Governor's kept it close for the first half before St George's pulled away in the second half, leading them to an 81-61 win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are some (but not all) of the standouts from the game. Tons of talent here and I could've written about numerous other players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2396729"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-679be87a9c167"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Nkugwa was the best athlete on the floor, and it wasn't particularly close. He's a menace in transition and jumps out of the gym with ease, and he's incredibly tough to stop when driving to his left hand. He can also knock down the open three. Defensively, he plays a high risk, high reward game, often looking for steals and leak outs, but he can also sit down and guard when he needs to. The Vermont commit has a serious chance to turn some heads at the D1 level with his freak athleticism and microwave scoring ability.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2341299"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-679be87a9c1cf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Chess looks like a man amongst boys on the basketball court. He has upper body strength that you rarely see in high schoolers, and he's also a leaper once he gets into some space. His shot looks improved since the last time I saw him, and he continues to develop his off-the-dribble game. He's always under control and never tries to do too much. Defensively, Chess is incredibly sturdy, but also has good lateral quickness, which allows him to guard a variety of offensive players – he's very versatile. The junior holds multiple D1 offers, and I imagine more will be coming in soon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1532412"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-679be87a9c21a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I can't figure out what position Veillette plays (not that positions are even that relevant in modern basketball). At 6'7, he really impressed with his shot blocking ability, defensive instincts and rebounding, and he showed some solid footwork in the low post. But he also likes to step out and shoot the three-ball (he didn't make his shots against Governor's, but his release looks good). He can operate as a hub at the top of the key or a wing shooter, and he's versatile defensively. The Merrimack commit will have a tough time playing as a big man at the next level, but he has enough other skills to make it work. Kid is tough as nails.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1532626"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-679be87a9c260"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ferdinando has a brand new haircut, but his shooting stroke is as lethal as its always been. The guard is able to get shots off with unparalleled quickness and has range out past the three point line. He also seems to have improved his on-ball creation and ball handling from the last time I saw him; he handles the point guard duties with calmness and confidence, and he's able to set up his teammates when he gets into the paint. Defensively, Ferdinando is very smart and has a great understanding of help-side rotations. He'll be a really nice piece for Babson next season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2325762"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-679be87a9c2aa"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Cueto is an intriguing guard with size, length, and solid athletic ability. Most impressive, though, is his shooting stroke; he can shoot it off the catch, but he's also able to create for himself and uses a variety of step-backs and dribble moves to get to his shot. He also uses his length to finish in transition effectively, and the same touch he has on his outside shot exists near the rim. Cueto is committed to North Carolina A&amp;T, and I could imagine him having a great career there, especially if he continues to physically develop, which I bet will happen given his current frame.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2611205"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-679be87a9c2ee"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Benedict is an extremely intriguing long-term prospect. At 6-foot-8 with long arms, the sophomore looks like he has a lot of room to keep growing. However, he already possesses a solid skillset; he can shoot it, and he has the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim. He had an incredibly impressive left handed finish against Gov's that quite frankly wow'd me. Some added weight and strength will help his ability to guard post players and get rebounds, but he has multiple years to improve that. Very bright future ahead for Benedict – keep an eye on his development, D1 coaches.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2325770"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-679be87a9c332"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Wright controls the show for St George's. He has the ball on a string and isn't bothered by high pressure situations or double teams, and he can get to basically wherever he wants on the court with the dribble. His shot is a bit inconsistent, but he has the rest of his offensive game figured out and is a great facilitator for his squad. I was especially impressed with his ability to Nash dribble in the paint and find open teammates for three. His height could limit his recruitment, but Wright will make a college coach very happy next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->