Metro Boston Basketball Club: Welcome

Below is an update on a few alumni from the Metro Boston program:

Jovan Robinson started the season at Lynn University in pursuit of his Master’s Degree.  According to Coach Mo, “I’m very proud of Jovan.  He graduated from Canisius in three years with a Bachelor’s Degree.  He transferred to a DII school to get his Master’s Degree on a scholarship.  Courtney (Young) and Oscar (Lopez) are very proud of this kid.  He is getting a quality education out of basketball.”  Jovan was recently selected Lynn University’s Athlete of the Week

http://www1.lynn.edu/index.php?src=news&refno=7926&category=Athletics-POW

James Cormier is currently the point guard on the Le Moyne University’s (D2) men’s basketball team as a sophomore.  Yes, the Le Moyne team that upsets Syracuse University in November.  Yes, the same Syracuse team that did well in the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament in New York.

Ndubisi Ezeigwe is currently attending Regis College (D3) in Wheaton, Mass.  As a freshman, he has already played and contributed in 4 games earl in the season.  According to Coach Mo, “This kid is a hard working kid and a great person.  I’m very happy for him and his family. They are great people.”

Chris Flores is attending NJIT (D1) in New Jersey.  He has contributed in every game played and started his first game of the season as a freshman.  According to Coach Mo, “He is at a great academic institution.  This kid was from the streets of Dorchester and had some positive people in his corner to make it happen for him:  From his high school coach (Figueroa) to his prep school coach (Vitale).  The guys here of course pushed for Chris as well.  Chris stayed committed to the program and today he is playing at a high level.  I’m very happy for him!”

Stevie Mejia is a sophomore attending University of Rhode Island (D1).  Currently they are the only undefeated team in the Conference.  He plays significant minutes for the team and is currently the sixth man on the roster.  According to Coach Mo, “This is Oscar and Courtney’s creation.  Those guys worked hard with Stevie, especially Oscar.  As I tell the coaches on my staff, the only thing I take credit for are the losses.  I love seeing this kid play.  In my mind, he should be playing more.  He is a great point guard.  He is very unselfish and pushed the ball.  Defensively, he is an animal.  The kid can score from the perimeter but he would rather run and lead the team than shoot the ball.  He still hasn’t unleashed his full potential.  His team runs so much better with him on the floor.”

Breno Giacomini is currently in his second year in the NFL playing for the Green Bay Packers.  Breno, throughout his football career, has been learning various positions.  Breno attended the University of Louisville.  According to Coach Mo, “Here is a kid from Malden playing in the league.  You got to love it.  This kid is a hard working kid.  I have to head out to Wisconsin to see a game, sometime in the near future.  I’m happy for him and his family.

Shabazz Napier is providing a diary on the Northstar Basketball website.

 Check out the link to see the posting.

According to Coach Mo, "Coach Moore called me this morning to inform me that 'Ike committed to his program and they are very excited to have him'.  I'm very happy for Ike.  This past year he committed himself to the classroom and the gym.  Academically, he became focused and followed through on his class work.  Athletically, his game continued to improve. 

The scary part is that kid still has significant room for improvement.  He doesn't know how good he could become.  As he begins to commit to the weights and continue working on his basketball skills, he is going to relaize and show people how good he actually can be.  Coach Moore and company got a steal.

He had schools in the America East, North East Conference, Colonial and MAAC recruiting him.  I'm very proud of him."

Keep up the hard work Ike!

Q&A session with program director, Mo Vasquez from Metro Boston.  This will be a new session that Metro Boston will be conducting on the web with the entire staff.

Let’s talk a little bit about your program.  For the people on the outside looking in, what are three words you would use to describe your program?

Tenacious, Loyalty and Culture.   We are very tenacious because we get after it as a program, a staff and the kids from this program.  In all honesty, the loyalty here, in this program, is big.  We don’t recruit over kids.  We develop talent.  We make every effort and commitment to get it done.  The culture here speaks volume.  The belief, that if you live right, great things will happen.  We work with anyone and everyone.  The key value and concept; to earn it.  It means more.  You learn to appreciate it and it speaks volume.  This is what we teach the kids in the program.  We don’t bad mouth kids to college coaches that are not from this program like other coaches do.  We keep it real. 

You had a great run this summer.  The best run from any AAU team in New England.  Can you reflect back on it?

It was a great run for the kids in the program.  Everyone benefited.  The kids.  The Metro Boston staff.  The parents in attendance and all of the college coaches.  They got to see, as we do every year, the kids get after it and play hard.  The got to see the kids from Boston take it to the top teams in Texas, Florida, New York, etc.  They got to see the kids dig in and leave it all on the floor.  They caught every coach’s attention.  I swear I saw a few of them rooting for us! 

Guys like Allen (Harris), Ike (Azotam), Mario (Monroe), Marcus (Grant) and Shabazz put their name and game on the map.  I tell people all the time, we have a bigger rep in the nation then we do in Massachusetts.  In Mass. It’s all politics.  People are living on history and off the past.  We teach kids how to be better people not just ball players. 

It’s been a transformation that started last year.  Oscar, by hook or by crook, made sure the kid got into Lawrence Academy.  He went up there and laid it all on the line for this kid.  I know other programs promised this kid they would get it done for him, but no one else did.  It also didn’t hurt to have a great kid like Stevie Mejia excel at Lawrence Academy to show proof that Boston kids can get it done in the classroom and on the campus.

After that, he put the time in the gym with Oscar and Stevie Hailey to work on his game.  The kid is a gym rat.  He is always working on his game.  He has matured a lot.  He still has a ways to go but he is headed in the right direction.  As long as he continues to follow the plan we set in place for him, he should be fine.  If he deviates, only God will know how it will end.  The kid is top 40/50 in the country.

  What does that mean for him?  Top 40/50.

That means that every college in the country will start to come after him.  It means that all the premier camps in the summer will be after him.  He flat out earned it!  In my eyes, it means that he is starting to receive the recognition for the hard work he put in the gym.  It’s a great accomplishment for him.  He should be proud, but don’t settle.  He has to continue working at it.  I’m proud that he did this all in the black and platinum uniform.  He did it the old fashion way; he earned it!  I told people for some time he was the best point guard in the Northeast.  Now it’s officially out there.

 What schools are recruiting him?

In no particular order.  Right now he has offers on the table from the following schools: UMass, Providence, Rutgers, St.John’s, Miami, Virginia, Houston, Tulsa,  

The other schools showing serious interest are: Villanova, Memphis, Arizona State, Arizona, Oklahoma State, Xavier.

Also, schools like UConn, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Alabama, etc.

There is quite a bit of them.  The list is long.  UMass, Memphis and Villanova have already visited Lawrence Academy to this point.  Many more are heading up there in the coming days/weeks.

 Honestly, can it get any better for him?

This kid went from Charlestown to Lawrence Academy.  That right there is like hitting the lottery.  This was when he hit it big time.  As far as schools go, the choice will be his, but he will need to pick a school that fit’s his style of play and the coach is his type of coach.  Some of the schools I mentioned earlier might fall off because they sign other guards for the 2010 class code.  Others will surface.  Time will tell.  He has to do his homework on each school.  It will be his choice.  As long as he remains here, every school that has called for him, we will inform him.  We don’t hold back schools.  We ensure he follows up with each one of them.

If you are interested in submitting questions, please feel free to email it to the team’s email account on the ‘Contact us’ section.

Athlon College Basketball Magazine for 2009-10 has Shabazz Napier ranked #44 in the country for the Class of 2011.

It's in the news stands now!

Keep up the hard work, Sha-Bizz-ness!

According to scout.com, Shabazz Napier (Lawrence Academy) is ranked #39th in the Country. 

Click on the title above to direct you to the site.

Metro Boston was recently featured on the New England Hoops News.  Click on the title to direct you to the link. 

According to Coach Mo, "It is good for the kids and the program to get the attention they are receiving.  The volunteer staff in this program make a great commitment to the kids of this program and it shows on the court.  As for the kids, I'm proud how their hard work and effort has generated a great buzz among coaches.  These kids can compete with anyone in New England.  We have proven that throughout the course of the year. 

I don't think we've played an event yet with our entire roster.  I'm hoping the Columbus Day event in Springfield in October will be the first time and last for that group.  People forget that Brian Grossman (Duxbury '10) didn't get the chance to come down to Florida this summer because of an eye injury.  He is a very solid guard that can defend and score.  If we had Brian, I have no doubt we get to the final four.  The other guy we had missing was Milan Drecuc from Wilbraham & Monson '10.  He had a rib injury and went back home for the summer.  With those two guys we have a great chance to finish better than the Sweet 16 round. 

Despite these two guys, we made a great run and gave a good amount of exposure to the underclassmen.  Marcus Grant and Dimitry Coronel are starting to hear from D1 schools.  Rony Fernandez, Roderick Tyler and Carlin Haymon got to experience and play against top level talent and I expect each kid to work hard this fall to continue improving."

2009 Metro Boston Team Picture:

listed from left to right:

front row: Roderick Tyler (Minutemen '11), Rony Fernandez (Lincoln-Sudbury '11), Carlin Haymon (Rivers School '13), Shabazz Napier (Lawrence Academy '11), Andre King (Sabis Int'l '10), Marcus Grant (Lawrence Academy '11)

back row: Troy Robinson (Brimmer & May '10), Allen Harris (Suffield Academy '10), Sarkie Ampim (Lawrence Academy '10), Mario Monroe (NCC/Brockton '10), Ike Azotam (Marianapolis '10), Dimitry Coronel (East Boston '11)

Players not pictured: Brian Grossman #10 (Duxbury HS '10); Milan Drecuc #30 (Wilbraham & Monson '10)

Coaches: Oscar Lopez, Courtney Young, Mo Vasquez

Location: Huntington YMCA (Boston, MA)

Metro Boston has posted a highlight video of the game versus Team Stat (E1T1) on youtube.com.  Click on the title to direct you to the link.

The video is for 7 mins of action on the game played at the AAU Junior Nationals in Orlando, Florida.  The audio is not up, working on correcting the issue.

More videos to come in the coming weeks.

All, The Metro Boston workout for this Saturday, August 29th, 2009 has been cancelled because of the inclement weather that is expected.

Will update site early next week for next date!

Sorry for the inconvenience!

Allen Harris (Suffield Academy) is drawing interest from D1 schools.  He will visit Central Connecticut State unofficially next week.  In September, Mike Jarvis from Florida Atlantic is expected to visit Suffield to sit down and have an in-home visit.  Also planning to come up will be Louisiana-Lafayette.  Another school showing interest is Stony Brook.  I’m working on those details at this time. 

Allen also has a numerous of Division II schools interested in his services.  They include New Haven, St. Michaels, Assumption, Newberry (S.C.), UMass-Lowell and a few others.  A majority of those schools have already offered.

According to Coach Mo, “Allen has gone from unknown to known.  At what level he ends up will be up to him.  My advices to the kids are going to the school where you are going to have the opportunity to play right away because it will make your college experience better.  D1 or D2, it doesn’t matter.  You will end up with a full scholarship and go to school for free.  That can range from $30-50,000.00 per year depending on the school.  That is just like hitting the lottery.  Matt Cahill (Bridgewater-Raynham) from our program ended up at Saint Anselms and had a great collegiate career.”

Coach Mo goes on to add, “The difference for him was becoming a member of this program.  He has committed to the workout regiment and continued to improve the entire year.  My only regret with him was he didn’t come a year sooner.  I tell kids all the time, your opportunity to display your talent is but a short window.  You need to seize the moment and be well prepared to take advantage of it.  Allen has put the time in the gym and it has shown.  Here’s another kid that continued to improve under our regiment.

In high school, because of his size and lack of size in Massachusetts high school, Allen was required to play the post.  In our program, Allen played the wing and it gave him a chance to showcase his wing skills that he has worked on.  This kid has a ton of upside.  He isn’t even close to peaking yet.  He proved to the coaches and recruiters that he can handle the ball, when we played him at point forward to relieve Shabazz (Napier) from his point guard duties.  He displayed his three point range as well throughout the events.  He attacked the basket and finished despite being challenged.  Defensively, he did a hell of a job rebounding the ball and defending the post.

Ike Azotam (Marianapolis ’10) started the summer with a bang.  He finished it with a bang as well! 

According to Coach Mo, "As it currently stands, Ike has officially received 5 offers on the table from schools in the NEC, America East and MAAC conference.  I'm waiting to hear from head coaches from a few other schools, because I want him to start narrowing down the list from 12 to 5.  He officially is allowed to only take 5 visits starting in September.  My advice to Ike is take a few visits and make it offical prior to the November signing period.  No need to wait until April if you have solid offers on the table from good schools.  Especially when it was and is the head coach recruiting you throughout July." 

He started at the Hoop Group Elite Camp and was an all star selection.  He led his team to the championship game and won it all.  Upon his return back, the team headed out to Springfield to play in the Hall of Fame Invitational and he did a great job there.  The next day we played in the Showcase games and once again he competed and performed on the main stage.

According to Coach Mo, “Ike not only played well but dominated.  In the tourney games he pretty much was a force against the Expression team and Rod Odom.  Ike showed the coaches what he is capable of doing on the floor.  He is a force on the boards and finishes everything around the cup.  On the perimeter, he did a great job putting the ball on the floor and beating his man to attack the basket.  Ike is no where near his peak.  He is still just scratching the surface.”

On the second half of July, Ike continued his level of play and was a major reason why Metro Boston had a great run in Florida.  In the AAU Super Showcase & Junior Nationals, Ike averaged 18.5 points per contest and began to display his perimeter touch.

According to Coach Mo, “Ike defensively became a force.  This kid has so much up side it is scary.  Every year the kid has improved.  This up coming year at Marianapolis School I have no reservations that his game will continue to develop.  He’s improved his ball handling skills and continues to work on his perimeter shot.  All this and he is still dominating in the paint.  This is what makes Ike so special on the floor.  He has great potential.  As soon as he gets into the weight room, he will be able to add 10-15 pounds of muscle easily that will make him an even better player.

I tell Ike, you don’t know how good you can actually be.  Continue working on your game and you will reap the benefits.  At this stage, he is playing better than Corey Cofield (William & Mary) did and he still isn’t at the level he should be because he is still developing his game.  This is saying much, because Corey Cofield pretty much was Rookie of the Year for the Colonial conference.  He had a solid career at William & Mary.  Ike can potentially do the same and exceed Corey's collegiate career as long as he stays committed to the program and workout patterns we develop for the kids.  Which ever coach lands this kid, he will be getting a diamond in the rough.”

Ike Azotam was recently rated #29th for the Class of 2010 in New England by the New England Recruiting web site.

According to Coach Oscar, "This is big for Ike, but honestly he should be higher on that list.  He killed a few of those guys ranked ahead of him.  Then again, he pretty much had his way with a ton of guys on the National circuit as well this summer.  Ike has been working on his game here at the Y and it is starting to show on the National level.  Ike can become a beast.  He has all the tools.  He has good size and a solid frame that can add muscle."

Coach Oscar goes on to add, "Ike should be greatful Mo was willing to work with him after the fiasco last fall/winter.  I told the kid all along, you don't know how good you have it here.  At least he was smart enough to admit his mistake and move forward.  He's probably the first and only kid Mo would ever do that with.  Mo's kicked out some high end D1 talent before and I won't doubt it he'd do it again. 

Mo wants the kids to understand the level of commitment and hard work we, here in Metro Boston, provide for these kids.  He wants kids that want to be here.  He also wants the kids to understand that through hard work, good things will happen.  Most of the kids in this program don't come in with a big name, but by the time they are done pretty much every AAU club wants them.  We have something special here developing talent.  The program and regiment works.  It's proven. 

Our schedule is very solid.  We play in front of the coaches and scouts every year.  That doesn't change.  Ask little Carlin, as an 8th grader he's already drawing comments from D1 coaches.  He has a way to go, but in the system and the success we've had developing point guards, he could become something special.  Stevie Mejia (URI) came in here at around the same time as Carlin and look where he is at today.  Everyone told us, Shabazz might not have it.  I told them, we'll see and look at him today, he's got legit offers from Big East, ACC and Atlantic 10 schools.  These offers are from the Head Coach, not assistants.  He also has SEC schools and Big 12 schools calling."

Shabazz Napier is ranked #56 in the country on the ESPN Super 60 report for the Class of 2011.  Check out the link by clicking on the title of this post.

According to Coach Oscar, "Great job, Sha-bizz-ness!  Keep up the hard work.  He's done real well at school this year and this summer, he has shown the coaches and recruiters how good he is on the National circuit.  

It all started at RBK All American Camp.  We went down to Philly and he played real well.  He lead his team to the championship game of the camp.  All this without him displaying his scoring ability.  He does that with us!  He showed the complete package down in Florida with his point guard skills and scoring ability.  He is a solid defender and people often don't give him credit for it.  This kid is special.

 I'm happy for him.  This kid works hard and deserves it!" 

Great job, Shabazz!  Keep up the hard work! 

Metro Boston will be conducting a workout on Saturday, August 22nd, 2009 at the Huntington YMCA located on Huntington Ave.  The workout will be open for 9th grade/15 & under age group for the upcoming school year 2009-2010. 

Also invited will be the 11th grade/Junior Group (Class of 2011) age division for the 2009-2010 academic year..

Bring a positive attitude and your hard work ethic!  Don't forget to bring your sneakers, a pair of shorts and shirt!

Time: 6:45 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.

Site: Huntington YMCA (Huntington Ave.  Boston, MA)

Date: Saturday, August 22, 2009

Shabazz Napier has started the process of 'unofficially' visiting colleges/universities that have expressed serious interest.  He has already visited Providence College (Big East) and UMass (Atlantic 10).  In the coming weeks he will schedule a visit for St. John's, Rutgers and Villanova (Big East).

According to Coach Mo, "The kid already has a few offers on the table.  He has offers from Providence College & St. John's (Big East), UMass (A10), University of Miami (ACC), Tulane and Univ. of Houston (Conf. USA).  A few other guys are expressing serious interest but until we hear it from the head coach nothing becomes official.  We will make every effort to see if he can visit personally some of the other schools further away from the Northeast, but that can be very difficult for him to accomplish.  He will definitely continue to talk to the coaches there and monitor the situation.  The kid is wide open and is in the process of evaluating every school.

My advice to Shabazz will be to make the right choice based on style of play, level of commitment from the head coach and choose the school where you will feel comfortable.  He's already doing his research on schools in regards to players at his position, which is great.  He is also looking into what type of talent the school brings in to play along side him.  He's a smart kid."

Coach Mo goes on to add, "I wouldn't put it past him if he decides early and not wait until after his upcoming year to commit if he feels comfortable with a school and coach.  It has happen in the past with kids in our program.  We've had kids that have committed early to maintain their academic focus and eliminate the recruiting process.  At the end, it will be up to Shabazz to make his decision, whether it is this year or next."

Shabazz has drawn interest from the following schools as well and are expected to visit Lawrence Academy in September.  They are: Big East (Marquette, Seton Hall, Pittsburgh, UConn), Conference USA (Memphis, UTEP), Atlantic 10 (Xavier, Rhode Island), ACC (Virginia, Boston College, NC State), SEC (Alabama, Kentucky, Miss St.), Big 12 (Nebraska, Texas A&M, Oklahoma St., Oklahoma). 

Boston, MA – Metro Boston will begin to conduct work outs in late August.  Metro Boston is planning on having a 9^th grade/15 U team (Class of 2013) and Junior team (Class of 2011) for the upcoming season.

According to Coach Mo, “This past year we had two teams, a Junior (Class 2010) and Sophomore (Class of 2011) team that we ended up combining for the July run because of injuries and fall outs.  This upcoming year we are planning on having two teams again.  We plan on creating a 9^th grade/15U team along with the upcoming Junior team (Class of 2011).   As it stands, in the Junior group we will have 6 openings that we will need to fill.

For next year, we pretty much lose 6-7 kids to graduation: Ike Azotam (Marianapolis ’10), Mario Monroe (NCC ’10), Allen Harris (Suffield Academy ’10), Brian Grossman (Duxbury ’10), Andre King (ISL ’10) and Troy Robinson (Brimmer & May ’10).  We also could potentially end up losing Sarkie Ampim (LA ’10) if the right offer comes his way.  He is young and can potentially prep out if it is required.  He was battling injuries all spring but had a real good showing this summer.  I’m hoping he goes straight to school.

Of the vacant positions, we definitely have opening in the Bigs position.  I call them Bigs, because our players don’t just post up.  We let them pop out and expect them to be able to attack the wings as well.  We go inside-out.  They’re a big part of the offense.  So if you are a 6’6+, don’t hesitate to contact us.  But keep this in mind, you will definitely have to work for it.  We get after it in practice and especially games.  That’s it for my recruiting pitch to post players.”

Coach Mo goes on to add, “The buzz we are receiving today will definitely help the future.  Shabazz (Napier) is currently being recruited by major BCS schools in the Big East, ACC, SEC and Big 12.  Also conferences like the Atlantic 10 and Conference USA that are rich in basketball are after him.  Marcus (Grant) is also drawing serious interest from schools in the Patriot League and Sun Belt Conference.  I don’t doubt the Ivy’s will be up next because academically he is doing real well.

Dimitry (Coronel), Ronny (Fernandez), Roderick (Tyler), and Carlin (Haymon) did a good job down in Florida.  They got to experience the atmosphere, play in some games and compete in an older bracket of play.  Hopefully they developed a measuring stick of where their game should be and put the time in the gym.  They are great kids and I’m going to expect big things from them for the upcoming season.  I don’t doubt other AAU clubs will go after these kids, like some of the teams did a year ago.  Hopefully they got to hear it first hand from Ike and others how good they truly have it here and how fortunate they are to have a staff that not only means what they say, but also delivers.  Nationally, we receive the attention of the college coaches and recruiting services.  Locally, that’s a different story for another day.

In the 9^th grade/15U group, we are pretty much creating a team because of the level of interest we are starting to receive from kids.  We hope to have a team that wants to compete at a high level and learn the game the right way.  Of course it is all dependent on the turnout and level of commitment we receive from the kids.  We plan to compete not only in Massachusetts or New England, but in the Nation.  I’m expecting to incorporate kids that want to work for it and earn it.  We’re not going to cater to anyone.  We are going to get after it and expect the same from any member of this program.”

More to come….stay tuned!

Orlando, FL - Metro Boston's run came to an end in the Sweet 16 of the AAU Junior Nationals.  Metro Boston lost to Jackson (Miss.) Tigers 60-57.  According to Coach Mo, "We had a great run.  If we had Brian Grossman (Duxbury '10) I have no doubt we could've gotten to the Elite 8 if not the Final Four.  Brian didn't make the trip because of his eye injury.  I wish Brian a speedy recovery.  I'll provide more on the AAU Nationals in the coming weeks after I review the tapes.

We played some great basketball in the Junior Nationals.  We beat Team Texas Elite and Team STAT (Each 1 Teach 1) that made some memorable games for the kids and coaches in attendance.  All of the kids stepped up to the challenge and handled themselves well against top talent clubs.  I love those games.  Unfortunately, we had no legs in the Jackson Tiger's game and it showed.  We should've pulled it off.

In the consolation game, I played the reserves against the King James Shooting Stars team to provide them with exposure and exprience in the 17U division.  8th grade PG Carlin Haymon (Rivers School '13) finished with 11 points and 4 assists in 18 mins. of action.  The sophomores battled back from a huge deficit to cut it down within 6-8 points but unfortunately we ran out of time.  Roderick Tyler, Dimitry Coronel, Ronny Fernandez, and Sarkie Ampim did a hell of a job.  A few more minutes and we could have pulled it off.  Shabazz Napier finished with 19 points, 4 assists in 14 mins. of action."

Orlando, FL - Shabazz Napier is drawing National attention.  Click on the link to see ESPN Recruiting Analyst Paul Biancardi's comments.

He recently received a scholarship offer from U Miami in the ACC.  I am pretty sure more will follow.

 Keep up the great work, Shabazz!

Ike Azotam (Marianapolis Prep) continues to play well this summer.  It started at his performance at the Hoop Group Elite camp.  He made the all star team and lead his team to the Championship at the camp.

He has offers from the following schools: Robert Morris, Quinipiac, LIU, Hartford, Sacred Heart.

He is also drawing serious interest from the following schools: Drexel, James Madison, Northeastern, Delaware, Niagara, Siena, George Washington, La Salle, Central Connecticut State, College of Charleston, Fairfield.

Other schools in attendance at various games:  Saint Bonaventure, VCU, Boston University 

Orlando, FL - Shabazz Napier (Lawrence Academy) continues to have an impressive summer.  It started at the Reebok All American Camp when he helped lead his team to the Championship game of the camp.  In the AAU Junior Nationals he continues to play well and lead his team to victories.

He currently has offers from the following schools: UMass (Amherst), Providence College, URI, and Robert Morris.

He has serious interest from the following schools: St. Johns, Villanova, Rutgers, Pitt, Virginia, Boston College, Memphis, Tulane, Houston, Xavier.

Other schools in attendance at various games: Kentucky, Tennessee, Marquette, Northeastern, UConn, Florida, Drexel, UCLA, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, South Carolina. 

Orlando, FL – Metro Boston goes 3-0 in pool play to advance to the AAU Junior Nationals Championship bracket.  Team remains undefeated in the play-offs.

Metro Boston beat Buck County Hawks 61-44

We started this tournament focused and determined to make up for our poor performance in the Super Showcase.  The loss and injury to Shabazz Napier definitely left a sour taste in our mouth.  We regrouped and made a solid push.  Everyone stepped up in this game.  We were focused and handled our business.  From the starters to the reserves, they played hard and played well!

Metro Boston beat Georgia Flight 87-66

We started this game well and had a solid run in the first half.  The Sophomore group (Dimitry Coronel, Carlin Haymon, Ronny Fernandez, Roderick Tyler, Marcus Grant) stepped up in the second quarter.  They held their own.  The not only maintained the lead but they also pushed it up a bit.

Metro Boston beat Team Texas Elite 71-61

We pretty much controlled this game from beginning to end.  Ike Azotam (19 points; 15 rebs), Allen Harris (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Shabazz Napier (22 points, 6 assists) lead the way.  Mario Monroe, Sarkie Ampim, Marcus Grant and Andre King did a hell of a job defensively.  The kids came to play this game. 

Play-offs:

Metro Boston beat Fastbreak NYC 74-67

It was a game that we lead pretty much through the last three quarters.  Ike Azotam did a solid job clinching this game with his offensive rebounds and put backs.  Shabazz Napier made the key free throws down the stretch to maintain the lead and Allen Harris finished in the open floor.  Andre King did a solid job stepping up and burying the three and attacking the basket.     

Up next……Team Stat in the third round!  We are the only remaining undefeated team from Massachusetts.

Orlando, FL – In the Super Showcase, Metro Boston went 2-1 in pool play and lost in the opening round of the playoffs. 

According to Coach Mo, “We started pretty well in pool play Beating the Illinois Titans and Birmingham Storm.  We weren’t playing our best basketball but we definitely dug in and competed.  The kids were shaking the rust off and starting to get into the flow.  Everyone contributed to these wins and made the effort to step up their level of play. 

That third game in the pool definitely took a toll on us versus South Florida Elite.  Not only did it place us third in the pool, but Shabazz (Napier) getting hurt early in that game didn’t help.  That kid is a warrior.  He sucked it up and played through the pain to not let his teammates down.  He was probably at 50 % of himself, and still managed to play lengthy minutes.   

Also, falling to third place of the pool based on points set the kids back.  They felt dejected and it showed in the playoffs.  This continued into the play off game versus the Memphis Stalliones and unfortunately we came up on the short end of the stick.  The only good thing about the play off loss was we got a day to rest before the AAU Junior Nationals.  It gave the kids the needed rest to heal their bodies.”

Springfield, MA – Metro Boston went 2-1 in the Gold Bracket of the 17UPool Play:

Metro Boston beat NYC Jaguars

Ike (Azotam), Mario (Monroe) and Shabazz (Napier) set the tone on this game.  They controlled the paint and Shabazz did a great job running the team, as he has done the entire year.  Brian (Grossman) did a very good job defensively and offensively he distributed the ball well.  He was attacking the cup too.  Marcus (Grant) stepped in and did a hell of a job on the offensive end. 

Metro Boston beat NJ Pleasant

This was a competitive game early on.  We eventually picked it up defensively and quickly opened up the spread.  Everyone played well in this game.  If our shots weren’t dropping, we at least did something else to make up for it.  For example, Allen (Harris) did a real good job attacking the basket when his jump shot didn’t drop.  He also rebounded the ball pretty good in this game.  The younger guys on the team started off slow but picked it up to close out the game.  They need to understand that every second counts.  They can’t take anything for granted.  Hope they are learning as I expect them to. 

Quarter Finals:

Metro Boston lost to Expressions Elite 17 U

The officiating was horrendous.  This game was ugly from start to finish.  They made a living at the line the entire game and defensively we didn’t play as well as we are capable of.  I have to give them credit; they shot the ball real well.  Billy Baron couldn’t miss.  There big guys hit their perimeter shots and it opened it up for them.  We allowed them to do what they wanted to do.  We didn’t dictate the game as we generally do.  We couldn’t get into a flow because every time we tried to make a run, we quickly gave it back on the free throw line or break away baskets.  We turned the ball over quite a bit this game and didn’t finish the easy baskets.  In the first half alone we missed 10 lay-ups we should have easily made.  I’m not even taking into account the lay-ups we missed in the second half. 

At Quinipiac, Metro Boston went 1-1 In the Super 16 Showcase games

Metro Boston beat Expressions Elite 17 U

This game was the rematch from the day before at the Hall of Fame Invitational.  The difference here was clearly the officiating.  It started off bad, but in the second half the referees let the kids play and we made our run to win this game.  Mario and Ike played real well once again.  Those two kids are starting to dominate the paint like they are capable of.  Brian and Shabazz defensively, once again, did a hell of a job at the top of the perimeter.  Despite Shabazz picking up his 4^th foul early in the second half, he finished out the game and got us some key steals to pull out the game.  Marcus and Sarkie (Ampim) played real well coming off of the bench and playing hard defensively.   I hate to blame a game on an official, but when it is 14-2 in a half, the previous game and 12-4 to start this game, it really gets me worked up.  The coaches want to see the kids play and go up and down the court to see how they perform.  They don’t want to see a ticky tack game called and the officials be the rulers of the game.  All I look for is consistency so the kids know what can and can not occur.  Clearly, they called hand checking on one end of the court and on our end, my guard is being pushed out of bounds and not getting the same call.  How can you teach a kid or better yet, let the kid get a feel for the game when the refs are up and down on calls. 

Metro Boston lost to Long Island Lightning 17 U

Neither of the teams shot well in this game.  It was a long wait for us between games and it showed!  We missed a ton of free throws, lay ups and jump shots that we generally hit.  We played flat.  We ended up losing by about 4 points.

Below is a recap according to Coach Mo.

Spring 2009 Recap:

Shabazz Napier 5’11 (Lawrence Academy ‘11) – Shabazz continues to improve on both ends of the court and is as competitive as ever.  Offensively, he can do it all: shoot from the perimeter (30 feet away), create off the dribble, mid-range game and finish going to the cup.  He sees the floor real well and handles the ball as if it was a yo-yo in his hands.  Defensively, he doesn’t get much credit.  The kid can defend the full length of the court and is very quick with his hands.  As he continues to get older, he will get stronger and build up his inner core.  He got his invitation to the Reebok All American Camp the old fashion way, he earned it!  Right now, he is the best point guard in New England.  He continues to prove this night in and night out against the top talent nationally.  He might be the best in the Northeast!

Ike Azotam 6’7 (Marianapolis Prep ‘10) – Ike continues to improve offensively and defensively.  Offensively, he is starting to develop his wing game and improving his ball handling skills.  In the post, he is finishing very strong and aggressively.  Defensively, he is doing a much better job rebounding the ball and helping out on the defensive end.  He still has room to improve his game and he knows it.  The kid works hard and it is showing on the floor.  He would have easily been the difference for us in winning a State title this past spring.

Brian Grossman 6’1 (Duxbury ‘10) – Brian has come a long way.  A year ago we were working on getting back his confidence and shooting touch.  This year, not only is he proving he belongs on the floor with anyone, but he is also making teams pay with his shooting, ball handling and passing game.  At times we’ve put Shabazz at the wing and had Brian run the offense.  He’s become that versatile.  Physically, Brian has gotten stronger.  Brian always had a great work ethic.  Defensively, he is still one of our better man to man defenders.  He is willing to cover anyone.  This kid is going to be a great addition to any team at the collegiate level.

Mario Monroe 6’9 (North Cambridge Catholic ‘10) – Mario continues to improve his overall game.  This kid is very competitive.  He has matured quite a bit and still has a bit to go to get to the level he needs to be at.  I love his competitive nature and wouldn’t trade that for anything.  He is headed in the right direction.  Offensively, he runs the floor well and goes hard.  He has great court vision for a big man and can actually handle the ball a bit and shoot it from the perimeter.  He plays real well with his back to the basket.  Defensively, he can dominate.  His only issue is he can get into foul trouble because he is constantly trying to block everything in the paint because of his teammates failed assignments.  This we need to improve on in order to keep the big man in the floor longer.  This kid is only going to get better when he gets to college and has the daily structured routine and schedule to improve his game.  We can only practice once a week, and he continues to improve.

Allen Harris 6’5 (Suffield Academy’10) – Allen continues to improve every week throughout the spring.  He is hitting the 3 pointer very consistently and his mid-range game continues to improve.  He continues to improve his creation off the dribble and it is showing in games.  We continue to work with him to handle the ball better and at times in the late spring we started to play him at the point forward position because of match ups.  Defensively, Allen rebounds the ball real well and is long.  He has altered a few shots from opponents because of this.  My only regret with Allen is he didn’t play with us a year ago.  In the short time he has been here he has improved immensely and with his work ethic he will continue to get better.  This kid is a diamond in the rough.

Sarkie Ampim 6’6 (Lawrence Academy ‘10) – Sarkie had a setback this spring for us with a knee injury.  Prior to his injury, he was dominating the paint on the defensive end and improved his offensive skills.  He was doing a great job for us in the early spring until his injury.  He was finishing high above the rim and doing a real good job with his back to the basket.  He should have a good summer for us this year.  We are expecting big things for him.  He would have easily been the difference for us in winning a State title this past spring.

Marcus Grant 6’4 (Lawrence Academy ‘11) – Marcus has blown up this year.  He goes from no one knows him, to being selected to the Reebok Breakout Camp based on his performance at the Headliner Camp.  He has been a difference maker for us.  Every week he has improved offensively.  Defensively, the kid was very good when he got here and he continues to improve as well.  He is a great rebounder for a guard, has quick hands and can get up to block shots as well.  Offensively, he is attacking the basket real well and is improving his mid-range game every week.  He can stroke it from the 3 point line comfortably and is a very strong kid (also a star football player for his high school). 

Dimitry Coronel 6’4 (East Boston ‘11) – Dimitry has improved leaps and bounds this year.  He is still a raw athlete and will continue to improve his game because he has a real good work ethic.  He can score from the 3 point range, can get to the basket and has improved his mid-range game throughout the course of the year.  Defensively he has gotten better.  He is blocking shots, rebounding the ball well and has improved his man to man defensive skills.  There have been games this year where Dimitry has actually led the team in scoring.  As he continues to improve his ball handling skills, man to man defensive skills and his basketball knowledge, the sky can be the limit for this kid.  He is a 6’4 shooting guard in the making.

 Roni Fernandez 5’11 (Lincoln-Sudbury) – Roni’s greatest asset is he can easily stroke it from 25’feet away of the basket.  This kid has a deadly shot and can see the floor real well.  Defensively, we need to continue improving his footwork and conditioning.  He has been working at it and it’s starting to show because he is earning time up with the Juniors.  He’s a great a kid and is very receptive.  Time will tell on his development, but I don’t doubt he will continue to improve because current indications and work ethic shows that he is willing to work hard to attain the goals. 

Carlin Haymon 5’8.5 (Rivers School ‘13) – This is the 8^th grader that has been backing up Shabazz all year for us and I expect to be the next best point guard to come out of this camp if he stays as committed and loyal as Stevie Mejia and Shabazz have been.  Those are big shoes to fill, but I have no doubt Carlin is capable and up for the challenge.  At times it’s not fair for Carlin, because the other kids are older than him and physically more matured, but he has definitely held his own and continues to improve.  We continue to find him time on the floor to improve his confidence and gain great experience.  He caught a lot of people’s eyes at the Reebok Headliner Camp earlier in the spring.  This is a great learning experience for him.  We have done this in the past with Stevie Mejia and Dwight Brewington.  Both of those guys played up in the Junior division as 8^th graders and they turned out great for us.  As long as he stays committed to the program and regiment, I have no doubt things will work out for him.

Roderick Tyler 6’1 (Minutemen Tech ‘11) – Similar to Marcus, he is a kid that is starting to get the attention of recruiting services because of his play.  He has gone from unknown to known in the matter of months.  He is a very good athlete and can finish around the basket easily.  He is a strong kid and rebounds the ball real well.  We are working on improving his ball handling skills to improve his entire game.  I like this kid a lot.  Reminds me of all the kids that have gone through the program, that came here and made a name for them self as long as they are willing to work hard and put the time in the gym.

Milan Drecuc 6’5 (Wilbraham & Monson Academy ‘10) – Milan played real well for us during his time here.  He fought through a tough cold and sinus infection.  Every week he was here he gained confidence of competing at this level and was improving.  Unfortunately for us, he has to go back home for the summer.  He will be sorely missed this summer.  He was a great spark plug for us off the bench.  He was capable of playing on the perimeter and in the interior.  Defensive his man to man skills were pretty good and did a great job on team help defense.  He rebounded the ball real well and was very hard going.  His perimeter game would have definitely helped us this summer because it allowed us to open up the paint for guys like Ike and Mario.

Team Addition(s):

Troy Robinson 6’7 (Brimmer & May ‘10) – Troy joined the team in June.  Time will tell how he fits in to the team.  I have no doubt he will give us the effort we need to succeed and things will work out for Troy.  He is very athletic and does a pretty good job defensively.  Offensively, he can actually face the basket from what I’ve seen and can finish around the rim.  He seems very versatile.  Time will tell.

Andre King 6’1 (Sabis Int'l '10) – Andre joined the team in July.  Time will tell how he fits in to the team.  I have no doubt he will give us the effort we need to succeed and things will work out for Andre.  He is a very strong kid, he can shoot it and does a pretty good job defensively.  He is very receptive and picks up things quickly.  As in Troy, time will tell but I have no reservation on either of the guys getting it done.

Dorchester, MA – Below is an update on the Metro Boston schedule for the upcoming summer season.

Summer Update:

Camps:

Here is a list of the Metro Boston members that are attending camp this summer:

Marcus Grant (Lawrence Academy) – Reebok Breakout Camp/Top 75

Allen Harris (Suffield Academy) – Hoop Mountain/Top 75

Troy Robinson (Brimmer & May) – Hoop Mountain All Academic Camp

Mario Monroe (North Cambridge Catholic) – Hoop Group Elite/Top 75

Ike Azotam (Marianapolis Prep) – Hoop Group Elite/Top 75

Shabazz Napier (Lawrence Academy) – Reebok All American

Tournament Schedule:

Hall of Fame Invitational (Springfield, MA) – July 11-12

Super 16 (Quinipiac, CT) – July 13

Super Showcase (Orlando, FL) – July 23-27

AAU Junior Nationals – D1 (Orlando, FL) – July 26 – Aug 1

According to Coach Mo, “We work hard on getting our team in front of the coaches at all levels.  I’m proud of the fact that we did it once again, despite the economy.  I reached out to 40 friends, and just about all of them have come through for the kids in this program.  I'm very greatful for the support we received from our community and the people from this state. 

It would be easy for us to use the economy as an excuse for not attending the premier events this year.  It’s the best excuse in the book these days.  If you are not at the NCAA sanctioned events, then it will be very difficult to get evaluated this year.  Especially since they cancelled the Spring ‘live’ period (April).

All and all, we stayed very busy this spring and we will continue our efforts throughout the summer and remainder of the year.”

Springfield, MA – Metro Boston went 4-1 in the Hall Of Fame Invitational this past weekend (May 16-18).  The team made a good run and unfortunately came up a bit short in the end.

According to Coach Oscar, “We played real well, unfortunately we ran out of gas at the end.  It was tough once again not having everyone there (Sarkie Ampim – injury; Brian Grossman – personal commitments).  Once again we played up some of the younger guys and they did pretty well.  We have to continue developing them and get them time on the floor to develop.  This coming week at the GymRat Challenge in Albany, NY will be big for them and us.  They will play in the Sophomore & Junior divisions.”

Coach Oscar goes on to add, “On Saturday, we came out a bit flat and got it together.  The younger guys did a good job to get us started.  They pushed the older kids to get after it with their intensity.  Once the older guys saw that, they started to play the level of basketball that we are capable of playing.  On Sunday, we played a few tough games against all the Connecticut teams we faced.  The Conn. Select game was a tough one for us.  We missed a ton of free throws and lay-ups and it allowed Conn Select to not only stay in the game but actually lead it with 3 minutes and change left in the game.  We were down by at least 6 points and Allan (Harris), Mario (Monroe) Milan (Drecun) and Ike (Azotam) did a hell of a job on the boards.  Marcus (Grant), Dimitry (Coronel), Shabazz (Napier) did a solid job on the perimeter as well as assisting with the rebounding.  They stepped up defensively and together we all got it done.

Shabazz hit two free throws with 5 seconds to go in regulation to tie the game and let us go to overtime.  Once in overtime, we pretty much controlled the tempo and become much more effective in our offense to seal the win.  Shabazz had a stellar game; boy can that kid go!  He ended up with 47, 10 dimes and 8 rebounds.  Not to mention, he played the last 12 minutes of that game with 4 fouls.  Ike and Mario were big in the paint.  Offensively Ike ended up with at least 14 points, 16 rebounds and 7 blocks (Ike makes all of his lay-ups, he easily ends up with 30 points).  Mario defensively had a double-double (10 blocks and 15 rebounds – 4 points shy of a triple double!).  Allen did a hell of a job running point and attacking the basket.  He easily ended up with at least 8 assists in that game; hitting Shabazz, Ike and Marcus (Grant).

Unfortunately, this game took a toll on us.  We ran out of gas against CBC (that was our third game of the day (9:15 a.m./12:00 p.m./2:15 p.m.) and only their second).  We actually led pretty much the entire game but with 6-7 minutes left in the game, fatigue set in and we started to make a few mistakes we wouldn’t have other wise.  We ended up losing the game by 6 points.  Not having Sarkie & Brian was tough this weekend.  All in all, it was another successful weekend as we continue preparing for the July run”.

Results:

Metro Boston beat Rhode Island Hawks

Metro Boston beat Drive for Stardom (CT)

Play-offs:

Metro Boston beat Conn Basketball Academy

Metro Boston beat Conn. Select – in OT

Semi-finals

Metro Boston lost to CBC by 6 points

Kingston, MA – Metro Boston had a great run this past weekend with only 8 guys.  Unfortunately, they ended up losing in the championship game of the 17U/Juniors Mass. AAU State Tournament held in Kingston, MA to BABC as the lack of depth this weekend had an impact.  Metro Boston finished 5-1 for the weekend and advances to the AAU Junior Nationals in Florida in late July.

According to Coach Mo, “We had a great run this weekend (5/9-10) with only eight (8) guys.  Five (5) of the players are new to the program and 4 of them are only sophomores.  Every week we continue to improve and the kids are starting to realize it.  We are not yet at the point we need to be and that is a good sign.  The kids know it and they are eager to work at it in order to get to that level.  We don’t want to peek early, especially with the run we have scheduled this summer (4 ‘live’ period events and camp).”

Coach Mo goes on to add, “People need to remember this, we were missing three of our post players and that impacted us in the championship game.  One (1) guy was home because of an injury (Sarkie Ampim), another kid couldn’t get out of prep school for the weekend (Milan Drecun), and the other guy has to finalize his paperwork (Ike Azatom).  If Ike played, I’m very confident the outcome would have been different.  We hung in and played hard despite the foul trouble.  I had 3 guys foul out and losing Mario (Monroe) early was the difference.  That left us with no post players.  He has to learn to not get into foul trouble.  He’s an emotional kid and plays hard, that is what I love of the kid.  He doesn’t back down from anyone.

As for Shabazz Napier, once again he has proven to be the best player in New England – Barr none, if not the Northeast.  He continues to improve and work hard on his game.  Brian (Grossman) has improved so much and I expect big things from this back court in the coming months.  He works just as hard as Shabazz as well as the other kids in this program and it is starting to show on the floor.  The other two guys are young: Ronny (Fernandez) and Carlin (Haymon) and they will need time to develop.  The experience they gain by playing at this level will definitely pay off for them.  They are learning a lot from the older guards and the alumni when they get a chance to come back to the gym. They need to continue gaining their confidence and continue to get stronger and better.  

As for the wings, Allen (Harris) is starting to come into his own and starting to understand the game and our system.  He has room for improvement and he knows it.  He has gotten better defensively but needs to take it up a notch and I expect him to do it.  He is definitely capable.  The two sophomores, Marcus (Grant) and Dimitry (Coronel) continue to improve and gain the confidence they need in order to succeed.  Marcus continues to advance his game.  Dimitry is also starting to get over his injuries and stepping up his game.  The younger guy, Roderick (Tyler) will improve and become key contributor to the team.  I can tell with the way he plays the game and handles himself.  He needs to get stronger and accustomed to this level of basketball.   We will work on that.”

Pool Play:

Metro Boston beat Warriors Blue

Metro Boston beat Fidelity House

Play-offs:

Metro Boston beat MYCW

Metro Boston beat SECC

Semi-finals:

Metro Boston beat MAD

Championship Game

Metro Boston lost to BABC

Dorchester, MA - Metro Boston is in the process of finalizing the Spring and Summer Schedule for 2009.

 As it currently stands the schedule will be as follows*:

April 17-19 Hall of Fame (CT)

April 24-26 Jam Fest (RI)

May 1-3 States - 16's*

May 8-10 States - 17's

May 15-17 Hall of Fame (MA)

May 22-24 Gymrat Challenge (NY)

May 30-31 Reebok Headliner Camp

More to come.....

(*) tenative as is stands today.

Boston, MA - Shabazz Napier (Lawrence Academy) was chosen as the MOP (Most Outstanding Player) according to the MaxxPreps recruiting services during his participation of the National Prep Invitational held on the University of Rhode Island campus in Kingston, RI.

According to Coach Oscar Lopez, "Shabazz played well.  He distributed the ball, hit the open shots and stepped up for his team.  Unfortunately, on Sunday the lack of depth on his team caused them to lose the game.

What's great about Shabazz is he hates to lose and continues to work on his game.  He reminds me of the great point guards we've had in the organization in the past.  He has quite a list of schools showing serious interest in him and we expect big things from him this upcoming season for us."

According to the NPI site, Shabazz was selected to the "All Invitational Team".  He was 1 of 11 players selected from a numerous amount of student-athletes. 

Keep up the great work, Shabazz!  

We will be updating the try-out information in the coming week.