Metro Boston Basketball Club: 2004 and 05 in Review
AAU Junior State - opening round!
Chelsea, MA - The Metro Boston Junior basketball team went 2-0 in the pool games played in the opening round of the AAU States. Metro Boston came from behind to beat CMAC South.
In the second game, Metro Boston beat the NE Hurricanes.
Metro Boston/Lena Park will be in the play-off this upcoming weekend. Dates, opponents and time are to be determined.
More to come...
Tuesday, April 20
AAU Freshmen States Schedule!
Westboro, MA - Below is the information in regards to the 15 & Under/Freshmen division AAU state tournament. The schedule is as follows:
Saturday April 24th:
2:40 p.m. Registration
3:40 p.m. Metro Boston vs Junior Celtics (Court #1)
7:40 p.m. Metro Boston vs Springfield Trailblazer Blue (Court #1)
Sunday April 25th:
11:40 a.m. Metro Boston vs Mass AAU (Court #2)
Good luck team!
AAU Juniors State Tournament Schedule!
Chelsea, MA - The play-off schedule was as follows for the AAU Junior states tournament:
Saturday, April 24, 2004:
Metro Boston beat the Boston Gators
Quater-finals:
Metro Boston lost to MYCW in OT
Sunday, April 25, 2004:
Metro Boston beat Springfield Trailblazers
Metro Boston lost to MYCW
According to Coach Mo, "This was a tough event to participate in. A lot of things went wrong. I don't even want to elaborate on them.
In regards to our team, the kids played hard and competed. We are a young team. We had only 4 juniors competing because one guy broke his hand. We had 5 sophomores and two freshmen. The difficult part is the guys are not yet comfortable with the offense and we have yet to work on our defense. We averaged about 60 points and showed good signs offensively. Defensively, we have to put some work in the gym.
These guys worked hard and left it all on the floor. I love what I am seeing from my point guard (6'3 Dave Jaehnig (BC High - JR)) and power forward (6'5 Napolean Lherisson (Thayer Academy - SOPH)). I like what I see from Chris (Brookens - Lexington Christian Academy), Jovan (Robinson - Catholic Memorial), Jovanie (Houston - Madison Park), Aaron Jones, Josh Lundrigan, Remy Cofield, Sted Broudreau, David Bennett and what I saw from Matt Bullard on Saturday."
Friday, March 5
Cofield named CAA Rookie of the Year!
Corey Cofield was named the CAA Conference Rookie of the Year. He's averaging 15.2 pts, 7.5 rebs and 56% FG percentage per game over the course of the conference games. Overall, he averaged 13.0 pts, 6.6 rebs and 56% FG percentage per game over the course of season.
Corey ended up starting 20 of his 27 collegiate games this year as a freshman for the William & Mary Tribe.
Keep up the good work in the Conference tournament!
Friday, January 23
Blue highly contributing at St. Lawrence!
Matt Blue has been playing real well at St. Lawrence (NY). He's averaging about 12 points per contest and playing about 28 minutes per game. He has recently cracked the starting line-up and has been a force to be reckoned with on his squad.
Keep up the good work Matt!
Friday, January 23
Alumni Updates - College Ball!
Matt Cahill (Saint Anselm) is averaging 16.6 pointer per contest. He's playing about 32 minutes per contest and has started all his games this year. He's having another good year at St. Anselms and is counted on heavily for his team.
Ryan Maloney (St.Michaels) is averaging 18 minutes and 4.5 points per contest. He's cracking the starting line-up twice this season. Has been a workhorse from the onset despite having an injury early on.
Dwight Brewington (Providence College) is averaging 18.9 mins per game and has started the past three games for PC. He is averaging 5.0 pts and 2.5 rebs per game. He was playing sparingly early on but has recently ben playing over 20 minutes per contest.
Keep up the good work gentlemen!
Thursday, April 15
Metro Boston falls in Charlie Weber Easter Hoopfest!
Washington, D.C. - Metro Boston lost in the semi-finals of the Charlie Weber Easter Hoopfest Open division tournament. Metro Boston lost by a final score of 60-56 to a team from Maryland.
According to Coach Mo, "We had a shot at winning this game but unfortunately the ball didn't bounce our way. We missed a few free-throws and lay-ups in the final minutes. It's tough playing 2 games within a few hours after a late game the night before."
Mo goes on to add, "We played some great games and a few games bad. We beat some very good opponents by digging in and playing defense. We rebounded the ball well. We passed the ball well. The kids are starting to grasp what we are trying to accomplish."
Metro Boston beat, in pool play, Take it to the Rack and Richmond Metro 2. In the play-offs, they beat the New York (Long Island) Panthers, and Connecticut Select before falling to the Maryland team by 4 in the semi-finals.
Mo goes on to add, "This weekend was great. There were plenty of coaches from all levels at this event. The kids got to play in front of a lot of college scouts (Division I, II, and III) and are beginning to draw interest from various schools. That's what attending this event is all about. Unfortunately for us we can't come back the following weekend because of our AAU State tournament.
We have a young team and they held their own. I give them a lot of credit because they worked hard. I hope the kids realize that despite our success this past weekend, we need to put additional hours in the gym to get our game better. I like what I saw from all our players."
Bilal Abdullah headed to Lafayette!
Bilal Abdullah (Tabor Academy) has signed a letter of intent to attend Lafayette. Bilal joined Metro Boston in the summer of 2003 after playing for the EBO Saints.
"I'm happy for Bilal. He played real well for us last summer and this spring. Lafayette got a workhorse. This kid is capable of playing at least 3 positions. He played in the post for us last summer but got to play in the perimeter with us because of our offense", according to Coach Mo.
Mo goes on to add, "Last weekend he started to draw more interest. A few coaches started to ask about him but I told them that the kid was all set. He made a commitment to Lafayette and he loved his situation. This kid has great character. Something a lot of kids are lacking these days. He signed his letter of intent a few days ago."
Monday, May 17
Five Star Hoop Classic Recap
Sprinfield, MA - The Five-Star Hoop Classic was held this year in Springfield, Mass.
Metro Boston/Lena Park's game results were as follows:
Metro Boston 60 Albany City Rocks 70
Coach Mo's recap: "We came out to play in the first half. Unfortunately, my point guard was at the prom and didn't attend this game on Friday night. We were up 10 points at half time and within the first 4 minutes of the second half the refs simply took us out of the game. It was 7-0 on team fouls against us. They were shooting double bonus with 10 minutes to go in the game. We didn't even get a chance to shoot 1 and 1 bonus at all.
My guys worked hard. Unfortunately we ran out of gas. We did do a few things that we shouldn't have done like turn the ball over on a few 2 on 1 ones. This cost us."
Saturday:
Metro Boston 64 Bayside Titans 58 (OT)
Coach Mo's recap: "This game was ugly for us. Two freshmen and a sophomore bailed us out on this one. We were down 10 points with 4 minutes to go in the game and we finally made our run. We started to defend better and shot the ball pretty good. We tied the game up on Travis' score but he missed a free-throw to seal the win in regulation. In the OT session, Antonio took over and put the game away for us.
All the guys on the team need to understand the importance of playing hard for 32 minutes. Not trying to turn the switch on and off as they please."
Metro Boston 56 New England Playaz 33
Coach Mo's recap: "We came to play defense. Our signature trait on any team we've had. The kids played hard and pretty well. We held them to 16 points in the first half and they got 10 points from the charity stripe during the course of the game. Travis, Antonio, Jaehnig, Chris, Napoleon and Remy played real big for us. As well as the rest of the guys Aaron, Josh, Sted, Jovonie, Matt, Bennett, etc. Everyone contributed.
After the game someone on the sideline asked Courtney (Metro Boston assistant coach) that this win must have felt real good to us. He simply stated no because we were beating up on our own kids. The kids that defected were kids that were members of our program and should have stayed home. I simply added that sometimes the grass isn't greener on the other side as some might think. We wished them the best after the game and hope they succeed.
It was great to see some of the guys from our previous teams attend the event to support our team. I can't wait to get those guys back in the gym in the upcoming weeks as they end their school year. They are just as anxious as I am to attend our practices to get our young team better and help out. That's the type of love we generate with the guys that have always been loyal and hard workers. The upcoming weeks are going to be great in the development of our new guys."
Metro Boston didn't get to advance to the play-offs because of the tournament format that Five-Star set-up. They took 4 wildcards and each pool winner based on point spreads. We finished just outside of the play-offs by a few points (about 4). They took 12 teams and we finished 13th or 14th. Coach Mo goes on to add, "I only wished we played Albany City Rocks on Saturday instead of Friday night because of our point guard not being able to attend."
Coach Mo Vasquez previously stated:
According to Coach Mo, "This is a pretty good event to attend. The competition is pretty good. We're in a similar situation as we were last year when they put us in a tough pool. Last year we did real well at this event. We beat a few pretty good clubs like Riverside Church and the NY Bronco's. We lost to Cecil Kirk by a point and lost to BABC in the Quarter-finals."
Mo goes on to add, "I think this year's group will be fine. We have a pretty good group. We're kind of young, but that's o.k. because the few upper-classmen we have will help bring the sophomores and freshmen along fine. The young guys have been getting battle-tested over the course of the past few weeks in D.C. and in the State Tournament. They are playing pretty well. They are actually drawing some serious interest from various schools at the collegiate level."
Metro Boston/Lena Park Roster:
Sr. Antonio Anderson, Yannick Kosango
Jr. Dave Jaehnig, Travis George, Aaron Jones, Chris Brookens, Jovonie Houston,
So. Napolean Lherrison, Jovan Robinson, Josh Lundrigan, Dave Bennett
Fr. Remy Cofield, Matt Tomaszewski, Sted Broudreau, Stevie Mejia
Friday, May 21
Five Star - Player Evaluation
Boston, MA - Below is the head coach's assessment on the players that played in the Five-Star tournament held in Springfield, MA.
Antonio Anderson (6'5 Sr. MCI) Quick first step. Finishes high above the rim. Rebounds real well for a guard. One of our best defenders on the perimeter. Has great court vision. Hit's the 16 footer consistently. According to Mo, "Best player in the state. Bar none. He plays the back up point guard for us. Currently starting at the shooting guard. He also backs up at the small forward spot as well. One thing he needs to continue working on is his perimeter shot. He's currently knocking it down but needs to get it going consistently."
Dave Bennett - (6'8 So. Lynn Tech) A big kid in the paint. Rebounds pretty well for his size. Offensively he can hit the 16 footer and play with his back to the basket. According to Mo, "Dave needs to work on his conditioning. He knows what he needs to do on the basketball court and has a great feel for the game. The only problem is his conditioning. If this kid works hard over the course of the next 6 months, he could become a very good basketball player not only for us but his high school team as well."
Sted Broudreau - (6'1 Fr. Lynn Tech) Has three point range. Handles the ball well. Great in between game and can finish going to the rack. According to Mo, "Oscar said it best - possibly the next Monty Mack for us. He reminds us so much of Monty - it's unbelievable. Sted can score. He's starting to pick up on the defensive end. Time will tell with this kid. The difference between Sted and Monty, in development, will be that Sted will most likely become a point guard with us. I can't wait to see Monty at our practice in the coming weeks to assist in the development of this kid."
Chris Brookens - (6'3 Jr. Lexington Christian Academy) Quick first step with 3 point range. Hit two quick 3 pointers to bust the New England Playaz zone and proceeded to put in work defensively and offensively. According to Mo, "Chris is one of those players that if he pushes himself harder, the kid can actually be much better than he already is. He can shoot from the perimeter. He can finish going to the basket. He needs to get a little stronger. He can actually play the shooting guard and small forward positions for us."
Remy Cofield - (6'3 Fr. Roxbury Latin) Learning to play in the perimeter as a freshmen in the Junior and open division events Metro Boston attends. Has great presense in the post offensively and defensively. A very good off the ball defender. According to Mo, "Remy is much better than his brother was as a freshmen for us. He's much more athletic and versatile. The problem with Remy is that he's always played the post for his previous AAU program. We're teaching him to become a small forward or shooting guard. He has gotten much better defending the perimeter players. He's starting to grasp our offense and looking to shoot the 3 pointer. This kid has the possibility of becoming a very special player."
Travis George - (6'8 Jr. Madison Park) A definite presense in the post. Starting to play much better with his back to the basket and facing the basket. He is a solid shot blocker and rebounder. According to Mo, "Travis has worked hard in the gym. He is starting to gain confidence. His upside is huge. He really hasn't been playing ball for too long. This kid has given it his all everytime he has stepped on the floor for us. He's starting to draw national attention."
Jovonie Houston - (6'4 Jr. Madison Park) Can score from inside and outside. Has pretty good range and has been working hard. According to Mo, "Jovonie is one of those kids that gives you more than you expect. Offensively, there is no problem in his game. Defensively, he needs to work harder and grasp a few concepts. He's gotten better every week. He needs to continue working harder if he wants to excel in this game."
Dave Jaehnig - (6'3 Jr. B.C. High) One of the top point guards in the state. Can score from the perimeter. Can go to the rack. Defends real well on the perimeter and rebounds well for a guard. According to Mo, "The best kept secret. Didn't play AAU ball last year because he opted to play baseball. When I was first recruiting this kid at B.C. High I saw some very good things despite him not playing the point guard slot for his high school team. He played mainly the small forward. He can score with both hands. I kid you not. He hasn't backed down from any of the top national players we've played over the course of the past few months. I love having big point guards running our offense. He's always under control."
Aaron Jones - (6'1 Jr. Catholic Memorial) Can shoot from behind the arc. Can actually beat his man to the basket and rebounds pretty well for a guard. A pretty strong kid. According to Mo, "Aaron is one of those kids that can get points quickly. He can hit a 3 pointer, a pull-up jumper and lay-up and before you know it he's ran off 7 points. Defensively, he's work-in-progress. He's shown some great man-to-man defense against Albany City Rocks but sometimes gets beat as he did against Bayside Titans. He's been working hard in the gym and I hope to have him polished off very soon."
Napolean Lherisson - (6'6 So. Thayer Academy) A strong presense in the post. Holds his own in the paint. He's coming-of-age and getting better every week. According to Mo, "He reminds me of Corey Cofield. He's done an excellent job for us and I told Coach Dixon recently that this kid is playing real well for us and getting national attention. He gives you everything he has and doesn't leave it at home. He's begining to face the basket and handling the ball. He rebounds real well on both ends. He scores well with his back to the basket and has real good court vision. If he continues to work hard on his own with the few things we have taught him and with Coach Dixon I could see this kid becoming one of the top players in Mass."
Matt Tomaszewski - (6'4 Fr. Andover HS) Can shoot the ball pretty well from 16 feet in. Has a knack for the ball. Rebounds pretty well. According to Coach Mo, "I remember the first day Matt came to the gym and we worked on a few things to improve his jumpshot. Ever since then I haven't had to second guess his shot. Matt is a hard working kid. I want him along with Remy to develop their games in the same format as guards. We have them both dribbling the ball and playing the wing. Matt's playing up in the Junior's team and starting to hold his own as he gains confidence. He's getting quicker. His high school coach is doing a great job with him."
More to come on:
Yannick Kosongo - (6'3 Sr. Madison Park)
Josh Lundrigan - (5'9 So. Lynn Tech)
Stevie Mejia - (5'8 Fr. South Boston HS)
Did not attend the event for personal reasons:
Matt Bullard - (6'6 So. Tabor Academy)
Jovan Robinson - (6'0 So. B.C. High)
Friday, May 21
Five-Star Player Evaluation
Coach Mo Vasquez gives you a brief re-cap on the players that attended the Five-Star event held in Springfield, MASS. Check under "Latest News" for the infomation.
Friday, June 4
New England's Update
Boston, MA - Below is the results for Metro Boston/Lena Park's Junior team at the New England's:
Metro Boston beat NH Cougars
Metro Boston beat CMAC Hawks
Championship Game:
Metro Boston lost to Dunbar by 4 points.
All games were held at UMass-Boston (Dorchester, MA).
More to come on this event!
Tuesday, June 8
Let's get ready to Rumble!
Metro Boston is scheduled to attend the upcoming event in June:
Rumble in the Bronx (6/11-6/13)
Albany City Rock hosts the event that's been going on for the past 6 years. The event is held in Fordham University.
Schedule is as follows (Fordham University):
Saturday, June 12, 2004 (all games at Rose Hill gym - Court 2):
9:00 a.m. vs Gauchos
1:00 p.m. vs GC Ballers
6:20 p.m. vs Philly MJC
Sunday, June 13, 2004:
8:30 a.m. Silver (quarter-finals)
9:50 a.m. Gold (quarter-finals)
11:10 a.m. Silver (semi-finals)
12:30 p.m. Gold (semi-finals)
1:50 p.m. Silver (Final)
3:00 p.m. Gold (Final)
Stay tuned!
Wednesday, July 28
Metro Boston falls in Vegas!
Metro Boston headed West for the summer. Metro Boston participated in the Reebok Big Time tournament held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Thursday, July 22nd:
Metro Boston lost to KC Rocktown (MO)
Friday, July 23rd:
Metro Boston beat ABC Hoops (CA)
Metro Boston lost to Team Detroit (MI)
Saturday, July 24th (play-offs - Open Division):
Metro Boston lost to CBIZ (OH)
According to Coach Mo, "We started out pretty bad. I think the kids got caught up with the people in attendance and a few of the kids we were playing against. We didn't compete at all. This was one of the worst feelings I've ever had because I felt the kids didn't go hard.
My assistants (Courtney and Oscar) had to calm me down after the game. They kept stressing to me the significance of age. The pointed out the fact that our average age was 16 and most of our kids have been playing high school ball for 2 to 3 years at max. The kids we faced were older and had more experience. They should've been stronger and better than us. A year can make a difference."
Mo goes on to add, "We recovered real well against the California team. We played real well on defense and cut back on our turnovers. Offensively, we struggled at times. We need to work on finishing. Against Team Detroit we had a poor first half. We missed quite a few lay-ups and anytime we would get a steal, we'd give it right back.
In the play-offs, it was the second team (Brandon, Chace, Remy, Sted, Sal and Aaron that helped us get within 1 point in the second half. Unfortunately, we ran out of gas. We dealt with a few nagging injuries throughout the tourney and reflecting back I would'nt change a thing. This will help us excel in the coming months and years. I like what I saw. We have a few holes to fill as the Juniors become Seniors that we hope to fill in August.
The Reebok Big Time is the biggest event of the summer. A lot of college coaches were there. We were young because of the defects this year but this will make us stronger down the road."
Monday, July 19
Metro Boston falls in the Delaware Shootout!
Newark, DE - Metro Boston competed in the Delaware Shootout (Open Division) from July 16th - 18th. This was an NCAA certified event which meant college coaches attended the event. The event provided exposure for the kids and an opportunity to compete in a prestigious event.
The results were as follows:
Saturday, July 17th
pool play:
Metro Boston beat Maryland Elite
Metro Boston beat Queens Cobra
Metro Boston beat Virginia Legends (forfeit)
Metro Boston beat Lynchburg Hoops
Quarter-finals:
Metro Boston lost to West Chester Hawks
According to Coach Mo, "We are starting to head in the right direction. We had 3 freshmen, 4 sophomores, and 2 juniors. We're very young right now. These events will help these kids down the line because of the experience they are gaining. We came down here and worked on a few things as we played."
Mo goes on to add, "We scrapped out a few wins and gave a game away. We need to start to learn how to put teams away. All in all, I like this group a lot. I told the guys enjoy these wins for a day and put them behind them because we play the big boys in Vegas shortly."
More to come...
Thursday, July 15
The Metro Boston family loses a family member
Boston, MA - On Sunday, July 11th the Metro Boston family lost one if it's team members - Cedric Phillips. Cedric had been a member of the program for over 5 years. He finished in the Class of 2003.
According to Mo, "Cedric was a great kid that got along with everyone and worked hard on the basketball court. Cedric had taken a few college courses at Roxbury Community College in hopes of transfering to a four year college.
Athletically, Cedric was one of our best defenders ever. He went from the 12th man on the roster to the 6th man. He would always shed a spark off the bench. He was always playing around with the guys and treated everyone fairly. He was loved by many."
Mo goes on to add, "Cedric would stop by at my job to visit me. He would also visit me at my house for extra help and tutoring with his college courses. My family and I are real sad about the news.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his brothers, mother and relatives."
Rest in Peace, Cedric. You will be forever loved by many.
Thursday, July 15
Metro Boston falls in the Reebok Summer Classic East!
Teaneck, NJ - Metro Boston participated in the first ever Reebok Summer Classic East event held in Farleigh Dickinson University.
In pool play:
Metro Boston lost to Antoine Walker's Illinois Fire
Metro Boston lost to North Jersey Hoops
Metro Boston lost to NJ Demons
According to Coach Mo, "We were probably the second youngest team there but that's no excuse. I expect our guys to work hard. It makes it difficult for our remaining Juniors but it just means they have to play that much harder and smarter than before because of our youth and inexperience. For a few of the freshmen and sophomores it was their first time playing at a tournament of this caliber. I told them it wouldn't be their last as we head to Delaware and Vegas.
We've had a difficult time the past 2 months because of a few defections. There is nothing we can do about that. You think you know a kid and you teach them the game all of a sudden they think they are the best thing since sliced bread. People often think the grass is greener on the other side and sometimes realize it too late that it wasn't. Despite the defections, we maintained our schedule. As a friend of mine once said, 'One clown doesn't stop the show'.
I guess, in the past, we were spoiled because when a kid made a commitment to us, he honored it. Guys like Dorien, Dwight, Corey, Anthony, Matt (Cahill), Ryan and Willie. The backbone of this organization. The guys that landed our current Reebok deal."
Mo goes on to add, "I try to never look back. We are always looking ahead. We want guys that want to be here and don't fall for some used car salesman's crap. I wish those guys the best now as I did in May when we cracked that team by 30 in the Five-Star Invitational (Springfield, MA).
I told my guys, we will ride with who is here. We are not going to lower our standards to accommodate a few knuckleheads. We played with 3 freshmen, 4 sophomores and 2 juniors from our program in a tournament with a boat load of rising seniors and post-grad players on our opponent's teams. We also added Herb Tanner and Brandon Shelton, from YABC, for the event to provide them with added exposure and to help us out.
I love this group. We are very young right now but will be very good in the long run. The freshmen and sophomores we have are gaining valuable experience and exposure playing in front of coaches from the Big East, ACC, Atlantic-10, Northeast-10, etc. Not many kid's in the state can say they've played in front of a lot of college coaches. We still have 2 more major events (Delaware and Vegas) to provide exposure for my Juniors as well as the young bucks."
More to come....
Wednesday, July 28
Player Evaluations - July 2004
Metro Boston roster consisted of the following players:
Senior:
Brandon Shelton (Cheshire Academy'04-'05) - This kid can flat out shoot from behind the arc. He has a real good range (up to 22 feet away). Averaged about 20 points for us off the bench. The 'zone' buster as assistant coach Oscar Lopez referred him to. He has a pretty good pull-up game as well. Should have a bright future at Cheshire Academy in the upcoming year as he improves his footwork and defensive skills.
Juniors:
Chris Brookens (Lexington Christian Academy) Real athletic. The kid can shoot from behind the arc and get to the basket. Has a pretty quick first step. Unfortunately, didn't finish well going to the basket due to a shoulder sprain. Hopefully will excel at LCA in the upcoming season. If this kid continues to work hard, there's no telling how much better he could be.
Jovonie Houston (Madison Park HS) Needs to improve his footwork and quickness. He can actually stroke it pretty well. Hopefully he will work on his conditioning in the off-season for his upcoming high school basketball season. He can end up having a pretty good senior year campaign with the revamped Madison Park team.
Dave Jaehnig (Boston College HS) This kid is a warrior. Despite playing with a nagging hip injury, he didn't complain once. He left everything on the floor. I only wished that he was 100% healthy to show and prove his skills throughout the event. He had flashes and ran the offense reall well throughout the month. Billy Loughnane is going to love coaching this kid. A 6'4 lefty point guard with grades. What school wouldn't love that. The scary thing is he just started competing at this level of basketball and did real well for himself. This kid will be that much better a year from know as he focuses on hoops.
Aaron Jones (Catholic Memorial HS) A streaky shooter from the perimeter. He can actually attack the basket. He improved throughout the year on his man-to-man defense. He did pretty well for us. He often played for us with a twisted ankle and not once did he let up. Hopefully he will have a great year at C.M. and land at a good school.
Herb Tanner (Catholic Memorial HS) Joined us late for the July run with YABC teammate Brandon Shelton. He's very athletic and long. Has a pretty good jumpshot and can take guys off the dribble. Has a pretty quick first step. He played back-up point guard and shooting guard for us. He has a great upside as he begins to add weight and size to become stronger. I love what I saw in this kid.
Sophomores:
Matt Bullard (Tabor Academy) Matt has come a long way. Here is a kid that barely played for Tabor Academy. I was actually shocked on how raw this kid's game was despite playing at Tabor. Matt has improved every week. He still has a ways to go but is very eager and willing to learn. Matt can face the basket and hit the 16 footer. He's very agile and fills the lane well. There are a few things that hopefully we'll add to his game over the remaining month of the summer and the fall.
Chace Howland (Dartmouth HS) Joined us in June. A shooting guard with a pretty good stroke and in-between game. He needs to improve on his man-to-man defensive skills. He did an excellent job in the play-off game in Vegas and if he continues to play that hard and well, he should have a great fall and upcoming Junior year at Dartmouth High.
Napoloen Lherisson (Thayer Academy) This kid has gone from no one knowing him to drawing some pretty good interest. Coach Dixon will hopefully love what he see's from Naps. Coach Rob did and excellent job on teaching him the fundamentals of the game. In our system he's had a come out party because we go inside-out. This kid is only a 16 year-old sophomore competing against 18, 19, 20 year old opponents. I see a lot of Corey Cofield (William & Mary) in this kid. We will be working on him this up-coming month and in the fall to hopefully prepare him for his upcoming year at Thayer Academy.
Jovan Robinson (Boston College HS) This kid is a workhorse. He can defend 94 feet and has started to gain the needed confidence to excel on the offensive end. He's starting to hit the 3 point shot and pull-ups. He has good size for the 2 (he's 6'3) and has played some back-up point guard for us all year. Another player that Billy Loughnane will love to coach at BC High. Jovan has great up-side. Work hard enough to be name team captain of his group.
Freshmen:
Sal Abdo (St. Mark's School) Joined the group in late June. He's playing the back-up point guard role as he begins to get in shape and becomes comfortable with the system we run. He has pretty good size and only time will tell how good of a ball player he becomes. Has a pretty good upside. Showed flashes in Vegas.
Sted Bourdreau (Lynn Tech) This kid doesn't know how good he really is. He has all the tools. He can stroke it from the perimeter. Has a great in-between game and is eager to learn. His one knock - needs to become the man. He needs to understand that he's just as good as anyone else on the floor. My one knock is (on me) that this kid is playing against 17-20 years old so I have to be somewhat patient but this kid has shown so many signs that I feel he's merely teasing me. He has great up-side.
Remy Cofield (Roxbury Latin) This kid has huge upside. He played a lot bigger than his 6'4 height. He rebounded well, blocked shots and attacked the basket hard. My only knock on Remy has been that the prior AAU club he played for didn't help him develop his perimeter skills. With us he's been playing the wing and is starting to grasp the perimeter. Remy has been affiliated with our program in the past because he used to attend our practices while Corey (his older brother) played and practiced with us. Remy can finish above the rim and is starting to add the mid-range game. He held his own in Vegas despite being 4 years younger than most of his opponents. If he continues to work hard, then the sky is the limit with this kid.
July Events - Player Evaluations
Check out the "Latest News" section to see Coach Mo Vasquez personal team evaluation.
Tuesday, November 2
Updates coming soon!
Updates will be appearing in the coming weeks. Stay tuned....
Tuesday, November 9
Rebounds Fall Tip-Off Classic All-Tourney Team
Neptune, NJ - Below is a listing of the Rebounds Fall classic Tip-Off All Tourney team. Metro Boston went 3-0.
All-Tournament Team for the Fall Tip-Off Classic:
Nick Smith 6’6 Sr Colonia HS
George Muller 6’1 Jr. Ridgewood HS
Brian Baker 6’0 Soph. Colts Neck HS
Robbie Jackson 6’11 Sr. Aberdeen (MD) HS
JR Inman 6’8 Sr. St. Joe’s Montvale HS
Mark Crumble 5’10 Sr Atlantic City HS
Frank Turner 5’9 Jr. Atlantic City HS
Ed Keyes 6’6 Sr Atlantic City HS
Jovan Robinson 6’4 Jr. Boston College HS (MA)
Remy Cofield 6’3 Soph. Roxbury Latin HS(MA)
Andrew Bynum 7’0 Sr. St. Joe’s Metuchen
Sean Baptiste 6’3 Jr St. Joe’s Metuchen
Chad Barnes 5’11 Sr. University-Newark
Ryan Mailen 6’2 Sr. Bishop Hannan (PA)
Casey Mack 6’0 Sr. Woodbridge HS
Dan Werner 6’7 Jr. CBA (NJ) HS
Mike Buxton 6'0 Sr. Toms River East HS
AJ Rudowicz 6’6 Jr. Monroe HS
Congrats Jovan and Remy!
Thursday, November 18
Brewington featured in ESPN.com - Men's Basketball
Dwight Brewington is featured in ESPN.com in the Men's College Basketball page. The article is titled "Friar Learning". A great read. Check it out!
Keep up the hard work, Dwight!
Wednesday, July 13
Reebok Summer Classic East Update
Teaneck, NJ - Metro Boston went 2-2 in the Reebok Summer Classic East held this past weekend at FDU in NJ.
The results
Pool Play:
Metro Boston beat Lynchburg (VA) Hoops - by 8 points
Metro Boston lost to New Heights - by 4 points
Results - finished 2nd in pool play based on tie-breaker system.
Play-offs:
Metro Boston lost to Team NJ Elite - by 4 points
Metro Boston beat Albany City Rocks - by 18 points
Game recaps according to Coach Mo:
Metro Boston beat Lynchburg (VA) Hoops - by 8 points
Stevie propelled us to this win. The kid came out to play. He was literally our heart and soul on this game. He played big. DeShawn did a good job off the bench. The Lynchburg team was well coached and had quality talent and we stepped up to play our game. We didn't play a complete game but we played hard.
Metro Boston lost to New Heights - by 4 points
This was one of the worst games we have played all year. Despite of how bad we played we nearly won the game. We blew a few lay-ups in the tail end of the game that caused us to lose. We got absolutely nothing from our guard play with the exception of Sal and DeShawn. Jude and James played big in the post on the defensive end. We held them to 4 points during a crucial run in the second half. Unfortunately, missed free-throws, lack of intensity and turnovers caused us.
Metro Boston lost to Team NJ Elite - by 4 points
In the first half of this game we looked absolutely lost. I couldn't believe how poorly we played. At half-time I dug into the kids and we finally stepped up in the second half. Richie did a hell of a job stepping up in the paint. He got a couple stops and hit the floor for loose balls and possesions. We had a 6 minute span where we help them to 4 points, unfortunately for us we had to come back from a 17 point deficit. We out played them on the second half but a game is 32 minutes long - not 16.
Metro Boston beat Albany City Rocks - by 18 points
This by far was the best game we played. We finally played the type of ball we are capable of playing. Jovan and Chris finally showed up to play. Everyone played big, especially DeShawn and Sal. I hope our intensity from this game continues down the road. We played ball the way we were capable of playing.
More to come...
Monday, April 11
Metro Boston falls in the Super Regionals
Foxboro, MA - Metro Boston goes 4-1 in the Super Regionals. Check out the "Latest News" section for the Coach's analysis.
Wednesday, May 4
Metro Boston falls in Charlie Weber
Washington, DC – Metro Boston fell in the Charlie Weber open division. Below is a brief game recap:
NJ Roadrunners lost by 7 points
Turnovers and lack of defense caused us this game. We had the lowest game points total of the year. We played well early and faltered late. We need to cut back on the turnovers. Too many times we are trying to go for the homerun pass. We need to learn to keep the game simple.
Beat Ohio by 4 points
Andrew Yanulis made huge contributions off the bench. He played big for us as a sophomore in an open division event. Defensively, Jovan (Robinson), Andrew and Stevie (Mejia) played big for us. Offensively, we ran our sets pretty well. That’s the difference for us.
Lost to Philly MJC by 2 points
We had plenty of chances of winning this game. We didn’t play well in closing minute of the fourth quarter. I hope the kids learned a lesson. We need to work a little harder on the simple things. Chris (Donald) led all scorers with 28 points. Mike (Young) did a hell of a job playing the back up point guard in a crucial situation. Jovan Robinson fouled out with 4 minutes in the game. Stevie (Mejia), Sted (Bourdreau), Jovan (Robinson), Remy (Cofield) and Jude (Biton) played big defensively.
Next up: AAU Mass. Junior State Tournament and Five-Star Invitational
Monday, May 17
Five Star Invitational Recap
New London, CT - Metro Boston goes 2-1 but passes on the play-offs because of scheduling conflicts.
Metro Boston beat Fairfield County Stars by 12 points
Metro Boston beat Rhode Island Hawks
Metro Boston lost to I 270 (Baltimore) by 8 points
According to Coach Mo, "This is a great event to attend. We couldn't pass on it because of our state AAU tournament. Thanks to both event coordinators, we were able to make this happen. There were a lot of college coaches from Division II and III in attendance. Also, there were evaluators in attendance to scout out the kids. Every year we have been invited we have done well. Not once have we had a losing tournament."
Mo goes on to add, "The kids played well. We're starting to play ball. They are starting to head in the right direction. The game we lost to I-270 was a tough, hard fought game. That was our fifth game in less than 24 hours with about 4 hours of sleep time. I'm proud of all the guys. We had a great showing. We did well in an open event with not one senior."
In the underclassmen division, Metro Boston went 0-3 because 6 of the sophomores played up with the Juniors.
More to come on the event....
Monday, May 16
AAU Junior States Recap
Holyoke - Metro Boston Juniors go 3-1 in pool play.
Metro Boston beat Coastal Pops
Metro Boston beat Hoops Specialist
Metro Boston lost to Bay State Magic
Metro Boston beat CMAC North
According to Coach Mo, "All in all, we did a great job. The only thing I would change is the scheduling. This weekend was tough on the kids, parents and staff. I will not do this again. The funny thing was, I wasn't even suppose to be there. I was called in last minute and we made it happen.
In regards to our performance, we did a great job despite the scheduling. We played pretty good. Next week we will be ready for the AAU Championship Round. I hope the kids learn a valuable experience from this and got the exposure they so rightfully deserve."
More to come....
Monday, May 16
AAU Juniors Championship Round - Bronze Medals
Springfield, MA - More to come on this. This is a quick snapshot of the games.
Metro Boston beat Bristol Stars
According to Coach Mo, "We came out to play and built a 20 point lead. Unfortunately, we lost focus and let them back in the game. I give Bristol Stars credit - they play hard and don't give up despite the score."
Metro Boston beat Middlesex Magic 2
According to Coach Mo, "We did our job. End of story. We won the game and moved on. Our opponents did a good job and challenged us. I love hard fought games because you learn from them."
Metro Boston falls to Springfield Stingers
According to Coach Mo, "This was the worst officiated game I have ever witnessed in my life - at any level. I very rarely blame the output of any game on an official but this game was a disaster. We were better off forfeiting the game and not deal with the aggrevation and headache. Our opponents were in double bonus with over 8 minutes left in each half. They shot 20 more freethrows than us. We couldn't breathe on a kid without a whistle being blown. They took the games away from the kids for no reason at all. This game brought back flashbacks from previous years. I feel bad for the parents and fans that attended the game to witness such nonsense."
Mo goes on to add, "I'm proud of our guys. They fought back and made a run despite the nonsense. We were within 3 points with just over a minute to go in the game. The kids didn't quit. They remained focused. This is a game we will remember for a long time."
Metro Boston beats YABC (Bronze Medal Game)
According to Coach Mo, "This game was a hard game to play and coach. After dealing with the drama the previous game, we had to keep the kids focused and clear. I'm proud of them for pulling off the win in the fashion they did. They worked hard."
Tuesday, May 31
GymRat Challenge - Juniors fall in the Elite 8!
Albany, NY - Metro Boston participated in the GymRat Challenge on Memorial Day Weekend. Both groups were in attendance - Metro Boston's juniors and sophomore groups.
In the 17 & Under/Juniors Division
(play-offs) Elite 8
Metro Boston 55 Metro Hawks 56
According to Coach Mo, "This is a game we should have won. We lead throughout the game from start to almost finish. We ended up losing by a point. We lead by three with one minute to go in the game but two back-to-back turnovers caused us the game. This is one of those games we let get away and our kids know it. Jovan came out on fire right from the jump. He hit his first 6 shots, not one was a lay-up; three shots from behind the arc and a few 16 footers. He played big for us. Jude (Biton) also played big for us. He did a hell of a job.
(play-offs) Sweet 16
Metro Boston 74 CT Young Guns 72
Jovan Robinson hit the game winner as time was running out. We came back from a 15 point deficit with 8 minutes to go in the game. Remy Cofield lead the charge. A monsterous jam over a 6-7 player coming right down the middle of the lane and got our troops going. We fought back and didn’t give up. This game brought back flashbacks from my earlier groups. We’re starting to gel and getting the little things done. DeShawn (Gibbons) did a hell of a job defensively for us.
Opening Round of Play-offs
Metro Boston beat Mass Premier
We started out slow. Chris Donald led the charge. Jovan, Napoleon and James (Lewis-Brown) lead the charge. James’ bang on the baseline got us going in the second half. Chris kept us going in the first half. This was the third time we’ve faced and beaten this club.
Metro Boston beat U-Turn Warriors
Napoleon and Andrew (Yanulis) played big for us this game. They controlled the paint along with Jude and James. We held our own in the paint and the guards did a hell of a job working the ball inside. We played solid from start to finish.
Metro Boston beat Lehigh Valley Kings
Another game we played solid from start to finish. Everyone did a hell of a job this game. Stevie (Mejia) led the charge.
Metro Boston beat Heldergerg Hoopers
Sted Bourdeau led the group this game. He stepped up big for us. Defensively he did a hell of a job. He was the difference this game. He came in the game with us having a one point lead. He left the game with us expanding the lead to 21 points. He fed the post, played excellent defense and scored 14 points during that run. He got us that win."
More to come...
Tuesday, May 31
GymRat Challenge - Sophomores fall in pool play!
Albany, NY - Metro Boston participated in the GymRat Challenge on Memorial Day Weekend. Both groups were in attendance - Metro Boston's juniors and sophomore groups. Below is the 16 & Under recap:
Beat Rockland Rockets
According to Coach Mo, "Stevie and Sted had big games for us. Remy did the usual. This group needs more time together. The problem we've had are injuries and a few kids deciding to move on. That's fine with me. We continue to get it done with the guys that are here. It's that simple with me.
Beat Memorial Park Playaz
Ricky played big for us in this game after Andrew's injury. He stepped up. Ceasar (Veal) broke out of his funk and did a good job off the bench. As did Oliver (Hunter) and Adama (Diggs) on the defensive end. Everyone played well. we just need to cut back on turnovers and execute our offense better.
Lost to D-Squad
Ndu (Okereke), Andrew (Yanulis) and Remy (Cofield) played big for us. We just couldn't get it going throughout the game. We had a rough first half that caused us the game. Mikey (Young) played big off the bench. We tied the game twice but we couldn't get over the hump. We almost advanced out of the pool and got a wild card but the point differential was the difference in determing that. I'm proud of the guys. They played hard."
More to come...
Tuesday, May 31
Metro Boston players on the Net!
Here's one sights recruiter referencing a few Metro Boston players that attended the Five-Star Invitational, in Connecticut, earlier in May. Simply click on the link above.
Wednesday, June 8
Jovan Robinson selected All-Tourney @ GymRat Challenge
Albany, NY - The GymRat Challenge committee has selected Jovan to the "17:U All-GymRat CHALLENGE Team". Check out their website for information on the event.
Also receiving "Honorable Mention" honors were:
Juniors/17 & Under Division
Chris Donald (6'5 SG Catholic Memorial)
Remy Cofield (6'4 WF Roxbury Latin)
Sophomore/16 & Under Division
Stevie Mejia (5'10 PG South Boston HS)
Ndobuisi Okereke (6'2 WF Boston College HS)
According to Coach Mo, "This was big for the kids mentioned above. I feel a few other should have received the honors as well but what can you do. These guys did a hell of a job as well as the other 20 kids that attended the event from our program. It gave every kid in the program the opportunity to compete at a high level and play center stage."
Tuesday, June 28
Metro Boston is headed West and South for July!
Metro Boston is headed to the following events in July:
July 11 - 12 Reebok Summer Classic East (FDU in Teaneck, NJ) - went 2-2
July 22 - 26 Reebok Big Time (Las Vegas, NV)
July 26 - 31 AAU Junior Nationals (Orlando, FL)
According to Coach Mo, "As we continue to do every year, we attend the top flight events in the country to provide exposure for our kids and an opportunity to play in front of the college coaches. This will cover the "Live" period that is very crucial for any kid in the country to be seen by various college coaches at various levels. This is where dreams can become a reality.
Once again, we've compiled a great schedule for the kids and have continued to compete at the highest level. There isn't another program in the state that can compete with our schedule the past two years, let alone this current season."
More to come...
Monday, June 20
Cofield and Boudreau named MVP!
Boston, MA - Remy Cofield was named MVP of the tourney. The sophomore played big this past weekend and got to showcase his talents in his hometown. He played in both the Sophomore and Junior teams. Sted Boudreau earned the honors for the Sophomore group.
Good work, Remy and Sted!
Tuesday, June 14
Metro Boston practice schedule
Dorchester, MA - Metro Boston will be practicing the following dates:
Wednesdays (6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.)
June 15, 2005
June 22, 2005
June 29, 2005
If you have any questions, please get in contact with Coach Mo at (617) 290-4850 (cell).
Monday, June 20
Metro Boston (Jrs. & Soph.) wins BABC Invitational!
Boston, MA - Metro Boston won the BABC Invitational at Boston University this past weekend.
The schedule was as follows:
16's/Sophomore:
Metro Boston beat Cathedral
Metro Boston beat Boston Titans
Metro Boston beat Mass Warriors
Play-offs
Metro Boston beat WBA Hawks
According to Coach Mo, "Remy and Sted played big for us. They started hard and finished strong. Remy was unbelievable this weekend. He continues to develop as we expected. Sted took his game to another level. He's headed in the right direction. I can't forget the job Ndu did as the sixth man for us. He stepped up and played big for us. We got a 20 point lead quickly in the game before Ridley Johnson stepped up for them. Stevie Mejia might be the best 15 year old point guard in the state. He's under control, runs the sets and settles his team down. People forget Stevie is young because he's been playing up for us since last year."
17's/Juniors:
Metro Boston lost to RI Hawks - by 2 points
Metro Boston beat Boston Saints
Metro Boston beat Connecticut Select
Play-offs:
Metro Boston beat Buffalo Playaz
According to Coach Mo, "We came out playing excellent defense from player #1 to player #14. Everybody stepped up. Sted did his job filling in for Chris (Donald). Chris was at a banquet. Remy did what Remy does best. Jovan came through and played solid. Naps controlled the paint and Stevie ran the team well. Deshawn did a hell of a job for us as the sixth man with this group. He gives us a little of everything when he's on the floor and helps change the tempo for us."
Coach Mo goes on to add, "This was good for the kids. We generally play out of town. They got the opportunity to play in front of their parents, fans and peers from the area. Claude presented us with the opportunity to play close to home. This wil help prepare us for next month."
More to come...
Monday, April 11
Metro Boston falls in the Super Regionals
Foxboro, MA - Metro Boston finished 4-1 in the Super Regionals this past weekend. Metro Boston went 3-0 in pool play and 1-1 in the championship round. Below is the Coach's game re-cap.
Friday (April 8th):
Metro Boston beats Merrimack Valley
"This might have been the best we played the entire weekend with the exception of the last game we played on Sunday. Everyone was hustling and contributing. We moved the ball around real well. We played some solid defense. We punched the ball in the paint to our post players and they went to work."
Saturday (April 9th):
Metro Boston beats Pennsylvania Fire
"This game was ugly for us. We did not run the offense well. Our press bailed us out in the final 6 minutes of the game. This game was tied. Penn did a great job hanging in and working hard. Our guys have a tendancy of having a let down with our normal level of play. This has got to stop. We'll definitely work on this. No exceptions."
Metro Boston beats Springfield Stingers Grey
"We did a good job on the defensive end. Offensively we need to cut back on the turnovers. We are literally keeping our opponents in the game. We need to cut back on our mistakes. We have some work to do. This Springfield team was a pretty good one. I give them credit for working hard."
Play-offs (Sunday, April 10th):
Metro Boston loses to Bay State Magic
"We lost to them by about 6-8 points. We we're leading by 5 points at halftime but eventually faltered a bit. We dug ourselves a hole early on by not getting back on defense quickly. The problem we have is we're not there defensively yet. Offensively I'm not worried. We can score from every position and every player that is on the floor for us. The issue for me right now is on the defensive end. We have to put more work in and take more pride on the defensive end.
Another area in the game that took a toll on us was the 22 (called against us) to 12 (called against them) foul calls. They probable scored 16-18 points, if not more, from the free throw line. They we're in bonus the entire game. You can't spot a team that has solid experience a 10 point lead and continue to bail them out by getting them to the foul line. This game will be a good learning experience for us."
Metro Boston beats Mass Premier
"In the fifth place game, the kids bounced back and stepped it up defensively. Everyone gave it everything they had. The intensity the kids showed this game is how they need to play every single game."
Friday, March 25
Metro Boston Sophomore Roster
Dorchester, MA - Below is the Metro Boston/Lena Park CDC Sophomore basketball roster for the upcoming season.
According to Coach Mo, "This year we have solid depth in this age group. Any guy can start in any given game. I love the turn out we had this year. It caused us to lose a practice day but it will be well worth it down the road. The only down note in this group is Sal Abdo will be on the injured list to start the season. It's tough losing your starting point guard from a year ago but we want to make sure he heals right for the late spring and summer events. I can not risk this kid's future. He's a talented player and a great kid."
Metro Boston/Lena Park
Remy Cofield (6'4 - Roxbury Latin)
Troy Gillenwater (6'6 - Charlestown HS)
Sted Broudreau (6'1 - Lynn Tech HS)
Michael Young (5'8 - Minuteman HS)
Ricky Philatre (6'6 - Randolph HS)
Ndobuisi Okereke (6'3 - BC High)
Andrew Yanilus (6'5 - BC High)
Stevie Mejia (5'8 - South Boston HS)
Sal Abdo (6'2 - St. Mark's School)* - injured list
Eddy Fleckenstein (6'6 - Winchester HS)
Jeremy Dabush (6'2 - Canton HS)
Oliver Hunter (6'0 - Bishop Guertin (NH) (9th grader))
James Rodrigues (5'8 - Grover Cleveland (8th grader))
Coach Mo goes on to add, "I love what I am seeing from Andrew (Yanilus). Here's a kid that joined our program last fall to end the year. He worked on his game all winter and I'm expecting big things from him as long as he continues doing what he is doing and develops in the same manner as other guys in my program have. Another guy I'm big on is Mikey (Young). He seems to be working real hard and is going after it hard.
This group has good size and perimeter players. If they work hard, grasp the offense and defense there is no telling what this group can accomplish. Everyone always asks about Remy (Cofield) and they're starting to ask about Troy (Gillenwater) but these two guys are going to have to keep an eye behind them because this group is pretty talented. Jeremy (Dabush), Ndu (Okereke), Stevie (Mejia), Sted (Broudreau) and Ricky (Philatre) provide experience and intensity to this group. Eddy (Fleckenstein) will provide depth in the frontcourt. These guys will allow us, the organization, to bring along our youth; Oliver (Hunter) and James (Rodrigues). Oliver will be backing up at the SG and James will be backing up the point guard position.
We wanted to put together a freshmen group but couldn't because of the lack of interest from that age group. Therefore the two freshmen that showed up will be playing up in the Sophomore division. This actually works well for them because they'll get the added experience a year earlier than usual."
Please note: There are 2 open slots in this age group. The staff is still discussing the final 2 candidates for both positions. More to come on this...
Friday, March 25
Metro Boston Sophomore Roster announced!
Check the "Latest News" section to see the roster.
More to come on the Junior roster....
Monday, March 21
New England Top 100
Boston, MA - Metro Boston/Lena Park had over 16 kids attend the New England Top 100 held at Boston University by the Eastern Invitational (Hoop Group) Basketball Organization.
According to Coach Mo, "This event is great for any kid to attend. We placed 16 kids. This provided exposure, and a top flight instructional program for each and everyone of them. I was hoping we could have gotten a few more kids in but like all great camps, the turnout exceeds the demand. Rob Kennedy and Chris Sparks, along with the entire staff, did one hell of a job."
Mo goes on to add, "We had 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and Seniors attend this past weekend. If they did it again next week, I'd have them attend again (pending funds, of course!). The kids get a great workout. At the conclusion of camp, they get a pretty good evaluation of their basketball skills. The added bonus, which was icing on the cake, was the NCAA seminar/guidelines that they provided to all the kids in attendance. It helps drill the same message we provide our kids. Sometimes it takes a different spokesman for the message to stick in the kids' mind."
Monday, March 21
Rosters to be finalized!
The Metro Boston/Lena Park CDC basketball roster will be finalized later this week.
Stay tuned...
Wednesday, February 25
The Metro Boston Staff
Dorchester, MA - The 2009 Metro Boston staff has been announced.
The Metro Boston/Lena Park Staff consists of the following:
Mauricio "Mo" Vasquez, Program Director, Mentor & Coach
Courtney Young, Asst. Program Director, Mentor & Coach
Oscar Lopez, Mentor & Coach
Jonathan Depina, Mentor & Coach
According to Coach Mo, "This program has been in existence since 1997. It's an official program under the Huntington YMCA and prior to that with Lena Park CDC. I've been here for the entire eleven years and can't wait to start our 12th season. I've handled the administrative work and fundraising. The program is pretty much run by Oscar, Courtney and myself.
Oscar pretty much is the face of the program. He pretty much coaches the team these days and runs all the basketball operations. Oscar is Metro Boston these days. He handles the Reebok sponsorship.
Courtney is the third in command and has been here pretty much during the whole time as well with the exception of the past two season. He has been off running the family business and is now back in the middle of things. He's viewed as the figure head of the program by college coaches. I've had college coaches call me asking for him.
Jonathan is a former players of mine. Jonathan joined us in 2004 and has been helping out when his work schedule allows it. He is always great to have."
Coach Mo goes on to add, "I want to make one thing clear. If a name is not listed on this list then that person or person(s) are not a part of this program or staff."
Thursday, March 3
Try-outs! - Updated 3/03/05
Dorchester,MA - As of today, Thursday, March 3rd the dates and times are as follows for the Lena Park/Metro Boston's tryouts (boys 15's - 17's):
Saturday, March 12, 2005 - Lena Park CDC (9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.)
Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - Lena Park CDC (6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.)
Saturday, March 19, 2005 - Lena Park CDC (9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.)
Try-Outs will be held on the following dates at Lena Park C.D.C. (150 American Legion Highway) in Dorchester, Mass. Directions to this facility are available from the menu on the left by clicking on "Gym Directions".
Please note, the official AAU date of birth age requirement will be listed soon.
New student-athletes are encouraged to attend try-outs. Metro Boston's teams are filled with student-athletes from around the Boston area and as far away as 25 miles from towns such as Lynn, Randolph, Canton, and many others.
For additional information, please feel free to contact Mauricio "Mo" Vasquez via e-mail at Mo_Metroboston@yahoo.com
See you there.
