SUMMER PROGRAM REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Summer AAU Teams Camps/Clinics Summer Brochure
CONGRATULATIONS 5TH GRADE MASSACHUSETTS STATE CHAMPIONS!
*SPRING PROGRAM UPDATES*
MAY NEWSLETTER NOW POSTED
New/Returnining Player News Kiosk
Spring AAU Schedule – Week 12 (05/27-05/31)
ELITE Headlines - MASS ELITE Continues Winning Ways at Massachusetts AAU Final Four, ZG State Championships, MIBC Spring Bash and ASA Spring Tournament!
35+Mass Elite teams were in action throughout the weekend, competing in AAU Final Four, ZG State Championships and competitive tournaments hosted by MIBC, NH Spartans and ASA Hoops! Teams throughout the weekend earned 4 AAU Medals, 3 Zero Gravity State Championships and continued to gain recognition as the most competitive basketball program in all of New England!
*HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED*
*11U National-Choate earned a Massachusetts AAU State Championship, defeating the Mass Warriors in a very competitive finals game. The team went a combined 4-0 at the State Tournament, defeating programs such as Warriors, MABC and Middlesex Magic. The teams “big men”, Duncan Moreland (Beverly) and Jack Crowley (Beverly) both provided a strong presence on the glass throughout the weekend and also were anchors for the team in the paint. Congratulations to all team members, including – Kellen Furse (Manchester), Peyton O’Leary (Amesbury), Jaden Kelliher (Amesbury), Brendan Coate (Nashua NH), Aaron LePoer (Lowell), Ian Taliaferro (Manchester) and Arlen Wyner (Georgetown).
*10U National-Griffin earned a Silver Medal at the Massachusetts State Championship, defeating Boston Bobcats, Middesex Magic and MABC in state tournament action. Aidan Callahan (Rowley) and Jeff Goguen (Billerica) each demonstrated outstanding court awareness throughout the entire tournament, both serving as floor generals and leaders for their team.
*16U National-Tobin and 10U-National-Beers each earned Bronze Medals at Mass State Championships, solidifying themselves as two of the top teams in New England at their respective age groups.
*14U National-Tobin won the crown at the ZG State Championships, winning all of their games by an average of 20+ points. The teams greatest victory came in the semi-finals againsta very talented Greater Boston Lions team, considered one of the top teams from a very talented pool of talent from the Class of 2017. Noah Gray (Gardner) was a menace throughout the entire weekend and was one of the most talked about players at the tournament.
*13U National-Boykin took home the chips at the ZG State Championships, defeating the Greater Boston Lions in a thrilling championship victory which came down to a game winning free throw by stand-out big man Yanis Njantenji (Nashua NH), who is quickly being considered one of top performers in the Class of 2018. The team is coming off high level performances at the NEAAU Super Regionals and Massachusetts AAU State Tournament where they earned a bid to compete at the AAU National Tournament this Summer in Memphis Tennessee.
*14U National-Polli and 13U National-Griffin went a combined 7-1 at the ZG State Championships, demonstrating the strong depth of the ELITE Student Athletes in Mass Elite’s program. Stand outs on these squads throughout the weekend included - Frankie Durant (Sudbury), Jonathan Lyons (Sudbury), Justin Pramas (Lowell) and Noah Cate (Weston).
*16U Team Davis is on a convincing 5 game winning streak, againgoing undefeated this past weekend at the MIBC Spring Bash. The team kicked off the weekend with a big win over Mass Intensity, Austin Davis (Gloucester) hit 8 three pointers in the game. The team also defeated Mass Ducks and Middlesex Magic throughout the weekend, stand out performances from Ben Johnnson (Bedford) and Frank Dilisio (Swampscott).
*14U Team Varjabedian continued to gel as a team, winning three games at the ASA Spring Tournament. Devin Dufresne (Tewskbury) and James Doyle (Woburn) were outstanding all weekend.
National/Regional MASS ELITE Teams Earn 6 Tournament Championships at New England’s Most Competitive Weekend Tournaments!
Mass Elite teams earned a lot of praise this past weekend, competing in some of the regions top AAU tournaments – including the RI Hawks May Madness, RIVALS Showdown, Warriors Spring Breakout and the ZG Mothers Day Classic! Teams throughout the weekend enjoyed their strongest winning percentage of the season and earned 6 tournament championships, these at the 10th, 8th, 6th, 5th and 4th grade levels!
*TEAM HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED*
*14U National-Tobin and 14U National-Polli teams went a combined 7-0 at the RI Hawks May Madness tournament, earning two tournament championships and playing their best basketball of the Spring season. Teams defeated included Middlesex Magic, Bay State Magic, Mass Rivals, RI Hawks, Team Providence and South Shore Wolfpack. Some of the top performing players throughout the weekend included – Frankie Durant (Sudbury), Jon Lyons (Sudbury), Jon Glidden (Westford), Eric Jacobson (Westford), Dave Richard (Wilmington), Noah Gray (Gardner) and Ryan Veguilla (Middleton).
*11U National-Choate and 10U National-Beers also combined to assemble a 7-0 record at the RIVALS Showdown and earning two championships, defeating recognizable programs such as Mass Rivals, NH Rivals, Bay State Flash and North Central Blaze. Some of the top performers throughout the weekend included Peyton O’Leary (Amesbury), Brandon Choate (Nashua), Jack Crowley (Beverly), Jalen Gilmore (Lowell), Ty Chan (Lowell), Onyera Chibuogwa (Methuen) and Nathan Geisler (Methuen).
*13U National-Griffin enjoyed a 3-1 weekend (losing in a competitive game against NC Blaze in the finals) at the RIVALS Showdown Tournament. Justin Pramas (Lowell) was a constant stand out performer throughout the weekend, demonstrating excellent awareness on the court. Justin is a very good offensive player and an exceptional play maker who makes a lot of things happen for his team mates.
*15U National-Coughlin enjoyed a productive weekend, winning two games and playing some of their best ball of the season at the RI Hawks May Madness. Stand out performers throughout the weekend included Shane Dawson (Groton), Nino Pingaro (Middleton), Riley Anderson (Beverly), Kyle Coughlin (Beverly), Justin Dorosh (North Reading) and Adam Goldstein (North Reading).
*12U Team Pappas continued their winning ways at the Rivals Sh(owdown, going 4-0 and winning the tournament championship. Teams defeated throughout the weekend included Mass Crusaders, NH Rivals and North Central Blaze. Coach Pappas squad is now 8-0 in their last 8 games.
*16U Team Monteneri won a tournament championship at the Warriors Spring Breakout tournament, going 3-0 against some very formidable competition. The boys are now 5-1 in their last five games.
*16U Team Davis went undefeated this weekend at the ZG Mothers Day Classic, playing their best basketball of the season. The teams top perofrmers throughout the weekend included Vin Ragucci (Austin Prep HS), Austin Davis (Gloucester HS), Frank Dilisio (Swampscott HS), Sam Beerman (Swampscott HS) and Ben Johnson (Bedford HS).
*12U Team Inglis had an undefeated weekend at ZG Mothers Day Classic. Brandon Kilroy (Bedford) was one of the ElITE Performers of the weekend, scoring 28 points in a big win against Premier Hoops. The team is now 8-2 in their last ten games, enjoying a very productive and successful season thus far.
*14U Team Eldridge and 14U Team Polli both had productive showings at Rivals/Warriors Spring Tournaments. Some of the key performers throughout the weekend included Luke Johnson (North Reading), Jackson Tormy (North Reading), Devin Pulsifer (Winthrop), Mike Cocca (Wilmington), Nick Reardon (Topsfield) and Adam Story (Middleton).
Class of 2015 Goes 4-0 at State Tournament, Defeating Regions Top Program and Earning Spot in Massachusetts Final Four!
Congratulations to our programs 10th Grade National AAU Team, going 4-0 at the Massachusetts State Tournament defeating some of the regions most competitive programs! The team will join 4 other ELITE AAU teams (4th, 5th and 6th grade National teams) at the Massachusetts Final Four Tournament being held on May 17th-19th! Congratulations to all members of our Class of 2015, including – Eric Rosario (Lynn English HS), Johnny Hilaire (Lynn English HS), Brandon Bouthilette (Billerica HS), Mike Hagopian (Watertown HS), Daisawn Uyslee (Somerville HS), Salim Warsame (Somerville HS), Cian Saunders (Marblehead HS), Hasten Kearse (Brighton HS), Jon Lafleur (Billerica HS), Chris Demartinis (Burlington HS), Lou Spaziani (Wakefield HS) and Ray Veguilla (MASCO HS).
Johnny Hilaire from Class of 2015 is a breakout star at Hoop Mountain Invitational!
Johnny Hilaire (Class of 2015-Lynn English HS) had an outstanding weekend at the Hoop Mountain Invitational, joining the 12 top student athletes in the Mass Elite program for a competitive weekend of hoops against some of the North East’s most notable programs. Currently a Sophomore at Lynn English HS, Johnny Hilaire stands at over 6″7 and has excellent athleticism and an improving skill set. Johnny is considered a top shelf talent heading into his Junior year at Lynn English.
*NERR (New England Recruiting Report) featured Johnny as one of the top performers at the event, putting him on on cover of their website and giving him some compliments -“Mass Elite’s Sophomore had a monster game in the AM playing up on the 17u team. Hilaire recorded 26 points and 11 rebounds in the victory.”
Wayne Turner, Former NBA/Professional and 2-time NCAA National Champion at Kentucky Joins ELITE Basketball Family in new role of Executive Director of Player Development.
*REGISTER ONLINE FOR PRIVATE/SEMI-PRIVATE TRAINING*
*CLICK HERE FOR FULL NEWS RELEASE*
PLAYER PROFILE – JACK WOODS ENJOYS DYNAMIC SEASON!
Jack Woods (Peabody MA) from our 6th grade team coached by Tom Pappas is having an excellent season. Joining our family in the Spring of 2012, Jack has quickly established himself as one of our programs top up and coming student athletes. Thus far this Spring season, Jack’s game has gone to an entirely new level – especially on the offensive side of the floor where Jack has established himself as an offensive leader on his team.
Jack is fast, talented, athletic and very skilled for a 6th grade player. Standing at nearly 5″8, Jack has good length and is able to cause havoc on the offensive glass. As good as Jack can be on the wing (or even on the low block), he is even better when handling the ball. Jack’s tight handles, strong court vision and excellent outside shooting ability make him an ELITE young prospect within our program.
Most recently, Jack scored 20+ points in a championship game at the Metro West Madness Tournament against a very tough SNEBC Shockers team to help lead his team to a tournament championship. Jack has not only though helped lead his squad to many victories on the court, he most importantly has been an outstanding leader on and off the court and an exceptionally hard worker.
Past Player Spotlights Include - Cian and Dylan Saunders (Marblehead), Justin Pramas (Lowell), Giovanni Ciampa (Tewksbury), Noah Gray (Gardner), Matt D’Amato (Peabody), Alex Frawley (Billerica), Michael O’Keefe (Wakefield), Ethan O’Hara (Manchester)
PLAYER PERSPECTIVE – Mike Hagopian (Class of 2015-Watertown HS)
Mike Hagopian (Class of 2015) got a lot of burn last season for his Watertown HS team, coached by Coach Steve Harrington who is considered one of the best coaches in Massachusetts. Mike is an excellent ball handler and very strong floor general, seeing the floor very well and also able to easily find team mates in transition. Mike’s greatest strength though is his outstanding shot from both inside and outside the three point line. A tremendous outside shooter, Mike shoots the ball at a very high percentage and also moves very well without the ball allowing him to get a lot of very good looks. Mike right now is playing on the 16U National Invitational team coached by Brian Tobin. Thus far, Mike is enjoying an excellent season and has been one of the major catalysts of his teams success – going undefeated at the BABC Tip Off Invitational and also having very competitive showings in NEAAU Super Regionals and the NERR Northeast Hoop Fest.
This is my 1st year with Mass Elite and what I like about the program is they always play in competitive tournaments. We also have great coaches who help us develop in becoming better players and teammates. My coach not only focuses on improving our skills in every practice, but also teaches us to understand the game better. My new teammates are great and we all get along and play together as a team and not like other teams where they play individually. My experience so far has been great and I appreciate the opportunities I’m given.
National and Regional AAU Teams Enjoy a “Winning Weekend” – Winning Multiple Championships and Gaining Strong Recognition!
Mass Elite teams, both at the National and Regional levels made a lot of noise this past weekend at respective AAU State Tournaments and the Metro West Madness Tournament presented by Zero Gravity Basketball. In total 25+ of our competitive AAU teams competed in tournament play, winning multiple tournament championships, qualifying for 3 Massachusetts AAU Final Four appearances and also qualifying for 3 National AAU Tournament Bids!
*NATIONAL TEAM HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED*
*A combined 6-0 record at the 4th grade Massachusetts State Tournament by 10U National-Griffin and 10U National-Beers, defeating recognizable programs such as the Boston Bobcats, MABC, Middlesex Magic and the Boston Warriors – both teams earning Massachusetts Final Four appearances and Bids to compete in the 4th Grade AAU National Tournament being held this Summer in Florida! Some of the stand out players in our 4th grade National program included Cole Kronberg (Marblehead), Dylan Saunders (Marblehead), Nate Kane (Nashua NH), Jalen Gilmore (Nashua NH), Onyera Chibuogwu (Methuen) and Patrick Atkins (Topsfield).
*Undefeated weekend and both a Massachusetts Final Four birth and National AAU Tournament bid for the 11U National-Choate team at the 5th grade Massachusetts State Tournament, continuing off of the success and momentum from last weekends tournament victory. The team continued to demonstrate outstanding poise and aggression while on the court and tremendous teamwork. Two of the weekends biggest standouts were guard Peyton O’Leay (Amesbury) and big man Jack Crowley (Beverly). Peyton was outstanding all weekend scoring in transition and is quickly making a name for himself as a top prospect on the Class of 2020. Jack (one of the tallest 5th graders at the tournament) demonstrated that he is a “big with skill”, showing good hands, efficient post moves and good dribbling skills.
*A very productive 3-1 weekend for the 13U National-Boykin team at the Massachusetts 7th grade State Tournament, including an “upset win” over All For One which is considered one of the top 7th grade teams in New England. Xahn Frater (Nashua NH) was one of the most talented players in the gym all weekend, averaging nearly 20 points per game and also demonstrating tremendous athleticism on both offensive and defense. Other stand outs throughout the weekend included Yanis Njantenji (Nashua NH), Angel Mejia (Methuen) and John Champa (Nashua NH).
*REGIONAL AAU TEAM HIGHLIGHTS @ METRO WEST MADNESS*
*12U Team Pappas capped off a fantastic weekend at Zero Gravity’s Metro west madness tournament by going 4-0 and winning the 6th Grade USA finals. This was one of the larger tournaments of the year with 7 pools of 6th grade teams. This weekend was truly a TEAM effort, with each game having its own stand out performances. Jack Woods (Peabody) was outstanding on offense, attacking the rim and also hitting some clutch outside shots. Nick Pappas (Peabody), with his aggressive, pest like on ball defense that continually, throughout the weekend, disrupted the our opponents ball handlers and greatly aided the teams bigs in their defensive effort. The team had victories over the following teams: Baystate Flash 60-43, with great efforts turned in by Steve Dwyer’s (Lynnfield) pesky defense and Christian Plourde (Peabody) hitting 3’s on Offense. Next up were the Northeast Warriors who we beat 43-34 with great offensive and defensive efforts by, Matt Jandresevits (Peabody) who played tough D and Zack Balley (Peabody) who hit some timely jump shots for the team. In the final game of pool play we beat the Haverhill Panthers 40-17. In this game we got great defensive efforts by Jay Vounessa (Peabody) making block and Alex Vlachos (Peabody) making great steals and playing good defense. On the offensive side of the ball Vinnie Ducharme (Peabody) weaved his way through the Panthers D and played a great point, while Will Plourde (Peabody) had a great inside game to go along with the 3 pointers he made. In The finals the team beat the SNEBC Shockers 52-45. While down in the second half by 10, the momentum of the game changed – led by the by Jon Canella (Peabody), who was a monster on both the offensive and Defensive boards and Tyler Amato (Peabody) who seemed to be everywhere with his gritty perimeter defense and sure handed point guard play which allowed us to pull out as gritty/gutsy win as has been seen in a long time. The program is truly proud of this team’s performance as they exhibited Mass Elite’s “Family” attitude all weekend long.
*13U Team Monteneri took home the 7th grade championship in a very crowded and highly competitive 7th grade pool, playing gritty defense and playing very well as “a team”. Some of the teams most memorable players throughout the weekend included – Brandon Wynn (Tewksbury), Mickey Ricard (Billerica), Pat Kelley (Billerica) and David Petrandino (Salem NH).
*12U Team Inglis, 12U Team Pesantes and 12U Team Sanders combined for 8 victories – defeating programs such as the SNEBC Shockers, Bay State Flash, Northeast Warriors and the MV Panthers. Some awesome performances by Jack Vogel (Nashua NH), Michael Rosenberg (Tewksbury), Alexander Namchuck (Arlington), Alex Wong (Burlington), Brendan Kilroy (Bedford), Sean Burrell (Bedford), Dan Doherty (Middleton) and Chris Sennella (Andover).
*14U Team Eldridge and 14U Team Pesantes combined for 7 wins, defeating some very competitive teams in their pools/divisions. Standouts throughout the weekend included Jake Morrissey (Billerica) who shot the ball very well throughout the entire weekend and Owen Kelley (Lowell) who played some tough interior defense.
ELITE National Teams Bring Home 3 Chips and Lots of Recognition at Hoop Rootz Beast of the East and NEAAU Super Regionals!
‘
ELITE National Invitational teams had an outstanding weekend, winning multiple age groups at the Beast of the East Spring Tournament hosted by Hoop Rootz and the NEAAU Super Regionals – 4th-11th grade teams went a combined 29-10 and our teams won chips at the 5th, 7th and 8th grade age groups.
*HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEKEND INCLUDED*
*11U National-Choate had an impressive weekend at the Beast of the East, winning three games and the championship in convincing fashion. The teams catalyst throughout the weekend was Peyton O’Leary (Amesbury) who was a menace on defense, shot exceptionally well from the 3 point line and was beating players all weekend off the dribble. The boys also got some awesome rebounding and timely blocks from Jack Crowley (Beverly) who is having an excellent season thus far. Arlen Winer (Georgetown), Quinn Bayers (Wakefield), Aaron Lepoer (Lowell), Jaden Kelliher (Amesbury) and Kellen Furse (Manchester) all did a masterful job at disrupting the opponent with great defensive hustle that led to a lot of fast break opportunities. Teams the boys defeated over the weekend included the Boston Mavericks, CBA Heat and the Shooting Stars.
*13U National-Boykin proved to be the top “Beat of the East” this weekend, going 5-0 and winning all games throughout the weekend in convincing fashion. After qualifying for the AAU National Tournament last weekend, the boys saved their best basketball for this weekend playing exceptionally well against some very strong competition. Angel Mejia (Methuen), Alonzo Linto (Nashua NH) and Giovanni Ciampa (Tewksbury) were stand-outs all throughout the weekend.
*14U National-Tobin and 14U National-Polli teams went a combined 8-1 at the Beast of the East tournament, defeating recognizable programs such as ASA Hoops, MABC and Mass Blue Devils. The 14U-Tobin team won the 8th grade championship defeating MABC convincingly. Stand outs throughout the weekend in our 8th grade program included Mike Demartinis (Burlington), Noah Gray (Gardner), Jonathan Lyons (Sudbury), Eric Jacobsen (Westford), Alex Frawley (Billerica), Cam Shelmire (Bedford) and Frankie Durant (Sudbury).
*16U National-Tobin and 17U National-Tobin each qualified for the ELITE 8 GOLD BRACKET at the NEAAU Super Regionals held this past weekend, defeating teams such as the RI Renegades, Bay State Magic and SS Wolfpack. Top performing players in our high school program over the weekend included - Mickey Lyons (Burlington), Cesar Fulcar (Watertown), Kyle Dokus (Littleton), Brandon Bouthilette (Billerica), Cian Saunders (Marblehead) and Mike Hagopian (Watertown).
*12U National-Carrier, 13U National-Griffin and 10U National-Griffin each won at least 2 games at the Hoop Rootz sponsored Beast of the East Tournament, defeating the Merrimack Valley Fury, Shooting Stars and the Boston Blazers.
ELITE AAU 7th and 8th Grade Teams Ranked Among Highest in New England
Mass Elite 7th and 8th grade teams are gaining a lot of traction throughout New England as two of the top teams at their respective age groups, most notably Hoop Rootz who this month came out with New England team rankings for the first 6+ weeks of the 2013 Spring AAU season.
Mass Elite 7th graders are currently ranked #9, after a strong final four finish at NEAAU Super Regionals where the team went 4-1 and defeated some of the best teams in the North East! Our 7th graders earned a Bid to compete at the AAU National Tournament this Summer and will be representing the state of Massachusetts in the coming weeks at the Massachusetts State Tournament. The team has compiled a 16-3 record thus far, playing a premium schedule against the best competition in New England.
Mass Elite 8th graders are ranked #6, winning 3 of their first 4 tournaments including a tournament win at the BABC Tip Off against nationally recognized Boston Amateur Basketball Club. Thus far this Spring season, our 8th grade team has defeated some of the most talented squads in New England, including BABC, The Rivals, Boston Spartans, RI Hawks, MB Nation and MABC. The boys have compiled a 14-2 record so far and are looking forward to the upcoming Massachusetts State Tournament where they will be competing for a State Title.
Players Demonstrate ELITE Potential at April Vacation Camp!
The annual April Vacation Camp was a big hit – demonstrating the ELITE potential of 40+ student athletes in grades 3-8 at our training home – Danvers Indoor Sports Complex. Players during the week competed in Shooting Competitions, Competitive Games, Skills Stations and listened to lectures on the importance of “sportsmanship” and “treating others the way that you would want to be treated”, a very important lesson for youngsters looking to be ELITE at everything in life which they pursue. The lead instructor for the week was top area coach, John Preziosa who was recently named the new Head Basketball Coach at Bishop Fenwick High School and formerly was the Head Coach at Wheelock College. The camp also featured “special guest appearances” by former NBA player and NCAA star Wayne Turner and Melrose HS Head Coach Mike Kasperazak!
Cannon and Roop from 17U National Team Makes Noise at NERR Northeast Hoop Festival!
New England Recruiting Reports Northeast Hoopfest was a very rewarding weekend for our Class of 2014, especially Keyma Cannon (Brighton HS) and John Roop (Arlington HS) who were very well received by the many coaches and talent evaluators in Connecticut for the weekend! The 17U National team, led by Roop and Cannon went 2-1 against Team Insane from Pennsylvania, Mass Blue Devils and nationally recognized Team Underrated from New York City. On Sunday afternoon, our boys won two games against Team Underrated, a nationally recognized team/program which has 5 players on the team with full offers from D1 colleges. Our ELITE Class of 2014 played with heart and grit all weekend and was one of the “breakout” teams to participate in the tournament.
*NERR Write-Ups/Recaps on Class of 2014′s John Roop and Keyma Cannon*
John Roop – A volume shot-maker at five-foot-ten, Roop showed his prowess from distance with five threes en route to a team-high 17 points.
Keyma Cannon – He first caught our eye last May at the Memorial Day Super 16 tournament and backed up that performance with another strong showing this weekend. The Braintree junior led Mass Elite to a successful 2-1 record on the weekend while also serving as one of the primary catalysts for an upset over New York City’s Team Underrated to cap the day on Sunday.
HOOPSTER MANIA Tournament Takes Over New England Amateur Basketball!
The popular ELITE Hoopster Mania Spring AAU Tournament – hosted by Mass Elite Basketball was a major success, bringing in 100+ of the most competitive teams/programs throughout all over New England. Teams to earn championships at each specific age level included – 4th Grade (Shooting Stars), 5th Grade (MB Nation), 6th Grade (RI Hawks), 7th Grade (Boston Warriors), 8th Grade (RI Hawks), 9th Grade (NH Rivals) and HS Division (NH Rivals). Special thanks to all ELITE student athletes, parents, coaches and administrators who worked to make this one of the largest Spring AAU Basketball events held in New England. Feedback from opposing coaches, program directors and all families at the tournament were fantastic!
2013 Hoopster Mania Pictures!
National 7th and 8th Grade Teams Bring Home Chips at RIVALS Spring Classic and Warriors NEAAU Power Ranking Tournament!
ELITE National teams concluded another dominating weekend, bringing home tournament championships at the 7th and 8th grade levels – going a combined 11-0 against The Rivals, Boston Warriors, NE Storm, Mass Premier, RI Hawks, Boston Spartans and other top regional programs!
Highlights of the Weekend Include
*14U National-Tobin squad continued their “winning ways” and undefeated season, going 3-0 at the RIVALS Spring Classic defeating some highly touted RI Hawks, Rivals and Boston Spartans teams. The team is earning the nick name “THE COMEBACK KIDS”, after last weekends buzzer beater victory against BABC and this weekends comeback win against the RI Hawks on Sunday afternoon after being down by 4 points with 9 second left. Stand outs for the weekend included – Ryan Veguilla (Middleton), Cam Shelmire (Bedford) and Mike Demartinis (Burlington).
*13U National-Griffin team enjoyed a tremendous 5-0 weekend, playing and winning in three Sunday afternoon games to take home the championship trophy at the Boston Warriors Power Ranking event. The boys won in the championship game against a very strong NC Blaze team. The victory was truly a full team effort, everyone on the roster contributed to the teams success. Congrats to Noah Cate (Weston), Markus Barker (Peabody), Jack Cowen (Bedford), Marvin Baptiste (Burlington), Ernie Brand (Woburn), Michael Read (Lexington), Jared Marshall (Reading), Zach Perez (Reading), Justin Pramas (Lowell), Colin O’Brien (Chelmsford) and Jack Slattery (Chelmsford).
*13U National-Boykin team had a dominating weekend at the Boston Warriors Power Ranking event, going 4-0 and winning games by a margin of 25+ points each. Jacob Zmuidzinas (Lexington) had a good weekend, showing off his strong dribble skills and also his scoring ability from outside the three point line. Giovanni Ciampa (Tewksbury) demonstrated his athleticism, strong work ethic and skill set, Yanis Njantenji (Nashua) his freakish length and outstanding vertical, John Champa (Nashua) his strong outside shooting abilities and Alonzo Linton (Nashua) his monster scoring potential throughout the weekend. Other key players included – Colin Lomasney (Peabody), Skye Boykin (Nashua) and Angel Mejia (Methuen).
“THE SHOT” Heard Around New England - ELITE AAU Teams Take Home Chips at BABC Tip Off!
Alex Frawley and the Mass Elite 8th Grade National proved that nobody is “unbeatable” – defeating national powerhouse BABC in a program defining moment that was nothing short of remarkable. Check out the exclusive footageof “the shot” released by ELITE Basketball!
BABC TIP-OFF RECAP/PICTURES
ELITE AAU National teams at the 7th, 8th, 10th and 11th grade age groups kicked off their 2013 Spring AAU seasons on the highest note possible, winning two championships and qualifying for three championship games at the nationally renown BABC SPRING TIP-OFF! The continued evolution of our program has never been more evident – as our teams competed against and defeated teams such as BABC, MB Nation, All For One and many other of New England’s top programs.
Highlights of the Weekend Include
*Alex Frawley from our nationally ranked Class of 2017 hit “THE SHOT” heard around New England, hitting a “game winning” three point buzzer beater to defeat BABC, one of the nations top teams. The shot served as the catalyst to an undefeated weekend for the 14U National-Tobin team, also defeating Team Providence and a very talented MB Nation team. The team opened up the tournament with is going to be a “Mass Elite Classic” against BABC and battled all game to beat them at the buzzer with an amazing half court shot by Alex Frawley (Billerica). Alex played strong as he lead the Elite in scoring with 22 points. Mike Demartinis (Burlington) played great as well, clearly the most efficient player on the court all weekend. Noah Gray (Gardner) and Connor Degenhart (Westford) played well on the block. Cam Shelmire (Bedford), Ryan Veguilla (Middleton), and DJ Frechette (Nashua) did a great job in guard play defensively as well as offensively running the floor. Cam lead the team with 3 big three pointers in the game.The final was 44-42.
*16U National-Tobin won all three of their games and made a lot of noise throughout the weekend. Mike Hagopian (Watertown) helped lead the team to three victories, distributing the ball very well and also shooting lights out from outside the three point arc. Cian Saunders (Marblehead) was also very imposing, scoring well from both the perimeter and the low block. Brandon Bouthilette (Billerica), Louis Torres (Lawrence) and Hasten Kearse (Framingham) also all had standout weekends.
*13U National-Boykin went 2-1 and made it to the 7th grade finals. The team had big victories over MB Nation and Mass Crusaders. Coach Boykin’s squad looks poised to make a major run this Spring season! Colin Lomasney (Peabody), Yankis Nyantenji (Nashua) and Xahn Frater (Nashua) all had productive weekends.
Top Junior ELITE Prospects Participate in Hoop Rootz/NERR JUNIOR ELITE 75 Showcase Event
2013 JUNIOR ELITE COVERAGE INCLUDES
*Class of 2018 Top Forwards/Centers*
*Class of 2017 Top Forwards/Centers*
*Class of 2017 Player Previews*
Congratulations to all players who participated in the JUNIOR ELITE 75 Showcase Event on March 17th- this event co-sponsored by Hoop Rootz and New England Recruiting Report. Our program had more middle school players attend then any other AAU program in New England, demonstrating why we are the top AAU basketball program for players from Eastern Massachusetts, Greater Boston and Southern NH. Participating players included - Alex Frawley (Class of 2017 – Billerica), Noah Gray (Class of 2017-Gardner), Mike Demartinis (Class of 2017-Burlington), Ryan Veguilla (Class of 2017-Middleton), DJ Frechette (Class of 2017-Nashua NH), Connor Degenhardt (Class of 2017-Westford), Sam Colon (Class of 2017-Saugus), Cam Shelmire (Class of 2017-Bedford), Jon Glidden (Class of 2017-Westford), Eric Jacobsen (Class of 2017-Westford), Dave Richard (Class of 2017-North Reading), Scott Stenson (Class of 2017-Wilmington), Connor Robinson (Class of 2017-Wilmington), Jon Lyons (Class of 2017-Sudbury), Sky Boykin (Class 0f 2018-Nashua NH), Xahn Frater (Class of 2018-Nashua NH), Marcus Barker (Class of 2018-Peabody), John Champa (Class of 2018-Nashua NH), Alonzo Linton (Class of 2018-Nashua NH), Yanis Nyantenji (Class of 2018-Nashua NH), Justin Pramas (Class of 2018-Lowell), Giovanni Ciampa (Class of 2018-Tewksbury), Angel Mejia (Class of 2018-Methuen), Noah Cate (Class of 2018-Weston), Jacob Zmuidzinas (Class of 2018-Lexington), Billy O’Keefe (Class of 2019-Wakefield), Mitchell Kalogeros (Class of 2019-Lynnfield), Will Janowicz (Class of 2019-Manchester), Billy Whelan (Class of 2019-Hamilton) and Zach Mickle (Class of 2019-Billerica).
17U and 16U National Team Players Shine at Hoop Mountain Spring Classic!
Congratulations to the “student athletes” from our Classes of 2014 and 2015 for being selected to participate in the Hoop Mountain Spring Classic – the most prestigious college and prep school showcase event held in New England. Players selected to participate in this event included - Mickey Lyons (Class of 2014-Burlington HS), Cesar Fulcar (Class of 2014-Watertown HS), TreVon Betts (Class of 2104-Brockton HS), Keyma Cannon (Class of 2014-Braintree HS), Nick Baltayan (Class of 2014-Billerica HS), Dan Najarian (Class of 2014-Billerica HS), Claude Laurole (Class of 2014-Innovation Academy), Cian Saunders (Class of 2015-Marblehead HS), Mike Hagopian (Class of 2015-Watertown HS), Chris Demartinis (Class of 2015-Burlington HS) and Jonathan Lafleur (Class of 2015-Billerica HS).
Players were selected not only because of their excellence on the court, but also the dedication and hard work that they put into the classroom. The average Grade Point Average (GPA) of our current 2014/2015 classes is a 3.5, drawing lots of interest from many high academic schools! Following the event, New England Recruiting Report had many positive things to say about our student athletes - applauding then for their strong offensive skill sets, play making ability and efficiency on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.
FEB VACATION CAMP IS A MAJOR SUCCESS!
Our annual Feb Vacation Camp was a huge success – drawing a record number of players from all throughout Eastern Massachusetts. Camp was held for players in grades 3-8 and held at our training home – Danvers Indoor Sports Complex. Coaches included, Coach Sean Connolly, Coach John Dullea, Coach Luke Richards and some members of our programs AAU Basketball staff. Players during the week competed in “Award Winning” Competitions, Competitive Games, Dribbling Skills, Offensive Moves, Chalk Talk Lectures and much more!
2013 SPRING AAU SEASON NOW UNDERWAY!
2013 Spring AAU Tryout sessions were a major success – drawing record numbers from players of all age groups and skill levels. This Spring we will be offering 11 National AAU Teams and 25+ Regional/Local teams based out of North Shore, Merrimack Valley, Middlesex County, Metro West and Southern New Hampshire.
ELITE 4th Grade Winter Team Wins NSYBL Tournament Competing Against 5th Graders!
Competing a year up against older kids, our 4th grade Winter ELITE team easily won the tournament championship for the North Shore Youth Basketball League. The boys won against some very strong 5th grade teams from throughout Eastern Massachusetts, including a big win in the finals against a fundamentally sound and highly athletic Lynn town travel team. Players that impressed throughout the weekend tournament included Anton Ciccerelli (Natick), Will Batchelder (Newburyport), Alex Theriault (Boxford), Patrick Atkins (Topsfield), Dylan Saunders (Marblehead), Aidan Callahan (Rowley), Alex Gonzalez (Peabody), Ethan O’Hara (Manchester), Gus McGee (Newburyport) and Cole Kronberg (Marblehead).
Hoop Rootz recently profiled the best players from New England’s Class of 2019 and many players from ELITE Basketball got attention! Last season our Class of 2019 won the Massachusetts 5th Grade State Championship, gaining traction as one of the best teams at their age group in the North East.
Player Profiles from Class of 2019 include
Patrick Hannigan - Combo guard/forward from Wakefield. Very strong offensive rebounder, nice length, good shooting range and excellent floor vision.
Billy O’Keefe- Strong combo guard/forward who stands around 5″8 and still has a lot of room to grow. Shoots the ball well from deep and brings a physical presence to the paint.
Will Janowicz - Versatile guard with length who handles the ball, has a high basketball IQ, and a nice offensive skill set
Zach Mickle - Athletic guard who has knock-down shooting ability and the tools to lock up on the defensive end.
2012 FALL PROGRAM RECAPS
Hard Work Continues at BSS Fall Showdown and Fall Weekend Finale Tournaments
Mass Elite teams continued success this past weekend – demonstrating the strong skills sets that they have developed over the past 8-10 weeks at team practice and skills/drills sessions. Teams not only enjoyed winning records, they continued to follow the Mass Elite Creed, always “Playing Hard, Playing Smart and Playing Together”! Pictured above are 15U Perkins and 14U Riley teams who both went undefeated throughout the weekend.
*HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED*
-The 10U National-Griffin team continued their winning ways going 3-0 at the BSS Fall Showdown – winning all three games by 20+ points and also playing up in the 5th grade age group. The team has been the talk of the local AAU scene this Fall season – combining for an undefeated 14-0 record, often playing up against older players and winning all games by a large majority.
-A strong 2-1 performance at BSS Fall Tournament by the 13U National-Boykin team who “played up” in the 8th grade division. Jimmy Yfantopulos (Lowell) played well in the teams final game scoring 15 points, also adding 4 assist and 3 steals. Xahn Frater (Nashua NH) also played great averaging 15 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals and 4 assist in 3 tournament games. John Champa (Nashua NH) also had a big weekend, averaging 10 points, 3 steals and 3 assists in 3 games.
-A productive weekend for the 16U National-Tobin team going 2-1 at BSS Fall Showdown. Big weekend for TreVon Betts (Weymouth HS) who continually demonstrates keen court awareness and has a good knack of scoring.
-Two victories for the 15U National-Moreno squad at the Fall Showdown beating some very competitive BSS and BV Chaos teams. Key players included Jon Lawrence (Peabody), Vinnie Ragucci (North Reading), Brayden Moreno (Bedford NH), Tyler Lennon (Chester NH) and Tommy Romick (Chester NH).
-An undefeated weekend and tournament championship for the 15U Perkins team at the Fall Finale Tournament. Top contributors for the weekend included – Eric Rybicki (Byfield), Adam Baletsa (Byfield), Bobby Cameron (Billerica) andJustin Zhang (North Reading).
-Undefeated performance and tournament championships for the 14U Riley team at the Fall Finale. This past weekend brought two (25 +) point victories over the Rhode Island Amateur Basketball Club, and the North Shore Bobcats.
-17U Pernini team went undefeated at the Fall Finale – including a hard-fought 54-50 victory against the North Shore Bobcats. The team was led by the strong guard play of Ray Veguilla (Middleton) and Josh Nickerson (Danvers), tough defense of Matt Bullock (Acton) and John Fitzgerald (North Reading), and outstanding rebounding of Mike Wilson (Littleton) and Bryan Arenales (Everett).
-10U Currier group had another victory this weekend. The team had big scoring & assisting contributions by the strong back court of Richie Shahtanian (Andover), Jon Briggs (Andover), Patrick Atkins (Topsfield), and Jake Colella (Peabody). This young group gelled together quickly this fall season as they improved immensely on their skills and game play.
Teams Continue Success at Hoop Rootz Beast of East, RI Hawks and North of Boston Run N’ Gun Fall Tournaments
Mass Elite teams had a stellar weekend at the Hoop Rootz sponsored Beast of the East and RI Hawks Fall Tournaments. Teams in total earned championships at the 4th, 7th and 8th grade levels and qualified for championships at the 5th, 6th and 10th grade age groups. Pictured above are 14U National-Tobin, 13U National-Boykin, 16U National-Deleon and 14U Riley.
*HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED*
-Big weekend for the 14U National-Tobin team at the RI Hawks tournament going 3-0 against good teams from the RI Hawks and Middlesex Magic programs. Ryan Veguilla (Middleton) had a great weekend on both the offensive and defensive sides of the floor. As the teams point guard, Veguilla penetrated the lanes well and was outstanding at finding open teammates in transition. Thomas Dulski (Manchester) and Mike Demartinis (Burlington) also had big weekends, continuing to make names for themselves on the New England AAU scene.
-13U National-Boykin team continued it’s remarkable winning streak, yet again going undefeated and easily defeating all competition. This weekend at the RI Hawks tournament the team had a clutch 2 point victory against a very talented Bay State Magic team. Yanis Nyantenj (Nashua NH) and Alonzo Linton (Nashua NH) had monster games against The Magic and the RI Hawks, looking much improved in the low post and on the offensive and defensive glass.
-10U National-Griffin remain undefeated for the Fall session – going 3-0 and playing up a division at the Beat of the East Tournament held in the Metro West. The teams greatest win of the weekend was a three point victory over a very strong Bay State Flash 5th grade team.
-16U National-Tobin and 11U National-Choate teams went a combined 6-2 and both qualified for their respective tournament championships at the Beast of the East and RI Hawks tournaments. 16U standouts included Chris Demartinis (Burlington), Mike Osgood (Nashua NH) and Eric Rosario (Lynn). 11U standouts were Branden Choate (Nashua NH), Quinn Bayers (Wakefield) and Mike O’Keefe (Wakefield).
-Great weekend for 10U Dunagan at the Run N’ Gun Tournament. Super offensive performance led by Cooper Dunagan (Topsfield) with 11 points including a 3 pointer and Harry Osgood (Topsfield) with 6 points. Very strong offensive contribution by Gavin Glass (Manchester) as well. Key defensive players of the game were Joe Daly (Manchester), Peyton Breda (Stoneham), and Conlen Powell (Billerica).
-14U Riley remains undefeated after another strong weekend at the Beast of the East Tournament. Congratulations to Mike Carlino, Justin Connolly, Avery Davis, Luke D’Errico, Brendan Hennessey, Danny Riley, Liam Singleman and Tyler Webb (all who reside in Melrose).
-13U Inglis (White) went 2-1 at the Beast of the East Tournament in Newton. In the first game a solid defensive effort from the team, especially from Eric Szloch (Beverly) and Michael Bain (Peabody) in transition. Strong offensive efforts from Jake Gustin (Peabody), Marcus Barker (Peabody) and Chris Caraco (Burlington) carried 13U team to a commanding 48-24 win over North Shore. Ed Tolson (Medford) played strong in the middle throughout the weekend, Jimmy Lordan (Reading) was tough on the inside glass and Jack Seymour (Topsfield) was outstanding handling the basketball and helping to lead the team.
-13U Inglis (Blue) had a big win at the Run N’ Gun Shootout defeating the Middlesex Magic 33-32. Mark Wilsushen, Adam Scaramuzzo, and Chris Caraco all from Burlington had productive weekends.
Teams Enjoy Productive Weekends at Mass Rivals Fall Ruckus and NH Spartans Fall Tournament at Derry Sportszone!
Mass Elite teams enjoyed another very productive weekend of Fall Hoops at the always popular Rivals Fall Ruckus and NH Spartans Fall Tournament held at the Derry NH Sportszone. Pictured above are photos of our 12U National-Carrier, 14U National-Tobin, 15U National-Moreno and 13U Inglis teams.
*HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED*
-Undefeated records and division championships for the 10U National- Griffin and 11U National-Choate teams at The Rivals tournament. Our 4th and 5th grade studs put together a 6-0 weekend defeating many top programs and winning 5 of the games by over 15+ points. Special applauds go out to Will Batchelder (Newburyport), Ethan O’Hara (Manchester), Jeff Goguen (Billerica), Aidan Callahan (Rowley), Bobby Sweet (Acton), Ankeet Patel (Billerica), Ty Chan (Lowell), Jake Barisano (Westford), Mike O’Keefe (Wakefield) and Ryan Marcus (Wakefield)for all having standout performances!
-A strong and demanding 3-0 performance at the NH Spartans Fall Tournament from our 15U National-Moreno team – defeating some very good teams to earn a tournament championship. A standout performer throughout the entire weekend was youngster Tyler Lennon (Chester NH) who put on a show from outside the three point line and also at finding open teammates in transition.
-13U Inglis had a dominating weekend, finishing 3-0 at The Rivals Fall Tournament. All wins were by double digits, but were hard fought intense games. Saturday night’s game versus the Merrimack Valley Fury team included a second half comeback spurred by a tenacious three quarter court trap. Leading the emotional charge was Jake Gustin (Peabody), Jack Seymour (Topsfield), and Marcus Barker (Peabody). All eleven players put everything they had into each game it should definitely be noted that this was a tremendous team effort throughout the entire weekend tournament.
-10U J. Currier continued to show remarkable improvements. All players are improving their skills from week to week. Top performers of the weekend included Patrick Atkins (Topsfield), Gus McGee (Newburyport) and Jonathan Briggs (Andover).
-14U National-Tobin and 12-National-Carrier both had strong showings at The Rivals tournament – each going 2-1 against some of the most talented teams from New England.
ELITE Teams Enjoy a “BASKETBULL WEEKEND”!
Families from our National AAU teams enjoyed a productive weekend at the BASKETBULL Columbus Day Weekend Showcase event – consisting of a high level AAU tournament for 7th-11th graders and a showcase event for top sophomores and juniors. Teams that attended the tournament included – 13U National-Boykin, 14U National-Tobin, 16U National-Tobin and 17U National-Tobin.
Congratulations to the 13U-National team for winning the tournament championship for their age group. The boys enjoyed a hugely successful weekend defeating teams from New Jersey and Vermont. Yanis Nyantenj (Class of 2018-Nashua NH) enjoyed a monster weekend averaging over 20 pts and 10+ rebounds per game throughout the tournament. Yanis thus far has been standout player on the New England AAU scene, gaining attention for his outstanding athleticism and ever growing skill set.
We also applaud Keyma Cannon (Class of 2014-Braintree), TreVon Betts (Class of 2014-Weymouth), Johnny Hilaire (Class of 2015-Lynn English), Erick Rosario (Class of 2015-Lynn English) and Chris Demartinis (Class of 2015-Burlington) for being selected to attend the BASKETBULL Exposure and Showcase event at Roger Williams University on Friday October 5th. Players gained a lot of attention from the 50+ colleges in attendance!
