Eurohopes lived the National Prep School Invitational at Rhode Island College and check all the European prospects that took part during the four days competition.
One of the most scouted players was Francisco Alonso (’96) of Cushing Academy. The Spanish guard, still undecided, impressed college coaches that were attending the event and he picked up new offers. Alonso averaged 21 points per game in two contests and helped Cushing to get both wins. Playing with great confidence, Alonso had a great shooting percentage and played smart defense stealing some balls especially in the game against Blair Academy where he completed a fantastic first half.
The only European team this year at NPSI was Get Better Academy from Prague, Czech Republic. Even they only won one of their three games they showed interesting prospects like David Pekarek (’96) a Czech wing that impressed in his first game with his offensive skills and long range shooting and averaged 13 points per game. Latvian Ervins Meznieks (‘96) played a great tournament averaging 14 points per contest. Meznieks is an undersized forward that take advantage of his speed playing most of his time open, hitting open shots and playing one on one from perimeter. He struggled trying to guard small forwards. Another Latvian Kristaps Gluditis (’95) averaged 12 points in his second participation at NPSI. Other prospects were Czechs Michal Weiss (’96), Bossan Aiden (’96), Matous Kainc (’96) and David Jelinek (’97), Milos Jovic from Serbia and Vasile Odagiu (’95) from Moldavia.
Like usually, Lee Academy brought a wide roster of Europeans and Asians players. Besides Utah State commit Dusan Majstorovic (’95) and Maine commit Illija Stojiljkovic (’95) they won their both games with Rudolfs Stradnieks (’96) and Sergio El Darwich (’96) like most outstanding players. Stradnieks is a Latvian power forward that runs really good the court and shoots easily. He was a key factor in defense for his team and averaged 12 points per game. Lebanese El Darwich is a shooting guard with nice skills and really aggressive in all his actions. Very active in the court El Darwich showed his good shooting range averaging 16 points per match. Other prospects at NPSI were Italians Federico Bargnesi (’95) and Alessandro Panzieri (’95), Serbians Stefan Jevdjenijevic (’97) and Nedeljko Prijovic (’96), Adnan Halilovic (’95) from Bosnia and Anton Bilous (’95) from Ukraine.
Max My Game Academy brought a few European prospects that we took a look carefully. Unfortunately big man Nikola Scekic (’95) from Serbia did not come to NPSI. But his fellow Petar Skoknic (’95) left a good impression at Murray Center. The lefty guard averaged 10 points per game showing his shooting abilities from long range to help MMG to win two of three games. French forward Marc Michael Gosselin (‘96) averaged 9 points per game. Although he is undersized to play inside Gosselin displayed big intensity in the paint. Denmark was well represented by Frederik Broendsted (’94) and Adam Heede-Anderson (’96). Broendsted scored 9 points in each of the two games that he played and Heede-Anderson scored 5 points in the only game that he step on the court.
Nicola Akele (’95) played a good level for IMG Academy helping his team to win both contests. The Italian forward averaged 11 points showing great adjustment to prep basketball. Big Indian Satnam Singh Bhamara (’95) is a raw and intriguing prospect that averaged 8 points per game.
Mt.Zion lost their two games but Tugay Balyan (’95) took advantage to average 8 points per game. The Turkish small forward is a wide athlete that showed his variety of weapons to score from one on one to catch and shoot threes. His Lithuanian teammate Rokas Ulvydas (’94) did not have his best performance scoring only 2.5 points per game. The 6’11 big man that is drawing interest from a few mid-major colleges showed his big potential at the defensive end.
A classic player that played his third NPSI is Ajou Deng (’95). Deng helped St. Thomas More to beat their two opponents averaging 2 points per game. English forward showed his basketball IQ and his suspicious athleticism playing a big amount of minutes. Belarus post player Tsimafei Paraliou (’97) did not enjoy playing time like his teammate.
South Kent lost his first game but won his match very next day. Serbian center Jovan Grujic (’96) played a significant role on defense intimidating in the paint. Thanks to his mid-range game he averaged 3 points per game. Lithuanian Martinas Pacevicius (’97) and Montenegrin Lazar Pavicevic (’96) did not play. Shunto Murakami (’96) from Japan improved his role during the season and he started in both games averaging 5 points per match. Murakami is a shooting guard that his main offensive weapon is his solid jump-shot. His Chinese teammate Bobby Xu (’95) scored 3 points in the win against MMG.
French Bradley Jomard (’96) scored 6 points for New Hampton Prep to beat South Kent in their only game at the tournament. His Japanese teammate Yujin Yamamoto (’96) recently arrived to the team and did not play.
Mont Clare Academy brought a pair of Finnish players. Orlando Taylor-Tobias (’94) scored 4 points in the winning effort against Impact Prep and Emil Osmanu Djeen (’94) finished scoreless.
Aaron Falzon (’96) averaged 17 points in two wins for Northfield Mount Hermon. Falzon, like we told in the past, has Maltese roots and is committed with Northwestern University.
Taiwanese Max Wu (’94) and Justice Nikkel (’97) from Hong Kong did not play in the defeat of Blair Academy against Cushing Academy. But short Wu enjoyed court time against Vermont Academy helping his team to get the win with 4 points.
Phelps School has interesting prospects like Lithuanian Antanas Krimelis (’96) and Spaniards Oriol Tres (’98) and Xavi Cama (’97). Krimelis showed a bunch of good finishing moves and shooting repertory scoring 29 points in the loss against Putnam Science. Tres and Cama coming from the bench enjoyed limited time but Tres contributed with 8 points in a losing effort against Northfield Mount Hermon.
Swedish Johan Hammarstedt (’94) did not have the chance to play for Bridgton Academy.
Russian Roman Serov (’95) barely enjoy playing minutes for Worcester Academy.
Spanish Bosco Aguilar (’96) did not play any minute with Sunrise Christian Prep team.
Chinese Joe Chen (’96) did not play for Wilbraham & Monson.
Putnam Science had Turkish Ertugrul Gazi (’96) in the roster but he was not at Rhode Island College.
By Ruben Alcaraz
NCAA Assistance Manager
@Filipy09
ralcaraz@eurohopes.com
