Boys’ Wrap-up

Preps enjoy

limelight as 

high schools

ready for start 

of season

By Ron P. Coderre

The start of the boys’ high school basketball season is one week away.  As the schoolboys work hard preparing for the first tipoff, the local prep schools continued to whittle away at their season schedules.

The Putnam Science Academy prep and varsity teams enjoyed a perfect week, the prep posting three wins and the varsity two without a loss.  Pomfret School was able to garner two win in four games, while Marianapolis and Hyde School-Woodstock failed to crack the win column.

Diallo Out of Doghouse

Hamidou Diallo emerged from coach Tom Espinosa’s doghouse to lead his mates to a pair of impressive victories prior to the team’s departure for Florida and the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers.

Competing in the Basketbull Hoopfest at Holyoke Community College, the Mustangs led by a re-energized Diallo rolled past Vermont Academy 83-70 and Bill Crothers School 95-86 to raise their record to 12-2.

Diallo led five Scientists in double figures with 18 points in the victory over Vermont Academy.  The other double digit point producers were Parisian Alexis Yetna (11 points and 14 rebounds), Malik Ondigo (14), Isaac Kante (12) and Eric Ayala (11).

Diallo continued his resurgence against Bill Crothers with a 27-point performance as once again five Mustangs hit double figures.  PSA fell behind Crothers 60-48 at intermission but put together a strong second half to capture a come-from-behind 95-86 win.  Joining Diallo in double digits were Kante (14), Jaheam Cornwall (18), Ondigo (10) and Yetna (14 points and 13 rebounds).

The Mustangs capped the week with a 60-59 squeaker over St. Anthony’s of Texas in the City of Palms Classic in Florida.  Three players were in double figure led by the steady Cornwall with 14 points.  Diallo added 13 and Yetna had a dozen.

The Putnam Science Academy varsity unit got back on track with a pair of victories.  In a game played in Springfield the Mustangs varsity held on for an exciting 85-83 overtime win over Toronto Academy.  Nate Patenaude led all scorers with 21 points to go with eight rebounds.  Liam Jacobs, the former Plainfield Panther had a solid game, producing 13 points and six boards, while Amir Paul chipped in 13 markers and Adham Floyd had nine.  The Mustangs varsity is 9-2 on the season.

In the opener of the two-game set in Springfield, PSA posted a 96-74 victory over Spire Institute of Ohio.  Isaiah Laurent led the Mustangs with a double-double, 15 points and 10 caroms.  Patenaude had a solid game with 19 points.  Alex White (15 points) and Putnam product Dan Porcic (12) rounded out the double digit scorers for the Scientists.

Pomfret School opened its week with an 81-54 win over Route 169 opponent Hyde School-Woodstock.  Christian Wilson, who was 8-of-9 from the floor, was the Griffs high scorer with 23 points.  Adrian Arroyo complemented Wilson’s game chipping in 18 markers.  Hyde was led by Mekhi McCray (12) and Khalil Johnson (10).

In its other game of the week, Hyde was beaten by Worcester Academy 51-36 as Mike St. Laurent was the lone scorer in double figures for the Wolfpack with a dozen points.

Pomfret then lost two games in the Kingswood-Oxford Holiday Tournament.  The Golden Griffins waltzed past Capital Prep Harbor 80-52 as Wilson continued to lead the way with 20 points.  Shannon Denny added 12 points and nine assists for Pomfret.

The host, Kingswood-Oxford then disposed of Pomfret in the next contest 69-62 despite a mammoth performance by Wilson who poured in 29 points.  Down 31-25 at halftime, Pomfret was unable to climb out of the hole.  Denny was in double digits again with 13 and Dan Cappo added 11 for 2-3 Pomfret.

In the game for third place, Pomfret was beaten by Canterbury School despite 21 points by Wilson.  Arroyo added 15 points for the 2-4 Griffins.

Marianapolis fell to 1-5 on the season when it was beaten by Choate 65-55.  Joe Del Ricci with 24 points and Tyler Burton with 15 were in double digits for the Golden Knights.

 

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