BOSTON — Exposure opportunities are scarce for basketball players at public high schools. In the MIAA, for example, there is not an official showcase organized like there is for the talent-rich prep schools in the NEPSAC, and that makes it more difficult for those players to find ways to get on the radar of prospective colleges.
Two coaches are working hard to bridge that gap. Winchester’s John Fleming and Lexington’s Reggie Hobbs started the Northeast High School Senior Showcase in 2021 in an effort to attract more eyes on players – mostly from MIAA schools – who may be getting overlooked. The event reached its fourth year on Tuesday night inside the Track at New Balance.
More than 40 players, all rising seniors, participated in Tuesday’s showcase. They were split into four teams and played three 30-minute games against each other in front of more than 30 college coaches who watched from the stands. The games were competitive and spirited as the players tried to prove themselves and leave a strong impression.
With two games being played simultaneously for the duration of the event, I bounced around between each court to observe the talent. Here are seven players who stood out.
Matt Breen, Shawsheen Tech
Forward, 6-9
Following the showcase, Breen said that some prep schools have tried to pry him away from Shawsheen. It was easy to see why. At 6-foot-9, he was the tallest player at the event and just a monster on both ends of the court throughout the night. Breen was blocking shots with ease, and he coupled that elite rim protection with a smooth offensive game. He can shoot, run the floor well and showed impressive ball handling, pace and quickness for his size. On one play, Breen shot-faked a 3-pointer, got his defender in the air, then blew by him with his left hand en route to a dunk. On another, he made an impressive baseline drive and finished a reverse layup with just the right spin off the glass. He has a future as a stretch big man.
Patrick Madden, Hopedale
Guard, 5-10
Madden’s sharpness with the ball in his hands stood out. He had an impressive stretch in the first game of the night when he faked a dribble handoff, then turned and sank a wide-open jumper. Moments later, he drove into the lane before showing off great court vision to fire a difficult cross-court pass with his left hand through traffic to an open shooter. High-academic Division 3 schools should be interested in Madden, a good shooter who just had a strong spring and summer with Rivals Elite on the MADE Hoops circuit.
Nicholas DiFelice, Woburn
Guard, 5-10
DiFelice may not be the most physically imposing player on the court, but he more than makes up for it with his high basketball IQ and decisiveness. Everything he does is quick and purposeful. He looks at ease with the ball in both hands and makes the right play more often than not without forcing anything, whether he’s playmaking or drilling another 3-pointer. DiFelice is small but crafty, always finding little creases to make a play. He’s a fun one to watch.
Nikolas Catalano, North Andover
Forward, 6-3
Catalano looked to be playing a step ahead of most players on Tuesday night. He was constantly active, and several times made quick and effective cuts to get himself wide open for easy layups. He’s confident making plays for himself, too, whether it was a strong spin move at the rim or a successful pump fake to draw a foul. He also played well defensively, which included an impressive block at the rim that turned into a transition bucket for his team the other way.
Nethaniel Clemente, Methuen
Forward, 6-4
Clemente was absolutely unstoppable in the paint. No matter who guarded him, he was overpowering them with his physicality and impressive post moves, and gobbled up buckets with strong finishes with both hands. On one play, the defense even smartened up to double team him, but it didn’t matter. He spun out of it and finished with his left hand. At the end of the final game, Clemente even showcased a soft shooting touch with a couple of pretty-looking jumpers. He’s a matchup problem.
Nicholas Spinelli, Newton North
Guard, 6-1
Spinelli was the motor that kept his team going throughout the night. He produced a collection of hustle plays, as he flew for several offensive rebounds and putbacks and got ahead of the defense in transition for layups, which included one where he felt pressure but still made a strong finish despite crashing into the stanchion behind the hoop. He was everywhere.
Ebe Efosa, Greater Lawrence
Guard, 6-3
You couldn’t keep your eyes off Efosa when he had the ball, because almost every time he did something exciting with it. In my eyes, he was the most athletic player of the showcase as he exploded for several strong takes and kept pressure on the defense. He made a 3-point play that sealed a win in his team’s second game of the night, and he showcased his athleticism to close the night when he Euro-stepped on his way through three defenders to add another bucket. He was confident and comfortable throughout the night leading his team’s offense, and was consistently vocal as he directed his teammates.
