I have the past few days watching live streams and game tape on teams in the Catholic Central League in Massachusetts. The conference has a ton of young talent that college recruiters should keep an eye on moving forward. Here are my thoughts on the top sophomores I had a chance to evaluate:
Andre Mills | Archbishop Williams | 6’3” | Forward | 2023
Mills is a long, athletic wing, with an impressive skill set. He’s a force inside, crashing the glass and finishing strong, but also has a great perimeter game. He handles well, has a quick first step, gets to the rim with long strides, finishes through contact, dunks on the break, and has great passing instincts. He’s also a lethal outside shooter, with great range, and can hit crossover, step-back threes. On defense, he dives for loose balls, rips down boards, and uses his length to get steals and blocks. Mills had a 26 point game earlier in the season and is easily one of the top prospects in the conference.
David Brown Jr. | St. Mary’s | 5’8” | Guard | 2023
Brown is a quick, shifty, explosive player. He’s a traditional
I have the past few days watching live streams and game tape on teams in the Catholic Central League in Massachusetts. The conference has a ton of young talent that college recruiters should keep an eye on moving forward. Here are my thoughts on the top sophomores I had a chance to evaluate:
Andre Mills | Archbishop Williams | 6’3” | Forward | 2023
Mills is a long, athletic wing, with an impressive skill set. He’s a force inside, crashing the glass and finishing strong, but also has a great perimeter game. He handles well, has a quick first step, gets to the rim with long strides, finishes through contact, dunks on the break, and has great passing instincts. He’s also a lethal outside shooter, with great range, and can hit crossover, step-back threes. On defense, he dives for loose balls, rips down boards, and uses his length to get steals and blocks. Mills had a 26 point game earlier in the season and is easily one of the top prospects in the conference.
David Brown Jr. | St. Mary’s | 5’8” | Guard | 2023
Brown is a quick, shifty, explosive player. He’s a traditional PG, who has the ball on a string, changes speeds well, and facilitates for others, but can also really fill it up. He takes it strong to the basket, has a smooth mid-range game, and hits off the catch or dribble from three. He explodes to the rim, looks for contact, and finishes through it with either hand. He’s had a 32 point, 5 rebound and 7 assist game and a game-winner with 1.9 seconds left so far this season.
Wesley Odiase | Cathedral | 6’5” | Forward | 2023
Odiase is a strong, skilled frontcourt player, with a high motor and a promising perimeter game. He has good hands, plays with physicality in the paint, and finishes strong around the basket. He’s also active on the offensive glass and doesn’t give up on plays. On the perimeter, he can handle, attack off the bounce, and find his teammates for buckets. He’s shown a solid stroke, from mid-range and the foul line, and his range should only increase as he gets older. On defense, he’s an excellent rebounder and shot-blocker. In a win over Arlington Catholic, he posted 19 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks.
Kamari JamesKamariJames6'0" | PGCathedral | 2023State | Cathedral | 6’1” | Point Guard | 2023
Kamari is a smooth, athletic guard, who breaks down opponents off the dribble and dunks in the open floor. He runs the offense and routinely creates open looks for himself and others by slithering into the paint and forcing defenses to collapse on him. He either elevates for the finish or uses his court vision to kick it out to open shooters. He can also shoot from deep and get to his mid-range pull-up whenever he wants. On defense, he gets in a stance, moves his feet, and defends with intensity. He kicked off his season with four-straight games scoring in double figures.
Jaydan Exalus | Cardinal Spellman | 6’2” | Forward | 2023
Exalus is a solid young player, with a ton of potential. He has a smooth shooting stroke and has range beyond the three-point line. He also has a decent handle, gets to the rim off the dribble, and finishes strong. He rebounds well on both ends and is a versatile defender. The next step in his development is to improve his speed, quickness, and bounce, which will take his game to the next level. Exalus has had multiple 20 point games so far this season and is somebody to keep tabs on moving forward.
