Hoop Dreams Mag Prep Recap

Boston, MA - With the Hoop Hall Classic next weekend, The Recruit Scoop took a trip up to New England to see some of the area's top teams as programs from Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Canada, New Hampshire, Maryland and Vermont competed in the Hoop Dreams Magazine Prep Classic. Here's a look at who performed well.

2016 Vermont Academy (VT) guard Bruce Brown has always had a willingness to consistently compete - whether that be in games or practices. That translates on the court time in and time out. Factor that in with his physicality, as well as his passing and rebounding ability at the guard spot, and it is no question why Indiana coach Tom Crean watched him play Sunday. The bruising slasher is still working on creating offense by using a pull up and mid-range jumper, but he does a good job of being versatile enough to track down boards, while pushing the tempo and finding seams to make quick, accurate passes to setup easy buckets. As he gambles on defense a bit, he will have to develop a better balance of on and off the ball defense. The most active schools on him at this point are Texas Tech, Arizona State, Auburn, Wake Forest, UMass and Indiana - all of whom have offered. The Hoosiers, Red Raiders and Minutemen really seem to be coming the strong, and Brown will likely see a growth in his recruitment if he can develop a lethal jumper.

2016 Masters School (CT) guard Elijah Pemberton started out slow in the first half as he had some mental lapses but came on strong in the second half. A strong secondary ball handler turning into a combo guard, Pemberton made good choices passing the ball in transition. He also used his crisp mid-range jumper to open the floor. He can get out in transition and finish at the rim with explosive dunks and finishes. Pemberton tends to lose focus on the court at times, and if he can stay engaged he has a chance to be a useful weapon on offense at the mid-major level. So far, he holds offers from Boston, Stony Brook, Monmouth, LIU and Fairfield. The Stags are recruiting him the hardest at this point.

2017 Holderness School (NH) power forward Sukhmail Mathon will soon have the attention of the Ivy and Patriot League schools. For now, he continues to develop his post game. With a long frame, he can pass the ball fairly well and does a good job of tracking down, and securing, rebounds. The shooting form on his jump shot needs some improvement, as does the concept of always playing big and making a difference in a zone. As Mathon continues to fill out, look for serious suitors to get involved soon.

2015 Suffield Academy (CT) point guard Juwan Anderson is one of the more interesting unsigned point guards remaining on board. A California native, he did a great job of utilizing the pick and roll to his advantage, whether it would be using it to dish to open teammates or creating a scoring opportunity for himself. As he has to extend his shot range more, and finish consistently around the rim, Anderson can run a team and meets all the criteria that a floor general must do. That being said, he will be faced with the tough decision of what level he wants to play at if and when the offers come in. He currently holds scholarships from Pacific, Portland, Florida A&M, Northern Arizona and Cal State Fullerton, but has yet to use any official visits. As he has been on the St. Mary's and Pacific campus before, he visited Cal State Fullerton last week, and hopes to take an official trip there in early March. However, he has a lot of interest from Indiana, Creighton, Tennessee, Maryland, Fairfield and St. Mary's. Hoosiers assistant coach Tim Buckley has been in the gym multiple times to check him out as a possible replacement for Yogi Ferrell, and head coach Tom Crean came to see him play on Sunday afternoon, along with others.

2016 Worcester Academy (MA) wing Saul Phiri - The transformation from last year to this year has shown Phiri's development. The physically built wing runs the lanes well and uses his body to impact the game in a bruising way. A slasher who can pull up for an occasional jump shot, the junior was excellent in transition as he finished with contact at the cup and played with great intensity. He is becoming quicker and more athletic, while also making smarter decisions on the court. George Washington, Duquesne, Fairfield, Rider, Buffalo, Monmouth and St. Bonaventure have offered, and he may visit George Washington soon as they rank very high on his list of suitors. Phiri also has interest from Wake Forest, Xavier, Penn State and Boston College.

2017 Vermont Academy (VT) center Samuel Mathias played soccer early on in his life, and that clearly translates to the court. His footwork and post up moves for his size are impressive, especially considering he has played the sport a total of two years. Factor that in with soft hands, and some ability to finish around the rim, and there is no question as to why he holds offers from two top programs nationally. As his strength and body within his core will need work, that comes in time as conditioning is key. He is developing very quickly for someone only 16-years-old with such limited experience. Georgetown and Miami certainly think so. Both have offered him a scholarship, and Indiana is tracking the sophomore, as well.

Recruiting Roundup

2015 Vermont Academy (VT) guard Ronnie Suggs showed a lot of versatility and craftiness on the court. The former Missouri commit can play both guard spots with confidence and he has a nice looking lefty jumper to his game. Duquesne, Rice and Cal Poly are his only offers at this time.

2016 Worcester Academy (MA) power forward Kevin Marfo holds offers from Brown, Northeastern, Buffalo, Vermont, Fairfield, Rider and Quinnipiac with interest from Xavier, Penn State and George Washington. He plans to visit either Vermont or Brown in the coming weeks. Marfo has to get in better shape, but has a powerful post game that allows him to establish space down low. He has to be able to finish around the rim consistently, however.

2017 Rivers (MA) wing Jermaine Samuels struggled tremendously as he couldn't create his own shot and struggled to get into the lane with the ball in his hands. Still developing his skill set, Samuels is being carted by UConn, Boston College, Villanova and Providence early on.

2016 MacDuffie (MA) power forward Omari Spellman recently visited Ohio State and Pittsburgh, both of whom offered. For the time being, he says Villanova, Ohio State and Indiana are tracking him the hardest. As his conditioning and ball handling ability continue to improve, he got outmatched against a smaller, but more physical post, who is headed to Clemson to play football. Spellman's footwork in the post was off, as was his ability to physically dominate like usual.

2016 Masters School (CT) center Sam Ibiezugbe has most of the MAAC on him with Monmouth, Quinnipiac, Stony Brook and others involved. He has quite a bit of development to do in his game, but is starting to establish himself as an average rebounder and passer.

2015 Lee Academy (ME) power forward Rudy Stradnieks was being watched over by head coaches from Miami (OH) and Drexel with assistants at Vermont, Albany and Vermont present. Stradnieks doesn't have to much of a skill set but plays a physical style that allows him to create space by using power moves. He is a solid rebounder, but not much of a defender as he doesn't move well.

For the latest in college basketball recruiting, head to TheRecruitScoop.com for the latest details and notes on offers, visits, commitments and more. To contact Alex Kline, you can reach him by email at MaryKlineClassic@gmail.com or on Twitter at TheRecruitScoop.