New Hampton attracts hordes of scouts
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The National Prep Showcase has always been an important stop for college coaches and talent evaluators. Because it is prep school basketball, there aren't usually as many standout young players and the focus - especially of coaches - is on graduating seniors and post-graduate players. But over at New Hampton (N.H.) Prep, head coach Pete Hutchins has some younger prospects demanding attention.
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Make no mistake, Hutchins has some high-level seniors at his disposal in the form of Notre Dame-bound Zach Auguste, Boston College signee Olivier Hanlan and Towson-bound Barrington Alston, among others.
However, 2014 prospects Noah Vonleh and Jared Terrell, along with 2015's Jeremy Miller, represent the future at New Hampton. At the NPS, the trio represented very well.
Ranked No. 2 nationally in the class of 2014, the 6-foot-7 Vonleh is already very well regarded. A combo forward with skill, he's an intense competitor and sensational rebounder.
After grabbing 19 boards and going to work on the interior on Saturday, Vonleh grabbed another 14 on Sunday in a 93-60 spanking of Blair (N.J.) Academy. But, he also showed off his perimeter game draining 4-of-5 shots from 3-point range and attacking off the dribble to rack up 19 points.
"I thought I played pretty good and I shot the ball well," the five-star forward told Rivals.com. "I've been working on my shooting and getting my handle better."
So far, Vonleh has generated interest from Connecticut, Boston College, Syracuse, Kansas, Auburn, Georgia Tech and UCLA among others.
"I don't let it get to my head," Vonleh said of the attention. "I just play hard and try to get better."
Vonleh's 2014 sidekick, Terrell, was no slouch himself going for 21 points, four rebounds and three assists. A sleek and athletic 6-foot-2 off-guard, Terrell is in attack mode at all times, slashes for dunks, makes jumpers and locks up opponents defensively.
The four-star prospect is working hard to expand his game from that of a slasher to be a bit more complete, though.
"When I was younger I liked to go to the rim," Terrell said. "Now, I try to incorporate the jumper a little more now that I'm becoming more comfortable as a shooter."
According to Terrell, he's already heard from Rutgers, Miami, Boston College, Cincinnati, Providence, UConn and more.
Finally, there's Miller. Because New Hampton has so many players, the freshman's playing time is a bit limited. But, that didn't stop him from impressing. A lengthy 6-foot-8 faceup four-man, Miller has a fluid shooting stroke with legitimate three-point range and runs the floor very well. As he develops and adds strength, he projects on or near the same level that Vonleh and Terrell.
As for their head coach, he's just focusing on coaching his guys and winning games.
"They are great kids so all we have to ask of them is that they come to play every day and work as hard as they can," Hutchins said. "We want to be a great team and they all really like each other so that helps."
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