*Courtesy of Will McCullough, New Hampton Prep Director of communications.

NEW HAMPTON, NH -Three New Hampton School men's basketball players signed letters of intent to play college basketball on Wednesday. Jordan Laguerre (UMASS), Joey Ptasinski (Lafayette), and Nick Paulos (University of North Carolina Greensboro) confirmed where they will study and play the next four years when they signed their papers. The three are currently preparing for the be beginning of another season in Central New Hampshire, where they are coached by fourth-year head coach Pete Hutchins.

Joey Ptasinski will take his game to the Patriot League next year where he will play for one of the most respected coaches in the college game-Lafayette Coach Fran O'Hanlon.

Ptasinski, a 6-3 guard from Regis Jesuit in Aurora, Colorado, led his team to the Colorado 5Astate championship last season with 24 points in the final. He averaged 18.3 points and 2.7 steals per game while shooting 37 percent from three-point range. An 84% free throw shooter, Ptasinski was determined to go to Lafayette from the outset.

"It is the perfect fit for me overall, both academically and athletically," Ptasinski said. "The basketball culture there is really good. Playing under Coach O'Hanlon is going to be great. I've been to a number of practices and the way he runs things is perfect for me.

After a successful fall of skill development, Ptasinski figures to be a key performer for the Huskies in the backcourt.

"Playing here s a little different than Colorado," Ptasinski said. "The talent is much better and the game is more physical and it's a faster pace. Playing one-on-one offense and defense is so much more difficult because everyone is so talented, so quick, and so athletic."

Paulos will play for a fellow New Hampton Husky when he heads south and is under the watchful eye of UNC Greensboro assistant Wes Miller, a 2002 graduate of New Hampton School who went on to win a national title at UNC Chapel Hill.

"He had a close relationship with me because he went to New Hampton and it was good to have a guy who was close to me to help me through this process and I feel real comfortable with him," Paulossaid.

A 6-foot-7 wiry wing who has added some muscle at New Hampton, Paulos was a first-team all-state selection this past season in Salt Lake City, Utah at Olympus High School.

"I took a visit down there and I was really impressed with what they're doing with the program and how they're trying to turn it around with the coaching staff and players, and I think I can contribute to that," Paulos said.

He averaged better than 15 points and 6.4 rebounds a game for the Titans, and also led his team in shot blocking. He was one of the top three-point shooters in the state, shooting at a 42 percent clip.

"I've been known as a shooter and someone who can put the ball in the basket," Paulos said. "And as I get bigger and stronger, I think I'm going to be able to defend better, get to the basket, and knock down shots."

Laguerre, a 6-foot-2 guard from Manchester, New Hampshire, who is in his second season with the Huskies, averaged 14 points per game as a junior and is expected to take an even more dominant role in the offense this season.

"It's close to home. They have a good environment and I really like the coaches and players," Laguerre said. "I've gotten to play with them over the last couple years, and I'm really looking forward to going there and getting stronger physically and as a player."

Laguerre is a lefthander with an explosive first step, incredible leaping ability, and a scorer's mentality.

"Jordan came to New Hampton with amazing potential, and after one year has developed into a more consistent player who is beginning to really understand the game better," Coach Peter Hutchins said. "He is incredibly difficult to stop in transition and the half court. We've been really impressed with how he's been able to play the game at different speeds now."

New Hampton School competes in the top division of the New England Prep School League and has a rich tradition of preparing student-athletes for college. The Huskies open their season on Tuesday against the Harvard JV and then head to Connecticut for the National Prep Showcase. The Huskies play Hargrave Military Academy on Saturday November 20, at 12:30 pm at Albertus Magnus in New Haven.

Founded in 1821, New Hampton School is an independent, co-educational, college preparatory secondary school of 305 students who come from over 30 states and 20 countries. NHS prepares students for lifelong learning through self-discovery, authentic relationships, civic responsibility, and global citizenship. Students benefit from an average class size of eleven and a student-faculty ratio of five to one. For more information, please visit www.newhampton.org.