BOSTON — Since 2021, the Northeast High School Senior Showcase has grown into one of the most important platforms for overlooked MIAA players – within a landscape that favors the top talent from NEPSAC and private schools – to get valuable exposure in their pursuit of playing college basketball.
The fifth installment of the showcase on Tuesday night inside the Track at New Balance was another success, attracting more than 40 players – all rising seniors – competing in front of 25-plus college coaches from local Division 2 and 3 schools. The players were split up into four teams, each playing three 30-minute games on two courts simultaneously while coaches watched from the seats above. That provided the players a rare opportunity to give those coaches a close look at them.
“It's important to give our kids and the MIAA a real chance to be truly seen,” said John Fleming, the Winchester boys coach and one of the event’s organizers. “To have 25-plus college coaches here, watching two courts, getting to see them the entire time, is huge for us, and it’s huge for them. A lot of kids in high school, they have dreams to go play in college, and you do have to put yourself out there, you do have to play in front of college coaches. There’s AAU and there’s other outlets, but this is front and center, and you’re playing in front of a lot of great coaches.”
This year’s field included several players from less-heralded MIAA schools, too. While MIAA powerhouses like Newton North, Lowell and Catholic Memorial were represented, schools like Greater Lawrence Tech, Prospect Hill Academy and Blue Hills Regional – which don’t always get the spotlight that MIAA Div. 1 programs receive – were accounted for.
"We had schools represented here from Central Mass. and the South Shore who aren’t maybe the big-name powers, but there are some players there,” Fleming said. “They might be the star on that team, but they also deserve a chance to say, ‘Hey, I can play with some of the bigger schools, the Division 1 schools and hold my own.’ Giving them that chance to play in front of coaches was huge.”
Here are eight standouts from Tuesday night’s action who went a long way in helping their college recruitment.
Albert Diaz, Greater Lawrence
5-9 guard
He might stand 5-foot-9, but Diaz has some natural gifts as a point guard that can translate to the next level. He was the fastest guard I saw on Tuesday night; he plays with great pace and poise, creates separation easily with a quick handle and has strong instincts and playmaking ability with the ball in his hands. I saw a really impressive acrobatic, scoop layup finish and he also showed a pretty repeatable stroke from 3-point range. Diaz has some exciting, intriguing tools.
Jamason Vella, Masconomet
6-6 forward
Vella was, quite simply, the star of Tuesday night’s event. The bulldozing forward was the tallest player competing, and he took full advantage. He was a monster inside, getting to the rim with ease and drawing fouls on helpless defenders all night. It wasn’t just his size that set him apart; Vella has great skill and ball-handling ability for his height. He was patient with his drives and was consistently beating defenders off the dribble with both hands using some sneaky quickness. He demonstrated great footwork and balance, like on a few step-through finishes in transition, and when he got to the rim, he didn’t miss.
He was also impactful with passes out of the post. On one play, Vella made a quick spin move on his defender and had the vision and precision to find a cutting teammate wide open for a bucket. Vella, who was a standout in Masconomet’s run to the Div. 2 Final Four last winter, looks primed for a big senior season and should be firmly on Division 3 radars.
Calum Atherton, Newburyport
6-1 guard
Atherton caught my attention late with some strong all-around play. He showed his range with a 3-pointer and I saw him make some slick, timely passes, including one over the top of the defense in transition that led to a teammate’s bucket. He also swatted an impressive block at the rim and powered in a three-point play off an offensive rebound. Atherton was making winning plays everywhere.
Tyler Coffill, Medford
6-0 guard
Coffill was probably the most impressive backcourt player over the course of Tuesday night’s event. His hustle, motor and two-way activity was consistent, and he was confident and capable as his team’s lead guard with high-level instincts. He hit several 3-pointers and he was just flying all over the place. He came out of nowhere for one offensive rebound, and finished one layup through contact as he crashed to the floor. A Greater Boston League All-Star last season, Coffill is a strong spot-up shooter and facilitator who impacts the game within the margins; he’s a local sleeper who’s deserving of Div. 3 looks.
Sam Myerberg, Lexington
6-1 guard
Myerberg has a pretty polished offensive game. Outside shooting is one of his strengths, which he showed Tuesday with several triples as he demonstrated an ability to hit off the bounce and the catch. He was also a pest defensively with several steals, including a sequence when he took himself for a three-point play and another where he showed great poise in transition, finding a teammate with a perfectly-placed bounce pass for a bucket. A three-level scorer, Myerberg just produces, which he’s shown throughout his Lexington career.
Gabe McIntyre, Mansfield
6-0 guard
McIntyre impacted the game in almost every facet. Need a rebound? He was flying everywhere on both the offensive and defensive glass. Need a 3-pointer? He buried those. A tough bucket? He demonstrated an ability to finish through contact and within traffic, and made great cuts and plays at the rim. One of my favorite plays of the night was when McIntyre grabbed a defensive rebound, then started a break and looked off a defender to find a wide-open teammate in transition. One of the top scorers for Mansfield in the Hockomock League last winter, McIntryre looks ready for a big senior season.
Mathaios Stamm, Newton North
6-1 guard
Stamm was forcing his will on opponents throughout the night; his physicality, strength and power inside stuck out as he overwhelmed defenders to get into the paint and score inside, even grabbing offensive rebounds for putbacks. He was relentless and also showed his skill with a strong handle and a few baseline jumpers. He was aware, active and engaged defensively and in 1-on-1 situations, and he had one steal that he took the other way and found a teammate for a score. We saw Stamm as a key contributor to Newton North’s run to the Div. 1 championship and he looks ready for an even bigger role under new coach John McNamara.
A NEW ERA: Why John McNamara is ready to carry the torch at Newton North
Connor Smith, Melrose
5-11 guard
From the jump on Tuesday night, Smith possessed an ability to make plays for himself and his teammates. He consistently created paths to get inside, shielding defenders to get to the hoop or driving and kicking to find teammates on the perimeter. He had really nice touch with his left hand on several strong finishes, which included one over a bigger defender in the lane and another on a spin move to the baseline, where he creatively scored a bucket.
Quick shouts: Jonny Sullivan, a 6-foot-2 guard for Tewksbury, made some really impressive passes in transition that were on time and perfectly placed. … Tyler Anderson, a 5-foot-9 guard for Blue Hills, had an active motor on both ends. He had a good stroke from 3, got to the basket often and was impactful defensively, including an impressive block where he slammed into the stanchion. … Zayden Goicochea, a 6-foot-2 guard for Greater Lawrence, had a consistent shot from 3 and the mid-range, which included a strong pump fake into a long two.
