Notables at Summerfest

The Summerfest in Saint John marks the end of the summer season for a lot of teams in the Maritimes or is the final preparation stage for teams heading to Nationals August 1. The 15U and 17U boys will compete in Toronto at Humber College while the 15U and 17U girls compete in Winnipeg at the University of Manitoba.

First of all, thanks to all the people at Basketball New Brunswick for putting on a great tournament which featured some great teams and great players.

There were, certain individuals who had exceptional weekends and some players who caught my eye as they competed in their respective divisions. Below I have mentioned the players who stood out in my mind.

Men’s Development:

Sawyer Eddy – PG from the New Brunswick 15U developmental team had superb weekend and a great summer for this team. Coach Ryan Chase in his first year in the Provincial system did a great job motivating and teaching this group of young players. Eddy was their rock all summer long and led them to a dramatic 2 point win on a buzzer beater over 14U Nova Scotia in the Development final.

Men’s Competitive

Kyle Rogers – PG from New Brunswick 16U had a stellar weekend for his team leading them to a solid win against a very good 15U Nova Scotia Team. Over the weekend Rogers averaged 18 points 12 assists and 4 steals for his team. He was in the final discussion to play as an under-age player for the 17U team but was given the opportunity to develop and start at PG for the 16U team. This kid is a delight to watch play, he leaves it all on the floor for his teammates, and is a leader for them on and off the court.

Nick Depalma – I mentioned him in last week’s blog after the Bluenose but now I’m going to give him a serious shout out after the Summerfest! This kid was IMPRESSIVE, he makes shots, creates his own and distributes to teammates. He was a real fun player to watch at this level and had an exceptional weekend. The 15U Canada Games team from Nova Scotia has some serious pieces to compete at this year’s national tournament and will certainly be a team to watch once the 2013 game roll around.

Maurice Colley – 16U Nova Scotia standout played as good as anyone at the tournament this weekend. He is a big, long athlete with very good basketball skills. He can shoot from range, get to the basket and hold his own on the defensive end. He is a 6’3 who has the ability to play the point guard position and has a very high ceiling.

Men’s open

Travis Adams – Playing the forward for the 17U Nova Scotia team at 6’3, this kid plays like he is 6’7. He has a non-stop motor and a nose for the basketball. With some members of his team struggling, Adams was the steadying force both offensively and, especially defensively for his squad. He plays the point of their pressure and is extremely disruptive to other teams with his ability to disrupt ball handler and get his hands on almost everything.

Weston Durling – 17U Basketball New Brunswick forward had an interesting weekend and was a player who caught my eye this weekend. The New Brunswick squad played in a tough division facing off against the UNB club team. Durling was able to hold his own against the much bigger and experienced lineup of the CIS players. He does all the dirty work a coach loves, rebounding, chasing lose balls and he gets to a lot of things out of his area. He is a blue-collar worker and was able to do it against other big physical players.

Shaquille Smith – Special mention goes to Smith as he played in the Men’s open division competing against former college and CIS players. Entering his first year university (Acadia) he left a solid impression on fans and other players alike. His ability to get to the rim and finish in traffic, along with his range from 3 makes him a dynamic player and someone to watch as he begins his career in the AUS.