HAMILTON- With the school year fast approaching, there is limited time for high school basketball teams to train together with their coaches. That is why events like the Primetime Summer Shootout, held at TCA this weekend, are so important to the squads around the tri-state area. With seven local teams competing, along with some of the top teams in...
HAMILTON- With the school year fast approaching, there is limited time for high school basketball teams to train together with their coaches.
That is why events like the Primetime Summer Shootout, held at TCA this weekend, are so important to the squads around the tri-state area.
With seven local teams competing, along with some of the top teams in the nation on a yearly basis, the four-day showcase can be a great team building experience, especially for some of the squads that have to replace key losses from last season.
The Hun School is one of those programs, trying to rebuild after the loss of some very talented players: Luke Apuzzi, Sasha French, Austin Harriott, and Jose Morales. The Raiders will be very young, but it will be up to some of the returning upperclassmen to shoulder the load. One of those players is senior 6-4 guard Austin Hutcherson.
"I think that when you have a lot of guys that graduate, that knew the offense before, it is up to guys like me, and some of the juniors that are back to teach the young guys the plays," Hutcherson said. "These summer games give us practice against good competition, that kind of feels like our MAPL League, and in-season games on the schedule. So these games are important."
As always, Hun will play the toughest schedule of any area team, and the Primetime Shootout gave Hutcherson and his new team mates a taste of that action. Saturday, the Raiders played Roselle Catholic and Plymouth-Whitemarsh (PA), two of the top programs in the East, and the country.
"I think, for anybody, experience an practice are the only things that can get you ready as you get older," Hutcherson said. "For freshman and sophomores, and guys coming in, games like this are important. They get you prepared."
For Fred Falchi, his TCA team needs to replace the Area Player of the Year, Richmond Aririguzoh, and a group of seniors that graduated in the spring. With a team full of underclassmen, and what some are saying may be one of the best incoming freshman classes in area history, these four days are extra important.
"We didn't really do much in the summer," Falchi said. "A lot of kids worked out on their own here. So for us, it is the first team thing we get to do. It is pretty important for us. In two more weeks, we can't do anything as a team, so it lets us see if the kids got stronger, or better, and it gets us ready for the season."
"The kids also get to see how good or bad they are," Falchi said. "And what they need to work on. Anytime you get to play, it is good, and important. But for the schools like us, and Hun, who can't get the kids together, it is really important."
St Benedict's, which is perennially a top-25 team in the country, has different goals in mind for the 2016-2017 season. The Grey Bees want to contend for a national title, and they are absolutely loaded for the upcoming year. One of the transfers, Matthue Cotton, a 6-5 guard who came in from Academy New Church, will look to spark the Grey Bees challenge for the top spot in the country.
"This tournament is very important for us," Cotton said. "Especially on the defensive end. Our key right now is to play defense, and build chemistry throughout the team. We want to get that national championship. That is our goal, to be the best team we can be."
That Grey Bees defense was on display locally last year, when they held a high-flying Peddie team to just six points in the second quarer of a 74-62 win.
"Right now, I am trying to be the best player I can be," Cotton said. "Take these summer months to get better. But the defense is very important to our play. We have to try to speed teams up, and then we can get out and play how we want to play, in transition."
Summer Primetime comes to Trenton Catholic
Primetime Summer Shootout Schedule
Sunday, August 14th, 2016
10:00 am - Hyde(Conn) vs. Trenton Central
11:00 am - Hun vs. Trenton Catholic Academy
12:00 pm Camden vs. Plymouth-Whitemarsh
1:00 pm - Randolph vs. Nottingham
2:00 pm - Camden vs. Hun
3:00 pm - Plymouth-Whitemarsh vs. Randolph
4:00 pm - S. Brunswick vs. Newark (NIA)
5:00 pm - St. Mary's vs. Hyde(Conn)
6:00 pm - Marist vs. S. Brunswick
7:00 pm - Newark (NIA) vs. Trenton Catholic Academy
8:00 pm - St. Mary's vs. Marist
DIRECTIONS:
From New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey - Take NJ Turnpike to Exit 7A; take I-195 West to I-195 exit 3A (ramp right) to traffic light. Make left onto Kuser Road. Stay on Kuser Road for approximately 3 miles. Make left onto Leonard Avenue to Trenton Catholic Academy.
Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean