National Prep School Invitational Day 3: Mamadou Diarra, Hamidou Diallo, Bruce Brown, Omari Spellman | Zagsblog
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Sunday / December 15.
  • National Prep School Invitational Day 3: Mamadou Diarra, Hamidou Diallo, Bruce Brown, Omari Spellman

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    PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Putnam Science scored the last 13 points of the game to edge Montverde Prep 81-80 in the nightcap of the third day of the National Prep School Invitational.

    UConn recruit Mamadou Diarra made two free throws with five seconds remaining to cap the furious rally. 6-7 Australian Kouat Noi scored 17 second-half points to lead Montverde to a late 15-point lead that was relinquished in the final four minutes of play. Noi finished with a game-high 28 points. Montverde’s starting backcourt of Fard Muhammad (22 points) and MaCio Teague (15) played strongly again. Both appear very under-recruited at this point. Hamidou Diallo, the highest rated 2017 recruit at the event (#14 ESPN) led the winners with 17 points while Diarra contributed 16 points.

    Bruce Brown scored 22 first-half points on the way to a game-high 28 points to lead Vermont Academy to a 89-65 victory over Proctor Academy. The 6-3 Brown doesn’t appear to have a weakness to his game and will be an immediate contributor for the Hurricanes. 5-10 point guard Marcus Floyd continued his excellent play scoring 21 points, including three three-pointers, as Sunrise Christian ran away from Bridgton Academy 88-45. Floyd is another under-recruited 2016 player, currently sporting only low-major offers.

    The Helsinki Basketball Academy competed well, but faded late in a 90-73 loss to a very strong St. Thomas More team. St. Thomas More has seven players committed to Division 1 schools for next fall. Villanova signee 6-10 Omari Spellman led the winners with 15 points. 7-0 Arizona signee Lauri Markannen led Helsinki once again, this time with 22 points while 6-3 Fiifi Aidoo has his best game on the event with 20 points, including an impressive dunk on a dribble drive.

    The Czech Republic’s GB Academy won their second game of the event, topping Thetford Mines of Canada 70-54 behind 17 points from 6-8 Matej Drgon and 6-4 Milos Jovic. Jovic has impressed during the event and appears to be a MM+ recruit. Makai Ashton-Langford (2017, #33 ESPN) scored 21 points as Cushing Academy beat Hill Academy of Canada 80-66. Ashton-Langford scored 21 points in both of his games at the event.

    Penn recruit AJ Brodeur had 18 points to lead Northfield Mt. Hermon to an easy 87-59 win over St. Andrew’s. Tanner Johnson, headed to Bryant, hit four three-pointers and scored 17 points as Worcester Academy topped Bill Crothers Secondary School of Canada.

    Notre Dame Prep topped Scotland Performance (PA) 80-60 as 6-5 Travis Atson (Tulsa) has his second strong game with a game-high 24 points. Atson is a tough player and will be a “glue-guy” in college. 6-11 Cheickna Dembele of Mali led Scotland Performance with 16 points and showed high major potential.

    The event concludes today with five games.

    Carl Berman is Managing Partner of NetScouts Basketball.

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    Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle. A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.

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