Rotary Classic Team Announced

This years head coach Sean Young of Wilton-Lyndeborough has announced the Seniors who will play for New Hampshire in the Rotary Classic vs. Vermont.

Last year Vermont won 75-66.

John Boyatsis of Dover
Josh Jones of Salem
Colby Verge of Pinkerton Academy
Jason Chevrefils of Manchester Memorial
Jamie Zajac of Bishop Guertin
Jon Grenier of Pembroke Academy
Nicco Demasco of Monadnock
Jasmine Handonvic of Milford
Sam Young of Kearsarge
Justin Hojlo of Pelham
Josh Poland of Mascoma
Matt Cloutier of Nute
Jordan Wheelock of Groveton
Curtis Williams of Newmarket

Thanks to Dave Haley at www.nhsportspage.com for breaking the story.

New Hampshire selects its team in March from 2009 graduates, will practice in late June and will take on Vermont at the University of Vermont in Burlington on July 11

Notable exclusions:

Will Bayliss - wouldn't you want the best playmaker in the state on this team? Zajac OR Verge over Bayliss is a stretch.
Anybody from Class M - I see Josh Poland there...
John Mulvey - A great player...sad to see him left off

I guess you can only take 12 and they have to be Seniors obviously. Maybe I am bitter b/c back in '98 I was told I was the 13th player selected for the Vermont North team (nobody dropped or couldn't make it so I was screwed). Oh well. Always an entertaining and high intensity game for both boys and girls.

For more info, check out the New Hampshire Basketball Coaches Organization - http://www.eteamz.com/nhbco/

The two notable ommisions were Brady O'Neil from Laconia and Tony Brownell from Oyster River. Bayliss, Mike Kimball and several other top players did not try out. Its a well rounded team, better than last years squad.

Thanks Dave, I wondered if that was the case...Brownell is a glaring omission as well, missed that one. They should fair better against a Vermont team that as not as strong as last years (IMO).

Class S seems to be well "represented". Can't believe Brownell isn't there. He defintely ahead of a few in that group.

Thanks for the kind words about my son Tony. He really is OK with not being selected but a bit confused that the coach made the statement at the tryout "If you're not willing to run the floor and play defense then there's the door, you might as well leave now." That kind of defines the way he plays. I don't think seeing the team posted on the NH Sports Page is the best way for the kids who didn't make the team to find out about it. The kids all know each other and what happened over the weekend was some of the kids who made the team were texting or calling others who hadn't been notified one way or another, makes for an awkward situation. Having said that we certainly do wish the NH Team the best of luck and have had a lot of fun the last few years watching the kids progress through AAU then high school as well as meeting lots of great parents along the way. Good luck to all who continue to play in prep and college.

The general consensus from people I've talked to is Tony should have made it. Unfortunately not every player can make the team. Is he planning to play basketball at the next level?

Thanks administrator. Tony is going to Ithaca College but not planning on trying to play.

Ithaca is D-III, I would think Tony Brownell could make the team, or at least try out for it. He can play both guard positions, and the current team at Ithaca isn't very big, so it's not like being 6'0" will put him at that much of a disadvantage.

I do like the team especially handanovic, demasco , cheverfils, jones and hojlo. however, i would have liked to seen will bayliss, john mulvey, and tony brownell make the team. it just seems like coach young showed bias towards the smaller schools by selecting williams, cloutier, poland and wheelock i'm not trying to take anything away from any of those kids or say that the bigger schools are the most dominate but it just seems like there was some very good talent left off the team.

Wheelock and Poland were automatic selections as POY in there classes (Poland was runner-up but top senior). Williams belongs, Cloutier is iffy. The problem is with the S coaches voting Wheelock....and not Williams POY. Then Curtis would have gotten the autobid(and he deserves to be there) and Wheelock would not be taking a more deserving players spot....Brownell maybe.

George Tsougranis another one who did not try out but is certainly strong enough to play on this team. He may be a little undersized at 6' 3" to play small forward against the better Tilton Prep foes but he plays much bigger than his size and is fearless. NH has a really talented group of high school boys playing now, many with length and diverse skills, and they are proving in the major regional AAU tournaments this spring that they can compete with the best in the Northeast.