New Hampton Falls to NIA in National Prep Showcase, 90-80

In a contest between two well-balanced teams featuring a combination of speed and skill on the perimeter and size and physicality inside, Nia Prep took on New Hampton to start off Sunday’s evening action.  Mid-way through the first-half, with UMass-commit Jordan Laguerre on the bench in foul trouble for New Hampton, Nia began featuring a variety of three-quarter court and half-court zone-trap looks that forced the Huskies to settle for difficult perimeter shots and allowed Nia guards Kelvin Amayo and Deon Maddox to get out and score in transition.  Trailing by two, at 38-36, New Hampton would close the half on a furious 16-2 run on a barrage of three-pointers from Lafayette-commit Joey Ptasinski, UNC-Greensboro-bound Nick Paulos, and Olivier Hanlan to take a 52-40 lead heading into halftime.

Maddox, along with Cincinnati-commit Shaquille Thomas, would open the second half aggressively on offense for Nia, attacking the rim for scores and getting multiple put-backs that would quickly erase the New Hampton lead.  Laguerre (11 points) would hit a big three from the left-corner to give New Hampton the lead back, at 62-61, with 10:30 remaining, before Maddox would answer on a driving lay-up on the ensuring possession to put Nia back on top.  A Hanlan floater would keep the New Hampton deficit to just two, at76-74, with under four minutes remaining, but as it seemed to do all half, Nia would answer back with back-to-back buckets from Amayo and Shamoree Strawn to push the lead back to six with three minutes left to play.  New Hampton proved unable to keep Nia’s strong, athletic guards out of the paint in the game’s final minutes, as the visiting Eagles would hang on for the well-earned, 90-80 victory.

Amayo and backcourt-mate David Joseph (9-10 FT) would finish with a game-high 19 points for Nia, followed by Thomas with 18 points and seven rebounds and Maddox with 13 points, seven boards, and four steals.  Hanlon led the way for New Hampton with 17 points and four assists, with Penn-bound Will Davis posting 12 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in an impressive double-double performance.
 
Write up courtesy of www.newenglandrecruitingreport.com