Top 10 Boys Basketball Players of 2012-2013
|
Mount Greylock's Tyler Picard was a force for the Mounties all season. |
It would be difficult — if not impossible — to narrow the field of the top boys basketball players in Berkshire County this winter to a mere five players.
There is not enough room in one starting lineup for all the stars who have graced our area hardwoods for the last three months.
So we won't even try to limit ourselves to quintet. Instead, here are the top 10 players that iBerkshires.com Sports has tracked throughout the winter. And even with this "supersized" lineup, we'll mention that there are certainly deserving players who are not on the list:
Amancho Adopo, junior, guard, Pittsfield High School
Adopo would be thought of as one of the top scorers in Berkshire County if he was not better known as the best rebounder around. The fact is that he is a multi-talented baller who can get his own shot off the dribble or off the glass from either end of the floor.
Nolan Bird, senior, forward, Drury High School
It can be tough sometimes being a great player on a team that is not having a great season, but Bird was as steady as they come all season for the Blue Devils, leading his team in points and rebounds nearly every night and finishing with averages of nearly 16 points per game and more than nine rebounds per game.
Michael Carpenter, senior, forward, St. Joseph
Carpenter's 16 points and 11 rebounds speak for themselves, but he also routinely drew the toughest defensive assignment of the night for the Crusaders. St. Joe's senior class helped the school get to the sectional semi-finals all four years, reaching the finals twice and winning Western Mass last year; it could form an all-star team all by itself, but Carpenter is one of just two Crusaders on this list — tied for the most from any one school.
Jake LePrevost, senior, forward, Lee
No one came up bigger in big games than LePrevost, who scored 30 in an overtime win in the sectional semi-finals and 19 points and 11 rebounds in a key road victory over eventual South Division champion Mount Greylock in February.
Tyler Picard, senior, center, Mount Greylock
Picard was a dominant presence in the post for the Mounties. He could muscle up with any big man in the county and step out and knock down 3-pointers depending on the situation. Although he came up a little bit short in his bid for 1,000 career points, he was a big reason Mount Greylock won a league title and the No. 3 seed in the Western Mass tournament.
|
Taverick "Tank" Robinson averaged 25 points per game for St. Joe. |
No list of Berkshire County's top performers this year would be complete without its second-leading scorer of all-time. "Tank" Roberson averaged 25 points and 5.5 assists per game for St. Joe. He and his classmates helped set a standard for success that few teams in the section — let alone the county — can match.
Trayvon Sims, senior, guard, Taconic
Sims may not have been the top scorer for Taconic this season, but he was the leader night in and night out for a team that won six of its last eight games before bowing out in the Western Mass semis and won six more games than it did in 2012. He turned in one of the guttsiest performances of the year on a Friday night against St. Joe, coming off the bench with ankle injury and scoring 15 points with four assists to lead his team to a 63-61 win.
Josh Superneau, senior, guard, McCann Tech
When he was healthy, Superneau was super for the Hornets, who struggled to an 8-12 record but never gave up, winning their last two after already dropping out of tournament contention. First-year coach Mike Nykorchuck said his senior captain, "really held us together at the end when he was finally healthy." Superneau averaged 12 points and five rebounds in 15 games this winter.
Tyrell Thomas, junior, guard, Mount Greylock
One of just three non-seniors on this list and one of the most electrifying players in the county over the last few years. Thomas helped Mount Greylock set the standard for consistency in the county this season. The Mounties lost two games in a row just once all winter — back in December against eventual Division 3 North finalist Wayland and Division 3 South tournament-bound Ashland.
Heamon Williams, junior, forward, Lee
Williams is a threat to pull off a double-double every night for the Wildcats. We say "is" because he figures to be one of the best players in the county again next season. How good is Williams? Even though LePrevost is one of the most dangerous scorers in all of Western Mass, it was Williams who was the focus of St. Joe's defense in their sectional semi-final meeting.