AAU Profiles-New England Storm

Justin O’Neill 6’7 Wing (Tilton School): O’Neill brings very good size as a wing. He is an outstanding shooter from beyond the arc, using his height to shoot over the top of opponents. Makes three-pointers at a very good percentage being particularly effective on catch and shoot attempts. O’Neill has made a concerted effort in the weight room working on his body. This has taken his game to the next level as a driver, complementing his potent shooting ability. While he still has more improvement to make physically, the added muscle has made him much more comfortable playing through contact and finishing layups at a higher rate. Defensively, he makes an impact on the glass, getting good position and using his underrated athleticism to rebound the ball well. Averaged close to eight rebounds per game this past high school season. He also does a good job of using his size and length to contest shots, forcing opponents into lower percentage attempts. D2 schools in a league like the NE-10 should be following O’Neill closely. Could get low-major D1 schools to show stronger interest if he can prove his game translates to being a standout against elevated competition in the NEPSAC.

Tommy Fontanella 6’3 Wing (Lawrence Academy): Fontanella is a player who impacts the game in various ways. He takes a lot of pride on the defensive end keeping his man in front of him and being in the correct spots on his rotations. Has the ability to guard multiple positions with his length. Fontanella also has no problem putting his body on the line to take a charge. His willingness to get physical against opponents with more size in the paint allows him to corral tough rebounds off the glass. Offensively, he has shown the ability to stretch the floor from long range when spotting up. Moves very well without the ball leading to easy layups off of cuts for him. Fontanella is also a solid playmaker, showing his unselfishness willing to pass up a good shot for himself giving it to a teammate for a better one. D3 schools in leagues like CCC and LEC should be tracking Fontanella.

Aidan Callahan 6’1 Point Guard (St. John’s Prep): Callahan committed to WPI earlier this week. I did a profile on him in an earlier article which will be listed here: Callahan is a point guard who does a great job of balancing getting his own points with facilitating for his teammates. Very efficient finisher at the rim because of his soft touch. Is a very reliable three-point shooter as well who can’t be left open or he will make the defense pay. If he beats his primary defender and then the help defender comes over he’s very adept at finding the open man with his playmaking to create an easy look. Strong ball handler who rarely turns it over. Defensively, he has nice length which allows him to get in the passing lanes and create opportunities for deflections or steals. Is not easy to shoot over because of his length. Coaches of D3 teams in leagues like the NEWMAC would be very comfortable handing the keys to their offense to a player like Callahan early on.

Nate Kane 6’4 Shooting Guard (Bishop Guertin HS): What immediately stands out when watching Kane play is his ability to shoot the ball. Has a quick release on his shot with good form keeping his elbow in. He consistently makes opponents pay when helping off of him as he is a dead-eye shooter on drive and kicks. When opponents close out on him tighter to run him off the line, he has a smooth pull-up jumper in the mid-range area. Defensively, while not the most athletic, Kane uses his high basketball IQ to regularly be in the right spots on his rotations to challenge an opponent’s shot or to help a teammate if they get beat off the dribble. With his size he also provides some defensive versatility at the next level being able to guard forwards if his team wants to play a smaller lineup. D3 schools in leagues like the CCC and GNAC should be keeping an eye on Kane.

Kalu Olu 6’0 Combo Guard (Tewksbury HS): Olu is a combo guard that can score the ball in a variety of ways. Makes three-pointers at a good rate both spotting up and off the dribble. Uses his mix of a quick first step and strong body to consistently get to the rim. Olu has a soft touch off the glass helping him to finish efficiently at the rim. Also a solid playmaker who can be counted on as a secondary playmaker in an offense. Particularly good at finding teammates cutting to the hoop for easy buckets. Defensively, he is quick laterally limiting opposing guards from getting into the paint against him. Also is a very good rebounder for his size. Uses his chiseled frame and an intense desire for the ball to battle against taller opponents for the ball. Averaged over six rebounds per game this past high school season. D3 schools in leagues like the CCC and LEC should be keeping tabs on Olu.

Dylan Santosuosso 6’1 Wing (Bishop Guertin HS): Santosuosso is a smooth shooter from beyond the arc who shoots at a good rate on catch and shoot attempts. When opponents crowd his space on the perimeter, he has shown he can get by them and score efficiently with a mid-range pull-up. Santosuosso also has a nice touch when using his floater if he cannot get all the way to the rim. While Santosuosso has made a nice transition to the wing, he still has his post skills from his younger days. When smaller opponents are defending him, he can take them onto the block and score with a jump hook. D3 schools in leagues like the CCC and GNAC should be getting familiar with Santosuosso.

Liam O’Neil 6’4 Power Forward (Alvirne HS): O’Neil excels at using his beef in the paint to get advantageous position on opponents and score at a high rate on the block. He can also catch the ball in the mid post and take his defender off the dribble to finish at the rim. While a large majority of his offense comes from 15 feet and in, he can also make the occasional three if left open. O’Neil also helps get his teammates better looks with his screening ability. He gets in a wide stance making it difficult for defenders to fight through him. Makes a solid impact on the glass rebounding the ball for his team. He uses his frame to out muscle taller forwards for the ball when it comes off the rim. O’Neil has committed to Southern Maine CC.

Joey DaSilva 6’0 Combo Guard (Windham HS): DaSilva is a player who can get hot in a hurry from beyond the arc. Has a very quick release on his shot to go with being able to make treys effectively spotting up, coming off screens, or off the bounce. DaSilva has deep range as well, showing the ability to drain shots from the NBA line on a number of occasions. While three-point shooting is his forte, he is also able to get to the rim and score at a good rate with his crafty layup package. DaSilva gives a good effort on the defensive side of the ball. Makes opponents have to work hard to get by him with his solid lateral quickness. Also does a commendable job getting set in position to draw charges when opponents drive out of control in the lane. D3 schools in leagues like the CCC and LEC should be following DaSilva.

Cody Rocheleau 6’2 Combo Guard (Nashua South HS): Rocheleau is an aggressive combo guard who puts constant pressure on a defense with his slick drives to the rim. It is difficult for opponents to keep him out of the paint with his quick first step. Also forces the defense to respect him from three-point range as he is very effective when spotting up. Does a good job of running his lanes hard in transition to score easy buckets for his team. Showed his passing ability this past high school season as well, making good decisions when taking the ball out of bounds under the basket. Defensively, Rocheleau takes pride in keeping his man in front of him, limiting opponents from getting dribble penetration against him. Also is solid on the glass for his position. He uses his underrated athleticism and knack for being around the ball to come up with timely boards. D3 schools in leagues like the GNAC and LEC should be tracking Rocheleau.

Andrew Lussier 6’2 Wing (Methuen): Lussier is a southpaw wing with a quick trigger from deep. Spaces the floor well for his team, making treys at a high rate on catch and shoot attempts. Lussier can put the ball on the floor from the perimeter and take opponents off the dribble to score effectively at the rim. Also makes an impact scoring on the block in certain situations where he does a good job getting position on opponents for high percentage layups. Lussier is very good with his decision making and rarely turns the ball over. He is regularly in the correct spots on defensive rotations when being one pass away or for help defense. With his strong body also has the ability to hold his own when switched onto a taller player. D3 schools in a league like the GNAC should be checking out Lussier.

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