Lee Academy PGs 2019-2020

When the leaves on the trees start changing their color and begin to fall in the northwoods of Maine, a new class of talented, hopeful basketball players traditionally assemble at Lee Academy in the tiny hamlet of Lee, Maine. The winters are long and cold, so this time prepares them for an arduous campaign ahead. Coach Dan Haynes and staff have assembled an exciting post-graduate team that Haynes believes could be his most potent squad yet. Returnees for a second school year are 6’1” guard Mikey West (Bethune Cookman); 6’9” Cyrille Diop of France; and 6’11” Julius Raudonius of Lithuania. Some intriguing newcomers include 6’4” guard Aidan Carpenter (Sienna commit); 6’6” guard Aleksandar Stoimenov(Bryant and Towson); 6’8” Isaiah Earl (Sienna and Quinnipiac); a high school sophomore and guard Joel Pullen. Also add to the mix are 6’6” Adame Ouertani of France; John Kenoye chiseled 6’5” forward of Kenya; Vlado Otasevic 6’6” of Montenegro ; and U19 Chinese National (high school senior) Sanning “Sunny” Liao, a 6’3” guard. Two development players to watch are 6’11” Theo Stefan; a 15-year-old Class of 2022 and 6’7” Selim Gueye. Aidan Carpenter is long, athletic, and he has a nose for the ball. He is unstoppable in attack mode with outstanding first step quickness and good range from deep. Point guard Joel Pullen’s crossover dribble allows him to create space anytime, and he is deadly from beyond the arc. With his ability to get in the lane, Joel has developed a highly consistent floater. Pullen is also a ballhawk defensively and his quick hands and anticipation wreak havoc on opponents. Stoimenov is a 6’6” guard by way of Bulgaria. He is a deceiving talent. Lean, but deceptively strong, he is a tremendous two-way player. Fundamentally sound, Stoimenov could be a mid-major sleeper. Isaiah Earl is a force defensively and rebounds very well in traffic. His offensive game consists of layups, put-backs and paint touches. Only a sophomore, it will expand. Kenoye has good range from 15-17 feet and in, has a great wingspan, and is a tireless worker. Lio is a shooter with a pure stroke but also can handle the ball in traffic. Vlado Otasevic is a 6’6” small forward with great mechanics. He is a high school junior. Ouertani is another 6’6” wing drawing interest from Texas Tech. The returnees are led by Mikey West who has committed to Bethune Cookman. West has great first step and his go-to shot is his step-back three-pointer. West and Carpenter were 1-2 or vice versa in any running sprint that I observed. Diop has an imposing inside presence while Raudonius has really filled out physically in the offseason. When your top players set the tone in practice, the future is bright. Coach Haynes predicts close to a dozen games at home this season which will warm things up tremendously in Mallet Gymnasium. - Brian E. McDormandCoach BMAC