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Basketball Clinic

Coach Tom Espinosa, left rear, and the youngsters who participated in his July basketball clinic.  Courtesy photo.

 

 

By Ron P. Coderre

This week’s RPC shoutout is sent along to Thompson resident Leonard “Sonny” Hamel.  A graduate of the former St. Joseph’s High School in N. Grosvenordale, Hamel was a standout basketball player for the Saints.  Today the Vietnam veteran enjoys semi-retirement and helping others in his community.

Only one player from a Northeastern Connecticut American Legion team was selected to the Zone VI All-Star team.  The team was heavily laden with players from the Southeastern section of the zone.

Ben Desaulnier, the first baseman for the Danielson team, was the only player from TriTown, Moosup or Danielson selected on the All-Star unit.  Desaulnier is certainly worthy of his selection but it’s perplexing that no one else from the three teams was chosen.  Desaulnier’s teammate Nick Miner was honored with a selection on the reserve unit.

Whoever was making the selections didn’t look very much further north than Norwich.  Granted, Niantic, New London and Waterford were all at the top of the Zone standings but there were a number of individuals worthy of “reserve” status minimally.

Moosup despite a poor record had some players worthy of consideration.  David Carpenter was one of the toughest pitchers in the Zone.  Often facing the top teams, Carpenter was the hard luck loser in a number of low scoring affairs where he was as effective as the winning pitcher.  Other members of Post #91, who had more than respectable seasons, include Colby Greenhalgh, Jeff Nicolosi, Jordan Federer and Steve Jankowski.

The TriTown team, which qualified for the postseason for the first time since 1997, was led by a number of veterans who turned in solid performances game-in and game-out.  Catcher Jacob Guertin and shortstop Nicholas Foucault come to mind.  First baseman/pitcher Ryan Gadoury contributed to the success of the team with the bat and arm as did Charlie Ennis.  And coincidentally Desaulnier and Miner’s teammate Drew Daley was pretty effective on the mound for Danielson.

At least in the eyes of those making the selections they did give sportsmanship awards to someone from TriTown, Moosup and Danielson.  Eli Majek was the sportsmanship winner from Danielson, Caleb Deslauriers from Moosup and Alex Angelo from TriTown.

Desaulnier Continues 

Play On AAU Level…

Following the conclusion of the American Legion baseball season Danielson first baseman Ben Desaulnier was invited to participate in a regional tournament with a team organized by former Chicago Cubs pitcher Scott Chaisson.  Desaulnier and the team fared very well against some very stiff competition.

The team traveled to Richmond, Va., and participated in the United States Triple Crown Baseball championships.  In the end they surpassed all goals, coming back to Eastern Connecticut with the championship trophy.  Along the way they won 11 games in a row before losing in the championship round of the double-elimination tourney.  They came back to win the title with a 2-1 victory, which they salvaged scoring the winning run on a suicide squeeze.

In September Desaulnier will continue his baseball career at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts where he’ll be a member of the FSU baseball team. 

Running Is In His Blood…

Scott Deslongchamps has been running in road races longer than most runners hailing from northeastern Connecticut.  Competing is in his blood.  While working out to attempt a triathlon, which he’s never done previously, the veteran runner travels to wherever he can find a race.

Recently Deslongchamps competed in the Central Mass Striders 5K at Worcester State University.  Running against some of the best competition in Central New England, Deslongchamps completed the 5K in the respectable time of 18:55, good for a third place finish.

Basketball Shooting Clinic 

On Tap…

Putnam Science Academy renowned basketball coach Tom Espinosa is taking applications and walk-ins for part two of his basketball clinics.  Espinosa’s Shooting Clinic is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, August 12 and 13 at Hyde School.  The Friday session runs from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with Saturday’s program beginning at 9 a.m. and concluding at noon. 

The cost of the two-day clinic is only $60 and includes a T-shirt for all campers, individualized instruction, station work and special contests.  Contact Espinosa at 860-933-0117 for more information.

“Our first clinic of the summer was very successful.  We had a great group of outstanding campers, who demonstrated great progress.  The kids are fortunate that the clinic provides an experienced staff,” said Espinosa.

Members of Espinosa’s clinic staff include two of his assistant coaches, Josh Scraba and Travis Godley and two of his former players, Aaron and Andrew Robinson, who are currently members of the Quinnipiac University Bobcats.  Dan Harris, also a Quinnipiac player, is on the staff as well.

Greater Hartford Pro-Am…

If you think the Greater Hartford Pro-Am is a golf event, think again.  The Greater Hartford Pro-Am is in fact one of the top basketball leagues in the East.  Played during the summer months it attracts the best players in the area.

Known pros such as Ray Allen, Andre Drummond and Rip Hamilton show up occasionally to the delight of the fans.  Many of the UConn current and former players often drop in and play, as well as collegians from other name colleges and universities.

Last week a former Putnam Science Academy big man and current star at Quinnipiac University made his presence known in the league.  Chaise Daniels showed up in Hartford and played for Harte Nissan.  During the year he played on the Maple Street campus in 2013-2014, he scored 299 points.  He led the Mustangs to a 29-win season.

Prior to Daniels’ appearance for Harte the team was 0-4 and looking pretty dismal.  Daniels arrived and scored 17 points while posing an awesome presence in the middle on defense.  He led Harte to a 107-99 victory over Hoop Wave.  The win was the fifth in a row for Harte, which is now in the Greater Hartford Pro-Am playoffs.

The 6-foot, 9-inch Daniels, who is a junior this year, figures to be a force this season for coach Tom Moore and the Quinnipiac Bobcats.   

RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: “There is nothing deep down inside us except what we have put there ourselves.”  Richard Rorty

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