Mount St Michael Academy 2020-21 Season Preview
Mount St. Michael returns three starters from last year’s 13-13 team that competes in the Catholic High School Athletic Association AA division. Juniors, Noah Best and Tyler Hawkins, will lead a team that struggled last year due to inexperience at many positions. Sophomore, Javoy Thompson, started 22 games as a freshman and is expected to compete for another starting spot. The Mountaineers hope to have a bit more depth this upcoming season as they compete in a very talented NY Archdiocesan Division.
Notable Players:
Noah Best, (2022) 6’5 guard. Best has probably benefited the most of not playing a long, strung out AAU season. He worked on his strength and jump shot all summer long and it’s already paying big dividends. He has recently picked up scholarship offers from Stonybrook, Robert Morris, Towson, Manhattan, Bryant, Hofstra, Rider, Siena, St. Peter’s and Illinois.
Tyler Hawkins (2022) 5’8 point guard, Last year as a sophomore, Hawkins was a Third Team All CHSAA All-Star. His speed and quickness are major assets. He’s a solid shooter off of the bounce, but can also spot up from 3. For his team to reach its highest potential this year, Coach Thomas Fraher will coach Hawkins to be a pass-first, shoot-second floor general. Bryant, Manhattan, Elon and Holy Cross have shown interest and others will follow.
Javoy Thompson (2023) 6’5 wing. Thompson is a tremendous athlete who has to find a motor that can run for the entire game. His strength, size and athleticism set him apart from so many players, but he has to bring it every possession to maximize his impact. Coach Fraher also says Thompson needs to improve his shooting. He already finishes well at the rim and could be an outstanding rebounder. If Thompson has the hunger to grind his way to greatness, his upside is huge.