Top-college signees at MCI basketball tourney

Some of the best college basketball prospects in the country will showcase their talents this weekend in Pittsfield when Maine Central Institute hosts the MCI Classic.

The four-team tournament will begin Saturday night with Bridgton Academy taking on St. Thomas More (Oakdale, Conn.) at 6 and then MCI will play Cheshire (Conn.) Academy at 8. The losers will play at 1 p.m. on Sunday before the winners meet up at 3 p.m.

Seventh-year MCI coach Max Good said the tournament should attract some major Division I college recruiters. MCI, St. Thomas More and Cheshire each boast players who have already signed with big-time programs.

“St. Thomas More has the best sub-college backcourt in the country,” said Good.

The team also features guards Ed Cota and Devonaire Deas, who have signed letters of intent to play at North Carolina and Florida State respectively.

Good said his MCI team is a younger one than it has been in the past, averaging 17 years. The postgrads will be led by 6-9 center Isiah Epps, a UNLV signee, and 6-7 forward Joe Brown who is committed to Hofstra. Good said he also expects University of Maine-bound center Mamadou N’diaye to make solid contributions. “(N’diaye) is getting better and better by the minute,” he said. “He’s gained 18 pounds since we’ve had him here.”

Cheshire will counter MCI with 6-9 center Jamie Watts and 6-5 swingman Donovan Stewart who will join Epps at UNLV next year.