A shot at hoop dreams

The 6-foot-8 Newton North forward received his first letter of interest from Brown University back in the summer of 2007, after completing his freshman season with the Tigers.

That only provided extra motivation on what was turning into a promising career. And did he ever make a strong case for himself, with three straight Bay State Conference All-Star selections and Globe All-Scholastic accolades this winter as a junior on the North team.

Finally, those Ivy League dreams have come to fruition. On July 3, Kelley took a break from playing basketball with his cousins in Kentucky, picked up the phone and gave Yale head coach James Jones a verbal commitment. Kelley is the program’s first commitment for the 2010 class and the latest in a legion of locals who have committed to Ivy League schools.

Brown received two commitments this spring from locals - Brookline’s Tucker Halpern (Noble & Greenough) and Sudbury’s Andrew McCarthy (Northfield Mt. Hermon). Medway’s Kyle Casey (Brimmer & May) committed to Harvard last February, while Shrewsbury’s Matt LaBove (St. John’s) chose Dartmouth late last November.

“Coach Jones, he was my guy. He seemed to really love the game,’’ Kelley said. “He seems like a guy you’d love to play for. Yale’s only a few hours from my house, so it’s a great fit for me and my family. I’m really excited.’’

NCAA rules prohibit coaches from commenting on recruits until they have signed a National Letter of Intent.

Four months ago, Kelley said, the Yale Bulldogs weren’t even on his radar. After Newton North lost to Brockton in the Division 1 South Final last March, his short list consisted of Harvard, Cornell, Holy Cross, Davidson, Richmond, and Vermont.

At some point, every coach on Yale’s staff had come to see the big man play, but things didn’t start picking up until the Tigers held an open gym in April, during what is considered a “live’’ period for NCAA coaches. He impressed them enough during those workout sessions alongside up-and-coming teammates Tevin Falzon and Macam Bak Macam, and after getting his SAT scores back (he got an 1840) the Bulldogs offered him a scholarship in mid-May.

He said the turning point, though, came during Yale’s camp from June 12 to 14, his second visit to the New Haven campus. Jones came away impressed enough to confide, according to Kelley, that “if he got me to commit after the camp, he thought the camp would be a success.’’

Jones “jokes around a lot. Some head coaches in the recruiting process seem almost daunting,’’ Kelley said. “I just felt so comfortable with coach Jones. He was charming and everything. I see myself learning from him.’’

Some recruiting analysts feel like the Ivy League has been getting players above its level for several years now - Casey’s commitment, with his 7-foot-2 wingspan and 42-inch vertical leap, confirms as much. Like Casey, Kelley will figure to compete for playing time immediately, as the Bulldogs roster is loaded with guards.

With his agility in the post and the ability to step out for three-pointers, Kelley was one of several area big men this season that excelled at stretching defenses. He went on to average 17 points and 10 rebounds, and led the Tigers to their third Division 1 South Final appearance in five years.

His physical presence allows him to dominate stretches of high school games - witness his 20-point second half in the Tigers’ quarterfinal win over Durfee, erasing a 13-point halftime deficit. But on the AAU circuit, where he has been a steady component of Leo Papile’s Boston Amateur Basketball Club for the last several years, it’s a whole new ball game.

This year, he’s practicing against speedy Division 1 stalwarts like Tilton’s Gerard Coleman (Providence) and Notre Dame Prep’s Ron Giplaye (undecided), and it has made a world of a difference. Colleges will expect him to supplement his outside shooting with a presence around the hoop, as well as perimeter defense.

So far, the BABC has won state and New England titles this summer, and fared well at tournaments in Georgia and Virginia. Today, Kelley will be down at the Mansfield SportsPlex, partaking in the New England Elite 75 Showcase. On July 20, the BABC heads to Orlando, Fla., for another showcase.

“It’s a whole new level you don’t see in the MIAAs,’’ Kelley said of the summer circuit. “It’s what I need. That’s the way it works these days. Everyone plays D1 at that level, you can’t fall behind.’’

With that in mind, he says he’ll be happy to be back with Newton North. That should come soon enough, as he is set to help run head coach Paul Connolly’s summer camp.

And what does Connolly want him to work on?

“What doesn’t he want me to work on?’’ Kelley said, laughing. “He never lets you rest. But he gets results. I couldn’t ask for a better position than what I’m in today. He’s helped me elevate my game and everything.’’