Tess Sussman Verbals to Harvard

Rivers junior wing player Tess Sussman has given her verbal commitment to play basketball at Harvard. Sussman, an all-New England and all-ISL selection, had numerous Division-1 offers but ultimately chose to stay local and join AAU teammate Maggie McCarthy at Harvard.

As a freshman, Tess Sussman (6’0” / forward) joined a dominant Rivers team that already had established stars on the roster and stepped right in as a starter. This past season, she helped lead a new group of Rivers hoopsters to a 20-6 record.  

I haven’t seen Tess play since the end of July in 2016. At that time - and for at least two years prior - I would say with confidence that she was the best player in the class of 2018 in not only Massachusetts, but in all of New England.

Tess is a unique and awesome talent. As a tall left-handed ball handler, she has the ability to play all five positions and can impact the game in a variety of ways.  Her best attribute is her play making ability via delivering passes on time and on target while thinking a step or two ahead of the defensive.

During her early recruitment she had college coaches salivating despite routinely only scoring single-digits because of her unmatched ability to set up her teammates in a variety of ways. In addition to her precision passing, Sussman also abuses players off the dribble going to the rim, can hit 3’s consistently, is a ball hawk in the passing lanes and is a talented shot blocker.  

I will never forget when she tried out for my M-Plex AAU team when she was a 7th grader. We had just come off a D1 NEAAU state championship and I felt that I knew every kid in the state at this age level so I just assumed she was just another player trying out. Within minutes of the try-out, I paced the sidelines and asked the evaluators and some parents if they’re watching this kid. She was smooth, dished out no-look passes and played with extreme confidence with and against the best players in the state. Before she left, I made sure I tracked down her father and made sure she was here to stay.

Tess was a catalyst in three more state championships and countless victories over the next four years. She was an absolute pleasure to coach as a player and a person. Having a player with her versatility that can be plugged in and utilized in a variety of ways is a coach’s dream.

Sussman plays AAU for the NEX Elite program on Kristen McDonnell’s team. Sussman is the fifth player from this squad to announce her college intentions joining teammates Ashley Sampson (Adelphi), Megan Hill (Stonehill), Kayla Raymond (Stonehill), and Maggie McCarthy (Harvard).