Five New England Players Primed for a Breakout

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the summer winds down and the offseason begins, many names are already household - [player_tooltip player_id='991214' first='Aaron' last='Clark'], [player_tooltip player_id='1081868' first='Tre' last='Norman'], both of whom were featured in my 2023 New England Guards to Know. But, there are still players in the New England area who haven't cemented themselves as go-to prospects. Here are five New England players primed for a breakout season in 2022-23.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Chris Clarke 6'4" Scotland Campus (PA) 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Clarke has always been an amazing athlete and defender, but he's improved so much in terms of his finishing and 3-point shooting. He's developing into a 3-level scorer that's capable of scoring off-the-dribble or off-the-catch. Playing with The House We Built in the AAU circuit this summer, Clarke improved overall and took his game to new heights. He's started to finish and make plays off two feet, as he's already more than capable of finishing off one. As Clarke heads to Scotland Campus, he'll look to continue developing and progressing his game in the right direction. All signs point to that happening, as Clarke's been in the gym all summer working on getting himself more scoring opportunities. He's a vocal leader, a hard worker, and determined to be great. With all that and more, expect Clarke to be ready for a breakout senior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1081871' first='Bryce' last='Dortch'] 6'9" Brimmer and May School 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dortch is a lengthy 6'9" wing that is an excellent two-way player. He's incredibly athletic and quick for his size, and he's got an elite first step and blow-by acceleration that allows him to play as a slasher. Defensively, Dortch has great instincts and timing. He's able to block shots not just after his first jump, but after his second and third jumps as well. He's a pogo stick-like player, as you can find him on the court bouncing around finishing alley oops or swatting shots. With the goal to improve at Brimmer and May this season, Dortch could really take another leap and he's someone that's due for a breakout junior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='674441' first='Kahlil' last='Singleton'] 6'2" Scotland Campus (PA) 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another The House We Built product, Singleton can shoot the lights out of the basketball. The Portland native is a pure, pure 3-point shooter who's had multiple double-digit 3-point make games. For The House We Built, Singleton averaged 20 points and 6 assists per game in the team's VA Beach Final Four run. Heading to Scotland Campus alongside Clarke, Singleton has the opportunity to become a legit knockdown 3-point shooter at a high level. He's also a fluid-moving, smooth player that has a tight handle. He's an all-around offensive machine, and he's worth paying more attention to.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1205486' first='Jordan' last='Clayton'] 6'2" Bradford Christian 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Committed to Northwestern University, Clayton is a 6'2" guard with extreme athleticism. He performed exceedingly well in the Adidas 3SSB circuit with Mass Rivals. Clayton possesses a pitch-perfect handle, and because of it, he has the ability to score off-the-dribble. He's also a very creative finisher. Clayton has a deep bag of tricks to fool taller defenders in the paint. And, the combination of the savviness and ball-handling makes him a problem when attacking downhill. He's also an emerging 3-point threat, and defenders are forced to play up on him because he has flashed range and touch. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1205491' first='Jayden' last='Ndjigue'] 6'3" Rivers School (MA) 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Committed to another regional school - University of Massachusetts Amherst, Ndjigue is staying close to home. Another Mass Rivals product, Ndjigue could be a player that skyrockets up the rankings with another season at Rivers School (MA) under his belt. Ndjigue is a high-level athlete, and the athleticism enables him to do a ton on the court. He can guard and defender multiple positions. He can pass and create for others. He can play off-ball as a cutter. He can do a lot on a basketball court, and he's yet another New England-based prospect that could take the leap.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->