New England Top-250: X-Factors

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After attending today's Prep Hoops New England Top-250 Expo, there were numerous players that stood out and performed well. But, when the time came, these players showcased their skill at the perfect time. Here are five x-factor players that played in Foxboro's showcase today.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1578537' first='Jayson' last='Njoroge'] 6'0" Saint Johns 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Njoroge plays downhill and fast. He's an explosive guard that's always looking to find ways to get to the basket. He loves dribbling off screens and getting into the teeth of the defense. He's also keen to get his teammates involved. Njoroge was a player that stood out at the event today, but the timing of his playmaking lands him on the x-factor list. He's a talented player, and the sky is the limit for Njoroge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1578540' first='John' last='Glover'] 5'10" Boston Trinity Academy 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Glover is a great scorer, as he's creative and crafty. Simply put, he finds ways to put the ball in the basket. He's a solid 3-point shooter but he's best when attacking the rim. He's got excellent footwork for the position, and his feel for the game is at a high-level. Glover also reads defenses well from a passing standpoint. He's great at not only finding teammates for opportunities but getting his teammates involved. He's an elite offensive player that's trending upwards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1578562' first='Maxwell' last='Crawford'] 6'3" Attleboro 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Crawford is a lengthy, tall guard that has an elite feel for the game. He's got a very, very high IQ. In an event that's predicated on isolation basketball, Crawford is all about team basketball. He makes the right plays and he makes the right reads. But, he also does a lot of scoring. He's got a great mid-range pull-up game. And he's an active rebounder and defender. The activity and IQ he brought made him an x-factor all day long.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1578559' first='Mason' last='Cottrell'] 6'2" East Catholic 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cottrell is an elite athlete, but also an elite scorer. He's got an emerging 3-point game and he's coming along as a pull-up shooter. But, he's best as a slasher and driver. The leaping ability and athleticism make him tough to stop when he's driving downhill. And once he's in the air, the fluidity and flexibility he plays with are top-notch. He's a high-level prospect due to his athleticism, but I personally believe he'll take that leap with East Catholic this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1578558' first='Malik' last='Matanmi'] 6'7" Shea High School 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Matanmi is a lengthy, tall wing that dominated on the glass and in the interior at today's expo. As one of the taller, stronger players in attendance, Matanmi used the advantage. He's incredibly active and he brings great energy to the basketball court. He was an x-factor all day long for his team, keeping possessions alive with offensive rebounds and energizing the bench with highlight-reel finishes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1578549' first='Khalil' last='Carlson'] 6'3" Monument Mountain Regional 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carlson truly flashed his high-level scoring ability at the New England Top-250 Expo. He's able to score in bunches and he had a few stretches where nobody could slow down Carlson. He scored at will all day long. Carlson, a Class of 2024 player, could really develop into a high-level 3-level scorer in the near future. He's developed into a solid, effective player but the thing that's scary: there's so much more room to grow and develop for Carlson, so stay tuned and watch out for him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->