VT's Breakout Underclassmen: Top 10 2026 and 2027 Hoopers

Phew, this one has a lot of game! Ane yes, hear me out. I already know what you're thinking scrolling through here. At first glance I too would say, "really, four guys from the same team on here?" Yes, four guys. This list wouldn't be complete without mentioning the four BHS studs. But as evidenced by the rest of the article, VT has young gamers all over the state. Dive in and get familiar with VT's breakout underclassmen.   [player_tooltip player_id='2568400' first='Freddie' last='Bacon'], 6'0 G - Colchester H.S. Class of 2026   Bacon has broken out as one of the premier floor generals in the 802. He's a crafty PG who'll break defenses down in multiple ways. He'll dice them up with his well-timed distribution or with his multi-level scoring touch. The foundation is his strong, tight handle, which gets him into places that bend the defense and create gaps. He's a measured defender who reads opposing ballhandlers like a book, and he had some huge scoring games too, a couple 30+. Kid hoops.   [player_tooltip player_id='2568419' first='Sawyer' last='Judkins'], 5'8 G - Burlington H.S. Class of 2027   Phew, I mean sometimes Judkins plays like he's a 2024. Sawyer's caught his groove after returning from early season injuries and he's taken the starting lead guard job. He's a tough southpaw with good athleticism and IQ, balancing his snaking drives with good orchestration of the offense. He picks up a full 84x50 and will hound all game. Plus, he's already shown the clutch gene with his FT shooting in big games. Stud.   [player_tooltip player_id='2711459' first='Pascal' last='Munezero'], 5'8 G - Burlington H.S. Class of 2027   My oh my, Munezero is a blur on the floor. Pascal immediately makes his presence known with his relentless, agile ball pressure, already solidifying himself as one of the best perimeter defenders in VT. He turns defense to offense with his burst of speed and impressive hops. Add in his ability to play lead guard, off the ball, and finish plays with his passing, shooting or finishing and it's a wrap. Hooper.   Kole Fotion, 5'11 G - Hartford H.S. Class of 2026   Fotion's an athletic combo-guard who played the 2 most of the year, showing himself to be a really good "system" player in Hartford's well-oiled offense. He understands timing and spacing intuitively, uses screens and cuts well to get himself open for jumpers, and can get to the rim or dish the rock ahead of the rotation. A dynamic defender in the full or the halfcourt with his anticipation, Kole just seems to get it whether he's in a system or not.   [player_tooltip player_id='2408951' first='Jack' last='Lafayette'], 5'11 G - South Burlington H.S. Class of 2026   Of course, we all make mistakes, but Jack seems to play in such a way that he rarely does wrong. Lafayette's decision making is top tier, making the right decision instantaneously. And that's as a scorer, driver, and as a connective ball mover. Off the rock he's active as a cutter + screener, and on the defensive end it's nice foot speed with heady reads to disrupt. He was in and out of the lineup due to illness this year but Jack is a gamer.   [player_tooltip player_id='2955182' first='Cellan' last='Wood'], 5'11 G - Rutland H.S. Class of 2026   Rutland guys tend to come with toughness and Cellan has it, mentally and physically. Wood's a strong guard who likes physicality on his drives, using his body well to create space and finish with crafty touch around the cup. An organizer of the offense, Cellan gets guys going with his distribution too. Defensively he's a hound that'll dig in, force tough plays, and wear you down. He carried RHS in a tough semifinal loss the other night and I loved his approach.   [player_tooltip player_id='2553700' first='Byron' last='Robertson Jr.'], 5'10 G - Burlington H.S. Class of 2026   Crafty, high-IQ, and he understands the subtleties of the game. Byron's a competent floor general who greases the O with his savvy passing game, finagling nice angles and timing things just right to get guys in their spots. Moreover, he's a good shooter off the catch, can slice inside, and will disrupt a bit defensively with his length and off-ball anticipation. Robertson is a clinician.   Mohamed Abdirahman, 5'8 G - Burlington H.S. Class of 2027   Mo has the athleticism, the confidence, and the skill to get it going out there. Abdirahman stepped in as the starting PG for a stretch and kept BHS clicking with his dynamic slashing and acrobatic finishes inside. Mo can shoot it too, and the pull-up game is coming along. An agile defender who gets into guys with his foot speed and sheer will, Mo will be a staple in the backcourt for years to come.   Connor Denis, 5'10 G - Otter Valley Union H.S. Class of 2026   A bulldog, a pitbull, however you want to say it, Connor plays with a tenacity to his game. He gets downhill often whether that's out of the transition game or in the halfcourt. And once he's within 10-feet he's relatively hard to contain due to his finishing touch, short-range game, and awareness of shooters + cutters around him. A slashing PG with immense defensive effort that'll push ballhandlers to their edge.   Sam Kyhill, 5'7 G - Fair Haven Union H.S. Class of 2027   Kyhill has the FHU program in his hands going forward. He got the starting job as the PG not long after the season started and FHU caught rhythm once everyone got some time together. Sam's a smart floor general who organizes the O well, hits guys on their spots, and can grease it too with his slashing + finishing ability. Tough and anticipatory with his ball pressure, he'll be a top guard in D2 in no time.

Phew, this one has a lot of game! Ane yes, hear me out. I already know what you're thinking scrolling through here. At first glance I too would say, "really, four guys from the same team on here?" Yes, four guys. This list wouldn't be complete without mentioning the four BHS studs. But as evidenced by the rest of the article, VT has young gamers all over the state. Dive in and get familiar with VT's breakout underclassmen.