Upstate New York Monsters
In this article:
This article will feature an area of New York that is way too big to be categorized so we usually call it upstate New York. That would be for everyone not from the state the area above Long Island, New…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThis article will feature an area of New York that is way too big to be categorized so we usually call it upstate New York. That would be for everyone not from the state the area above Long Island, New York City and around Westchester. We know the state is huge but we are trying to cover as much of it as possible because there is so much talent up there that nobody talks about. Here we will highlight a few terrific scorers and break down their game or future a little bit.
The top dog in New York was Mr. Moesch who we recently featured in a piece with some promising prospects. He is a coaches dream, has the best basketball IQ we have ever witnessed, his AAU coaches rave about his work ethic and we know he’s moving back to 2026. His recent move to the Cushing Academy allowed him to do that and despite him leaving the area we will certainly be keeping tabs on him. We expect his recruitment to take off during the AAU season with Crown basketball and can’t wait to see him play again.
Rainey went absolutely crazy this season becoming Nichols all time leading scorer and averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He was first team all league, hit almost 100 three pointers this season and now is over 2,000 career points. His energy is infectious, he is really quick, he has to be guarded the second he walks on the floor and is better defender than we thought. We can’t believe this major three level scorer is only a Junior and still has another year of high school basketball.
The Nazareth committ was virtually unstoppable this season as he averaged a ridiculous 29 and 13 a night. Holly is a defensive end and tight end during the football season and brings that same intensity to the hardwood. He has helped his program get back on track helping them make several final appearances during his career and it wouldn’t surprise us to see him contribute right away at the next level. His school will miss the all time leading scorer but the program is definitely on the rise and trending up.
Harris had a Junior year for the ages as he dropped a 50 piece to crack the 1,000 point mark and then later became the school’s all time leading scorer. He won a ton of league awards, averaged 28 points a night and will return for another year. His unselfishness, hustle, dedication to teammates, heart and desire will make him successful at the next level. We look forward to seeing how much he can boost his recruitment over the offseason because his production is definitely there
Carson Swanson
Carson Swanson
Swanson is an athletic bouncy Tri-Sport athlete who puts up a lot of numbers. He is a nightmare for opposing guards, he destroys defenses from up top, he plays above the rim and can really shoot it off the dribble. The star Junior was MVP, Player of the Year, set a school record with 46 points and still has another year to go. His numbers were insane as he averaged 28.5 points, 7 rebounds, 5 rebounds and an outstanding 5 steals a game. We are huge fans of his highlights, winning plays, IQ, versatility and the fact that he has been successful against every defensive concept imaginable.
Ian VanWagner
Ian VanWagner
We must have checked his grade level at five different places to make sure that VanWagner is only a freshman. The upstate combo guard has the prettiest jumpshot in the state, doesn’t miss when left open, understands how to create space and loves to attack the basket. He is a three starter, really quick, very smart, relentless and already his school’s all time leader scorer. His 1,416 points are somehow closing in the Section X point record but anything VanWagner doesn’t really surprise us. This past season he averaged 28 points, 4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and shot a very high percentage from all areas. VanWagner is a major star in New York, in 2027 and is on a trajectory to becoming an all time great.