NEPSAC Showcase at Avon: Mickey’s 2026 Day 2 Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Round two of the biggest showcase in New England is up and off to the races! Avon Old Farms in Avon, Connecticut is now the host location and players from around the region are coming to show off their skills in front of all levels of college coaches. The talent has been impressive, so let's look at some 2026 standouts from Day 2 of the NEPSAC Showcase in Avon!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2553832' first='Travis' last='Knight'] (Rocky Hill, 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Knight was doing everything on the floor offensively. He was attacking the rim with ease and showcasing some sick handles for a forward. He shot the ball well from three, and even made some off the dribble deep balls. The rebounding was also a plus, as he would compete on the defensive boards too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jeremiah "J.J." Carter (Kent, 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carter showcased his athletic gifts in multiple ways. He had an impressive dunk transition while also making a big-time block in a key moment of the game. The shot-making prowess was evident too, knocking down pull-ups from mid-range and three-point land. In addition, he finished through contact on his drives and hustled to pick up rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2407052' first='Preston' last='Merrick'] (Hotchkiss, 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Merrick played his role and excelled at it. On offense, he was hitting catch and shoot threes and cutting to the basket. Defensively, he played hard and was effective guarding on the ball. In transition, he dunked the ball with authority showing his bounce on display.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Troy Hornbeck (Taft, 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hornbeck stood out as a pesky defender who will get in your teeth. He made multiple steals through sheer effort, which led to positive results on the other end. He even showcased some off-the-dribble shooting from the mid-range area that was intriguing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2341409' first='Brode' last='Frink'] (Proctor, 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Frink did winning things on the floor during his minutes. He knocked down threes off the catch in the corners while also finishing in transition with breakaway speed. The defensive flashes were there too, moving his feet well around the perimeter while guarding other wings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2465120' first='Ezayi' last='Mauristhene'] (South Kent, 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mauristhene looked in control the entire time as the leading point guard. With a confident handle, he could get to the rim and finish with scoop layups. He shot the ball from three effectively while providing stellar defense and guarded the opposing lead ball handler.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2341338' first='Ty' last='Tabales'] (New Hampton, 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tabales was comfortable handling the ball and showing off his underrated passing skills. His high IQ was evident, making smart passes all over the place. Defensively, he applied pressure and created turnovers, leading to some transition finishes on the other end for himself.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2341400' first='Zach' last='Baum'] (Nobles &amp; Greenough, 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Baum's interior game was exceptional. He was getting to the interior with a head of steam and finishing strong through contact. He showcases a soft touch floater and made good reads to perimeter shooters on the outside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2341363' first='Alex' last='Egbuonu'] (Lawrence, 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Egbuonu is strong as an ox and uses that strength to his advantage. When he gets to the basket, it is impossible to stop with the body that he contains. He was creating space for himself and knocked down baseline middies. In addition, he was a rebounding menace and had his way on the boards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->