NEPSAC Class A Playoff Preview

The NEPSAC playoffs are finally here! I'll be doing previews of the AAA, AA, A, and B classes that'll include the most intriguing first round matchup, players to watch and my champion prediction. To be clear, if a player is discussed in the “first round matchup” or “champion prediction” section, they won't also be written about in the “players to watch” section, though those are certainly also players to keep an eye on. These previews will all be coming out before the games start on Wednesday, March 5th. Happy playoffs!   Here is my <a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/03/napsac-class-aaa-playoff-preview/">NEPSAC Class AAA playoff preview</a> if you missed it. Here is my <a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/03/napsac-class-aa-playoff-preview/">NEPSAC Class AA playoff preview</a>.   Now, let's move on to the NEPSAC Class A playoff picture.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-05-at-8.37.21-AM.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-05-at-8.37.21-AM.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2800042" /></a></figure>   Most intriguing first round matchup: (2) Phillips Exeter vs. (7) Milton Academy   This matchup features two of the best players in the region, but at very different places in their careers. On one end, you have [player_tooltip player_id='1239437' first='Ryder' last='Frost'] for Phillips Exeter; he might be the most college-ready player in the region. The 6-foot-6 senior wing has continued to work on his body throughout the year and has established himself as one of the strongest, most well-rounded players in New England. He can shoot it from very deep but also loves to get his teammates involved and take the initiative as a facilitator. On the other side, Milton Academy has [player_tooltip player_id='2470857' first='Reece' last='Ayala'], one of the best sophomores in the region. He's a three-level scorer who has pretty special athleticism and feel. The lefty glides through the defense for easy finishes but also creates space easily beyond the arc and in the mid-range. Wednesday's game could be Ayala's chance for a true breakout.   Another player I expect to have a coming out party is [player_tooltip player_id='1489390' first='Luke' last='Soden']. For some reason, he doesn't have too many scholarship offers, but the 6-foot-4 guard is a clear D1 player and will have the opportunity to show it against Ayala on Wednesday. He'll likely guard him on the defensive end, and offensively he'll be able to show off his deep range and quick-twitch athleticism at the rim. Transition could be what decides this game. While Frost and Exeter love to push it, Ayala and junior [player_tooltip player_id='2341357' first='LJ' last='Reddicks'] love to get going downhill on the break as well. Should be a fun, fast-paced game.   Players to Watch   [player_tooltip player_id='2325734' first='Landon' last='Clark']: Clark can get going in a hurry for St. Paul's and change the course of a game quite quickly. The lefty forward is a lights-out shooter who can also take the ball to the hole and punish defenders in the paint. If he and<a href="https://prephoops.com/player/justin-huang-2/"> </a>[player_tooltip player_id='2325782' first='Justin' last='Huang'], another shooter for St. Paul's, can get it going from beyond the arc early, they could have a legitimate chance to knock off number one seeded Williston Northampton. Anything can happen -- it's March! Will be curious to see whether Clark looks to establish himself from the inside first, as he often does.   [player_tooltip player_id='1532481' first='Sam' last='Hughes']: Hughes can really take over a basketball game. The Dexter Southfield senior is a true three-level scorer with a beautiful jump shot and the ability to get it off while guarded by anyone. He gets so high off the ground on his shot and can simply pick a spot on the floor, get to it and elevate over the defense. Hughes is part of a Dexter Southfield squad that's massively outperformed expectations this year, and if he can get it going in their first round matchup against Choate, they can potentially continue their cinderella story.   [player_tooltip player_id='2325731' first='Preston' last='Edmead']: Edmead is the engine for a super tough Williston Northampton squad that cruised towards the one seed in class A. He's a jet-quick lead guard with the ability to create for both himself and others. His pull-up game, especially from three, is absolutely lethal; he has the ball on a string and can shoot from anywhere inside half court, and he doesn't even need to be on-balance to be accurate. The Hofstra commit is maybe the most exciting player in this class, and he'll have a chance to show that on the big stage.   [player_tooltip player_id='2100207' first='Jake' last='Palluzzi']<a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jake-palluzzi/"> </a>and [player_tooltip player_id='2546775' first='Quintin' last='Floyd']: This Choate backcourt is quite well-rounded. Floyd can get into the paint and finish with ease -- he's lightning-quick and has a really nice handle. And Palluzzi can absolutely stroke it from the outside with very little time or space. These two form a great duo that'll be very difficult to stop for opposing backcourts, especially given all of the different areas of the floor they can score from. The offense for Choate can come from anywhere.   [player_tooltip player_id='1532438' first='Charlie' last='O'Sullivan']: O'Sullivan is the man in the middle for Loomis Chaffee. He's a 6-foot-10 big man who can score from anywhere on the court. He can stroke it from three but also loves to use his crafty footwork and body control on the block. He's such a tough matchup, and he'll have a big size advantage against Tabor's thin front line in the first round. I'm sure he'll look to find some post touches early on and see if he can get it going. He's a definite D1 guy who's still uncommitted.   [player_tooltip player_id='1489428' first='Daithi' last='Quinn']: Quinn is probably my favorite player in this class. I've talked a lot about his strength and shooting ability, but come tournament time I think it could be his will and toughness that shines through the most. He's a dog on the basketball court -- the ultimate competitor -- and I could see him carrying his squad to some victories. He has shooters around him and if he's able to get into the paint and create for himself and his teammates, Tabor could be a really tough out. He'll have to play big, too, because Tabor's facing a large Loomis team in the first round.   Champion Prediction: Phillips Exeter Academy   It's less about the individual players and more about the sum of their parts that makes Exeter special. Yes, they have Frost, who's one of the best players in the region and can get hot in a hurry; and they also have Soden, who's incredibly underrated and continues to amaze me with his three-level scoring ability. But it's the way this team moves the ball and spaces the floor offensively that makes me think they can take home the championship. Nobody holds the ball for more than a second on this team and they consistently reverse the ball to find the best shot on every possession. They're a well-oiled machine that just keeps humming, with the requisite individual players to take over when needed. Most importantly, their role players know their roles and never try to do too much, which is rare at the high school level (reminds me of New Hampton's role players). They pass the ball well, cut hard, find bodies on screens, and do all of the little things.

The NEPSAC playoffs are finally here! I'll be doing previews of the AAA, AA, A, and B classes that'll include the most intriguing first round matchup, players to watch and my champion prediction. To be clear, if a player is discussed in the “first round matchup” or “champion prediction” section, they won't also be written about in the “players to watch” section, though those are certainly also players to keep an eye on. These previews will all be coming out before the games start on Wednesday, March 5th. Happy playoffs!