New England’s 2028 Newcomers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rankings week coverage continues for the <em>Class of 2028</em> with a look at notable newcomers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below are six prospects that made their way into our latest rankings update, one from each position.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">[player_tooltip player_id='2832772' first='Ben' last='Lee']</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lee, a center out of <em>Burlington</em>, makes his presence felt inside the paint on both ends of the floor. At 6'8", he already impresses with his positional size and should only continue to improve as he adds strength to his frame. Defensively, while he moves well laterally, he really makes an impact around the rim with his ability to wall up on opposing bigs without fouling and to contest shots from opposing guards. Offensively, he finishes over size in the paint, doesn't force the issue, and shows the ability to pass out of double teams in the post. He also shows flashy of future floor spacer potential.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">[player_tooltip player_id='2452423' first='Zeke' last='Williams']</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Williams, a combo guard that will reclass at <em>Deerfield Academy</em>, makes his mark on games with his ability to make shots from all over the floor. He can really shoot the ball from behind the arc, doing a good job of moving into passing lanes and being shot ready on the catch. While still developing physically, he showed some good strength on drives this winter and the ability to finish through contact around the rim. He has some good burst off the bounce and the ability to finish with touch over size in the paint. Defensively, he should be able to guard either spot in the back-court with his combination of basketball IQ and understanding of positioning.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">[player_tooltip player_id='2832781' first='Elkin' last='Pena']</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pena, a power forward from <em>Central Catholic</em>, really grew into his game as the season progressed. An athletic 6'4" forward, he has the ability to impact games with his motor alone. He does a terrific job on the glass, chases after loose rebounds with great effort, and can guard multple positions both in space and in the paint. He has good length and does a terrific job of running the floor in transition. He can attack the rim off of straight line drives and does a good job of finishing with either hand around the basket. He showed tremendous growth to his game from the start of the season to the end and as he continues to get stronger and more athletic, should only see his ceiling rise.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">[player_tooltip player_id='2832784' first='Ja' last='Bennett']</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bennett, a point guard at <em>St. Sebastian's</em>, stands out with his ability to initiate offense in the half-court. He plays with great pace when he has the ball in his hands, gets to his spots off the bounce, and know how to create seperation from defenders to get into his offensive game. He uses changes of speeds, a good feel for playing with pace, and a quick first step to get into the paint and collapse the defense. He can score in the mid-range, makes shots from behind the arc, and has an impressive floater game when size is in the paint. Defensively, he's a tough on-ball defender with quick hands and quick feet.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">[player_tooltip player_id='2832763' first='Finn' last='McCauley']</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McCauley, a small forward from <em>Portsmouth</em>, impresses with his versatility on both ends of the floor. Coming off of a strong showing in the NHIAA state tournament, he's gotten off to a hot start during the travel season with his ability to make plays all over the floor. At 6'6", he already impresses with his athleticism and big frame, showing that he's not afraid of contact while playing aggressively around the rim. He moves well and is a fluid athlete that can really get up and down the floor. He scores at all three levels, has some blow by ability off the bounce, and knows how to play within himself. Defensively, he's a high level shot blocker that can guard any spot on the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">[player_tooltip player_id='2569683' first='Jadon' last='Beatty']</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Beatty, a shooting guard out of <em>Catholic Memorial</em>, makes his presence felt on both ends of the floor with his effort, energy, and quickness. A long and lean prospect, he's a dynamic player in the open floor, both offensively and defensively. He's super active as a defender, getting his hands on plenty of loose balls while also jumping passing lanes to create turnovers. He has elite quickness in the open floor and does a nice job of creating for himself and for his teammates in transition. He finishes with length at the rim, makes good decisions as a passer off the bounce, and can really knock down shots in catch and shoot situations. He'll be an interesting prospect to track going forward as he has the potential to operate as an initiator or scorer depending on his team's needs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Throughout the week we'll take a look at prospects of note at each position in the <em>Class of 2028</em>!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->