New England Jam Fest part 1: sub 6-foot guards to know

On Saturday, I attended the New England Jam Fest at Dana Barros Basketball Club in Stoughton, MA. The event was filled with college prospects (and coaches) from all levels, and there were some really awesome matches. Over the next couple days, I'll be breaking down some of the standout players I saw. As always, it's impossible to catch every game and every player, and I try to strike a balance between seeing as many players as possible while also getting to know their games enough to accurately scout them.   Up first are some sub 6-foot guards who impressed!    Barnes runs the show very effectively for Middlesex Magic Alex. The 6-foot guard is certainly undersized, but he handles it well against pressure and is quick enough to get into the paint to create offense for his squad. Most impressive, though, was the energy and intensity he was playing with on the defensive end, always digging in for steals and helping out bigs on the boards while being super active and handsy. Just not a fun guy to play against. Barnes should find a D3 fit somewhere as a result of his ability to be a floor general offensively and a pest defensively, and he'll be joining the 2026 class at Darrow School.     I was so impressed with Sledge's ability to run the show and be a floor general for Metro Boston. The unsigned senior is only 6-foot (and that might be generous), but he uses his off hand ridiculously well to ward off defenders and get to his spots on the floor; he also elevates and finishes quite athletically at the hoop. Defensively, he's a pest who has great hands and lateral quickness, making him someone you do not want to see for 94 feet. I would imagine coaches are slow to take a chance on him because of his size (or lack thereof), but I think he can certainly play at the D3 level. Improving his shot would certainly raise his chances.     I wrote about Bazzano last weekend, but he was simply too impressive on Saturday to not highlight again. The 5-foot-11 guard is so decisive whenever he catches the ball, and that combined with his exceptional shooting ability makes him very difficult to close out to. Once he makes some shots, he gets his dribble-drive game going, and he showcased some impressive finishes at the rim that I didn't know he had in his bag. Bazzano is a really solid player who should be on the radar of high level D3 coaches, especially if he has the grades to back it up. Some coaches who I spoke to were on hand to watch him Saturday.     Gonzalez runs the show for CT Takeover but looks like he could be a college running back. The 5-foot-10 bulldog is ridiculously strong and cannot be pushed off his line no matter what you do. He's impressive in the pick and roll and has really high level vision, which he uses for pocket and kickout passes in the half court; his passes have so much pace on them that he gets teammates open shots as a result. He can also shoot it from the three and midrange, both on the catch and off the dribble. Size will limit his recruitment, but he can probably find a D3 fit, and I'm curious to see what he would look like on a football field — kid is a brick wall.     Nash was one of the main (and few) CT Elite guys that could get into the paint against a really tough Mass Rivals perimeter defense. He used his ultra-quick first step and change of speed hesitations to blow by his initial defender, and then he had some really crafty inside hand finishes at the hoop, even with his left. He's also able to shoot it from long range, though he got a bit shot-happy at times. Nash seems like a D2 player who's size will likely make him not go as high as his skillset warrants. I'll be curious to see how he progresses next year and the type of role he plays on Avon Old Farms.

On Saturday, I attended the New England Jam Fest at Dana Barros Basketball Club in Stoughton, MA. The event was filled with college prospects (and coaches) from all levels, and there were some really awesome matches. Over the next couple days, I'll be breaking down some of the standout players I saw. As always, it's impossible to catch every game and every player, and I try to strike a balance between seeing as many players as possible while also getting to know their games enough to accurately scout them.