NEPSAC Class AA, A, and B: 5 Underrated Breakout Candidates

Last weekend, I attended the NEPSAC Showcase at Babson College in Wellesley, MA. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend this weekend's Avon NEPSAC Showcase.   The NEPSAC is filled with talent across the board. Here are some underrated players who will be breakout candidates for their squads this season.    Narasimhan comes from Sweden, where they must teach their players to shoot early. The 6-foot-5 wing absolutely strokes it from three off both the catch and the dribble and has a quick, high release point that makes him really difficult to disrupt. He also flies around screens and knows how to run his defender around like a rag doll. Great footwork coming off of screens, too, and he is always balanced on his shot even if he's back peddling. Narasimhan is a high academic rising senior who should be looked at by all the top D3 schools in the country. If he improves his lateral quickness and strength to make himself a more physical and effective defender, he could even potentially earn himself a scholarship.     I LOVE the way [player_tooltip player_id='2874146' first='Jules' last='Lewis'] plays the game. He was the best slip cutter I saw at the entire showcase. He understands when and how to slip against switches and reads his defender perfectly in those situations. He's also an improved ball-handler and creator since the last time I saw him, and he has some athletic pop at the rim when he gets all the way there. He can shoot it from three, too. Lewis should be on the radar of high D3 coaches and I think he'll have an opportunity to really raise his stock this season with more offensive responsibility and more opportunity to make plays with the ball in his hands.     Ramanauskas is a dream ball connector and role player for Holderness. The 6-foot-3 lefty combo guard can shoot it a bit from three but really excels as a passer. He's unbelievable at finding slashers in semi-transition and will always make the extra, simple pass if it's there. He's won't wow you with athletic pop or combo dribble moves, but he'll make the right play at all times and will be a beloved teammate by anyone who's looking to score the basketball (99.9% of players). D3 coaches should be taking a look at Ramanauskas, because he'll make any squad that he's on better.     There's been a bit of buzz about Chartier recently, but still probably not enough. The 6-foot-6 wing is super skilled with the ball in his hands and can attack closeouts quite well --- which he's doing a lot because of how consistently and effortlessly he knocks down the three ball. He doesn't have the prettiest looking shot but he gets it off quickly enough and makes it very often, so it's clearly working for him. He should be a key player for Phillips Exeter this season and will definitely continue to develop as he's only a rising junior. All levels of college basketball are on the table based on how he progresses physically and skill wise.     Schuller is a 5-foot-11 guard who can play both on and off the ball. He's obviously unassuming as a result of his size, but he can stroke it from three and throws some of the best full-court passes I've seen. He threw once bounce pass through a couple people that looked like Allen Iverson's from years ago (if you know, you know). He's a high IQ point guard who might play more off the ball this year because of how many playmakers Dexter Southfield has --- but that's okay, because he understands how to fit around others and will be an awesome piece for them. I would imagine he'll find a D3 fit when the time comes, potentially a high level one depending on his grades and how he plays this season.

Last weekend, I attended the NEPSAC Showcase at Babson College in Wellesley, MA. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend this weekend's Avon NEPSAC Showcase.