NEPSAC Showcase: 5 individual performances that stood out

On Friday and Saturday, I attended the NEPSAC Showcase at Babson College in Wellesley, MA. There were four courts going on at once and games going from 8:00am to 9:00pm. Though I tried to watch as many games and teams as possible, I didn't get to see everyone --- so my coverage this weekend will be reflective of the games I saw.   With that being said, here are five fantastic individual performances that stood out this weekend.    Chess was absurdly dominant against MacDuffie in the first game of Friday, showcasing a well-rounded offensive game that included an improved-looking outside shot, a cerebral post game, and some nice dribble moves to puncture the paint. The 6-foot-5 rising senior has a college-ready body right now and can therefore guard multiple positions on the floor with ease. He's also a really good screener and can find teammates for extra passes and kick ahead looks. He's going to be a jack of all trades for a D1 school somewhere, and I can totally see him improving his offensive feel this season in St George's egalitarian system.     Tabales had a couple of incredible performances this weekend, but his game against Newman stood out. He ran the point guard position for a very different-looking New Hampton team; he carved up defenses in the pick and roll and hit shooters for spray outs with ease. But most notable was his ridiculous shot-making from both the mid range and three. He got to wherever he wanted on the floor and rose up, and despite the defense contesting a lot of his shots, he still stroked it. Amazing performance from Tabales who should have an extremely high usage rate for New Hampton this season.     Reinertson was fantastic for Lawrence Academy against a tough St. Paul's team on Saturday. The 6-foot-2 combo guard showed a beautiful-looking outside stroke (and from VERY deep), which he was able to shoot both coming off screens and in catch and shoot situations. He also drove closeouts consistently and had a myriad of excellent finishes at the hoop over the trees; he's so difficult to keep off his line when getting to the rim because of his strength and balance. He's just such a fundamentally sound player who should have a really nice year with Lawrence Academy, a stacked team that should turn heads.     Freeman did it all for Middlesex School in a win against Proctor Academy on Saturday. The 6-foot-5 junior can score from all three levels and had his three-ball dropping in this one. Once the defense started to overplay him, he got to the paint where he showed off some nice feel and footwork to craft his way around big men for easy layups. He plays with really solid control and skill. He also defends a variety of guys as a result of his size and strength. Some scholarship schools will definitely be sniffing around, but Freeman could likely also play at the highest level D3 schools, where he would be an excellent fit.     Earle was fantastic in a loss against NMH Saturday night. The 6-foot-3 rising sophomore consistently used his STRONG body to bully older and larger players around in the paint and then finish with great touch off the glass. He was virtually able to get to the rim whenever he wanted, and you would've thought he was a postgrad senior given the strength and body control he displayed. And in this big time performance, he didn't even showcase his outside shooting ability. He is going to be so good for years to come --- one of the best 2028's I saw the entire weekend.

On Friday and Saturday, I attended the NEPSAC Showcase at Babson College in Wellesley, MA. There were four courts going on at once and games going from 8:00am to 9:00pm. Though I tried to watch as many games and teams as possible, I didn't get to see everyone --- so my coverage this weekend will be reflective of the games I saw.