Zero Gravity Finals: Crown HGSL 2026 standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This weekend, I attended the Zero Gravity Finals at the Dana Barros Basketball Club in Stoughton, MA. I watched teams in the 10th grade and varsity divisions, mostly in the top division of each. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As always, it's impossible to see all of the teams in any given division -- there are tons of locations and a handful of games going at once at all times. I try to watch as many games and players as I can. So, this week, I'll be recapping some of the players that stood out. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First up are a handful of standouts from Crown HGSL. This team moves the ball beautifully and plays basketball the right way -- extra passes, drive and kicks, the whole 9 yards. Awesome team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2874981"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-684726da0e450"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Spinoso is one of my favorite players to watch in the entire region, but not because he's flashy or freakishly athletic, rather because he has to be one of the most fun players to play with. He moves the ball like it's a hot potato and is one of the most heady screen setters and DHO guys I've seen at the high school level. You won't find yourself open for more than 2 seconds on this Crown team, because Spinoso will find you for a ball reversal or spray out. He also uses his strength to hold his own against bigger forwards defensively (even though he's only 6-foot-5) and has beautiful touch around the rim when posting up smaller players. Awesome player to watch who is going to make a college coach SO happy. I could see division 2 or the highest level D3.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2341313"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-684726da0e4a8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I really enjoyed watching Rose operate out of the high post as an offensive hub. Like Spinoso, he's an awesome screen setter and can really pass the ball, especially for his size. But he can also handle it and is a threat on the perimeter. When he gets a mismatch in the post, he has excellent footwork and is able to bully smaller defenders under the hoop for easy layups. If the help comes, he finds shooters on the perimeter with utter ease and comfort. He's a really excellent forward who should get division one looks as a result of his ability to play within a system and be versatile on both ends. Big, strong, tough and skilled.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1988910"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-684726da0e4f2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">This was my first time seeing Varlack play and I was super impressed with his end-to-end speed. He's so athletic and fast moving up and down the floor, and he has a good enough handle to keep his eyes up while doing it. He showed some really excellent driving ability and had some nice finishes amongst the trees in the paint, but he's also able to find open teammates for easy spray outs once he touches the lane. Most impressive, though, was his on-ball defense; he gave opposing guards hell and probably had 5 or 6 steals in the game I watched. Varlack is transferring to Knox School next year and will likely receive some scholarship looks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2875576"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-684726da0e537"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Brown didn't handle the ball too much for Crown but did such a good job as a floor spacer and ball mover. The 6-foot-4 lefty absolutely strokes it from three and has a super quick release, but he also attacks closeouts decisively and quickly whenever the defense is sprinting out to him. Additionally, despite his skinny frame, he does a good job sliding his feet and is tough when it comes to bodying up against bigger offensive players. If Brown could put on 15 pounds of muscle, his college outlook would totally change – but right now, he's probably a really high level D3 player or perhaps a D2 guy. Crown head coach told me he's one of the best shooters he's ever coached, and I don't doubt it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2452977"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-684726da0e57b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Arnold is a heady combo-guard who has some really nice hesitation moves and a phenomenal off-hand when it comes to blowing by defenders. Once he gets into the paint, he has all of the shots you're looking for from a guard; he can shoot the floater, he has solid touch with both hands off the glass, and he has a nice pull-up jumper. He can also shoot it from three, though he didn't hit a high percentage when I saw him play this weekend. Once Arnold nails down his decision making in the paint, he'll probably be a scholarship guard. Some more on-ball reps next season for Kimball Union Academy will be huge for him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->