Metro Hoops Preseason Invitational: 2027 standouts

The Metro Hoops Preseason Invitational took place on Saturday at Gill St. Bernard's, bringing in more than a dozen premier programs from across North Jersey to compete in one of the final tuneups before the season gets underway. After taking in several games of action over the course of the afternoon, we'll start coverage with a handful of junior (2027) prospects who caught the eye.    St. Mary's emerged with two tight wins over public Group 4 powers Elizabeth and Montgomery, with Brown impressing particularly in establishing a sizable early lead and holding on late in the second matchup. A transfer from St. Joe's Metuchen, Brown looks to be making real strides in parlaying his standout length and fluidity into a consistent on-court impact. He impressed on Saturday with great activity on the defensive end, sliding with guards and using his physical tools to make plays in passing lanes and at the rim. Offensively, he was effective getting out in transition for swift finishes while showing flashes of potential as a standstill shooter in the halfcourt. With limited experience and production thus far, Brown has the tools to emerge into a scholarship-level prospect as an upperclassman if he continues to develop.     Entering the season as one of the favorites for a national prep school championship, Blair got its final preseason tuneup with a rare matchup against traditional high schools, giving Rosta an additional opportunity to get his feet wet in the States. An import from Hungary with extensive international experience, Rosta impressed as a modern hybrid forward with the size, skillset, and fluidity to operate across the floor. The southpaw showed good aggressiveness while still getting used to the speed of the American game. He moves his feet well on D while showing length to bother opposing ballhandlers. Offensively he showed confidence stepping out to the perimeter as a shooter and slasher but was also able to take smaller defenders into the post for easy buckets near the rim. Rosta should have a chance to earn high-major attention as he grows more comfortable stateside and adds strength to his frame.     Mehu has impressed in spurts throughout AAU play over the years but has struggled to crack the rotation amid a loaded 2026 class at Archbishop Stepinac (NY). Now at TPS as a repeat junior, Mehu looks to be flourishing in his new locale after a breakout performance in Saturday's win over St. Peter's Prep. The explosive wing had his way around the basket, finishing efficiently and explosively whether in transition, as a cutter, off offensive rebounds, or with flashes of ability as a straight-line driver. His activity extended to the defensive end, where he's extremely quick to the ball with a nose for clogging things up for the opposing offense. Look for Mehu to continue to emerge among the 2027 class with scholarship-level recruitment likely on the horizon.     St. Peter's took a tight loss to The Patrick School but Martinez was a clear standout nonetheless. Emerging down the stretch of last season, the versatile forward looks ready to be a consistent contributor with his natural ability to score efficiently on limited dribbles and touches. The Dominican national works the midrange effectively with solid decisionmaking ability while facing the rim, also showing nice touch and dexterity as an opportunistic finisher near the rim. His length, foot speed, and budding strength make him an effective defensive presence across positions. Very young for his grade, Martinez figures to emerge as a scholarship-level option in the coming years with a chance to catch eyes at the D1 level if he can extend his range out to the perimeter or tack on another inch or two to his frame.     Squaring off against the best backcourt in the state at Blair Academy, Dixon rose to the challenge in a spirited Gill effort that saw the host Knights push the prep powerhouse for much of the game. Dixon was effective as a drive-and-kick threat, taking on consistent ball pressure while attacking the paint off the bounce with his head up to make controlled reads on passes out to shooters. He routinely advanced the ball up the floor early in transition to generate early offense before Blair could set its stifling halfcourt defense. On the other end, he was a committed defender at the point of attack while also showing strength and toughness while fighting on switches against bigger players. We'd like to see him work to extend his range as a shooter moving forward, but Dixon could emerge this year as one of the best pure floor generals in the state with scholarship-level recruitment likely to follow.

The Metro Hoops Preseason Invitational took place on Saturday at Gill St. Bernard's, bringing in more than a dozen premier programs from across North Jersey to compete in one of the final tuneups before the season gets underway. After taking in several games of action over the course of the afternoon, we'll start coverage with a handful of junior (2027) prospects who caught the eye.