Metro Hoops Preseason Invitational: Standout 2026 guards

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 senior (2026) guards who caught the eye.    Kennedy had arguably the best individual performance we saw all day, erupting for nearly 30 points as St. Mary's held on to a big early lead for a win over Montgomery. The muscular scoring guard came out firing, pouring in jumpers from beyond the arc while displaying a quick release and polished footwork getting set off a variety of actions in the halfcourt or transition. He more than kept defenses honest as a physical driver attacking closeouts, while also moving the ball quickly and staying in consistent motion as a cutter. Kennedy's ability to score within the flow while consistently being in the right place at the right time on both ends gives him a clearly translatable skillset to the next level. A young senior with D2 offers in hand, Kennedy could continue to emerge into a potential D1 prospect, particularly with the potential of a prep year.     Lin started the game out slow as Montgomery fell behind close to 20 points in the first half against St. Mary's, but a true test of a great player is how they battle through adversity. Despite coming up just short of a thrilling comeback win, the Penn commit aced that test with his second half performance to drag his team back into the game. One of the most dangerous shotmakers in the state, Lin shot his way into a rhythm, connecting on a handful of 3s after intermission while displaying his textbook footwork flowing into jumpers off the dribble or on the move. A natural scorer, he also showed his evolving lead guard game as he was able to punish wild closeouts to get into the lane and throw slick passes out to shooters. Despite the slow start, Lin made sure to leave little doubt as to why he had a variety of D1 suitors before pledging to the Quakers.     The best player in the state and among the elite guards in the nation, Rippey had a somewhat quiet statistical outing in a runaway win over host Gill St. Bernard's but had his hands all over the win nonetheless. He got going early with his jump shot, which often bodes very poorly for the opposition, as he knocked down a pair of early 3s (a deep pullup and a spotup in transition) before tacking on another pair throughout the game. A consummate floor general, Rippey also set the tone on the defensive end with stifling ball pressure and active hands, forcing turnovers before quarterbacking the transition attack going the other way. Blair looks to be clicking on all cylinders heading into the season with their 5-star lead guard steering the ship.     A four-year starter, Santiago showed his steeliness as a grizzled vet with a workmanlike showing in a narrow loss to The Patrick School. The muscular scoring guard set the tone in the early going with his perimeter jumper and shot-creation ability in the midrange. Santiago showed his poise while making incisive decisions from the perimeter or in the teeth of the defense while also bringing a consistent physicality to the floor game on both ends as a finisher and versatile defensive presence alike. Santiago's ability to impact across the stat sheet should bode well for his ability to contribute at the D1 level as he stays close to home for college.     Despite a loss to a high-powered Blair Academy team, Mulcahy showed he belonged while contributing across the board to help the host Knights to a respectable showing. The Canisius pledge brought active size and length in the floor game, operating all over the floor as a scorer, facilitator, and multipositional defender. He showed his toughness on the defensive end while guarding up in position to contend with an overpowering Blair frontline, while also making plays in transition and showing continued growth as a perimeter shooter. With loads of experience and high-major bloodlines, Mulcahy should be in store for a big senior season before heading off to the D1 level with the ability to compete for minutes early on.

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 senior (2026) guards who caught the eye.