NMH Tip-Off Classic: Wilbraham + Monson Standouts vs. Winchendon

Last weekend, Northfield Mount Hermon hosted the NMH Tip-Off Classic, a mini-tournament that included four boys teams: NMH, MacDuffie, Winchendon, and Wilbraham and Monson. Though I was only able to watch some of the games, I'll have some coverage over the next two days from the event.   Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/11/nmh-tip-off-classic-macduffie-standouts-vs-winchendon/">NMH Tip-Off Classic: MacDuffie Standouts vs. Winchendon</a>   Let's continue with some Wilbraham and Monson standouts from their 50-63 loss against an incredibly tough Winchendon squad.    Fleming is finally at full strength after a long injury recovery over the past year, and he looks ready to make a massive impact for Wilbraham and Monson. The 6-foot-7 forward isn't ever moving at a crazy speed or using big time explosiveness, but he's patient and balanced in the paint, which makes him a very effective offensive player. He has a really nice mid range bag and uses up fakes quite a lot to give himself room for fadeaway jumpers and step through moves. I was also ridiculously impressed with some of the passes he made, many of which came in the air and with multiple defenders draped over him. He has a game well beyond his years that'll carry him to division 1 hoops, and he's only going to continue to improve given his IQ.     Okpara is a super interesting prospect who's position I have never been able to figure out. He's 6-foot-7 and super long, but he likes to handle the rock and moves like a guard. Defensively, he can guard multiple positions because of his athleticism, length, and strength. He's a well rounded player who may struggle at time against bigger forwards, but he'll still beat them down the floor and will get some points that way. I'm not sure exactly how he'll fit in the college game, but scholarship schools should be intrigued by him because of his potential on both ends of the floor, not to mention the fact that he's a total workhorse and is probably going to do whatever it takes to win.     Martin didn't have his best shooting game, but the senior UMASS commit still showed some intriguing developments to his body. He looks a lot leaner and is therefore better able to slide his feet and contest shots on the defensive end, especially against smaller guards on switches or fast breaks. He's always going to be able to shoot the rock (though he didn't have his best shooting night against Winchendon), but his increased lateral quickness should open up some closeout driving opportunities with the dribble. Martin's physical development will probably be the difference in how he fairs as a wing at the college level, so this year is a good time for him to grow in that regard.     Elston started off the game hot with a couple three-pointers. He gets lots of elevation on his shot and has great rotation on the ball off of his hands—he's clearly a shooter. He also handles the ball well—though he could use some work dribbling the ball against small, quick guards—and can score from inside the paint when defenders overplay his shot. The 6-foot-2 point guard also has very good passing vision and is clearly an unselfish player at heart given how frequently and effortlessly he moves the ball. Elston will be a nice piece for Wilbraham this season and should probably be looked at by high level D3 schools throughout the country.     White is only a sophomore and comes off the bench for Wilbraham, so you'd think there would be some growing pains against a stout Winchendon squad. But the 6-foot guard looked calm and comfortable, even while being aggressively pressured for 94 feet. He's smart, unselfish, and controlled, which is more than many sophomore point guards can say at the high levels of the NEPSAC. He doesn't necessarily have a huge impact on either end of the court at this point, but he gets the job done as a floor general and always competes on the defensive end. White has a bright future and is going to get a lot better from his reps this season at Wilbraham.

Last weekend, Northfield Mount Hermon hosted the NMH Tip-Off Classic, a mini-tournament that included four boys teams: NMH, MacDuffie, Winchendon, and Wilbraham and Monson. Though I was only able to watch some of the games, I'll have some coverage over the next two days from the event.