Freshmen to Keep an Eye on in New York Part II

Kevin Daniels January 24, 2026 @ 01:00 PM

A coach once told me, “Once February hits, players are no longer freshmen.” It took me a while to fully understand, but now it makes sense. As freshmen face challenges and gain experience on the court, they grow both mentally and physically. By this point in the season, they're no longer the same players who first walked into high school. [player_tooltip player_id='2960372' first='Brazir' last='Nelson'] (St. Raymond) Nelson is gaining valuable experience with St. Ray's, emerging as a guard who thrives in transition and finishes at the rim. His mature feel for the game helps him balance attacking the basket with creating for teammates, making him a versatile and dynamic offensive threat, especially beyond the perimeter. [player_tooltip player_id='3437233' first='Bryce' last='Spalding'] (Copenhagen High School) His vision and decision making make him a reliable facilitator, while his long range shooting adds valuable spacing to the offense. He stays locked in defensively. [player_tooltip player_id='2780678' first='Jake' last='Toomer'] (The Masters School) He plays with confidence and aggression, scoring from deep and attacking the paint effectively. I sense the coaching staff truly believes in his decision making. [player_tooltip player_id='3196379' first='Jamieer' last='Peters'] (Cardinal Spellman) He a poised, mature guard who controls the tempo, creates scoring opportunities for teammates, and stretches the floor with reliable long‑range shooting. [player_tooltip player_id='3437260' first='Keishaun' last='White'] (Saint Francis Prep) Keishaun is a long, athletic prospect who excels as a help‑side defender, using sharp timing to block shots and control the glass. He finishes powerfully as a straight‑line driver and defends multiple positions, giving him versatility on both ends. His physical tools and multi‑level scoring make him a standout presence you can't keep off the floor. [player_tooltip player_id='2960371' first='Todd' last='Arrington'] (St. Raymond) A versatile guard who defends aggressively, creates turnovers, finishes creatively in transition, and scores confidently as a high volume perimeter shooter.

A coach once told me, “Once February hits, players are no longer freshmen.” It took me a while to fully understand, but now it makes sense. As freshmen face challenges and gain experience on the court, they grow both mentally and physically. By this point in the season, they're no longer the same players who first walked into high school.

Brazir Nelson Brazir Nelson 6'0" | PG St. Ray's | 2029 State NY (St. Raymond) Nelson is gaining valuable experience with St. Ray's, emerging as a guard who thrives in transition and finishes at the rim. His mature feel for the game helps him balance attacking the basket with creating for teammates, making him a versatile and dynamic offensive threat, especially beyond the perimeter.

Bryce Spalding Bryce Spalding 5'9" | PG Copenhagen | 2029 NY (Copenhagen High School) His vision and decision making make him a reliable facilitator, while his long range shooting adds valuable spacing to the offense. He stays locked in defensively.

Jake Toomer Jake Toomer 6'1" | PG The Masters School | 2029 NY (The Masters School) He plays with confidence and aggression, scoring from deep and attacking the paint effectively. I sense the coaching staff truly believes in his decision making.

Jamieer Peters Jamieer Peters 5'9" | PG Cardinal Spellman | 2029 NY (Cardinal Spellman) He a poised, mature guard who controls the tempo, creates scoring opportunities for teammates, and stretches the floor with reliable long‑range shooting.

Keishaun White Keishaun White 6'5" | SF St. Francis Prep | 2029 NY (Saint Francis Prep) Keishaun is a long, athletic prospect who excels as a help‑side defender, using sharp timing to block shots and control the glass. He finishes powerfully as a straight‑line driver and defends multiple positions, giving him versatility on both ends. His physical tools and multi‑level scoring make him a standout presence you can't keep off the floor.

Todd Arrington Todd Arrington 5'10" | PG/CG St.Rays | 2029 State NY (St. Raymond) A versatile guard who defends aggressively, creates turnovers, finishes creatively in transition, and scores confidently as a high volume perimeter shooter.