NEPSAC Guard Newcomers From New England

The NEPSAC is the most competitive basketball league from top-to-bottom in New England, and one of the more competitive high school basketball leagues in the entire country. Every year, dozens of kids transfer (and often reclass) to these prep schools after standout performances at their public schools.   Below are 6 guards from New England who should make an immediate impact in the NEPSAC.    Wilbon is going to walk into Governor's Academy and immediately be one of the most athletic underclassmen in the entire NEPSAC. The 6-foot guard has special explosiveness and vertical pop, so he's lethal as a driver and finisher in the paint. The incoming sophomore will excel as a scorer and rim attacker, but it's the passing ability—once he really learns to see the floor and make plays for his teammates—that will push him to the next level. Wilbon should be an important part of Governor's Academy's plan next season and has an extremely bright future ahead, especially once he figures out the scoring/playmaking balance. He has been a standout on Team Sims' UA Rise squad this spring.     Brigham finished his career at Pope Francis this year as one of the most dominant players in Massachusetts public school hoops, and now it's time for him to prove it on a totally different level. The 6-foot-3 guard will look to use his tight handle and scoring instincts to get to his spots in the mid range and rise up for easy looks, but he'll also be able to lean into his playmaking on the defensive end without so much scoring responsibility on a stacked Cushing team. Brigham should get some scholarship looks, and his performance this coming season at Cushing will likely be the swing factor in terms of what level he ends up at. Big time opportunity ahead for him.     O'Neill has had some bad injury luck to start this AAU season, but he is a super exciting piece for Tabor to add to their squad next season. The 6-foot-2 guard is a true point guard with great passing and shooting ability and a knack for playing at his own pace and using craft in the paint. He really excelled at Swampscott High School this past season, but I actually think his game translates better to higher level hoops where he can play with smarter cutters, screeners, and big men. I wouldn't be surprised if O'Neill runs the show for Tabor this season and surprises the NEPSAC as one of the more effective 2029s.     Olinto was a major standout at Boston Latin Academy this past season but will join an up-and-coming Beaver Country Day squad next season that's looking to retool after the loss of star point-guard Lino Sanchez. The 5-foot-10 guard will bring comfortable and confident ball handling against pressure, a crafty pick-and-roll game, and major quickness with the ball in his hands. He's a blur in transition, and he has a knack for creating finishing opportunities in little spaces at the rim. Olinto will probably be a key piece to Beaver's attack and is in a great place with Middlesex Magic to prepare him for that offensive load.     Wilson is one of my favorite players in New England. He's perhaps the strongest 6-foot-1 guard I've seen and is SUPER versatile on both ends as a result. He can run pick-and-roll and make smart decisions in the paint with the rock in his hands, but he's also an effective second-side attacker and ball mover within a functional offense. Defensively, the incoming Choate postgrad will guard ANYBODY because of his combination of lateral quickness, strength, and toughness. He does all of the little things and is going to be extremely hard to keep off the court for Choate because he's such an unselfish kid and will consistently make winning plays that don't show up in the stat sheet. I'm ridiculously high on Wilson and think scholarship schools should give him a look. He would be an immediate impact player in the NESCAC or other high-academic D3 conference in my opinion.     Jean-Philippe was a major standout at Waltham High School this season and will transfer to a Rivers' squad starved for guard playmaking. The lefty is quite shifty with the rock in his hands and does a great job getting to the rack and finishing but is also a very solid pull-up jump shooter. When the defense collapses on him, he has no problem making simple plays for his teammates and being unselfish. Jean-Phillipe also competes hard on the defensive end and should only continue to improve as a result of playing at a higher level during his high school season. If more vertical growth comes his way in the future, the sky is the limit.

The NEPSAC is the most competitive basketball league from top-to-bottom in New England, and one of the more competitive high school basketball leagues in the entire country. Every year, dozens of kids transfer (and often reclass) to these prep schools after standout performances at their public schools.