Second NEPSAC Showcase: 6 Workhorses

This weekend, I'll be attending the NEPSAC Showcase at Worcester Academy in Worcester, MA. Games will be going all day Friday-Sunday, and I'll be in the gym throughout.   Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/06/second-nepsac-showcase-fridays-6-best-performers/">Second NEPSAC Showcase: Friday's 6 Best Performers</a>   Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/06/second-nepsac-showcase-7-of-saturdays-best-newcomers/">Second NEPSAC Showcase: 7 of Saturday's Best Newcomers</a>   Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/06/second-nepsac-showcase-6-players-who-are-getting-better-quickly/" id="https://prephoops.com/2026/06/second-nepsac-showcase-6-players-who-are-getting-better-quickly/">Second NEPSAC Showcase: 6 Players Who Are Getting Better, Quickly</a>   Below are 6 players who are absolute workhorses and play hard ALL the time.    I feel pretty confident saying that Grudzien is the most well-conditioned athlete I've scouted in my time at Prep Hoops. I've seen the 6-foot-1 guard play 40 straight minutes and still seem like easily the freshest player on the court—I don't know what it would even look like for him to play tired or without maximum effort. Offensively, he's a relentless rim attacker and transition punisher because of his athleticism, strength, and tough mindset; he's always coming at you downhill and forcing you to defend, but he's also a talented passer once he gets a paint touch. Defensively, he guards absolutely anybody you ask of him and beats everybody to the spot. Grudzien plays harder than anyone I saw at the NEPSAC's this weekend, and that should earn him scholarship looks when combined with his skillset, especially if he can continue to shoot the ball well from the outside.     Booth is slowly chugging along in his development. The 6-foot-10 center seems to have gotten stronger and in better shape as of late and really impressed me with his ability to run the floor this weekend. The rim-running center got tons of deep post catches because of his willingness to run early, but he was also his team's best defensive rebounder on the other end, showcasing a willingness to sprint back. He's slowly increasing his range out to the perimeter on the offensive end, but it's his ability to bang with opposing bigs and set crushing screens that makes him a scholarship prospect. Booth plays the right way and is as tough as they come at the forward position, but the skillset is expanding too.     Pridgen is playing the best ball I've ever seen him play. The 6-foot-3 combo-guard has always had solid vision, but he's been able to showcase it more as of late because of his ability to get paint touches and blow by his initial defender before making reads. The lefty has good quickness and strength and knows how to use his body. Defensively, Pridgen plays his behind off and is often tasked with guarding the opposing team's best player, but he's also a phenomenal rebounder for his size. He's going to find a D3 fit at the end of the day, and whoever gets him is going to love what he brings in terms of intangibles.     For a 6-foot-10 2029, Higgins plays about as hard as I've seen. Normally, kids his size/age haven't found their motor yet and are still learning what it means to make multiple efforts, but not him. The Maine native looks ready to do whatever the Newman coaches ask of him, whether it be rebounding and defending bigs or crashing the offensive glass and cutting hard offensively. Higgins certainly has a bright future ahead with his skillset, feel, and athleticism, but it's his motor and understanding of his role that makes me most excited. Kid is clearly a winner.     Demeter plays so hard! The 6-foot-7 rising senior is still figuring out how to make decisions in the paint and whether he can score from the perimeter, but his motor is one thing he has figured out. He's the first guy down the floor on offense but also the first back on defense, and he never stops playing hard after an initial effort on either end—he just keeps going. The Brimmer and May forward is an extremely well-conditioned athlete who should find a D3 fit if only because of his combination of size, athleticism, and effort level.     Mercedes is coming off the bench for Beaver, but the kid consistently makes winning plays when I watch him enter the game. The 6-foot-3 wing is built like an ox and uses his strength effectively to do every little thing on the floor. He's a relentless offensive rebounder, he defends all positions with great toughness and effort, and he goes hard for every 50/50 ball. Offensively, the rising junior can hit corner threes and is a solid finisher. It's always impressive when a kid comes from a public school where they were the man and understands their role at a higher level—Mercedes has done just that, and it says a lot about his character.

This weekend, I'll be attending the NEPSAC Showcase at Worcester Academy in Worcester, MA. Games will be going all day Friday-Sunday, and I'll be in the gym throughout.