Summer Archetype Series: Mr. Versatile

There are several different archetypes in basketball—glue guys, defensive anchors, defensive stoppers, table setters—the list goes on. For the rest of July, I'll be highlighting some of the players in New England who fit into those molds quite well.   Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/07/summer-archetype-series-sharpshooters/">Summer Archetype Series: Sharpshooters</a>   Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/07/summer-archetype-series-glue-guys/">Summer Archetype Series: Glue Guys</a>   Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/07/summer-archetype-series-tough-shot-makers/" id="https://prephoops.com/2026/07/summer-archetype-series-tough-shot-makers/">Summer Archetype Series: Tough Shot Makers</a>   To continue on, let's look at some versatile studs. These are guys who can do lots of different things on both ends of the floor and are able to shift their game depending on who they're playing with.    Millward is the definition of versatile. For his Middlesex Magic squad, he's just one piece to their well-functioning puzzle; he makes hard cuts, spaces the floor as a shooter, and makes quick extra passes when the ball comes to him. But for Rivers, the 6-foot-4 wing looks like more of a point-forward, where he's tasked with creating offense at the point of attack and getting downhill before making decisions at the rim. In both situations, he thrives and fits right in. Defensively, he can guard anyone because of his strong body, and he rebounds the ball extremely well for his size. Millward recently broke his pinky and will be out for the month of July, but he'll probably be Rivers' most important player this season and will do just about everything for them.     Owusu-Aduomi is big, long, strong, and athletic, with a skillset that allows him to play both on and off the ball—he's literally the definition of versatile. The 6-foot-5 rising senior is a better passer than people realize and does a good job attacking downhill and making plays for himself and his teammates at the cup. But he can also space the floor as a shooter, find angles and pockets to cut to the rim, and act as an offensive rebounder and little-things guy if that's what's needed. Defensively, he can guard up because of his strength or down because of his quickness. Owusu-Aduomi will handle a lot of the offensive responsibility for Tilton this season and is exactly the type of player D1 schools are looking for at the wing position.     Zarzycki could've been in my "sharpshooters" archetype article as he's one of the elite shooters in the region—but I actually think that undersells some of the other stuff he brings to a team. Yes, he can space the floor and has a quick trigger from three (with range, too). But with added responsibility with Cheshire over the course of two NEPSAC showcase weekends, the 6-foot-3 rising senior has shown really strong passing vision and the ability to take opponents off the dribble. He knows how to cut and move without the ball, but he's also a crafty finisher who has great footwork and feel. Defensively, he's a lot stronger and sturdier than people think, and he does an excellent job guarding bigger guys despite his slight frame. Zarzycki is going to show that he's A LOT more than just a shooter this season.     Middleton was one of the biggest stockrisers of the NEPSAC Showcase weekends, and it was because of the versatility that he exhibited on both ends of the floor. The 6-foot-5 wing can handle the ball and operate as a point-forward in transition, but he can also space the floor and cut off the ball. When you combine his physical profile with the fact that he doesn't have any glaring weaknesses on the offensive side of the floor, he becomes a plug-and-play piece that every coach is looking for. Additionally, the rising senior defends his behind off and is content to do the little things and rebound the ball if other players are excelling offensively. Middleton is committed to Brown University next season and is going to be an awesome player for St. George's this year.     Reardon is the definition of offensive versatility. The 6-foot-5 wing plays the point-forward position for his NE Storm squad and does an excellent job using his size and strength to overpower opposing backcourt players who are matched up with him—he often takes them to the post and forces double teams, which opens up his passing vision and feel. But he can also handle full-court pressure against small guards, and he dribbles the ball quite comfortably for his size, despite not wowing you with his quickness or explosiveness. The rising senior can play without the ball, too; he's a phenomenal shooter who has a quick release and a good understanding of when and how to attack closeouts. Reardon can fill any role you ask of him on the offensive end and provides versatility and strength defensively.     "Versatility" probably isn't the first word you think of when you think of [player_tooltip player_id='2829417' first='Cole' last='McClure'], but I actually think that's a big part of what makes him so effective. The 6-foot-3 combo-guard is a really great ball handler and has an explosive first step to the rim when he's dribbling the ball. But he's also an elite shooter who can space the floor and get his shot off quickly. He seamlessly scales his offensive load up and down depending on the situation and players he's playing with, which is much harder than it seems. McClure also fights harder than you'd think defensively and is able to guard wings because of his athleticism and length. D1 player.     Bergquist is big, strong, athletic, skilled, smart, and unselfish. The 6-foot-4 wing plays his behind off on both ends of the floor and always finds a way to make himself additive despite who he's playing with. For his Middlesex Magic squad, he plays the point-forward position and excels as a facilitator and downhill attacker. But for Avon Old Farms, he has the ball a bit less and instead crashes the boards, spaces the floor from three, and cuts/screens extremely hard. Defensively, Bergquist uses his size, strength, and toughness to guard literally anyone you ask him to guard—that end is where he makes his mark versatility-wise.     Tolley is a super intriguing prospect. The 6-foot-5 wing is only a rising sophomore, but he has guard skills that distinguish him from many of his peers. His passing vision is elite—he does a good job acting as a hub offensively and sees back cutters and shooters quite effectively. But he can also shoot the ball from three and handles it/drives to the hoop more comfortably than most guys his age/size. His size and coordination also allows him to guard a wide variety of players on the defensive end. Tolley is transferring to Marianapolis Prep next season and should get minutes as a sophomore, which will be great for his development moving forward.

There are several different archetypes in basketball—glue guys, defensive anchors, defensive stoppers, table setters—the list goes on. For the rest of July, I'll be highlighting some of the players in New England who fit into those molds quite well.