NERR Hoop Festival: Underclassmen Stud Guards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This weekend, I attended the NERR Hoop Festival at Dana Barros Basketball Club in Stoughton, MA. I took in action from all three high school divisions and saw tons of talent.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/10/nerr-hoop-festival-impressive-upperclassmen/" data-type="link" data-id="https://prephoops.com/2026/10/nerr-hoop-festival-impressive-upperclassmen/">NERR Hoop Festival: Impressive Upperclassmen</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below are six underclassmen guards who really impressed me.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Braylon Ragins","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Northwest Catholic High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"Set The Pace HGSL","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ac506597d9fa"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ragins was excellent this week and put himself firmly on my radar as a guard to watch these next couple years coming out of CT. The 6-foot-2 CG has excellent footwork, feel, and skill—he uses change-of-speed dribble moves very effectively and then comfortably changes his pace and footwork in the lane to get by defenders and finish at the rim. The sophomore also makes great passes once the defense collapses on him and can hit pull-up jumpers, too. Ragins should continue to get stronger and more athletic over these next few years, and I could see him being an excellent prospect once he's an upperclassman. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Azim Carter Jr.","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"East Hartford High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"Set The Pace HGSL","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ac506597dae4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Carter Jr. joined Ragins in the backcourt for Set The Pace HGSL, and he impressed me with his finishing instincts at the rim. On a number of plays, the 5-foot-11 guard made tough, straight-line drives to the rim and then somehow found a way to finish amongst the trees while using both hands and taking lots of contact. He also has good shooting mechanics and is a heady passer, especially with a live dribble. Carter Jr. should be able to get on the floor for East Hartford this season and is going to be a really nice player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3417876"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ac506597db50"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Richmond was electric for Team New England this weekend. The 6-foot-1 guard has unbelievable explosiveness off the dribble and is extremely difficult to stop when he's coming at you downhill in transition—he changes directions effectively and then gets his head at the rim for finishes. He has good touch with both hands and is able to take contact in the air despite his slight frame. The sophomore hit some threes, too, even though his shot is unique and has some interesting rotation. Richmond should be one of the better players in the entire MIAA this season and is CERTAINLY going to make my MIAA Player rankings next time around.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2969341"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ac506597dba8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Brathwaite had somewhat of a breakout weekend for Middlesex Magic's top team at the Hoop Fest. The 6-foot-4 guard showcased a well-rounded offensive skillset with the ability to play both on and off the ball and create value in a number of ways. He ran the show as a point guard for much of the day Saturday and exhibited really nice passing vision and feel—he also got all the way to the rim on a number of plays and threw down dunks on the defense. But he also made shots from three off the ball and looks like he has some really nice mechanics. Brathwaite seems like he'll be a fixture for this Middlesex Magic squad and should be one of the better players in all of Maine this season for Cony High School.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jackson Flynn","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Nashoba Regional High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"Middlesex Magic","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ac506597dc53"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Flynn impresses me more and more every single time I watch him play. The 6-foot-2 guard has one of the prettier shots as an underclassmen in the entire region and is able to shoot it coming off screens, off the dribble, or with very little time and space. He also makes quick decisions every time he touches the ball—he's an excellent extra-passer and understands how to deliver the ball on-time and on-target. Flynn is the type of guy who fits perfectly around anybody else and always raises the level of everybody around him. I'm extremely high on Flynn and think tons of prep school should be all over him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Zaiden Odugbela","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2031 ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Mount St. Charles","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"Team New England","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ac506597dcfc"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Odugbela is only an 8th grader but looked extremely comfortable playing against older players all weekend. The 5-foot-9 PG has excellent quickness and ball-handling ability and is able to puncture the paint quite effectively as a result. Once he gets there, he has a deep bag of finishing tricks and takes contact a lot better than most kids his age. Odugbela showcased some nice three-point shooting ability off the bounce, too. He is at Mount St. Charles and is a guy to watch over the next few years, especially if he continues to get bigger.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->