NEBL Championship Weekend: Honorable Mentions Part 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The New England Basketball League held its championship weekend at New Balance Headquarters in Brighton, MA on Saturday and Sunday (2/15 and 2/16). I'll be doing three top teams as well as some honorable mentions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To be clear, being included in previous NEBL articles does not mean you can't be included in these ones. There are many players who will be written about multiple times.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here was my <a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/02/nebl-championship-weekend-1st-team/">1st Team</a>, <a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/02/nebl-championship-weekend-2nd-team/">2nd Team</a>, and <a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/02/nebl-championship-weekend-3rd-team/">3rd Team</a> from this weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below is part 1 of my honorable mentions. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2396741"],"_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"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67b60162c92db"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">There's a strong chance Edmond is the best vertical athlete in the entire NEBL. He absolutely jumps out of the gym and needs virtually no room or time to launch himself off the floor, whether it be off of two feet or one. He also has an amazing second-jump, which allows him to follow his own shot better than most other 6-foot-6 wings. He pairs his athleticism with a nice-looking shot and some solid slashing ability; if he continues to expand his offensive game – especially by improving his on-ball creation – he could be a blue chip prospect in a year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2325733"],"_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"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67b60162c9384"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Roberts might be the best shooter of the backcourt bunch for PSA. The lefty guard is ultra quick with his handle and has a super fluid release that allows him to get his shot off easily against taller and longer defenders. I wrote about him at the last NEBL session and it was those aforementioned skills that stood out; but this weekend, his active hands and lightning-quick horizontal speed on the defensive end was what caused havoc. He never stops batting at the ball and is constantly getting back taps. Big time two way guard who is a nightmare to dribble against.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2341362"],"_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"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67b60162c9423"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Harrington is a supreme role player. He is always shot-ready on the catch and attacks closeouts with so much decisiveness – he always knows what he's going to do before he gets the ball. His elite three-point shooting ability forces defenders to overplay him, and then he does a really good job making decisions once he's in the paint, oftentimes being patient and waiting for cutters to enter the lane before finding them for layups. Harrington could use some added weight and size to help him on the defensive end, but his skill set and mind are already well beyond his years, and the effort is there at all times. Love his game, and he might be the best extra passer in the NEBL.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2569693"],"_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"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67b60162c94ae"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I truly cannot believe Dawan-Abdullah is a freshman in high school. His fundamentals, feel for the game, and basketball IQ are so far beyond his years; he's always controlled and on-balance with the ball in his hands, and he never tries to do too much offensively. I love the way he operates in the pick and roll, changing speeds to throw off the defense and getting defenders on his back to give himself extra decision-making time. I'll be curious to see whether Dawan-Abdullah continues to grow, but even if he doesn't, his skill set should put him on the radar of scholarship coaches. He could play D3 basketball RIGHT NOW, and he's a freshman. Wow.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1371866"],"_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"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67b60162c9537"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Walker is a supreme athlete at the combo-guard position who does a lot of different things offensively. He can shoot it from three and is an absolute blur in transition when he gets a head of steam, showcasing some really athletic finishes at the rim throughout the weekend. Defensively, Walker might be South Kent's best defender; he's super strong on the ball and has excellent lateral quickness, and he's got a never ending motor. Walker's size will likely limit his recruitment, but his ability to defend with strength should help him out. A scholarship guy, in my opinion.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->