NEPSAC Class AAA, AA, and A 2027 stars to watch

Last weekend, I attended the NEPSAC Showcase at Babson College in Wellesley, MA. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend this weekend's Avon NEPSAC Showcase.   The NEPSAC is filled with talent across the board. Here are some rising juniors (2027) who will have massive impacts on their respective teams.    Payne continues to be one of my favorite players to watch in the region. The 6-foot-2 guard plays so unbelievably hard every possession and will have a huge role this season with Brimmer & May. At Babson, he was as aggressive looking for his mid range and driving to the hoop as I've ever seen him. He can sometimes tend to be overly unselfish, but he looks like he's finally realizing how much better he can be when he's constantly putting pressure on the defense. I love his communication, his attitude, and the effort he comes with every single day. He's a D1 player that takes some time to fully understand his value.     McNair absolutely shot the lights out against a tough Kimball Union Academy team at Babson. He has a good handle and control in terms of getting to his spots on the floor, and he has a nice looking shot that consistently falls. He can also find teammates while off of two feet in the paint, something that all guards need to be able to do. He generally has good size, strength and athleticism and I could see him playing scholarship basketball as a result. More on-ball reps this season with St. Andrews will be really big for his development, and I'm curious to see how he changes his body as well.     I've seen McLaughlin play many times and have always been impressed with his shooting ability, offensive feel, and general playmaking prowess. But in a game against Lawrence Academy at Babson, it was his defense that wow'd me. He took the cookies of Lawrence's star player multiple times and then went for easy layups, and he also walled him off in the paint a bunch of other times. He showed he can guard more than just PG's and SG's and can really hold his own with big time athletes, which makes him more intriguing as a scholarship prospect than I would've initially thought. Really excellent player who should be one of Milton Academy's best players this season.     Baker is as smooth as they come. The 6-foot-6 wing is long and wiry and also has some athletic pop when he gets going to the rim in transition. He has awesome body control and footwork on takes to the rim and is relentless when attacking even against tough defense. He had some struggles early in a game against Milton Academy and got noticeably frustrated, but he responded very well in the second half and showed some awesome fight and toughness. He's so skilled with both hands, he's athletic, and he could still be growing -- looks like a scholarship prospect to me, especially once he gets the mental side figured out.     Whyte is a mesmerizing talent that plays like a well-seasoned veteran for Vermont Academy. Against Worcester Academy, he impressed with his all-around offensive game; he can score from all three levels and has such a smooth handle and feel when it comes to playing in the pick and roll. He's cerebral with a man on his back but explosive with a head of steam, and I love the way he uses his left hand for finishes on both sides of the rim. He has amazing foul drawing ability, too, which makes him so difficult to guard. Finally, he's a fantastic defender with quick hands and big time lateral quickness. He should be a D1 prospect when the time comes and could be Vermont Academy's leading scorer this season.

Last weekend, I attended the NEPSAC Showcase at Babson College in Wellesley, MA. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend this weekend's Avon NEPSAC Showcase.