I didn’t know who Mendoza was before this summer, but he really impressed me during the Summer Draft League and should be a guy who continues to make his name known throughout the region. The rising sophomore at Braintree has good size at 6-foot, but he pairs that with a well-rounded skillset on the offensive end—he can make shots from three and the mid-range, but he really excels as a driver and finisher with both hands. Mendoza has the athleticism and length to be a meaningful player in the MIAA season, and that could vault him onto our future rankings.

Mendoza does literally everything. The 6-foot combo-guard can handle the ball and get downhill as a finisher, he can set up teammates for easy looks, and he can make shots from the outside. He has a good feel for the game, solid passing ability, and really impressive athleticism for his age—he takes contact well at the rim and has great body control. Defensively, he’s ridiculously active and has phenomenal horizontal quickness, so he can stay in front of anyone. Mendoza should be a star for Braintree this upcoming season and will be an extremely intriguing reclass candidate if that interests him. There’s no question he can play at a higher level.