POTY Races: NEPSAC B

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Today, we wrap up our look at the <em>Player of the Year</em> races in the NEPSAC with a look at Class B.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This year, Class B has been separated into a <em>Large Division</em> and a <em>Small Division</em>. However, for the purpose of this exercise, we will be looking at Class B as one unit in our <em>Player of the Year</em> race series.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Again, in keeping things consistenty, we will only focus on the programs based out of New England, which for this exercise eliminates the <em>Master's School (NY)</em>, <em>New York Military Academy</em>, the <em>Millbrook School</em>, <em>Rye Country Day School</em>, and the <em>Storm King School</em>. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Also, winning matters, which means the prospects highlighted will all come from programs currently at the top of the Class B standings. This, naturally, leads to some quality prospects being excluded from the list, a few of those individuals include: <strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='2407066' first='Jakari' last='Clark']</em></strong> from <em>Lexington Christian Academy</em>, <strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='2470934' first='Ikenna' last='Okafor']</em></strong> from the <em>Rivers School</em>, <strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='2553711' first='AJ' last='Trimboli']</em></strong> from the <em>King School</em>, <strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='2878930' first='Myles' last='Dehaney']</em></strong> from <em>Proctor Academy</em>, <strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='2571907' first='Jackson' last='Perri']</em></strong> from the <em>Roxbury Latin School</em>, and <strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='2883061' first='Dereon' last='Medina']</em></strong> from <em>Concord Academy</em>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are five prospects that we expect to be in the mix for the Class B <em>Player of the Year</em> award at season's end:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2553803"],"_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-69960b5916e24"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Whittley-Ligon, a senior wing out of the <em>Kingswood-Oxford School</em> in Connecticut, is a fantastic two-way wing that plays with nice combination of athleticism, power, and skill. <em>Kingswood-Oxford</em> currently sits at the top of Class B with a 12-1 record in league games, behind a high scoring offensive attack. At 6'5", with a strong frame, Whittley-Ligon operates as a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses, capable of punishing smaller defenders around the rim and of taking larger defenders off the bounce on the perimeter. He's a strong two-way rebound, incredibly switchable defender, and does all the little things that help his team win games. Whittley-Ligon will continue his playing career in the fall at <strong><em>WashU</em></strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2553759"],"_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-69960b5916ec6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Clement, a junior forward out of the <em>St. Mark's School</em> in Massachusetts, has seemingly improved week by week in his first year of play in the NEPSAC. <em>St. Mark's</em> has an 11-1 record in Class B games, good for 2nd in the standings, and has gotten terrific production on both ends of the floor out of their big man. Clement is a lean, 6'9" forward that has the ability to stretch defenses with his shooting from the perimeter. He's getting more confident as a paint scorer and has the ability to put the ball on the floor and attack the rim from the perimeter. Defensively, with impressive length, he's a talented shot blocker that really does a good job of protecting the basket for his team. Clement will be on scholarship watch this spring and summer as a member of the <em>Class of 2027</em>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2341410"],"_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-69960b5916f59"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Introzzi, a senior wing out of the <em>Greenwich Country Day School</em> in Connecticut, is one of the top offensive performers in the league and recently passed the 1,000-point mark for his career. At 16-4 in Class B games, <em>Greenwich Country Day</em> currently sits in third place in the league and has a chance to win on any given night with Introzzi in their lineup. Introzzi is a big, 6'5" guard that has the ability to score it in a variety of ways while playing on or off the basketball in the half-court. He does a nice job of playing through contact as a driver and finisher, makes good decisions with the ball in his hands, and has the ability to kickstart an offense with his defensive rebound on the other end of the floor. Introzzi will continue his playing career in the fall at <strong><em>Trinity</em></strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2829421"],"_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-69960b5916fb8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Avery, a junior guard out of <em>Austin Prep</em> in Massachusetts, is one of the top offensive performers in all of Class B and has the ability to take over games with his scoring. <em>Austin Prep</em> currently sits in 4th place in Class B with a 12-3 record in league games and a terrific young core of prospects. Avery is a microwave scorer when he gets going that can get to the rim off the bounce or score it in bunches from behind the arc. He's got a strong and compact frame that allows him to play through contact around the basket and shows a good feel for the game as a decision-maker and creator. Defensively, he creates plenty of turnovers with both his lateral quickness and impressive instincts in passing lanes. Avery will be on scholarship watch this spring and summer as a member of the <em>Class of 2027</em>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2341425"],"_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-69960b5917006"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Cruz, a junior guard out of the <em>Holderness School</em> in New Hampshire, is a smooth scoring lefty that does a nice job of balancing his scoring with playmaking. <em>Holderness</em> checks in at sixth in the Class B standings with a 10-3 record in league games and a talented group of feature guards. A shifty guard that knows how to get to his spots off the bounce, Cruz does a nice job of scoring it at all three levels. He finishes with touch around the rim, creates for his teammates out of ball screens, and can slide off the ball and knock down threes off the catch. Defensively, he can defend either spot in the back-court and is really good at quickly turning defense into offense in transition. Cruz will be on scholarship watch this spring and summer as a member of the <em>Class of 2027</em>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That wraps up our <em>Player of the Year</em> race series for the NEPSAC. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks for our All-NEPSAC teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->