NEPSAC End-Of-Season Superlatives Part 2

The NEPSAC season has come to an end, and I got a chance to watch tons of games throughout the year. Over the next few days, I'll be rolling out my end-of-season superlatives, aimed at giving various players from a wide array of classes and teams some love for their performances this season. Each award will have a first, second, and third place.   Part 1: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/03/nepsac-end-of-season-superlatives-part-1/" id="https://prephoops.com/2026/03/nepsac-end-of-season-superlatives-part-1/">NEPSAC End-Of-Season Superlatives Part 1</a>   As always, it's impossible to see every team and player, so I will always miss some things. Coaches—always feel free to reach out with thoughts or things I missed!   Most ready for college minutes: 1) [player_tooltip player_id='1943555' first='Quinn' last='Gibson'] 2)  [player_tooltip player_id='2341363' first='Alex' last='Egbuonu'] 3) [player_tooltip player_id='2553803' first='Stryckland' last='Whittley-Ligon']   This might seem like a stretch, but I think Gibson actually makes a lot of sense for this category. The 6-foot-6 wing is extremely versatile defensively and already has an excellent motor, so he has a good chance to walk into the Ivy League (Cornell) and impact right away by doing little things and playing hard. But he also has a lot of offensive talent and is going to excel as a second-side attacker, playmaker, and shooter, even though he could live off of his other traits if he needed to. Gibson's game, body, and motor are built for the next level in my opinion, and I still think there's a lot left to be unlocked.    Egbuonu, who's headed to Marquette, has a body and game that is poised for the next level. He's a 6-foot-7 wing with long arms and an extremely strong body, and he moves very well for his size. While some of his peers may have trouble acclimating to the strength, size, and speed of the D1 level, I think he'll fit in quite nicely and won't have much of a shock. His shooting improvements this season have been extremely encouraging, too. Whittley-Ligon is headed to Wash U. in St. Louis, and his body is already built for that level. He should walk into immediate minutes at the four and is going to be able to excel as a rebounder, defender, and little things guy right away.   Best underclassman: 1) [player_tooltip player_id='2829417' first='Cole' last='McClure'] 2) [player_tooltip player_id='2893338' first='Chance' last='Finlayson'] 3) [player_tooltip player_id='2486597' first='Luca' last='Balducci']   McClure carried the load this season for Phillips Exeter and was quite effective as a scorer and driver. Every time I watched him play this year, I was very impressed with his ability to get downhill and finish in crafty ways at the rim with both hands—he has terrific finishing touch and is so much quicker than he looks, so he's ridiculously difficult to stop with one defender. McClure is also a knock-down shooter from three and can pass the ball. He had a phenomenal year for Exeter and will be one of the best returning juniors in the NEPSAC next year.   FInlayson had an awesome first season in the NEPSAC and looks poised to continue getting better. His size, athleticism, and skill translated quite well at a high level, and he was able to both overpower players with his strength while using skill to outplay bigger and stronger players. Balducci had an awesome season for Loomis Chaffee and looks every bit of a big-time NEPSAC scorer for years to come. He can light it up from all three levels and is a confident isolation player as a sophomore. Bright futures ahead for both of those guys.   Best long-term prospect: 1) [player_tooltip player_id='2407057' first='Declan' last='Griffiths'] 2) [player_tooltip player_id='2341434' first='DJ' last='Hawkins'] 3) [player_tooltip player_id='2553759' first='Donovan' last='Clement']   Griffiths has a crazy ceiling. The 6-foot-7 wing has big-time bounce and incredible outside shooting ability, but he can also handle the ball and get to the rim. This season, he showed off impressive three-level scoring and continued to get stronger and more comfortable with the ball and at the rim with time and reps. He'll be at Newman School next year, and his recruitment should skyrocket, especially if he continues to grow physically in any way (size or strength), which I think he will.   I'm fascinated by Hawkins. He's 6-foot-7 with super long arms, and he's only going to get stronger as he continues to get older. But his skillset is really impressive for his size, and I can see the pathway to him getting even more comfortable handling and shooting the ball as he puts on some more weight—he has an awesome feel. Clement is similar. He's 6-foot-9 and super long, and looks like he should keep getting stronger. But he shoots it well, he can handle it well, and all of his offensive skills should improve with more time.   Unsung hero: 1) [player_tooltip player_id='2553714' first='Casey' last='Bazzano'] 2) [player_tooltip player_id='2634181' first='David' last='Flores John'] 3) [player_tooltip player_id='2874989' first='Josh' last='Belcher']   Bazzano doesn't get the credit he deserves because he plays for a super talented St. George's sqaud with highly touted guys like Chess, Benedict, Cantave, and Finlayson. But the 5-foot-11  guard shoots the leather off the ball and is an awesome connector offensively—he moves the ball quickly and finds keeps their offense chugging along. His movement and shooting gravity are super important for what St. George does, he just happens to play with some big-time player.   Flores John defends his behind off and is content to play 30 minutes or zero minutes, which is a rare quality for a high schooler. He never steps outside of his role offensively, but he was an important piece for Cushing in terms of keeping their offense humming. Defensively, he does all the little things and isn't afraid to use his physicality. Belcher was awesome all year for Phillips Exeter but because he doesn't shoot the ball particuraly well, people sometimes forget about him. But he does EVERYTHING for PE and always impresses me with his nose for the ball on both ends. He's always in the right place at the right time and continuously makes winning plays despite his (at times) awkward movement patterns.   Best show: 1) [player_tooltip player_id='2465117' first='Ryan' last='Moesch'] 2) Jonathan White Jr 3) [player_tooltip player_id='2883061' first='Dereon' last='Medina']   Moesch is the obvious answer here. You just never know what you're going to get when you tune into a Cushing game, because the 6-foot guard can beat you with freakishly athletic above-the-rim finishes or crafty and shifty ball-handling from the perimeter. He has a flow to the way he handles the rock, and it makes for an awesome watch. He also reads the game incredibly well and will wow fans with passes throughout the course of the game. Can't wait to see Moesch at the college level.   White Jr. is special with the ball in his hands. He's a total blur and consistently wows with his elevation and finishing instincts at the rim—he takes contact so well and is fun to watch in the air. Defensively, white gets his hands on everything and is so quick when sliding his feet. Medina is also a blur with the ball in his hands and is so smooth as a ball-handler. Fun player to watch.

The NEPSAC season has come to an end, and I got a chance to watch tons of games throughout the year. Over the next few days, I'll be rolling out my end-of-season superlatives, aimed at giving various players from a wide array of classes and teams some love for their performances this season. Each award will have a first, second, and third place.