As the page gets turned to the final month of the season, the ISL boys basketball championship picture is clear.
Defending ISL champion St. George’s – with a 8-0 league mark after Wednesday’s win over Nobles – has cemented itself at the top again. The Dragons’ pursuit of back-to-back titles will be decided over the next several weeks, with their remaining ISL games coming against BB&N, Roxbury Latin, Milton Academy, St. Mark’s, Tabor, Belmont Hill and Middlesex.
If St. George’s trips up, several teams are on their tail. Lawrence Academy (8-1) and Milton Academy (5-1) are in the best position to take advantage, with Milton having that head-to-head opportunity on Feb. 18. Lawrence and Milton face off on Feb. 13, which will affect the race, too. St. Mark’s is the only other team within realistic striking distance, with two ISL losses to date.
So, who shined in January in ISL action? We debuted our inaugural ISL stars of the month in December, headlined by our first Player of the Month, Lawrence Academy wing Alex Egbuonu. Let’s check out the honorees for January.
ISL Player of the Month
Dywane Chess, St. George’s
Class of 2026, 6-4 guard
Hometown: Bethlehem, Pa.
NCAA: Marist
Chess knew he’d have to step into a bigger role as the Dragons’ go-to scorer this season, and he’s thrived. The Marist commit led St. George’s – which is now riding a 13-game winning streak – to a 10-0 month in January, which included ISL victories over Groton, Thayer, Lawrence Academy, Rivers and Governor’s. Chess averaged 19 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while shooting 44 percent from 3-point range with an effective field goal percentage of 64 percent. His highlights include a 32-point performance in SG’s Jan. 30 win over Wilbraham & Monson, when he went 12-for-13 from the field.
“I've been impressed with his offensive efficiency, poise and leadership,” St. George’s coach Dwayne Pina said. “His offensive games have had this calming feeling to it. He's not forcing anything. He's scoring at all three levels at a really high clip. … In addition to his offensive production, he's been a great leader in the locker room, a great offensive and defensive rebounder and he's elevated our defensive prowess.”
Honorable Mentions
Jack Carter, St. Sebastian’s
Class of 2028, 6-5 forward
Hometown: Millis, Mass.
Carter averaged 14.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 blocks for the Arrows in January while shooting 57.1 percent from the field and 44.4 percent shooting from 3-point land. It included several notable ISL performances. He scored 26 points on 11-for-14 shooting with six rebounds and four assists in a win over Thayer, posted 20 points and 12 rebounds in a victory over Roxbury Latin and 19 points and 15 boards in a win vs. Groton.
Alex Echevarria, St. Mark’s
Class of 2026, 5-10 guard
Hometown: Penuelas, Puerto Rico
NCAA: Trinity
Echevarria averaged 14.5 points, five rebounds and five assists per game in another strong month for the Lions. He tallied 16 points and seven rebounds vs. Lawrence Academy and chipped in 11 points, six rebounds and eight assists vs. Pomfret, which included six assists in the first half.
Alex Egbuonu, Lawrence Academy
Class of 2026, 6-7 wing
Hometown: Nashua, N.H.
NCAA: Marquette
Our December ISL Player of the Month had another monster month as he averaged 23.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 3.4 blocks per game, which included 37 points in a Jan. 31 overtime victory over Mount St. Charles.
Trokon Harris, Brooks
Class of 2026, 6-1 guard
Hometown: Lowell, Mass.
Over seven games, Harris stuffed the sheet by averaging 10.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists. The senior captain led Brooks to a 6-3 month – including a six-game winning streak to close the month – which featured ISL victories over Nobles, St. Sebastian’s and BB&N.
Michael McNamara, Thayer
Class of 2027, 6-8 forward
Hometown: Needham, Mass.
McNamara continued his impressive junior campaign by averaging 19.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and one steal per game while shooting 51.8 percent from the field over seven games. He had 20 points and five rebounds in a win over Governor’s, 20 points and three boards in a victory over Roxbury Latin and closed the month with 24 points, three rebounds and two blocks vs. St. Paul’s.
Evan Mitchner, Lawrence Academy
Class of 2026, 6-3 guard
Hometown: Providence, R.I.
Mitchner has continued to be the Spartans’ engine. In January, he averaged 13.9 points, 5.5 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 40 percent from 3, including 26 points in a victory over Tabor on Jan. 21.
Garrett Org, Governor’s Academy
Class of 2027, 6-6 forward
Hometown: Norwood, Mass.
Org averaged a double-double over the month of January, posting 18.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. It included a 17-point, 14-rebound (5 offensive) performance in an overtime victory vs. Phillips Exeter and a 23-point, 11-rebound effort vs. St. George’s.
Luca Palermo, St. Mark’s
Class of 2027, 6-7 forward
Hometown: Andover, Mass.
Palermo’s breakout winter continued with a strong January as he averaged 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists per game. The point forward went off for 25 points, eight rebounds and six assists in a comeback victory over Rivers on Jan. 21.
Devan Williams, Milton Academy
Class of 2026, 6-2 guard
Hometown: Uncasville, Conn.
Williams had one of the best months of his career, averaging 22 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio while shooting 61 percent from the field and 51 percent from 3-point range. He scored 29 points with six made 3-pointers in a victory over Middlesex on Jan. 28. He also surpassed 2,000 career points during a win over Belmont Hill at TD Garden on Jan. 18.
