BARRINGTON, R.I. — The annual St. Andrew’s Holiday Classic only reaffirmed one of my biggest takeaways from the start of the NEPSAC season.
There isn’t a single weak link across Class AA.
Eleven of the 15 teams that make up Class AA – including host St. Andrew’s – traveled to Rhode Island for the annual showcase, and it included plenty of appetizing matchups. Four teams that appeared in last week’s NEPSAC Top 10 competed at the event, with a few on the outskirts of the rankings. Let’s just say there will be some more change in our upcoming update this week.
There was plenty of holiday spirit throughout the event, too, including legendary St. Andrew’s coach Mike Hart dressed up in a full Santa costume as he coached his team to a win over St. Thomas More’s prep team on Friday night. On an individual note, there was, of course, plenty of college-level talent on display throughout the weekend, and college coaches from every level were on hand.
The weekend included multiple career performances and several more statement efforts. Here are 13 standouts from the St. Andrew’s Holiday Classic, including eight uncommitted players.
Wiji Dak, Tilton
Class of 2028, 6-4 guard
Hometown: Bedford, N.H.
Dak has impressed in his first month of NEPSAC basketball with his unique skill set as a big, physical guard who can get downhill and overwhelm opponents with his physicality. That continued in Tilton’s loss to Albany Academy on Friday night, when he had 20 points and was making impact plays all over the court. He was drawing fouls with strong cuts to the rim, he was rewarded for hustling up the floor for a bucket inside and he made a tough turnaround near the hoop. He was also active defensively at the rim, which included a block, and he grabbed an offensive rebound that led to a kick-out 3. He made one 3-pointer to open the second half, an area he’s still gaining confidence with, but it looked clean. Dak has had plenty of opportunity on a Tilton roster that’s shorthanded right now, and he’s seizing it.
Alex Egbuonu, Lawrence Academy
Class of 2026, 6-7 wing
Hometown: Nashua, N.H.
NCAA: Marquette
Egbuonu gave a new definition to the phrase “heat check” with his ridiculous shooting performance in Friday’s win over Cheshire as he set a career high of 46 points on 10 3-pointers. He made three consecutive triples early in the first half as part of a personal 12-0 run that got him going, including an NBA-range make on his first heat check. Multiple of Egbuonu’s makes came early in the shot clock after dribbling over half-court; his confidence was on a different level, and he made Cheshire pay by not closing him down. He made three 3-pointers in another short sequence in the second half, including using a sharp jab step before canning one right in a defender’s face and letting out a big roar.
Egbuonu – who was also a force on the defensive end with chase-down blocks, and several deflections and steals – had made it a point to make his 3-point shot more consistent this winter before he heads to Marquette next year. He said earlier this fall that having a reliable outside shot will be valuable in him getting on the floor early for coach Shaka Smart, and he’s put in the necessary work. It’s paying off – and a player like Egbuonu, who’s already a matchup nightmare with his size, athleticism and skill, with a confident outside shot is a scary thought.
“It’s been good seeing improvement with my shot,” Egbuonu said. “Just trusting my work. I practice shooting all the time, it’s something I’ve been working on, so just shooting consistently. I’m going to trust myself when it comes to those moments. If they’re giving me the space, I’m gonna shoot it.”
Evan Mitchner, Lawrence Academy
Class of 2026, 6-3 guard
Hometown: Providence, R.I.
Egbuonu is the headlining star of the Spartans, but Mitchner might be the key. After missing most of last season due to injury, the point guard’s steady, reliable play continued to be crucial as Lawrence Academy held off a late surge from Cheshire to come away with a 78-75 win. Mitchner had 15 points and controlled the game with his pace, tempo and getting his team organized, and he made winning plays when he needed to. He made two big plays down the stretch that curbed Cheshire runs – first a strong drive and a dump-off to Caleb Baker for a bucket, then a tough move in the paint, scoring off a jump stop at the rim that restored LA’s lead to six with under a minute to go. I also loved two plays he made early in the first half out of the post, both times scoring on good footwork. He’s continuing to show his offensive versatility, whether it’s running the offense, scoring at all three levels or setting up teammates.
Brayden Harris, MacDuffie
Class of 2026, 6-5 wing
Hometown: San Jose, Calif.
It wasn’t Harris’ most dominant performance, but on a shorthanded night without star point guard Keyshon Joyner, he was critical. Harris, who left their win over Bridgton last weekend sick, emerged for a team-leading 15 points and hit a pair of big 3-pointers in the second half as the Mustangs made a strong, late comeback bid. He also pulled down nine rebounds as he continued to make a big impact on the glass after grabbing 11 in a win over Loomis Chaffee this week. Most importantly, Harris – who’s one of NEPSAC’s best shotmakers this season – earned his first Division 1 offer on Saturday night from UC Riverside. He’s averaging 20.6 points per game while shooting 44 percent from 3-point range through 11 games this season.
Jack Louridas, Albany Academy
Class of 2026, 6-3 guard
Hometown: Delmar, N.Y.
NCAA: Yale
Little did we know after Egbuonu’s 46-point performance that we hadn’t yet seen the biggest scoring outburst of the weekend. Louridas put up an incredible 49 points in Albany Academy’s win over Brimmer & May on Saturday on a line that included 8-for-11 shooting from 3-point range and 17-for-18 shooting from the free-throw line. I went into more detail on Louridas’ performance in my standouts from the game, but the level of difficult shot-making was off the charts. He made smart plays throughout the game, too, and even pulled down a huge offensive rebound with 90 seconds that helped seal the win. Louridas also scored 31 points with eight rebounds and four assists in Friday’s win over Tilton as he continued his dominant first season in NEPSAC. Yale might be getting a huge steal.
ST. ANDREW'S HOLIDAY CLASSIC: 5 standouts from Albany Academy's win over Brimmer & May
Elijah Taylor, Albany Academy
Class of 2027, 5-11 guard
Hometown: Amsterdam, N.Y.
Taylor also appeared in Saturday’s standouts, but he was terrific throughout the weekend, too. He dished out 13 assists across the two games, including a line of 15 points, six boards and seven dimes in Albany Academy’s win over Tilton. Taylor was living in the paint, quarterbacking the offense with terrific drives, kick-outs and smart passes, and when defenses gave him space, he found soft spots in the zone and made them pay by burying mid-range shots. I loved his competitiveness and leadership throughout the weekend, too. Taylor plays with a ton of confidence.
Aidan Maguire, Cheshire
Class of 2027, 6-1 guard
Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Cheshire is no longer sneaking up on anyone after its hot start to the winter, and Maguire continues to produce. He had 19 points in the Cats’ close loss to Lawrence Academy, and I thought he was the most impactful player on the floor as Cheshire opened up a huge first-half lead on Winchendon en route to a 99-93 victory. He was at the center of the Cats’ relentless offensive attack, which predicates on off-ball actions, cutting and opportune passing for good looks. He got to the free-throw line nine times in the first half on strong, crafty drives to the basket, and he finished a few difficult takes, including a really impressive reverse finish on a strong contest. Maguire was also a lead ball-handler and was effective in his decision-making and extra passes. He’s a high-IQ player who plays with great balance and pace.
John Spinoso, Cheshire
Class of 2026, 6-4 forward
Hometown: Port Washington, N.Y.
NCAA: Trinity
Spinoso is a unique prospect as an undersized big, but he’s incredibly impactful with his ability to create out of the high post, find cutters on reliable passes and even hit from outside. He only scored seven points in the loss to Lawrence Academy and then had 13 in the win over Winchendon, but his impact went beyond the box score with his gravitational pull and the way he stretches defenses with his playmaking. He also made three 3-pointers, including one at the first-half buzzer where he made an impressive behind-the-back dribble in transition to create space for himself before firing and burying a deep one. He’s fun to watch.
Talib Martin, St. Andrew’s
Class of 2027, 6-6 wing
Hometown: Staten Island, N.Y.
This was my first time watching Martin – the younger brother of former URI star Hassan Martin – and I thought he was the best player on the floor in both of the Saints victories. He scored 25 points – including four first-half 3-pointers – in a win over St. Thomas More’s second team before adding 24 points on four triples in a victory over Fr. Henry Carr School (Canada). He has a confident outside release and took shots in rhythm on both catch-and-shoot and off-the-dribble makes, but beyond Martin's perimeter game, I noted a really good feel for the game from him. Martin never looked rushed; he made a couple of strong baseline drives before making an extra pass for a bucket.
Martin also has an athletic body and uses it well. He was impactful as a rim protector with multiple blocks, and he made two impressive plays that showcased his body control and athleticism. On one play, he pulled down an offensive board and made a flashy finish where he adjusted his body in mid-air to put it off glass. On another, he flew in the air for a three-point play, dunking it with one hand for an exclamation finish. Martin already has offers from Wagner, Manhattan and Iona, and it’s easy to see why.
Jelani Middleton, St. George’s
Class of 2027, 6-4 guard
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
Middleton finished with 10 points and had several hustle plays in a strong victory over MacDuffie, including several second-chance putbacks. One of the most impressive plays of the game came in the second half, when he tracked and stole a deep inbounds pass before taking it the other way for a loud one-handed dunk. Middleton has a physical and athletic presence at 6-foot-4 that allows him to make big plays on both ends of the court, and Saturday marked one of his best games of the season. He’s looking comfortable after missing some of the AAU season due to injury.
Ladanion Payne, Brimmer & May
Class of 2027, 6-1 guard
Hometown: Mattapan, Mass.
I highlighted Payne in my standouts from Saturday’s game vs. Albany Academy, but he deserves recognition here, too, for his 24-point performance in a close loss. Payne was almost unstoppable on his drives to the hoop; he didn’t need much daylight to get past defenders, and he rarely made a mistake when he got to the rim, which included a flurry of impressive, athletic finishes. He also hit a pair of 3-pointers. Payne, in my estimation, has been one of the highest stock-risers in New England’s 2027 class over the last 6-7 months. These performances are starting to become expected.
Hudson Scroggins & Brandon Arnold, Kimball Union
Scroggins: Class of 2026, 6-8 forward; NCAA: Valparaiso
Arnold: Class of 2026, 6-3 guard; NCAA: Marist
Kimball Union looks like it’s rounding into form after a strong week that included Saturday’s 12-point win over Lawrence Academy, and coach Cory McClure’s tandem of Scroggins and Arnold are the biggest reasons why. They combined for 42 points – including 17 in the first half from Scroggins – as they set the tone for the Wildcats with their leadership and competitiveness. Arnold, who’s back after missing the start of the season due to injury, led with poise at point guard as they kept the Spartans at bay, and had a balanced attack with strong rim attacks and three 3-pointers.
Quick shouts: Cheshire’s Christian Zarzycki, a 6-foot-3 guard in the 2027 class, seemingly could not miss from deep throughout the weekend. He had seven 3-pointers in the loss to Lawrence Academy, including five in the second half as the Cats nearly pulled off an improbable comeback. He added five triples in the win over Winchendon. … Harrison Aligbe scored his 1,000th career point in St. Andrew’s victory over St. Thomas More’s prep team, and he was a force inside throughout the weekend. …
Kimball Union’s Zach Romich (Groton, Mass.) made three big 3-pointers in the second half to help seal the Wildcats’ win over Lawrence Academy. … Albany Academy’s Logan Rodriguez was playing through a bad hamstring injury throughout the weekend, but the 6-foot-8 forward powered his way to lines of 14 points, four rebounds and three assists, and then nine points and four rebounds in the Cadets’ two wins. … Tilton’s Jakare Innocent (Taunton, Mass.) was his usual disruptive self in the Rams’ loss to Albany Academy. I counted at least four steals, several of which he converted for breakaway layups, and he was very effective with his active hands.
