From the naked eye, the NEPSAC boys basketball season may seem like it’s been a bit predictable.
More than two months since our first power rankings in early November, most of those teams still occupy the Top 10 now in late January. Several other teams have been just as good as we expected. And individually, when you look at our preseason teams, all of those players have performed to the level they should.
But that only begins to tell the story of this winter. There have been some stunning upsets and results. Several players have made strong debuts in NEPSAC, and a handful of teams have come out of virtually nowhere to be real factors this winter. It’s setting the stage for an exciting sprint to the finish line.
I fully realize that identifying this as a “midseason report” is a bit misleading. Some teams from Class AAA and AA started their seasons in early November, while most of the NEPSAC began in early December. But either way, it’s a good time for a check-in before the stretch run, with the NEPSAC playoffs fast approaching in early March.
Here are some of my takeaways from the season so far.
MORE MIDSEASON REPORTS: MIAA Boys | NEPSAC Girls | MIAA Girls
As good as advertised
1. Newman (18-5) – In their third season in Class AAA, the Cardinals are continuing to roll as one of the best prep teams in the country. They have depth unmatched by most of their opponents, tons of offensive and defensive versatility and score at a high clip behind a fast-paced system that wears down teams. Despite a minor hiccup last week with back-to-back road losses to St. Thomas More and New Hampton, Newman has rarely flinched.
2. New Hampton (16-2) – The Huskies’ only two losses this season have come to Newman on a neutral court and a road loss to Phillips Exeter two weeks ago, when they laid a stunning and rare dud. The Huskies have otherwise looked like the formidable championship contender that was expected from this veteran group – led by senior trio Keyshuan Tillery, Mason Blackwood and Naz Meyer – after knocking on the door the last two seasons.
3. CATS (16-3) – With one of the most talented rosters assembled in New England, the Griffins have played an unselfish brand of basketball with great success. Newcomers Jaxson Terry (Acton, Mass.), Jaylin Williams-Crawford (Boston, Mass.) and Leo Curtis have seamlessly transitioned alongside star Jaylen Harrell (Boston, Mass.), and Yeshua Kesse-Beda has given them punch off the bench. Head coach Cary Herer’s group holds just two losses to teams in New England – to Cushing and Northfield Mount Hermon – that they should be motivated to avenge come March.
4. Cushing (11-4) – The Penguins boast arguably the best defense in New England; they’ve held opponents to 50 points or less in six of their 15 games behind their positional versatility and size. Ryan Moesch and Jay Jones (Chestnut Hill, Mass.) have made instant impacts to lead Cushing dynamic backcourt, and Theo Edema is slowly but surely establishing himself as one of the best players in the 2027 class. This group holds signature wins over CATS, Newman and Mount Zion Prep, proof that they can beat anyone.
5. Phillips Exeter (12-0) – The Big Red have picked up right where they left off following last season’s Class A championship, with statement – and surprisingly dominant – wins over New Hampton and Northfield Mount Hermon legitimizing their unblemished resume. Newcomers like Luke Soden (Bedford, N.H.), Cade Furse (Manchester, Mass.) and Rob Blandburg have fit in well around stars Ryder Frost (Beverly, Mass.) and Tyler Bike (Bedford, N.H.); this group has only made its status as the Class A favorite stronger as the season has progressed.
MORE: How Ryder Frost became one of the top prospects in the country
3 surprises
Darrow’s strong debut in Class AAA – Led by head coach Antonio Anderson, Darrow moved up from Class AA to AAA starting this season in an effort to test themselves against the best competition in New England, and they’ve surpassed early expectations. I thought it might take them longer to compete, but the Ducks have looked the part and the level hasn’t been too big for them. Their 15-6 record includes wins over St. Thomas More and Cushing.
Williston Northampton’s dominant start – I’ll be the first to admit that Williston wasn’t on my radar entering the season, but the Wildcats have my full attention now. Their 11-0 record includes dominant victories over Bridgton and Tabor, and they’ve also knocked off Class AA’s Wilbraham & Monson. The trio of Preston Edmead, Ricardo Nieves (Springfield, Mass.) and Ashton Reynolds has made Williston a strong championship contender in Class A.
PODCAST: Williston Northampton coach Ben Farmer talks Wildcats' hot start
Matt Droney’s instant impact – The first-year head coach at Dexter Southfield, Droney has proven to be an exceptional tactician at the NEPSAC level and has already turned his team into a playoff contender in Class A. His group, led by BU commit Sam Hughes (Needham, Mass.), Lateef Afolabi (Dorchester, Mass.) and transfer Malik Adamson, holds an 11-4 record with an 8-3 mark in Class A, and they’re clearly bought in to Droney. Dexter’s future is bright with him on the sidelines.
Who’s in the MVP conversation?
Despite obvious differences between the classes, we’re opening this question up to NEPSAC-wide. Who are the most valuable players to their teams’ success throughout the region? I’ll start with the area’s most familiar names.
Tillery has continued to pace New Hampton as one of the most competitive and dynamic guards in the region; he’s averaging 16.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game to lead the Huskies. Harrell, the reigning Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year, has taken his playmaking to the next level for CATS. Frost, last season’s Class A Player of the Year, has continued to be one of the best shooters in the country but has diversified his game to include more post-ups and scoring inside in addition to playing strong defense.
Though Lawrence Academy has had an up-and-down season so far, Alex Egbuonu (Nashua, N.H.) has been a monster to start his junior season, averaging 28 points, 11 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game as a terror on both ends. Tabor’s Daithi Quinn (North Quincy, Mass.), who recently eclipsed the 2,000 career points milestone, has put up huge scoring performances. Ryan Altman (Chestnut Hill, Mass.) is having an outstanding senior season for Rivers as a stat sheet stuffer, and is a Class B Player of the Year candidate.
MORE: Q&A with Newman star Lucas Morillo
NEPSAC also includes several newcomers who have taken the league by storm. Newman’s Lucas Morillo has led the Cardinals atop Class AAA as a nightly triple-double threat, Moesch has blossomed as an electric scorer and playmaker at Cushing, and Worcester Academy’s Amir Jenkins (Worcester, Mass.) has transitioned seamlessly to the league while climbing up the national rankings.
3 questions
Who will emerge from Class AA?
This is, by far, the most competitive class in NEPSAC, in my opinion. Cushing and CATS are a cut above the rest, but the gap isn’t huge, because it’s already been proven that any team can be beaten on any given day. Northfield Mount Hermon has a win over CATS, and Kimball Union beat Cushing. St. George’s and Worcester Academy will certainly have something to say about this title race, too. Those six teams could all easily get hot in March. I’m expecting the playoffs in this class to be chaotic.
Can Exeter run the table?
This isn’t out of the question, especially after their convincing wins over New Hampton and NMH. Exeter should be favored in all of its remaining games, but I’m eyeing a two-game stretch that could present a speed bump – road games at Tabor and Worcester Academy on Feb. 8 and 12. Certainly, a lot would have to go right for Exeter to go undefeated, but I think it’s possible.
Will Rivers get its four-peat in Class B?
It didn’t look so hot after an 0-6 start to the season, but the Red Wings have righted the ship with wins in eight of their last nine games. Star forward Andrew Alekseyenko (Brookline, Mass.), out injured since early December, could potentially return, and that would have give them a significant boost in the title race. But there are threats throughout the rest of the class. Canterbury (12-3) has wins over St. Thomas More and Millbrook, the latter of which is another Class B contender. And you can’t count out Brooks, which has been rolling since star Alex Wilkins (Boston, Mass.) returned from injury.
