STOUGHTON, Mass. — While most of the excitement at the Dana Barros Basketball Club this weekend centered around the top 17U grassroots teams, there was also lots of intrigue about the future.
As the 17U division of the Zero Gravity Boys National Finals delivered some must-see matchups, the 16U tournament was played in tandem with its older counterparts at Dana Barros and offered another glimpse of the exciting underclassmen who are making their marks in New England. BABC’s 16U squad completed a Sunday sweep for the program, following its 17U squad’s title with its own championship as they knocked off the Middlesex Magic’s top 16U team in the semifinals and then Expressions Elite’s 15U squad in the final.
While BABC’s rising juniors made the biggest statement, there were several Class of 2028 prospects (rising sophomores) playing up an age group who made a strong impression this weekend.
Here are 10 prospects from this weekend’s 16U tournament who caught my attention.
TJ Allen, BABC
Class of 2027, 6-2 guard
Darrow/Watertown, Mass.
Allen – who won Co-MVP of the tournament – was sensational throughout the weekend as he displayed his elite scoring ability, which included a 30-point outburst in BABC’s dominant Saturday victory over YSU ZGXL. His scoring and offensive versatility was at its best; he’s a pure three-level scorer, and his creative finishing at the rim keeps getting better. His variety of moves included a really impressive scoop layup for a three-point play as crashed to the floor. Allen’s vision may be a bit underrated, too, evidenced by a terrific backdoor pass between defenders for two. He’s one of the most natural offensive threats in New England’s 2027 class, and I loved his competitive spirit throughout the weekend. He’s wired to win.
Jakare Innocent, BABC
Class of 2027, 6-1 guard
Tilton/Taunton, Mass.
The best way to describe Innocent this weekend – he was quite literally everywhere. While Allen and Ethan Njenga led BABC in the scoring department, Innocent was busy doing the dirty work. He was a monster defensively in their three-guard press; I counted at least four steals in the first half of their win over the Middlesex Magic, and it seemed like he was just always around the ball and making winning, impact plays. Offensive rebounds, timely 3-pointers, Innocent was just doing a little bit of everything. He scored 16 points in Sunday’s final and was the glue of BABC’s championship run all weekend.
RELATED: 10 standouts from the 17U division at the Zero Gravity Boys National Finals
Ethan Njenga, BABC
Class of 2027, 6-1 guard
St. George’s/Lowell, Mass.
Njenga is the engine of BABC’s 16U squad and it showed in Sunday’s final, when he set the tone in their championship victory over Expressions. He scored 10 of BABC’s first 15 points as they went up double digits early, including a 3-pointer and an old-fashioned three-point play. He scored 22 points and added five assists in the final as he was named co-MVP with Allen to cap another strong spring weekend.
Cole Blackburn, Middlesex Magic
Class of 2027, 6-7 wing
Worcester Academy/Southborough, Mass.
Blackburn lives above the rim and put down a few big dunks to add to his growing highlight reel this spring, but I was even more impressed with his defense. During a game against Rens United, his strong on-ball defense forced a travel on one play, and later, I saw him block a 3-pointer. His size, athleticism and length combined with his activity and hustle allow him to be an impactful disruptor on the defensive end.
Jackson Perri, Middlesex Magic
Class of 2028, 6-0 guard
Roxbury Latin/West Roxbury, Mass.
Perri – the son of Southern New Hampshire head coach Jack Perri – has long been one of the most promising young prospects in the region and it continued to show this weekend as the lead guard for the Middlesex Magic’s top 16U squad. He’s mature and poised beyond his years, in complete control with the ball, and clearly has an advanced understanding and feel of the game and what it requires from him. I loved his defensive engine, too.
He was competitive in matchups against bigger players and showed great anticipation and hustle, including an impressive play when he saved the ball from going out of bounds. The future remains very bright for Perri, who put up 17 points and 4.5 assists per game this season as a freshman at Roxbury Latin and has a reliable outside shot.
Malik Adamson, Team New England
Class of 2027, 5-11 guard
Dexter Southfield/Dorchester, Mass.
Adamson has become one of my favorite prospects to watch over the last year, and it all starts on the defensive end. Team New England only played two games this weekend – both on Saturday night – but Adamson put an exclamation point on their impressive victory over Lu Dort Elite with several steals and buckets in the final minutes, including a few in the backcourt. Adamson’s tenacity and energy on defense may be unmatched in New England’s 2027 class. You simply can’t fall asleep for a second if you’re facing him, because he’s always ready to attack.
Theo Edema, Team New England
Class of 2027, 7-foot center
Cushing/Delta State, Nigeria
The region’s biggest stock-riser in the 2027 class this spring continued to show why in Team New England’s two victories at this event. Edema, who recently picked up offers from Kansas and Tennessee to add to his growing pile of high-major offers, was his typical self on the defensive end. He had two blocks in the opening minutes of their win over Lu Dort Elite, including one when he helped off his man to swat a shot off the backboard. Offensively, he was dynamic. He took a defender off the dribble and cut through a double team to score with ease at the rim, hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key and even made a pair of terrific backdoor passes from the elbow for buckets.
Adriel Cantave, Expressions Elite
Class of 2028, 6-2 guard
St. George’s/Carver, Mass.
Cantave’s growth from both a physical and development standpoint is noticeable. He’s grown about two inches since his freshman season at St. George’s, and he was impressive as the lead guard for Expressions’ young 15U squad, which played up a level in its run to the 16U final. I liked his pace and control with both of his hands, and he was decisive and purposeful in his decisions, whether it was finding teammates or getting downhill into the lane where he made good decisions. He also showed a strong, lefty 3-point stroke that looks reliable, both off the catch and through step backs. Cantave hit a couple of big ones in the second half of Expressions’ semifinal win over Lu Dort Elite.
Maxxwell Thorpe, Expressions Elite
Class of 2028, 6-9 forward
Northfield Mount Hermon/North Andover, Mass.
Thorpe is a really promising frontcourt prospect who plays above the rim on both ends. One of the best sequences I saw this weekend came in Sunday’s 16U final against BABC, when Thorpe made a block off the backboard, then ran the floor and was rewarded with a bucket for two. He was active on the offensive glass and had a solid stroke from the free-throw line, which bodes well for his shooting potential. Thorpe moves very well at his size and has a strong foundation to work from.
Jacari Jenkins, Dana Barros Gladiators
Class of 2028, 5-11 guard
Catholic Memorial/Boston, Mass.
The best individual scoring performance I saw this weekend came from Jenkins, who went unconscious from 3-point range at Court 1 in the DB Gladiators’ dominant victory over Team White Mamba on Saturday. I counted at least seven 3-pointers, including five in the first seven minutes of the second half, several of which were well-contested pull-ups or step-backs as he finished with at least 35 points.
It was an insane display, but his impact went beyond his shooting; he was in control with the ball as the lead guard, always made the right play and made strong decisions and plays in pick and roll situations. He’s shifty and difficult to stay in front of, but give him enough space and he’ll bury a 3. His performance was even more impressive because he played in an older age group. I knew Jenkins was an impressive scorer after several big games as a freshman at CM, but this weekend made me even more excited about his bright future.
