WELLESLEY, Mass. — The Class of 2026 is in the midst of its last summer recruiting periods, which is a critical time as the rising seniors look ahead to making college decisions soon. But it’s also an important time for the 2027 class.
The Division 1 and 2 contact period for the 2027 class began on June 15, meaning coaches from those levels can begin directly reaching out to those recruits. That led into last weekend’s NEPSAC Scholastic Showcase at Babson, the first of several live periods over the next month as prospects aim to make a strong impression.
While the 2026 class showcased dozens of established Division 1 prospects, I was similarly impressed with the depth and quality of the rising juniors. It helped that several of the top prep programs in the region competed; still, I found myself writing a lot of notes throughout the three days at Babson about prospects from the 2027 class..
After sifting through my notes, here are 10 standouts from the Class of 2027 who had strong weekends.
Josiah Adamson, CATS
6-2 guard
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
The former Catholic Memorial star looks like he’s ready to make a big jump in his second prep season. The most noticeable difference in his game from the weekend was a consistent 3-point shot; his release looked confident, and he hit a big corner triple late on Sunday against Darrow. He was aggressive getting downhill and used his physical and athletic frame to convert some tough and crafty finishes through contact. He also drained a smooth game-tying floater late vs. Darrow. If the jump shot can stay consistent, Adamson is capable of hitting another level as a prospect.
MORE BABSON STANDOUTS: 2026 backcourt | 2026 frontcourt
Cherif Millogo, CATS
7-4 center
Hometown: Burkina Faso, West Africa
Welcome to New England, Cherif Millogo. Everyone in the building was intrigued by the new CATS center, and he didn’t disappoint with an eye-popping regional debut. I couldn’t believe some of the plays he made. He hit calm step-back and pull-up jumpers, showed strong ball-handling ability and ran the floor really well; he was simply doing things that players of his size shouldn’t be able to do. He had one dunk on Sunday where he only needed two steps from the 3-point arc before flushing it with one hand, and he recorded a handful of incredible blocks. He has the length and mobility to cover significant ground and he possesses scary offensive skills. He might just be a unicorn, and after getting offers from Alabama and Georgia, he’s a legit high-major prospect.
Reece Ayala, Brewster
6-4 guard
Hometown: Lawrence, Mass.
I was intrigued in Ayala’s move to Brewster after a standout sophomore season at Milton Academy, and the first look of him with the Bobcats was really promising. Surrounded by nationally-ranked prospects, I thought Ayala fit in really well, never forced any plays and made a strong two-way impact. An advanced shot creator, his quick twitchiness and change of speeds with the ball makes him almost impossible to stay in front of – he hit a Newman defender for a sharp crossover, then beat him easily for a pretty reverse layup. He has a lethal first step and is fluid in his moves to the rim, and he showed his court vision and playmaking potential with some good reads. You’d be hard-pressed to find many guards in this class more comfortable with the ball in their hands.
Markus Kerr, Brewster
6-6 wing
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
Looking for an athlete? Look no further. Kerr glides in the air and actually looked like he was flying with several loud dunks throughout the weekend; he’s a gazelle in transition with his long and effortless strides to the rim. But he’s not just a highlight reel. The Brewster newcomer showcased a strong mid-range and pull up shooting game, and his athleticism, energy and activity make him a plus defender with his ability to anticipate and get into passing lanes.
Antonio Pemberton, Brewster
6-1 guard
Hometown: Methuen, Mass.
This is by no means a slight to anyone – but Pemberton is starting to make a case as the best guard in New England, regardless of class. The Mass Rivals guard produced another monster weekend of terrific finishes and show-stopping plays. He was deep in his bag of tricks; one of my favorite plays was against Newman, when he made a quick hesitation from the 3-point line, then blew by his defender baseline for a sweet lefty reverse layup. He couldn’t be stopped when he was in transition or going downhill with his ability to make athletic, acrobatic finishes, and his mid-range game is arguably the best in the region; he’s mature beyond his years with his ability to get to any spot on the floor with his shiftiness and ball and body control and how he gets shots up over the defender.
Pemberton’s 3-point consistency is still a work in progress, but he showed confidence in his shot with several pull-up triples throughout the weekend. I also loved Pemberton’s motor, hustle and toughness on both ends with steals, offensive rebounds and one sequence when he committed a turnover but raced back in transition for a block.
Max Kellogg, Williston Northampton
6-3 guard
Hometown: Amherst, Mass.
After the departure of Hofstra-bound guard Preston Edmead, Kellogg now has the controls as the lead guard of the reigning Class A champions. He looked impressive. It was noticeable to me how much bigger and stronger he looked this weekend, and he played with a physical edge and toughness that helped him make plays at the rim, get downhill to draw fouls and convert three-point plays. He was also feeling it from deep in a Friday night game against Avon Old Farms, when he made at least five 3-pointers. There’s a lot to like about the trajectory of Kellogg, who’s garnering some Division 1 interest.
Ryan McLaughlin, Milton Academy
6-2 guard
Hometown: Hanover, N.H.
A top stock-riser over the last few months, McLaughlin carried his strong grassroots spring to a big weekend for Milton at Babson, where he was impactful as a three-level scorer and defensive pest. He hit several catch-and-shoot 3-pointers, finished plays through contact and contributed as a willing facilitator and playmaker who made the right plays. His best sequence came on Friday against Lawrence Academy, when he picked star Alex Egbuonu’s pocket twice for a pair of steals in a one-minute span. Despite the size difference, McLaughlin accepted the challenge, picked him up full court and succeeded in disrupting him.
Stetson Merritt, New Hampton
6-3 guard
Hometown: Troy, N.Y.
Merritt couldn’t have asked for a better debut weekend with New Hampton; he was the difference-maker in the new-look Huskies’ win over Putnam Science, scoring five points in the final two minutes, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. With the game tied, Merritt fired a catch-and-shoot triple from the corner and banked it off the glass and in for one of the plays of the weekend. Merritt, who holds an offer from UMass, offers three-level scoring ability who looked comfortable playing on and off the ball.
Tyler Newsom, St. Luke’s
6-5 guard
Hometown: Monroe, Conn.
Newsom made the game look easy at times, which is difficult to do with some of the dunks he threw down. At 6-foot-5, he’s a matchup nightmare with a bigger, mature body that he combines with guard skills, quickness and athleticism. He did it all in a win over Rivers; a perfectly placed backdoor pass in transition, pull-up jumpers, confident ball-handling and rebounding. He’s a true three-level scorer – which he showed with a strong sophomore season – who has a repeatable and balanced release on his shot from 3 and the mid-range, and the ability to get downhill and use his physicality and power to finish against anyone. He had a great sequence when he scored seven points in about 90 seconds against Brooks – two dunks, including a poster slam, and a step-back 3-pointer to his left – that left me really impressed. Buy stock now.
Kamari Whyte, Vermont Academy
6-4 guard
Hometown: Harlem, N.Y.
Whyte, who landed on our 2027 watch list after a terrific debut season with Vermont Academy, will be the undisputed lead guard for the Wildcats next season and he looked more than up to the task this weekend. There weren’t many guards, if any, who were better than Whyte at putting constant stress on the defense and drawing fouls with his body control, physicality and ability to finish through contact for three-point plays.
Quick shouts: Brimmer & May’s Ladanion Payne has always been an explosive athlete, but it looks like he’s taken a step with his development as a lead guard; he was outstanding Friday vs. CATS as he controlled the game with his playmaking, quick reads and good decisions in pick and roll situations. … Winchendon’s Tavin Penix produced a strong debut weekend with his combination of outside shooting, offensive creation and defensive versatility. … Good things happened when MacDuffie’s Keyshon Joyner had the ball in his hands, whether it was rim reads, paint passes to his bigs or making clever finishes himself. …
St. George’s guard Ethan Njenga had a stretch in one game where he hit three consecutive 3-pointers, an important development in his growth as a more complete offensive player. … Dexter Southfield’s Malik Adamson was his typical self throughout the weekend – a defensive menace who gobbled up steals and consistently got to the rim with powerful, bulldozing and shifty drives. … I liked Cole Blackburn’s debut with Worcester Academy, which included some big dunks and a game-saving block to beat Vermont. He’s going to find an impact role for the Hilltoppers with his athleticism, length and defensive energy.
