Springfield was at the center of the prep basketball world last week as teams from around the region ventured to the birthplace of basketball for the Hoophall Classic at Springfield College and the Hoophall Prep Showcase at American International College. There was no shortage of standout performances.
Most of our latest edition of the prep stars of the week impressed over the weekend in Springfield, but there were also big performances beyond the marquee events. The week included a pair of milestone moments and several big-time winning efforts.
A programming note: I’ll be rolling out standout stories from the weekend at the Hoophall Prep Showcase soon, so there will be some overlap in these stars of the week.
Coaches and players are welcome to submit nominations by emailing Steve Hewitt at steve.hewitt@basketballjournal.com or by messaging him on Twitter/X (@steve_hewitt).
Here are this week’s stars, ranging from games played Jan. 12-19.
Josiah Adamson, CATS Academy EYBL
Class of 2027, 6-4 guard
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
While they’re not traditional prep teams, we’re using this space to highlight New England’s Nike EYBL Scholastic teams, too. Adamson was terrific on Sunday as CATS captured its first victory on the circuit, finishing with 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting and 3-for-4 from 3-point range along with six rebounds and five assists in an 81-71 win over Utah Prep. Adamson leads CATS in scoring this season with 13.2 points per game.
Preston Bollin, Newman
Class of 2027, 6-6 forward
Hometown: Raynham, Mass.
Newman coach Jackson Johnson raved about Bollin in the preseason and the significant growth he had shown in open gyms. Bollin has been a key bench player for the Cardinals – No. 1 in our NEPSAC Top 10 – and on Monday morning, he earned a signature moment. The junior scored a team-high 16 points, going 4-for-4 from 3-point land – in Newman’s massive victory over nationally-ranked Southeastern Prep at the Hoophall Classic. Bollin won the game’s MVP award for his performance in front of several Division 1 coaches.
Daniel Cassamajor Jr., Brooks
Class of 2027, 6-0 guard
Hometown: Rockland, Mass.
Cassamajor scored 18 points, including three 3-pointers, to go along with six rebounds as Brooks handed Nobles just its second loss of the season with a 51-45 home win. The junior guard is averaging 14.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game over his last four games.
Nick Hailey, Phillips Andover
Class of 2026, 6-6 forward
Hometown: Matthews, N.C.
Because of its balance, no Phillips Andover player has eclipsed more than 30 points in a game in its 9-0 start. But Hailey has been a consistent performer; he had 18 points on 6-for-12 shooting with three rebounds, two assists and four steals in a win over Brooks last Monday before tallying 22 points with seven boards in last Wednesday’s win over Worcester Academy.
Jack Louridas, Albany Academy
Class of 2026, 6-3 guard
Hometown: Delmar, N.Y.
NCAA: Yale
Louridas scored a game-high 34 points, including going 11-for-12 from the free-throw line, and added 11 rebounds in Albany Academy’s big Class AA victory over Lawrence Academy on Friday night at the Hoophall Prep Showcase. Two days later, he scored 20 points via five 3-pointers in a loss to St. George’s.
Patrick Otey, St. Thomas More
Class of 2027, 6-5 guard
Hometown: Westwood, Mass.
Otey’s offensive gifts were once again on display in St. Thomas More’s huge 96-94 victory over SPIRE’s postgraduate team on Sunday at the Hoophall Prep Showcase. He scored a game-high 31 points on an efficient 12-for-15 shooting while going 7-for-9 from the free-throw line. He added four rebounds and four assists.
Luca Palermo, St. Mark’s
Class of 2027, 6-7 forward
Hometown: Andover, Mass.
Palermo continued his breakout junior season with averages of 18.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists in three St. Mark’s victories. He had 22 points and 11 rebounds in a victory over Roxbury Latin before going for 18 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals in a win over Holderness. The Lions are now 9-2 after winning six consecutive games.
Michai White, Brewster Academy EYBL
Class of 2028, 6-1 guard
Hometown: Hackensack, N.J.
White, as a true sophomore, surpassed 1,000 career points in last week’s victory over Central Catholic; he scored a New Jersey freshman record with 761 points last season before moving to Brewster this year. White was also terrific in Brewster’s loss to top-ranked SPIRE Academy on Monday at the Hoophall Classic, scoring 16 points with two steals.
Devan Williams, Milton Academy
Class of 2026, 6-2 guard
Hometown: Uncasville, Conn.
With 14 points in Milton Academy’s victory over Belmont Hill on Sunday at TD Garden, Williams notched his 2,000th high school career point. The Mustangs’ leading scorer over the last two seasons, the uncommitted 2026 guard played New London (Conn.) before transferring to Milton Academy last season.
Julien Wiggins, Westminster
Class of 2027, 6-0 guard
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
Wiggins continued his standout junior season with 26 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in Westminster’s dominant 72-43 victory over Choate before posting 32 points, including a 14-for-16 mark from the free-throw line, with five rebounds and three assists in a loss to Canterbury. Wiggins holds a Division 1 offer from Fairfield.
