Podcast: CATS Academy’s Cary Herer previews Nike EYBL Scholastic Boston Showcase

CATS guard Josiah Adamson is a player to watch at this weekend's Nike EYBL Scholastic Boston Showcase. (Anoke Deitg-Blanchard)

Some of the best high school boys basketball talent in the country will be coming to Boston this weekend.

The Nike EYBL Scholastic – regarded as the top high school league in the country – will hold league games from Feb. 13-15 at Curry College in a special showcase event hosted by CATS Academy. The weekend will feature five of the top programs in the country – including SPIRE, the No. 1 team in high school basketball, per ESPN – and nine recruits ranked in the Top 100 in the country by ESPN. It’s a rare opportunity for the region to see the next stars of college basketball and potentially the NBA.

CATS Academy will face Long Island Lutheran (NY) to open the weekend on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, SPIRE Institute (OH) plays Tennessee Collegiate (TN) at 6 p.m., followed by Oak Hill Academy (VA) vs. Long Island Lutheran (NY) at 7:30 p.m. The weekend concludes Sunday with Oak Hill Academy (VA) vs. SPIRE Institute (OH) at 12 p.m. before CATS Academy vs. Tennessee Collegiate (TN) at 1:30 p.m. Tickets for the event can be found here.

Cary Herer, the director of basketball operations and head coach at CATS, joined the HoopWise Podcast to preview the EYBL Scholastic Boston Showcase and tell viewers what to expect. The conversation also touches on how CATS’ first season in the EYBL Scholastic is going, some of CATS’ key players to watch and much more.

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Highlights

What excites you about this weekend?

Herer: “This is a major event for Boston. I think this is one of the most talented high school events Boston has ever seen. EYBL Scholastic, unbelievable teams and really unbelievable prospects that you’re going to see not only at the high-major Division 1 level, but you’ll see in the NBA. The way things look, there are a lot of one and dones, so in two years they’ll be in the NBA. So, we’re really excited to host this event, bring teams in from all over the country. SPIRE being the No. 1 team in the country as we speak. So, it’s a big event. We want as many people to come out and see it. February 13th, 14th and 15th and we’re just really pumped up to host this event and show Boston what national high school basketball is all about.”

What should people know about some of these teams and players that are coming here?

Herer: “The EYBL Scholastic is very unique. The teams recruit kids from all over the world, so it’s not a typical high school environment. Like we just came back from Maryland and we played two games against AZ Compass and Link Academy. Link has nine high-major commits, AZ Compass has four high-major commits. What you’re going to see is these kids who are committed to high-major programs. Usually in New England, we see teams typically have maybe two — the better teams —  two high-majors on the roster. Here you’re seeing there could be 9-10 kids on the court are all committed to high-major programs. … High-major talent, the talent is what you’re going to see out there. You have SPIRE coming in, the No. 1 team in the country, Oak Hill; I’m not committing to this, but Carmelo Anthony is the general manager of Oak Hill Academy. Usually he travels with the team, so hopefully we’ll have a star element in the building. Tennessee Collegiate is a big, strong team. They don’t have the high-major prospects but they have the talent. Lutheran, (they have) Dylan Mingo, they have a history of sending kids to the NBA.”

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