STOUGHTON, Mass. — Across New England, there are a handful of underclassmen whose spring performances have already garnered attention. They may be peaking at the right time.
While college coaches may be prioritizing rising seniors for the first live period this coming weekend, it doesn’t hurt to be an underclassman standout. The Div. 1 contact period for sophomores begins in about a month on June 15 and early impressions right now can go a long way in the recruitment process.
Hoop Group’s New England Jam Fest served as a big final test run before the weekend, but it was also a strong recruitment opportunity. More than 30 Division 3 schools were represented over two days this weekend at the Dana Barros Basketball Club, and they were certainly getting an early peek at potential recruits for down the road.
Here are seven underclassmen standouts from the 2028 and 2029 classes who caught my eye this weekend.
MORE: 12 boys 2027 standouts from New England Jam Fest
Adriel Cantave, BABC 16U 3SSB
Class of 2028, 6-3 guard
St. George’s/Carver, Mass.
Cantave seems to be playing with some more freedom in his move to BABC with more opportunities to create for himself. He was terrific in BABC’s victory over Team Relentless, getting to the rim at will and converting at a high rate in transition, which is a staple of his game. He threw down a handful of dunks, including one at the first-half buzzer. I also saw him drill some long jumpers, including a 3-pointer, and he was impactful everywhere defensively as he racked up steals and deflections.
Jayden Gibson, Team Sims 16U UA Rise
Class of 2028, 6-3 guard
Brooks/Stoughton, Mass.
Gibson made our standouts in last month’s NERR Northeast Hoop Festival and he continued to impress in Sunday’s win over New Haven Heat. Some early foul trouble kept him out for a portion of the first half, but he continued to be impactful as a lead guard, whether it was finding teammates or using his big body, shifty handles and mature feel to score at the rim. He was really good at using pump fakes to his advantage, including on a couple of scores around the rim where he played off of two feet before finishing, stepping through for a bucket or creating contact. I was also a big fan of his leadership; I noticed Gibson constantly instructing his teammates on where to be and supporting them. That stuff matters.
Olivert Henry, Connecticut Elite 16U HGSL
Class of 2028 guard
Bridgeport Central/Bridgeport, Conn.
Henry was a new name for me and he had his fingerprints all over a comeback overtime win over Total Skills, where Connecticut Elite rallied from several possessions down in the final minute of regulation. He was making the right passes as a lead guard and buried shots when they were needed, including a wing 3-pointer with less than three minutes left and a mid-range jumper to cut the deficit to one with 21 seconds left.
In overtime, he made a behind-the-back move in transition for a score before grabbing an offensive rebound and converting on a step-through to take the lead. Henry racked up a ton of hustle plays, including a big tip offensive rebound that kept a possession alive, and he came up big with a few crucial defensive stops and rebounds.
Carmello Moore, New Haven Heat 16U MADE
Class of 2028, 5-6 guard
Xavier High/New Haven, Conn.
The best individual ball-handler I saw this weekend on the 16U side? It had to be Moore, who has an array of dizzying moves coupled with the speed and change of pace that make him a nightmare for opposing guards. He made confident shots from deep, including one where he spun around a pick to bury a 3-pointer. He had a knack for making plays, including a strip-steal he converted into a breakaway layup. His decision-making and quickness constantly creates advantageous opportunities on offense and I liked his competitive fire, too.
Malachi Odugbela, BABC 16U 3SSB
Class of 2028, 6-6 guard
St. Andrew’s/Providence, R.I.
Odugbela is already a candidate for the biggest stock-riser among underclassmen in New England. As I wrote in my NERR Northeast Hoop Festival standouts last month, he’s continuing to gain confidence and making plays at a level I hadn’t seen yet. Two plays stuck out to me in a Saturday victory, first where he stole a pass at midcourt, then made a behind the back move in transition before converting a three-point play. Moments later, he grabbed another steal and then finished on a high-level Eurostep at the rim. Odugbela averaged 17.5 points with 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game during the first Adidas circuit weekend and he’s certainly a name to watch during the live period this weekend in Indiana.
Luke Thompson, Connecticut Elite 16U HGSL
Class of 2028, 6-1 guard
Xavier High/Middletown, Conn.
Thompson gets a nod in our standouts for his clutch free-throw shooting. Connecticut Elite trailed by three in the final seconds of regulation against Total Skills when Thompson was fouled on a 3-point attempt. He made all three shots to send the game to overtime, then hit the winning free throw in the extra session. Overtime games were settled with a version of the Elam Ending, with the first team to five points winning the game.
Alex Weaver, BABC 15U 3SSB
Class of 2029, 5-10 guard
Windsor High/Windsor, Conn.
It’s time for a mea culpa – we didn’t have Weaver on our initial 2029 watch list in early April, and after two viewings this spring, it’s clear he’s one of the most talented underclassmen in the region. He was scoring at will on Saturday afternoon in an easy BABC victory.
Electric with the ball in his hands, he already has a strong maturity to his game and plays with a high level of ease and fluidity. He made one spin move out of a catch on the perimeter that he turned into a mid-range score that illustrated how advanced he is compared to his peers on the court. He’s a play ahead. A state champion at Windsor this winter, Weaver will be fun to watch develop over the next several years.
