One word to describe the Class of 2025 boys in New England? Stacked.
The talent is undeniable, and it’s reflected here in this watch list.
All told, there are five prospects – as of now – who are viewed as consensus nationally-ranked recruits, with several more knocking on the door. Each of our first 10 names are generating high-major Division 1 interest, and they figure to attract even more attention as the 2024-25 season approaches.
This list is not definitively ranked, but serves as a starting point for who you should know in the 2025 class.
Dwayne Aristode
Brewster Academy, Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL)/Expressions Elite, 6-8 wing
Hometown: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Aristode suffered a broken finger that forced him to miss a chunk of his first season with Brewster last year, but that hasn’t stopped him from being a consensus Top 25 recruit nationally. The wing’s elite athleticism separates him from the pack. He’s a monster offensively in transition, but his calling card is on defense, where he’s one of the best perimeter defenders in the country and has the ability to defend positions 1-4.
Mason Blackwood
New Hampton/City Rocks, 6-6 guard/forward
Hometown: Rochester, N.Y.
Like Tillery, with whom he arrived at New Hampton, Blackwood has fueled the program’s turnaround and has become one of NEPSAC’s most efficient scorers. He’s demonstrated a maturity beyond his years, not only as a high-character teammate but also in his ability to read the game and find his spots offensively, whether it’s from outside or the mid range. Blackwood’s high-level instincts are apparent in his impact all over the court. He’s a strong on-ball defender, and he’s one step ahead with his cutting and advanced ability on the offensive glass.
Badara Diakite
South Kent School/City Rocks, 6-9 power forward
Hometown: Mali
Don’t let Diakite’s size fool you. He may be 6-9, but he’s more of a wing than a big. He can handle the ball like a guard, and he passes the ball well for his size. He’s long, with a wing span of about 7-4, and the talent is obvious – reflected in a consensus national ranking and an invite to the Pangos All-American Top 100 All-American Camp in Las Vegas in June. The next step for the 2024-25 season? While he does several things well on both ends, it’s finding one or two things that he’s special at.
AJ Dybantsa
Utah Prep/Oakland Soldiers, 6-7 wing
Hometown: Brockton, Mass.
The consensus No. 1 recruit in the nation, Dybantsa did nothing to quell that status this spring by averaging 22.5 points and 6.2 rebounds to lead the Oakland Soldiers to a 14-1 record on the EYBL circuit. Dybantsa has a busy summer that includes suiting up for Team USA in the U17 FIBA World Cup. Then comes his final high school season after transferring to Utah Prep that will include an anticipated college decision. Dybantsa has made official visits to Auburn, Southern California and BYU, with more to come this fall.
Preston Fowler
Brewster Academy EYBL/New Heights Lightning, 6-7 forward
Hometown: Bolton, Conn.
After leading East Catholic to back-to-back Connecticut state championships, Fowler transferred to Brewster Academy’s national team last season and only attracted more college interest. His biggest strength is clearly his perimeter shooting, and he feasted as a catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter last season. He holds offers from high-major Division 1 schools like Wake Forest, Penn State and Oklahoma State and there’s certainly more to come as he continues to round out his overall game.
Jaylen Harrell
CATS/Expressions Elite, 6-6 forward
Hometown: Needham, Mass.
Harrell has performed exceptionally well and passed the eye test at every level of basketball he’s played, so it was no surprise that he was named the 2024 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 24 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game for CATS last season. Need a bucket? Harrell is arguably the best pure scorer in the region, capable at all three levels. He’s continuing to climb national rankings lists, and he’ll be an impact player wherever he goes next.
London Jemison
St. Thomas More/Expressions Elite, 6-9 forward
Hometown: Bloomfield, Conn.
Jemison, a consensus Top 100 recruit nationally, just passes the eye test with his long 6-9 frame that runs fluidly and graciously on the court. Jere Quinn, his coach at St. Thomas More, likens him to Nets star Mikal Bridges with his body type and smooth game. Jemison is one of the best shooters in the region after knocking down more than 40 percent from 3-point range with St. Thomas More this season, which has carried over to the AAU circuit with Expressions Elite.
Kelvin Odih
South Kent School/Rhode Island Elite, 6-4 guard
Hometown: Providence, R.I.
The best word to describe Odih? It might be relentless. He’s one of the fastest-rising recruits in the country on the strength of his energy and motor. South Kent coach Raphael Chillious said Odih could have zero plays drawn up for him in a game and still finish with 15 points purely on hustle. He’s a scrapper and one of the best offensive rebounding guards in his class. Odih lives in the paint, he’s fearless and simply makes winning play after winning play – the type of player any coach would want in their program.
Ebuka Okorie
Brewster Academy/BABC, 6-1 point guard
Hometown: Nashua, N.H.
Okorie is one of the youngest players in this class, but he certainly belongs here. He’s the total package as a true point guard as a facilitator and three-level scorer, and he digs in with strong on-ball defense. He’s enjoyed a strong AAU season with BABC alongside Arizona State-bound Joson Sanon in the backcourt, and this fall he’s taking his talents to the next level with Brewster’s national team, where he’s likely to garner even more attention.
Keyshuan Tillery
New Hampton/City Rocks, 6-1 point guard
Hometown: Albany, N.Y.
Tillery exceeded expectations when he joined New Hampton two years ago, immediately taking over as the team’s starting point guard. Now he’s set to be a three-time captain this fall as a fixture of the program, one he’s helped transform into one of the best in NEPSAC Class AAA as the Huskies look to return to the championship game. Tillery is the engine for their offense, an electric quick guard and high-level decision maker. If he can continue to develop his outside and off-ball game, it will help unlock him even more offensively.
Five more names to know
Ryder Frost (Phillips Exeter), Nasir Meyer (New Hampton), Jake Blackburn (Worcester Academy), Dylan Veillette (St. George’s), Ryan Altman (Rivers)
