WELLESLEY, Mass. — One thing was certain as hundreds of high school players competed on the recreation courts at Babson College last month: New England is rich with talented guards.
The NEPSAC scholastic showcase was held at Babson from June 21-23, with 75 schools playing several games. It was a chance for college coaches at every level across the country to get a look at the best prospects in New England during the NCAA live period, which allows coaches to watch recruits in person. And if they were looking for quality backcourt play, they certainly weren’t disappointed. From Class AAA to B, there were many who impressed.
I attended the showcase for the final two days. With three games being played at once every day throughout the weekend, it was impossible to get an extensive look at every player. But I came away with a good sense of the top backcourt players in the region.
Here are 10 guards who stood out.
Desmond Bellot, Jr.
Class of 2026, 6-3 guard
CATS Academy/Expressions Elite
The rising junior guard has been a fixture on head coach Cary Herer’s CATS teams since he was an eighth grader and has been playing up on the 17u Expressions Elite this year. It’s no surprise based on his performance at Babson, where he showcased his maturity on both ends of the floor. He was picking up at times full court on defense, and offensively he was impressive as he made several strong drives with both hands and showed an ability to hit shots from the midrange and outside.
Jalen Harper
Class of 2025, 6-3 guard
Newman School/Team Rio University
I had a chance to catch a couple of Newman games here, and Harper stood out to me as the best performer on a talented squad. The 6-foot-4 guard was making the game look easy with his dynamic scoring prowess, especially his ability to finish through contact, traffic or adjusting his body in the air. He made one incredible play where he shielded the ball with a behind-the-back move before making a pretty finish in the lane.
Don’t sleep on Harper’s defense, either. In Newman’s win over South Kent, he made the highlight of the game when he tracked down an opponent in transition for a terrific chase-down block.
Amir Jenkins
Class of 2026, 6-2 guard
Worcester Academy/BABC
The former Worcester North standout – who led the Polar Bears to back-to-back Div. 1 state championships before transferring to Worcester Academy – showed why he belongs in NEPSAC with a strong debut for his new squad. He has elite quickness. He consistently cut into defenses with ease with his dominant left hand, but also showed an ability to make strong drives to his right. His competitive spirit was on display, too, highlighted by a sequence against Newman when he made a strong finish over 6-foot-11 Collins Onyejiaka before drawing a charge on the next play.
Windston Legentus
Class of 2026, 6-0 guard
Brimmer & May/Middlesex Magic
After Brimmer graduated some key members of last year’s squad who were off to play college basketball, Legentus – a rising junior – will move into a leading role for the program. He looks ready after a strong opening weekend. While the 6-foot guard had some trouble finishing at the rim, he was consistently creating his own shot and hit several pull-up 3-pointers. He showed a high IQ, too. On one play, Legentus rotated perfectly from the weak side to grab a steal before firing an excellent pass that resulted in an easy layup the other way.
Kelvin Odih
Class of 2025, 6-4 guard
South Kent School/Rhode Island Elite
Odih just breathes energy plays. He’s become known for his elite offensive rebounding ability for his size, and the 6-foot-4 guard has an impressive jumping ability. Alongside teammate Badara Diakite, there were more than a few instances this weekend where Odih found himself in advantageous transition situations and threw down some monster, loud dunks. He also continued to look comfortable with his jumper, which has come a long way.
Ebuka Okorie
Class of 2025, 6-1 guard
Brewster Academy/BABC
After a successful stint at Cushing, Okorie is transferring to Brewster Academy’s EYBL national squad for next season. Head coach Jason Smith had to like what he saw in the point guard’s debut with his new teammates. Okorie is a smooth operator offensively with the ball in his hands, as an impressive shot creator and playmaker. But what really stood out during an early Saturday morning tilt against Loomis Chaffee was the immense pride he takes on the defensive end. He’s relentless with his on-ball pressure, and while he was caught reaching in a few times, he made life miserable for opposing guards.
Charlie Pugh
Class of 2025, 6-4 guard
Brewster Academy/Colorado Collective
Brewster split its available players into two teams for the showcase, and Pugh was a clear standout in Saturday’s matchup against St. Paul’s. The 6-foot-4 guard was a dangerous 3-point threat who forced the defense to be aware of where he was at all times, whether he had the ball or not. He moved well without the ball behind screens to find open areas around the perimeter, and he was very patient as he broke down the defense for pull-up jumpers. A few 3-pointers fell early, and that helped him open things up for him with pump fakes into strong drives.
Jakye Rainey
Class of 2025, 6-0 guard
Vermont Academy/Corey Graham Elite
Buy stock now in Rainey. The 6-foot guard broke Christian Laettner’s career scoring record at Nichols School in Buffalo, N.Y., and has somehow flown under the radar. That should change soon after his transfer to Vermont Academy for a post-graduate season. He was one of the most electric performers of the weekend at Babson, and was the clear-cut best player on the floor in their game against Cheshire. He was, quite literally, everywhere. He had the look of a prolific scorer who didn’t lack confidence as he made several deep, pull-up 3-pointers, and he showed flashes of finishing through contact at the rim.
Rainey was also a major pest defensively and grabbed several steals, including a highlight play when he stole a pass at midcourt before firing a perfect bounce pass between two defenders to a teammate for a bucket. This might be the first you’ve heard of Rainey, but it won’t be the last.
Jaxson Terry
Class of 2026, 6-5 guard
CATS Academy/Expressions Elite
New England boasts several talented Class of 2026 guards, and Terry might be the best of them all. He picked up an early offer from Providence after he was one of the best performers of the weekend at Babson. The best way I can describe Terry is confident and poised at all times. He’s always in total control with the ball in his hands, and he made scoring the ball look easy throughout the weekend – whether it was from deep, driving or even from the post.
There was one play where he picked up his dribble and looked lost for a moment, but stepped through two defenders for a bucket. There was another when he finished a three-point play after leveraging a defender on his back. He looks advanced beyond his years, and it’s almost scary to think about how much better he’ll get.
Alex Wilkins
Class of 2025, 6-5 guard
Brooks School/Middlesex Magic
Wilkins was one of the biggest winners of the weekend as he received several Division 1 scholarship offers, including from Davidson. At 6-foot-5, Wilkins is long and athletic and a matchup nightmare for opposing guards. He had an advanced feel for the game and he’s exciting and fast in the open court. At times it almost feels like he’s a step ahead of his own teammates with his playmaking. But he can do it all offensively, as both a three-level scorer and a facilitator who makes timely decisions and passes. It was also impressive to see how often he was communicating, even when he was on the bench. He’s always engaged. That leadership will be valuable as Brooks tries to take the next step in Class B next season.
