Making the decision to transfer to a prep school level is difficult. Having an instant impact at the next level is just as hard, if not harder.
Every spring and summer, dozens of players decide they’re ready to take their talents to a prep school and the highest level of high school basketball. More exposure, enhanced development and the chance to compete against the best players in the pursuit of a college scholarship are typically the driving forces behind such a decision.
The transition is certainly not easy, and can be challenging for many on and even off the court, too, as they adjust to a new environment, the increased speed and physicality of the game, and other factors. But this winter, it’s been noticeable to me how many transfers, specifically from MIAA schools, have made seamless transitions to their prep schools, producing huge winters and seeing their recruitment pick up with it.
Some of them aren’t necessarily surprising given the success they had in the MIAA. But it’s nonetheless impressive how they haven’t skipped much of a beat at this level. Here are 12 transfers who have impressed in their moves from MIAA to prep, including some familiar names and others who may have slipped under the radar. All but one of these players are uncommitted.
Malik Adamson, Dexter Southfield
Class of 2027, 5-11 guard
Hometown: Dorchester, Mass.
A transfer from Burke High School, Adamson’s two-way ability and relentless defense has translated to NEPSAC. He wasted no time in making an impact in Dexter’s Dec. 7 win over Suffield, when he recorded a whopping nine steals. He’s averaging 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals per game as a key component for Dexter, which boasts a 12-4 record under first-year coach Matt Droney.
Solis Blue, St. Sebastian’s
Class of 2027, 6-0 guard
Hometown: Milton, Mass.
Blue is one of the most athletic and twitchy guards I’ve seen in the NEPSAC this season; he’s found immediate success with not only the speed he plays with, but his ability to change directions quickly and create off the dribble. The transfer from New Mission High School is averaging 16.8 points to go along with 3.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He’s shooting a better-than-expected 45.1 percent from 3-point range, which has been a nice bonus.
Khari Bryan, Proctor
Class of 2026, 6-3 guard
Hometown: Worcester, Mass.
A member of Worcester North’s back-to-back state championship teams, Bryan has transitioned comfortably as the lead guard at Proctor. He’s making a big impact on both ends, with averages of nine points on 43 percent shooting, five rebounds and five steals per game. He’s played with great pace offensively, and his defensive intensity has been contagious. Proctor head coach Ben Bartoldus has been especially impressed with Bryan’s willingness to be coached; the guard has made a big commitment to learning the details of the game.
Patrick Costello, Rivers
Class of 2028, 6-4 guard
Hometown: Natick, Mass.
The transfer from Natick High School is a starter on a Rivers squad that experienced significant turnover and some bad injury luck at the start of the season, but he’s been more than deserving of the role. Costello showed he wasn’t afraid of the new level right away when he canned three 3-pointers in the first half of Rivers’ season-opening loss to Brewster Academy’s national team. He’s averaging 11 points, four rebounds and two assists per game with 50 percent shooting from the field, including 40 percent from deep, and looks like a bright building block at Rivers.
Cade Furse, Phillips Exeter
Class of 2025, 6-2 guard
Hometown: Manchester, Mass.
NCAA: Union
The back-to-back Cape Ann League Player of the Year who led Manchester Essex to the MIAA Division 4 Elite Eight last season, Furse decided to do a postgraduate season at Phillips Exeter, where he has fit in well as a starter for one of the best prep teams in New England. Through 12 games, Furse was averaging 10.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game while shooting at a 41.2 percent clip from 3-point range.
Jaylen Hunter-Coleman, Northfield Mount Hermon
Class of 2026, 6-1 guard
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
A star of Charlestown High School’s Division 3 state championship last spring, Hunter-Coleman had heavy prep school interest from around New England before ultimately settling on NMH, where he has thrived as a starter. Through 18 games, he was averaging 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals per game, and that didn’t include his 20-point, eight-rebound performance this week against Worcester Academy. He’s been one of the best rebounding guards in NEPSAC, which included a 22-rebound effort against Masters.
Amir Jenkins, Worcester Academy
Class of 2026, 6-2 guard
Hometown: Worcester, Mass.
No transfer has made a bigger immediate impact in NEPSAC than Jenkins. The star of Worcester North’s state title teams, he’s taken the prep scene by storm with consistently electric and monster performances as an elite playmaker and terrific on-ball defender. He’s averaging 21.3 points (on an efficient 55 percent shooting), 5.0 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game to lead Worcester Academy to a 14-3 record and Class AA-leading 10-1 mark. Last week, he made his debut in the 2026 class national rankings, coming in at No. 99 at 24/7 Sports.
MORE: Worcester Academy's Amir Jenkins generating national buzz
Ajay Lopes, Bridgton
Class of 2025, 6-0 guard
Hometown: Wareham, Mass.
A two-time state champion at Wareham High School who was the school’s first winner of the Dave Cowens Award, Lopes took his talents to Bridgton for a postgraduate season, and he’s shown promise. A drive-first guard who’s a streaky 3-point shooter, Lopes erupted for 34 points in an early-season game against Darrow, and he scored in double digits and played well in Bridgton’s upset win over Newman this week. Lopes’ greatest skill is probably his speed in the open court and ability to see the floor in transition. He’s generating interest at the Div. 3 level.
Michael McNamara, Thayer
Class of 2027, 6-7 forward
Hometown: Needham, Mass.
After transferring from a stacked Catholic Memorial squad last season, McNamara has made a strong impact at Thayer. A matchup nightmare at 6-foot-7, he’s athletic, can create off the dribble, can score at all three levels and has a smooth pull-up game. He has scored in double figures in eight of his last nine games, including a 22-point effort in last week’s win over Roxbury Latin.
Jaeden Roberts, Putnam Science
Class of 2026, 6-3 guard
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
A former teammate of Adamson’s at Burke, Roberts took his talents to Putnam, where he’s made a strong impact for one of the best prep teams in the country. Head coach Tom Espinosa plays a deep bench on a team where no one gets major minutes, but Roberts has made the most of his chances and given the Mustangs a scoring boost they were hoping for. He’s averaging 8.7 points and 2.1 assists in 16 minutes per game, which included a season-high 25 points on five 3-pointers in a win over Premier Prep and 19 points on 4-for-9 from downtown in a victory over South Kent. He’s played in all 26 games for Putnam and scored in double figures in 11 of them.
Teshaun Steele, Darrow
Class of 2025, 6-7 forward
Hometown: Worcester, Mass.
Another member of Worcester’s North state championship teams, Steele’s two-way impact has been impressive for Darrow, which is enjoying a strong winter in its first season in NEPSAC Class AAA. The long, versatile wing is averaging 12 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.6 blocks per game, and is the primary defender on the opponent’s best player every night.
Jaylin Williams-Crawford, CATS
Class of 2026, 6-7 wing/guard
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
After spending three years at Charlestown High School, where he won a Div. 3 state title alongside Hunter-Coleman last spring, Williams-Crawford has started every game for a CATS squad that holds a 17-3 record and is among the best prep teams in New England and the country. Williams-Crawford is one of the best defenders in the region with his combination of length and lateral quickness, and he’s been successful in shutting down the opponent’s best player throughout the winter.
MORE: Jaylin Williams-Crawford thriving in first season at CATS
