When Jaxson Terry went off for a big game in a CATS Academy victory over St. George’s last season, his head coach Cary Herer told me something that resonated with me.
“I can’t take him off the court,” Herer said.
Terry, a 6-foot-6 guard from Acton, Mass., evolved into one of the best prospects in New England’s 2026 class. He’s a two-way weapon and consistent 3-point threat who does everything on the floor. But he’s run into some bad injury luck this year. He broke his wrist late last season and ultimately missed the Class AA championship game, a narrow loss to Worcester Academy. He got a late start to the grassroots season with Expressions Elite before suffering another injury, this time to his ankle. But Terry pushed through and played a key role in Expressions’ Cinderella run to the Peach Jam semifinals.
Terry committed to Loyola Chicago on Sept. 19, and ahead of CATS’ first season playing in the Nike EYBL Scholastic, he’s taking his time returning to the court as he recovers from the ankle injury over the summer. But that hasn’t stopped him from staying engaged with his team. At a recent CATS open gym, Terry was the loudest person in the gym, barking out instructions and motivating his teammates from the sideline.
It’s about to be a big winter for Terry, who’s motivated himself. He took some time to participate in a Q&A with New England Basketball Journal, reflecting on his commitment to Loyola Chicago, the Peach Jam run with Expressions and much more.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
What made you choose Loyola Chicago and what was the recruiting process like?
“I had a good amount of recruitment and then I got hurt last year to end the season, broke my wrist, so it kind of flattened out. It picked up in EYBL and then I got hurt again, so it flattened. But Loyola, they were just with me the entire time, through all the ups and downs, so I showed loyalty. They really committed to me. I like all the coaching staff — it’s a young coaching staff, I can relate to them, great guys, so it was honestly just an easy choice for me.”
When did they first reach out to you?
“They first talked to me a year ago at an open gym. I think it was one of the first days, so they’ve been talking to me for about a year now.”
You just visited there earlier this month. What was that experience like and what did they tell you about their vision for you?
“It was an awesome visit all around. I loved everything. They’re coaching, the practices, the players, everything, but they said they really like how I play. I can come in and if I work hard, I can make an immediate impact on the team, so I thought that was really good. I really liked everything they were pitching.”
How would you describe yourself as a player?
“I would say I’m a do-it-all player. I’m definitely a great shooter, that’s the main thing, but I do it all — play defense, hustle, rebounds. Anything the team needs to win, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Go Blers #commited pic.twitter.com/0EozCeLQNN
— Jaxson Terry (@TerryJaxson) September 20, 2025
How proud are you of your growth throughout your career so far? Are there parts of your game that you’ve especially evolved?
“Definitely decision-making. For a lot of people, the game is really fast-paced. I think I pride myself on being able to slow down the game, make quick decisions that are also good decisions.”
You were a part of the Expressions Elite 17U team that made the semifinals of Peach Jam this summer. How amazing was that experience?
“I think it all started a month before Peach Jam. We were in this gym (at CATS) every single day, two times a day, just working on our defense, working on our offense, sharpening things up. I think from the start from Session 1, we knew we could do it even though we lost those pieces and great players (editor’s note: Abdou Toure, Patrick Otey and Jaylen Hunter-Coleman left Expressions early in the grassroots season), but we still thought we could do it. Everyone else was doubting us, but that didn’t faze us, really. So, going into that week, we knew what we had to do, we executed well and we got the results we wanted.”
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Do you have a favorite moment from that week?
“My favorite moment was probably when we played Team Final and we beat them, just because I was rooming with Ater (Maker Bol Meen) and he was telling me, ‘Man, I’m not playing too well right now, I’m not playing too well, I need to get a good game,’ and before we went to sleep that night, I was like, ‘Yo, you’re going to have it.' I was like, 'I can feel it, tomorrow’s your day,’ and he went out there and had like six 3s, (a) 20-point game and played awesome. I was really happy for him.”
What do you feel like you showed individually during that run?
“Just that I’m a warrior. I battled through adversity. Going through that, my ankle was messed up, my foot’s double the size of the other one, I could barely move, but still going out there and producing, doing what I can to help us win.”
Obviously, the end of last season at CATS didn’t go the way you wanted. How motivated are you from that and how much does that drive you going into this season, if at all?
“It definitely does. I think I’ve been pretty unlucky, I’ve been doing the most with what I’ve been dealt with, but pretty unlucky overall with two back-to-back injuries. A lot of people have written me off because of that, so this season, I’m really trying to take it personally. I’m trying to show everybody what I was doing before I got hurt and how much more I can do. And then as a team, even though we’re in a way better league, we still think we can win, so that’s the goal.”
What excites you about the opportunity to play in the Nike EYBL Scholastic?
“A lot of the teams are powerhouse teams with five-star and four-star prospects, but that doesn’t really matter to us. Just like the Expressions team, we’re going to be gritty, we’re going to get up in you and play defense. It doesn’t matter to us what your ranking is or how many offers you have or where you’re going. You’re just another person on that court.”
Do you have any personal or individual goals this season?
“Not really any personal goals. I just want to win as much as possible.”
You were pretty vocal at practice, even talking a little trash. Is that something you want to continue evolve with and become more of a vocal leader for this team?
“Definitely. I think I pride myself in being a leader. I really like to be vocal, especially in the practices. We have a lot of quiet kids on the team, so my mindset is kind of like, in the heat of the moment in the game, these kids are going to be talking trash to us, we can’t fold in on ourselves. So, if I can get them used to it now, talking trash to them now and getting used to that loud environment, it’s just going to be better for us in the long run.”
Who’s your favorite NBA player?
“I would say Russell Westbrook. He’s probably my all-time favorite, I loved watching him on OKC just dunking on everyone, that was awesome. But right now, I would probably say Devin Booker. I really like his pace and feel for the game.”
Do you have a pregame ritual or meal?
“I’ll eat an apple and a banana 30 minutes before the game. It has to be like exactly 30 minutes before. … I think at 16U at Peach Jam, my mom and my coach, they noticed I wouldn’t eat before the games and I didn’t look like I had that much energy, so they would always force me to eat something before the game. So now I just make sure I eat an apple and a banana.”
Do you have a favorite basketball shoe to wear?
“I’d probably say the Sabrinas. The Sabrinas are fire.”
What is your favorite basketball memory?
“I would probably say when we won the MADE Hoops winter circuit, a few years back when I was in eighth grade. It’s one of my favorites because Desmond (Bellot) was on the team with me and we’ve been playing together since we were in the third grade. That was definitely a good memory.”
