ASHBURNHAM, Mass. — James Cormier has built a program at Cushing that has established itself as one of New England’s best. This season’s version of the Penguins, like always, is uber talented, with a group of returners that will carry on the standard and culture that’s been set. But there’s one element of this squad that Cormier thinks is a separator from years past.
“This year, we do not have any holes,” Cormier said. “We have shotmaking, we have size, we have athletes, we have good decision-makers. We’ve always had unselfish players and guys who want to play the right away. I just think this group can really match up to anyone that we have ahead of us.”
Cormier believes he has the best point guard and center in New England with Ryan Moesch and Theo Edema, respectively. Surrounding them is a deep group of exciting returners and newcomers that complement each other and bring a ton of versatility. Cushing, once again, will enter this season as one of the best teams in NEPSAC regardless of class, a clear frontrunner in Class AA that should also be in the mix for the National Prep Championship.
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What’s next for Ryan Moesch?
The 6-foot point guard from New York broke into NEPSAC with a bang last winter as he became arguably the most exciting, must-see talent in the region. He averaged 17 points, six assists and four rebounds per game as he dazzled for the Penguins. Now, after a successful grassroots season with the Middlesex Magic and committing to Siena last month, what does he have for an encore?
Cormier hopes Moesch, who has more of a reserved personality, can take a leap as a vocal leader.
“I think finding his voice is going to be important this year,” Cormier said. “Just based on what he’s been able to accomplish as a player and really the style of play, it’s so exciting to watch, he has this aura about him and sometimes I don’t think he realizes necessarily how much weight his voice holds. He really understands our system. He’s a brilliant basketball mind and he and I have a good connection and are on the same page in most situations. Just having him be on the floor and kind of voice what needs to be done and hold guys accountable is going to be important for him. Not just for us this year but also as he looks ahead to his college career.”
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On the court, there’s no denying Moesch’s offensive gifts; he’s a creative magician with the ball who’s wired to conduct any offense and can score, get to the rim and pass with a unique flair. But there’s certainly growth to be had on defense, where Cormier wants Moesch to get stronger and be a more reliable primary defender.
“He’s so scrappy defensively, he’ll get deflections and dig the ball out of the post but really sitting in a stance and keeping the best ball handler on the opposing team from the paint is something I’ll challenge him with this year,” Cormier said.
Can Theo Edema take another leap?
There was arguably no bigger stock-riser in New England’s 2027 class this spring and summer than Edema. The 7-foot center grabbed offers from Kansas, Alabama, Tennessee and several more high-major offers and jumped into the 24/7 Sports’ national 2027 rankings at No. 53 while dominating for Team New England on the MADE Hoops circuit.
It’s easy to see why. Edema’s unique abilities are obvious as an elite rim protector who can overpower opponents on both ends with his size, physicality and post work. There aren’t many talents, if any, like him in New England. Cormier said Edema also doesn’t get enough credit for being a “brilliant basketball mind.”
“Theo’s spatial awareness, his ability to defensively stunt at the ball, recover to his own man, the timing that he uses to change shots or block shots, it’s uncanny,” Cormier said. “He just has incredible instincts.”
Cormier said the big goal with Edema this season is to improve his skillset while not taking away from the things he does well. They want him to dribble the ball more and start fast breaks by himself because he has that ability and they want to give him those experiences. They’re also challenging him to take more jumpers from 15 feet and out to the 3-point line. He showed flashes of his shooting touch last season and Cormier said that while he hasn’t hit 3s consistently during open gyms, he’s starting to make them at a high clip during shooting drills.
“I think it’s important for Theo to be great at what he’s already great at, but adding little pieces to his game so that he can expand,” Cormier said.
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A versatile supporting cast
Cormier is buzzing with the depth of his group, which may have eight or nine Division 1 prospects. The lineups are endless, and he knows he has players up and down the roster who will push the main guys and fight for a rotational role, which will make the group better.
There’s clear excitement about the addition of Nate Blenman, a skilled 6-foot-9 2027 forward who holds recent offers from Oklahoma State, Saint Louis and South Florida. Blenman suffered a brutal foot injury that sidelined him for most of the spring and summer and he’s still a bit behind, but he’s participating in open gyms and the potential is obvious. He has great touch and footwork around the rim, can pass from the perimeter and post and shoot, rebound and defend the rim. He has a high IQ with big-time upside.
He won’t be the only impact newcomer. Anthony Vick (Boston, Mass.), a 2027 transfer from Tilton, will bring a different dynamic in the backcourt as one of the best shot-makers in New England who can make tough shots at a high rate. Roxbury Latin transfer Jack Hynes, a 6-foot-6 postgraduate wing, does all the little things as a high IQ versatile defender who can shoot, rebound and has a nose for the ball. Jake Nosek, a 6-foot-8 postgraduate transfer, shot 46 percent from 3 last season in Chicago and should step in as one of the best shooters in NEPSAC, while 2028 transfer guard Michael Chiara brings a competitive fire and high-level motor.
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Outside of Moesch and Edema, Cushing has four returners who are each taking their own leaps. Brady O’Connell (Bedford, N.H.), has continued to impress Cormier after another standout spring with the Middlesex Magic; the 2026 guard is a high-level perimeter defender who brings leadership, competitiveness and winning habits to the floor. Coley Mark (Brookline, Mass.) might be the most intriguing prospect on the roster; the 7-footer in the 2027 class is an inside-outside threat who can protect the rim and shoot from deep.
“Coley might be as good of a prospect as we have on our team with his size and shotmaking ability,” Cormier said. “Three years, four or five years down the road, he could be as special as anyone we have.”
Cormier believes Elliot Erickson (Gardner, Mass.) is poised for a breakout winter. The 6-foot-6 2027 wing enters his third year with the program and has always helped Cushing win games in different ways – whether it’s defending the opponent’s best player or fitting specific roles – and now Cormier is seeing his skillset, confidence, body and athleticism all come together to make a promising prospect. Cormier has confidence that David Flores John, a 6-foot-6 wing who’s getting Division 3 looks, will impact winning for the Penguins, too.
Cormier is excited about the lineup possibilities, and he anticipates going bigger frequently with combinations that include Edema, Mark and Blenman together; the length, size and depth of his roster should make for another strong defensive unit even after the departures of strong perimeter defenders like Jay Jones and Ryan Ward. They won’t be as athletic or twitchy as last year, but Cormier is excited to throw some wrinkles at opponents that accentuate his team’s length.
Motivating factors
Though Cushing won last season’s New England Basketball League (NEBL) championship, the Penguins have some unfinished business to take care of this winter. They lost at home in the semifinals of the NEPSAC Class AA playoffs as the No. 1 seed before dropping a heartbreaker to St. Thomas More in the semifinals of the National Prep Championship.
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Both of those losses are motivating this group, but Cormier wants to make sure they use those defeats as learning lessons for this season. Cushing went on a 16-game winning streak last season from mid-January until its loss to Worcester Academy in the semifinals, and Cormier thought that at a certain point, they weren’t upholding their standards like they typically do.
“I hope they aren’t looking ahead. I think that’s the lesson to be learned from last year,” Cormier said. “We were clicking on all cylinders and then we ran into a very talented Worcester team that played unbelievably well that day and when we got punched in the mouth, it felt foreign to us. During that win streak, I don’t know if we necessarily during the latter part of that committed to the ‘better every day’ mantra in practice or the level of competition wasn’t what it should have been. … I think we lost a bit of our edge and it cost us. …
“That’s something we can point to as we look ahead towards this year, just making sure it still has to be the day to day, because if you’re not moving forward, you’re going backwards. We just can’t afford, if we want a shot at the championship again, to let that happen.”
