As commitment season heads into full swing for New England’s boys Class of 2026, some of the top wings, forwards and centers the region has to offer have already been scooped up by colleges. Quinn Costello, Cheick Sylla and Adama Tambedou are among the best frontcourt talents who have announced their college plans.
It’s no surprise those names are off the board. In a landscape dominated by guard play, colleges covet the size and skill those recruits can offer. They can bring an instant impact with their unique talents and physical traits. But there’s plenty more sitting in the cupboard.
There are dozens of frontcourt prospects scattered across New England who may not generate high-major buzz, but have unique impact abilities. Many may still be growing into their bodies and developing their overall skill levels, but are on clear upward trajectories.
Last month, we unveiled 15 underrated guards in New England’s senior class. Now, we shift to the frontcourt. These recruits range from Div. 1 to Div. 3 talents, some of which I believe deserve better recruitment than they’re getting. They may be studs who don’t typically get much recognition because they play in lower NEPSAC classes, and one player on this list is a college commit who could be a steal.
The common denominator? All these players deserve more love, and have tremendous upside as they continue to develop. Here are 10 frontcourt talents who are flying under the radar.
Sage Baptiste, Tabor
6-7 wing
Hometown: Wareham, Mass.
Baptiste was a regular standout throughout a strong spring and summer with Team Sims, but I still feel like he’s not getting as much recognition and love as he should. A first-team ISL selection and second team UA Rise selection, Baptiste – who’s getting Division 1 interest from the Atlantic 10 to high-academic low-majors – is a three-level scorer who brings a unique blend of power, physicality and finesse at 6-foot-7 and 210 pounds. As good of a scorer as he is, he doesn’t need to rack up points to be impactful with his strong rebounding and two-way motor. He’ll be a focal point of an experienced and talented team at Tabor this winter, and I’m expecting some dominant nights.
Harryns Cantave, Brooks
6-6 wing
Hometown: Everett, Mass.
Cantave played a minor role on Brooks’ Class B championship last winter but he’s expected to have an increased role in their title defense as one of their best returning and versatile players. He’s not a big scorer, but he impacts the game in so many ways; at 6-foot-6 with great length and a competitive motor, he can defend multiple positions from the perimeter to the rim. Combined with elite athleticism, he’s a high-level rebounder who plays above the rim and does the little things that help his teams win, and college programs are attracted to that at any level. Cantave needs to be a more consistent shooter to garner higher-level college interest, but he’ll be an important veteran voice and defensive anchor for Brooks this season as he continues to tap into his potential.
Brode Fink, Proctor
6-6 forward
Hometown: Franklin, N.H.
Very quietly, Fink was one of the better scorers in NEPSAC Class B last season as he put up 19.1 points per game to go along five boards in his first NEPSAC season. He shot 39 percent from deep and while scoring is his strength, he also expanded his game to become a better defender and rebounder who plays with a high motor, and became an evolving offensive threat who can also find smart passes to balance his game. A top lacrosse recruit in addition to basketball, Fink is an underrated athletic prospect who’s deserving of more attention around New England.
Will Higgs, Northfield Mount Hermon
6-11 center
Hometown: Atlantic Highlands, N.J.
Higgs tore his ACL at the beginning of last season but he’s back healthy now and should be one of the best true bigs in NEPSAC Class AA this season. He’s a much-needed physical inside presence for NMH head coach Mike Shelton, who said it’s been noticeable how better his Hoggers look in early open gyms with him on the floor. Higgs is a rare 5 who can play well out of the post and initiate offense through, and also embraces the dirty work of setting screens and dominating the glass. Higgs had an offer from Texas A&M before his injury, and as he gets his full wind back, he’s getting heavy interest from Ivy League schools, which includes a visit to Princeton this weekend.
Jack Hynes, Cushing
6-6 wing
Hometown: Milton, Mass.
The description of Hynes’ game is versatility. The postgraduate transfer from Roxbury Latin can do just about everything asked of him, including but not limited to defending multiple positions, playing as a strong cutter and crashing the glass for offensive rebounds and second chances. Cushing head coach James Cormier believes Hynes is a better shooter than he’s given credit for, and he just has a nose for the ball. The Penguins will win a lot of games this season with the likes of Ryan Moesch and Theo Edema grabbing the attention, but Hynes will quietly make impact winning plays that you won’t see in the box score.
Rowan Introzzi, Greenwich Country Day
6-6 wing
Hometown: Eastchester, N.Y.
When we had Lambros Papalambros, Introzzi’s AAU coach with the Middlesex Magic, on the HoopWise Podcast this summer, he said Introzzi reminded him of Rob Gronkowski on the basketball court, but with more finesse. I loved that description. Introzzi was one of our biggest AAU stock-risers this summer after a standout season on the Magic’s Hoop Group team where he flashed his versatility as a scorer and physical, mature player who can impact the game inside and out. He earned an offer from Division 2 Millersville in late September and he’s getting some Division 1 interest; his stock keeps rising.
Jakub Lomicka, Suffield
6-10 forward
Hometown: Prague, Czech Republic
Lomicka is one of the most unique prospects in the region, a skilled 6-foot-10 forward who can dribble, pass and shoot. He runs the court well, has great feel in the pick-and-roll game and has good footwork and defensive instincts. The next step for him is becoming more physically strong inside and being more consistent finishing around the rim, and there’s plenty of belief he will. Lomicka picked up his first Division 1 offer from Florida A&M last week, and there’s hope that will start a domino effect. There’s heavy interest from Ivy and Patriot League schools and even some mid-majors; there’s been reluctance from those programs to pull the trigger to this point but a strong winter at Suffield would likely change that.
Chinedu Okpara, Wilbraham & Monson
6-7 wing
Hometown: Bronxville, N.Y.
Mike Mannix, the head coach at Wilbraham & Monson, wishes the last game of the NEPSAC Scholastic Showcase at Avon Old Farms back in June had a few more college coaches in the gym. That’s when Okpara played “out of his mind,” Mannix said in a game against St. Thomas More that he said felt like a NEPSAC playoff game. Okpara hit a few 3s, finished two three-point plays and even had a memorable poster dunk on a vicious drive to the rim. Okpara is a unique prospect, a rim-running wing who has an active motor on the glass and around the rim, is a defensive versatile weapon and rim protector with his 7-foot wing span, and he’s now knocking down 3-pointers with more consistency after a standout summer with the Middlesex Magic. Mannix said his undermanned Wilbraham team wouldn’t have made the playoffs last season without Okpara, who he believes is the most underrated prospect he’s coached in a long time. He’s not getting the level of Division 1 recruitment some believe he should be getting right now but he has incredible upside with his athleticism, skill, versatility and motor.
Atticus Richmond, Newman
6-8 forward
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
NCAA: Columbia
Richmond committed to Columbia in mid-July but there’s a strong argument that the Lions got a steal and that he might be better than the Ivy League level. At 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds, Richmond is a versatile two-way weapon who can dribble, pass, shoot and defend almost every position on the floor with his athleticism, quickness and physicality. There are several mouths to feed on a deep and talented Newman roster, but I’m pegging Richmond as a breakout candidate; I think it’ll be hard for head coach Jackson Johnson to take him off the floor with his impactful skillset, especially if he can knock down 3-pointers consistently.
Elijah Webb, Deerfield
6-9 forward
Hometown: Tantasqua, Mass.
Webb is another skilled, versatile and long stretch forward who’s still growing into his potential. He’s versatile on both ends of the court, capable of initiating offense through dribble handoffs and the pick-and-roll game while defending multiple positions with his length and quickness. He’s a capable shooter who has three-level scoring ability, too. I can safely see Webb as a high-academic Division 3 prospect, but with his developing unique skillset and as he grows more into his body, there could be scholarship opportunities down the road with a big winter at Deerfield.
