WESTON, Mass. — In Year 3, the Summer Draft League is continuing to grow.
We profiled the league during its first season in 2024, when Chris Giordano and Kyle Butler teamed up to give young hoopers a unique opportunity to develop their game while getting high-level instruction from the area’s best prep coaches. Since then, it has evolved to include a girls division, and there's been significant expansion every year.
The Elite Division is the league’s top circuit and includes the oldest players – rising sophomores and freshmen in high school. It has expanded to include 14 teams with games taking place every Thursday night between two locations – Rivers and Brandeis – over nine weeks, with championship week set to take place on Aug. 13.
On Thursday, I took a trip to Rivers to watch three league games – and my plan is to continue regular trips throughout the rest of the season to see the rest of the league’s talent. With this being a live period weekend, several of the league's top players were away with their AAU teams. But there was still some up-and-coming talent, mostly from the MIAA, to see. Here are seven standouts from my viewings of the Draft League’s second session.
Joshua Cerene, Team Harris
Class of 2029, 5-9 guard
Holbrook/Holbrook, Mass.
Confident on the ball, Cerene played with great balance and was effective creating himself and others. He has a strong frame and showed his ability to get to the rim and to mid-range opportunities, too. He’s creative, too. One of the best plays of the night came when he was 1-on-1 with a defender in transition and made a sweet behind-the-back dribble into a right-handed layup.
Kellan Tinsley, Team Werrick
Class of 2029, 6-1 forward
Natick/Natick, Mass.
Tinsley was one of the best players of the night with his impact on both ends of the floor. He was dominant on the glass and demonstrated some great hustle, including an impressive sequence when he grabbed an offensive board, then on the next defensive possession hustled back to force a stop and tipped the ball out to start a break, and then recorded a block moments later. He also hit at least three 3-pointers and was successful getting to the rim off close outs for strong, controlled finishes.
Gus Toomey, Team Werrick
Class of 2030, 5-4 guard
St. John's Prep/Winchester, Mass.
Toomey was probably the hardest worker I saw on Thursday night. He was engaged, bothersome and disruptive on the ball in his 1-on-1 defensive assignments and I saw him grab a handful of offensive rebounds; despite his size, he hauled one in against two defenders. I thought he was also a sharp passer with strong vision, forced pressure on the defense with good dribbling ability and got his shot off effectively near the rim.
Michael Vargas, Team Nelson
Class of 2030, 5-6 guard
Framingham/Framingham, Mass.
Vargas was a major reason why Team Nelson erupted for an early 16-3 lead, setting the tone with an array of drives and a straightaway 3-pointer. I thought he embraced physicality well, even overpowering one defender with a finish off glass, and he was a confident shooter from deep, which included another triple when he walked into an open shot off a high ball screen.
Jenuel Villar, Team Nelson
Class of 2029, 5-9 guard
Boston Prep/Boston, Mass.
Though he stands 5-foot-9, Villar has a long and fluid body that posed problems for Team Francis in Team Nelson’s 48-39 victory. He impacted the game on the defensive end, which included a tip steal and bothering several shots, and he was also comfortable as a lead ball handler with strong dribbling ability. He also drained three 3-pointers, including one with a hand in his face, and I noted an offensive rebound into a mid-range jumper sequence. Villar was all over the court.
Jack Wilson, Team Perron
Class of 2030, 5-11 guard
Lincoln-Sudbury/Sudbury, Mass.
Wilson was the most impactful player in Team Perron’s 65-47 victory over Team Harris with his ability to make plays in the open court. It was a game with a ton of space because it was 4 vs. 4, and Wilson took advantage with coast-to-coast takes and led several fast breaks, including one when he set up a teammate with a perfect bounce pass. He also showed a good motor with multiple offensive rebounds and he was active defensively, which included a sequence of forcing turnovers on back-to-back possessions.
Owen Young, Team Francis
Class of 2029, 5-7 guard
Natick/Natick, Mass.
If Young wasn’t the fastest player with the ball Thursday night, he’s certainly in the conversation. I loved the pace he played with; with plenty of room in a 4 vs. 4 environment, he pushed the pace with quick outlet passes and taking things into his own hands with several fast takes to the basket. He was a blur with paint touches into kickout opportunities and finishing plays through contact, including one full-court coast-to-coast take for a three-point play. He was also in control playing off two feet around the paint, including one play when he used great footwork and pivoting technique to create a shot for himself.
Quick shouts: Team Rosinski’s Elias Gonzalez (Tyngsboro, Mass.), a Class of 2030 guard from Notre Dame Prep, came up with the game-winning play, a steal and fast break layup in the final minute that was ultimately the difference in a 60-58 win. … Team Harris 2030 forward Liam Tith (Windham, N.H.) had great touch around the basket, finished well through physicality and came up with several offensive boards. … Team Perron 2030 guard Quinn Lipien (North Reading, Mass.) was effective at the rim with floaters, a finish from an offensive putback and even an impressive give-and-go with a teammate for a controlled make at the basket. … Team Perron 2029 guard David Machado (North Reading, Mass.) was successful blowing by defenders and he demonstrated terrific body control in his finishes at the rim.
