Welcome to our Best of New England high school player rankings. This is our first edition of a regularly updated series highlighting the top players of the region in every class, including Top 50 rankings for each of the upperclassmen classes and watch lists for the underclassmen.
Our rankings aim to project the prospects we believe will make the greatest impact in college basketball. To do so, a wide range of factors are considered. Unique physical traits, like size and athleticism, are a big part of the formula. Consistent production, translatable skills and winning habits and intangibles are important, too. Recruitment levels also give us valuable context; our rankings attempt to reflect what college programs are looking for to win at the highest level. There’s plenty of room for nuance that goes into evaluation.
To be eligible for our Best of New England rankings, a player must be a native of the region or must have completed at least one season at a school based in the region. That means that non-New Englanders at New York-based NEPSAC schools are ineligible.
The high school careers of the Class of 2026 are over, but more than a dozen players in our rankings remain uncommitted. Here’s our first and final Top 50 of the 2026 class.
MORE RANKINGS: 2026 girls | 2027 boys | 2027 girls
1. Abdou Toure
6-6 wing
Notre Dame West Haven/BABC
Hometown: West Haven, Conn.
NCAA: Arkansas
2. Alex Egbuonu
6-7 wing
Lawrence Academy/BABC
Hometown: Nashua, N.H.
NCAA: Marquette
3. Lucas Morillo
6-7 guard
Newman/City Rocks
Hometown: Mount Vernon, N.Y.
NCAA: Illinois
4. Quinn Costello
6-10 forward
Newman/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Medford, Mass.
NCAA: Michigan
5. Darien Moore
6-2 guard
Brewster Academy/City Rocks
Hometown: Hudson, N.Y.
NCAA: Seton Hall
6. Ryan Moesch
6-0 guard
Cushing/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Chittenango, N.Y.
NCAA: Syracuse
7. Adama Tambedou
6-7 forward
Putnam Science/Rhode Island Elite
Hometown: Senegal
NCAA: Maryland
8. Nicolas Mitrovic
6-11 forward
CATS Academy/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Belgrade, Serbia
NCAA: California
9. Jordan Skyers
6-1 guard
Putnam Science/New York Rens
Hometown: Norwich, Conn.
NCAA: Norfolk State
10. Kamai Samuels
6-2 guard
Putnam Science/UPlay Canada
Hometown: Montreal, Canada
NCAA: Tennessee Tech
Top 10 notes: A top four of Toure, Egbuonu, Morillo and Costello separated itself from the rest of the pack this season, and you could make a defensible argument for each at No. 1 and interchange the order based on preferences. Toure is the most athletic player in the class, Egbuonu offers the most complete package and Morillo and Costello bring unique size and skillsets.
Seven players in the top 10 are committed to high-major schools. Moesch is one of the top point guard prospects in the country and reopened his commitment last week after a coaching change at Siena. Skyers and Samuels made up an electric backcourt at Putnam Science, one of the best prep programs in the country. The top 10 has a strong combination of unique size, athleticism and skillsets.
11. Jaxson Terry
6-6 guard
CATS Academy/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Acton, Mass.
NCAA: Uncommitted
12. Dywane Chess
6-4 guard
St. George’s/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Bethlehem, Pa.
NCAA: Marist
13. Cheick Sylla
6-10 center
Bridgton/The Club New England
Hometown: Bamako, Mali
NCAA: UMass
14. Chris Birden
6-10 forward
South Kent/New Heights
Hometown: New Orleans, La.
NCAA: Miami
15. Sam Fleming
6-8 forward
Wilbraham & Monson/BABC
Hometown: Springfield, Mass.
NCAA: Uncommitted
16. Louis O’Keefe
6-3 guard
Newman/Garner Road
Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.
NCAA: Princeton
17. Desmond Bellot
6-3 guard
CATS Academy/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
NCAA: Fordham
18. Chad Cook
6-8 forward
New Hampton/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Syracuse, N.Y.
NCAA: Richmond
19. Cam Hailey
5-11 guard
Western Reserve/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
NCAA: UMass
20. Brayden Jones
6-7 forward
Brewster Academy/City Rocks
Hometown: Wethersfield, Conn.
NCAA: Fairfield
11-20 notes: There’s a ton of two-way versatility that college programs crave on this list. It starts with Terry, a high-level shooter who can create his own shot and is also a multi-positional defender. Birden boasts elite athleticism with a strong 3-point shot and rim protection at 6-foot-10. Bellot is a dynamic offensive threat who offers elite defense on the perimeter. I think O’Keefe, who developed into one of Newman’s best players this winter, is an absolute steal for Princeton. He’s a high-IQ point guard with a strong shooting stroke and was a de facto captain on the floor with his leadership traits.
21. Hudson Scroggins
6-7 forward
Kimball Union/Elevate
Hometown: Lake Forest, Ill.
NCAA: Valparaiso
22. Quinn Gibson
6-6 forward
Winchendon/
Hometown: Cherry Hill, N.J.
NCAA: Cornell
23. Jaylin Williams-Crawford
6-7 forward
CATS Academy/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
NCAA: Towson
24. Caspian Jones
6-6 guard
CATS Academy/Belmont Shore
Hometown: Laveen, Ariz.
NCAA: Uncommitted
25. Diing Maiwen
6-6 wing
Knox School/Rhode Island Elite
Hometown: Auburn, Maine
NCAA: Fairleigh Dickinson
26. Parrish Edmond
6-5 guard
Putnam Science/City Rocks
Hometown: Norwalk, Conn.
NCAA: Siena
27. Timmy Bollin
6-6 guard
Newman/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Raynham, Mass.
NCAA: Brown
28. Atticus Richmond
6-8 forward
Newman/Illinois Wolves
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
NCAA: Columbia
29. Colton Crowdis
6-4 guard
Bridgton/Toronto City Elite
Hometown: Oshawa, Ontario
NCAA: Uncommitted
30. Jayden Harrington
6-3 guard
New Hampton/Mass Rivals
Hometown: Glen Ridge, N.J.
NCAA: Colgate
21-30 notes: This is the point in the rankings where the margins are so small between players that they can mostly be interchangeable based on skills and attributes that are valued more. Gibson should be an impact player in the Ivy League after being a nightly 20 and 10 threat at Winchendon with one of the best motors in the region, while Williams-Crawford should earn immediate minutes at Towson after being one of the best defenders in New England.
This grouping has several intriguing prospects who remain uncommitted. Jones is an underrated and dynamic offensive talent, while Crowdis emerged as one of the best guards in Class AAA this season, a fearless shotmaker who consistently makes plays. Edmond, like Moesch, is uncommitted after last week’s coaching change at Siena.
31. Wesley Waddles
6-6 wing
New Hampton/BTI
Hometown: Northridge, Calif.
NCAA: Maine
32. James Sanderson
6-1 guard
New Hampton/Southern Assault
Hometown: McKinney, Texas
NCAA: Louisiana Tech
33. Brayson Green
6-7 forward
Putnam Science/Mass Rivals
Hometown: Beverly, Mass.
NCAA: Uncommitted
34. Brandon Arnold
6-3 guard
Kimball Union/Crown
Hometown: Baldwin, N.Y.
NCAA: Marist
35. Chase Geremia
6-2 guard
Newman/BABC
Hometown: Madison, Conn.
NCAA: Penn
36. Merrick Smith
6-10 forward
Kimball Union/New England Storm
Hometown: Belgrade, Maine
NCAA: American
37. David Gaymon
6-4 guard
Putnam Science/New York Lightning
Hometown: Manhattan, N.Y.
NCAA: Uncommitted
38. Favour Egbuna
6-9 center
Putnam Science/Team New England
Hometown: Egunu, Nigeria
NCAA: Uncommitted
39. Brayden Harris
6-5 wing
MacDuffie/Players Play
Hometown: San Jose, Calif.
NCAA: UC Riverside
40. Brady Wooley
6-9 center
Choate/D1 Minnesota
Hometown: Orono, Minn.
NCAA: Yale
31-40 notes: This section is filled with players who will fill a specific role at the next level. Green, wherever he lands, will give his college team a massive presence on the boards and an impact defensively with his length. Geremia was one of the best 3-point shooters in the region, while Harris was one of the best scorers in Class AA with great shotmaking ability. Egbuna, like Green, will be a tough cover in the paint with his size.
41. Jah Hatchett
6-0 guard
Putnam Science/Grand Rapids Storm
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Mich.
NCAA: Fairfield
42. Harrison Aligbe
6-8 forward
St. Andrew’s/The House We Built
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minn.
NCAA: Xavier
43. Darren Moore
6-2 guard
Northfield Mount Hermon/DC Premier
Hometown: Potomac, Md.
NCAA: Uncommitted
44. Preston Merrick
6-5 wing
Hotchkiss/New York Jayhawks
Hometown: Laurelton, N.Y.
NCAA: Harvard
45. Brady Sehlhorst
6-7 wing
Winchendon/Meanstreets
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
NCAA: Elon
46. Chinedu Okpara
6-7 wing
Wilbraham & Monson/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Bronxville, N.Y.
NCAA: Gardner-Webb
47. Nelson Mboudjika
6-9 forward
CATS Academy/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Doula, Cameroon
NCAA: Uncommitted
48. Brady O’Connell
6-0 guard
Cushing/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Bedford, N.H.
NCAA: Bentley
49. Will Higgs
6-11 center
Northfield Mount Hermon/Riverside Hawks
Hometown: Atlantic Highlands, N.J.
NCAA: Princeton
50. Windston Legentus
6-0 guard
Brimmer & May/The Club New England
Hometown: Raynham, Mass.
NCAA: Uncommitted
41-50 notes: There are reasonable arguments to be made that some of these players should be in the 30s. Each of them bring valuable attributes and skills that should translate to the next level. Hatchett was one of the best perimeter defenders in New England, and I love what Moore brings to the table as a lead guard with strong leadership traits. O’Connell is the only Division 2 commit who made the cut; he led Cushing in plus/minus this season as one of the best defenders in the region. He defines winning. Bentley got a steal.
I can't overstate how difficult it was to cut this list to 50. The final selections were really difficult and I went back and forth a lot. Among the most painful omissions: Lawrence Academy's Evan Mitchner, Milton Academy's Devan Williams, Vermont Academy's Rokas Zilys, Westminster's Ethan Griffin, Phillips Andover's Nick Hailey, Suffield's Markus Maxwell-Grimes and Hotchkiss' Jordan Ghee are all worthy of a mention.
The most schools represented: Putnam Science (9), CATS Academy (6) and Newman (6) made up 42 percent of the Top 50, a credit to the depth and development of college-ready prospects in those programs.
