Four months can produce a lot of change.
Since we launched our first Best of New England Class of 2027 rankings at the start of April, there have been significant developments in this class. A full grassroots season and June’s two NEPSAC Scholastic Showcase periods gave us important information on development and recruitment tracks. Additionally, eight prospects from our initial Top 50 either reclassified to the 2026 class or left the region altogether, giving an opportunity for several new prospects to enter the rankings.
This was a critical spring and summer for this 2027 class, which had priority viewing for college coaches as they began to assemble rosters for next fall. I was incredibly impressed with the depth of stock-risers from this group, and that’s reflected in our updated rankings.
We outlined the goal of our Best of New England rankings in April’s launch, but to reiterate: This ongoing series aims to decipher the hierarchy of talent in each class of the region by projecting their college impact. It’s based on a slew of factors, starting with our own evaluations and what we’ve learned about what college programs are looking for. Physical traits, unique skillsets, consistent production, leadership traits and winning intangibles all matter, but we understand this class is still growing and developing.
An important note: To be eligible for our Best of New England rankings, a prospect must be a native of the region or must have completed at least one scholastic season at a school based in the region. That means that non-New Englanders at New York-based NEPSAC schools are ineligible. It also means that out-of-region newcomers to prep schools, even if they debuted at June’s Scholastic Showcases, are not eligible yet.
Here’s our updated Class of 2027 boys rankings.
1. Antonio Pemberton
6-1 guard
Masters Academy International/Mass Rivals
Hometown: Lawrence, Mass.
2. Patrick Otey
6-5 guard
St. Thomas More/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Westwood, Mass.
3. Declan Griffiths
6-6 wing
St. Thomas More/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Simsbury, Conn.
4. DJ Hawkins
6-6 wing
St. Thomas More/BABC
Hometown: Farmington, Conn.
5. Philipe Ndong
6-9 wing
Newman/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Denver, Col.
PROSPECT WATCH: Why Philipe Ndong is one of the region's top stock risers
6. Josiah Adamson
6-3 guard
CATS Academy/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
7. Greyson Pierce
6-7 forward
St. Thomas More/BABC
Hometown: West Hartford, Conn.
8. Nate Blenman
6-9 forward
Cushing/Team New England
Hometown: Amherst, N.Y.
9. Ater Maker Bol Meen
6-9 wing
CATS Academy/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Barcelona, Spain
10. Jalen Taggart
6-4 guard
Woodstock Academy/City Rocks
Hometown: Rochester, N.Y.
Top 10 thoughts: There's a new No. 1 in Pemberton after Theo Edema reclassified to the 2026 class and left for St. John's, but I think Pemberton — who led Mass Rivals to the Adidas 3SSB 17U championship game with his brilliant July — would have made a case for the top spot anyway.
With Edema off to college and Markus Kerr and Kamari Whyte leaving New England schools, there was room for new Top 10 members. Ndong is the top stock-riser in the Top 50, going from unranked to No. 5 after earning multiple high-major offers. He's an elite 3-pointer shooter with a highly translatable skillset. St. Thomas More dominates this group with four prospects.
11. LaDanion Payne
6-2 guard
Brimmer & May/Mass Rivals
Hometown: Mattapan, Mass.
12. Davon Maloney
6-6 wing
Newman/City Rocks
Hometown: Albany, N.Y.
13. Donovan Clement
6-8 wing
CATS Academy/BCRI
Hometown: Pawtucket, R.I.
14. Tavin Penix
6-4 guard
Winchendon/HoopRoots
Hometown: Syracuse, N.Y.
15. Jack Donohue
6-8 wing
Newman/NJ Shoreshots
Hometown: Albany, N.Y.
NCAA: Syracuse
16. Treddy Faison
5-10 guard
Winchendon/City Rocks
Hometown: Troy, N.Y.
NCAA: Albany
17. Alonzo Archbold
6-8 wing
Hotchkiss/New Heights
Hometown: Staten Island, N.Y.
18. Preston Bollin
6-6 forward
Newman/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Raynham, Mass.
NCAA: Princeton
19. Reece Ayala
6-4 guard
Milton Academy/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Lawrence, Mass.
20. Stetson Merritt
6-3 guard
New Hampton/City Rocks
Hometown: Troy, N.Y.
11-20 thoughts: There's even more movement here with three more significant rankings risers. Donohue goes from unranked to No. 15 after a big summer in which he secured offers from Syracuse and Penn State, among others. Faison is up from No. 46 to No. 16 with a Penn State offer in hand following a strong season with City Rocks. Archbold, who was dominant during the June live periods, is at No. 17 after debuting at No. 32.
This list is littered with impressive 3-point shooters in Clement, Penix, Donohue, Bollin and Merritt.
21. Tyler Newsom
6-6 guard/forward
St. Luke’s/PSA Cardinals
Hometown: Monroe, Conn.
NCAA: William & Mary
22. Michael McNamara
6-9 wing
Masters Academy International/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Needham, Mass.
23. Jaylen Hunter-Coleman
6-0 guard
Newman/BABC
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
24. Dillon Callahan
6-4 guard
St. Thomas More/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Croton-Hudson, N.Y.
25. Tayden Langdon
6-2 guard
Masters Academy International/The Family
Hometown: Birmingham, Mich.
26. Cole Blackburn
6-7 wing
Worcester Academy/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
NCAA: Dartmouth
27. Samuel Owusu-Aduomi
6-5 wing
Tilton/BABC
Hometown: Tenafly, N.J.
28. Nalajah Christopher
6-4 guard
Darrow/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Worcester, Mass.
29. Malik Adamson
5-10 guard
Dexter Southfield/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
NCAA: Siena
30. Spencer Booth
6-10 center
Milton Academy/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Scarborough, Maine
NCAA: Holy Cross
21-30 thoughts: There's some fun variety in this group. Both Hunter-Coleman and Adamson are two defensive-minded smaller guards with electric offensive skillsets. McNamara has great intrigue as a skilled, long wing. Blackburn could be the most athletic player in the Top 50, Booth is an anchor in the post and Owusu-Aduomi is one of my personal favorites in this class as a ball-handling, athletic guard/wing who can score in bunches. He slides up from No. 34 to No. 27, and I think he could continue to surge up the rankings.
31. Anthony Vick
6-3 guard
Cushing/Team New England
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
PROSPECT WATCH: Why Anthony Vick is one of the region's top 3-point shooters
32. Jabari Edmonds
6-5 guard
Phillips Andover/Team New England
Hometown: Providence, R.I.
33. Kenny Benedict
6-6 guard/forward
Masters Academy International/New York Lightning
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
34. Elijah McNair
6-4 guard
St. Andrew’s/Expressions Elite
Hometown: East Providence, R.I.
35. Mamadou Camara
6-1 guard
Vermont Academy/Team White Mamba
Hometown: Salem, Mass.
36. Joseph Adebayo
6-10 forward
Woodstock Academy/Team New England
Hometown: Okitipupa, Nigeria
37. Keyshon Joyner
5-11 guard
MacDuffie/Team New England
Hometown: Worcester, Mass.
38. Coley Mark
7-foot center
Cushing/Team New England
Hometown: Brookline, Mass.
39. Fil Mozoul
6-7 forward
CATS Academy/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Milton, Mass.
40. Avery Council
6-0 guard
CATS Academy/City Rocks
Hometown: Rochester, N.Y.
31-40 thoughts: Two of the biggest stock-risers of the grassroots season, Vick and Edmonds — who each collected multiple Division 1 offers — top this group of prospects. Adebayo and Joyner make their rankings debut; Adebayo was a dominant inside presence in June for Woodstock, and Joyner has long been one of my favorite true point guards who picked up Div. 1 offers this spring. I still think Camara is underrated; he was one of five 2027s to earn All-NEPSAC recognition in Class AAA last season.
41. Talib Martin
6-6 wing
St. Andrew’s/New Heights
Hometown: Staten Island, N.Y.
42. Kyle Seltzer
6-11 forward
Williston Northampton/New Heights
Hometown: Sag Harbor, N.Y.
43. Jerry Johnson Jr.
6-4 guard
Williston Northampton/Philly Pride
Hometown: Lancaster, Pa.
44. Jelani Middleton
6-5 guard
St. George's/NY Rens
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
NCAA: Brown
45. Christian Chartier
6-6 wing
Phillips Exeter/New England Storm
Hometown: Hampton, N.H.
46. Julien Wiggins
5-11 guard
Westminster/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
47. Jakare Innocent
6-2 guard
Tilton/BABC
Hometown: Taunton, Mass.
48. Jalen Rogers
6-9 wing
Beaver Country Day/Team Spartans
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
49. LaDainian Rodrigues
6-4 guard
Suffield/Team Sims
Hometown: Attleboro, Mass.
50. Peter Uzgiris
7-foot center
St. Luke's/PSA Cardinals
Hometown: New Canaan, Conn.
NCAA: Brown
41-50 thoughts: Four more prospects — Middleton, Chartier, Rodrigues and Uzgiris — make their debuts in the rankings. An improved Middleton, who thrived in a bigger role, parlayed a strong June into a commitment to Brown, while Chartier was among the region's top stock-risers after carrying the momentum from a strong winter at Exeter into multiple Div. 1 offers with the New England Storm. Rodrigues was also a massive stock-riser and Uzgiris, a skilled 7-footer with touch, physicality and a capable 3-point shot, committed to Brown.
I truly agonized over the final spots in the Top 50. There are so many strong prospects in this class and my job is only going to get harder this winter with the additions of several notable players around the region. Among my most difficult omissions: Solis Blue (St. Sebastian's/Team New England) had an outstanding June and is knocking on the door; reigning Class B Large Player of the Year Luca Palermo (St. Mark's/Team White Mamba) continues to accumulate consistent production with his unique skillset.
Christian Zarzycki (Cheshire/Valente Rocks), Ethan Njenga (St. George's/BABC) and Sam Brigham (Cushing/SECC All-Stars) all were in consideration. Caleb Baker (Lawrence Academy/The House We Built), Soren Lolonga (Mount St. Charles/Team New England), Jonathan White (BB&N/NJ Scholars) and Max Kellogg (Williston Northampton/NYC Honor) are also on the rise.
