MIDDLETOWN, R.I. — St. George’s dominant run to last season’s ISL championship was almost written in the stars. The Dragons expected to win with a strong, deep group of upperclassmen, and they left little doubt.
“Last year’s team was, like, four years in the making,” head coach Dwayne Pina said.
St. George’s now turns the page to 2025-26 with a different-looking roster, but expectations haven’t changed.
Four starters – Dylan Veillette, Barrett Loer, Yancarlos Cueto and Allyn Wright – are gone from last season’s team that won the ISL and earned a No. 4 seed in the Class AA playoffs, but with five returners and some exciting newcomers, the Dragons have the pieces to contend again. It’s not as deep of a team as last season, and in some ways, that may be beneficial for Pina, who will have an easier time managing minutes. He’s looking forward to the challenge.
“I’m curious to see how these guys respond, but we do have the talent to have a very successful year,” Pina said.
Here’s what to expect from St. George’s in its ISL championship title defense.
CLASS AA PREVIEWS: Cushing | Kimball Union
Dywane Chess will be the go-to guy
After playing a significant role and learning under St. George’s departed senior class, it’s Dywane Chess’ time to take the reins. The physical 6-foot-4 guard is playing with confidence after strong performances at June’s NEPSAC Scholastic Showcases and the July live period with the Middlesex Magic, and has a clear mind after his college commitment to Marist. Chess, the Dragons’ third-leading scorer last season at 12 points per game, looks ready to take on a bigger responsibility.
“He had some pretty big games for us last year, but with our depth last year, we didn’t have to lean on him,” Pina said. “I think this year, we’re going to lean on him a lot more and I think he’s ready for the challenge.”
Chess is a do-it-all guard who can play inside and out, capable of overpowering opponents in the paint or stepping outside to hit from deep. He shot 36.6 percent from 3 last season over 30 games, but wants to make his shot as consistent as he can before heading to college. He wants to improve his ball-handling and continue creating for others. But most of all, he’s embracing his new responsibility as the unquestioned senior leader of this team. He knows the senior leadership that has departed, and he wants to impart that wisdom on this group.
“It’s a great feeling because not too many people get the opportunity to play with high-level guys like I have,” Chess said. “I’ve learned a lot from them, having to fit into a role where I might not be the main person on my team because the whole five can go. It made me a smarter player, doing the little things like cutting, rebounding, finding other ways to score the ball, making plays for my teammates and trying to help others out. Just having that experience, it sets me up to help the other guys, the new guys coming in.”
Dragons will look to play fast
The strength of this St. George’s team, Pina believes, is its versatility on the perimeter. The Dragons don’t have a true paint presence, but boast exciting guard play and shooters around them. Returning point guards Ethan Njenga (Lowell, Mass.) and Adriel Cantave (Carver, Mass.) will likely join Chess in the starting backcourt, while skilled 6-foot-6 junior Kenny Benedict, a high-level, athletic scorer will see a big uptick in minutes in his second season. Senior guard Casey Bazzano (Jamestown, R.I.), who shot 38.5 percent from deep last season, will be a big contributor after a strong summer with BCRI, too. Chance Finlayson (Newport, R.I.), a 6-foot-6 freshman (more on him soon), versatile 6-foot-4 junior wing Jelani Middleton and 6-foot-5 junior shotmaker Otis Crosby (Providence, R.I.) are among the Dragons’ exciting newcomers.
With their personnel of ball-handlers and shooters, St. George’s will be at its best when it’s pushing the pace in the open court, sharing the ball and making shots. Njenga, who had a strong summer with BABC, and Cantave, a rapidly improving sophomore, will be at the head of that; Pina said at least one of them will be on the court at all times.
“I’ve been playing with Ethan for three years, we’ve made a bond and connection. Adriel is still young, he’s got time,” Chess said. “They both know what it takes to win and get better, so it’s going to be a lot of fun playing with those guys and just getting better every day.”
Cantave, who made our inaugural 2028 watch list, showed flashes off the bench as a freshman last season and will play a critical role on this year’s team. After a strong grassroots season with Expressions Elite, Pina is hoping the 6-foot-3 Cantave has a breakout season as a staple of his backcourt for the next three years.
“I’ve seen a lot of growth,” Chess said. “I remember when he first got here, he couldn’t even jump, so it’s crazy to see him now. He can dunk the ball consistently and just being a good teammate, being a good person. He has a bright future, obviously a lot to learn, a lot to work on, but I feel like he has the right intangibles and if he keeps working at it, he’ll be a great player.”
A first look at Chance Finlayson
There’s real buzz for incoming St. George’s freshman Chance Finlayson, who was a standout during his debut this summer at the NEPSAC Showcases and was arguably the best player on the court at NERR’s Frosh/Soph Showcase in September. At 6-foot-6, he’s skilled, physically mature, athletic and impactful beyond his years.
“It’s his size, it’s his skill, it’s his fluidity, it’s his upbringing and motor,” Pina said. “Growing up in Newport is a little bit different than growing up with that talent in a major city, and I think that’s helped keep him level-headed, approach basketball with a certain level of humility for someone with his age and talent, which goes a long way. I’ve seen him do some pretty incredible things for his age and for his size and his ability, so we’re really excited about him.”
Finlayson will have a rare opportunity to showcase himself in a major role as a likely starter as a freshman; he may be the only Class of 2029 prospect in Class AA to have a starting role. There’s recognition that he has a long way to go, but the excitement for his potential is palpable.
“I think he’s a young pro,” Chess said. “He has every aspect of the game. He does a lot of things well. Obviously he still has to work on a lot of things, but being 15, 6-6 and 220, you can’t find that anywhere. He has a bright future, he’s a great kid. He takes things and listens. He doesn’t backtalk or try to act like he knows it all. If he keeps his mindset right, then he’ll be good in the coming years.”
