MIDDLETOWN, R.I. — When St. George’s won a second consecutive ISL championship last winter, finishing another winter with a wildly successful 27-4 record, some around the region were surprised after the Dragons had lost significant talent from the previous season.
But for head coach Dwayne Pina and his program, that level of success has become the standard down on the southern coast of Rhode Island.
“A lot of people in New England might have felt like we overachieved (last year). I didn’t feel that way,” Pina said. “I felt that was the expectation.
“That’s what’s become the standard and the expectation here now is to give ourselves a chance to win every single game. We’ve been able to continually have guys come into the program and grow.”
There’s belief at St. George’s that this season could be even better than last season. Key players Dywane Chess and Casey Bazzano graduated, but a strong group of returners and newcomers has made this one of Pina’s deepest teams in his tenure. Here’s what to expect in 2026-27.
State of the program
St. George’s made program history last winter by going 15-0 in ISL play en route to the championship, and it marked the first time a program has won consecutive ISL titles since Brooks won six in a row from 2015-20.
In NEPSAC Class AA, the Dragons have continued to be among the top teams. They’ve made five consecutive AA playoff appearances, including as the No. 2 seed last season. They’re one of the most consistent programs in the region.
The coach
Pina is entering his 11th season as the head coach at St. George’s. A former player at Boston College, he was a Division 1 assistant coach at Bryant and then Brown before joining SG.
REWIND: How St. George’s won second consecutive ISL title in 2025-26
He’s happy with what he’s built the program into, a sustainable winner that annually sends its players to every level of college basketball.
“Where we’re at now is sort of exactly where I envisioned,” he said. “It’s an unbelievable location, unbelievable facilities and when I left Brown to come here, I was like, why would people not come here to play basketball?
“That’s what it’s been. We’ve been able to recruit some talented players, high character, good academic kids. … Guys come in young and grow with the program. Guys graduate, we bring in a couple new guys. It’s never been a full reset.”
The star player
There have been few stock-risers in New England over the last year as big as Chance Finlayson (Newport, R.I.), who’s the top 2029 prospect in the region at this stage. The 6-foot-6 wing has a unique blend of athleticism, size and skill for a 15-year-old, and he even had a successful July live period this summer playing up with Expressions Elite’s 17U squad against some of the best competition in the country on the Nike circuit.
Finlayson has since picked up offers from Providence, Rhode Island, Georgetown and Stanford. He’s on a high-major trajectory, but none of the attention has gotten to his head; Pina said he loves to be in the gym and work. After being a significant contributor off the bench last season, he’s expected to take another leap this winter.
“I think Chance has been insulated his whole life, he’s from Newport,” Pina said. “He’s on the national radar now, but I think that he’s an extremely humble, grounded, kind young kid who’s handling this rise very gracefully. I think last year, he came off the bench, everything was new, there was some frustration, there were some growing pains, and now I expect his production to be twofold. …
“I expect him to be productive, and at the same time, play within himself. We don’t need him to get 30. Can he go out and get 30? I’m sure he can, but we’re a talented team. I said this to our guys, all of our guys have to buy into certain roles.”
The returners
In addition to Finlayson, the Dragons will have four more returners. Three are in the 2027 class; guard Ethan Njenga (Lowell, Mass.), wing Jelani Middleton, a Brown commit, and guard Otis Crosby (Barrington, R.I.), who recently committed to Columbia. Then there’s 2028 guard Adriel Cantave (Carver, Mass.), who debuted at No. 8 in our class rankings.
Pina is looking forward to seeing this group in bigger roles, much like Chess and Bazzano did with success last winter. Middleton had some big performances during the June live period, while Crosby gives them an elite shooting threat. Njenga and Cantave, both BABC products, give the Dragons reliable playmaking ball handlers in the backcourt.
“The returning guys, I’m excited to see that next step for them,” Pina said. “You saw it last year with Dywane Chess … he stuck with it and he was one of the best players in New England last year. I’m excited to see all our returners, and see what that jump and production looks like.”
The newcomers
There was a notable excitement from Pina about the new players in his program, all of whom are in the 2028 or 2029 classes who he can help develop over the next several seasons. One is 2029 Ege Cakmakkaya, a 6-foot-8 Turkish forward from the U.K.
“(He’s) extremely skilled, plays with emotion and a chip on his shoulder,” Pina said. “He’s physical, can dribble, pass and shoot. Great IQ and great feel.”
The other newcomers include; 2029 Roman Allen, a 6-foot-4 wing from Detroit, Michigan, who has Division 1 potential; 2029 Burke Lombardi (Nantucket, Mass.), a two-sport athlete who also plays football and is a high IQ 3-point shooter; 2028 Pierluca Ferdinand, a 6-foot-6 wing from New Jersey who’s dynamic and explosive; and 2028 Atlas Hammoud, a 6-foot-2 guard from Canada who will bring another ball handler and defender into the mix.
Our expectations
St. George’s has become the class of the ISL, and there’s no reason to think that shouldn’t change in 2026-27; the Dragons should be the favorites to win their third straight league title, and I expect them to be a top-four seed in Class AA again.
Finlayson, after a promising freshman season, should emerge as a NEPSAC star, and each of the returners should take another sizable step. I’m really excited about the backcourt led by Njenga and Cantave, who both have championship experience and keep getting better.
Chess will be hard to replace, but the Dragons have plenty of talent to fill up his production. Finlayson, Middleton and several others are capable of going off on any given night. The versatility and size of this roster is exciting and its depth will be its greatest asset. It should be another memorable winter in Rhode Island.
