The Division 3 men’s basketball season kicks off soon, and New England is loaded with some of the country’s best players.
From All-Americans to reigning league Players of the Year, Defensive Players of the Year, and Rookies of the Year, there is talent everywhere.
The season will begin in mid-November.
Here’s a look at 10 players to watch this winter from near and far representing Division 3 schools across New England.
Octavio Brito, Keene State College
G, 6-4, Sr.
Slated to be a four-year starter for the Owls, the Lincoln, R.I., native led Keene State to the Sweet 16 last season, averaging 19.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals. After toying with the transfer portal, the two-time All-American and Little East Conference All-Defensive Team and first team All-LEC nod decided to return to Keene State for his senior campaign and play for first-year coach Steve Enright.
Isaac Dobie, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
G, 6-3, Soph.
The New England Women’s And Men’s Athletic Conference’s leading scorer in league play as a freshman a season ago, Dobie averaged 14.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game across 25 appearances, leveling up to 18.3 points per game in league play. The Kitty Hawk, N.C., native posted eight games with at least 20 points in league play, including a 37-point outburst against Clark and 34 points vs. Coast Guard. He shot an impressive 49.6% from the floor and 41.2% from 3-point range.
John Paul Frazier, Saint Joseph’s College
G, 6-5, Jr.
The youngest member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference all-league first team a season ago, the York, Maine, native also earned GNAC Rookie of the Year as a freshman. Frazier averaged 14.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game for the Monks, who went 12-2 in league play and lost to Saint Joseph University in the conference final.
Jake Harrison, Western New England University
F, 6-5, Sr.
The Conference of New England (formerly Commonwealth Coast Conference) Co-Defensive Player of the Year, Harrison picked up all-league first-team honors after a sophomore season in which he was the league’s Player of the Year and NABC All-American second teamer. The South Boston, Mass., native’s scoring dipped from 17.1 to 12 points per game from his sophomore to junior year, yet the Boston Latin School alum still made a major impact on a team that finished 19-8 with a 12-4 record in league play.
Nicky Johnson, Wesleyan University
G, 5-10, Sr.
An All-NESCAC second-team selection last winter and first-team two years ago, the Lexington, Mass., native enters his final season of college hoops looking to lead the Cardinals back to a better-than .500 record in league play. A River School alum, Johnson holds career averages of 12.7 points, 5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and nearly two steals. He posted double-figure scoring efforts in all but six of the 25 games he played in last year and tallied two double-digit assist games and one double-digit rebounding effort. Look for a rebound from career-low shooting percentages (40.3% from the floor and 31.6% from distance).
Elijah Kinney, Endicott College
F, 6-7, Soph.
Stats say Kinney is out of place, in a good way. The reigning Conference of New England Rookie of the Year and second-team all-league pick averaged a double-double (14.5 points, 10 rebounds) per game. A Nashville, Tenn., native, Kinney finished his prep career at Brimmer & May. He posted 20 points or more five times, including a career-best 25 points on an efficient 9-of-17 shooting night against then-No.24 Middlebury. Kinney hauled in 10 or more rebounds in 11 of his 22 games and only committed three or more turnovers once.
Juju Omot, Westfield State University
G, 6-6, Jr.
After a year at junior college, the Springfield native and Springfield Central graduate last year averaged 16.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists en route to Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year honors. Omot’s team-best scoring output helped lead the Owls to the conference semifinals. He scored 25 or more points five times, including 31 and 33 points against Salem State.
Tyler Stewart, Wentworth College
F, 6-6, Sr.
Not only did Stewart capture Conference of New England Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors, but the Taunton, Mass., native and all-league first teamer finished third in the league in points per game (19.9), second in rebounds (9.4) and first in blocks per game (1.9). A rotational piece as a freshman, Stewart developed into a reliable starter as a sophomore and exploded into a double-double machine as a junior, collecting 11 in 25 games, including a stretch of six-straight points/rebounds double-doubles late in the regular season.
Aedan Using, Brandeis University
F, 6-6, Sr.
The counting stats may not wow the average hoops fan, but Using led the Judges in steals (1.4), blocks (1.2), rebounds (6.2) and assists (2.8) per game to go with 5.8 points and picked up University Athletic Association Men’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Year honors. The East Lyme, Conn., native missed all of the 2022-23 season with a knee injury.
Henry Vetter, Trinity College
F, 6-5, Jr.
Building off a NESCAC Rookie of the Year campaign, Vetter picked up All-NESCAC first-team honors as a sophomore last year. The Kenilworth, Ill., native increased his numbers across the board, averaging 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.1 blocks, helping the Bantams achieve a 30-2 overall record, conference title and appearance in the Final Four. Vetter’s 93% mark from the free-throw line led the nation.
