The culmination of Newman’s four-year build hit an incredible climax last winter, when the Cardinals won a treble of championships – capturing the NEBL, NEPSAC Class AA and national prep titles – en route to a school-record 38 wins.
Now, the program will turn the page to something of a new chapter.
Newman will look a bit different this winter. Jackson Johnson, who coached the Cardinals the last four seasons, left to become the new head coach at IMG Academy in Florida. Much of the core from last season’s team – including stars Lucas Morillo, Quinn Costello and Louis O’Keefe – have graduated and moved on to college basketball.
But expectations will remain high in Boston this season. With a mix of returners ready to take major steps forward, newcomers ready to make an immediate impact and a new head coach who understands the standard required, Newman will remain a regional and national power. Here’s what to know about the Cardinals heading into a fascinating 2026-27 season.
State of the program
Newman, as we’ve detailed many times, was a NEPSAC Class D program in 2022 when John Carroll left Northfield Mount Hermon before taking a position as the Boston prep school’s basketball advisor, or as he has described himself, the “basketball architect.” He hired Johnson, and the rest is history. The program hit incredible heights, winning the 2025 NEPSAC Class AAA title before its dominant 2026 run.
The Cardinals, however, will not be able to defend their AAA crown as the back-to-back champion, after the NEPSAC ruled that any team competing in the NEBL will not be eligible for the NEPSAC postseason effective this season.
The coach
After Johnson left for IMG, Carroll swiftly hired Justin Perron in May. Perron spent the last three seasons at St. Mark’s, where he guided the Lions to the NEPSAC Class B Large championship last winter. He has great familiarity with Carroll, having been his assistant for two seasons at NMH from 2020-22. He said that experience should be valuable as he takes over a program at Newman that has established standards much in the same mold as when they were at NMH.
“I really wanted to come here because the standard is the standard, it’s a high-level program with high-achieving players who go on to play at great schools, great places and great programs, so continuing that college placement piece and making sure they leave here college ready,” Perron said. “A lot of my thoughts and desires on what the program should look like are already established. …
“I built on all those same ideals that JC had installed when I was his assistant, and really took those to my previous school, and now I’m able to put them back to the level I was introduced at. … This is something I always wanted to get back to.”
The star players
With the level of turnover from last season, Perron is excited about the number of players who will be accepting bigger roles this winter. One of them is Philipe Ndong, who has an argument as one of the most improved players in New England over the last nine months. The 6-foot-9 wing committed to Marquette this fall on the heels of a massive summer with the Middlesex Magic, and he’s only getting better. That’s not just coach speak.
“Everyone knows how good he is, but you should see where is now compared to where he was three weeks ago,” Perron said. “It’s starting to show how he can play this game for a long time if he has this level of work ethic and commitment to himself.”
Among Newman’s returners, 2027 forward Preston Bollin (Raynham, Mass.) has the most experience on the top national team. He appeared in 39 games as a junior, which included a memorable 16-point game in a victory over Southeastern Prep at the Hoophall Classic.
The Princeton commit missed a significant part of the fall due to an injury, but he’ll be the heartbeat of this Newman squad. He brings elite leadership and a high level of selflessness to the court.
“(He has) toughness, IQ, ability to guard anybody in the gym, completely do whatever the team needs,” Perron said. “He can score when needed — rebounds, passes, sets screens, he does not care what his role is, he just cares that we win. I love that about him. He’s a winner.”
The other star returners include: Davon Maloney, a 6-foot-6 wing – ranked No. 12 in our 2027 rankings – who just committed to Vermont last week; Jack Donohue, an elite 3-point shooter and Syracuse commit who’s ranked No. 15; and Luka Kuqo, a 6-foot-9 forward who debuted at No. 4 in our 2028 rankings. That group, along with Ndong and others, bring a high level of length, size and athleticism.
The under-the-radar players
One player who has really opened eyes this fall is 6-foot-8 forward Will Meribe, a 2027 prospect who split time between the national team and prep team last season. He possesses a “different level” of athleticism, Perron said, and he’s a high-level decision maker who has significantly improved his ability to make passes out of his post. But it’s his athleticism and bursting jumping ability, specifically in his dunks and blocks, that could be a game-changer.
"(He) does it with so much strength and ferocity, it really is something that gets everyone energized (and) can change a game momentum-wise,” Perron said.
Two guards – Duke Clement and Jordan Smith – could also make a real impact this season, especially after the backcourt departures of Morillo, O’Keefe, Chase Geremia and Jaylen Hunter-Coleman. Clement, a Babson commit, had a terrific fall. Perron said he’s been efficient and that he’s put a serious emphasis on making his body college-ready. Smith appeared in 36 games on the national team last season; he’s a true point guard who can hit 3s and plays with a joy for the game that’s infectious to his teammates.
Top newcomers
There are too many newcomers to name, but two postgraduate additions look ready to make an instant impact. Oliver Gray, a 6-foot-6 guard, already made a strong first impression this summer at the NEPSAC Scholastic Showcases, where he put on an incredible 3-point shooting display and scored 31 points vs. St. Thomas More. But he’s not just a deep driller. Perron lauded his competitiveness.
“There’s a level of toughness he has that people have not seen, he’s incredibly competitive,” Perron said. “He’s one of our leaders in wins during open gym.”
Leon Powe III, the son of the former Celtics player, also looks poised for a strong year. Because of injuries to Bollin and Maloney this fall, he’s had more opportunity during fall open gyms and he’s impressed. He has strong positional size as a 6-foot-5 guard, rebounds at a high rate for a guard and has an array of offensive gifts.
“He can explode this season,” Perron said. “He’s going to have a big game at the right time.”
One of Newman’s most exciting additions of the offseason came late in the summer with 2028 guard TJ Allen (Boston, Mass.). A transfer from Darrow, Allen has been a known name in New England for years. He’s a gifted scorer and passer offensively, and he has a super high motor on the defensive perimeter. He’s not afraid to pick up opponents full court, either.
Perron remembers playing against Allen years ago in a game when he scored 10 straight points late to force overtime. He knew then he had great potential.
“Getting him this summer was a huge piece,” Perron said. “I think he really is someone who wants to be in his home city in Boston, but he had a desire to be around other guys that want to win at the same level he does. He’s been great this fall. He's an aggressive defender, gets his hands on everything, rebounds, pushes the pace and scores at all three levels.”
One more exciting newcomer is 2029 6-foot-9 wing Oli Higgins, a Maine native who possesses a special level of instincts. His size, skill and athleticism catches everyone’s eye, but it’s his IQ and feel for the game that Perron said can’t be taught, like how he cuts off the ball or how he runs in transition. He’s an exciting prospect who Perron is excited to coach for several years, and he’s good enough to help the top team this season.
Our expectations
Last season’s championship treble almost felt like a perfect storm at Newman, where several of their best players had developed on the top team for multiple seasons and knew what it took to get over the national title hump. I expect an adjustment period with most of the roster in new, bigger roles and a new head coach, but it won’t be a long one.
My biggest focus point is in the backcourt, where the Cardinals lost a pair of high-level lead guards in Morillo and O’Keefe. I love the addition of Allen, and I’m excited to see who else steps up to facilitate the offense. I think this squad has the versatility and size to match up with any opponent. Their ultimate success might be contingent on that aforementioned adjustment period with all the fresh faces, but I expect this group to be humming by February and be in both the NEBL and national prep championship conversations.
