BOSTON — The New England Basketball League is back.
The sixth season of the NEBL – featuring eight of the best boys prep teams in New England – kicked off on Saturday and Sunday at the Track at New Balance, where each member played two games. When the dust settled, Putnam Science and Newman emerged with 2-0 starts, and there were plenty of fireworks throughout the weekend. Defending champion Cushing outlasted league newcomer Darrow in overtime on Saturday, and Brimmer & May took down South Kent in a 73-72 last-second thriller on Sunday.
I was really impressed with the crowds throughout the weekend. As the NEBL continues to grow, it’s clear there is high interest to see the best talent the region has to offer. The fans and families in the house were treated to some intense, highly competitive matchups. And there were plenty of college coaches on hand to scout the action.
I have 10 standouts from NEBL’s opening weekend, and there was so much to highlight that I included several additional honorable mentions. Let’s dig in.
Chad Cook, New Hampton
Class of 2026, 6-7 forward
Hometown: Syracuse, N.Y.
NCAA: Richmond
The expectation was that New Hampton would run a lot of offensive actions through Cook – the 6-foot-7 forward was one of the Huskies’ assists leaders during fall open gyms despite missing time with an injury – and it was on display in Sunday’s big 74-62 win over Cushing. He played point forward for much of the game and carved up Cushing’s defense from the perimeter, whether it was finding teammates or slicing to the rim with smooth off-the-dribble drives. He took over during one stretch in the second half; on one play, he pump-faked, took a left-handed dribble into a paint touch and kicked out to an open Jayden Harrington for 3. It was beautiful.
Cook also made a great backdoor pass to James Sanderson through a small window, drilled a 3-pointer at the shot clock buzzer and found a lane for a three-point play to put New Hampton up 12, among his several highlights. Cook finished with 16 points Sunday, and after a 24-point, eight-rebound, four-assist effort last weekend against Darrow, he’s off to a huge start to his final season.
Jayden Harrington, New Hampton
Class of 2026, 6-3 guard
Hometown: Glen Ridge, N.J.
Harrington was promised a longer runway this winter after several key departures last season, and he took off this weekend. The foundation of his terrific weekend came from his elite shotmaking; he went 11-for-19 from 3-point range (57.9%) as he averaged 19.5 points and 5.5 rebounds over the Huskies’ two games. It’s clear he’s taking new ownership in this team. When New Hampton trailed by 13 in the first half Saturday against Putnam, he reeled off 11 consecutive Husky points – which included a side-step triple and then a sequence where he hit a 3, then hustled back and recorded a block that led to a Cook 3. He was instinctive and disruptive defensively with deflections, tips and steals, was active on the boards and helped push the pace with strong outlet passes. He also hit a disgusting mid-range jumper falling away along the baseline Sunday vs. Cushing. Harrington looks confident and comfortable.
Q&A: Jayden Harrington on development, training with Jimmy Butler
Favour Egbuna, Putnam Science
Class of 2026, 6-9 center
Hometown: Eguna, Nigeria
Count Egbuna as my biggest surprise of the weekend. He debuted with Putnam in June during the NEPSAC Scholastic Showcase and failed to make a big impact then. But he certainly made a loud statement in Boston: 12 points and nine rebounds in Saturday’s win over New Hampton, then a dominant 21 and 13 in Sunday’s victory over CATS. He was a monster on the offensive glass with his size, positioning and physicality, and he finished multiple three-point play putbacks. He also showcased strong footwork and ability in the post to overpower opponents. He moves fluidly for his size and was effective in passing lanes and retreating back on defense to disrupt opponents in transition and affect shots at the rim. Egbuna is a bit raw, but there’s a lot to like with him.
Jordan Skyers, Putnam Science
Class of 2026, 6-3 guard
Hometown: Norwich, Conn.
The high-flying Skyers was nearly impossible to contain over both of Putnam’s wins, scoring 20 points with five assists against New Hampton before putting up 19 on four 3-pointers on Sunday vs. CATS. I didn’t love Skyers’ shot selection at times, but he’s certainly not afraid to fire. He’s a three-level scorer who does major destruction in the paint, where he’s physically overpowering and converts three-point plays with relative ease. But he’s also supremely athletic and shifty and can get to his spots with a strong handle and dribbling catalog. He’s unstoppable in transition, where I saw him catch a lead pass at the 3-point line in full stride and not even need a dribble to get to the basket, and he plays above the rim.
Skyers was a good decision-maker for most of the weekend. His physicality and instincts helped him make a defensive impact, too, which included five steals against New Hampton. Skyers, who played with Overtime Elite last year, has consistently been one of Putnam’s best players this season in its 9-0 start. Keep the uncommitted guard on your radar.
Jaylen Hunter-Coleman, Newman
Class of 2027, 6-0 guard
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
Hunter-Coleman is just a constant engine whenever he’s on the court. He was a rebounding monster last season at Northfield Mount Hermon, and that doesn’t look to be changing at Newman. He corralled four offensive rebounds in Saturday’s win over Brimmer and showed he wasn’t afraid to fight inside on the glass despite his size. And those hustle plays seemed to get him going. He caused havoc on defense with deflections, steals and lockdown 1-on-1 defense. He was a crafty offensive finisher around the rim who is good at drawing fouls; he went to the line nine times against Darrow. He had 17 points and seven boards in the first game, then added 18 and six in Sunday’s win over Darrow, which included a 3-pointer. If he can start hitting from outside consistently, Hunter-Coleman can unlock another level.
Louis O’Keefe, Newman
Class of 2026, 6-3 guard
Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.
NCAA: Princeton
With Newman star Lucas Morillo out this weekend with a wrist injury, O’Keefe took on the lion’s share of the Cardinals’ minutes as their lead point guard. He had 11 points and seven assists vs. Brimmer before tallying 17 points and eight assists in Sunday’s highly competitive win over Darrow. More than his numbers, O’Keefe’s steady play at point guard at Newman was so valuable. He rarely commits turnovers and he’s a high-level communicator who leads his teammates and puts them in the right spots. Against a Darrow team that plays incredibly physical and was desperate for a win after an 0-3 start, O’Keefe showed poise against the Ducks’ unrelenting perimeter defense. And he can drill a big shot when you need him to – like he did when he buried a 3-pointer at the shot clock buzzer in the second half. O’Keefe was valuable off the bench last season for Newman; he’s crucial right now, especially for as long as Morillo is sidelined.
Windston Legentus, Brimmer & May
Class of 2026, 6-0 guard
Hometown: Raynham, Mass.
Legentus has always been a microwave scorer and high-level shot maker, which he showed with four 3-pointers against Newman before scoring 11 points in the first five minutes out of halftime on Sunday against South Kent. But more importantly, he made an impact in other areas. He was a hawk defensively against Newman, grabbing three first-half steals that he converted for points. I saw him force Chase Geremia into a travel, and he was a huge reason why Brimmer held early belief it could pull off an early upset. He was making plays for others, too, including finding a cutting Logan Lang for a big late bucket against South Kent, and he found Cam Thornton underneath for a late go-ahead bucket on a well-executed inbounds play. It was an encouraging weekend for the uncommitted Legentus.
Ladanion Payne, Brimmer & May
Class of 2027, 6-0 guard
Hometown: Mattapan, Mass.
Payne, after a strong spring and summer with Mass Rivals, has taken noticeable steps in his development over the last year. An athletic guard who can score in bunches, he’s dramatically improved his court sense, IQ and lead guard abilities. I like the poise he shows when facing double teams; he never seems to get sped up and rarely forces a play if it’s not there. And with a reliable, smooth outside shot, he can score it when he needs to. He scored 21 points in Saturday’s loss to Newman, and he came up with the biggest play of the game on Sunday. Down one with the final seconds winding down, Payne got the ball around midcourt and amidst some chaos, he never panicked and took it straight to the cup for the game-winning layup with 1.3 seconds remaining.
Brady O’Connell, Cushing
Class of 2026, 6-0 guard
Hometown: Bedford, N.H.
O’Connell has always made a steady yet quiet impact for Cushing as one of the Penguins’ best defenders. But he had some loud moments to lead them to their overtime victory Saturday over Darrow. O’Connell scored 10 points in overtime, including two massive 3-pointers before picking Haisi Mayben’s pocket and returning it for an up-and-under layup in transition, that was the difference in the victory. It certainly wasn’t his only contribution of the weekend; the glue-type plays he makes are noticeable, whether it’s making extra passes or grabbing big rebounds. A program fixture for head coach James Cormier, there’s a reason why O'Connell has a place in Cushing’s starting lineup. He’s not the most explosive player on the floor, but he might be the most reliable.
Caspian Jones, CATS Academy
Class of 2026, 6-6 wing
Hometown: Laveen, Ariz.
A postgraduate transfer from St. Mary’s High School in Arizona, Jones turned heads with a pair of high-level scoring performances. He poured in 27 points on 11-for-15 shooting in a victory over South Kent before scoring a team-leading 18 in CATS’ loss to Putnam Science, despite playing just 13 minutes due to foul trouble. A three-level scorer with explosive bounce, Jones was aggressive on both ends of the court, and I appreciated his defensive hustle. One play in Saturday’s victory over South Kent, he scored at the rim, then turned around and immediately tracked down the opposing ball-handler and poked away a steal from behind, which led to another bucket.
Honorable mentions
Those following New England basketball should already be well aware of Cushing’s Ryan Moesch, but his performances were still worth mentioning. He set an early tone against Darrow and finished with 20 points, including three 3-pointers, and five assists in the win, and he had the two-man game with big man Theo Edema working well against New Hampton. … South Kent’s Chris Birden was tough to stop in the paint vs. Brimmer. The 6-foot-10 forward had 19 points, including 13-for-17 from the free-throw line, to go along with nine boards and his typical rim protection. I loved the physicality he played with. … Darrow star Hunter Te Ratana has had a slow start to the year, but made a big step in the right direction with 15 points and three steals against Newman.
Quinn Costello (Medford, Mass.) wasn’t at his best this weekend; he went 2-for-13 from 3-point range combined and got into foul trouble on Sunday. But the Newman star still managed to make a big impact. He had 17 points and a career-high 15 rebounds vs. Brimmer, and still 16 points and nine boards vs. Darrow. … With Morillo and Davon Maloney out, Atticus Richmond also stepped up with a really nice weekend for Newman. The 6-foot-8 Columbia commit racked up 15 points and nine boards vs. Darrow. He brought a little bit of everything; 3-pointers, dunks, solid defense and hustle plays. Chase Geremia (Madison, Conn.) went 0-for-6 from deep on Saturday but responded with 21 points off the bench for Newman vs. Darrow. The Penn commit hit three 3-pointers, but actually did most of his work in the paint, which included six straight points on drives during a critical stage in the second half. …
Brimmer’s John Fitzgibbon (Weston, Mass.) had a tough season debut on Saturday, but he responded with 11 points and a pair of steals in the Gators’ win over South Kent, showcasing a strong feel for the game and an ability to hit from deep and the mid-range. The 6-foot-3 2027 guard is a big piece of Brimmer’s plans and coach Tom Nelson expects him to get better. … Brady Palladino (Needham, Mass.) hit two massive 3-pointers for Brimmer, including a game-tying one late in the second half, that helped them beat South Kent. …
Wesley Waddles hit five 3-pointers en route to his 17 points in New Hampton’s victory over Cushing. The Huskies went an absurd 13-for-26 from long range. …
Valdis Valters looked really good for CATS. The Latvian 2027 guard had 15 points and three dimes vs. South Kent, then put in 11 points vs. Putnam. He has a high feel for the game and made some difficult passes look effortless. CATS guard Josiah Adamson (Boston, Mass.) looked assertive vs. Putnam. He scored 16 points, including a loud two-handed slam, and got to the line seven times. …
Putnam coach Tom Espinosa believes Kamai Samuels could be one of the best guards he’s ever had in the program. He had 12 points Saturday vs. New Hampton, and then posted 17 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals vs. CATS before exiting late with an ankle injury. Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to be serious. … Putnam’s Jalen Taggart was one of the best shooters of the weekend, going 7-for-14 from deep over two games. He had 18 points in the win over CATS.
