STOUGHTON, Mass. — The AAU season is officially here.
The spotlight shined brightly this weekend at the Dana Barros Basketball Club, where many of the region’s top clubs competed at Zero Gravity’s New England Recruiting Report Northeast Hoop Festival. This event annually serves as an unofficial kickoff to the boys grassroots season, and this year’s edition gave us another rare opportunity to see many of the region’s top clubs play under one roof before they take off for an eventful spring and summer of travel, circuit showcase weekends, live periods and championship pursuits.
The weekend, unsurprisingly, delivered. We were treated to some fun matchups between marquee programs that we rarely see; we saw Middlesex Magic vs. Mass Rivals and Team New England vs. Expressions Elite in heavyweight 17U battles, and Middlesex Magic and BABC’s top 16U teams squared off in a double overtime thriller, among others. New York Rens – featuring Top 20 2027 recruit Anderson Diaz – Lu Dort Elite and WeR1 were among the talented out-of-region programs that made an appearance, too. With dozens of the best New England prospects playing, there was no shortage of star power in Stoughton.
With five courts of games active simultaneously throughout both Saturday and Sunday, I focused my viewing attention on as many of the 17U and 16U shoe circuit programs as I could since there are more limited opportunities to see them compete locally throughout the spring and summer. But I also made time to check in with some other teams that I’m excited about. There’s plenty of time over the next three months to see everyone, but this was a fun first look at what should be another fascinating grassroots season.
Let’s dive in with 10 standouts from the Class of 2027, which included several familiar faces and a few names that are starting to generate some buzz. This list includes only prospects from New England-based AAU programs.
Malik Adamson, Middlesex Magic 17U UAA
5-10 guard
Dexter Southfield/Dorchester, Mass.
Adamson made his Magic debut and earned the nod as the starting point guard for coach Michael Crotty’s bunch, and I loved the healthy balance and unselfishness he played with as the lead on-ball decision-maker. I thought he made consistently smart reads throughout the weekend by taking what the defense gave him for his typical tough drives to the hoop and making timely passes to set up his teammates. He was similarly impactful defensively with steals, blocks and the intense competitive edge he plays with that disrupts opposing guards. He was a big part of the Magic’s two marquee wins on the weekend; 55-39 over NY Rens and 60-43 over Mass Rivals.
Caleb Baker, The House We Built 17U HGSL
6-6 wing
Lawrence Academy/Whitman, Mass.
Baker enjoyed a strong finish to the winter with Lawrence Academy and he’s carrying that momentum into a featured role with The House We Built. I liked what I saw in a Saturday matchup vs. CT Takeover, where he was consistently getting to his spots and making mid-to-long range pull-ups, which included a difficult baseline make off the dribble moving to his right and a difficult step-back 3 against tough coverage after corralling an offensive board. He also made a great drive around multiple defenders for a bucket and was effectively tilting the defense to make plays for himself and others. With a 6-foot-10 wingspan as an impactful, versatile defender and impressive athleticism, Baker is continuing to emerge as an intriguing prospect as his offensive skills and shotmaking continue to grow more consistent.
Christian Chartier, New England Storm 2027 HGSL – Myers
6-6 wing
Phillips Exeter/Hampton, N.H.
Chartier continued to show why he’s one of the best 3-point threats in the region as he knocked down at least five triples in my viewing of New England Storm’s win over Team Northeast, including a corner 3 on the first possession of the game. He has a high release that looks automatic whenever he launches one. Chartier scored the first eight points of the game, and I was impressed with his passing ability too. I noted at least two heads-up finds to cutters, including one in transition and another out of a post move. He was also fouled on two more 3-point attempts, which tells you how dangerous he is from long range. Chartier is getting recruitment at all levels, especially from high-academic Division 1 and 3 schools.
Jabari Edmonds, Team New England 17U Pro16
6-5 guard
Phillips Andover/Providence, R.I.
I included Edmonds as a potential stock-riser in my AAU preview after his breakout winter at Phillips Andover, and the powerful guard is already on track. He was dominant going to the rim in Team New England’s statement victory over Expressions Elite as he continuously made plays with his relentless motor, including getting offensive rebounds and finishing through contact. He also showcased his skill, including a coast-to-coast play where he made a behind the back dribble to get to his right hand for a tough finish. He also spun around a defender out of the post to finish a reverse layup three-point play that helped TNE get some needed separation late in the game. Edmonds is such a tough cover with his combination of physical strength, motor and scoring ability.
Declan Griffiths, Middlesex Magic 17U UAA
6-7 wing
Newman/Simsbury, Conn.
Griffiths demands attention with his confident shotmaking from 3-point range, which he demonstrated throughout the weekend, and his high-flying athleticism, which he showcased with some highlight dunks, including a ridiculous one-handed flush in transition vs. NY Rens. But he was also impressive in other areas. His long reach and athleticism allows him to be an impactful shot-blocker, which he showed with a swat of an Antonio Pemberton jumper and a few other blocks, and he used the gravity of his 3-point abilities to attack close-outs and get to the rim effectively on a few occasions, including one play where he pump-faked a 3-pointer before driving with his left for a three-point play. This weekend was further confirmation of Griffith’s breakout potential this year. He earned an offer from Northwestern on Monday night, and that certainly won’t be his last high-major offer.
Liam Henaghen, New England Storm 2027 HGSL – Myers
6-5 forward
St. Paul’s/Hampden, Maine
My notes on Henaghen from New England Storm’s win over Team Northeast exemplify a prospect who contributes to winning in so many different ways. He collected several blocks, including one on a 3-pointer. He knocked down multiple 3-pointers, he grabbed tough rebounds and made consistently smart plays, including a pump fake on a 3 into a great pass to a cutter for a bucket. A skilled shooter with a high motor, Henaghen is a catch-and-shoot specialist at St. Paul’s who has more layers to his game that he’s continuing to unlock. He looks primed for a big grassroots season with high-academic Division 3 schools and Northeast-10 Division 2 programs currently pursuing him at the next level.
Jaylen Hunter-Coleman, BABC 17U 3SSB
6-1 guard
Newman/Boston, Mass.
Hunter-Coleman’s was a big piece of Newman’s run to the Class AAA and national prep championships, but his role is shifting a bit with BABC as a lead guard creator – and he’s thriving. He scored 13 points and dished out six assists in a strong Saturday victory over WeR1; he looked confident and in control with his decision-making, and he was dynamic and explosive getting to the rim with his usual quick burst and a couple of highlight dunks.
Jack Millward, Middlesex Magic 17U HGSL
6-5 guard
Rivers/Wakefield, Mass.
Millward can heat up quickly as a scorer; he was Rivers’ leader in that department this winter and he showed more flashes this weekend with coach Lambros Papalambros’ Middlesex Magic outfit, which included 3-pointers, pull-ups, second-chance buckets and more. But on a team flush with dynamic scoring options, I loved Millward’s willingness to be an unselfish facilitator. He made some truly great passes and reads in both Magic viewings I watched. He pushed a transition break and found a cutting teammate, hit Keyshon Joyner with a touch pass in transition and recorded multiple assists through tight windows, including an impressive backdoor feed on the move.
Samuel Owusu-Aduomi, BABC 17U 3SSB
6-5 wing
Tilton/Tenafly, N.J.
An injury disrupted most of Owusu-Aduomi’s first season at Tilton, but you could see the potential this weekend that makes him such an intriguing wing in this class. He hit several 3-pointers, including an NBA-range long ball in BABC’s Saturday win over WeR1, got to the rim and finished through contact and got up for some highlight-reel dunks. I also saw him dive on the floor for a loose ball in one game; his winning impact was felt throughout the weekend, and his shooting ability and athleticism should open the door for Div. 1 schools this season.
Antonio Pemberton, Mass Rivals 17U 3SSB
6-1 guard
Masters Academy International/Lawrence, Mass.
The best guard in New England’s 2027 class and our No. 2-ranked prospect in the region, Pemberton was one of the best players in the building throughout the weekend and he knew it. He played with some swagger and backed it up, which included a 30-point performance in Rivals’ 66-57 win over NY Rens. The show included some ridiculous shotmaking that we’ve come to expect from Pemberton, which included a wildly difficult turnaround fadeaway shot out of a post move to his other hand. He also made some terrific point guard reads, finding Derek Swartz on an impressive pass around multiple defenders and hitting corners through the back door and air-tight windows.
Pemberton constantly creates advantages with his dribbling ability that creates separation or draws help in addition to his vision and patience. He’s elite at getting to his spots on the floor. He’s seemingly always a step ahead of the defense with what he wants to do and there’s not much the opponent can do to stop it.
Quick shouts: He isn’t a 2027 prospect, but Nafees Padgett was one of multiple uncommitted 2026 players who impressed this weekend for The Club New England. The 6-foot-5 wing was a catalyst in a comeback win Sunday to claim a bracket championship, scoring at all three levels and providing defensive versatility. He’s getting recruitment interest from all three levels.
Preston Bollin (Raynham, Mass.) was a monster in both of my Magic 17U UAA viewings. He scored 14 points in their win over Mass Rivals and was making hustle plays and smart passes to cutters all weekend. … There’s buzz growing about 6-foot-9 Magic forward Philipe Ndong, and he showed some flashes during the win over Rivals, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers and making a great backdoor pass read. …
Expressions Elite’s Elijah McNair (East Providence, R.I.) was making consistent impact plays vs. Team New England, including multiple 3-pointers and a crafty finish in transition. Teammate Ater Maker Bol hit at least four 3-pointers in a victory over New England Storm’s HGSL team. He’s a matchup nightmare at 6-foot-9 with his skill, athleticism and shooting ability.
