2026 17U Season Takeaways - 3SSB

Dylan Thayer | Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026

The past few months have been packed with basketball. From local tournaments to traveling for events, NERR showcases across four states in four weeks, and the scholastic live periods, I've spent a lot of time in the gym.

That kind of schedule gives you the opportunity to watch hundreds of prospects and develop a strong feel for who's making an impact. 

Over the next week or two, I'll be sharing some of my observations on many of the players I saw throughout the spring and summer, with a primary focus on New England while also mixing in a few standouts from New York.

To get things started, here are my takeaways from some players/teams I've watched on the 3SSB circuit this season.

New Heights (NY)

While not a “New England” program as they are based out of Brooklyn, I got to see New Heights play multiple times this past May, as well as watch their dominant run to the 3SSB championship game, where they won a thriller with the Rivals. 

Kamari Whyte proved once again with a 20-point performance that he is not only slept on, but a winning player. Take a look at his resume: Back-to-Back National Prep Championship appearances (Final Four in 2025), Back-to-Back 3SSB Championship Game Appearances (16u & 17u), the latter of which he won. Whyte’s ability to get to the basket is purely elite. He just powers his way through lanes, shakes defenders off the bounce, and gets there. The New York City native definitely helped himself this week as he continues to trend up the ranks.

Kamsi Awaka and Alonzo Archbold are two other New Heights pieces I’m most familiar with, having spent time in New England and in the National Prep Championship. Awaka is among the best big men in the country purely because he’s just a beast in the paint, for lack of a better term. He gets rebounds in bunches on either end, scores in the post, and while it doesn’t look the best, is starting to take his game farther out a bit. His two-way paint presence was key for the team throughout his years within the program. 

Archbold has been on a tear for the past six months. It began serving as one of the leading pieces in Hotchkiss’ postseason run, and continued this spring. His ability to impact the game in different ways on the wing led to winning once again. Archbold’s strong in the lane, can step out and make shots consistently, while offering hard-nosed rebounding and passing. It’s no shock to see offers start to pile up for the Staten Island product. 

Williston's Kyle Seltzer made some big shots over the course of the season as well for the team. The 6'10" stretch big looks to carry the momentum to the Class A season this fall.

Mass Rivals (MA)

Antonio Pemberton came out of the 3SSB Championships as one of the biggest storylines. The Lawrence native has been killing it for as long as I can remember, but he just continues to do so at a high level. He went off for big scoring outputs in every game and consistently put his team in position to win games. When the ball is in Pemberton’s hands, he’s proven that he’s a guy you can trust. 

Whether it’s making shots at all three levels or facilitating, Pemberton makes things happen. His defining moment from this past weekend was that massive game-winning shot he made against the Compton Magic, a team that many had as a favorite in the 3SSB. His stock continues to rise on the national scene as more and more high-major offers come in, including from the reigning champions at Michigan. 

Derek Swartz was the other leader for the Rivals during their strong run to the final game of the 3SSB season. A 6’5” guard, Swartz has a coveted blend of handling, scoring, and strength to get to his spots at different levels of the floor. He’s patient with the ball to attack defenders where he can take a bump, spin off, and get to his spots. The Portsmouth native announced his transfer to New Hampton recently and is a notable addition to the AAA level as he continues to get national notoriety.

Plenty of others played strong roles with the team on the season, with sharpshooters such as Joshua Roux and Luke OConnell ready to line up shots off the catch from all around the arc, young forwards Finn McCauley and Ryan ORourke playing competitive defense on bigger players and scoring it, while Ladanion Payne provided some on/off ball versatility and impacted the game all over the box score next to Pemberton. Jordan Torres and Matthew Jernigan had big minutes for the team as well. There's a ton of young players already making a strong impact on this 17u roster to continue to make noise down the line.

BABC (MA)

Year 49 for Leo Papile’s BABC program was another strong one with some impressive players leading the way. 

St. Thomas More wings DJ Hawkins and Greyson Pierce brought their games to the team this season and played pivotal roles. Hawkins has continued to improve all-around while bringing his signature rim pressure and dunking ability, while scoring off the bounce and making shots. Pierce shines as a catch-and-shoot threat who makes shots at a high clip, while he can also attack closeouts to create his looks and provides some strong rebounding. The two really play well to each other's strengths while having similar builds, but different ways to make their individual impacts in each contest.

Jaylen Hunter-Coleman was another signature name for the squad, and his play has earned him looks from schools all over the D1 level. The Boston native used this season to really develop his offensive arsenal with more freedom at his hands. He improved his overall ability to lead at the point, while showing off some expanded scoring to complement his defensive speciality. 

Other players played strong roles for the team, such as 6’5” big scoring guard Sam Owusu-Aduomi, defensive bulldog Jakare Innocent, crafty guard Ethan Njenga, and more.