2026 17U Takeaways - UA

Wednesday, July 29th, 2026

I got to travel out to the initial session of the UAA back in April in Kansas City, while getting plenty of looks at some of our local guys in regional events, showcases, and on film. Here’s a rundown of some standouts from the New England and Upstate-based teams, and some prospects playing for out-of-region teams that attend prep school locally.

UAA

Middlesex Magic (MA)

Declan Griffiths established himself as one of the premier shooters in the country this season. The 6’7” wing has a quick, repeatable release that allows him to stretch defenses from well beyond the arc, but his development has gone beyond just making shots. He continues to improve athletically and has made noticeable strides on the defensive end, giving him even more value as he heads into a pivotal final season as a newcomer for a promising St. Thomas More team. 

Philipe Ndong was one of the biggest surprises on the roster after a relatively quiet winter. The long wing possesses a coveted combination of size and perimeter shooting that immediately catches your attention, and with plenty of room to continue filling out his frame, his upside is significant. He quickly saw his stock soar with offers in the Big East being extended his way, and has played his way into looks from all over.

Preston Bollin once again brought the physicality and toughness that has become synonymous with his game. He led the team in scoring for much of the year by consistently finishing through contact, rebounding, and being a leader on the team. Bollin looks poised to be a major piece for Newman this winter as they contend for their second National Prep Championship. 

Dillon Callahan’s another name who’s really impressed this season and played his way into a higher level of recruitment. A high motor forceful slasher, Callahan can use his toughness and polished attack to find his way to the rim. He can rotate on and off ball and contribute in a number of different areas on either end of the floor.

Malik Adamson was the engine that kept the offense running, controlling the tempo at the point, and locking himself in to Siena. Cole Blackburn's eye-popping athleticism led to a commitment to Dartmouth, while Milton Academy teammates Ryan McLaughlin and Spencer Booth both contributed in their own way throughout the season. McLaughlin continues to get back to form and, like Booth, has warranted high academic looks across the Ivy and Patriot Leagues. 

Brayden Buckley and Julien Wiggins also gave the Magic quality minutes at the point, providing dependable ball-handling when needed. 

Riverside Hawks (NY)

Will Meribe was a focal point for the Riverside Hawks throughout the spring/summer. The 6’8” forward brings a strong interior presence with his ability to elevate for powerful finishes and to erase shots around the rim. He has continued to become more physical and impactful on both ends, helping him earn several offers along the way. His statement of the season came at the Kansas City UAA session where he put together a 20 point, 7 rebound, 2 block performance.

One of the younger names to know is the Darrow School's Abe Taiwo. The 6’8” 2028 forward in the Class of 2028 has already spent the past two grassroots seasons playing up, and it's easy to see why. Taiwo impacts the game in a variety of ways with his blend of size, skill, and scoring ability. He can create offense off the bounce, rise confidently into jumpers off the catch, and consistently contributes on the glass. Recently posted that he received an offer from Wagner.

Matthew Kennedy also established himself as a dangerous perimeter threat during the season. The 6’4” guard can stretch defenses with his fluid shooting and will look to build upon his success this spring/summer in his postgrad season at Springfield Commonwealth.

UA Rise

Corey Graham Elite (NY)

Like the next-to-be-mentioned Team Northeast, Corey Graham Elite is a program out of Buffalo, New York, which we have gotten very familiar with over the past year-plus as NERR expanded operations west.

Bol Garang brings an intriguing game to monitor as he reclassifies at the Peddie School this season and joins the class of 2028. The Syracuse native brings athleticism to the floor to thrive as a threat above the rim with some size as well, standing at 6’5”. He showed some three-point shooting ability throughout the season and forced turnovers defensively. Comes from basketball bloodlines as the younger brother of Deng Garang and first cousins with Diing Maiwen and co.

Aidan Lucchetta also played an important role throughout the season. The unsigned 6’4” wing is still exploring Class of 2027 opportunities after reclassifying and brings plenty to the table as a tough shot-maker who can make them off-balance.

Nottingham High School seniors Dewitt Walker and DeAvion Camby provided strong backcourt play throughout the season, serving as effective scorers for the team. The pair will head to Herkimer Community College this fall.

Deyor Smith rounds out the group with a steady presence at the point guard position. Another Nottingham High product, Smith is a true pass-first floor general in the 2028 class who processes the game well, makes the right reads, and runs the show.

Team Northeast (NY)

With NERR's expansion into Upstate New York over the past few years, Team Northeast is another program we've gotten to see quite a bit, and once again, they featured a talented group with several players continuing to trend upward.

Jaden Schwenebraten has been the heartbeat of the 17U squad and someone we've followed closely over the past three seasons. The 6’3” guard is an outstanding off-ball scorer who consistently finds openings and makes defenses pay with his smooth, lethal shooting stroke from beyond the arc. He's also a better athlete than many realize, capable of finishing above the rim and making plays in transition. A strong student as well, Schwenebraten has earned interest from programs at multiple levels, recently posting opportunities to play at Carnegie Mellon and RIT.

Chase Leonardo established himself as one of the team's premier shooting threats throughout the spring and summer. The rising senior played a pivotal role in Cheshire’s run to the AA championship game this past winter, and his game continues to evolve beyond just shooting the basketball. Leonardo has become more comfortable attacking downhill, using crafty touch to add another threat to his scoring package, and has warranted high academic looks.

Campbell Mucher and Jayden Cromwell each bring different strengths with their size on the wing. At 6’6” Mucher thrives with his shooting ability, while Cromwell attacks the game using his athleticism, patience off the bounce, and strength to get into the paint where he can rise up for dunks.

One of the younger names to watch is 2028 guard Sion Willis. At 6’5”, he possesses intriguing positional size for the backcourt and continues to show flashes of his long-term potential. Noah Jones also carved out an important role throughout the season, impacting games in a variety of ways with his versatility as a 6’5” wing.

Team Sims (MA)

Ladainian Rodrigues emerged as one of the biggest stock risers on the team. The 6’5” wing from Attleboro heads to Suffield Academy for a postgrad year this season, and momentum is certainly on his side. Rodrigues has built a reputation as a versatile, athletic, and strong defender who can guard multiple positions, while his offensive game continues to expand. He’s gotten pretty consistent in his ability to knock down perimeter shots, while providing some forceful finishes above the rim. He has seen his Division I recruitment steadily increase after multiple strong showings in live period settings. 

Ethan Jarrett also continued to generate attention from college programs throughout the season. The 6’8” forward brings a strong blend of size, touch, and physicality, allowing him to impact games on both ends of the floor. Jarrett was the anchor for the team, whether it was finishing around the basket, rebounding in traffic, or protecting the paint.

L.J. Reddicks proved to be an excellent addition during the July sessions. The 6’6” wing heads to Peddie after finishing up his senior season at Milton Academy, and offers a combination of perimeter shooting, athleticism, and switchability on the defensive end. His ability to space the floor while matching up across multiple positions at 6’6” makes him an intriguing name as he heads into his postgraduate season in New Jersy.

Nik Boateng missed time this season with injury but remains a name to know from the program's 2027 class, as he directs traffic and provides scoring at the point guard spot. Isaac Rivera continued to do what he does best by stretching defenses with his knockdown shooting, while Garrett Org added more size and interior presence in the frontcourt. Sam Murray and Magezi Nkugwa rounded out the rotation with their toughness and physicality on the defensive end and by making scrappy plays that contribute to winning.

More Standouts

WeR1 took home the UAA title this summer as the team continued to gel as the season went on, and made their mark. Alex Pace was the leader from the jump this April and all the way through July. He’s a tough scorer who will be one coaches make their way up to New Hampshire for this fall when he joins Brewster Academy. His teammate Sincere Folk came along nicely as well and has earned some more looks as he heads to Choate for a postgrad year this year. Coatesville and incoming Macduffie postgrad Larry Brown was a pivotal add for the July sessions and ultimately their championship run with his interior scoring and length on the defensive end.

Illinois Wolves’ postgrad Oliver Gray heads to Newman this year and showed us this past June just how lethal he can be from beyond the three-point line. 6’7” wing Adam Anwar from Elevate will be a focal point for KUA this season as a marksman with some playmaking chops. 6’10” big man Anthony Pannell committed to LaSalle, but will suit up for Woodstock this winter as he continues to develop.