2026 New England Open Gym Recap - pt. III

Wednesday, October 28th, 2026

Will Zhou, Williston Northampton - Zhou has a good blend of size and guard skill on the perimeter at 6'4". He has impressive shooting range, with the ability to make shots from well beyond the three-point line. He's also effective getting out in transition, using his speed to push the floor and finish in the open court. He's really developed and came along well in the past year or so and will continue to be a big part of Williston's core moving forward.

Samir Johnson, Lincoln HS - Johnson brings a lot of scoring ability to the backcourt at a young age heading into his sophomore year. The 6'1" guard can create for himself off the bounce, get downhill, and finish comfortably with either hand around the basket. He can score at all three levels and plays with a high motor defensively, where he gets into passing lanes and even got up and blocked some shots.

Mohamed Nur, Cambridge Rindge & Latin - Nur is another bigger MIAA prospect with good size in the backcourt at 6'4" and looks really fluid with the ball in his hands. He has a clean handle that allows him to navigate the floor and create opportunities for others. His passing vision was impressive as well, keeping his head up and finding teammates when the defense shifted. 

Mustafa Nur, Cambridge Rindge & Latin - Nur is a crafty 6'4" guard who can be slippery to contain when he gets going downhill. He moves fluidly with the ball, using his skill to work around defenders and create angles into the paint. He also gets out and runs the floor well, showing good body control when playing off two feet around the basket.

Sage Kennedy, Macduffie - Kennedy has developed some serious athleticism and had one of the more memorable plays of the event, going up for a massive poster dunk that shook the gym. The 6'3" guard was comfortable bringing the ball up himself, using his quickness to get downhill and showing touch on a floater in the lane. 

NyZekial Johnson, Lincoln HS - Johnson is a lengthy lefty guard/wing with some intriguing tools as heads into his freshman year. He can score it in different ways, using his handle to work past defenders and get to the rim while also being able to stretch the floor from outside. His athleticism has started to flash with his ability to play above the rim, and he uses his length effectively on defense to come away with steals and blocks.

Lucas Kouassi, Worcester South - Coming off a winter where he averaged around 17 points per game at Worcester South, Kouassi continued to show the offensive ability that has made him an impact freshman last year. He has a really good handle that allows him to break defenders down and create offense for himself at all three levels. The 6'0" guard can get downhill, make shots from the perimeter, and impact the game in a number of different ways with the ball in his hands.

Elvis Lavallee, Woodstock (VT) - Lavallee brings some nice shooting ability to the perimeter and showed that he can do more than just make shots from outside. He was comfortable pushing the ball up the floor, getting downhill and attacking openings in the defense. 

Charlie Williams, Norwell HS - Williams is a really intriguing MIAA prospect with good size and versatility at 6'5". He rebounded the ball well, made skip passes to find teammates across the floor, and knocked down open jumpers when defenses gave him space. He was also able to create shots for himself in the mid-range off the bounce and attack the basket, flashing a bit of athleticism in the process.

James Arthur, Hollis Brookline - Arthur has established himself as one of the better players in the NHIAA and has shown the different ways he can contribute to winning. He can really shoot the ball from beyond the arc, while also making smart plays without it by setting effective screens and cutting backdoor at the right moments. Defensively, he does a good job of guarding lanes and getting his hands on passes.

James Palmieri, Barrington HS - Palmieri is a floor spacer who does a good job making defenses account for him away from the ball. He can knock down open threes and is constantly moving, whether cutting towards the basket or relocating along the perimeter to get himself clean looks. He can also create a bit off the dribble to get into jumpers as he continues to work towards becoming a more consistent downhill threat.

George Lay, Trinity-Pawling - Hailing from the United Kingdom, Lay brings a strong, stockier frame to the frontcourt at 6'9". The southpaw big man runs the floor well for his size and showed soft touch finishing around the basket, even when absorbing contact. He also has some good passing instincts from the paint to spray it out to shooters. 

Mihailo Guzvica, Macduffie - Making his way to MacDuffie from Europe, Guzvica is a new name to know in their 2028 class. The 6'10" big man brings tremendous size to the interior and showed his ability to rebound the ball and run the floor. He gets out in transition as a rim runner, giving guards a big target around the basket.

Jireh Asante, Abby Kelley - Asante showed some flashes of athleticism throughout his outing, giving him some physical tools to continue developing. He also stepped confidently into three-pointers, knocking one down during game action and showing no hesitation to let it fly from outside.

Isayah Gallas, Macduffie - Gallas brings good size and speed to the wing at 6'4", with the ability to get out and push the ball in transition. He was comfortable creating for himself off the dribble, using his handle to get into the mid-range and knock down jumpers.

RyMir Williams, Trinity-Pawling - Williams is a lengthy and athletic guard who has the ability to make plays above the rim. At 6'5", he brings some craft to his offensive game, handling the ball well and showing the ability to knock down shots from beyond the arc. His length also translates defensively, where he does a great job getting into passing lanes and turning steals into opportunities in transition.

Corey Hill, Salisbury - Hill is a scrappy guard who takes a lot of pride in his ability to defend. He really gets into opposing ball handlers on the perimeter, making it difficult for them to get comfortable and create offense. On the other end, he can attack the basket with strong takes downhill while also knocking down threes from outside.

Stanwood Kiley, Bellingham HS - Kiley plays with a smooth style and some swagger to his game. The Bellingham guard showed poise with the ball in his hands, getting downhill and finding ways to finish around contact in the lane. He has a controlled approach when attacking defenders and doesn't look rushed when getting to his spots.

Emin Demir Demirors Wilbraham & Monson Academy:Making his way to Western Mass from Turkey, Demirors offers another layer of shooting for Coach Mannix's AA squad this season. He has some versatility with the way he can make shots from outside, as he can create them for himself with the ball or get right into his release off the catch. He plays hard and looks to make his mark as a college prospect in his postgrad year.

Nate Dyer, Kents Hill - Dyer showed some nice versatility with the way he made plays on both ends of the floor. He was able to defend bigger players while also showing the ability to knock down threes from the perimeter. He made some good passes and mixed in scoring from the mid-range, where he could get into floaters and make shots inside the arc.

Amir Mohamed, Charlestown - Mohamed brings good backcourt size at 6'3" and some quickness to go along with it. He showed soft touch rising into jumpers and looked comfortable making shots when opportunities came his way. He's also a willing passer who looks to get teammates involved rather than forcing his own offense.

Pocholo Castaneda, Brooks - Castaneda is a pest on the defensive end with the way he hounds opposing ballhandlers. He applies heavy pressure at the point of attack, using his quickness to stay in front and make guards work to get into their offense. He's also a capable shooter from outside who can stretch the floor and make defenses respect him beyond the arc.

OG Pashoto, Bishop Fenwick - Pashoto brings good size and a physical presence to the floor at 6'5". He does a nice job setting screens and getting involved around the basket, where he can use his frame to compete on the glass. Has the tools to be an important presence for his team in the MIAA this winter.

Ryder Brainis, Williston Northampton - The New Hampton transfer showed some nice playmaking ability with the ball in his hands. Brainis does a good job attacking the angles defenders give him, getting downhill and finding ways to make plays along the baseline. He was able to convert shots on his drives while also showing good passing vision to find teammates when the defense collapsed.

Rasheed Bey, Trinity-Pawling - Bey is a twitchy athlete who brings some serious bounce to the wing at 6'5". He thrives getting out in transition, where he can play above the rim and finish plays with his athleticism. He also showed a good feel moving without the ball, making timely cuts and finding teammates with passes when opportunities opened up.