2028’s Making Noise

Elias Benaka | Friday, February 14th, 2025

This freshman class has a lot of standouts throughout all of New England. Here are a few from the 2028 class in the public school landscape. 

First on the list is a strong guard out of Bedford, NH, Wiji Dak. He has got a knack for finishing through contact and does it very well. He will wait for contact to come in the post before going up, often resulting in an and one. 

Dak also has a tough mid range jumpshot. He utilizes it on the fast break making it tough for defenders to decide what to do when guarding him. He has got a solid ball handle which makes him a threat to get down hill. As the third leading scorer on the team at 12.6 points per game, Dak and the Bedford High squad are 12-3 on the year.

In Portsmouth, NH, Derek Swartz is a very athletic combo guard that has lit it up this year scoring 16.6 points per game for his first place squad.. He looks to get out in transition, and loves to throw down some impressive dunks. The three point shot is something else that Swartz does at a high rate. He has a quick release and can catch and shoot with a ton of confidence. 

Swartz is very smooth when getting downhill. He has the ability to be a slithery finisher, getting around and squeezing through defenders for wide open layups. Swartz also makes himself known near the basket as a relentless rebounder averaging 9.1 per game, and a helpside shot blocker who swats close to 3 shots per game.

In North Quincy, MA there is a duo that has been having a very notable freshman season so far. Aidan McGrath and Lucas Short have helped lead their squad to a 16-2 season, putting them at number 6 in the MIAA D2 power rankings. 

McGrath’s game shows some resemblance of Dirk, with his off-balance midrange shots as well as strong finishes at the rim. He loves the fadeaway and clearly puts a lot of time into it with the consistency he can knock it down with. He is a strong defender who uses his length very well to contest or block any shots that come his way.

Short is a three point specialist. He can hit from beyond the arc off the dribble as well as off the catch and shoot. With his threat to shoot the ball, he can get past defenders and finish high above the rim as well. This duo makes it very hard for coaches to decide who to focus on because they both can be a difference maker for their team. 

Jake Fortier is an exciting guard coming up for St.Mary’s in Lynn, MA. He is one of the best scorers in the MIAA’s second division having multiple 20 point performances. He looks for smart shots for his team as the point guard and his IQ makes this easy for him. 

Fortier can blow by defenders for easy looks at the rim and he also has a strong dribbling package to get himself open jumpshots. He is a very consistent player with upside to monitor.

Elkin Pena out of Central Catholic has been showing early signs of success. He's an extremely hard worker when he gets in the paint. He's a fierce rebounder who likes to push the ball in transition for easy points for his team. 

Pena has a solid physical frame for a freshman allowing him to play great interior defense. He is also a catch and shoot threat which forces teams to guard him on the perimeter. In a win over powerhouse Andover, Pena had 21 points and 9 rebounds including the game winner as time winded down. 

At Central High School in Rhode Island, Jon Ramos is a rising star. He plays with a ton of confidence and is a very skilled guard. His dribbling package is elite and allows him to get to the basket. At the rim he can finish through pretty much any contact you throw at him. He embraces it and finishes strong. 

Ramos also has a knockdown jumpshot from anywhere on the floor and his handles allow him to create shots for himself at a high level. On the defensive end his ability to generate steals is amazing. He forces his opponents into traps and double teams which causes many turnovers. The freshman guard averages close to 20 per game for the 13-8 Central Knights.

In Connecticut, Xavier Hodge has been a standout for Cromwell. He poses as an all around threat on the offensive end. He is a high IQ player and when he has the ball he looks for easy shots for either him or his teammates. His ability to get going downhill is strong and he can finish with very awkward angles at the rim. 

Hodge also has a smooth stroke from three and shoots well off the dribble as he can stop on a dime for pull-up shots. He’s poured in some big outings including 25 in a win over Branford, and 18 in an OT win over Portland. The freshman starter has helped Cromwell to a 12-5 start to the year. 

Alex Weaver at Windsor is another special player to watch for in Connecticut. He stands out strongly on the defensive end. He likes to pick up full court and force turnovers all day. He is very quick and knows what position to be in to cause turnovers. Once he gets the steals he also has a lot of tough finishes in transition. 

Weaver draws fouls and finishes through contact which brings his team a ton of energy. The rookie has had a very impressive season with multiple outings of 25 or more points, has gotten in double figures with 10+ assists, and really fills up the steals column. 

Omar Torres has played a solid role as a freshman at East Catholic in Connecticut. He brings a ton of energy and enthusiasm to the court, which is huge for a young player. The freshman pushes his teammates to be better and allows them opportunities through his skilled dribbling package. 

Torres can knock down jump shots from behind the arc and get downhill for nice finishes at the rim. He is a true point guard who is very good at facilitating an offense. On the defensive end, he does a good job of moving his feet and is able to block shots here and there.