Connecticut’s 2018 Class is a Deep One

Saturday, February 17th, 2018

With the release of updated rankings in Connecticut's 2018 class we have now updated all six states in region with our collective New England rankings due out on Monday.

While there isn't necessarily the same level of star power as there has been in previous years, or even in other states this year, Connecticut has unmatched depth when it comes to the sheer quantity of scholarship caliber prospects in their senior class.

In total we ranked 40 players in the class of 2018 and three of the last four have already accepted full athletic scholarship offers. In other words, when you combine the talent in the CIAC with the local prep ranks, both NEPSAC and independant, there are roughly 50 scholarship caliber players currently competing in the state.

The list begins with a dilemna though as there is no clear-cut number one in the state. While there are a handful of players who could vie for that distinction, two of them come from a South Kent team that has been trending up rapidly in recent weeks. Malachi de Sousa has been, undeniably, the best player on that team all season long. He's an absolute steal for Albany, where he should emerge into one of the league's best before too long. His teammate, Anthony Nelson, is committed to Seton Hall and the most naturally talented player on the team. While Nelson has underperformed this season, the hope is that he's learned some valuable lessons that will help him tap into his undeniable talent. He's a smooth lefty guard with good size and versatile tools. He was the best player on a New York Lightning team that qualified for the EYBL Finals this summer and so we've seen him rise to the occasion. What he lacks though is the everyday mentality, especially on the defensive end and in other areas where the ball isn't in his hand.

Also in the top five are two players who have taken their games to entirely new levels during their post-graduate years and seen their recruitment take off accordingly. Putnam Science Academy point guard Kyle Lofton didn't land his first D1 offer until August and now has his choice of Atlantic 10 suitors. Adrien Nunez was fighting for D2 offers at this time last year while coming off the bench for his high school team in New York. Now he's committed to Michigan.

Rounding out the top five is another post-grad in Woodstock Academy's Luis Rodriguez, an athletic wing from California who has earned high-major offers since arriving thanks to his physical tools and ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor.

There's a long list of local prep products on the list as Woodstock is represented by Lehigh commit Jeameril Wilson, Fordham commit Tyrone Perry, Towson commit Jakigh Dottin, and Elijah Buchanan among others. Putnam has LaSalle bound big man Osun Osunniyi, Josh Mballa, Jose Perez, and Gabe McGlothan among others. Other prep products include Loomis Chaffee's Nelson Boachie-Yiadom, Salisbury's Bryce Daley, St. Luke's Jonas Harper, St. Thomas More's Everette Hammond, Cheshire Academy's Kevin Buckley, Suffield's Patrick Harding, and Canterbury's Mike Speight among others.

Sacred Heart's Raheem Solomon is the top ranked product out of the CIAC while he is joined by East Catholic's Matt Veretto, Hillhouse's Mekhi Warren, Notre Dame Fairfield's Tyler Bourne, Trinity Catholic's Cantavio Dutreil, Amity's Tyler Thomas, Warde's Sean Conway, and St. Paul's Tyler Arbuckle.

Click here to see the Connecticut 2018 rankings in their entirety.