July CT 2026 Ranking Revision

Monday, July 14th, 2025

The state of Connecticut has been a proven workhorse of building college prospects ready to play at the next level. 

With some of the most competitive prep schools in the country chalk full of college talent, and one of the better public school landscapes in the region, there are a hoard of names worthy of making the rankings.

To narrow things down, we went with a list of 45 prospects returning to the region in the NEPSAC and CIAC that we’ve had the chance to evaluate over the years. 

This list is sure to change in the coming months with the influx of out-of-region transfers, and our scope of being able to evaluate talent live in person growing.

Here’s a look at the top ten.

The first spot has an obvious choice if you follow high school basketball both in New England and on the national level, with Notre Dame-West Haven’s Abdou Toure.

Toure, a 6’5” big guard of Guinean heritage, has led his CIAC squad to two state championships in the past 16 months or so, garnering recruitment from schools at the “blue blood” level of the NCAA. 

As scouts who have seen Toure ascend over the years, this is no surprise, but the intrigue of exactly where he will play college basketball still lives. He first caught major attention in the area with the springs he brings to the floor, but since then, he has developed into a shot creator who rises into mid-range shots efficiently. 

As time continues to unravel, the development of the consensus is that the consistency of his three-point shot will be the deciding factor in where exactly his game can take him in the future.

Next up in the ranking is Putnam Science’s Adama Tambedou, a 6’7” versatile, bouncy forward who most recently cracked the top 150 of the 247Sports national rankings.

Tambedou’s upside has been well noted over the past year or more, and now it’s beginning to gain him more and more attention on the national level. 

With notable size, the force of which Tambedou can both apply pressure to the paint, and get up to destroy the rim for dunks has earned him a ton of college looks. He rebounds the ball at a high level and plays with a running motor throughout his time on the hardwood.

If Tambedou can continue to develop his game away from the basket offensively, there is real potential to take his game to a new level.

Following in the third spot is another Putnam Science Mustang, Parrish Edmond.

The Connecticut-bred wing began his career at Notre Dame Fairfield, helping the Lancers to a semifinal appearance in the CIAC tournament in his final season with the program in 2023-24. 

Since then, his game has continued to earn him more looks at the collegiate level. He stands around 6’5” and has out of the gym athleticism. To complement that, his shot has continued to improve as he’s become a more competent threat to score the ball off the dribble. 

The tools he brings to the defensive end are glaring; he plays with high energy and is another player who can hold strong box outs and grab boards. 

The fourth and fifth spots in the ranking are filled by Chris Birden (South Kent) and Jamell Hatchett (Putnam Science).

Birden, a 6’9” wing out of the state of Louisiana, has made rounds this summer for the strides he’s made in his game. 

While he provides imposing size on the perimeter, his ability to connect on shots from three-point range has only improved with time. 

He can put the ball on the ground to make plays as both a scorer and secondary playmaker, as well as impact the game with his length inside to swat shots away from the basket.

Hatchett, a sub-six-foot guard, plays the game at his own pace, impacting the game particularly well as a scoring threat off the dribble in the mid-range.

In the past month or so, his recruitment has started to gain more momentum as some offers have come in. He keeps the ball low and tight to the ground with his handle, and can make plays for both himself and the players around him.

The sixth spot belongs to recently reclassified Putnam Science wing Brayson Green. 

Green, a 6’5” wing out of the North Shore of Massachusetts, has made a name for himself over the years with his high-flying athleticism. His ability to rise and dunk the ball over contesting defenders led to over one million views on Instagram alone.

He has length to his arms that he uses particularly well to impact the game as a wing defender who can crowd lanes, get deflections, and cause turnovers. As he continues to develop his game as a shooter, there is legitimate upside that will be monitored by a high number of schools in the NCAA.

Defensively tooled wing Preston Merrick lands seventh in the ranking, as he will factor in as a focal piece to a Hotchkiss squad with a lot of promise this season.

Merrick’s picked up some steam this grassroots season with offers coming his way due to his play on the floor. He can get physical as a slasher to the basket that finishes above the rim with force. On the defensive end, he brings strong instincts and physicality to guard multiple positions.

The eighth place in the Connecticut ranking belongs to Warren Keel, another Putnam Science Mustang set to continue to hold a strong role with the squad.

Keel, a native of Lynn Massachusetts, has stood out for years with the craft and twitch he brings to the backcourt as a point guard that can score the ball at a solid clip. 

The Putnam Science product does a good job of creating for others as a lead guard, and has proven ability to make tough shots when on the floor.

The top ten rounds out with Jaeden Roberts and Tahlan Pettway, two natives of the region that we have had a ton of looks at over the years.

Roberts is as crafty as they come at the guard position, with a ton of shake to his game to play iso-ball and get the looks he craves. 

The southpaw can light it up, scoring the ball with high usage at multiple levels of the floor.

Pettway is set to assume a big role this season with the St. Thomas More Chancellors as their true lead guard.

He’s another guard that can beat defenders off the dribble with the use of his handle, make shots inside and out, and has high-level basketball in his bloodlines.

To view the full ranking for the state of Connecticut, please click here.

Other players featured include: Aaron Johnson Jr, AJ Trimboli, Amare Marshall, Amyre Gray, Cooper Steele, Dash Mabilon, Dave Smith, DJ Biggins, Ethan Griffin, Ezayi Mauristhene, Grant Cieplicki, Jakub Lomicka, Jameer Reed, James Caldarella, Jared Strand, Jaylen Johnson, Jayvon Robinson, Jermelle Cotton, JJ Carter, Joel Nash, John Spinoso, Jonovan Bracey, Kehari Walker, Landon Krygier, Loshon Roman, Markus Maxwell-Grimes, Medi Angyal, Mohamed Camara, Nick Sangermano, Rhaki Lum, Rowan Introzzi, Sam Clachko, Sean Wilson, Sincere Folk, Stryckland Whittley-Ligon