New England 2019 Rankings Announced

New England Recruiting Report | Friday, January 8th, 2016

It's ranking time in New England as the classes of 2016 and 2017 will both be updated in the coming weeks. First though, it's time to wrap-up our underclassmen coverage from the fall with an initial top ten list in the class of 2019.

So who are the best 2019 players in New England?

The truth is that we don't know yet...and we probably won't for quite some time. Only weeks into their high school careers, all that exists is potential, and even that isn't worth a thing without the hard-work and dedication to maximize those tools down the road.

At this stage we've watched the Elite 75 Showcase - Frosh/Soph Edition, the Zero Gravity Fall Circuit and followed along during the first month of the high school season, but there is no denying that this initial top ten list will change dramatically, and sooner rather than later at that. In fact, it's a good bet that some of the best young prospects in the region are yet to even make a name for themselves.

Historically, while some of the top players to ever come out of the region were able to be identified at an early age (guys like Drummond, Noel and Vonleh), there are plenty of other late bloomers who weren't even a blip on the radar at this point, especially on the perimeter, yet went on to great stardom (Connaughton, Abu and Dunn).

This year's freshmen class begins with a pair of big men, both of whom have traveled from beyond the region's borders to attend prep school in New England. Chol Marial's long-term upside is undeniable. He's at least 7-foot-1, claims a 7-foot-11 wingspan and yet has amazing athleticism, agility and even touch for a youngster his size. Is he able to dominate a game yet? Of course not, and nor should he be expected to, but all the markers are their for future success if he proves up to the challenge.

NMH's Maxwell Lorca-Lloyd isn't far behind. A 6-foot-9 high level athlete who can already cover the court and play above the rim like few others, Lorca-Lloyd still needs to develop his skill set, establishing an offensive identity for himsef and continue to learn the game, but he too has a chance to assert himself as a major national prospect in the 2019 class.

Among the truly local products, Taelon Martin and Chris Camille are as talented as we've seen so far. Martin has instinctive creativity and smoothness that will serve him well as he continues to learn the game and harness his tools while Camille was a man among boys inside the paint all spring long.

Others included in our initial top ten list are: Daman Tate who possesses an intriguing combination of length and talent in the backcourt; Luis Reynoso, a big guard with a natural feel for the game; Josh Moncrieffe, an athletic wing who has starred at back-to-back Elite 75's; Quest Harris, the latest in New England's rapidly growing line of jitter bug style guards; Rivaldo Soares, an explosive athlete on the wing; and Jay Dieterle, a heady and skilled wing already putting up big numbers at the high school level.

Click here to view NERR's initial 2019 rankings in their entirety.