Prep Profiles 2022-23 Season: South Kent School

Tuesday, October 25th, 2022

It is that time of year again, when we start to preview the top prep programs in New England. 

This year, we are going to begin with the local teams who will take part in the National Prep Showcase, held November 18th-20th at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Connecticut. 

South Kent School heads into the 2022-23 season with expectations to make serious noise in NEPSAC AAA. 

3 Things You Need to Know About This Year’s Team

They brought in Elmarko Jackson and a pair of other impact class of 2023 transfers 

Recent Kansas commit Elmarko Jackson was one of the most important offseason additions for any program in New England. He has proven to be one of the nation’s top guards with his blend of impressive athleticism, playmaking, defensive tenacity, and three-point shooting improvement. Seattle native Isaiah Watts is another guard who will provide scoring punch. He can make treys on spot-up/pull-up attempts, mid-range shots off the dribble, while also having handles/vision to provide impact playing on the ball. Another floor spacer brought in from North Carolina was Trey Boyd. The wing has clean mechanics with deep range, having the ability to hit three-pointers off the catch/move/dribble. 

There is more talent on the way

While there the senior class has a number of terrific players, Coach Chillious has various underclassmen in the fold who are waiting in the wings. The 2025 guard combo of Jaryn Aguiar and Isaiah Young pair with 6’10 freshman who is a native of Nigeria. Young’s brother Nehemiah as well as Bryce Bennett also have bright futures in the class of 2026. 

 

They are not backing down from anyone 

South Kent is playing a schedule that is as difficult as anyone’s in New England. As already stated, they will be competing in next month’s National Prep Showcase. On top of that, appearances in the Zero Gravity Prep Classic, BasketBull Hoopfest, Jumpman Holiday Classic, and HoopHall Prep Showcase. This all on top of their regular league games in the NEBL and NEPSAC AAA. This gauntlet of a schedule gives them an opportunity to increase their resume for the National Prep Championship in March. 

 

3 Questions Heading into the Season

How far can Elmarko Jackson lead this group?

With now being the top ranked New England player in the 247 rankings, Jackson certainly has a target on his back. With their very difficult schedule, they will face a number of ups and downs. How he helps them navigate through those times will be vital in how successful they are. While he is the clear lead dog on this squad, as we have gone through, there is a lot of other talent on the squad. Him and Michigan commit Papa Kante are also one of the best duos that New England has to offer. 

 

Who will emerge in the junior class? 

We talked about some freshman/sophomores in an earlier point. It will likely take most of them time before truly contributing on the top team. With this mind, some juniors will need to step up so a burden can be taken off the seniors. The two highlight names who are transferring in are Jason Schofield and Jacob Hogarth. Schofield is a forward who can stretch the floor from deep, initiate fast breaks, and create second chance opportunities on the glass. Hogarth is a strong bodied big man with finishing touch and defensive rebounding ability. JoJo Wallace and Oliver Jones also return and will have opportunities to compete for a spot on the top team this year. 

 

How quick will it take for them to gel? 

While it is clear they have a substantial amount of talent, a lot of the players have never played an official game together. The only returner who played meaningful minutes last year is Papa Kante. How quickly the team comes together with each other's individual play styles is an important element. It will be something to watch early in the season with them getting thrown right into the fire with their schedule.

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