Sleepers: New York
Nic Rebracca, St. Joe’s By The Sea--The 6-foot-5 Class of 2027 scoring hub has prolonged a late season tear from last year, which catapulted him into the upper crust of New York’s most prolific scorers.
The reigning All-CHSAA “AA” and Staten Island All Star is a floor spacer who continues to bury 3s through amplified close out and during moments of heightened pressure.
Rebracca has body control with his rim attacking and long strides to the rim.
He has made space creation a finer point of his trade as he has been consistent with the mid range turn around. He gets separation off the dribble with a stepback and nifty spin move in traffic.
The smoothness and pace of Rebracca’s game has been noteworthy, as he is able to pile up points without excessively hunting for shots.
The leading scorer on Staten Island, Rebracca is coming off performances of 26 points against St. Peter’s and 21 points and four assists, to go with five rebounds in a pulsating OT win over Salesian.
Rebracca has added muscle to his once spindly frame, playing a more physical game this season and developing considerably as a multi-positional defender.
He turned in five blocks during the aforementioned Salesian game.
Zach Wasserman, Columbia Prep--The 6-foot-3, 185-pound guard is projecting as one of the best all around scoring threats in the city.
Possessing a deft outside touch and an ability to evade defenders on his forays to the rim, the Class of 2028 has a deep repertoire.
He brings a thorough bag and a considerable IQ with his assortment of pocket passes and fireball assists in transition.
Wasserman engineered a scoring spree during this Coaches vs Cancer this past weekend, exploding for 44 points and sticking a robust 10 for 18 from beyond the arc.
Wasserman added 12 rebounds and four assists.
He has been an adequate stat sheet stuffer throughout the season for Columbia Prep, establishing himself as a defensive catalyst with his ability to guard on the ball and pick off passes as a ball hawk. He is starting to embrace contact, as he's piled up a handful of traditional 3-point plays and turned in a four-point play during his aforementioned immense 44-point outburst.
Wasserman has handled the rigors of being the focal point even with teams ramping up heightened defensive coverage of him, as this Columbia Prep team goes as he goes.
He has transitioned instantly from being a steady kick out shooter to a guy with a three level scoring prowess, as he has turned in several games of high 20s and early 30s this season.
Sonny Batchelor, Westminster Academy (CT): The long, bouncy 6-foot-6 combo guard has thrived as a confident shot maker with a knack for timely 3-pointers.
Operating along the baseline and levitating to the rim in traffic, the Poughkeepsie native has manufactured points in a variety of ways.
Athleticism plays a considerable role in his wide ranging game as he is able to get above the rim both in traffic and on transition run out dunks.
Christian Brown, Cardinal Hayes: The 6-foot-4 guard is starting to realize the potential he showed last season, during a 15-point performance in a one point loss at eventual city and NYS champion Stepinac.
Brown is a 3-point shooter who can reel off points in a hurry when he gets in rhythm.
He has budding athleticism as an above rim finisher.
He is coming off a 24-point performance for Cardinal Hayes, which once again features a wealth of depth and young talent in a front loaded CHSAA “AA” conference.