Newsday's top 25 prep and private school boys basketball players for 2025-26
Orlando Morris of Stony Brook drives around Mason Camacho of the Knox School during a Suffolk boys basketball game in St. James on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Carter Abrahams, Portledge, 6-0, G, 8th
Abrahams had an eye-opening 2024-25 season as an eighth grader, averaging a team-leading 15.9 points and making 66 threes on 54.5% shooting from beyond the arc. He has since reclassified to repeat as an eighth grader. Coach Brandon Becker praised the already third-year starter’s “poise and maturity,” three-level scoring talent and playmaking ability, and mentioned that he’s on pace to become the youngest 1,000-point scorer in state history this season.
Kayden Allen, Long Island Lutheran, 6-6, G/F, Sr.
Allen is a Cincinnati commit who averaged 8.7 points at Montverde Academy in Florida last season. The four-star recruit, who sits at No. 72 on ESPN’s Top 100 in the Class of 2026, earned a USA Basketball invite and a Nike Elite 100 Camp invite.
James Augustine, The Stony Brook School, 6-7, G, Sr.
Augustine averaged 12.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and three steals in his first season of organized basketball. The athletic native of Nigeria and Division I prospect runs the floor well, can hit midrange jumpers and dunk, and defensively “his combination of length, strength and lateral quickness makes him a nightmare for opposing offenses,” according to coach Ron White.
Luke Baumbach, The Knox School, 6-3, G/F, Jr.
Baumbach scored 21 points in his varsity debut last month and grabbed 10 rebounds in his second game. Coach Gordon Thomas described him as “a skilled player with a huge upside.”
Henry Beckett, Long Island Lutheran, 6-9, F, Sr.
Beckett dominated in Texas last season and arrived on Long Island after having won all-region honors. He has committed to Cal State Fullerton.
William Beckett, Long Island Lutheran Regional, 6-7, F, 8th
One of the best prospects in his class, Beckett provides remarkable size for his age with the versatility to play all around the court.
TJ Crumble, Long Island Lutheran, 6-8, F, Sr.
Crumble averaged 23.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and a block for Ohio’s Lutheran East, helping the program win three state titles. A four-star recruit, he has committed to North Texas.
Simon Ogwuche David, The Stony Brook School, 6-9, F, Jr.
David is drawing a lot of Division I interest as “arguably the most athletic, high-flying big” in the state, in the eyes of White. The small forward from Nigeria, who can dominate as a rim protector and defend against shooting guards, forwards and centers, averaged about 14 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks, as well as about four dunks, as a sophomore.
Ike Davids, Long Island Lutheran, 6-11, F, Jr.
He competed in FIBA tournament play with Great Britain and now heads into his first season with LuHi.
Myles Duckett, Long Island Lutheran, 6-4, G, Jr.
The athletic guard, who brings good size and effectiveness on both sides of the ball, spent last season starring for Greenwich Country Day School.
Omar Essam, Long Island Lutheran, 6-11, F, Sr.
Essam participated in FIBA tournament play with Egypt and now provides elite size to LuHi.
Ayden Helton, The Stony Brook School, 5-11, G, Jr.
Helton is a newcomer from Tokyo. White sees an impact point guard joining the team, a composed and vocal leader who can score from every level and handle the ball well to create opportunities for himself and his teammates. He can also be disruptive defensively.
Peyton Howell, Long Island Lutheran, 5-10, G, Jr.
Howell thrived with Baldwin as a freshman before joining LuHi as a sophomore.
James Augustine of The Stony Brook School (top left), Moussa Kamissoko of Long Island Lutheran (middle), Omar Essam of Long Island Lutheran (top right), Peyton Howell of Long Island Lutheran (bottom right) and Carter Abrahams of Portledge (bottom left).
Moussa Kamissoko, Long Island Lutheran, 6-7, F, Jr.
Donning a five-star recruit grade and sitting No. 8 on ESPN’s Top 60 for the Class of 2027, Kamissoko earned a USA Basketball invite. The returnee should thrive defensively for LuHi.
Stavros Kapsalis, Long Island Lutheran Regional, 6-6, F, So.
Kapsalis can score outside as much as inside the paint. He averaged 8.3 points and 8.5 rebounds as a freshman.
Ben Kluger, Long Island Lutheran Regional, 6-5, G, Jr.
Kluger provides excellent shooting ability and size as he enters his first season with LuHi Regional.
Jack Loeffler, Portledge, 6-1, G, Sr.
Loeffler averaged 11.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists as a junior. Becker believes the third-year starter and Sarah Lawrence commit’s “ability to impact the game in every way — scoring, facilitating, defending and leading — sets him apart.”
Jamaal McKnight Jr., Long Island Lutheran, 6-1, G, Jr.
McKnight , a four-star recruit, led the Washington DC catholic league in assists (4.6) and averaged 9.2 points and 1.3 steals with DeMatha Catholic.
From left: Orlando Morris of The Stony Brook School, Dylan Mingo of Long Island Lutheran and Jack Loeffler of Portledge.
Dylan Mingo, Long Island Lutheran, 6-5, G, Sr.
A five-star recruit from Farmingdale, he's ranked No. 9 on ESPN’s Top 100 in the Class of 2026. Mingo averaged 14.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.3 steals in his junior season. He also earned a USA Basketball invite and was named MVP of the Nike Elite 100 Camp.
Orlando Morris, The Stony Brook School, 6-1, G, Sr.
Morris contributed averages of 17.8 points, 5.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 steals. The point guard, who’s a fourth-year starter, is known as a poised leader on the floor, a player who’s quick and can hit from long range or get to the basket and finish.
Christian Proctor, Long Island Lutheran, 6-7, F, Jr.
Proctor has already received several Division I offers, having ranked 13th, 15th and 17th in steals, points and rebounds per game in the Washington DC catholic league with DeMatha Catholic.
Jacob Sanon, The Knox School, 6-3, G, Sr.
Sanon made five threes and scored 31 points in his Knox debut late last month after coming from Montreal in August. He earned MVP honors at the 2025 Alzheimer’s All-Star Basketball Classic. Thomas praised his “high basketball IQ.”
Geremyah Shaw-Glen, Long Island Lutheran Regional, 6-6, G/F, Sr.
A returning starter, Shaw-Glen averaged 13.5 points and 9.5 rebounds as a junior. At 6-6, he’ll see countless mismatches as the team’s point guard with the playmaking skills to make double-teams pay.
Maxx Tjongondjoza, Long Island Lutheran, 6-7, F, So.
Tjongondjoza represented Great Britain in FIBA tournament competition. He provides both size and range.
Kaur Tomann, Long Island Lutheran, 6-9, F, Sr.
A FIBA tournament participant and multiyear all-tournament selection for Estonia, Tomann comes to LuHi having previously played overseas.
Note: Long Island Lutheran is an elite team that plays a national schedule. The Long Island Lutheran Regional team is in the PSAA and plays a more traditional varsity schedule.
