HoopWise from New England Basketball Journal

Seamans Media
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Basketball
  • Updated Biweekly

HoopWise, from New England Basketball Journal, covers all levels of amateur basketball around the region, including the prep school and AAU circuit. Its hosts will bring listeners advice and insight from basketball influencers and leaders at all levels.

  1. Jul 1

    Recapping the 2026 NEPSAC Boys Scholastic Showcase — The HoopWise Podcast

    Ethan Fuller and Steve Hewitt buckle down indoors to wrap up a non-stop three weeks of basketball coverage. Steve breaks down his major takeaways from attending both NEPSAC Boys Scholastic Showcase weekends at Worcester Academy, sharing why he believes this is the most crucial stretch on the prep basketball calendar.   The guys discuss the shifting talent landscape, a wave of new coaching faces, and how rosters are shaping up ahead of the July live period. Plus, Steve shares some incredible full-circle UMass throwbacks and a fun trivia note involving two 2008 Boston Celtics champions spotted in the gym.   Key Discussion Points The Most Important Stretch of the Year: Steve drops his "hot take" on why the NEPSAC showcases have become the most valuable evaluation and recruitment window of the prep calendar.   A Shift in Talent Dynamics: An honest look at the lack of elite, high-major national talent compared to last year. Steve notes that this year's showcase served as a massive breeding ground for prominent mid-major, low-major, Division II, and Division III programs.   Roster Overhauls & Standout Teams:  * Newman & Cushing: How these powerhouse programs are reloading after losing major senior talent.   * Mount St. Charles: Kyle Delves’ explosive athleticism and the team's blazing court pace.   * Winchendon & Masters (NY): Navigating roster turnover and Damian Mojica’s thrilling buzzer-beating dunk.   * Quick Hits: Shoutouts to undefeated showcase runs by Beaver Country Day and Rivers.

  2. Jun 25

    Recapping the 2026 NEPSAC Girls Scholastic Showcase

    Steve Hewitt and Ethan Fuller recap the 2026 NEPSAC Girls Scholastic Showcase at Worcester Academy, widely praised by prep and college coaches for smooth logistics, three adjacent courts, competitive games, and time efficiency. A tornado warning on Thursday forced everyone into the lobby for about an hour and led to shortened games (running clock) before the schedule largely recovered. Fuller shares weekend vignettes, including photographer Doug Leclerc’s shooting, Malia Pierre’s notable “milk and cookies” sneakers, insights from Twin Visuals and a referee, and his commuter-rail trip. They discuss what the showcase reveals about team development and recruiting, with over 120 programs attending, and outline early team takeaways, plus early thoughts on AAA contenders.   Topics 00:18 Showcase Recap and Praise 02:35 Tornado Warning Chaos 05:07 Schedule Adjustments 07:08 Weekend Vignettes 08:55 Shoes Film and Refs 11:17 Commuter Rail Adventure 12:31 Why NEPSAC Matters 13:31 Evaluation Takeaways 14:50 Recruiting Class Priorities 16:53 Why This Showcase Works 17:52 Which Colleges Attended 20:14 How Teams Were Evaluated 24:36 More Teams That Impressed 27:58 Triple A Is Loaded 29:25 Rankings Updates and Wrap-Up

  3. Jun 9

    Previewing the 2026 NEPSAC Boys Scholastic Showcases

    Ethan Fuller and Steve Hewitt preview the upcoming NEPSAC/NESA Scholastic Showcases in June, with two boys weekends and a girls showcase in between, all at Worcester Academy. They discuss why June and July form a crucial stretch for recruiting, chemistry-building and early looks at new prep rosters amid heavy turnover and the evolving college coaching calendar, noting limited 2027 commitments. Hewitt explains how he evaluates showcase games and cautions against overvaluing team results while still gleaning projections. They highlight matchups such as Nobles vs. Exeter, Putnam Science vs. Cushing, Milton Academy vs. Hotchkiss, St. Paul’s vs. Austin Prep, and New Hampton vs. St. Thomas More, plus teams and players to watch. They note the event is typically coaches-only and draws major college coaches, and they tease extensive coverage and a new magazine release. Topics 01:03 Podcast Kickoff 01:34 June Recruiting Rush 04:08 Showcase Preview Setup 05:01 Covering the Event 08:27 Do Results Matter? 10:53 Games to Circle 16:15 Teams With Storylines 17:40 Players to Watch 22:49 Why This Showcase Matters 24:47 Worcester Logistics 25:51 Wrap-Up and Plug

  4. Jun 3

    Worcester Academy Coach Dan Sullivan

    Ethan and Steve interview Worcester Academy girls coach Dan Sullivan, a two-time NEPSAC Class AA Girls Coach of the Year who won a Class AA title in his first season and reached the final again despite injuries and limited depth. Sullivan explains his transition after 11 years as a Worcester boys assistant, what he learned from Jamie Sullivan, and how his style adapts to roster strengths, including faster, guard-heavy play and effective late-season zone defense. He discusses differences in girls recruiting timelines, the role of AAU relationships, and the impact of the transfer portal on families’ expectations. The group previews Worcester Academy hosting three weekends of NEPSAC showcases in its new Capozzoli Athletic Center and discusses NEPSAC girls’ structural growth with AAA/AA. The episode ends with an NBA “last team played for” trivia game won by Hewitt.   Topics 01:33 Switching To Girls Coaching 02:40 Learning From Jamie Sullivan 05:30 Building Worcester Identity 06:42 Offense Defense Philosophy 09:15 Injuries And Team Resilience 10:57 Season Long View Nickerson 14:08 Recruiting Timeline Differences 16:06 AAU Network And Relationships 19:08 Hosting NEPSAC Showcases 21:39 New Athletic Center Impact 23:35 Boys Vs Girls Coaching 25:50 NEPSAC Structure Evolution 29:34 Future Of Girls NEPSAC 30:00 NEPSAC Depth Boom 30:36 Scheduling and Class Moves 31:13 Upsets and Rising Programs 32:34 Showcase Team Preview 34:01 Recruiting Through Showcases 35:12 Full Court Press Trivia 41:32 Final Score and Wrap

  5. May 21

    Recapping the 2026 Atlantic City Showcase

    Steve Hewitt and Ethan Fuller recap the Atlantic City Showcase during the May live period, discussing heavy college coach attendance, why May recruiting is picking up amid transfer-portal effects and coaching-staff turnover, and how Ethan covered the event after taking a 10-hour bus from Boston. Ethan explains his approach to large showcases — building a detailed schedule, watching full games when possible, taking notes in real time, and evaluating AAU play as a role-based, college-like environment. They promote Ethan’s 40-standout coverage and preview upcoming AAU content and a late May/early June magazine. Atlantic City Showcase, basketball, recruiting, AAU, prep basketball, New England basketball, HoopWise podcast   Topics 01:12 Heat And AAU Grind 01:51 Bus Trip Debate 04:02 Atlantic City takeaways 07:33 Ethan's scouting process 15:32 2027 standouts 19:28 2028 standouts 24:55 2029 and 2030 standouts 30:20 Final takeaways

  6. Apr 30

    MIAA Coaches on the Prep School Dilemma

    Ethan Fuller and Steve Hewitt talk with with Medfield High girls coach Mark Nickerson and longtime Andover boys coach Dave Fazio to discuss the evolving MIAA public school vs. NEPSAC prep dynamic, focusing on player retention, recruiting and program impact rather than specific teams. Nickerson describes losing top players to Nobles despite efforts like the Eastern New England Showcase, which he fears has become a scouting tool for prep programs, and notes limited engagement from Division 1 coaches. Fazio shares similar experiences, including a player reclassifying and ultimately leaving for Brewster, and argues many families believe prep is necessary for Division 1. Both emphasize relationships, community and youth pipelines, while proposing changes such as a summer coaching window, earlier season starts, exemption games, and formats like a Super 8 or statewide tournament to improve exposure and competition. Topics 01:51 MIAA vs Prep Setup 11:42 Hard Transfer Choices 17:03 Biggest Disadvantages 21:32 MIAA rule changes 32:22 Coach collaboration 46:14 Leveling the Playing Field 51:50 Would a Super 8 tournament work? 53:22 Final Thoughts

  7. Apr 27

    Newman School Coach Jackson Johnson

    Ethan and Steve welcome Newman School coach Jackson Johnson after Newman’s second straight NEPSAC AAA title and its first National Prep School championship, plus an NEBL title, with 11 college commits (nine Division I) on the roster. Johnson reflects on how connected and resilient the championship group was, the difficulty of turning from the AAA playoffs into the National Prep Tournament, and how more intentional January recovery planning helped avoid late-season fatigue.    Topics 01:23 Coaching and New Dad Life 02:16 Processing a Title Season 03:42 Gauntlet to National Prep 06:50 Managing Fatigue and Prep 11:37 Illinois Fit and Growth 15:38 Building Leaders on Stacked Roster 20:06 Ivy Commits and Unsung Heroes 23:06 Relating to Modern Players 28:00 Program Rise and Recruiting Buzz 33:05 Helping Players Get Recruited 33:36 Coaches as Experts 34:26 Navigating Agents 34:53 How Recruiting Changed 35:59 Building Next Season 36:39 Player Development Focus 37:58 Full Court Press Begins 38:49 Best Ball Handlers 41:46 Best Shot Blockers 45:01 Overrated Stats Debate 52:57 Rebounding and Margins 57:11 Wrap Up and Thanks

  8. Apr 22

    AAU Roundup: Early standouts

    Ethan Fuller and Steve Hewitt recap their first AAU weekend coverage at the New England Spring Showdown and the NERR Northeast Hoops Festival, discussing how AAU evaluation differs from high school through roles, pace, exposure, intangibles and the relationship between winning and recruiting visibility. They highlight players poised for big spring/summer leaps, plus underclass standouts. The episode ends with producer David Yas hosting a trivia throwdown about the 1986 Boston Celtics. Topics 01:19 First AAU Weekend Recap 05:44 Why AAU Matters 09:15 Winning And Exposure 10:57 Players To Watch 29:37 Rapid-Fire Standouts 32:14 "Full-Court Press" Trivia 37:31 Trivia Finale and Signoff

See All (70)

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

About

HoopWise, from New England Basketball Journal, covers all levels of amateur basketball around the region, including the prep school and AAU circuit. Its hosts will bring listeners advice and insight from basketball influencers and leaders at all levels.

Information

You Might Also Like