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

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

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