2024-25 Bridgton Academy Season Preview
Bridgton Academy, incorporated in 1808, is a one-year, postgraduate, day and boarding school for young men located in North Bridgton, ME. It enrolls more than 180 young men and employs over 30 faculty members.
Its’s mens basketball team plays in the highly competitive NEPSAC AAA division, traditionally the nation’s most competitive prep league. Since 1997, the team has been coached by New England Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, Whit Lesure.
Jaeden Bull (2025) 6’1 point guard - Bull is a legit point guard, great handle, and IQ. He plays with patience. He can finish with either hand at the rim. Excellent press break instincts. Bull freezes defenders with his subtle changes of pace before kicking to shooters. He has a high motor and is a great rebounder for his size. Bull is a great on-ball defender (1-4) and has decent shooting ability. 3.0 gpa Video highlights
Ethan Childs (2025) 6’5, 190lbs guard - Childs ran point for his high school team and plays combo guard for BA. He is great on-ball and off-ball defender, able to guard 1-5. Unselfish character and player Childs is able to shoot it well consistently, he shoots 40% from three and 80% from the foul line. 3.4 gpa Video highlights
Dantae Clarke (2025) 6’8 forward - 2023-24 South Shore League (MA) All Star. Clarke is an intimidating presence, with a 6’10 wingspan. He has been a legitimate rim protector and inside threat for the past several seasons. Video highlights
Jake Cofield (2025) 6’9 forward - Cofield had several double-doubles last season and was a prolific shot blocker with Cathedral Memorial High (MA). Plays AAU with the House that We Built.
Joe Fitzgerald (2025) 6’1, 180lbs, guard - Fitzgerald was a captain and averaged 22.8 points per game at Pembroke Academy (NH). There, he was also always tasked with shutting down the opponent’s best offensive player, can guard 1-3. He plays with a high motor and high IQ. He can shoot off the catch, and has an elite pull up. Projected low major D1-D3. 3.5 gpa
Isaiah Hynson (2025) 6’4 guard - This lefty is a dynamic scoring guard who is shifty off the bounce and able to control his body to make shots when he’s closely guarded, he can work off the ball where he can set his feet and make shots on the move and when he gets downhill he’s explosive and has good body control to finish though contact.
Ajay Lopes (2025) 6’0 guard, Bridgton Academy (NH) - A state champion at Wareham High (MA). A true combo-guard, he’s comfortable playing with the ball in his hands or sliding off the ball to be a primary scorer. He’s crafty, creates space off the bounce, and has good floor vision. He knows how to score the ball and has become a high level perimeter shooter over the past 12 months. Defensively, he can really sit in a stance and move his feet laterally to keep ball-handlers out of the paint. He’s a decent athlete that knows how to use his physical gifts to his advantage on the defensive end.
Theo Moore (2025) 6’0, 165lbs, guard, Bridgton Academy (NH) - 2023-24 Bay State League First Team with Braintree High (MA). A dynamic combo guard can guard multiple positions. Scores in different ways and plays well through contact. A sharpshooter that gets involved in every play. Rebounds well. Projected D2-D3. Plays AAU with ASA Select. 2.3 gpa Video highlights
Benny Old Person-Harlow (Avon showcase only) (2025) 6’4, 185lbs, guard, Bridgton Academy (NH) - A versatile wing that can score in bunches off of the bounce or the catch. His pure ability to shoots the 3 makes him a floor spacer. He demonstrates a high IQ, competitive toughness and flair for the game. He rebounds well, with a natural knack for grabbing offensive boards. Video highlights Projected as a D1-D2, with a northwestern USA preference. 2.9 gpa 16 ACT
Connor Parkes (2025) 6’1 guard - Parkes has tremendous potential. He is a quick guard that can do a little bit of everything. Uses a long wingspan to rebound and a quick first step to get by a defender. He’s a knockdown shooter, on and off the dribble. As a defender does a good job at cutting off the angles. He’s working to be a pure point guard that will thrive off the pick-and-roll opportunities. Plays AAU with DTX Basketball. 3.8 gpa 1120 SAT
Benedict “Ben” Sachse (2025) 6’4 guard - Sachse is growing as a point guard and has gotten to the point that he can play equally well with or without the ball in his hands. He is also showing increasing physically and athleticism in his game. He really knows how to play and blends the best of the international and American styles of play. He is a hard-nosed competitor, not afraid of rising to any challenge. Video highlights
Blair Thomas (2025) 6’5 wing- 2023-24 All Conference First Team at St George’s High (DE). A prototype college basketball wing player that scores the ball effortlessly. Plays AAU with Team Final Black. Video highlights
Drew Veilleux (2025) 6’5, 185lbs, wing - Veilleux can really fill it up off of the catch. Only two years of experience playing, prior to coming to BA, and consequently, has shown dramatic growth in his game, which is complementing his physical maturation. He is a 3 and D style player with a high shot efficiency from the three as well as midrange. 4.0 gpa 1260 SAT Video highlights
Abdiel Zapata (2025) 6’2, 195lbs, guard - Per Prep Hoops, “Zapata is a dynamic and agile guard with a quick first step. His remarkable ability to consistently drive to the basket, often leveraging his strength to clear defenders out of his path, makes him a formidable scoring threat. Additionally, Zapata’s shooting range extends beyond the arc, providing him with a diverse offensive skill set that keeps opponents guessing. On the defensive end, he uses his speed and instincts to get steals.” He is especially off two feet. Plays AAU with White Mambas. 3.2 gpa Video highlights